[Day 2, Late Afternoon] Ambush?

[Hiruma Sen]

Wow, she really did do it. Sen watched their hands interlock with amazement, squeezing back when Meiko squeezed her. “Yeah! You did do it. And you’re pretty warm, too.”

[Moshi Meiko]

Wow, she really did do it. Sen watched their hands interlock with amazement, squeezing back when Meiko squeezed her. “Yeah! You did do it. And you’re pretty warm, too.”

"I did do it!...I...I don't know how it feels. It's nice though!"
Meiko beams as she swings their interlocked hands up and down.
"I think I'm warm because I'm nervous."

[Hiruma Sen]

“Is that why I can feel your heart pounding from just holding your hand?” Sen half-teased.

[Moshi Meiko]

“Is that why I can feel your heart pounding from just holding your hand?” Sen half-teased.

"Probably!"
Meiko blushes furiously
"It all happened so fast! I...I don't know what to do now. I'm holding your hand and you're holding my hand and my heart is beating a lot."

[Hiruma Sen]

“We could... Just continue sittin’ here holdin’ hands?” Sen offered, attempting to calm the Moshi down a bit.

[Moshi Meiko]

“We could... Just continue sittin’ here holdin’ hands?” Sen offered, attempting to calm the Moshi down a bit.

“Oh....I hadn’t thought of that! It sounds perfect!”
Meiko attempts to just sit still and enjoy the moment, quietly vibrating happily.

[Hiruma Sen]

Meiko’s energy couldn’t help but make Sen smile softly. “So... What made you wanna hold my hand? I’m not very interestin’ or particularly good-lookin’.”

[Moshi Meiko]

Meiko’s energy couldn’t help but make Sen smile softly. “So... What made you wanna hold my hand? I’m not very interestin’ or particularly good-lookin’.”

“Oh but you are! You’re cool and outgoing and broody but also friendly and kind and you came to check up on me! I... I don’t know a lot of people for hand holding. But you ticked all the right boxes! And you’re absolutely good-looking... I Uh... saw you at the festival.”

Meiko peers off into the sky as If a truly fascinating cloud was flying over.

[Hiruma Sen]

A bit of a blush found itself on Sen’s cheeks as she tightened her hold on Meiko’s hand. “You saw me at the festival... In my fundoshi. So, you’re sayin’ you liked what you saw?”

[Moshi Meiko]

A bit of a blush found itself on Sen’s cheeks as she tightened her hold on Meiko’s hand. “You saw me at the festival... In my fundoshi. So, you’re sayin’ you liked what you saw?”

“Oh that makes me sound terrible! I would have wanted to hold your hand even if you were all wrapped up and in a bag and then that bag was in another bag! Someone doesn’t have to look good in their fundoshi to be worthy of hand holding.”

Meiko squeezes back, mortifyingly embarrassed
“But that’s not to say you didn’t look good, you look great! Um, and you were wearing a sarashi too....”

[Hiruma Sen]

“I wasn’t implyin’ anythin’ by that I was just pointin’ it out.” Still blushing, Sen gave Meiko a slightly confused look. “Yeah, had on a sarashi, too. You had one on as well.”

[Moshi Meiko]

“I wasn’t implyin’ anythin’ by that I was just pointin’ it out.” Still blushing, Sen gave Meiko a slightly confused look. “Yeah, had on a sarashi, too. You had one on as well.”

“Oh yes I did! My best one with the little suns embroidered on it.”
Pause
“I Uh, thought you might have been a boy. Which would have been good too! Lots of my friends are boys. But then I saw you probably weren’t.”

[Hiruma Sen]

A slow blink. Sen didn’t really process what was said at first, but as the realization dawned on her, she tried so hard to hold back a laugh.

And failed.

“Pbbbbffffft! I guess I do come off as a bit rough and have no curves. Not gonna fault you for that.”

[Moshi Meiko]

A slow blink. Sen didn’t really process what was said at first, but as the realization dawned on her, she tried so hard to hold back a laugh.

And failed.

“Pbbbbffffft! I guess I do come off as a bit rough and have no curves. Not gonna fault you for that.”

By this point every inch of Meiko is pink.
“Oh... thank you! I like you as a girl too, obviously. I guess I have to go think a bit on who I like and why now. But this is good, now I have something to go on! And I think your toughness and lack of curves are perfect!”

[Hiruma Sen]

“Coming from you, I am positive that’s a very sweet compliment.” Sen gave Meiko a reassuring smile as she squeezed her hand.

[Moshi Meiko]

“Coming from you, I am positive that’s a very sweet compliment.” Sen gave Meiko a reassuring smile as she squeezed her hand.

"Thank you! I want to shower you in sweet compliments! Like um."
Thinking
"It's really cool how you and your dad do everything and are self sufficient! And how you work so hard outdoors! And how much you enjoy your duties!"
It looked like if unchecked Meiko would compliment Sen on pretty much everything.

[Hiruma Sen]

“You really don’t have to do that, Moshi-san. I’m content with... Maybe conversation not about me? I want to hear more about you.” Sen leaned towards Meiko with her interest piqued.

[Moshi Meiko]

“You really don’t have to do that, Moshi-san. I’m content with... Maybe conversation not about me? I want to hear more about you.” Sen leaned towards Meiko with her interest piqued.

"Oh, well what do you want to hear? I try to always be pretty open and honest! I'll answer any question from the depths of my heart!"

[Hiruma Sen]

“What do you do for fun? Somethin’ like that. I’m pretty bad at this kinda thing.” The Hiruma bashfully looked away to hide her blush. She was a bit embarrassed by her lack of other good questions.

[Moshi Meiko]

“What do you do for fun? Somethin’ like that. I’m pretty bad at this kinda thing.” The Hiruma bashfully looked away to hide her blush. She was a bit embarrassed by her lack of other good questions.

"Hey, you're trying, and trying is the first step on the road to being good at something!"
Meiko squeezes comfortingly
"I like travelling and meeting new people, partying the wilder the better!...But appropriately wild. I love music and dancing, even better if I can sing while dancing! Fine food always makes me happy. Oh, and hugs make me happiest of all! Lots of things make me happy."

[Hiruma Sen]

“Sing and dance, huh? You should show me sometime. I don’t do anythin’ fancy like that.” Sen smiled happily, as that seemed to be something infectious.

[Moshi Meiko]

“Sing and dance, huh? You should show me sometime. I don’t do anythin’ fancy like that.” Sen smiled happily, as that seemed to be something infectious.

Meiko wiggles her whole body as if to demonstrate
"I'll send you an invite to the big Mantis party when it happens, then you can come down and see the singing and dancing yourself! I bet we can setup a little dark spot high up so you can watch without having to be surrounded by people!"

[Hiruma Sen]

“Party, huh?” Sen looked a bit pale at that. “Just... Don’t leave me alone long enough to get swarmed by people or somethin’.”

[Moshi Meiko]

“Party, huh?” Sen looked a bit pale at that. “Just... Don’t leave me alone long enough to get swarmed by people or somethin’.”

"Of course I won't! What would be the point of taking you out and then just leaving you alone? I want to spend tonnes of time with you."

[Hiruma Sen]

“That won’t be too bad, then...” The Hiruma smiled softly, a bit relieved. “Who else is going?”