[D8, ME, Closed] Awful singing as the sun sets.

[Bayushi Hinata]

*Ding* "Gold Echo, one block down the street from Crabkakku. Sunset. I'll be waiting."

As the day winds down, the sun sets, corporate drones prowl the streets looking for a desperately calorie-rich snack to replenish their reserves, a bar with open tables to take advantage of happy hour, and yet amidst the crowds walks a young man in awfully nice clothes.

He arrives at the agreed location, leaning against the entrance. He casually checks his communicator, at least he looks casual doin it. Youth comes with quite a few anxieties, no matter how long you've played the game him and his date were about to play, you always feel a little knot in your stomach while you wait.

A date, a chance to embarrass themselves in front of each other after a frankly wild day. Hunting Great sharks, opening up a Jimena Tori nesting cave, competing in a race, barely avoiding going over the edge of a cliff. He'd me more worried that whatever they were about to go through would simply not live up to the rest of their day.


His heart races with anticipation. As he continues to hide his inner turmoil under his well practiced mask.

[Susumu Sumiko]

It had been a busy and tiring day for the little Spider, but exciting in many ways. The start of what would hopefully lead to a surge of jimen tori numbers, which then lead to hunting greatsharks on behalf of the Crab? And then the race. She had returned to the embassy in the evening to play with her kami-pet and write up the days events and then received the message. There was a smile, and she looked over her small wardrobe. The man didn't strike her as the type to want to dress with kimonos, so she struck those ones out. Her modern attire wasn't the best, but she found something that looked cute but also looked nice.

It wouldn't take her long to make her way to where the agreed spot was, she'd already worked out the area based on previous visits to both Cabkakku and others in the area. As she approached she noticed the guy waiting and managed to not chuckle at his attempts to look casual. Eventually she moved away, and there was a wave.

"Hello" she said as she got close, bowing "I hope you weren't waiting too long?"

[Bayushi Hinata]

The Scorpion's face light up as he hears Sumi's voice. A bright smile crosses his lips as he turns to bow in turn. "Only a few minutes. Had to be a little early just in case." He hadn't set a specific hour after all...

"I love the outfit, you look really cute!" Up this close she can tell he is holding something, soft, fluffy and darkly colored, yet he seems to be hiding it behind himself.

"Shall we go in? I hope you'e already decided on a few songs. I think I found a few I'm not too terrible to pull off." He chuckles softly before opening the door for her.

"Shall we?"

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Oh thank you" Sumiko smiled brightly, giving a small twirl on the spot "you look great too! That belt buckle symbol isn't one I've seen before, is that brand or theme?"

She nodded a few times then after a moment shook her head.

"Truthfully? I was going to select at random from a genre. Except some Yakumo-sama songs, I can't not sing those! Even if I can't hope to meet her immense talent. Let's go in, they serve wine I hope? A nice white wine or hot sake sounds great to celebrate us somehow finishing that race."

[Bayushi Hinata]

She can't see it, but he can feel his heart race just that little bit faster as she makes that twirl for him. "Brand. Orchid Department's next line. Keep it a secret though, technically only Kazushi-sama's allowed to get these in advance."

"I checked, they have a pretty nice cocktail selection too. That race was truly wild! I really thought we'd get hurt at a few points. It was very nice having a front row seat to you fixing the car though, it was very unfortunate there were cameras following us..." He walks in behind her, the heimin at the front desk is most likely the same age as them. The young man gestures them towards aone of the empty rooms and hands them a little menu for them to order from.

The room was clearly meant for bigger groups of people, but it afforded them plenty of space to be comfortable. Hinata sits himself down in front of the screen and pats the spot besides him.

"You don't mind if I end up a little too close right? The rally car had us plenty apart for a day I think."

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Oh so I get a special sneak peek? Don't worry Hinata-kun your secret is safe with me" Sumiko chuckled as she followed him in.

"The race was incredible. I've seen Bayushi Senshuken-sama race before and that was impressive but to be actually involved in a race was even more fun! I apologise for my inexperience also" she offered a bow "I'm studying engineering but I'm still quite new. Still between us I think we did a great job. Something to remember this duty by, although I think there should have been more plushie rewards."

She entered and walked around the room with a curious expression. It was much bigger than she expected but it made sense. Then the question of closeness came and she turned round to look at him.

"All this couch and you want to be closer to me? I suppose I can allow it" she winked then hopped over, dropping down onto the couch and spinning around to rest her head on his leg looking up at him.

"Drinks first or a warm up song?"

[Bayushi Hinata]

"I think next to you makes the couch better. I hope you don't mind sharing your personal space, I quite like it." He smiles as she sets her head on his lap. Looking down at her.

"Funny you mention plushies..." Covering her field of vision from the man's lap, she first feels the soft downy of artificial fluff on her forehead before a dark figure covers her eyes. "I was hoping you wanted yet another plushie to take with you."

The gift pulls away a she holds it in front of her.

"Something to remember me by if nothing else. I've enjoyed my time with you very much, Sumi-chan"

[Susumu Sumiko]

"I don't have a lot of personal space to share you know, I might just have to take some of yours" Sumiko replied with a chuckle, then a sudden "huh?" As everything went dark!

She lifted the plushie off her face, turned it and smiled a bright smile.

"Aww, that's adorable! Look at its little face!"

She looked from the plushie Scorpion to the real one.

"You do not need to gift me gifts to remember you by Hinata-kun, I have our shared times together."

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Good thing I enjoy sharing." He was smiling brightly at her as she had a good look at her gift.

"I'm not afraid you'll forget me. More of an excuse for you to remember me by every once in a while." His voice was soft as his hand went to caress her hair on his lap, it felt oddly domestic for him, like the nook of her neck fit around his leg just right.

