Nakahama

There was a set of knocks on Kotori's room. Who was knocking this early on the morning? Or not so early.

Ichitaiyo stood outside, kitted in jogging clothes, writing things on a booklet, tapping her feet with a firm pace.

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2025 8:06 pm Wakey wakey!

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2025 9:07 pm There was a set of knocks on Kotori's room. Who was knocking this early on the morning? Or not so early.

Ichitaiyo stood outside, kitted in jogging clothes, writing things on a booklet, tapping her feet with a firm pace.

Ichitaiyo is greeted not by Kotori''s small veiled figure and soft brown eyes, but by some six foot something masked man with cold eyes so dark they almost seemed black. They just stared expectantly, and upon being asked for Kotori, responded.

"She is lodging at the Natsuzora Ryokan." They say bluntly before closing the door.

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2025 10:02 pm Ichitaiyo is greeted not by Kotori''s small veiled figure and soft brown eyes, but by some six foot something masked man with cold eyes so dark they almost seemed black. They just stared expectantly, and upon being asked for Kotori, responded.

"She is lodging at the Natsuzora Ryokan." They say bluntly before closing the door.

"..."

"Sheeesh. I guess he has had to do this plenty of times."

===

Some time later, and a jogging warmup up to the place, a little smile and a little bribe to the receptionist, now for good, Ichitaiyo knocked on Kotori's door.

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2025 10:40 pm Some time later, and a jogging warmup up to the place, a little smile and a little bribe to the receptionist, now for good, Ichitaiyo knocked on Kotori's door.

After a few moments, the door opened.

"Sorry, I didn't request any room-" She paused mid sentence, blinking a few times. "Kitsuki-san?

She opened the door slightly wider, clearly surprised by the sudden visit.

"I'm sorry I wasn't expecting - did I forget? Had we-?"

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2025 11:01 pm After a few moments, the door opened.

"Sorry, I didn't request any room-" She paused mid sentence, blinking a few times. "Kitsuki-san?

She opened the door slightly wider, clearly surprised by the sudden visit.

"I'm sorry I wasn't expecting - did I forget? Had we-?"

"No, we didn't schedule anything." Ichitaiyo comforted, before setting her hands on her hips. "I just- well, I didn't have a partner for the Oshidama contest, and I wondered if you would be up for it."

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2025 11:18 pm "No, we didn't schedule anything." Ichitaiyo comforted, before setting her hands on her hips. "I just- well, I didn't have a partner for the Oshidama contest, and I wondered if you would be up for it."

"Oshidama?" she opened the door properly. "I'm not sure I've ever played before, but if you're alright with an amateur, I could?"

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2025 11:26 pm "Oshidama?" she opened the door properly. "I'm not sure I've ever played before, but if you're alright with an amateur, I could?"

"Don't worry, so am I." Ichitaiyo assured with pride. "If I am going to stylishly fail, might as well do it with a fellow great looking woman!"

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2025 11:47 pm
"Don't worry, so am I." Ichitaiyo assured with pride. "If I am going to stylishly fail, might as well do it with a fellow great looking woman!"

Kotori laughed nervously, she wasn't so keen on failing these days, but at the very least it wouldn't impact the clan if they lost.

"Alright, alright. I'm sure it'll be fine. What could possibly go wrong." She gave a little nod. "Alright, I'll just grab my things."

She was already dressed, in her same trademark clothes from the traditionalist line of Kazushi's company - a long red pleated hakama-esque skirt and long flowing sleeves of the matching top.

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2025 11:58 pm Kotori laughed nervously, she wasn't so keen on failing these days, but at the very least it wouldn't impact the clan if they lost.

"Alright, alright. I'm sure it'll be fine. What could possibly go wrong." She gave a little nod. "Alright, I'll just grab my things."

She was already dressed, in her same trademark clothes from the traditionalist line of Kazushi's company - a long red pleated hakama-esque skirt and long flowing sleeves of the matching top.

"You... don't plan to hit the beaches wearing that, do you?" Ichitaiyo asked, with a drop of genuine disbelief to her voice.

