Grime of the Day Away [Day 5, EN]

[Kuni Koyuki]

Exhaustion wore her to the bone, a worried mind that couldn't catch a break kept her going throughout the rest of the evening. Thoughts of what transpired plagued her, and yet she was still forced to focus forward. Ever forward, because if she lingered too long it would all catch up in the end. So, she sought herself a bit of distraction. First however came a much needed task of perfunctory self-care, a trip to the bathhouse to lounge and relax a spell. Sitting at the edge of the larger hot water tub she lay her head back slightly as she stares up at the ceiling, counting different things that stood out to her eye as a mental exercise.

Koyuki, in all her glory, had one distinct feature that was hard to ignore in the baths. On each of her wrists sat a dragons head facing her palm. From there the dragons curled up her arms, briefly around her shoulders on her back and then down her chest. Journeying through her middle until just above her stomach where the two dragons wrapped around one another and then parted again to their respective sides like curtains hanging over her stomach. These long bodies continued along and onto her back where the tails eventually intertwined with one another mid-way up her lower back.

[Matsu Hide]

Koyuki was soon joined by a familiar face. The Matsu had a day. She was out with her wife earlier that night, out in the slums. And honestly, she needed a deep clean after that. Hide had properly cleansed the grime off before stepping foot into the hot bath, of course.

And the Kuni wasn’t the only one that had tattoos far more visible in the bath. Hide’s left arm had a sleeve-like tattoo of wings coming down to about her elbow. Right at the tattooed shoulder, there’s some obvious burn marks from what one could assume to be from gun fire. They didn’t seem too old, either.

“Ah! Kuni-san! It’s nice to see you again.”

[Kuni Koyuki]

Stirring from her brief reverie, Koyuki sat up more appropriately in the bath. None of the other bathers were nearish to her and so with Hide's arrival there was a new and sudden need for some sense of decorum. Though it wasn't rushed by any means as Koyuki was certainly not the woman who cared too much for what others believed of her. Still, a proper appearance was required and so she rose enough to dip her head to the arriving Matsu.

"We meet under far different circumstances," she says, a quirk of her lip but not so much as it could be called a smile. "I imagine your wife has seen to you receiving my contact?"

[Matsu Hide]

“Ah, yes. She did!” Hide settled into the bath, a sigh having escaped from her lips as the heat of the water soothes her aches. “How have you been since the club? I’ve been well myself. Eriko has been as well.”

[Kuni Koyuki]

Such an absolutely loaded question, the amount of information that crossed Koyuki's mind in that moment could have probably filled up the screen-time of one of those flicks they show down at the theater in the mall. Which was a wild rollercoaster of emotions in itself, but today was a particular doozy.

Which, of course, meant that Koyuki's answer was, "I've been well. Busy with work, mostly. Have you and your wife done any planning for that get together? Not that I'm in any rush to know," but she could really use the distraction from the rest of her life right now, was the unspoken truth.

[Matsu Hide]

“Oh! We wanted to know what works well for you before planning. I’m pretty open, myself.” Hide gave the Kuni a smile. It was a sincere smile, as it’s hard to see this Matsu as anything but sincere in her actions.

Kind of like a dog.

“I’m really looking forward to all of us spending time together. I mean, you seem pretty chill and that’s a bit different from a lot of the Lion around.”

[Kuni Koyuki]

Taking Hide's measure again she can't help but be amused, and- in something truly unexpected- chuckles briefly. With a slight shake of her head she admits, "After how our first meeting went, I am surprised that is still your opinion of me, Matsu-san. I would have thought that you would find me quite strange, and maybe even intimidating after I pulled you out onto a dance floor and interrogated you while we danced."

[Matsu Hide]

“I got a bit used to it. At that miai I attended, there was someone that you reminded me a lot of. She was one of my roommates. She’d tease and prod at me, but all in good fun.” Hide’s grin had transformed into a small nostalgic smile. “Maybe a bit of interrogation happened as well. Especially when I came back injured once.”

Hide ran her fingers through her damp hair before she let out a long sigh. “Your methods are a bit different, and you definitely have piqued my curiosity. Are you one of your family’s Shugenja? Or a Witch Hunter like my wife?”

[Kuni Koyuki]

"Miai don't happen often, that's rare. Such a happy marriage from it too.." she glances away, looking at the other people off in other tubs and outside the general range of their conversation. All an assortment of lives of varying complication compared as to her own. Wasn't really fair, if she let herself think about it too long.

Was that what she meant?

Focusing back on Hide there's a slightly rueful smile, but she conceals it by killing it, "Shugenja. If you know much, I am not full Kuni but raised among the Meishozo as I told your wife. They are a vassal family," she explains, never quite sure how much Eriko might have conveyed of her birth family. "I served for many years among the expeditionary forces for the Crab serving as such."

