Nakahama

Yakura settled down her stuff with a smile. Glancing at her watch (Shiba harmony, the better to take a beating in the sea, sun and sand environment), she noticed she was slightly early. She put down her cooler, her sunbrella, and put on a sheer dres on top of her swimsuit (golden of course).

She sat down, and opened the cooler fishing for a soft drink while waiting for her guest.

Umiko wasn't one to show up on time, but rather slightly early as well, which is proper when it comes to meeting with someone. She would pull into the near vacant parking lot with her trademark cute compact car. If Yakura looked at her direction, she was sure to give her a friendly wave as she fiddled with getting her things before exiting the car.

Surprisingly, for a resident here, it was a while since she hit the beach to actually beach!

Boogiepop wrote: Thu Nov 13, 2025 11:07 am Umiko wasn't one to show up on time, but rather slightly early as well, which is proper when it comes to meeting with someone. She would pull into the near vacant parking lot with her trademark cute compact car. If Yakura looked at her direction, she was sure to give her a friendly wave as she fiddled with getting her things before exiting the car.

Surprisingly, for a resident here, it was a while since she hit the beach to actually beach!

Yakura saw Umiko park, and waved with a cheer. Her suddenly shot into the cooler, and was raised again, with a soda full of sugar and exotic fruits in it. "Brought you something Yasuki-samaaa!"

Yakura patiently waited for Umiko to bring her stuff to the darkened beach, her expression eager. Not eager enough to get up, but fairly eager.

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Thu Nov 13, 2025 11:28 am Yakura saw Umiko park, and waved with a cheer. Her suddenly shot into the cooler, and was raised again, with a soda full of sugar and exotic fruits in it. "Brought you something Yasuki-samaaa!"

Yakura patiently waited for Umiko to bring her stuff to the darkened beach, her expression eager. Not eager enough to get up, but fairly eager.

Umiko would eventually emerge from her car, wearing a long coat to contend with the morning chill. The chill was bound to dissipate within the next hour, but still a fashion-flavoured precaution. She hauled her purse and a small duffel back with her before locking her car.

"Good morning, Yoritomo-san," she gave her a quick bow and was surprised by the soda offering. It was only the morning! Well, she supposed there were worse things they could be drinking in the morning. She suspected there was some alcohol in that box.

"Thank you," she chuckled after taking the soda, glancing to see if Yakura had a drink of her own. "How have you been in the last few days?"

Boogiepop wrote: Thu Nov 13, 2025 4:19 pm
Umiko would eventually emerge from her car, wearing a long coat to contend with the morning chill. The chill was bound to dissipate within the next hour, but still a fashion-flavoured precaution. She hauled her purse and a small duffel back with her before locking her car.

"Good morning, Yoritomo-san," she gave her a quick bow and was surprised by the soda offering. It was only the morning! Well, she supposed there were worse things they could be drinking in the morning. She suspected there was some alcohol in that box.

"Thank you," she chuckled after taking the soda, glancing to see if Yakura had a drink of her own. "How have you been in the last few days?"

Yakura took a sip of her own purple drink of monstrosity. "Good, good. Though a bit sad that my pitch yesterday for a business drama wasn't liked by Silver Fin too much." She sighed. "But perhaps next time! And how have you been Yasuki-sama?" She eyed the black sand. "Haven't been here too much, this is a good suggestion. It's an interesting place, and there's lots of things that can be built here. Any idea why it's not more popular?"

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Thu Nov 13, 2025 5:57 pm Yakura took a sip of her own purple drink of monstrosity. "Good, good. Though a bit sad that my pitch yesterday for a business drama wasn't liked by Silver Fin too much." She sighed. "But perhaps next time! And how have you been Yasuki-sama?" She eyed the black sand. "Haven't been here too much, this is a good suggestion. It's an interesting place, and there's lots of things that can be built here. Any idea why it's not more popular?"

Umiko would accept the drink Yakura offered earlier and take a small sip from it. Carbonated drinks in the morning, quite spicy for her routine, but she'll live. She would loosen her coat, hinting a little at her turquoise and navy beach wear of choice today.

She nodded slowly at the news after listening attentively. "Oh, that's unfortunate, Yoritomo-san. I wish I had some sway over your submission, but the executives are quite strict in their criteria. They aren't always right, either. It's just what they feel like going with at the time. There's been a good share of awkward ideas I've witnessed when I used to work in the entertainment business. It definitely doesn't hurt to try again...if you ever get another opportunity. I think they would at least appreciate some persistence in the matter."