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 12:02 am "You... don't plan to hit the beaches wearing that, do you?" Ichitaiyo asked, with a drop of genuine disbelief to her voice.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" She responds in perfect seriousness.

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 12:37 am "Of course, why wouldn't I?" She responds in perfect seriousness.

Ichitaiyo took a step back and outwardly stared the woman up and down.

"You are showing absolutely no skin except your eyes. The sand alone will kill you, Sochi-san. You need something way lighter than this."

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 8:12 am
Ichitaiyo took a step back and outwardly stared the woman up and down.

"You are showing absolutely no skin except your eyes. The sand alone will kill you, Sochi-san. You need something way lighter than this."

Kotori held up her hands, wiggling her bare fingers.

"These don't count?" She laughed. "But alright alright... I her your point... I get something more appropriate if I must."

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:18 am Kotori held up her hands, wiggling her bare fingers.

"These don't count?" She laughed. "But alright alright... I her your point... I get something more appropriate if I must."

And Ichitaiyo offered her arm in a hook like a gentleman. "We shall visit less.. traditional places. Break out of your zone of comfort."

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:52 am And Ichitaiyo offered her arm in a hook like a gentleman. "We shall visit less.. traditional places. Break out of your zone of comfort."

Kotori stared at the offered arm for a few moments, the processing clear with every blink and then the clear oh fuck it moment where she took the arm.

"Alright, then I'll be in your hands - lead the way!"

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:32 am Kotori stared at the offered arm for a few moments, the processing clear with every blink and then the clear oh fuck it moment where she took the arm.

"Alright, then I'll be in your hands - lead the way!"

Thus from the spa, she began to steer them down, away from the Samurai side of Upper Nakahama.

"So! How have your last days been, Soshi-san? Personally, I feel.. renewed. With energy."

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 8:47 pm Thus from the spa, she began to steer them down, away from the Samurai side of Upper Nakahama.

"So! How have your last days been, Soshi-san? Personally, I feel.. renewed. With energy."

"I'ts... been somewhat trying, admittedly.' She says, letting Ichitaiyo lead her to their destination. "Performance issues."

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:25 pm "I'ts... been somewhat trying, admittedly.' She says, letting Ichitaiyo lead her to their destination. "Performance issues."

"You know there's a joke in there if you were a guy, y'know?" Ichitaiyo chuckled at ease, keeping up the path. "It's just about the events related to the bidding?"

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:32 pm
"You know there's a joke in there if you were a guy, y'know?" Ichitaiyo chuckled at ease, keeping up the path. "It's just about the events related to the bidding?"

Kotori mustered a dry laugh.

"Yes, it has been a little different than what I was expecting. As a... specialist... its been hard to make headway. Im at least relieved that my clanmates seem to jave been making sound progress." She sighs. "What of you? It seems as if your clan is making steady progress."

Soshi Kotori wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:42 pm Kotori mustered a dry laugh.

"Yes, it has been a little different than what I was expecting. As a... specialist... its been hard to make headway. Im at least relieved that my clanmates seem to jave been making sound progress." She sighs. "What of you? It seems as if your clan is making steady progress."

"Yes, but.. we realize we have quite fallen back. And we might have to shift our strategy. But I've come to some personal revelations. Ideas. Ambitions. To.. step onto a uncertain future." Ichitaiyo admitted, letting a shudder come to the last thought.

"There is so much at play, both in light and darkness. And yet, suddenly, I find myself.. a bit outside of it all, and wondering if to jump into that."

Kitsuki Ichitaiyo wrote: Sun Nov 23, 2025 9:49 pm
"Yes, but.. we realize we have quite fallen back. And we might have to shift our strategy. But I've come to some personal revelations. Ideas. Ambitions. To.. step onto a uncertain future." Ichitaiyo admitted, letting a shudder come to the last thought.

"There is so much at play, both in light and darkness. And yet, suddenly, I find myself.. a bit outside of it all, and wondering if to jump into that."

"It certainly does make you wonder sometimes, doesn't it..." Kotori mused quietly as much to herself as Ichitaiyo as they walked. "What if...?"

It was a question in itself, more than an infinished sentence and it weighed heavy upon the... What if...

There were too many answers, too many possibilities.