Dark Edge Village

Having finished the day's event and having handed Doggo back to the Moto, Dong-Ha headed to the northern part of the tent village. He had been planning to do this particular visit since the day before but had figured he ought to talk to the other girls first so that he could honestly tell Tomoe that he had tried to resolve the matter.

Arriving to the Hare's the young Iuchi cleared his throat. "Tomoe-san, are you there? It's Dong-Ha."

Tomoe had felt a little sad when at the end of the race, Chibi-Usa returned to the Moto... how attached she had become to the little furball over the day, and it had been fun to teach and train the dog too. She didn't think she'd come to miss the puppy that much, but she already did miss her presence upon returning to the tent where Ganko waited for her. Who was the opposite of cuddly and fuzzy.

"Oh well, at least you are much calmer and easier to handle, Ganko-chan... I probably wouldn't trade you for Chibi-Usa."

Hearing Dong-Ha's voice, the Hare perked up, even if she hesitated a little to reply. A few moments passed before Tomoe pushed aside the tent flap with one hand, while holding the tortoise in the other. "Dong-ha-san... good evening," she smiled. It was perhaps a little muted in its brightness, but it was still a warm and welcoming smile. "Would you like to come in?"

"Yes, please." Dong-Ha nodded, his eyes brightening as he saw her face. "Thank you." the young mystic stepped into her tent, his eyes intent on Tomoe. "Uh... good evening." What you were supposed to say in a situation like this anyway. "I wanted to see you." the young man said what he thought.

"Even after my rather... uhm... forward song, yesterday?" she blushed, lowering her eyes a little. "I understood it was the rules of the competition, but," a soft chuckle, "when you are raised to be more subtle with such things, it sure felt awkward to announce it to the whole world like that."

Tomoe tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and looked up again at Dong-Ha. "Thank you for that song, though. I didn't know you had such a nice voice."

"Even after." He grinned, taking a small step towards her. "Especially after your song." His eyes gleamed in the dim light of the tent. "I was happy to hear you." Dong-Ha raised his hand as if to touch her arm, but let it drop instead. "Uh... the Moto are less shy about such things, as you might have heard." he explained bashfully, recalling Hotaru's song.

"Uh-nuh... it was my pleasure. And you are too kind, Tomoe-san. I can barely sing." he chuckled softly, also letting his gaze drop to somewhere around her toes. "But you... you sang so beautifully. I mean, I had an inclination you might, but to hear it." the young man slowly raised his gaze, his cheeks flushed with red. "It made me so happy."

"You're the one being too kind," she demurred. "I've never been much of a singer, but then... hearing the others, even if I wanted to stay out of it all, I wanted to at least return the favor of you stepping forward and singing for me. Knowing it made you happy, at least, makes me feel it was worth it, even if the judges did not think me good enough."

Tomoe raised a hand to her lips, nervously letting her teeth pinch lightly at the skin of her index finger. "You seemed to have been the most popular man in the competition yesterday too..."

"Uh... " Dong-Ha pressed his hand to the back of his neck. "I talked with Bayushi-san and she claimed she had misunderstood the occasion. She claimed she was merely expressing her friendship, even if her song was... weird." the young man paused, licking his lips. "You see, it was her divination that gave me courage to approach you. To believe you." his eyes were now intent on her. "So I don't think we need to worry about her. She surely has someone else on her mind." Dong-Ha hoped this was the case, at least. "My kinsmen said that Moto Baatar-san fancies her."

"Seppun-sama, I have barely talked to her." he shook his head. "She seems to be interested in me as a trophy. Something to take home. She seemed more interested in my stones than me." Dong-Ha explained, softly brushing his calloused fingers over the charms dangling from his belt. "I tried to convince her that I would not make a good husband for her but..." his voice died out. They both knew there was precious little they could do should Hitako call his name.

"Uhh.. can we sit down?" her proximity was tantalizing and Dong-Ha didn't want to tempt fate.

"Oh, right... of course," she nodded, feeling a little embarrassed that she had forgotten to offer him proper hospitality. Tch,
forgetting your manners so easily!

"Please, sit," Tomoe gestured to the low table and the cushions around it. "Would you like anything to drink, perhaps? I don't have any tea ready, but I have sake...?"

"Sake is fine, thank you." He eased himself one one of the pillows lying on the floor, folding his legs under his backside. Dong-Ha turned to face Tomoe, laying his hands on his lap as he waited for her to pour. "Please believe me Tomoe-san, I would chose you hundred times if I could." Dong-Ha wanted her to know and understand that, as doomed as his intentions might have been.

The bottle Tomoe found was pale gray in its color. Its motif depicted a white orchid with a blush of pink color on its petals, standing in the snow. She had saved this bottle from home, to be shared with her future husband at the end of the miai... but right now, it felt more appropriate to share with the one she hoped to marry, rather than whoever she might end up marrying.

"I believe you, Dong-kun," her smile quirked a little as she chose a more personal touch to his name, and passed a cup with sake to him. "I do. I've grown... fond of you in our short time, and as I said to one of your kin yesterday when we listened to the songs of the others; I will carry on fighting for you." So that if I lose, I can at least look back and said I gave it my all.

"... Please enjoy the sake. It's a new popular one brewed in the land of the Hare."

"Hmm, something from your homelands Tomo-chan?" If she was thought they were close enough to use nicknames, he wasn't going to be any worse. "Or should I call you Kogitsune-chan?" Dong-Ha smirked as he reached for the cup, his fingers brushing against hers. "Thank you. At least I know that someone found... finds me worth fighting for." At least to someone he was not a mere trophy, more than his magics.

"We shouldn't discuss the situation. We can only do and hope for the best. Regret is a sin.. and I don't want to have any regrets." the young mystic raised his cup into a brief salute before moving it to his lips. "Better we focus on things at hand, neh."

"Kogitsune?" Tomoe giggled and poured herself some of the sake. "I think I could live with such a nickname... but yes, you're right... worrying about the future distracts from the moment. All we can do is do our best and try our hardest as we go on, so we won't have any regrets when we reach the end of this miai."

She raised her cup too and took a small sip, carefully savouring the flavour. "So why Kogitsune?" she asked, trying to change the topic away from the competition.

"Agreed." her giggle brought smile to his lips. Dong-Ha place his chin on his palm as he regarded Tomoe. "Kogitsune-chan it is, then." he was happy to have a special name for her, a name no-one else knew or used. "Because I still think you are hiding a tail under your hem." he explained with a smirk. "How else I'd be this smitten."

"Ah," the smile grew into a grin. "You believe I have used my wily kitsune-powers to put you under my spell, like Tamamo-no-Mae did in the story?"

She regarded him with a playful look... now she had to think of a suitable nickname for him too!

"Your wits and looks are magical enough." Dong-ha offered, smiling still as his dark eyes sought out her purple orbs. "Alas, I am unfamiliar with that story. What did Tamamo-no-Mae do then, to become immortalized in a story?" his tone betrayed his curiosity. Whenever he bumped to a story or an idea he had never heard before, the young mystic felt like he had to know. He couldn't quite explain his inquisitive nature, but had often attributed to the lessons of his father. "If it's a long story, you can skip things." As much as he wanted to learn, he did not feel like imposing on Tomoe on the matter. "But I'll listen to you anyway."