"I've been okay," She said with a mustered smile and fibbed on the matter. "Thank you for asking."

"There's a bit of dislike over the sand's colours, apparently," she said as she looked over the surroundings. "Which is odd, given the minerals of the sand are quite rich and there are apparently some benefits to the skin."


*****
Day 4 - Early Morning, Sincerity/Awareness: Girl be fibbing | 7k4 ⇒ 37

Yakura turned aerious, as she noticed something amiss.

"Yasujia-sama, there are two things I wish to tell you. One, you look amazing in that, you have been holding out on us not flaunting that body sveryhwere. And two, I may look...siĺly, or not that serious, but I am interested in your company besides just the business aspect. I like you as a person, and I do not like it when people I like lie to me. Now spill, what is going on? Something is, I can tell."

Ooc:
D4 EM, grrrl don't fib.to your grrlfrn, vp, inv/per, tj 37 | 5k4 ⇒ 42 (TN: 37)

Umiko's beach outfit was certainly much conservative compared to what people have seen her sister wear, that was for sure. That said, maybe Yakura had a point.

She stopped mid-sip when the Mantis managed to call her out on her fib. Here, she had been spending time with company that either didn't know better or was merely too polite to say anything. It was likely she took her social invincibility for granted too long. Umiko would sigh deeply, all of the polite mirth she had earlier drained from her face for someone more serious.

"Okay, if you really must know, Yoritomo-san...not everything has been great," she said with gaze going to the ground, looking defeated. "I think Ayame has gotten herself in some trouble or maybe found herself in some bad company. I don't know, and I'm not getting answers."

Yakura sighed, then fished in her cooler. "Here, take something stronger for starters. You are not your sister's keeper...well, you are her karo." She sighed.

"What do you know? I have some contacts amd skills I can check if it helps. Also pretty sure O-chan is smitten with her, and would help."

She paused for a second. "Unless O-chan IS the troublesome company, which I would believe."

"I'm fine and no...But I am responsible for many workings in this city, as well as her image. I'm not seeking to control her or what she wishes to do," she said with an exasperated shake of her head, hoping that Yakura would have been more on her side at least.

"O-chan?!" She blurted out at first before it dawned who she was talking about. "Oh, the Yoritomo she met at the party? I didn't even think about her...but no, I'm not talking about that."

She let out a breath and closed her eyes to find some centre for herself, if at least to prevent herself from trembling. Taking a moment, she put her bottle aside so that she wouldn't risk dropping it later.

Perhaps this would make sense if she told her everything. "...It started out when I was going through the mail at our estate, and there was this mysterious package, wrapped completely in duct tape. No name, no address. It played a very threatening and very cursed message. I think she's gotten herself in trouble. I know she's in trouble."

Boogiepop wrote: Cute Carp Lady words

Yakura put the stuff back into the cooler. "Okay, it's here if you change your mind." The Mantis businesswoman listened to the Carp's semi-rant. "Sorry, I get it. I just...you have a lot on your shoulders. I just worry about you. I don't like you not smiling, and I dislike you fake smiling even more." She let out a sigh. "Sorry if I'M pushy, it's just...that's how I was raised, and how I do business. I Don't have a lot of social tools besides being..." she gestured vaguely at herself. "Me, you know. If I'm too much, let me know, and I'll back off."

"Really? That sounds...ominous. Have you checked with security when and how it arrived? What's the message exactly?" She frowned. That sounds weird. "Besides the really weird and ominous message, anything else that makes you worry about her behavior and habits?"

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Fri Nov 14, 2025 2:35 pm Yakura put the stuff back into the cooler. "Okay, it's here if you change your mind." The Mantis businesswoman listened to the Carp's semi-rant. "Sorry, I get it. I just...you have a lot on your shoulders. I just worry about you. I don't like you not smiling, and I dislike you fake smiling even more." She let out a sigh. "Sorry if I'M pushy, it's just...that's how I was raised, and how I do business. I Don't have a lot of social tools besides being..." she gestured vaguely at herself. "Me, you know. If I'm too much, let me know, and I'll back off."

"Really? That sounds...ominous. Have you checked with security when and how it arrived? What's the message exactly?" She frowned. That sounds weird. "Besides the really weird and ominous message, anything else that makes you worry about her behavior and habits?"

"Sorry..." Umiko murmured with a shake of her head. "I guess you've managed to haggle yourself into this one, and you don't have to apologize for that. It's not like I have any feathers to ruffle."

She let out a small, but sad and tired, chuckle at that.

