[D7, LE, Kawauso's room] Woodcarving workshop

[Hantei Genji]

Kawauso blushes, unable to hold it back.

"Thank you, Hantei-sama," she says emphatically. "I, um, thought the mask would be a nice reminder. Of that first night we met. It... meant a lot to me. Your kindness... and everything since then..." She looks at him expectantly.

"Please, feel free to call me Genji." He smiled. "Hai, it is a lovely reminder." He shrugged. "I am happy, but I didn't do anything special. Your costume was good, and you are an honorable and nice samurai-ko."

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso beams, not saying anything for a moment and looking adoringly at Genji.

"Oh, thank you, Genji-sama," she says slowly, clearly liking the sound of it. "I felt like it was very special at the ball. I was feeling... foolish, for even being there..." The Lion looks away, saddened even remembering it. "But you came and talked, gave me that pin... Men don't usually notice me like that," she says quietly, still looking away.

[Hantei Genji]

Kawauso beams, not saying anything for a moment and looking adoringly at Genji.

"Oh, thank you, Genji-sama," she says slowly, clearly liking the sound of it. "I felt like it was very special at the ball. I was feeling... foolish, for even being there..." The Lion looks away, saddened even remembering it. "But you came and talked, gave me that pin... Men don't usually notice me like that," she says quietly, still looking away.

"Oh? Neh, you weren't. Or if you were, so was I." He let out a small laugh. "Oh? Why not? You're pretty, honorable, and dedicated." He seemed genuinely baffled.

[Akodo Kawauso]

Kawauso smiles at the compliments, but still looks away to the side. "Come on, you know. The big, simple river girl... good at fishing and doing sumai the wrong way..." She's not exactly pouting, but she does seem to be drifting a little deeper into the negative thoughts.

[Hantei Genji]

Kawauso smiles at the compliments, but still looks away to the side. "Come on, you know. The big, simple river girl... good at fishing and doing sumai the wrong way..." She's not exactly pouting, but she does seem to be drifting a little deeper into the negative thoughts.

"Ah..." he shrugged. "Ignore mother. She is very peculiar."

He smiled at her once again. "You are a wonderful samurai-ko. Don't let others convince you."

[Akodo Kawauso]

"Ah..." he shrugged. "Ignore mother. She is very peculiar."

He smiled at her once again. "You are a wonderful samurai-ko. Don't let others convince you."

Kawauso looks at Genji, very confused.

"Wait, what? I thought Hantei Kinsen-sama liked me... She..." The Lion is clearly distressed, no doubt shockingly so for Genji. "I mean, we went to the temple, and did the..." She waves her hands a little, forgetting she was still holding a cup and being very fortunate to not spill any on the mask. Quickly seeing the cup aside, she looks back at Genji, looking almost devastated. "I thought that part of this was going really well."

[Hantei Genji]

"Ah, sorry!"

He waved his hands. "I only recall the sumo evet. If you get along well, I trust you."

He admired her room. "I have been...a but distant from mother. Too bisy." When not yelling at each other.

[Akodo Kawauso]

The Lion calms, but looks at Genji more suspiciously. "So you're... not close? I'm not close with my mom, but that's..." She looks away with a sniff. "That's not something you want to hear about," she says, trying to shake it off. "It, um... Well. I wish we were closer," she says sadly, going to refill her water cup.