[Matsu Hide]

“Oh? Huh. Interesting that you’re here now. But then again, if you weren’t, we wouldn’t have gotten to meet you.” Hide glanced over to the others off in the background as well, but it was more of an alert kind of thing. Perhaps she had still been on edge since earlier?

Regardless, she turned her attention back to Koyuki. “Meet any other interesting people here? I really need to get out more.”

[Kuni Koyuki]

"I have," she says. Taking the moment to seek some respite from the warmth of the bath she lets herself slide a little bit into the pool, just to get her shoulders underneath the water. Her hair pulled together and tied up over her head as to avoid letting it soak in the heated waters. That shave at the side of her head all the more noticeable that way, even without the styling. After a moment of it, she corrects herself and continues.

"Was there any type of person you were curious about?"

[Matsu Hide]

“Eh, folks that you think are easy to get along with. I do better in more casual situations, y’know?” Hide glanced towards Koyuki, appreciating her hair. “I mean, we met at a night club, so you know what I’m about.”

[Kuni Koyuki]

"Well.." she says, leaning an arm onto the edge of the pool and shifting her position to face Hide a little more. Sweeping one leg over and turning the whole of her body toward her. That arm toward Hide, albeit they weren't quite so close that it'd reach her from such a casual shift of position.

"You met Usagi Rei, he seems a sort that you might get along with. You may manage Asahina Hinata more than I ever could but I admit I do not know it is possibly to handle his energy, he is.. unique," she pauses for a moment. How strange it was that idols were oh so very incredibly different. Yakumo compared to Hinata, it nearly defied the senses. Then, she pauses a moment longer thinking of Yakumo. Focusing herself, "And.." she taps her fingers along the edge of the pool, "Hotaru Tsuyo is a refined woman, an artist. Someone I think you would enjoy learning a lot of her work from. Which leaves two ronin, Yurei and Hato. Each of them have their own merits, and I find you may find a greater appreciation for Yurei than I do. However, do not miss a chance to hear Hato sing if she will allow you to."

[Matsu Hide]

“Oh! I met Yurei. I shared some fried chicken with her. She gave me movie suggestions.” It was true that she saw the Usagi, but only briefly talked to him. The topic of the Asahina got her thinking. “Huh… High energy, huh? I think I could handle it. I mean, I’ve been friends with plenty of wired folks.”

[Kuni Koyuki]

"This one is a bit different.." she trails off on that thought, reconsidering Hide for a moment. "However, perhaps you might make a friend in him after all. He is a member of that group Usagi.. pop, or something," she says, rolling her eyes. Silly idol groups and their silly names. At least she didn't have to remember any such thing with Yakumo, made it easier. Was just her name, done, simple.

"I could share his contact information, I do not think he would mind so much. Though I ran into him personally only earlier today, at the tea shop."

[Matsu Hide]

“Ah, no need. I find it awkward to just get his contact info without meeting him first. I like a bit of face-to-face conversation before that, y’know?” Hide took a moment before sliding down a bit in the water. “Oh, you can totally bring someone along for our dinner if you’d like. As like a plus one kinda deal. If you want, that is.”

[Kuni Koyuki]

That demeanor she'd worked up, somewhat confident positioning as she sat falters for the briefest moment. At the suggestion she seems to have an immediate person come to mind, but it's only noticeable in how she just stares blankly ahead for a few seconds. Coming back to herself she manages composure to say, "Ah- yes, I had not considered that. I will have to think of it, Matsu-san. I-" she shakes her head. "I will have to think of it, Matsu-san. Thank you."

That thank you at the end, it almost made her wince. Way too overdone Koyuki, way too overdone.

[Matsu Hide]

“Ah! Good! Just tell one of us ahead of time so we can plan accordingly.” Hide didn’t seem to notice the slip up, she just gave Koyuki a big grin and a thumbs up. “It would be fun either way.”

[Kuni Koyuki]

Slight awkward hesitation and, "I will be sure to do so, should I manage. Matsu-san," she says, letting that idea ruminate a minute. Thinking of the very songstress who occupied her mind, and would continue to for the remainder of the night. It didn't seem likely, something so public would have so much possibility for being uncomfortable for them both.

And yet.. she couldn't stop thinking about it.

So, she distracts herself with some meaningless conversation with a woman whom she enjoys the company of. A woman who seems to manage something she could never, a general positive outlook that was almost a bit infectious.

"Matsu-san I am curious..." she began, and then conversation would follow.

/pan away as the conversation starts anew

/scene