"I tried to check with security, but it seemed that it didn't come through their checkpoint. It would have to be someone with clearance inside the house. I don't know, maybe Ayame-chan brought it in without knowing." She let out a sigh, steadying her On so that she wasn't close to shaking or crying about this.

"The message was really mysterious with some unidentified woman. She mentioned something about the end of days, and it really got me shaken. Ayame has been really dodging the last few days, too. Missing appointments, being really dodgy, and going out on her own. I think she's caught up in something or something is making her do this..." She said the last bit a bit conspiratorially.

Boogiepop wrote: Fri Nov 14, 2025 3:40 pm
"Sorry..." Umiko murmured with a shake of her head. "I guess you've managed to haggle yourself into this one, and you don't have to apologize for that. It's not like I have any feathers to ruffle."

She let out a small, but sad and tired, chuckle at that.

"I tried to check with security, but it seemed that it didn't come through their checkpoint. It would have to be someone with clearance inside the house. I don't know, maybe Ayame-chan brought it in without knowing." She let out a sigh, steadying her On so that she wasn't close to shaking or crying about this.

"The message was really mysterious with some unidentified woman. She mentioned something about the end of days, and it really got me shaken. Ayame has been really dodging the last few days, too. Missing appointments, being really dodgy, and going out on her own. I think she's caught up in something or something is making her do this..." She said the last bit a bit conspiratorially.

Yakura looked at Umiko in detail, her eyes taking it all in. It's okay to cry sometimes, you know, she wanted to say, but feared it would be the bad thing to say. "I'm not saying I'm the perfect person for this job, but I'll help any way I can." She put her fingers onto her lips. "Okay, let me see....I'll ask around, pretending to send a similar package to the Shiro. See if I get any names who might be able to help me. End of days....not sure what that means. Have you thought about..."she wagged her fingers awkwardly. "Magic? I'm not a shugenja, but there are some around, might be worth talking to someone? What about the magistrates? As for her dodging you...let me see if I can't arrange something. Maybe I can ask O-chan to arrange something if she is willing." She sighed. "What about...any shady paperwork? Besides her dodging you, have you noticed anything odd in the administration? Any money not adding up, any thing laundered, or any other oddities?"

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Fri Nov 14, 2025 3:45 pm Yakura looked at Umiko in detail, her eyes taking it all in. It's okay to cry sometimes, you know, she wanted to say, but feared it would be the bad thing to say. "I'm not saying I'm the perfect person for this job, but I'll help any way I can." She put her fingers onto her lips. "Okay, let me see....I'll ask around, pretending to send a similar package to the Shiro. See if I get any names who might be able to help me. End of days....not sure what that means. Have you thought about..."she wagged her fingers awkwardly. "Magic? I'm not a shugenja, but there are some around, might be worth talking to someone? What about the magistrates? As for her dodging you...let me see if I can't arrange something. Maybe I can ask O-chan to arrange something if she is willing." She sighed. "What about...any shady paperwork? Besides her dodging you, have you noticed anything odd in the administration? Any money not adding up, any thing laundered, or any other oddities?"

Umiko looked blanched at the topic of conversation and the line of thinking. Okay, now she needed to sit down. She gingerly made her way to one of the benches by the parking and slowly sat down so that she didn't fall over from being so light-headed all of a sudden. "...This is too much, Yoritomo-san. Could we...just move on from this? I trust you likely have a better idea of what to do. I just can't, at the moment..."

She said as she released hold of the bags she had on her and placed her arms around herself.

Boogiepop wrote: Sat Nov 15, 2025 3:27 am
Umiko looked blanched at the topic of conversation and the line of thinking. Okay, now she needed to sit down. She gingerly made her way to one of the benches by the parking and slowly sat down so that she didn't fall over from being so light-headed all of a sudden. "...This is too much, Yoritomo-san. Could we...just move on from this? I trust you likely have a better idea of what to do. I just can't, at the moment..."

She said as she released hold of the bags she had on her and placed her arms around herself.

Yak7ra sar down next to Umiko, and gently laid one arm on her back. "And you don't have to. Oir appointment is here, and let's just have fun. Business can wait. Politics can wait. Your sister can wait. We are here on a pretty beach, two pretty ladies. Let's go for a swim, you up for it? It might be a bit chilly, but it might help." She smiled tentatively at her.


By kami she had no fucking clue what she was doing.