"I did want to say we should start with a warmup song. At the risk of sounding cheesy and mushy, I wanted to linger in this little date as much as possible. Life is short enough, a handful of days feel like a flash in the end." His hand continues to caress and pamper her. He was experienced when it came to spoiling others, that much was certain to her.

"I have the remote here. Wanna pick our first song? I figured we'd sing together to ease the embarassment a little bit at least."

[Susumu Sumiko]

"You speak as if I don't have many reasons to remember you already" Sumiko winked "it would make a better reminder to yourself and you need more soft plushies right?"

She looked thoughtful on the music before a grin "random duet from the pop genre sounds like an ideal easing to me!"

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Let's make more memories then. I'll make sure to go through all of them whenever I look at that little ninja. If you'll be so generous as to gift me any more to remember you by, I'll make sure to treasure them."

"Sounds perfect!" He nads over the remote. Hand letting go of her hair as he diverts ghis attention to the screen while she selects their song.

--------------------------
OOC
Wanna take turns sharing mushy song links?

[Susumu Sumiko]

There was a small look of surprise and she turned away to look at the screen.

"Hai sounds good" she said a little quietly as she reached out to try and get the remote and select songs.

(Ooc - I'm not back home until tomorrow but can selecr a random one when I get back)

[Bayushi Hinata]

As the tiny spider inputs a random song the scorpion leans forward to retrieve the mics from the table. Softly he places one in front of Sumi. The screen takes a moment to load the song before a slow, pacing bass creeps into the room, lyrics soon start on the screen, Hinata picks up to give Sumi time to prepare herself. He is...

Kami he's so terrible!

But in a charming way... hopefully.

He continues to sing the female voice's lines throught the song.

---------
How's about I start then? I did have one in mind as you can see.

[Susumu Sumiko]

Sumikos face took on a thoughtful expression, having never heard the song before. Taking a few moments to get into it, before she started singing herself. She doesn't have a powerful voice, nor a high pitched voice so couldn't carry the male parts well, but she does seem to be able to stay in tune. At least when she wasn't laughing at Hinata's singing.

"What even is this?" she managed to ask at one of the break points

(ooc - prefer not to roll as day has already passed but she's 4k4 for singing)

[Bayushi Hinata]

"I had a classmate that loved this artist, she put this album on loop for days on end when it released." He smiled at her, the only thing he could really do in the middle of his abysmal performance.

As the song comes to a close he has a big, dumb grin on his face, positively glowing with embarrassed charm.

"Phew! It's a bit long maybe? I do really like this song. How about you put on the next one and I order us some wine? You said white right?"

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Long songs are ok Hinata-kun! Just need a drink to recover after it is all" Sumiko said with a small chuckle as she tried to sit up and grabbed the remote again.

"Hmm let's see...Oh, I have to sing at least this one. Just hope Yakumo-sama can't hear me" she chuckled as she loaded up a song she remembered hearing before. Much like before she didn't have the power in her quiet voice to really give the song justice. However she clearly tried, and wasn't watching the screen for the lyrics as she seemed to have the memorized.

[Bayushi Hinata]

"I'll make sure we have something to keep us hydrated." He leaned forward, his hand moving onto the table's order screen, in putting a couple glasses of white wine.... oh they made cocktails too? Don't mind if I do...

He's back on the couch just in time to *attempt* to follow the lyrics. He had heard the song before, Yakumo was after all an inter-clan star! But he had never focused much on it. He smiles all the way through his off-tune following of the song, his voice actually allowing him to mostly follow the more powerful sections. As the song winds down he turns to Sumiko, letting her finish the song by herself. 'Wow Hinata, catching feelings? I guess she looks real pretty when she sings doesn't she?'

As the music quiets down there's a knock at the door, their drinks are brought in. Two glasses of white wine and an extra large strawberry daikiri. There's only one straw....

Hinata stands up to take the tray and take it to the table. "I was hoping they'd catch the hint and provide two straws. Hope you won't mind sharing the one." He gives her a wink before taking both glasses of wine and sitting on the couch, wrapping an arm around Sumi as he hands over her glass.

[Susumu Sumiko]

Sumiko had put her mic down after singing to catch her breath again as someone arrived to bring drinks. She looked at what was being brought in and there was a small frown.

"Could we also get some water please?" She asked the person who brought the drinks in, giving them a smile before turning to Hinata as he carried the drinks back and accepted the wine.

"I'm fine with it, I can just not use the straw if need be right" she winked before laughing. She then raised her glass "to a good evening? Karaoke is fun even though I don't think I'm very good at it."

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Are you sure? They say you'll learn someone else's secrets if you can put your lips in the same spot against the rim of their glass." His arm wrapped gently around her waist as the attendant had left, pulling her close with a smile before clinking his glass against hers."To a good evening." He declared softly as he brought the glass of wine to his lips. His arm lingers around her for a few more moments before letting her go again.

"I think you're doing great. Maybe a softer song? Something slower?" He leaned forward to pick the remote, setting his glass of wine on the table before taking the daikiri and taking a few sips from the rim of the glass. Offering the drink to the spider with a smirk. "Keen on finding out some of my secrets?"

[Susumu Sumiko]

"Who says I have any secrets to share Hinata-kun? Maybe I'm just an open book" Sumiko winked before leaning into him more, taking a sip of her wine.

"Hm..not a bad wine" she commented thoughtfully before going "ah my apology. I'm an over analyser sometimes! I think a softer song would be better hai, otherwise both of our voices will be ruined by the end of the night!"

Sumiko looked at the drink but instead leaned forward and took a big sip out of the drink through the straw, a grin on her face. "Oh that's nice! Real strawberries too by the taste."