He glanced towards the door for a moment. "They're going to find someplace to make out for a few moments you know." Or thats at least what he thought might happen.

As Yul stepped out, it took a few moments before Hyeon-ju let out a long sigh. Then she emptied her bottle of beer.


"Probably... now, what was your real plan for getting them to leave?" she asked and there was a touch of tension to her voice as she was looking over the menu of choices. But not really looking at it.

"Admittedly I didn't really think it through that far." He offered with a slight chuckle. "I just figured it might be nice to be alone for a few moments."

He reached a hand up to rub behind his neck. "That wasn't too forward of me, was it?"

"No..." she shook her head. "Not at all."

Like a festival-balloon that had been floating earlier that night, she seemed more deflated now.

"I appriciate you arranging this. I think this is better than... being alone, which is what I wanted before coming here."

He paused his eyes shifting towards the Utaku for a moment. That was not what he had been expecting. Shifting closer he let their shoulders touch for a moment. "What's wrong?" Hayato asked softly, concern evident in his tone.

"I'm just..." she leaned a little against him, eyes downcast. "... just not so sure about tomorrow."

That brought another pause from the Mantis, and slowly his hand reached for her chin, in hopes of bringing her gaze in his direction. "Why?" He asked softly dreading a bit what he might hear.

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, no one was making out. Or, at least, Yul and Mumei weren't. Yul squinted into the darkness, his eyes adjusting to the dimmer light of the hallway.

Around the corner, the lights grew a little brighter, but only a little. The bar was there, with bartender behind it, and Mumei in front of it.

"Hey." Yul said, smiling gently as he made his way over to her. "I thought you could use a hand with the drinks?"

Hesitantly she looked up. Eyes becoming misty, reflecting her hurt though not of a physical kind.

"I don't think I will have the match I spoke of..." Hyeon-ju said quietly.

She looks up. "I think I can carry 4 glasses ok." Her smile says she's happy to see him anyway. Reaching for his hand, she sighs a bit dropping her voice. "And as much as I want to curl up on you and cheer everyone on," she grins, "and think about how much I want to kiss you and can't, I don't know anyone else in there all that well, you know?"

Yul's dark eyes lit with understanding. "Mmm, that does sound really nice." With the bartender far away, and her back turned, he gave Mumei's hand a little squeeze. "Well, when we get back to the inn, maybe we can make it up to each other, at least a little bit."

He smirked, glancing back the way they'd came. "Or maybe we send them out to get the beer next time, huh? If we were alone in that room..." Yul took a deep breath, his eyes flickering briefly to her lips, "well, I bet we could make better use of it than them, that's for sure."

Women with their eyes, always cheating. Distracted as he was by pretty hazel eyes misty with repressed tears it took a moment for what she said sink in.

Shifting his arm from her side, he moved to wrap it around her shoulder, and pull her a bit closer. A more intimate moment then they had ever shared. "I'm not allowed to shoot him am I." He offered after a moment

He let that sit a moment between them before adding. "Is there anything I can do?"

At least that made her chuckle dryly. "I don't think the hosts would approve of that."

She didn't resist the embrace, as she sorely needed a friend to lean on now. To help her fight back the angry tears. It was just so frustrating.

"I don't know... if I could just leave this miai right now, I would." But that would be even worse than coming home with a bad match. "Now I'm just cursing my luck that I was more or less dumped on the eve before the choices are made, and now I'm going to have to scramble to find a match I won't hate."

There was a bit of hardness around his eyes but he nodded. "I suppose I can make do with merely hating him."

"You deserve better then that." Hayato replied after a moment, his tone a bit bitter, there had been only a short time between when they last saw each other. He could make a sew guesses at when the Lion had dumped her. "You're one on the finest women at this miai Hyeon-ju-san." The Mantis said, his hand on her shoulder giving it an affectionate squeeze. "You deserve a match thats just as fine, not something you scramble and scratch for last minute."

She took a deep breath to steady herself, placing one hand over his.

"I still remember the promises we exchanged. That neither of us would choose the other unless we both wanted it. At the end of the day here, you're the only one I feel understands me and doesn't hate who I am."

Hyeon-ju could likely tell that her statement shook him. He had already compartmentalized that possibility away days ago. Much like had he done with Shoan. All his boxes were in a row he'd done what he could to please both the Spider and Crane. Ishiyo was a fine woman, and frankly deserved better then this too. Taking a deep breath Hayato let his eyes drift close.

But Hyeon-ju knew all of this already or at least had to suspect. That had chatted about it this very day. She knew what she was asking and had asked anyways, and in the end he was a man that would care for a kitten even if he was allergic. There was only one answer he could give despite what it would cost him. He'd hate Akodo Akihiko to the end of his days for forcing him to make it. But he'd never hold it against Hyeon-ju for asking.

Slowly his eyes drifted open his eyes locking onto the Utaku's. There was pain behind them but also much more. Shifting his free hand onto her thigh, he simply said. "If you'll have me." Before dipping in to seal his lips to hers.

Whatever answer she was going to give was forced to be given in a very different way, as their lips locked and her consent clearly given by how the kiss was recieved and how she embraced him in return.

"Yes..." Hyeon-ju confirmed once more, this time verbally, as their lips parted.

Hayato didn't move far away hsi eyes on hers as the kiss ended, a tiny smirk playing it's way across his lips. "I should of given you a chance to answer first, shouldn't I?

He asked a bit of amusement in his tone, and he waited a few moments for her answer before trying to dip in and kiss her again.

"A little bit? Yeah, I'd think so." she squeezes his fingers, letting go slowly as the drinks arrived.

With a teasing grin, she passes him two of the glasses. "So what you're saying is pick songs that encourage everyone to drink fast?" She turns to lead the way down the hall, letting the music seeping from other rooms move her as she went, more dance than walk before pushing the door open with one hip.

"I don't hear anyone singing. Sorry that took longer than I thought." Being a reasonably perceptive water shugenja, she paused half a second before dropping her eyes to the glasses in her hands with a small smile and setting them down. "Hmm, thanks for sending Y..Shinjo-san after me to check.

"Yes, maybe," she broke a smile at least, ready for another kiss...

... And then Mumei and Yul were back already!? Shit! Awkwardly, Hyeon-ju let go of Hayato, cursing their luck that the two lovebirds weren't making out in the bathroom stall or something.

"Ah... uh... yeah figured it might be hard to carry all the drinks."