D4EE, Noodling Around (Expecting)

[Seppun Urusai]

"I'd be interested in seeing your, er, dabbling," Urusai replies. Then he picks up his own implement, saying "It works something like a sasumata, from what I saw," and he--ineptly, it must be said--plunges it in, awkwardly twirling the noodles around the tines. "I think."

[Asahina Sakura]

She nearly dropped the utensil and blushed brightly.
"Well! Um! I am at Seppun-sama's beck and call?" she glanced to him shyly and then busied herself trying to capture her noodles.

[Seppun Urusai]

"I am not so mighty as that," Urusai replies, some color touching his features. "But, truly, what art have you, ah, dabbled in? I'm curious, really."

He takes some noodles, still ineptly.

[Asahina Sakura]

"I'd be happy to spend more time with you," The shy smile stayed in place.
"Oh... um... bonsai? Ikebana? Origami? Rock gardening? Painting, is a favourite mine, I think... I just, uh, haven't focused? on one thing?"

[Seppun Urusai]

"Bonsai seems it'd be a long-term project," Urusai quips, smiling to make the jest clear. "But if you have any of your work here, I'd like to see it."

A voice says to him that that's probably a good way to go about it, and that he should ask about her family soon.

[Asahina Sakura]

"That it is!" she confirms, and tilts her head to one side softly, as if listening to what Urusai might hear, as well, with the smallest of nods. "But the effort put in pays off ten-fold. And I, uh, brought a few sketchbooks? for different mediums? that this one would be happy to share, but um, they are nothing special? My works are... imperfect. I don't often keep them, unless they are for, projects assigned by my tutors?" Her nose wrinkled just a little.

[Seppun Urusai]

"I really would like to see them!" Urusai says. "I've never been good with visual arts, really, though my calligraphy is...clean. But seeing someone who's trained in it work...that'd be really enjoyable!"

The voice prompts him again, and Urusai says, "Er, how's your family?"

Then he puts food in his mouth to help make sure he doesn't put his foot in it.

[Asahina Sakura]

"We'll make plans then, at Seppun-sama's leisure?" she kept on smiling shyly. "Calligraphy is not my strong suit, my tutors say I rush too much...
Oh! They're um, good? My parents are older, as their youngest I try to take care of them the best I can? It's only right..." she thought for a moment.
"I should try to see my brother while we're here and check in on him, as well.
And what of your family? I trust they're well? um, as well?"
Sakura could feel the exasperated sigh on the back of her neck, and blushed again.

[Seppun Urusai]

"Well, if you're staying in the Academy, since I am, maybe we can take a quick look after this or tomorrow at breakfast?" Urusai offers.

"But as to family: I have no doubt that my father fares well. I have not been told otherwise, and I believe I would be so informed."

He eats more noodles. Among others, he's an active teenage boy. There are not enough calories.

[Asahina Sakura]

Om nom nom.
"Are... Are we having breakfast together?" Had they established that already? Sakura grinned at the suggestion.
"That's good! And hai, um, I'm sure you would be informed, um, given your status and um, Imperial...ness..."

[Seppun Urusai]

"We definitely are, now," Urusai says, smiling.

"And, yes, I'm fortunate enough to be closely akin to the Lord Seppun," he adds, "but that's less a privilege than a responsibility. Honor of the line and all that, and the obligation to do right by people. I know not everybody in such a position believes it, or acts it, but I have to try, at least."

That's my boy, says the voice.

[Asahina Sakura]

A shy smile again before she nodded, her expression turning serious, "That's incredibly noble of you, and incredibly kind. It speaks to your character."
Her lips ticked into another smile; warmer, less playful, more sincere.

[Seppun Urusai]

Urusai waves a hand, as if batting the compliment away.

After a moment--because part of the delay is that he had a mouthful of noodles--he swallows and asks "Um, anybody waiting for you at home?"

[Asahina Sakura]

The fork paused en route to her mouth and her nose wrinkled again in confusion, "Besides my parents?" she asked, obliviously.

[Seppun Urusai]

The voice in Urusai's head berates him for being a damned fool, but Urusai shrugs slightly, thinking Answers that question.

He smiles.

"Just a passing question I've gotten a few times here," he says. "Thought it might be the local custom to ask after such things, and, well, I try to be polite."

He shrugs again. "Sometimes it even works."

And he winks.

[Asahina Sakura]

The wink ushers a wider smile and Sakura tilted her head in response lightly.
He's asking if you're engaged, girl.
But... why?
Child, you're exhausting.
No, you.

"I guess if others are curious? I mean, um, I don't see who wouldn't be, um, curious, about who you might have waiting for you?"

[Seppun Urusai]

"So far as I know, nobody," Urusai replies.

He slurps up some more noodles, sniffs--spices do things--and adds "That is, I've not been advised of any arrangements. And, again, I think I'd've been told that some were ongoing, if there were. Seems the kind of thing I'd need to know about, really."

He shrugs. "Maybe that'll change as a result of events here."

He turns his head, looks at her.

The voice in his head says he could do worse.

[Asahina Sakura]

So maybe Sakura wasn't completely oblivious, after all... but even still, she blushed tremendously and busied herself looking down at her noodles in consideration after meeting his gaze.
"Maybe your circumstance will change here, Seppun-sama. If you find a competitor to your liking, that is?"
The ephemeral exasperation was nearly palpable and she pushed her lips together, embarrassed at once.

[Seppun Urusai]

"I might well find such a person," Urusai says.

The voice in his head says something else.

"The search might even be going on now."

And more food finds its way into his word-hole.

[Asahina Sakura]

Sakura's gaze momentarily settles on his lips and the way they move.
"Has Seppum-sama found someone who might be to his liking?" she asks, dropping her voice to little more than an interested murmur, her own bowl forgotten.