[EM3] Tea and contemplation (expecting)

[Asahina Sakura]

"Yes, there are! Oh!" her eyes widen happily, "-have you met Kakita Yuji-san? He's seeking a pair of poems from all the contestants? One of observations at the beginning of the championship, and one reflecting at the end?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"I've met him. Told 'im I don't know squat about poetry. I forget what he eventually badgered outta me, but I think I came up w'somethin' where the last line was 'poetry is hard.'"

[Asahina Sakura]

The spark dulled. "Oh." She awkwardly spun her cup of tea slowly to keep her hands busy.
This is going swimmingly.
Hush.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi sighed.

Way to go, Kasumi.

"So y'see why I'm nervous 'round here. Alla you... look an' talk like stuff I only run across in pillowbooks."

[Asahina Sakura]

"Well. Maybe some of this culture will rub off on you?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"We'll see, I reckon. It's just... hard?"

[Asahina Sakura]

A slow nod. "I'm sure it is. Being outside your element must be hard on anyone, adjusting to completely alien ways of life. I uh, I hope that you, well, find some sort of happiness? here? In Tsuma? With other competitors?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

She gave a most piratical grin.

"The, ah... sights have been most appealin'."

The grin slipped, slightly.

"Sometimes inconveniently so."

[Asahina Sakura]

Her head tilted to one side in confusion. "I don't think I understand?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

It was Kasumi's turn to tilt her head, rattled a bit out of her hormonal musings on how those Phoenix boys all managed to be so appealing.

"Uhm... talkin' 'bout guys, Asahina-san."

[Asahina Sakura]

There is a significant pause, and then Sakura's eyebrows skyrocket. "Ohhh! I um, well, I haven't noticed? Are there boys?" she could've facepalmed, and her cheeks bloomed red. "I mean, worth looking at?"
Her ephemeral guide did, indeed, facepalm.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi's turned to get a bit flustered.

"Well. I mean... if y'like guys, there are?"

[Asahina Sakura]

"I do!" she chirped maybe a touch too loudly and frowned for just a second, "I mean, I do.. I just, they just, um, I don't really know, I mean, if you haven't noticed, um, talking? to people? isn't really, um, not something I'm particularly, good at? So it just, all seems to, fall apart..."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Thought they taught you Crane gals how t'do that thing where y'titter behind yer fans?"

[Asahina Sakura]

She let out a genuine laugh, "Oh! Right... I see the Doji girls do that a lot... Who, uh, have you been, um, looking at? If it's not too bold; if it is, accept my apology."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Well. My distractions are mostly born of Shiro Shiba..."

Jiro's AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGwhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?

"But it's early days yet."

[Asahina Sakura]

"Oh! The Phoenix are always intriguing, neh? I've only had the honour of meeting one so far, here? Shiba Jiro-san? He's incredibly kind." she offered, completely oblivious.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Don't break your chopsticks!

"Yeah, that he is. Talented, too. An' a real charmer when he wants t'be."

She did her best to keep her tone in the same chipper, upbeat tone.

"His intended's a lucky gal."

She paused.

Refocus or redirect?

"A'course, his twin brother's also here and unattached, so..."

[Asahina Sakura]

She smiled brightly, "He has a twin?" Did she know that? "I don't think I knew that?" Hm.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Shiba Haru. Got a lot'a th'same good looks. Bit less confident in conversation, but he's a bushi where Ji- Shib Jiro-san is an artisan, so they got different background on that stuff. Plays Go 'bout as well as I do, an'I think he's frustrated by his performance here s'far."