Kyuden Shika

Not happy with his performance at all during the poem recital, the young Seppun walks out of the castle with a very unhappy look in his eyes. One thing though, catches his attention: the massive series of paintings are not there, and, in the middle, there's a maiden potentially thinking the same. He approaches and asks, "Any idea why they aren't here?"

Oh but she was no maiden. That had been made abundantly clear.
Her expression dark and thoughtful, Narumi looked up at the Imperial approached and spoke. She looked at the wall for a moment. "Paintings?" she ventured a guess? "Excuse this one, I can't say I've paid much attention..."
A pause. "I am called Usogawa Narumi, a pleasure to meet you," she inclines her head in a polite bow, playing the part of entertainer and people-pleaser as she was instructed.

The young Seppun bows back, "Seppun Yuzu, Governor Chisei. Pleased to meet you. I hope Inari-kami has been kind. Please, treat me well."

After the traditional introduction, he looks at the walls and mentions, "Hai. That Scorpion samurai-ko with flowers in her hand. She's not on this one anymore. Odd, at least."

--
Edited

(GM casts, 'Clarification!' Of the series of six portraits, five are still here and unaltered. It is the sixth where the painting is still there ,but the subject is missing.)

"Oh is that right?" Confusion mixed with passing interest flickers across her features, and she regards the last painting, noting the ...carnations? on the ground in front of it. "Weird..." she agrees.

He shrugs, "Well, they do have guards around watching people, so, it might be some sort of an issue to them, or a potential prank. Maybe someone switching these portraits for fun."

Yuzu looks at the carnations on the floor and back a Narumi. "Usogawa-san is a courtier, is that correct?"

"That would be a most mischievous and potentially dangerous prank, given the seriousness of the current miai the Deer host," she said darkly, keeping her eyes on the painting for several moments. Feeling the Imperial's gaze on her, she turned back to look at him differentially.
"Hai. An entertainer, and more specifically, nakodo in the training of her aunt, Usogawa Mochi, noted for her harmonious matches across the Rivers of Gold."

He raises both eyebrows, "A nakodo in-training. That is quite a good thing that Usogawa-san has been invited for this miai, I would think. Shika Pei-Psei-sama should have indirect lessons to be learned. How is Usogawa-san finding herself so far?"

"Hai..." she lost herself in thought for a moment before perfecting her On.
"I've been trying to learn everything I can. A miai is a very different affair than what I'm accustomed to... A more one-on-one scenario is more my speed..."
Hmm.
"And Seppun-sama? He's been enjoying himself?"

'"Today not so much. It seems like the Fortunes aren't smiling upon me as they often do. My performance today and yesterday were really... subpar." He takes a deep breath, reminding himself he got touched two days in a row and that maybe he needed more blessings to get that off.

"Tomorrow might be different, and I expect to do my best once again."