(Hayato has paid for and reserved the cabinet)

Well, this wasn't how she had expected the miai to end for her, but... yes, it would be nice to now have a proper romantic date with Hayato, instead of the friendly ones they had had before where they had both kind of resolved themselves to it not being possible.

At least she was glad that she'd have a spouse she liked.

It had taken her quite a lot of effort back at the inn to figure out what to wear for this date. In the end, she had settled on the outfit that mixed modern and traditional elements because it was one of the few things she owned that had a green that could pass for a Mantis green, and her hair down in a more loose chignon instead of the elaborate up-do she had worn for the ceremony earlier.

Hayato really had been smart to book this room well ahead of time... clever man.

Hyeon-ju didn't have to wait long, Hayato wasn't far behind, he has dressed in what some would say was his usual fashion. Grey slacks, with a white silk shirt and a matching grey vest. The special part for the occasion one coukd say was he actually wore a tie. A striped affair in silver, black, and purple. Likely a recent purchase all things considered.

"You're like going to get tired of it if I keep calling you beautiful." He mused as he moved to join his betrothed. "Not quite sure if I'll get tired of saying it though.

"I don't think I'll get tired about it anytime soon," she replied with a confident smirk. All in all, while it wasn't the match she had tried to get, but... well, she was sure they could make it work somehow, and he was one of the people she had met that had seen her for who she really was. And hadn't seemed turned away by it either.

Hyeon-ju's hands smoothed out the fabric of her dress as she sat down, and couldn't help herself from wiggling her bare-feet a little. Wearing heels on traditional floors were never a good move, so once more she was walking barefeet here.

"Really clever of you to book this a week ago. I don't think everyone had your foresight."

His eyes shifted to both sides of the table before with a nod to himself he came over to take a seat beside her. Across was probably more customary but this was where he wanted to be.

If he noticed her barefooted toes he didn't comment as he settled into his seat. "Mmm... I believe a certain Unicorn might of said it was a bit of overconfidence on my part." He teased, the smile on his lips warm "But I've managed to put the best use out of both of my reservations I think."

"Ah yes, it is overconfident," she agreed, tilting her chin up slightly. "But confidence is fine, as long as it doesn't get you eaten by mega-fauna... like Yul."

Shaking her head, Hyeon-ju put a hand on Hayato's knee, as he was sitting next to her.

"Thank you. It... it means a lot to me that you did this. Knowing it could be difficult."

"That would bmnit be my preferred way to go, or l win a match either." Yul certainly had an odd way of going about winning a ladies heart, and he wouldn't encourage others attempt it.

His hand moved to cover hers were it sat on his knee, his eyes staring at the point of contact. "It's a curious thing you know. My poem yesterday wasn't for my own sake. Not towards the one I had hoped to find love with. It was to you." Hayato eyes moved from their hands his grey eyes seeking hers of hazel.

"I wished for your happiness that you might find love despite the loss you had suffered. When you asked me last night that I pick you, it seemed like fate. There was only one answer I could give no matter what difficulties might await."

Surprise washed over her face and her eyes widened. "... that was from you?" It was the one prayer that had been for her, and at the time, she had hoped it was from Akihiko. Which of course turned out to be a dumb thing to expect.

"I suppose fate really is strange sometimes. Perhaps I should have listened to Benten more closely," she closed her eyes slowly as she smiled and chuckled quietly. Then opening her eyes again to meet his gaze. It was... a nice feeling to let herself fully see him now, without having to constantly remind herself that it couldn't happen. Because now it was happening. It had happened.

Her hand turned over to hold his, enjoying the feeling of the closeness now in more peaceful surroundings than the stolen moments in the karaoke-room yesterday.

"But," she shifted slightly were she sat, coming up to face him more fully, "I want my kiss now. Properly. Since we don't have to worry about Yul and Mumei walking in on us now."

"Yes." He admitted with a soft smile. "Though I suppose my telling you ruins the point of anonymity." Hayato finished with a soft chuckle.

