She takes the card with an expression of mild curiosity, examining it while he introduces himself. It's good paper; smooth but not a plastic type of sheen, like cheap photograph prints. The sides had been filed down at some point in the process, not enough to jeopardize the standard sizing, but enough to remove the stray fibers that might cut. The characters themselves were tastefully understated, a deep charcoal-- no, purple-toned grey on a creamy background-- a color scheme that removed the harshness of pure black on white, but similar enough that most wouldn't register it. The ink, she notices, has a slight gold sheen when it catches the light a certain way. With it close in her hands and by running her thumb over the surface, she can tell that it's been embossed with the double-heart of the Hearts and Mind Party. The back, as she flicks it over between her fingers, has that same logo printed in a cherry blossom pink. An intentional choice, she assumes. A politician would know how to pull at the national consciousness, and what better way than by calling to mind such a culturally beloved flower? It's cute, she thinks, smiling fondly. He thinks he's subtle.
She slips the card into the breast pocket of her sweater, peeking out just enough that the ink of his name would sometimes flicker when the light hit it just right. And then she beams him a sunny little smile.
"Oh, that's why you're so familiar! The Hearts and Mind Party often works with causes dear to my heart. It's nice to know that you still mingle with the constituents. Sometimes I worry that politics have become an ivory tower." She clasps her hands over said heart. "I didn't mean to discount your colleagues. I just have a tendency to forget everything else when there's something I feel passionately about." She is careful not to sound too excited, too loud-- she is not squealing like a desperate acolyte, but letting her quiet tone bleed admiration, the kind that comes from a true understanding of the work. The art, and the artist.
She takes a moment to interrogate the little itch at the back of her throat, letting his quirk unfold its blueprint in the back of her mind. And what a quirk it is! To have that kind of influence over others, so naturally... Well, it's no wonder he drapes himself in a shroud of charisma. It's such a delightfully confident quirk. No doubt one that's always begging to be used, always trying to be opt-out as opposed to opt-in. His career choice was practically laid out for him in stone. She gives a little hum, the influence of its imprint.
"My name is Ayano-- Monoma Ayano, I mean. Pardon my familiarity." She addresses herself with watashi-- but slips into atashi before correcting herself. Cultured, but not stuffy. Matured and established, but with a hint of youthfulness that made them feel younger too. Intelligent, but not arrogant. Just a charming little dollop of clumsiness, an indication that she was someone who could be led and not one who takes the lead, but not overdependent to the point of being burdensome; successful on her own but unremarkable in reputation-- that's the kind of person men like this wanted.
"I'd love to hear about what sort of changes the Hearts and Mind Party would like to see in Kanagawa. I'm from Yokohama, you see. The population density grows year by year, but it never seems like we can meet their needs." Her musing comes with a wistful little sigh. "There's only so much I can do in the private business sector of things, and I don't really know where to even begin with proposals to the city, much less the prefecture." What lay between the lines is clear: Please help me. Only you have the kind of information that can help me! You'll be helping so many people. Don't you want to talk more?
"It's difficult, at times, to not dial into singular issues. Especially when legislation can be so tricky, all those different opinions. We all want what's best for our districts, though nobody can ever quite decide what best is. But if I were to cut myself off from constituents, I'd surely never figure it out on my own. Try as I might, I can't imagine what every person, even just in my district, needs. Opening dialogues with others is a great way to learn, though."
He lets her speak, smiles fondly as she corrects herself, though he doesn't react to her familiarity beyond that.
At her questions on Kanagawa, though, he raises his eyebrows, intrigued.
"Well, if you're a business owner, I'd focus on implementing more environmentally conscious practices. Especially in a city with growing population, that's the most important time to make sure your city at large is doing its best to lower the carbon footprint. Not just for the environment at large, but quality of life. A clean city is a happy city, and that goes beyond just litter. Especially when you're right on the water. I've also been working with a company based in Nagoya—I don't represent the district it's located in, but the CEO is an old friend of mine—to help create jobs, while expanding into the renewable energy industry."
He sighs, and sips his coffee.
"Though, if you're looking for more actionable, local change, I'd say regulating construction sites is something everyone is willing to get behind. It's typically a bipartisan issue. Assuring both safety and fair compensation for workers, while encouraging faster turnarounds, which then prevents congestion, making your commute five minutes faster. Everyone wins."
