today was one of those days where her mind couldn't focus on anything productive, so she decided to wander around the city to see if anything would help strike her muse. she stopped a few times to chat with people or look at items at shops on her way, but it wasn't until she passed a rather delicious food booth that she actually stopped to buy something. the steamed meats were too much to resist, "one nikuman please," she says to the man behind the counter before changing her mind, "actually two!" yukio hadn't had lunch yet, so an extra serving didn't seem like a bad idea. maybe having some food would help her out of her weird funk too!
double fisting both meat buns, she's about to dig in to the first when she's pushed? bumped? whatever it was, it was rude since she drops one of them onto the ground. her brows knit together in slight frustration since she'd just bought them. "hey, watch where you're going! you owe me a new one." words said before she even turns around to see who her offender is.
Last Edit: Sept 13, 2021 5:13:10 GMT by Yukio Shimizu
his eyes shift to the rolled bun on the ground, slightly agape at what he'd done. speechlessly, and in a shift of cutscenes, another nikuman (as well as one for himself) is purchased. he's embarrassed by the time they're walking together, and though she's laughing it off now, he feels the sting of cringe at his playful behavior going wrong. after some silence and a few bites of the bun,
satisfied with a new purchase and his admittance that he'd just been playing, she's all smiles again at the younger. at least until he asks if she's slacking off, green eyes shift between nichiren and her food before reluctantly answering.
"maybe?" a sheepish smile instead, hoping he won't tell anyone. though it's not like she really thought they'd believe him over her, right? she could always lie and say she was... researching something. "what are you doing? anything important?" maybe she could rope him into some plans or another to keep them both occupied.
he laughs a little, "don't look so down. you work harder than everyone." protecting the kisaeng was a task, sure - but the lucrative wealth that went into their pockets was from this little rascal. his eyes shift down (accidentally), before pulling up and away with a slight red tint to the tip of his ears. "not really. boss fei says he wants me to find someone in a few days after you two go to that otogakure thing. not sure why me, but..."he's probably up to something shady... is what nichiren thinks. he loved the family, but fei could be pretty underhanded. but hey, he was a good boss to the people in his family. "umm..." he's tentative about asking- maybe it's stupid? does it anyways,
"what sort of things do you like to do on your day off?"
notices the shift of eyes, tiny smirk at the way he turned away because of it. she knew what she wore drew looks, that was the point after all. "aww, well if he's asking you to do it, it must be important!" she couldn't really see how anything tengfei asked of them could be useless - the other was always thinking several steps ahead of everyone else. kind of terrifying in a way, really.
"do i ever really have days off?" she teases, yukio was almost always working, even if it wasn't when she was supposed to do so. though sometimes it was something easier like babysitting some of the genin from her platoon and overseeing their training. "though i like to explore different food places or explore around the area. honestly what i'm doing now.. just wandering around and not thinking too hard about anything." did that make her lame? was she old? oh no..
her blind faith in fei got on his nerves a little. though... was probably just a "man's complex". he exhales a pitiful defeat beneath a small smile. "just... walking around?" was kind of boring, to be honest... though it was a pretty nice day. taking a walk wasn't such a bad idea. besides, it "endeared" her to some of the population. fans, mostly. his eyes cut into narrows at each elder that almost salivates when she walks by and engages in conversation with her briefly. "do you like fishing? kyuso's been trying to teach me. it's boring, but it feels kinda good when you catch something." especially if the fish you catch is bigger than kyuso's, heh.
"people always stop and chat, so it's never just walking." she'd already been stopped several times before running into nichiren and she was sure that more would stop her later - case in point as one of the other chunin of the village stop them. people loved to ask questions about her studies and she didn't mind answering their questions about medicines and channeling chakra into healing. "ah, you know, i don't think i've ever gone?" a rather sheltered life before, something that seemed so commonplace for someone who lived near the water and she can't remember ever doing something like that.
"take me fishing, nichi-chan~" now that one of her hands is free after finishing her first bun, she uses it to grab his own and pull it close to her, eyes wide, pleading for him to agree.
his nose crinkles, eyes darting to the right. take me fishing, nichi-chan~. what a bitch, he wanted to hit her. or, something. something physical. tsk.. what would that be? a date? he's not sure why he's acting so unfamiliar with her when he's seen her undressed, but - tsk. was she cute? maybe. or maybe it was just humid. rubs at the tip of his ear, annoyed (yet bashful). "m-maybe. i'm-" not that good. wait, don't say that. shake down kyuso later and tell him to teach again. right, "i'm free when i get back from the mission thing. is that cool?" he mumbles it a whisper to the side, trying not to let her see any embarrassment or excitement at spending time with her (again).
