Day 2 [Late Evening] Tea After Dark (Mizuki's Room)

[Yogo Mizuki]

Yue shook her head with a smile. "My sister did not enjoy the idea of a chaperone. I hope us being here is helping her feel more comfortable."

The younger Shinjo looked at the masked Yogo. "I suppose we are similar in that way, Mizuki-dono." She gave a coy smirk. "I cannot claim nor deny that you are a beautiful woman with that mask. However, you are certainly better than I." She shrugged. "That is not a difficult notion."

"You certainly helped." Mizuki did not want to think of what it would be like with just the three of them.

"I am... I am told that I am beautiful, but..." Mizuki looks away uncomfortably. "If you notice I don't have any mirrors in this room. I don't find my looks comforting either."

Mizuki notices that she's not making any damn sense. "The Curse." Mizuki takes off her mask revealing a beautiful face that looks more like it would fit in with the Crane rather than the Scorpion. "My father and mother love each other very much. Shortly, before I was born, my mother was invited to study at the Kakita Academy." Admittedly, this was easier than revealing to Akil. The lack of "There's a good chance I'm going to sleep around on you" implication made it much easier.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Yue tilted her head, confused by the other woman's words. But what came next confused her even more.

She's... oh goodness, she really is beautiful.

"I am not sure if I quite understand," she murmured even after the Yogo's explanation. She instinctively covered her cheeks with the sleeves of her kimono for she knew she was burning red right now.

A nervous giggle escaped her. "It is a shame our positions are not switched." She eyed the mask, back to the woman, and then away because she was unable to bear looking at Mizuki any longer. "I should be the one to wear the mask."

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki realizes she needs to explain further. "My looks are that of the Crane. The blue eyes. My hair naturally white which is considered a blessing in their Clan. My facial features are those of the Kakita. Which is strange because neither of my parents have Crane blood."

Mizuki puts the mask back on. "My face is the face betrayal."

Mizuki let's it sink in for a second. "My parents still love each. They are happy. But like I said, the pain is still there. They remember every time they look at me."

She looks at the Unicorn. "The mask is to honor our Kami. It is to show that we are not hypocrites. Every samurai wears a mask. We just do it more literally. But it is nice to be able to hide the face in the mirror."

Her tone softens. "I know it's the same, but I can relate to not liking what you see in the mirror. I'm just lucky that my Kami had wore a mask."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Yue did not have many words to say on the matter. Between the woman's tale and her beauty, the young Shinjo was left flabbergasted. "I heard that about the masks from Yuichi-dono," she murmured.

"I can look at myself in the mirror. They are scars and nothing more," Yue corrected her. "It is others that I worry about. I worry for my future husband."

She scratched the back of her head. "If I may, I suggest that you forego the mask. The masks have unsettled my sister and I and likely other Unicorn as well. It may be better to cope with what makes you uncomfortable than hide it, Mizuki-dono."

I'd also like to see your face more often...

[Yogo Mizuki]

"I apologize for the assumption. I guess there is a difference between us after all." She gives a small bow of an apology.

"Not wearing a mask would be insult to my Clan. I do not mean upset anyone in your Clan, but it is something the Scorpion will always do. I do wear this mask because it makes it easier for me, but I wear the mask in the first place because I am a proud Scorpion."

Besides, someone might recognize my father. After a moment, she removes her mask. "I suppose I can leave it off for the moment if it bothers you. Until you get more used to it."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"Daijoubu," she whispered. "I am not offended, Mizuki-dono."

She listened more on the way of the masks and ended up conceding on the issue. "Each Clan has its traditions," she said, mostly for her own benefit. Still, when the woman took off her mask, Yue could not help but smile and blush. "You are too kind, Mizuki-dono."

Shoot! Why did I say that so sweetly? Um, maybe sis doesn't need alone time with him any longer...

[Yogo Mizuki]

If Mizuki heard anything in her tone, she didn't react.

"So, how do think they're doing now that we gave them some time?" Mizuki nods her head back to the couple.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Oh thank goodness, I have an out.

"'Better' is all I can hope for, Mizuki-dono." She motioned over to her pile of belongings. "There is a mirror in there. Could you please get it for me?" She put on a solemn smile. "I want to see if I truly look good in Scorpion colors."

It'd be nice to be by your side more in these colors. Maybe I should marry Yuichi-dono so that could happen. No, no... what am I thinking?

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"This I can manage for you Bayushi-sama," she said, in her less than subtle way of acceptance of the idea. If she would have to be married she currently did not mind if it would be this man, he had that fire she needed too. Sampling the daifuku she found the first blending taste a slight strange but the second melding had her agreeing with his initial introduction of them both, it certainly went well together.

