Jin walked around the mall, his eyes wide at the assortment of...everything. This was so much bigger than Hare Mart! There were at least two stores for clothing! Two! How insane was that?

For now, he settled in line to the bakery. Some of those mochi cakes looked awesome!

Focus Jin! He realized he had a specific mission in mind for the evening! Get some swimwear! He didn't bring any, and it would probably be useful for future endeavors. Still....just a small mochi...

Walking through the mall was Matsu Chiyoko, still dressed in her service uniform, sunglasses definitely on. It was one of the things the Ikoma had advised her to do. 'Be seen.' And while she wasn't exactly certain what that meant, she was more visible in the mall than she was in her room. Her gait had the confidence of someone who was going somewhere, though she stopped when she spied the line for Mochi... then rememebered she spent all her spare cash on the swimsuit...

The curses of being underpaid infantry.

Jin was mildly glancing around, observing the crowd when...wait, was that. No....yes?

"Matsu Chiyoko-san?" His voice was awestruck, recalling all the commercials he's seen when working together with the Lion. They sang praises of her.

Chiyoko looked to the person who said her name. She was becoming used to casual recognition. "Yes? I am Matsu Chiyoko. I am sorry, samurai-San, you have me at disadvantage."

"Ah, gomen. Ujina Jin, nikutai of the 101st Drop Troopre Brigade, 1st Spaceborne Battalion." He gave a deep bow. "I just saw some of your material when serving with your clan on occasion a few years ago. It is an honor to meet you."

He did seem slightly starstruck.

She tilted her sunglasses up to get a good look at him. Considering his words. "Nice to meet you too, Ujina-San. Please, I'm not anyone's superior here, you don't need to bow like I'm your Taisa."

"Ah, gomen." He eyed her closely. "I did not you were also invited to this miai." glancing at her, then smiled. "Come to try the mochi? I think it's good, judging by the line."

"It's fine," she already seemed past the matter of the bow. "Sadly, my discretionary fund is more or less gone til next stipend. The Ikoma were... insistent about my needs for this event."

Jin nodded. "Ah, I understand. Still, that is probably for the better. My mother gave me stern instructions to do her proud, and not bring shame to her, and...that was it. Not exactly my usual environment, here." He shrugged. "Can I invite you then for one? As a gesture of goodwill among soldiers?"

"So long as it is good will between soldiers," she nodded, joining him in the line.

Jin stood back in line, and waited for his turn to come up. "How are you finding Asakaze so far Matsu-san?"

"It isn't that much different from barracks life so far, save my roommates are from different clans and I'm expected to doll up for the big social events. All in all? Could be much worse, I'd say." She nodded her head once. "Hopefully your trip here wasn't too eventful?"

"Ha, correct. I don't even know how to doll myself up here..." he frowned. "Ie, nothing eventful thankfully. No pirates or boardings. Been a while since I last stepped out of a shuttle instead of dropping." He let out a sigh as the line moved forward. "Where did you serve last, if I can ask? Juet the general stuff, of course."

"Crossroads System," she answered. "At least, it was my last field assignment before they started getting me ready for this whole... thing." She wasn't exactly... derisive about it, but there was a certain amount of trepidation in her voice. "This is... a different sort of battlefield than I am used to."

Jin nodded gravely. "Crossroads eh. We've all been there recently." His voice went lower, but he didn't allow melancholy to spread over him, but Chiyoko's comment did help. He let out a small laugh. "That is one way to say it. It's a duty, but a different one. Honestly, I have no idea how to go all about it. I just would like to have a happy spouse and happy lord,but how to get there is not my area of expertise. Which is ironic, because getting into places that are hard to get into is part of what Drop Troopers do."

"Yeah, it's a weird situation. I kinda always figured I'd just be told 'marry this person's if I lived that long. Having agency about the whole situation is weird."

Jim let out a small chuckle as they moved in the line. Only one more person to go!

"Hai, I feel the same. I would assume my mother would pick out someone based on my siblings' recommendation, and I should be happy with who I get. Instead..." He waved his hands. "Here I get to choose from people I don't know, instead of being assigned to marry someone I don't know. Almost the same, still a world of a difference."

He gazed towards the Matsu curiously. "Though there are some Lion at least, that is good support. Matsu Hide-san, I met. I'm the only Hare, though the Minor Clans usually stick together."

"At least you get some time to get to know them first, eh?" She smirked lightly. "Maybe whoever you pick or picks you won't be just a stranger. You might even come to like them."

"We had lunch earlier today. The other Lion and I have been able to swap notes and all that. Hide-San is definitely excitable."

"Ah, true." He shrugged, then finally got to the top of the line. "Two mochi, please. Is that fine for you Matsu-san?" He smirked. "Hai, it would be lovely to find someone we can be on good terms with. Perhaps even Benten might smile on me! Or us. Not us that way. Necessarily. You too." Welp, not awkward at all...

"I'll meet the other Minor Clanners tomorrow, in a sort of alliance here."

Chiyoko certainly wasn't a choosing begger. She nodded simply to indicate that she was fine with that choice. At the sudden awkwardness, she just shook her head with a small smirk. "I get your meaning, Ujina-san."