Tea in the Afternoon (D9 EA) [Mizuki's Room]

[Yogo Mizuki]

"No need to apologize. I misunderstood you." Mizuki sighs. "I am my mother's betrayal. You might notice that I look more like a Crane than my fellow Scorpion. It is because my mother spent some time at Kyuden Kakita before my birth. My father, the man who raised me not the man who impregnated my mother, acknowledged me as his own, but such a thing is hard. Especially when I look so much like a Crane. My childhood could have been better."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"I cannot imagine." he offered a sympathetic look. "That must make the miai somewhat difficult for you."

[Yogo Mizuki]

"Somewhat, but not as much as you would think. I find the Unicorn surprisingly open-minded. But I'm more interested in how you feel about it."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Knowing about it in advance, I feel it is something I could accept, we're it to affect me." he answered. "That makes a couple of assumptions, however. The first is that the conditions of the curse would be met. The second, being that I could be prepared for it, which wouldn't make it betrayal."

"Of course, there is also simply serving as the dutiful husband in a loveless marriage." he added. "That isn't what I hope for at the end of this miai, but I've accepted it as a possibility from the beginning."

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki nods. "I understand. It's not exactly what I was aiming for. But I want a happy marriage even if it just for duty. And sometimes loves grow...." Mizuki shakes her head. "It is bad to try to prepare for it. Trying to trick the Curse or otherwise avoid it will likely cause it to become worse. It is best to just accept it, even if that is hard."

She looks at Kemuri, studying him carefully. "If you were in first place, who would you pick."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Miya Mei-sama." He answered without hesitation. "She is my choice, should I get the opportunity to pick my wife
"

[Yogo Mizuki]

"I see." Mizuki wasn't surprised. She wouldn't feel bad about taking the Unicorn from the 'Kakita' Imperial. Though she didn't have any reason to cause Kemuri any pain. She hated this miai.

"Do you have any questions for me?"

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Who would you choose, if you could select anyone?"

[Yogo Mizuki]

Yue. "I don't know. My problem isn't that the man I want will be picked before me. It's that I don't know who to pick at all."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

He nodded in understanding. "I see the difficulty. Prior to Miya-sama's arrival, I had no clear preference. But, I was also not in a position where I might choose. I expected simply to be picked by someone who saw not other options. I would still accept that, even though what I want is much clearer now. There are still many things that could affect the final arrangements."

[Yogo Mizuki]

"Know that if I pick you, it is not a lack of options. I may not have a man that I love, but I'm high enough that I still have options."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"I appreciate that." he smiled. "I meant only that I would hold no ill will towards someone choosing me before I can secure arrangements with Miya-sama. The final results of the miai will likely reflect a number of difficult decisions and lost hopes. I will embrace whichever direction fate takes me, as long as the choice is made with good intentions."

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki nods. "I understand. I am no fan of the Miya. But I only know her from the time she demanded a duel from the Otaku princess. She could be a perfectly lovely woman outside of that. I'm more concerned in the man. So, if I do pick you, it will be a choice without ill-intent." Or at least, only a little.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Is there anything in particular you'd like to know about me?" he asked.

[Yogo Mizuki]

"What is your duty within your Clan? I'm just wondering how you would fit into the Clan and how our duties would coincide. I'm a merchant, and I will do a lot of traveling."