[ oh, right, the toy. she's already doing a good job appearing normal without anyone knowing about it, but the slight movement of it causes her to grab kaoru's arm all of a sudden, a hand clapping to her mouth to keep a moan from escaping.

what... what was that about. have the trials already started? ]

Th-Thank you, nn. [ she clears her throat, coughs a little to act as if she's gotten something in her mouth, then beams at him. ] That's... what I want to talk to you about, actually. Come... follow me.

[ he wouldn't think too hard on her stuttery words, would he? before anything else, she takes his wrist and pulls her to the forest just nearby the shrine. all sorts of youkai lurk here, not to mention rumors about a snake-like being that rules the trees - but that's just conjecture. ]

O-Okay, so... Um. The reason why I disappeared like that was... I was chosen. To be the mother of the god's children. [ she flushes deeply, biting her lip as her hands twist the fabric of her outfit in nervousness. stupid toy - ] And I just-- want you to know that nothing's g-going to change between us in spite o-of that.

[ she really hopes so. while he's been bugging her for a while ever since he'd arrived in the village, she's come to like kaoru. far, far more than she's willing to admit. the least she can do is give him a heads up as to why she's acting weird, such as right now. ]