A bit of tension released from his shoulders as he heard Shoan speak, though he did well not to show it outwardly as he turn his gaze towards the Lion and smiled somewhat mischievously. "And kissing her?"

His lips curled into a smirk at her question and he shook his head before his gaze drifted back towards the water. "Not yet, there are a few I am considering but I should likely have a couple lengthy conversations between now and then. It's been difficult juggling my own wishes with the expectations of my clan without making hasty decisions that I might later come to question."

"Thoguh I suppose I have done a bit of talking about it of late, and that's helped clarify a few things."

“Well....”
Shoan inspects the sand closely
“... you know, sometimes spouses do kiss. It is possible something like that could happen... after marriage of course.”
The Murame looks soft eyed for a few moments before shaking her head
“It sounds like as though there is still work to do there then. If you Uh... I’m not sure. If you would like me to... confirm your qualities to a prospective spouse, I would consider it. It feels like the least I could do.”

"After marriage of course." He agreed pursuing his lips thoughtfully for a moment. "Though I suppose if it happened somewhere people couldn't see, it could be said it never really happened. Even if such a time was before marriage." He teased, not that he really wanted to hear tales of Shoan kissing another girl at least.

Her next statement brought a soft smile to his lips, but he shook his head. "Thank you Shoan-san, but I could never ask that of you. Not least because I don't need every woman at the miai thinking I'm some sort of character from a romance fiction." Hayato said with a soft chuckle. "I've got enough of an overinflated ego already."

"If it happens afterwards it's really up to any samurai present to think on whether it should be reported or not. Fortunately, Kitsu-san is a proper samurai and would do the right thing in those cases."

She shrugs at his refusal, he was probably right....but she would have pimped him hard.
"An overinflated ego? Perhaps it is hard to picture you smug Hayato-san, a paragon of modesty such as yourself."

So not report it. That at least got an approving nod from the Mantis. If he had heard Shoan's though though about pimping him hard, he likely would of grimaced. He'd likely be embarassed for months after the Lion was done.

"I know, it's simply impossible to keep up with my modesty." He replied with an overdramatic sigh, the mantis couldn't keep it up though and soon enough he was chuckling and shaking his head. "I wonder though, would you call my smugness one of my bad points? Or did you think it was kind of cute."

"It's all related to whether you can back it up. A samurai who is smug and incompetent? That's insufferable. But someone who is smug and competent? Well that's rare and can be charming, in small doses."
Arching an eyebrow
"Were you thinking on working on your vices?"

"You told me I needed to." He replied with a half smile. "I mean I wouldn't wish for Kitsu-san to be broken-hearted because I inadvertently charmed you again with my lack of vices."

He paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. "What do you think of men who sing extremly loudly when they are drunk by chance?"

"Consider my views on alcohol, singing and the importance of On in public and you shall have your answer....could this be a third vice? Mmmhm, I will have to continue to resist, for Kitsu-san's sake."

"I thought you rather enjoyed singing." He replied with an amused smile. "Even if it's in the presence of two budding popstars."

"Really though it's not something I do, well unless I'm out with the squad. Then tradition dictates we sing something on the walk back home."

"I enjoy the concept of singing, singing itself...well, you saw the results of my efforts. It is hardly my fault two fifths of the seasoning girls were also present."

Rangers sung? Hmmm, that did make sense, the greencoats, marching over the hills and o'er the way.
"And what do you sing? Is it repeatable in polite company?"

"Ah, you didn't do all that bad, you'd probably fit right in with the squad." Which was probably an indication of how well the squad sang.

"Lots of things really, though some of it is just marchign cadenaces we learned in training. Other times it's sea shanties or popular songs depends on the night really." He reached a hand a hand behind his neck and rubbed. "As for being made for polite company? Some of them. Though some of the sea shanties don't really mean anything anymore. They're back from the days of sailing Rokugan, and whatever meaning they had have been lost over the years."

He peeked her way. "You're gonna ask me to sing one now aren't you?"

"Yup"
Shoan met his peek with a full force amused look, only sheer effort holding back a grin.
"I'm sorry, but you know the law about explaining singing and songs."

He sighed, a soft frown on his lips as he half glared at the Lion. "I suppose you got me there."

Taking a few step away, he started clapping out a beat, his foot tapping along with it before launching into song. It likely sounded rather foreign to the Lion, being as it had ancient gaijin origins. It even had words that likely sounded like nothing more then gibberish, but the rokugani words mixed in gave a hint that they may of once meant something.

Altogether it wasn't an extremly impressive preformance, but it wasn't bad either. Which was probably the most Shoan could really ask for.

Definitely a step up from the Shoan screech special

"It's about...journeying? Sailing? Some of those words sounded like you were gargling sake at the time. Still."
Shoan applauds politely
"That was pretty good, all things considered. It's a shame you've had to spend all this time as a bushi when your true talent was in the recording booth."

"Sailing yeah. Though I suppose journeying is just about as good of an answer." The part about gargling sake brought a smirk to his lips, but he really couldn't deny it. "Still glad you liked it at lest a little."

"I take it singing and that kind of thing isn't really as popular in Lion lands though? At least among the military?"

"Well, there are some songs. Soldiers, for some reason, really seem to enjoy singing. But there's a real difference between singing with a hundred comrades and singing on your own..that's what the bards are for. A good one can really light a company up it...helps, when things are maybe not so good."

"Oh, and what kind of songs do you sing with hundreds of others, Shoan-san." Hayato asked lifting an amused eyebrow.

His expression turned more serious though as well his tone at her next statement though. "I heard something of the loss of your clan, though it seems it wasn't one of the Lion I have met here. I'm sure they were a great Samurai though, so you have my condolences."

Shoan bows her head, standing in silence for a few momets
"I cannot say I knew her well, but thank you. From what I gather she fell in combat against a dangerous foe trying to aid another. I am not sure why the miai is still continuing given what happened but...."
She shrugs her shoulders

"Asakaze just seems to go on no matter what terrible or strange events happen."

"Most can only dream of such a valiant death." Hayato offered solemnly after a few moments of silence. "I am sure the wheel will see her blessed in her next life." The afterlife did reward bravery after all, as far as he could tell.

At he next words he shook his head. "I do not think the Phoenix are in a position to allow such a failure, so on we shall go. Though I hope no more lives are lost in the short days we have left here." None had been close to him thus far, but if more fell it was only a matter of time.

The Lion chews her lip for a few moments, looking out across the water.
"You ever get a feeling that something is going to go bad? You're a ranger, so I suspect that kind of 6th sense is mandatory to even join."