"I'll admit you're better than me at accessing when to back up and when to go for the kill. Not a high bar to pass but still I respect that."

"It takes true skating talent to make the bare minimum look impressive", he replied lightly. "I accept your comment as a positive."

Then he grabbed more rice. "But just the same if there ever is such a match i expect a call."

Chomp.

"Not sure Ishiyo will be game. She seemed a bit stuck up last I saw her.

Also I might get a bit jealous if you were to ogle other girls just under my nose. And when Akemi jealous Akemi does even stupider things."

"Does that put me in danger of harm or a good ravaging?" He smirked. "I wonder."

"The danger might not come from me. On some aspects I think I'm the nicer of the bunch. With you at least."

He shrugged.

"I don't think I've given Utaku-san a fair chance, but I admit, she seems keen on keeping that way", he agreed. "The Nakauchi-san though, she and I haven't spoken, I don't think there'd be any problem though, probably more neutral than anything."

He finished his second rice ball.

"But Daidoji-san? Oh, she can barely stand me, I had to apologize to her twice just for being myself already. Who would have thought she would be so uptight over me ditching her to dance with you?"

He clearly knew she would be that uptight.

"... Everyone? I'm surprised she didn't ask for a duel in the middle of the club. She's nicer that I would have thought considering her clan and status... But she is Crane."

"Quite", he agreed in a posh manner, nose stuck up slightly. He thought about asking her who she planned to break his heart with when she married, but that would just kill the mood.

Instead he swatted her hand away as she went for mlre food. Though it was just an excuse to pull it under the table and hold it.

She kept her other hand locked with his as she put the final blow to the food.

"The clans have changed a lot through the last years... But some things never change."

There was a hint of sadness in the last sentence.

He nodded, squeezing her hand.

"You're right, and honestly I think the fault is with fate. I can blame people I deem responsible all I want, but it doesn't change what happened. I'm not sure anything would have changed it regardless."

"Us samurai gotta do what us samurai gotta do."

She released her hand and stood.

"I have a meeting in less than half an hour with Nishida to discuss marriage perspective that will reinforce the Crab and hinder the Spider. I should probably prepare for it."

She grabbed the bag with the plushie and smiled softly.

"Thanks again for the plushie. And for everything else. That was nice."

"Hai, hai", he said and leaned back in the booth. "Next time you don't get off that easy, anyway."

He fixed her with quite a stare, which was dangerous on a few levels. Yet he still smiled in the end, with some honesty.

Akemi nodded silently, turned around, dramatically put on her cloak and went away.

/scene?

/scene