Kyoko-san it is, then
he agreed with a warm smile. It pleased him that she had accepted his invitation to dispense with some of the formalities. There was something rather exhausting about being treated as though his family name made him fundamentally different from anyone else.
Her mention of the hot springs earned an interested hum.
Ah, an excellent choice. I can think of few better ways to recover from a long day
he glanced toward the pond, watching as a large koi disturbed the surface with a lazy flick of its tail.
Though I must confess, I have a habit of convincing myself there is always one more thing that needs doing
He was about to elaborate when her next words caught him by surprise.
Handsome?
Haruto blinked his ears tipping backward as he turned to regard her. For someone who spent much of his time studying the words of others, he found himself suddenly and rather embarrassingly short of his own.
Oh! Well, I...
a sheepish chuckle escaped him, his gaze wandering toward the water.
That is very kind of you to say...thank you
He cleared his throat, attempting to recover some of his usual composure.
Though I fear it has very little to do with keeping several generations of family records in order.
there was a hint of amusement in his voice.
You mentioned the hot springs,
he continued, eager to return to conversational ground.
Do you visit them often? I have been meaning to make time for a visit myself,
