Simon knew Bryan O'Keefe. Having been a regular face at the Magic Guild (and shop) for the last four years, they'd crossed paths a number of time. He hadn't really liked the guy that much. He was just so moody. Simon was never sure whether he'd be greeted with a smile, or if O'Keefe was going to be curt, and probably that isn't the best mix - two people who are highly mercurial in mood. So no, he hadn't really gotten along with the onmyoji that well. It is, however, good PR to be here. After all, being Hecate's son? It kind of makes people distrust you, and that little nugget of information has been going around since the beginning of November. People in the guild who'd previously been quite pleasant to him have in the last month become a lot colder. It's a hard stigma to escape. No doubt, some of the oldest members probably even remember Nikolas Marvros, and that certainly hasn't helped Simon much. So coming here today makes him look a lot more kind and sympathetic, which is one reason he's here, despite not liking O'Keefe all that much.

The other, of course, is that Daisuke and Kat put this together, and Simon has been becoming close to both of late. Even this might not have gotten him out here, had it not been for the fact that - after being withdrawn and even curt yesterday - Daisuke made time to come over and drop off the tickets. Sure, Simon had immediately assumed that this gesture meant that Daisuke was somehow angry at him for something and didn't want to go with him, but that matter had been smoothed out soon enough. So he felt like he ought to come and do this, since it seemed important to Daisuke and also important to Katsumi. They are two of the only people that he has any desire to please pleasantly.

A funeral is a funeral, though, regardless of the denomination holding the service, and Simon doesn't really like them, because this is one place where he can never seem to make his face do exactly what it should. He can never look quite sad or pensive enough. It's boring, and he feels bored. It shows on his face, though he does continuously try to recall that and hide it. He needs to look grave. He needs to look like he's as scared and sorrowful as everyone else here. He's not, though. Sure, he knows personally how painful it is to be burned alive. It's an ugly way to die. However, having died, he feels a kind of... madness. Like he's experienced it once, and it was terrible, but he knows what to expect now, and therefore, he feels a kind of brashness. Let the silly old lady come for him.

He'll do a much better job of defending himself this time.

He stifles a yawn, coming out of his thoughts to find that the memorial has, at last, ended, and people are dispersing to chat with one another. He gets up, stretching a little, and looks around. It looks like the hosts are busy, so he moves along, contemplating going outside for a smoke, but deciding against it. He'll do it after he can chat with Daisuke. He does, after all, want Daisuke to know he was here. He moves into a general cluster of people who may or may not be hoping to talk with the Shinto leaders of the event. He can't really tell, but in any case, he falls into the presumable makeshift queue.