"I believe I owe you another question," she said before sipping at the tea once again. "Do you have plans beyond this Miai Bayushi-sama?" she asked, holding no intention of him spilling all of his plans now. Just knowing he had plans would be enough.

Liu Fei made him laugh out loud. "Shinjo-sama, asking a Scorpion if they have plans is like asking the Crab do they have a wall. Yes, I do. I can tell you this much at least, my first plan is to enjoy time with my wife." he said with a certain look at her. He took another sip of tea.

"Since we are being so forthright with one another, I know that there are many more days ahead of this miai. If it were to end now the question I would have is would you wear a mask or would I be needing a horse. Truth is many potential suitors remain. I want you to be certain that you have the best suitable match. I am sure you want the same for me. I would wish to spend more time with you in these coming days but I would not want to rob anyone else time to know you. I have plans, and yes my hope is that you are in the end result. I want things to be right, for us both."

Suteichi ate a piece of daifuku.

"What are your plans Shinjo-sama?... Oh...I feel that by now we can be not so formal. You may address me as Suteichi-san, if I may address you as Liu Fei-san?"

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

There was a light smirk when he laughed and what followed was a simple nod to show her understanding.

"I do not have any plans yet, Suteichi-san," she used the name as a form of answer. "Just arriving back in the Empire it is impossible to craft plans for the future until I understand it better, understand my place here better. If I am to wear a mask in my future I imagine you will be of aid in my search for understanding and planning further. Otherwise, if you were to need a horse, I believe we would have to learn of what that is together."

"Or, whoever my husband might be," she said, only to be allowing for that chance for them both, as he had.

Glancing over toward the door where Mizuki and Yue had left through, she asked as she looked back to Suteichi, "Tell me more about what your family is like, Suteichi-san."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

There was a light smirk when he laughed and what followed was a simple nod to show her understanding.

"I do not have any plans yet, Suteichi-san," she used the name as a form of answer. "Just arriving back in the Empire it is impossible to craft plans for the future until I understand it better, understand my place here better. If I am to wear a mask in my future I imagine you will be of aid in my search for understanding and planning further. Otherwise, if you were to need a horse, I believe we would have to learn of what that is together."

"Or, whoever my husband might be," she said, only to be allowing for that chance for them both, as he had.

Glancing over toward the door where Mizuki and Yue had left through, she asked as she looked back to Suteichi, "Tell me more about what your family is like, Suteichi-san."

"My family is an interesting lot. As I said, my father is a magistrate. Mother is a courtier. They have always encouraged my endeavors. They insisted that this would be a good event to try out on my own. So far, it has not been disappointing." he said as he smiled at her again. "Father would enjoy you. My mother and sisters would introduce you to the...proper way to be a lady." he mocked his mother's voice followed with a bit of a laugh. "As a Kakita, my mother was very much indoctrinated into the ways of etiquette. Her teachings were passed to each of us. Don't worry. She will like you all the same. Tell me, would your family readily accept me?"

[Yogo Mizuki]

Oh thank goodness, I have an out.

"'Better' is all I can hope for, Mizuki-dono." She motioned over to her pile of belongings. "There is a mirror in there. Could you please get it for me?" She put on a solemn smile. "I want to see if I truly look good in Scorpion colors."

It'd be nice to be by your side more in these colors. Maybe I should marry Yuichi-dono so that could happen. No, no... what am I thinking?

Mizuki nods. "Of course." Mizuki then goes gets the mirror carefully pointing the reflection away from her. She then holds for Yue to see. "Tell me what you think."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Yue looked at her reflection with a solemn smile on her face. "In the future you may refer to me as Yogo Liu Yue or Soshi Liu Yue." She scratched the back of her head. "I do not like to get ahead of myself. There are still more days for the miai."

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"I almost look forward to seeing just how your mother might attempt to convince me to change from my... improper lady-like ways."

"I do not know if you have realized this," she said with that tone reserved for things that were obvious, "but I can be a hard one to impress. If I am ready to accept you, I doubt a single member of my family would be able to disagree."

"But, that is a less insightful answer than you want Suteichi-san. My father is more of a scholar, but also represents our Family when it comes time to and is requested of him. I am sure he would find the merit in your work far more easily than I have. My Mother, well, she was a lot like me.. or, I always saw a lot of her in me when I was growing up. She would have liked you, eventually, but it would not have been so simple," she said, glancing toward the door as a reference to the moment that just passed.

"Yue.. I believe she is ready to accept you, and if she is not after I talk with her she will be ready to. However it is best to find out for yourself with her. Since we are all here for the next while, I would think."

Following that she took a sip of her tea, allowing for a little pause before asking anything else. Giving him a moment to respond if he would like.

[Yogo Mizuki]

"Hai. I understand. Sometimes it is hard. I know I have had to hold myself back." Mizuki gives a friendly smile. "You didn't tell me what you think?"