Another Day, Another Drink [Day 8 EM]

[Soshi Yuuru]

He thought for a moment, "Well if I am picked by Yukarin, probably purple. If I get to choose Saksaha or Batul then crimson..."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Any of them you would prefer...?" she leaned forward a little, curiosity in her voice.

[Soshi Yuuru]

He chuckled, "At this point I don't think I'll get any of them... so I can't be too picky or get my hopes up."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Silly Yuuru... you're allowed to have preferences, you know, without giving away your heart or being picky. Or are you just trying to be secretive with me, hm?"

Tomoe knew she'd prefer Saksaha for Yuuru, since they both seemed like they'd get along, but that match hadn't gone as well as she had hoped. Oh well, at least she had done better with pushing Khulun and Nintoku together.

But if Yuuru married Yukarin, and Tomoe married Dong-Ha, they could both be Iuchi. Huh... it would be funny to actually share family with him.

[Soshi Yuuru]

"Well things are certainly a bit more romantic with Yukarin." He replied.

"I like her wit, her fun personality, and her openness."

He paused, "Saksaha, I like her strength, and honesty."

He nodded, "And there's something just so pure about Batul."

His smile dimmed a bit, "But Yukarin has many suitors and I'm not sure of her commitment to me. Saksaha treats me with deep skepticism. And Batul just never seems to be around..."

He smiled, "So there's some good in each of them, and some challenges that go with each..."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"No match is without its challenges," Tomoe retorted with a grin. "But I can see your plight... though I'm surprised Saksaha is seemingly suspicious about you... did you tell her one of your outlandish stories or something?"

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

Fei couldn't help it, she had to laugh. It was nearly impossible to hold back the bout of laughter that followed at the culmination of his story. Leaning backward slightly as she did, falling back to the ground.

When the laughing, and slight after-chuckles settled she managed to sit herself up right once again. Wiping away a tear with one eye, and checking to find that she had miraculously not spilled a drop of her drink she looked to Tomonaga with the largest grin. "That woman played you like a flute," she said, euphemism unintended.

Raising her cup to him she teased, "To you, and sultry Scorpion," and then promptly downed the drink.

[Soshi Yuuru]

"No match is without its challenges," Tomoe retorted with a grin. "But I can see your plight... though I'm surprised Saksaha is seemingly suspicious about you... did you tell her one of your outlandish stories or something?"

He chuckled, "Just a couple of true ones."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Uh-huh, right..." Tomoe chuckled, knowing Yuuru was full of 'big fish'-stories.

"So Iuchi girls for you, huh? Not liking the Otaku girls here?"

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Fei couldn't help it, she had to laugh. It was nearly impossible to hold back the bout of laughter that followed at the culmination of his story. Leaning backward slightly as she did, falling back to the ground.

When the laughing, and slight after-chuckles settled she managed to sit herself up right once again. Wiping away a tear with one eye, and checking to find that she had miraculously not spilled a drop of her drink she looked to Tomonaga with the largest grin. "That woman played you like a flute," she said, euphemism unintended.

Raising her cup to him she teased, "To you, and sultry Scorpion," and then promptly downed the drink.

Tomonaga joined in her laughter, although not quite so enthusiastically. Not until she laughed so hard that she fell over, anyway. That brought some more out of him. He didn't quite fall over, but he did go to his knees next to her, face buried in his arm, as laughter shook his shoulders.

"She certainly did." Tomonaga said, his tone just a tiny bit wistful. And, of course, he caught the euphemism. "I moped around for about a week afterwards, but I bounced back pretty quickly. After all, I can't say that it wasn't a great time. And, whatever else it was, it was a learning experience." This time, his sigh is definitely wistful.

Tomonaga raised his cup. "I'll drink to that." He said. "I've managed to avoid 'em since then, more or less. It's for the best. Probably." He downed his own drink, grimacing again at the still somewhat unfamiliar taste.

[Soshi Yuuru]

He nodded, "Not much of a home body... and from what I can tell that's what they're after."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"A pity... I would have thought women like them would have been more for equal responsibilities in the home," Tomoe shook her head, slightly disapproving of them basically only looking for a housewife rather than an equal partner.

The Moto girl was right out to suggest. Tomoe still hoped for Khulun to be matched with Nintoku. "I know there are some Shinjo girls here. A pair of sisters, I think...?"

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

Tomonaga joined in her laughter, although not quite so enthusiastically. Not until she laughed so hard that she fell over, anyway. That brought some more out of him. He didn't quite fall over, but he did go to his knees next to her, face buried in his arm, as laughter shook his shoulders.

"She certainly did." Tomonaga said, his tone just a tiny bit wistful. And, of course, he caught the euphemism. "I moped around for about a week afterwards, but I bounced back pretty quickly. After all, I can't say that it wasn't a great time. And, whatever else it was, it was a learning experience." This time, his sigh is definitely wistful.

Tomonaga raised his cup. "I'll drink to that." He said. "I've managed to avoid 'em since then, more or less. It's for the best. Probably." He downed his own drink, grimacing again at the still somewhat unfamiliar taste.

"I would tell you it is best to just not let them get such a hold of you, but if the woman is doing it right you will not have any say in it," she said with a wide confident grin on that note. "At least you gained more than you lost?" she said, leaving a pause for him to make any number of amusing misconceptions.

"Lessons as good as those are hard to come by."

[Soshi Yuuru]

"A pity... I would have thought women like them would have been more for equal responsibilities in the home," Tomoe shook her head, slightly disapproving of them basically only looking for a housewife rather than an equal partner.

The Moto girl was right out to suggest. Tomoe still hoped for Khulun to be matched with Nintoku. "I know there are some Shinjo girls here. A pair of sisters, I think...?"

He nodded, "Met them. One really didn't seem to like me, for when I asked her to sit and talk she refused and left on her horse... her sister is nice enough... but only has one arm, is scarred all over her body and said she would be a terrible person to raise children..."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"I would tell you it is best to just not let them get such a hold of you, but if the woman is doing it right you will not have any say in it," she said with a wide confident grin on that note. "At least you gained more than you lost?" she said, leaving a pause for him to make any number of amusing misconceptions.

"Lessons as good as those are hard to come by."

"Yeah..." He gave her a rueful grin. "That's definitely something I've had a problem with from time to time. I've gotten a bit smarter about it over time, but..." He shook his head.

"But yeah, business deal aside, I certainly gained more than I lost. And like you said, the lessons were valuable. Quite valuable." He took another drink of the kumis.