The Spider Chuui had a lot on his mind. He shouldn't be there, other things were probably more important. Yet he couldn't help himself. He wore his suit and tie well, he'd even done his hair a bit. There wasn't any expectation, he was simply doing what he could to look proper.

He looked blankly at his densai, flicking the stylus about on his finger as the unused digital canvas stared back at him.

A lot of things were pointless in the grand scheme, he knew. Though finding meaning in a moment was something he'd been very careful to do at this miai. It was all very confusing though, what he was doing, to an outsider. Even to himself it didn't make much sense.

He let out a breath and tried to start a line on the screen, to see how it would turn out.

Stopping just outside the restaurant Ichika took a moment to breath, looking down at the dress she wore there was that slight raise in her chest that held awkwardly. A lack of breath, she glanced toward the way she came but suddenly exhaled. Putting a hand to her forehead she took in a few breaths and let them out slowly.

Digging into her little purse she dug out a compact and checked her makeup again, having tried her best to copy what Hyeon-ju had done for her some many days prior. It wasn't a perfect match for the current outfit perhaps but it matched her. Sliding the compact back into her purse she inhaled once more, then exhaled again. A little nod she made her way inside, looking about for Shokomaru.

After a servant asked who she was there to join, she was escorted upstairs to the private room.

After her preparation and entry, the Spider looked up from his densai. The stylus dropped from his hand at a similar rate to his jaw. Though he stood quickly and bowed, managing a proper smile by the time he rose.

"Doji Ichika-san, you...", he hesitated a bit, realizing he'd bowed before she did, his lip tightened slightly and then his breath escaped, shoulders settling.

"You look amazing. Please come sit." And he walked around to the other side of the table to pull a chair for her.

A half-awkward chuckle, she returned the bow deeply as was appropriate. "Thank you Daigotsu-sama," she said, a brief smile. Approaching over she stepped up to Shokomaru and glanced to him for a moment before taking the seat. Brushing an errant hair behind her ear as she did so.

After helping her get seated he walked back over to his own seat and turned off his densai before setting it aside with the stylus an sitting down himself. He had a hard time meeting her gaze for a moment, but eventually settled into a more comfortable position, facing her and laying his hands in his lap.

"I hope...", he said and swallowed. "I'm glad you got here safe and sound, I also hope you're hungry. It won't be otori skewers tonight, but something a little more traditional. And...", he paused thinking a little but then smiled. "Was your day eventful?"

She had probably never seen him actually nervous before. Though the formal posture and speech was likely a dead give away.

Ichika regarded him a moment as he spoke, conversations played in her head. Settling into her seat a little more she placed her purse off to the side on the table. Raising her brow she leaned in a little, "Is everything alright, Daigotsu-sama?" she asked with some degree of concern to her tone.

"I suppose...that is...yes", he nodded. "Though honestly, I didn't expect you to accept coming out tonight." He looked sideways, eyebrows furrowed. "But I am glad you did."

He seemed to weigh his options a little, rolling ideas on his head.

"You know, you've shown me a lot of courtesy, and as a result, I don't think I've been very fair to you, like because of the social distance I'm expected to be allowed to be that way, and I don't think that's right. So, if you came tonight, I was hoping we could try to have a different conversation. Or...I guess, I'd try to be less...I don't know... less of a...", he shook his head. "I just think I should be giving you better than I have."

"I-" she paused, glanced down as she furrowed her brow a little. Smiling as she shook her head a little, a soft shake. Looking back up to him she said, "I have a few questions for you, Daigotsu-sama.. that I'll ask later, yea? Given.. given what you said I think it's okay to suggest that, yea? Well.." she waved her hand to dismiss the thought for now.

"What kind of conversation were you hoping for, Daigotsu-sama?" she asked, with the touch of a little smile.

"That's good, I like questions. If they aren't about military matters I can even give you answers", he said confidently, but there might have been a splash of relief as well. He tapped the button for service. "As to the type of conversation, I think you asking things is a very good start. Though I'll begin myself by asking what you think of how I've performed in this certainly not a tournament of a miai."

"How do I think you've performed, Daigotsu-sama?" she asked, raising her brow just a little. With a small pause for thought she shook her head, "How well do you think you did, Daigotsu-sama? I don't really think I have enough information to make a judgement, if you're talking about all the events and all?" she asked, resting her hands in her lap for the time being.

He leaned back in his seat, raising a hand to his chin, thinking as he took in her words and manner. Before he could say anything else, the room was filled with the scent of a tangy red tea, and hot sake. Cups, a pot, a bottle, as well as salted soybeans and nuts coated in hardened honey were set down by a servant who bowed and left.

"If there's nothing you know, then there's nothing to say, I suppose", he said finally and poured her some tea, taking some for himself. The bottle sat on a small heated pad, it could wait. "Of course, if you do know something, I'm not particularly asking for a polite response. That's the sort of different I'm talking about."

Ichika glances around a little anytime someone moved even a little bit near her, looking to Shokomaru as a manner of standard spot to look. Waiting until the food was settled she took the occassional moment to smell the food, glance around, and get a good sense of the experience to remember.

"I don't.. I haven't greatly considered a lot of performances in the competitions set up, myself. They're good tools for the Phoenix to get what they want but that's not why everyone is here, yea?" she said, shifting a little in her seat to get ready to eat soon.

