Morning Has Broken (D9, EM, Dong-Ha's)

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe had to cup her hand over her mouth as she fought against laughing out loud.

"Oh, Dong-kun... you're so easily flustered. You're very adorable when you're like that."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Sorry..." he muttered, moving to place his empty bowl by the now tepid pot. Dong-Ha sighed. "Sorry..."

[Usagi Tomoe]

Following suit of placing down her empty bowl and spoon, Tomoe reached out her hands to hold one his hands. "Don't be..." she said, her voice calm and soothing. "Why do you apologize for being yourself?"

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"I think I should be more proper... more adult." he sighed, grasping her hand. "Less worried, less... distracted. Someone worth your attention, Tomoe." Dong-Ha looked up as sadness brimming in his eyes.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"But, the way you are is what got my attention, Dong-Ha," her warm hands held onto his. "And being worried, and distracted, in this place? I can't blame you... I think many of us are, and I know I am."

Pulling his hands gently to get him closer, Tomoe leaned closer to peck a kiss on his lips. "Just... please don't be sad. Don't feel you have to change who you are."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

Shaken from his reverie and realizing the tent flap was still open, Dong-Ha shuffled further away from Tomoe, nodding at the sunlight pouring into the tent. "Um... that." He wanted to protect her reputation oh so fiercely. It wouldn't do any good for Tomoe to have a tarnished reputation. "I will try to be myself, I promise." the young man nodded shyly. "I am... happy that you can see something good in me."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Who is not being fair on himself now?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, and politely let the distance between them go back to normal at a calm pace. It was probably her courtier-training that allowed her to keep a much cooler head, given how the Rokugani were often so... uptight. No one saw. No one saw. It was very brief. Only a second or two.

"You are a good man. Intelligent, kind and with the will to learn; you're young and you will probably go far, especially with all the opportunities before you now after this miai."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"And you are too kind, still." he grinned at her, laughing a bit at her stubborn nature. Settling down, Dong-Ha brushed of imaginary dust from his robes as he turned to face Tomoe. "I guess I'm just as bad, eh." There was a faintest of smiles on his lips. "Sorry for... running away." He had fled his kiss after all.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"No, it's alright... I guess I wasn't thinking of the situation," she murmured as a pink color touched her cheeks, and she giggled quietly. "I'm not always very observant of my surroundings."

"Thank you for the breakfast. It was... very different than typical Rokugani breakfast, but it was very good."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"It's alright." Dong-Ha smiled. "Not like I didn't miss that..." He admitted shyly, his fingers playing with the hem of his robes. "You are welcome. It's a staple here. I like it quite a lot." Maybe almost as much as I like you...

"Should we get going then? I need to take Poppy out for a walk." Poor horse had had to spend an entire day without company.

[Usagi Tomoe]

"I will have to introduce you to a standard Rokugani breakfast at some point. Not sure if you'll like it, but it's only interesting to try new things, neh?" Hope you'll like rice, since that's served with everything.

"Ah, of course. I don't want poor Poppy to feel all alone and abandoned," she nodded with a smile. "Are you curious to what your Family's test will be today? I haven't had the chance yet to inquire about it..."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"So what do you eat for breakfast? Rice?" Dong-Ha asked, moving to stand up. "People keep asking me if I have had my rice first thing in a morning." Conclusions had been made.

"Yeah. I am hoping they'd test our knowledge on various things. Spirits, history, ssuch.. " he looked at Tomoe. "Or maybe test how well can tread wounds. I mean, of course the test could be magical, but that wouldn't be fair, neh."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Rice is a staple for almost every meal, including breakfast. So when people say 'have you had rice', it's a polite way of asking if you'd eaten yet, or started your day well by partaking in Inari-kami's blessing. It's also a rather polite and neutral topic to begin a conversation with... just like asking if you've slept well, or if you find the accomodations where you're visiting to be adequate."

Following his lead, Tomoe rose from her seat too. "Well, if it's medicine or wound treatment, I have a good chance. Hopefully," she chuckled. "As long as it's not magical, of course. I would do poorly at that, and I imagine most would too."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"But not just rice, right?" He asked doubtfully, recalling that had been Mizuki's breakfast when he had met her. "That would be... bland."

"We shall see, shan't we." Little did he knew he'd be retching most of the nights thanks to someone's bright idea the miai was not perfect without everyone tripping balls.

-----
Ooc: /scene?

[Usagi Tomoe]

The Hare went on to tell Dong-Ha the finer details of Rokugani breakfast... which featured more than just plain white rice.

It was the most educational lesson on Rokugani food that Poppy would ever hear in this miai.

/scene!