Satoru stood in entrance to the gardens scanning across the strange light that the plants emitted in the UV spectrum. All this time on the planet and he had never made time to come to one of the more impressive biological attractions in the safety of the city walls. He had been interested in the fungal forest but after all of the stories of samurai being killed or attacked by local wildlife he figured it more prudent to stay in the city when possible.

For now he awaited his date for the evening, still in his robes that he wore to the convention earlier in the evening.

Still dressed in her white yukata with goldfish-print, Hyeon-ju arrived for the... date. It felt a bit strange to go on a date, after what had happened, but it was only proper to continue on and keep up appearances. Chiyoko's last word had been 'live', and she wouldn't be honoring that if she stayed cooped up in the room at the inn.

Remembering to bring her special UV-glasses, Hyeon-ju found the Spider at the entry to the garden. "Kuchiki-san... it's good to see you well." It seemed a more correct greeting considering the state of things.

Satoru didn't do sympathy well, he had heard rumor of the Matsu's demise and was roommates with Hide. But he had a trained bedside manner and had delivered hard news before. His features softendd a bit "Utaku-san, I am glad you are OK as well. I was.....worried when I heard about what happened." He offered her a bow in bith greeting and sympathy.

"You look exquisite in your Yukata. Im not sure if I expressed my favor for the classics to you but that extends to fashion as well. Luckily for me priests haven't changed their robes in three thousand years." He said with an actual hint of a smile.

"I... thank you, Kuchiki-san," she said, a touch awkward at the condolances. She didn't know word had spread that much. "And thank you... I sadly didn't really bring anything pure white to wear in times like these except this, so... well, it works well in this heat."

She nodded slightly, recovering her composure. "You look good in the robes, though do you sometimes try other styles? Oh, and do you have a pair of these UV-glasses? The garden is best experienced with them."

he nods pulling a pair from his voluminous sleeves "I had heard as much and purchased a pair when I arrived. As for styles I have more modern clothing, you've seen me in as much. I wouldn't dare say I have any actual sense of style or fashion though. Pretty much just wear a lot of whites and blacks, robes, button ups, more rugged functional clothing for when I'm in the field. About sums it up."

"No suits or anything like that, or what about formal traditional wear?" she asked thoughtfully, recovering from her brief memory loss of what he had worn last time.

Putting on her own UV-glasses, Hyeon-ju looked towards the plants as they began the tour of the garden. It was a pretty good time of day to explore with the UV-glasses, all things considered.

"I have a set of robes for formal occasions they are obsidian black as opposed to these which are midnight black." he said holding up a sleeve to the light his expression straight faced as ever.

"I do have a suit or two, I packed one but unfortunately have not had any reason to bring it out." he put on his own pair of glasses and began to scan the surrounding area and back to her "huh this really is one of the most beautiful places in the city."

There was some appriciation for him knowing the difference between various shades of black. Too many just thought black was... black.

"Well, soon you will have reasons, no? Tanabata, and the day of picking after that - sounds like the perfect opportunities to dress up."

Looking around as they walk, she breathed in deeply ad nodded. "Yes... I've not seen nature like this before coming to Asakaze. There's something almost haunting about it."

"Indeed, though I doubt my Tanabata will be particularly eventful, the day of choosing is certainly one to put your best foot forward."

He nodded at her assessment of the gardens "yes, i consider myself well traveled but I've never seen anything quote like this before. It is truly a wonder of Asakaze. One of the things I hope to remember for years to come."

"Tanabata is when we ask the Heavens for happiness, though. As a priest, don't you find that worthwhile to attempt? For yourself, or the ones you love?" she asked curiously. Perhaps things were different with the Spider.

His expression was unreadable for a bit perhaps a shadow of sadness he was quite for awhile and his eyes behind the glasses were perhaps colder than usual if that was possible "Of course Utaku-san, I will certainly participate in the festivities. There are things to be asked for."

He exhaled and looked to the gardens "How has Utaku-san found the miai? Nearing the end was it the experience you expected it to be?"

Hyeon-ju slows down their pace, coming to a stop.

"It's... not what I expected it to be." Still, she looked straight at him. "... Your mood seems sad, Kuchiki-san. What weighs on your mind?"

he slows and stops not looking at her "Utaku-san your heart is heavy enough without taking my burdens as well." He says looking up to the heavens his gaze eventually falling to her "besides it is simply me musing to myself at your words. Not a serious matter, dont trouble yourself with it Utaku-san. Please."

"We are samurai, Kuchiki-san," she assured him, in her own way, "we live three feet from death, as they used to say in the old days."

Hyeon-ju looked off to the side at some of the vibrant plants. "Matsu-san was an amazing woman, and it is a shame her life was cut short, in such a manner. But... her last word to me was 'live'. So... yes, today, I mourn her and the friendship I lost, and the future that no longer exists. Tomorrow, I plan to avenge her. And after that, I will move forward, as she would want me to."

"That is good and what is expected of us but you will morn her more than today. The ones who are lost are never truly gone. First they live in on in our pain but slowly that pain just becomes memory if you let it. That is how they live forever, in our memories, in whatever we see that reminds us of them." He said his voice growing a little distant.

"I won't forget her, but..." she sighed, not wanting to seem like she was arguing. "I won't let the loss, the tragedy, define that memory. Or bring me down."

"Her last word to me was 'live'. I intend to do that the best I can."

Satoru nodded "good, I believe i miscommunicated you don't let the tragedy shape the memory the memory is whatever reminds you of them, things you shared and such. The tragedy is only there at first, it fades."

He looks around the garden "but we shouldn't focus on such sad talk in such a place of beauty."

Looking up at the glowing plants, she took a deep breath and nodded. "Agreed."

"So... have you had the chance to meet with many new people during the miai?"

"Some." He replied "even one such as myself that avoids making connects would have to try quite hard to not meet anyone during a miai." His dark eyes obscured a little by the glasses wandered back to her "and what of you Utaku-san? I imagine you have been very popular during this miai."

"I've never really been popular so I don't know what that might be like," she mused with some dry humor at her own expense. "But I have had the opportunity to meet many new people I wouldn't had otherwise. Make friends even. It's... kind of been strange, to be honest."