"Perhaps we both should have." Hus eyes were on hers as their fingers twinned together his smile turning a bit mischievous as he asked softly. "Just the one?" She likely had time to answer as his approach was not hurried His free hand coming up, fringes gliding across her cheek to the back of her neck and into her hair pulling her closer as he leaned in. The kiss wasn't rushed, instead slow lingering and tinged with passion, as well as very, very thorough.

"At least the one to start with," she smirked, eyes closing again as they drew closer. The tips of their noses touched briefly before their lips met, and this time she was able to more thoroughly return the kiss in full instead of what she felt had been rushed and sloppy yesterday.

Her arm settled easily around him in a gentle embrace.

One kiss couldn't last the entire night and eventually their lips would part. Hayato took a moment to steady himself and fight down the urge to kiss her again that very minute.

"On second thought just one of those seem enough if he plan to actually eat dinner." He mused playfully, though his mind was actually in the mood for more it seemed. Because while he let his hand drfmift away from her face, there was no further effort to create any most distance between them.

Well, that was much nicer than the first time. Not that the first one had been bad, but this was different - because they were going to be together now, and they had time and privacy this time.

As much as she might've felt she wanted more, not only of the kissing but of more intimacy, Hyeon-ju was also not feeling a particular rush there. In time, the time would be right, but tonight they were taking their first steps together as two bound together.

And besides, there would be a cheap feeling to the first time like that if it was in a hotel room rented for the night, out in the fields, or in a stolen moment at the inn... and she did not want to feel that way.

"Right," she chuckled, her hold on him easening. "Now that you mention it... I'm actually quite famished. Stomach was in knots all night and all morning."

Unbeknownst to the Utaku, Hayato's feelings on the matter echoed Hyeon-ju's. Though in a slightly different way, none of the places here would do for their first night together, because they were all on Asakaze. And while they might have some sweet memories here, there were also plenty of bitter ones to go with it.

No, that could wait for another night in a places they would want to remember. He let them drift apart a bit, though his hand still held hers. "Eating wasn't the first thing on my mind either this morning." He believed he had eaten, but couldn't quite recall what. "I'm fairly certain I've never been this nervous."

Moving his hand over for a small switch, he signaled the staff that they were reading for the first course and the wine that went with it. "Which part of this did you want to touch on first. Whose parents we go and meet first?"

"Oh..." she scooted a little bit away from him too, holding onto his hand, but the distance was more to make it actually possible for them to eat without sitting on top of eachother.

"That's a good question. Though I assume we will both be going home alone first, respectively, to report to our family and superiors, no? But... after that, I would be very happy if you could come visit my family first, since we'll be spending more time with yours if I marry into the Tsuruchi, yes?"

There was some nervous excitement about that thought as she picked up her chopsticks, ready to eat. "There's a world in our territories, Rakuen. It's a sacred world for us, as it is strongly linked to the realm of ancestors. It's common for the Utaku at least to undertake pilgrimages there at important points in our lives, in hopes of a glimpse of one of our ancestors. I would be very honored if you would accompany me there."

"That's true." He agreed putting a timeline together in his mind.l, it seemed like he was going to spend quite a lot of time traveling in the next few months. Which wasn't exactly unexpected.

It would also give him time to talk to his parents and get his Father at least to come around to the idea he would be marrying a Unicorn. "I think I like that idea, visiting your parents first and meeting all of your family i can manage." Though it could mean being slugged once or twice. Well probably not.

The first course arrived, a simple soup made with tofu and vegetables, and a light wine to accompany it. "It would be my honor to come." He replied with a gentle squeeze of her hand. "I want to know more about you and your family and this seems a very good way to spend our time doing so."

Likewise, it would give her time to explain the circumstances to her family. Calm down her mother somewhat. At least the reassuring squeeze put some of the worries at ease for now...

"I will need my hand to eat, you know," Hyeon-ju remarked with a smirk. "But... yeah, I have a big family, as I've told you before. Being the middle-child of five children. Oldest is my brother Su-Won, he's a Baraunghar-navigator, so that means he's almost as much a pilot as he is a shugenja. He's... well, I'd say a touch spoiled, but he's kind and mild-mannered. Then it's my older sister Miyeon, she's a pilot like me, recently promoted to gunso. And I suppose what many would call a very girly-girl; I kind of learned a lot about make-up and such from her as she used to do that on me when we were younger."