"Though, if you want me to ask about those things.. I suppose you want me to say it, yea? Unless you just wanted to talk about it, hmm?" she suggested, her tone soft as she looked at him from across the table.

"Not actually, unless you want to hear me complain, i guess?" He shucked soybeans out of their stalks with chopsticks and ate a few.

"Please help yourself, just some snacks. What kind of sushi do you like, anyway?"

Ichika furrowed her brow a little, watching him as he started eating. "I haven't found a kind I don't like so far," she said, bringing her hands up she collected some chopsticks.

"Should I ask you the other questions then after we eat?" she said with a small quirked smile. Looking down a little as she did said so.

"You can ask me anything any time you want, Doji-san", he told her after chewing. "These are good, I wonder if they grow soy here."

He kept eating. Leaving it open.

"I.." she paused, found herself lacking that confidence in her own voice. Setting down the chopsticks again she set her hands in her lap. Inhaling a little, exhaling, "I've been.. around, speaking with people, Daigotsu-sama. Thinking on this for my own a long time and.." she shook her head. "For a long time now I've been thinking that there's something about me you.. but all of you, the Spider, find a comfort in. I don't know why but it.. it feels like it's true, something about the way," she shook her head, twisting her bottom lip.

"I wanted to ask about what else you've been doing Daigotsu-sama. With so many others we've casually spoken about a lot of things.. but.. I don't know who else you might be seeking? Yet.. there's more," she shook her head. Inhaling deeply, holding it. Closing her eyes for a moment she exhaled slowly between her lips. "How would you speak of your showing in this miai, outside of the competitions, Daigotsu-sama?" she asked, looking to him directly. Beneath the table she fiddled with her index finger.

As she spoke he chewed, and chewed, and chewed. Some comments and pauses of hers got him to stop and nod slightly, at one point he chuckled. When she finally had said enough he put his chopsticks down and faced her.

"Well, I'll address this in order, but it seems like its all somewhat connected", he took out his.smokes and lot one, reflex. Though he didn't put it out and pulled the ashtray on the table closer and made sure not to blow any her way. "As for comfort, well...there is something very easy and sweet about your manner, whether it's the famous Doji training or you yourself being a good girl, I'd love to do more than guess. For a little I thought you were too deferent, like you wrere aiming to please and comfort, but I think you're just being a little cautious while trying to learn about people for what they are. I don't think I've made that very easy, either." He blew smoke above him and twisted a wry smile. "I have to admit, even to a Spider there is some knowledge of what to expect with a Doji maiden, we've all seen clan approved documentaries and dramas about history, and superficially you have fulfilled those expectations in a lot of ways. You're beautiful, thoughtful, kind and courteous. For someone like me who has only had the rarest of moments to experience those things with very few people, it's very inviting. I'm human, after all." He sipped tea and placed the cup down. "Though we've met a few times now, and I know training isn't everything a person is, so I wanted to know more about you and asked silly questions and tested certain boundaries, even asking some very hard things of you, to try and understand you in return."

He chuckled. "As to how I think I've done? I came here with a difficult burden. I have a large estate, several ji-samurai who serve me, a few hundred peasants and farms that expand over a whole region. Anyone who marries me is in for some work. How could I dump all that on some ace of the skies, or hard working entrepreneur, or even a soldier who fiercely wishes to fight for their clan? Sure, marriage isn't really about doing what you want, but I think about how I would feel where I on the receiving end. So as much as I have done my duty to seek a spouse, I had little hope I would be pleased with the outcome." He chuckled. "And then my clan intervened. I was ordered to select someone, and it changed how I looked at it all. I met someone who felt similar to me, and rather than pretend it meant nothing, we both pursued it without care of consequence because regret is far worse than a rumor, and as I'm about to marry, this was really my last chance to follow my heart, even if it was dangerous. So how have I done? I've enjoyed every minute, even the mistakes, because they're part of life and I won't apologize for taking a brief moment before everything is settled."

While she listened Ichika's fiddling slipped away. A focus on what he was saying she looked to him, anew at different little parts as she listened along. Glancing down somewhere near the end she inhaled deeply when he finished and let the breath out. Looking up she gave him a nod, "Thank you, Daigotsu-sama," she said, bowing her head.

"I am glad you had that moment, really," she said with a soft smile, a nod. "Everyone deserves that chance, yea? So.." she said, collecting the chopsticks. "Shall we eat then?" she said with the same soft smile.

"Deserve?" he thought about that. "If you want to be nice about it, it's a very benevolent thought", he agreed. "Though, I'm curious why you say everyone deserves such a chance, kharma isn't just fair to us now, it's also a result of things that have happened in the past, isn't that right?"

He picked up the bowl of honey nuts and put some on a small plate and tried one.

"Oh...these are good, the honey is just roasted enough to harden slightly, they're chewy." he ate another. "Be careful, I think these could disappear without even noticing."

"It is.." she agreed, looking to him with a raised brow. "At least, that's what the monks say, yea? Shugenja might say that too.." she shook her head a little. Looking at the food she was a little resolute as they kept talking. Looking back to Shokomaru for him to continue with whatever that thought was.