Nozomi kept herself busy reading at the place. But instead of her usual smile, she looked a bit displeased and concerned by her densai.

Nozomi looked to her communicator and her eyes widened. She put her densai away and made her search for Shoan right away.

"Over here," she called out, trying to keep her voice down in order to be polite. She gave a formal bow and then glanced around. "I've had a lot on my mind. But... maybe we should try to just enjoy the evening?"

Oh thank the fortunes she turned up.

Shoan bows back, slightly hurried

“Good evening Kitsu-san I was... uh. Is everything alright?”
She quickly checks the shugenja over for injuries or sign of distress

Nozomi straightened out her clothes. "Well, we already talked about what was bothering me earlier," she explained... it had certainly happened by the time they had dinner!

“Ah... those issues. Yes, they are very bothersome.”
A pause
“You are right though. I think Hayato-san would be a little aggrieved if his spot at the Snow-Moon-Flower was taken over by worry and concern instead of more...uh, pleasant matters.”

"Exactly. We should send him something like... a thank-you basket." Nozomi frowned a bit. "It'll be a bit hard for us to continue sending gifts back and forth, huh?"

“We will just have to send nicer gifts but less often and with longer delays... and they will probably be searched.”
In the grim darkness of the future there is only gift giving.

Starting to head up the steps were an extravagantly dressed maître d’ inspected the hollow ticket with a polite but furious look before bowing and gesturing to the two inlaid doors which slide open, allowing cool air with a hint of spice to spill out onto the street
“But I think he has eaten at places like this before. It is... less usual for me. But I hope it’s uh-“
looking back at Nozomi
“Really good.”

"I hope it is very good too," Nozomi said with a faint smile. "I too have not had many opportunities to be at a place such as this." She glanced back, as if looking for someone. Then she shook her head an proceeded as planned.

"I can see why he was so willing to give up his reservation then if it's... more common for him." There was a bit of judgment in her tone but not too harsh.

Shoan glances back for a second too, wondering if another samurai was set to leap out of the shadows. But thankfully the evening seems quite for now and she continues leading the way into the restaurant.

"Wealth in no replacement for honour, although I am sure he lacks for neither. It was just a kind gift from a friend...he seems to have quite a bit of respect for you Kitsu-san."

The building's interior is amazingly plush and decorated to the height of Phoenix fashion. Despite the number of servers and the size of the kitchen require the entrance hall is quite but for the sounds of a distant koto. Another servant politely directs the two up an arching staircase of imported wood as Shoan continues.

"Sometimes I feel as though the miai was mixed up from the start."

"Indeed it is not," Nozomi said. She then smiled faintly. "He has earned my respect in kind, for both this gift and other parts. The Mantis made no mistake in sending him here."

The priestess raised a brow. "Oh? What do you mean by that?"

"Well the Mantis are honourable, the Crab are...."
Shoan clears her throat
"The Phoenix are absent and we fight side by side with the Unicorn. It seems all the Clans sent...unusual delegates."

The two are assured into one of the building's private rooms tastefully decorated with a floor to ceiling window through which the distant sounds of celebration can faintly be heard.
"It probably makes more sense to a courtier, they understand who all this works."
A servant enters, demurely asking what the two would like to drink and Shoan differs to Nozomi.

"Well the Mantis also sent another individual. She is an interesting person to observe," Nozomi left it at that. "I did meet a few Phoenix, actually. But you're right; we have mainly found friends in the Unicorn."

She sighed softly. "Have you considered that in some cases the clan might be trying to marry them out and not worry about arranging a marriage?"

The priestess took her sweet time before pointing at a selection of green tea.

Shoan selects her own strong black tea before the servant bows and withdraws, giving the two a chance to settle at the low table as quiet koto music continues to filter into the room.

"....That would...actually explain a lot."
Dipping her head to Nozomi
"You have discovered a truth I had not even considered, the insightful Kitsu Nozomi-san."

Nozomi looked away. "It was not so difficult for me to discover it." She smiled weakly. "But I can see why it was difficult for you to consider that. You're... quite the catch." Those words rolled off her tongue awkwardly, as if she was trying to imitate words she had read. "You're... an honor for anyone to marry."

Shoan doesn't quite beam at that but she does sit a little straighter and her On softens noticeably

"You're flattering me Kitsu-san, and maybe flirting with me as well."
A little awkward herself "I'm not sure I can speak to being any great 'catch' not when I'm sitting next to a shugenja who never ceases studying for the good of the clan and who doesn't hesitate to risk her life for the good of the Lion either."

Nozomi's cheeks flushed and her posture went overly-rigid. She listened in on Shoan's speech about her as if ready to pounce on any words. "You're right about the latter part. The former, though, well, I could be much better about my studies. Much better."

"Maybe, but it was you explaining everything to Asako-sama and not the other way around."
There's a moment of silence as Shoan sits, her heart thundering in her chest. A dry swallow.
Okay....she could...she would do this. It was time to be brave, time to show Nozomi how she really felt.

With a deep breath Shoan raises a hand and slowly inches it over to where Nozomi's sits, giving the Kitsu plenty of time to pull away if she chose.

"I suppose I knew that much. But I figured everyone knew that sort of thing." Nozomi smirked. "Maybe if I was a callous Kuni, I could test out more people with the Earth Kami. I've certainly wanted to try with my own, well, teachings but it'd probably be too rude."

She stopped blabbering and looked to Shoan's hand. "Oh." She lifted her hand back up as a limp offering.