[D6 LE| Expecting but open] A run in with a Scorpion... or is it with a Dragon? Who's running into who?

[Bayushi Hinata]

"That's the white chocolate box!" He smiled down at the woman, tilting his head.

"Did I? I mean I'm not always flirty, it doesn't mean I dislike doing it..." He seemed lost in thought as he crouched down to retrieve the pocky, giving it a look as he pondered on her assesment.

"I mean I was sharing something yes. Was it odd in some way? I'm not going to pretend like baby Hinata wincing at coucgh syrup was a very attractive visual."

[Tamori Kanna]

"Mm, not odd," she shook her head, and peeked around him to look at the white chocolate pocky. "Just... different? Like you let down some walls, or took of a mask, I think?"

A finger tapped against her chin as she tried to think about it some more, but there really was no way to put it. "But I suppose it makes it true that you're not always flirty!" A big grin followed that statement, and she continued, "now let's get the matcha pocky!"

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Did I?" Kami what was this island doing to him? Breaking down his walls? Confounding him to put off his mask? The horror!

"Right! Ummm... Litte forward... right... more right..." Instructions are given piecemeal as Kanna operates the crane.

As she hits the catch button there is a moment of anticipation and silence. The thud confirms their prize as a pale green box apprears on the prize pit. The scorpion doesn't comment on it, seemingly still thinking.

"Can I ask you something Tamori-san?"

[Tamori Kanna]

Hearing the celebratory thunk of a prize won, Kanna did a few fistpumps with great excitement at their great success!

"Hm?" she was picking up the pocky, and looked back to Hinata. "Sure. Ask away, Bayushi-san!" Questions were usually interesting!

[Bayushi Hinata]

Th flirty expression was gone, he seemed serious, his eyes did not meet hers when he asks.

"Wht did you think when you fisrt saw me? In an event or earlier today. What did I look to you?" He turns to her, expression neutral, box of pocky held under his arm.

[Tamori Kanna]

"..."

Kanna did not answer at first. Instead, she opened up the matcha-pocky with, a clear I'm thinking! expression on her face.

"I mean... uhm, you do look very handsome!" Even she had to admit that much! "I guess I thought you were a handsome Scorpion man - like the Bayushi are famous for. Like Bayushi Kazushi-sama too!"

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Kazushi-sama is indeed very handsome. So you found me attractive, much like Kazushi-sama..." He retrieved his own Pocky, opening up the box, putting one in his mouth hanging from his lips, and offering one to Kanna.

"I could tell you were taken aback by my earlier, let's call them accidental gestures... Were you uncomfortable? Is it because we're in public, is it not the kind of attention you like to have." The Pocky bobs on his lips as he asks before his fingers bring it out of his mouth with a bite taken out of it.

His expression remains neutral, curiosity playing on his features. It did make him look cute still, but that might just be that he always looks cute with a face like his.

[Tamori Kanna]

Kanna was thinking really hard to figure out what to say. Silently, she accepted the offered picky. Returning the gesture, she held up her own box of matcha pocky for Hinata to take one.

"Ah, hm... I suppose unused to it, is more accurate. I'm not usually the one that others flirt with! At least not openly, or maybe I just don't notice it?" Whereas Hinata was cute and cool, Kanna was now cutely flustered herself, as she was indeed not used to flirtations and seductive attentions.

"... Do you flirt with everyone you meet?" she asked and bit off a small piece of the white chocolate pocky. Her face was for the moment a little distracted from her own awkwardness and instead focused on the surprise of the delightful flavor.

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Is it too cheesy to say 'Only the cute ones'?" He took from the offered box, placing it between his lips.

"You're well deserved of my and other's attention. Which is to admit, I do find you attractive Tamori-sama. Maybe I do flirt with everyone, I like to think I can recognise when to stop though."

He leaned down, closing the distance between them.

"It's as much for fun as it is for purpose. Seeing cute women flustered is a reward unto itself." He pushes his lips forward and the matcha Pocky pokes Kanna on the cheek, he pulls back with some soft laughter.

