He too found the information or well lack there of a little disappointing but he didn't know Hide well enough to press.

He looked to Mumei "It has been an interesting experience. Met interesting people, still quite a few id like to get to know better."

Mumei's lips twitch. "Ah well, I guess that's the common sentiment, neh? So many interesting people all in one place...hopefully sparks fly, or at least some mutual realization of shared best interests for clan and family such." The twitch blooms into a lopsided smile. "I guess I was hoping to hear about some sparks."

“Hmmm... Being on her list?” She thought about that, maybe a bit excited at that prospect. “Maybe if I ever get time alone with her I can ask her?”

Mumei looks very hard at Hide, leans over and pokes her in her previously injured breastbone. "You. Have. Her. Comm. Code."

"Don't make me message her instead. ... Actually, that's an excellent idea." She pops up and starts rummaging in her bunk, having happily taken a top one to bounce into.

Hide's eyes widened, not sure whether to be worried or not. "You... Uhhh... What exactly are you going to do?"

The Osprey's comment actually gets a small smirk from the Spider, probably one of very few they have seen "Ah apologies Nakauchi-san, I am not one much inclined to 'sparks' as you say. Though Utaku-san and I have been enjoying each other's company well enough I believe." His voice still mostly clinical as if delivering a report.

He looked to Hide "You should be direct with your interest. This is a miai and if rumors are to be believed Kuni-san is quite popular. If you want a chance she needs to know you are interested." He also turns a mildly quizzical eye to Mumei curious as to her intent.

"See? He's heard about this two seconds ago and gets it." She slips back to the floor, battered communicator in hand. "I"m going to tell her that you are brave and awesome and she should totally marry you." She flips the phone open, scrolling through the flashing of all the message notifications from questionable advertisers.

"And Utaku-sama? The pilot?" She's only heard of one Utaku at the miai, so it seems likely. "I only know her by reputation, but...that does not seem like a bad fit on the surface, at least."

She finds the contact information she needs and punches it to start composing. "Hey, Kuni-sama...Hide-san... Oh wait, I should stick to formal so she doesn't think there's something up with us." she tap-tap-taps the delete indicator, "Matsu Hide-sama, who just took a gaping chest wound for you...." she pauses, looking at Satoru. "is it too informal to say 'would really like a chance to talk to you about leaving this miai together?'"

“Utaku-san sure is popular...” Hide did think she was pretty, but was such a stick in the mud.

Her attention turned back to Mumei, alarmed. But also very confused. “Why would she think something’s up with us?”

"if I go all informal and Hide-san and stuff? I don't know...just being careful." she shrugs. "People read allll kinds of stuff into little bits of etiquette."

"The message Seems perfectly acceptable to me, I have only met this Kuni by reputation but she does not seem the type to fuss overly much about a slight informality. She is a Crab after all." He says with a slight shrug of his shoulders before turning to Hide

"Matsu-san both you and Nakauchi-san are desirable single samurai. Nakauchi-san's informal phrasing could lead Kuni-san to believe that Nakauchi-san has feelings for you or cares about you as more than a friend which would have mixed results if her intent is to set you up with Kuni-san." He explained a bit more thoroughly

"Ohhhhh, that makes sense." Hide nodded, agreeing with Satoru's assessment. "Yes, Mumei-san is very popular herself. I could see someone finding themselves in a misunderstanding."

Mumei nods to Satoru, "Thank you Kuchiki-sama. Much clearer." She keeps tapping at the communicator. "Too much multitasking here."



She'd only elaborated a little bit off of the original. She presses send before catching up on the rest of the conversation.

"Wait, I'm what now?"

“Popular! Your dancing really got people’s attention.” Hide sat back down on her bottom bunk, letting out a sigh. “What exactly did you... Say?”

She turns the communicator so Hide can read the just sent message. "I will absolutely pick horrible sappy karaoke songs at that get together until you two take the hint."

"There were a *lot* of dancers? Besides, who picks a wife based on dance moves!?"

"I mean you are rather attractive Nakauchi-san and I'm sure many are drawn by your vibrant personality as well as your dance moves. Plus you are a priestess which many hold in good standing when selecting a spouse." Himself included

She agreed with Satoru, nodding along to his words, “Yeah, and the dancing got people curious. Now they want to know more about you.”

Hide then winced at the message that was sent. “Did you really have to add the part about the chest wound? I don’t want her to feel guilty about that.”

"Reminding her of what you did for her is indeed a tactic to make her more endeared to you and not a bad one i might add. You did take a possibly fatal attack for her why not use that to some advantage?"

Mumei is really enjoying the unexpected backup, definitely warming to her erstwhile quiet roommate. "That is a much more polite way of saying that I kinda want her to feel a little guilty.'

"Hide-san...maybe she's not interested in a Lion match, or women in general, or marrying at all. But you can't know if you don't ask, and a miai is about the only place where you can be unapologetically direct because that's our actual job for this assignment."

______
And I'm just going to quietly retcon in that she's wearing her practice dance clothing while her torn stuff dries after trying to wash the blood out. Just so everyone is aware that this conversation includes sparkly leotard Mumei. XD

“Sounds like a way of telling me to prepare for rejection.” Hide chuckled, laying back down in her bunk. “I’ll try and talk to her more directly. But that’s been... Difficult.”

"Of course. That's a possibility, so prepare. But hanging in the limbo of not knowing acceptance or rejection because you're afraid to hear the answer is...well it's got to feel horrible and..." Ok, she is still thrumming with the energy of not dying a few hours earlier...how bad would a punch from a Matsu be?

"Frankly, it's cowardly, and I never thought I'd think that about a Matsu." She swallows once, not quite sure what the best footing is to roll with the possible consequences here.