[D4, LA, expecting] Time for serious drinking

[Matsu Ishioka]

Matsu Ishioka was seated in a small booth on one side of the bar, not looking to draw too much attention. He was expecting company - important company, in his mind - but he also hadn't ruled out the possibility that she'd be too busy for him.

On the table in front of him was service of hot sake including cups for him and his companion, as well as plates of grilled mixed vegetable skewers and yaki onigiri. There was a small chance the Lion, behind his patented stone facade, was nervous and had ordered accordingly.

[Usogawa Narumi]

He only had to wait a few minutes after the food was delivered before she arrived. A bit wet but not much worse off for it, she shook out her umbrella and set it beside the door. Looking around, she spotted Ishioka and took a breath before heading his way.

"Matsu-san," she greeted with an incline of her head. "You shouldn't have..." she said lower, in regard to the gift he'd left her. In fact she was wearing it now, though he'd not see the fine hair pin secured to the bun at the nape of her neck until she sat and turned her head to regard the sake house. Otherwise she wore a kimono of light greens and browns, stitched with thread of brilliant blue.

[Matsu Ishioka]

"Good afternoon, Usogawa-san," he greets warmly, though for him that remains only a hint of a smile. When she does turn and he can see the pin in her hair, though, an appreciable smile takes to his face. It is not easily moved, and is certainly there when she turns back.

"I apologize for the impolite gifting," he says quietly, though his smile shows he clearly isn't sorry. "It was bad form to deny you the opportunity to refuse. Hopefully, um, I would have been successful in the three offers." He continues to smile, but it weakens and contracts a bit as he registers that she had literally said he shouldn't have.

[Usogawa Narumi]

She's bemused to see he's sorry but not sorry.
"I've no doubt i would have thoroughly enjoyed denying you until your incredible charms eventually won out and i was compelled to accept..." she smiled but it didn't reach her eyes, not really.
She then drops her gaze to the table and after a moment, adjusts the placement of the platter and sake bottle so they're just so, then presses her lips together in thought.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka is not one to miss subtle cues like that, and though her words were briefly reassuring, he feels uneasy.

"Usogawa-san," he says slowly, gently. "When we spoke the other day, I felt like we had certain... commonalities," internally he flinches -- it's an academic word, it feels stupid -- "and I hoped to talk more, to share..." He pauses. "Ah, if I have misjudged... something..." The veneer of the Stone Matsu remains largely in place, even as he's struggling this much, but Narumi can see in his eyes that he knows something is wrong, but not what that thing is.

[Usogawa Narumi]

My, he's going to make someone so happy at the end of this miai. she thought wistfully, and then deemed there was a course correction immediately needed.
"Matsu-san," her gaze sought his out, her tone was direct but friendly. "You've done nothing wrong with me. You have nothing to apologize for. I find your company incredibly appealing, your generosity humbling, and your growing trust in me invaluable. This one should be apologizing," and it was here that her voice nearly broke and she looked down again at the table in frustration at herself to preserve her On.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka, reassured again by Narumi's words, tries to stay in that moment for a little while. But for all the patience he's built over the years, he's still a curious Lion, and the idea that she should apologize to him sits wrong. His face scrunches a little as his brow knits.

"Usogawa-san, I don't... Please forgive me, but I don't understand what you mean."

[Usogawa Narumi]

If it was any other day, Narumi would've found it inwardly hilarious that here they were, taking turns apologizing to each other - then apologizing for apologizing.
As it was, she could hardly keep his gaze.
"I'm sorry, this is all my fault." She brushed dampened locks of hair back from her face, and took a breath. Put on a friendly but tepid smile, looked up at him and engaged her posture toward him. "Let's start over... Matsu-san! I trust Lady Benten has blessed you further since our last encounter?" Ever the entertainer, the people pleaser, this had to be fixed; she'd made him uncomfortable, made him question his behaviour, and she had to make it right.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka continues to look confused. "Alright..." he says hesitantly when she asks to start over. His eyes are intense, searching her mannerisms for some clue as to what's happening.

"Lady Benten's blessing indeed, Usogawa-san," he plays along, voice heavy with questions he isn't asking. "How could I not feel blessed as I sit here with you?" The honest sentiment escapes before the Lion can consider whether that might be what the Otter is trying to avoid hearing. In his uncertainty, the unsubtle Lion never second-guessed what seemed a nice thing to say.

[Usogawa Narumi]

There's very little to see. She does her best to be still and not distracting. Though the veneer is thin.
"Your sentiment is too kind," she dips her head politely.
After an awkward moment, she takes a breath.
"I've..." she paused, and looked off to the side again. She didn't want to waste his time, or frustrate him, either. Not after they'd begun to build something that could've been good. She thought of the hair pin she wears, and what it must mean to him to have picked it out with her in mind.
She'd failed him already, and they hardly knew each other.
Looking back to him, she tries to hold the veneer in place, "You wanted to learn more about the Otter clan."