A Fated Meeting (D7 EM) [Mizuki's Room]

[Yogo Mizuki]

MIzuki waits while the servants bring breakfast in. Will he come?

[Bayushi Suteichi]

A simple note. He knew who sent it. His every thought was to not be here and yet here he was. He did not want to be here at all. His mind kept going back to the morning he woke up with Liu Fei. That had a calming effect on him. Suteichi was ready. One last confrontation.

A scratch at the door.

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki answers the door with her mask off. She feels relief that he came and then dread for the conversation. "Su- Bayushi-san, please come in." Mizuki offers him a seat with some breakfast prepared.

Once he sits, Mizuki gets to the point. "I want to apologize. I know what I did was unforgivable. I know it is selfish to even ask, but... our lives are about to change. I don't want us to end like this. I want things to go back to how they were.
Mizuki pauses for a second. "I know how stupid that is. How things will never go back to how they were. But we can move on and have a new form of friendship."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Suteichi placed one finger by his lips signaling to her to be quiet. He gestures to the seat across from him, motioning for her to have a seat. He sat up with perfect posture and began to pour tea for himself. He took a moment to savor the aroma of the tea. He enjoyed the warmth of the cup. He took a sip and savored the taste. Finally, he set the cup down and met her eyes, his mask was still on. He made a gesture with his right hand to indicate to her to continue.

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki was annoyed by such treatment, but OK. She deserved it and more. "I cannot change the past, but I can change the future. Is there something I can to do make it up to you?" Mizuki drinks her tea, hoping it will calm her nerves. It doesn't work.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Suteichi sipped more of his tea. Again, savoring the taste of it for a moment longer or two. Finally, he spoke.

"Good morning Yogo-sempai. I trust that the Miai here has been quite a stressful event. I have been keeping myself busy with looking to acquire a suitor who would best compliment our clan. How has your search been going?"

[Yogo Mizuki]

So, that's how it's going to be. Fine. Mizuki regains any composure she had lost. "It has gone well, though I still would like to meet some more of the Unicorn man." And not as well as yours. Mizuki tries to push out the jealousy in her heart.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"I thought you were meeting many of the Unicorn men. Have they not liked the comfort of your hospitality? That is most unfortunate Yogo-sempai. I have always thought of you as a woman of great poise and dignity. They may not be used to they ways of a Yogo woman like yourself. It might be lost on them but I know that my sempai is a dutiful and persistant woman who will not stop in her efforts to get all that she wants." he picked up his cup again and sipped the tea. He was quite satisfied with his veiled insult.

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki takes the insult. She's angered, but swallows her pride. She was in the wrong.

Do you really think he didn't sleep with Liu Fei before?

She loved him. She would do her best to repair the broken bond. Mizuki eats some rice to prevent her from saying something she will regret.

"I assure you that I'm doing my best to bring their best to our Clan." Mizuki couldn't really think of anything else to say. She had to take his anger. It was the only way.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"I have never doubted your determination Yogo-sempai."

More tea. More moments of silence.



"I have had much success with my chosen intended. She is honest, loyal. Has quite a cutthroat instinct. We have spent a considerable amount of time together...sharing very intimate, detailed moments. I greatly admire her loyalty to me as she admires mine. She will make a fine addition to the Bayushi family. We have not discussed children but given she comes from a healthy sized family and I do as well, I'm sure the topic we come up...one way or another."

He finished his cup of tea the refilled it. As he had been doing, a period of silence followed by a sip.

"I owe my success to you Yogo-sempai. You have taught me how to use my raw, natural abilities to get what I want."

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki is silent. Finally, she speaks. "I'm glad I could help. I hope you and Shinjo-san will have a blissful marriage." Mizuki feels her anger rising. She knows logically that Sutiechi is lashing out. She hurt him. She hurt him seriously. But it hurt. All of this hurt. She fought back her anger. Sutiechi was worth some pain.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"Your words are most kind Yogo-sempai. I am sure that our marriage will be indeed blissful. I cannot thank you enough for providing me lessons and experiences that have benefitted Shinjo Liu Fei-chan and made her most happy. I just only wish that I could have given her a much fresher and richer experience. It would have been truly special and meaningful. A foolish mistake on my part to cast away such a meaningful aspect of life on...well all for nothing really. It is as they say, 'something good can even come out of the most shameful and disgraceful failures."

More sipping of tea. More cold silence.

[Yogo Mizuki]

The monk said if he really cared, he would forgive her. Father forgave mother. Now, he just being cruel. Maybe it wasn't love. Maybe it was just foolish lust. The things they taught us to take advantage of. She was starting to wonder what she ever saw in the man.

"Well, good. The Unicorn do seem to excellent at creating happiness. Why, I have had half the Clan in my room and each better than the next. I never knew what I was missing." Let him see how much it hurts. If it hurts. Benten, let it hurt.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"Yogo-sama is so open and giving to our Unicorn hosts. I respect you have done in that. Keep increasing your quantity you may end up with quality."

[Yogo Mizuki]

"It would be a first." Mizuki takes a drink. Her mask is on. Not physically, but it is on.