[D9, MA] A Song In Your Heart

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Hajime had decided to dress up a bit for his date with Taemon. Wearing his best dark blue kimono with the family fan tucked into his obi, he picked his way carefully through the garden until he found a bench with room enough for two to sit without touching. He was fairly certain Taemon would not be down for public touching at so early a stage in these matters.

Choosing to remain standing for a bit, he took in the natural world around him and dreamed.

[Shiba Taemon]

Taemon squinted at the form up ahead.

"Kitsuki-san?" he asked checking to see if the person ahead was the person he was looking for and not an elaborately sculpted bush like the one he had already had had a conversation with.

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Taemon squinted at the form up ahead.

"Kitsuki-san?" he asked checking to see if the person ahead was the person he was looking for and not an elaborately sculpted bush like the one he had already had had a conversation with.

Hajime turned to find Taemon squinting ahead. Myopic, his brain supplied, but He might marry you!, his heart was screaming, so a small smile appeared on his face instead.

"Good afternoon, Shiba-sama!" He moved forward. I hope the day has found you well! Have you had rice?"

[Shiba Taemon]

Hajime turned to find Taemon squinting ahead. Myopic, his brain supplied, but He might marry you!, his heart was screaming, so a small smile appeared on his face instead.

"Good afternoon, Shiba-sama!" He moved forward. I hope the day has found you well! Have you had rice?"

Taemon often had a sour expression on his face, but the hail of the Kitsuki actually brought out a small smile, as he approached.

"Ah, yes thank you Kitsuki-san, I have." he offered thinking for a moment.

"If we are to best determine if we find each other's presence tolerable, would it be too forward to see how it felt to address each other less formally?" he offered.

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Taemon often had a sour expression on his face, but the hail of the Kitsuki actually brought out a small smile, as he approached.

"Ah, yes thank you Kitsuki-san, I have." he offered thinking for a moment.

"If we are to best determine if we find each other's prescience tolerable, would it be too forward to see how it felt to address each other less formally?" he offered.

Hajime was happy with that, his eyebrows rising in blissful contentment.

"Hai, Taemon-sama." He tasted the name in his mouth, and found it good. "I would like that very much. Will you sit with me?" He gestured to the bench. "I have very much been looking forward to sharing your company."

[Shiba Taemon]

Hajime was happy with that, his eyebrows rising in blissful contentment.

"Hai, Taemon-sama." He tasted the name in his mouth, and found it good. "I would like that very much. Will you sit with me?" He gestured to the bench. "I have very much been looking forward to sharing your company."

"-san, is fine. Assuming it's alright with you Hajime-san." he said taking the offered seat. "I too have been looking forward to our meeting."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

"-san, is fine. Assuming it's alright with you Hajime-san." he said taking the offered seat. "I too have been looking forward to our meeting."

"I am very pleased to hear that, Taemon-san," Hajime said as he sat by the Phoenix's side. "The Shika keep a fine garden, do they not? The varieties of plants they keep in the area are entirely different to the ones we have at home." He paused, curiosity taking hold. "Where do you come from, Taemon-san?"

[Shiba Taemon]

"I am very pleased to hear that, Taemon-san," Hajime said as he sat by the Phoenix's side. "The Shika keep a fine garden, do they not? The varieties of plants they keep in the area are entirely different to the ones we have at home." He paused, curiosity taking hold. "Where do you come from, Taemon-san?"

"Michita Yasumi?" Taemon said, taking the question as a request to know more, not that the Dragon had forgotten he had already been told that. "It's a small city in the center of the Phoenix lands. It's the only city under Asako control. Most notable for Kaniro library. Centuries ago Governor Asako Kanjiro ordered the construction of a large library to consolidate the holdings of all the smaller libraries. He did not live to see it's completion, but it was named in his honor, as was the district. It's one of the largest repositories of knowledge in Phoenix lands."

He looked at the Dragon curiously.

"And where is your hometown, Hajime-san?"

[Kitsuki Hajime]

"I am from Dawn's Light Castle in Northern Shinpi province. We're pretty mountainous for Kitsuki territory, because the whole han is perched on the mountainsides north of Last Step Castle. Dawn's Light is so called because it is the only one on the east side of a mountain. There are endless shrines in all of the picturesque areas. One of my primary duties is to write poetry about the majesty of the landscape and the beauty of the temples. Brings travelers, you know. But the flora is a little less varied. There are only so many species that can handle the climate."

[Shiba Taemon]

"I am from Dawn's Light Castle in Northern Shinpi province. We're pretty mountainous for Kitsuki territory, because the whole han is perched on the mountainsides north of Last Step Castle. Dawn's Light is so called because it is the only one on the east side of a mountain. There are endless shrines in all of the picturesque areas. One of my primary duties is to write poetry about the majesty of the landscape and the beauty of the temples. Brings travelers, you know. But the flora is a little less varied. There are only so many species that can handle the climate."

Taemon nods.

"That holds true in the lands of the Phoenix as well. I take it then that Hajime-sam has found his time in Kyuden Shika particularly dinspiring?" he asked.