.11 - audio;

[dualbladewarrior]

I understand the basic premise behind... Valentine's Day.

[Hubert sounds a little awkward, uncertain and even a little nervous as he speaks.]

But I wasn't here last year, and we don't have a holiday like this in Strahta. Would anyone be willing to give me a little more information behind it? What's common for ah... not... "couples" but perhaps two close friends... ?

[Short, sweet and... mostly to the point. Mostly.]

Comments

audio

[paladaddy]

Don't even think about it, it's for couples.

[Yeah no he doesn't want Hubert to make himself look foolish.]

The tradition varies even in different areas of my world, but I could give you an explanation of how it's celebrated where I'm from, if you want.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

[He'll probably find a way to ANYWAY.]

Is it... ? That's-- [Disappointing] well, understandable I suppose.

But I would like to hear about it, yes

audio

[paladaddy]

[It's ok to be disappointed, Hubert. It's better than being crushed.]

Today is actually the first of two very romantic days. February 14th is the day all women give chocolates to the guys they like. Sometimes they give them to female friends and family members too, but it's more meant for confessions of love.

On March 14th, guys return the favor by giving chocolate to the girls who gave them chocolate on February 14th. That day is called White Day.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

[That is what he's hoping to avoid.]

... two holidays? That seems a bit... inefficient.

audio

[paladaddy]

[Wat.]

This is why you're a failure at anything romantic. When you're hiding behind a rock and crying because you think your crush got engaged to someone else, I want you to think back to this conversation.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

A-- a failure?! That's--

[Entirely true. Damn it.]

audio

[paladaddy]

Look, if you want any chance of getting a girlfriend, you have to stop thinking about love in terms of efficiency. Love isn't something you can deal with like any other problem. It can't be measured or rationalized.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

[But I wanna rationalize it and be a dick!]

... I suppose arguing with you about it is pointless.

audio

[paladaddy]

You can argue, but it won't get you the results you want. You gotta trust me here, I know what I'm talking about.

audio

[dualbladewarrior]

Speaking from experience then?

[That's not a crack at Shiro's age, but definitely a slight at Hubert's inexperience.]

audio

[paladaddy]

I've had my fair share of love affairs gone wrong.

[Moreso when he was younger, he hasn't really liked anyone in that way since long before he became a parent.]

But I know more about it from advising countless young couples through their marital troubles. That's one of the jobs of a priest: to give advice.

[Audio]

[honeyflaaash]

Two close friends... In that case, you can give your friend chocolate! There's two kinds of chocolate; the normal kind that you give to all your friends and the true chocolate that you only give to the one you love.

...At least, that's how it works where I'm from. I read that it's different in other countries of my world, so it might be different in other worlds too. In my country, it's also just the girls who give to the boys on Valentine's Day, but everyone is getting into the spirit here!

[Audio]

[dualbladewarrior]

I can? I know she enjoys chocolate... where she lived back home even had a fountain of chocolate...

So what would be considered "normal" chocolate then?

[Audio]

[honeyflaaash]

[Aahhh... A chocolate fountain! Honey's seen those before. Small ones, of course, not lifesize fountains.]

Well... the courtesy chocolate is cheaper than true chocolate. Not just in price- true chocolate is nicer. You should definitely avoid anything heart-shaped, that's for sure!

[Audio]

[dualbladewarrior]

[This one was life sized. Amarcians are kind of amazing inventors like that.]

Yes, of course. That makes sense... we are just friends after all...

[And yes, he's taking notes. He wants to make sure he gets this right, of course!]

[Audio]

[honeyflaaash]

Mmh, exactly! Hearts could give someone the wrong idea, that's why courtesy chocolates don't have that shape. Where I'm from, the girls give out chocolates on Valentine's Day and then the boys who received them return the favor on White Day.

[Audio]

[dualbladewarrior]

Some one just informed me that... I'm not quite sure I understand why there would be a need for two holidays, though.

[Audio]

[honeyflaaash]

Well, it's said that the gift the boys give needs to have more value than the gift they received, so maybe it's to give the boys time to save up money.

[Audio]

[dualbladewarrior]

I suppose that makes a little more sense...

[Audio]

[honeyflaaash]

If you don't have this holiday in ah... Strahta, what sort of holidays do you have there?

[Audio]

[dualbladewarrior]

Not many. There are festivals for certain times of the year, but that's really about it.

voice;

[fulmination]

Do let me know when you find out--there wasn't anything like this in my world either. I'll do some digging of my own, but until then I'm just as lost as you are.

voice;

[dualbladewarrior]

Well, so far I've learned that there's actually two holidays - Valentines Day and White Day, and it does seem to be mostly romantic in nature.

However something called... courtesy chocolates can be given to just friends or family.

[He took notes.]

voice;

[fulmination]

I... see. Why would they have two if they're essentially the same thing?

_{[Courtesy chocolates what even why is it not just called chocolate he gives up with this world.]}

voice;

[dualbladewarrior]

One is for girls to give boys chocolate, the other to return the favor.