[You know, it's remarkable how much that tender little thumb-rub both helps immensely and at the same time makes Junpei forget how to form whole sentences. The lantern booth attendant surely thinks he's a complete fool, but once he's fumbled through getting the lantern, it's fine! It's fine, actually, because Charles does that and all of Junpei's, um, handholding anxieties evaporate very suddenly.

So it's lantern time!!!

Lucky: a mostly deserted station, so they can sit here and continue to hold hands undisturbed. Junpei plops the lantern down on the table and considers it a little grimly as he takes a seat.]

Yeah... more or less. They're technically for, y'know... remembrance.

[ugh..........]

I don't really get it, considering how this place doesn't seem to care if we die at all, so why are they doing this... but it's whatever.

[The city that considers death a brief inconvenience wants them to do a somber and meaningful traditional ceremony? Bullshit-esque, if you ask him! Decorating is decorating, though.]

So, uh, where do you want to start?