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Sat Nov 15, 2025 3:35 am Yak7ra sar down next to Umiko, and gently laid one arm on her back. "And you don't have to. Oir appointment is here, and let's just have fun. Business can wait. Politics can wait. Your sister can wait. We are here on a pretty beach, two pretty ladies. Let's go for a swim, you up for it? It might be a bit chilly, but it might help." She smiled tentatively at her.


By kami she had no fucking clue what she was doing.

"...This is probably far more than you've bargained for, Yoritomo-san, sorry," she said with a tired chuckle on the matter, mustering a small smile. "Thank you for listening. I didn't mean to make this morning so heavy, especially when it was supposed to be something hopeful to begin with. Investment and swimming, I believe? Actually, some chilly water might be enough to get me to refresh again."

Boogiepop wrote: Sat Nov 15, 2025 12:22 pm
"...This is probably far more than you've bargained for, Yoritomo-san, sorry," she said with a tired chuckle on the matter, mustering a small smile. "Thank you for listening. I didn't mean to make this morning so heavy, especially when it was supposed to be something hopeful to begin with. Investment and swimming, I believe? Actually, some chilly water might be enough to get me to refresh again."

Yakura waved her off. "Please Yasuki-sama. I've come expecting your company, and I get that. You are not obligated to always be charming and courteous. In fact, I would be offended if you wouldn't be sincere with me on occasion." She leaned in closer. "I am here if you ever want to talk about things. And feel free to call me by my first name, if you wish." She hesitated for a second. "If you wish, only. Now come, let's try this water!"

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Sat Nov 15, 2025 12:28 pm Yakura waved her off. "Please Yasuki-sama. I've come expecting your company, and I get that. You are not obligated to always be charming and courteous. In fact, I would be offended if you wouldn't be sincere with me on occasion." She leaned in closer. "I am here if you ever want to talk about things. And feel free to call me by my first name, if you wish." She hesitated for a second. "If you wish, only. Now come, let's try this water!"

"Of course," she bobbed her her once with a faint smile. It wasn't quite a full smile as before, but at least she didn't muster a fake one for appearance. "I suppose we've known each other for a while, and I do appreciate your company. It feels like I know many people around the island, but few I could rely on. Maybe, hopefully, this changes today!"

With that, she rose from her seat and shed her long coat so that they could take a dip in the ocean. It felt like ages, maybe it had been ages. She kicked off her flip flops and made her way toward the water on the black sand beach. It was her intention to seem determined or cool about it, but she was abruptly interrupted when the waves drew toward her and splashed her with warning. When the waves retreated, she stood soaked and looking quite shocked. "...m-more chillier than I thought!"

Yasuki Umiko wrote: Sat Nov 15, 2025 10:39 pm
"Of course," she bobbed her her once with a faint smile. It wasn't quite a full smile as before, but at least she didn't muster a fake one for appearance. "I suppose we've known each other for a while, and I do appreciate your company. It feels like I know many people around the island, but few I could rely on. Maybe, hopefully, this changes today!"

With that, she rose from her seat and shed her long coat so that they could take a dip in the ocean. It felt like ages, maybe it had been ages. She kicked off her flip flops and made her way toward the water on the black sand beach. It was her intention to seem determined or cool about it, but she was abruptly interrupted when the waves drew toward her and splashed her with warning. When the waves retreated, she stood soaked and looking quite shocked. "...m-more chillier than I thought!"

"Well, you can always rely on me. Most times. And I shall shamelessly rely on you." She smirked. When the karp karo ran into the water...Yakura started laughing. Then waded into the water. "Damn, this is cold." She grit her teeth...and started splashing Umiko with the cold water. "Feel my freezing wrath, graaah!" she yelled in mock scare.

Yoritomo Yakura wrote: Sun Nov 16, 2025 12:41 pm "Well, you can always rely on me. Most times. And I shall shamelessly rely on you." She smirked. When the karp karo ran into the water...Yakura started laughing. Then waded into the water. "Damn, this is cold." She grit her teeth...and started splashing Umiko with the cold water. "Feel my freezing wrath, graaah!" she yelled in mock scare.

The first splash didn't make her immune to the chill, unfortunately. She did her best to shield herself with her hands when Yakura sent water her way. Her hands did very little to stop the water and she cowered when the water splashed once more. "Noooo!" she said before she broke out into a giggle, wading further into the water to get away from the splash, even if it meant being surrounded by more water.

Umiko hugged herself, smiling back at Yakura. "I-it's a good workout, in a way. Builds resistance or something to get stronger. We're probably going to need it tomorrow at the fish market! The water would be a little warmer later if we came later, you know. Still, I'm not complaining too hard about a side trip to the beach," she laughed.