Picking up the bowl of soup she still had a fond expression on her face as she spoke of her family. "Then it's my younger brother, Hak, who's also a shugenja. He'll be assigned to a Baraunghar unit too eventually. He's always been very active, outgoing. Many think he's a bushi when they first meet him." Very much a jock, but she couldn't say that. "Then it's my youngest, Yuhua. She's still in training to be a pilot, but it's likely she'll go into more courtly duties since that's where her interests lie."

"I could always just feed you." He teased, though he did let her hand go, even if it was a bit reluctantly, it's be be a bit difficult for them to manage to feed each other after all. Picking up his own bowl of soup he began to eat as she spoke, his eyes watching her expressions as much as much as he listened to her words.

When she finished speaking of her youngest sister, he set his bowl aside for a moment he dipped in close to her his lips pressing against her jawline just below her ear in a quick kiss, His voice was soft and close to her ear when he replied, a warm smile on his lips. "They sound like wonderful people, and I am very much looking forward to getting to meet them, to spend time with them, and hopefully get to know them." Hayato pulled back slowly, his smile remaining on his lips as he moved to retrieve his bowl. "Do you get along with any of them more then the others?"

At least she wasn't holding up her soup-bowl as he dipped in for the kiss. It brought a smile to her lips and made her chuckle softly. It was... a nice feeling, being like this. Someone else might've felt like they had missed out on this kind of dating before, but for Hyeon-ju it just made it feel like waiting for it was worth the wait.

"Miyeon and I were always the closest growing up, as the two sisters. And we have a lot of the same interests." Smiling, she returned the favor of leaning in and leaving a soft kiss on his cheek. Which thankfully didn't leave a stain.

"But I like to think I get along well with all my siblings. Maybe a bit less with Su-Won or Yuhua, as Su-Won was kind of the favorite for a while when we were children and sometimes a bit full of himself. Though I know he means well. And Yuhua's very... well, she takes a lot after mom and the Ide ancestry there. I guess we're a bit different there, I prefer to solve my problems directly and head on while she wants to talk it out."

Raising her soup bowl once more, she had a few mouthfuls. "What about you? You and your sisters get along, yes?"

Hayato smiled at her kiss, it was a pleasant feeling, and while he had been on dates before, had his share of tender moments. None had been quite like this. Hyeon-ju was his intended, not a date or a casual fling. They would be sharing moments like this for years to come and that fact filled his chest with warmth.

"I suppose he all have our own differences and those can bring us a bit closer together. At least I have an idea now which one's I should spend my time on trying to impress the most." Hayato's tone was kind of teasing at the end, it probably meant he'd just be trying to impress all of them.

"Yes, though there is a lot of teasing on both sides but you likely already have an idea about that." Hayato smirked softly to himself, the coming revenge would be sweet indeed. "I think they're going to be very happy when I bring you home. Teasing or no, I think they wanted me to find someone I could love here. The fact that she is both beautiful and honorable and likely able to keep their brother in line. Well, that will likely have them bursting with delight." His eyes were on his soup at the end there, perhaps he was a tad bit shy about saying all that out loud.

The idea of how his sisters would react made her chuckle softly as she brought the soup to her lips again, and for a moment there was a quietness as they shared the meal. "I think it will be nice to meet them, as they sound like quite the rascally pair. Like their brother I suppose."

Smirking, she gave his side a nudge with her elbow. "And as you've probably gathered, I'm quite used to handling rascals. You've seen who my wingman is, after all." And given by how Yul had 'won' Mumei's heart, it wasn't hard to piece together that she was used to seeing some pretty reckless stunts.

"You don't seem anywhere near as reckless or wild as Yul is."

"A bit." Hayato replied with a chuckle. "Some of my more mischievous side seemed to have rubbed off on them."

"I have, and I admit Yul is a a pretty tough act to follow. I can be a bit mischievous too though, if a bit differently when I have a mind to." There was likely something more then a little lewd about the look he gave her, his lips quirkex into a playful smile.

"I've just been on some of my better behavior when you're around."