"Fair, I myself have been prone to being reserved and not making connections. Not the greatest of sins but certainly one that disqualifies you from being popular in most circles. I just figured someone talented and beautiful, with such high regard for honor would be a fast fit for a few other clans." He explained "but i am glad that you have had the chance to broaden your horizons this past week and a half. Have there been any surprises?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I've often been told I'm... too much, or too intense. I was never a popular kid in school, as I was studying or training when the others were partying or doing whatever it is they were doing. Sure, I was considered a prodigy of the dojo, but I worked hard to be that. And I'm not ashamed of it even if it didn't make me popular."

Hyeon-ju stopped to read one of the signs for a particularly strange-looking exhibit.

"There have been surprises," she confirmed with a nod. "Not all the Spider are bad, like I've been told before. You've been very nice and pleasant to speak with. Daigotsu Ryuu-san has also been an interesting friend to make. The Mantis have also been friendly. I didn't expect to be so... disappointed with the Crab."

He nodded in regard to her talk about her time in school "I had some close friends going through school. But I haven't been one for making new ones and that seems to suit most people fine."

"Its almost as if the clan one is born into doesnt decide everything about their personality or who they are." He said with an exceedingly dry tone of his own but should she look at him she would see a flicker of humor in his eyes.

"Ah," she chuckled dryly herself at the joke, "it is true though. Most of us, we've never even met a member of another clan and just have what we've been told to go on. And... well, word is not kind on some of them."

"Indeed. That is one thing gathering knowledge helps with, you cross reference things from different sources to find out what other clans are really like and notice that while clans tend to work a certain way as a whole individuals are more than just mere extensions of their clan's ideals, even if thats what we are led to believe we should be." he said calmly looking up at a large fungal plant and then back down to her "You are a Unicorn, you are an Utaku but you are also Hyeon-ju, you are more than the sum of your background."

"More than the sums of my background, though one cannot dismiss those factors," she nodded thoughtfully, looking over her shoulder at him as she was thinking.

"... I've enjoyed these moments we've had together, Kuchiki-san, but, I don't think I could be able to offer you a future where you would be happy. Or treated with the respect you are worthy of. Among the Unicorn, that is."

Satoru took a deep breath before taking off his glasses, his dark brown eyes looking into her own and for a moment it seemed those walls of ice that kept everyone out were down, not melted never to return, but open for at least a moment "You have been, a most tempting option Hyeon-ju-san. In the end though while I may nopt be an honorable man, I am a dutiful one and none of my directives mention marrying a Unicorn. Politically it makes no sense and in the end I would just be depriving my clan of a priest for little gain as I think we both know the marriage of two low level samurai is not enough to smooth over the tensions there."

he reached out slowly, slow enough should she move away it would be easy to avoid his hand but if she didn't move he would gently take her hand here in the privacy of the gardens and regardless if she let him hold her hand or not he would continue staring into her eyes "As much as I want this match to make sense, it doesn't and you deserve the best match you can get. You deserve to be happy." and I don't know if I ever will be he finished in his head and gave her a genuine and warm smile tinged with sadness at the edges.

Being a Unicorn, Hyeon-ju did not shy away from something as simple as holding a hand, and she took Satoru's hand in hers, giving him a friendly and reassuring squeeze.

"I know. And while my family wish for more shugenja within our ranks, they would have a hard time accepting a Spider, as our leadership has not wished for such moves to be made."

She did not know then what her match would end up being, and was still in a certainity that it would be the honorable choice of duty that would be her destiny. Which she was perfectly fine with - Hyeon-ju was, in fact, a very dutiful samurai.

"Likewise, I wish for you to find a match you will be happy with and that will bring honor to your family, Kuchiki-san. Even if our clans are at odds, and we may perhaps be enemies some day, know that I respect you and consider you a rare friend."

"Yes a rare friend indeed." he returned her squeeze before letting go, a small chuckle escaping his lips "At least we are likely to never meet on the field of battle given our roles, even if our clans become enemies." It was a small reassurance that he would likely never have to try to kill her, or vice versa.

"This is true," she mused, slowly letting go of his hand, "but as you are a shugenja, in the unlikely event that we were to be on different sides, I would offer you surrender."

Shugenja were valued and special, and while not everyone adhered to the expected decorum of not killing shugenja in battle, Hyeon-ju was one who did consider such obscure and often overlooked gestures of courtesy.

"You believe it would be me who needs an offer of surrender" he retorted with a grin and quirked eyebrow "My combat prowess may surprise you Utaku-san, perhaps it would be me that would be extending you something unheard of, the mercy of the Spider."

She raised an eyebrow at that and gave him a wry smirk. "You continue to be full of surprises, Kuchiki-san. Perhaps what you say is true, or perhaps not. I will make sure to never underestimate you then."

The smirk was returned "Most people are more than they appear on the surface, but i suppose my depths may be murkier than most."

He looked around the garden and back to her again "All said and done im glad to have met you Hyeon-ju." He put his glasses back on and motioned to the rest of the garden "Shall we?"

[FtB? (Fade to botanicals)]

"Likewise, I am glad to have met you too, Satoru." A touch informal, but it was sincere and with good intentions.

"Yes, let's continue on exploring. I don't think I've tried to go down this path over here." She pointed out another illuminated pathway that seemed to loop around the central part.

It would be a nice walk to admire some of the rather unique flora of Asakaze.


/Fade to botanical explorations!

/scene and thank you. <3