"I think I don't intend all of it to be serious. But Iam aware it's all terribly open to interpretation."

[Tamori Kanna]

Now she did blush, at a loss for words. At least the Pocky-poke helped her snap out of it, as it made her laugh softly. The redness in her face still remained though.

"Ah... thank you... Bayushi-san," she nibbled on the Pocky herself, taking small bites to enjoy the flavor longer. "You truly are cheesy," Kanna retorted with a giggle. "And teasing me. But thank you. I appreciate your honesty:"

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Some people like cheesy. I certainly do!" He bit into the matcha pocky, eyes going to the side and upwards in thought.

"Hmmm not quite as good as tea... but with some white chocolate this'll definetely be great." He put a stick of his own pocky alongside the matcha one. A smile spreading on his face as he chewed on the food.

"The empire has all sorts, everyone has something attractive to them, there's only the question of sussing it out."

He muched happily on the snack before he looked down at Kanna again.

"Has no-one caught your eye here in Nakahama? No-one at all?"

[Tamori Kanna]

"Ah..." she again filled the lack of immediate answers with more snacks, following Hinata's example by combining white chocolate and matcha together. It was a good combo! And her face lit up in pleasant surprise.

"I don't think I've considered looking at anyone like that," Kanna finally admitted. "I've been focused on my duties! But I've met many I like - but as friends!"

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Are you uninterested in such things? I don't mean anything by it, but Iam curious, this stage of life we're at seems all the rage for this sort of thing. AT least for most other people." He puts another pocky into his mouth, slowly dragging it in with his lips to take bites out of it.

"There's more to life than duty. 'The perfcect samurai has never been born' or so the saying goes."

[Tamori Kanna]

"Are you uninterested in such things? I don't mean anything by it, but Iam curious, this stage of life we're at seems all the rage for this sort of thing. AT least for most other people." He puts another pocky into his mouth, slowly dragging it in with his lips to take bites out of it.

"There's more to life than duty. 'The perfcect samurai has never been born' or so the saying goes."

Now Kanna blushed and quickly finished her snack. "That is a very personal question, Bayushi-san!" she retorted with much bluster.

"Just because I don't openly flirt or have scandalous affairs, it doesn't mean... anything!"

[Bayushi Hinata]

"It doesn't, of that you are correct. Forgive me if I made you feel judged, but let's not pretend that calling such activieties 'Scandalous Affairs' doesn't put a certain judgement on my own activities." He says with a chuckle, eyes remaining away from her, hearing the bluster in her voice.

"It doesn't have to be passionate or torrid or whatever adjectives the pillowbooks put in their descriptions. Sometimes you just find someone you like hanging out with, and they like to do the same. Sometimes they like drinking, making playful comments, or going to claw machines to grab plushies." He still looks onward, a face clearly coalescing before him, yet he does not address the ephemeral figure.

"You dont' have to answer me either way. But I think you should ask that question to yourself properly."

[Tamori Kanna]

Taking out another Pocky, Kanna chewed on it thoughtfully, almost in the same way a rabbit would nibble away on a snack.

"... I owe you soda, Bayushi-san. Let's go get some, yes?" she said with a bright smile, pivoting away from the previous topic.

[Bayushi Hinata]

He doesn't comment on her silence, he simply puts on anothe pocky in his mouth and smiles at her.

"Soda sounds good. FYI, I'm gunning for calpis if this machine has it. I don't care what other flavours are in the way."

[Tamori Kanna]

He doesn't comment on her silence, he simply puts on anothe pocky in his mouth and smiles at her.

"Soda sounds good. FYI, I'm gunning for calpis if this machine has it. I don't care what other flavours are in the way."

"We will get your calpis, don't worry!" she declared with an excited fistpump, and let a new stick of pocky rest between her teeth as if it was the toothpick or cigarette of a hard-boiled main-character.

"I'm not picky on soda flavors myself, as long as it's not cherry - they're always the fake flavor."