"only if you promise!" holds her pinky finger up to make him agree - she wasn't actually serious about making him keep it, she knew both their schedules would be pretty busy soon. but the idea did sound fun and it was always nice to spend time with him. plus, she liked seeing him get flustered.
which is why after a few more bites of her second nikuman, yukio's saying, "going closer to the water sounds good right now though, it's so hot today." pops another one of her buttons open before fanning herself.
blows out hot air, she was totally messing with him. what a total bitch! he makes a mistake of glancing to the side, seeing her move - before tensing and glaring upwards. "it's not that hot." wait, what is he saying. why would he turn this down? wait, was that how she wanted to spend the day? goes quiet, unsure if he's missing an invitation - the kisaeng house would be extra quiet today with tengfei gone and not on everyone's ass about "the business". unless she was offering skinny dipping? but he didn't want to mess around on the beach. maybe somewhere more private? internally screams, "i-if you want, we can go swimming? or... m-maybe you need a bath? not that you're dirty! just, you know? to cool off?" nostrils flare, looking not as innocent as he'd prefer to be right now.
it takes a lot to not giggle at the younger boy's stuttering, though she doesn't complete succeed, her words tinged with laughter when she replies. "i was thinking swimming, but bath sounds better. shaded from the sun and everything~." voice still a teasing tone. "i'm glad you specified it wasn't because i was dirty or i would've hit you." not exactly a joke, but he didn't need to know that. though--
"but a bath sounds like work and i'm taking the day off." small pout at the idea of getting a bath all set up by herself.
awkwardly laughs, but settles down at the statement of it being 'work'. honestly, it was a little difficult putting everything into words... his feelings-- current feelings! anyways. rubs the back of his finger against his nose, brows furrowing as he looks to the ground to keep track of where he's walking. absentmindedly finished eating his nikuman, and wondered- "are you asking to be pampered?" she was spoiled. she knew what she had, and what she could get. there was no reason acting like awkward virgin when they've already screwed around - she was just too pretty that it was disarming. damn, being weak to pretty things sucked.
finger to lips, feigns innocence for a moment before smiling widely back at him. guess he wasn't going to let her tease him for that long, lame. finishes the last of her meal before finally answering though. "yeah, thanks for volunteering!" a giggle as she clings to his arm, invading his personal space with a sense of familiarity. "you can't say you don't want to, nichi-chan." the silent 'i caught you looking' tacked on at the end with a smirk. plus if they were at the kisaeng house, it'd be easy to say she was just taking a 'break', not the whole day off -- though tengfei wasn't even here, so who would really tell on her?
he exhales, "okay..." i mean, it isn't like he doesn't want to. definitely does, it's just... he has an image to maintain, and it's difficult when she flusters him so much - damn. there's a soft silence of companionship as they continue their "walk", which over time began to slowly feel like a date as she continued to pester him for gifts, food stops, and a brief competitive match in an arcade. he'd let her win of course (he didn't, his ego was lowkey wounded). as high noon approaches, the heat begins to kick it up a notch. they begin to start back to the kisaeng house. "you know, this place is gloomy but it isn't that bad. though sometimes i wonder... are the other villages that much better...?" he's specifically speaking in terms of 'look', 'atmosphere', and overall... vibe. he doesn't know, and he doubts she knows. [break][break]
she's more than content to continue to wander around with his promise for later, she really wasn't in any type of rush given her determination to have a relaxing day rather than pursuing anything that seemed like work. undeniably happy as the day goes on and she's spoiled with gifts or food, a genuine smile staying plastered on her face with everything new she gets.[break][break]
it's his next train of thought that has yukio's head tilting, trying to think of what she knows of the other villages and what she's seen for herself. "well, by name alone, stone and cloud don't sound that appealing... stone sounds cold and lifeless while cloud is likely near the clouds and i don't like heights that much." she giggles at the thought of a village in the clouds, how utterly appalling. she liked it near the water, the heat definitely left something to be desired, but it was pleasant. besides, it'd felt a lot more welcoming since finding her friends - "i think i'd be happy as long as i'm with people i care about." that was the most important to her at least, even if it was cheesy.
