Dog Days Are Over[Hana, Koga]

"Of course I would. We're not always the busiest people in 8th, and I'd be doin' my job by helpin' out a cool lady from another division, ya know? The way I see it, it's a win-win, either way. You bein' determined to elevate your skill makes me all the more obliged to follow through."

Koga finished his meal in short order. He had worked up an appetite during the conversation and simply resumed eating his meal as a temporary moment of silence settled in. When he finished, he politely wiped his hands and pulled enough yen from his pocket to pay for their meals. When Hana leaned down against the desk toward him, he turned back to hold her gaze as he listened. He tilted his head to the side, as though her revelation had left him dumbfounded - which, to some extent, it most certainly did. As far as he could tell, there was nothing wrong with her and this date painted her in an alright light in his eyes. Reaching over to gently pat her cheek, a gesture more friendly than anything romantic, Koga flashed a reassuring smile as he shook his head.

"I don't see why not. You seem like you've got the potential and spirit to be great one day. If I can help on that path even a little bit, then I've done somethin' good. I don't consider myself some beacon of kindness, but lendin' a helpin' hand feels nice. Here's to hopin' I can help ya grow, Hana. I'll be honest... this is my first date. Don't know how well I did on that front, but it was nice hangin' out with ya. Can't see why anyone would be offput by someone like you. I think yer pretty cool, all things considered.'

Hana did her best to hide how giddy she was now. She felt like she wanted to cheer every time she got a new sparring friend, but she remembered her mother’s voice telling her that was not “lady-like.” So, she kept it all bottled up and showed it through her smile and nothing more. Unaware of what the cheek pat meant, since she had not read that in a book or seen a man do that before, Hana did something silly. Well, she was going to, until she realized what he said to her. Hana's eyes widened and she stared at Koga in disbelief. This was his first date?

"Thank you, Koga. I appreciate that... And I also appreciate that you chose me to be your first date. It makes it even better for me because this is my first date as well... Well, first one that I was not forced to go on." Hana thought back to the suitors that her parents pushed her toward and shuddered. "It was lovely, thank you."

The visible excitement displayed in Hana's countenance elicited a warm grin from Koga. Though far from the sentimental type, it felt good to know he could have a positive impact on someone. The shift from meek and nervous to inspired excitement was equally invigorating. Even better, her words assured him that the date had been pleasant, far from the mess his imaginative mind might have envisioned. Nodding his head, he patted her cheek one more time before rising to stretch, hands resting within his pockets.

"Is that so? Well, for yer first date that wasn't arranged by family, I'm glad I didn't make it an absolute nightmare. It was nice hangin' with ya. I wouldn't mind doin' this again sometime. Don't forget - if ya ever need a trainin' partner, I'm never a mile away. Can't say I'll go too easy on ya, but I'll show you what I've picked up along the way. Until then, see ya around, Hana. For my first date, it was a real blast."

Flashing a rough grin befitting his countenance, he waved her goodbye as he stepped through the door. Wait, he thought about it for a minute. Isn't this where the date usually offers to walk the lady back home? On second thought... Turning around, Koga sheepishly played off his error.

"Er... would ya like me to walk ya home or can ya get back just fine by yourself?"

Hana was so confused by the cheek patting, but she refused to show it. It wasn’t a romantic gesture, that she knew of, and it wasn’t normally what friends did, right? Maybe it was important in Koga’s culture? She didn’t know, and she was embarrassed to ask. She let him know she would happily take him up on his offer for training, but clearly that would be another time. As their date came to an end, the two made their way outside of the restaurant in silence. Hana wasn’t expecting his last question, but a small smile appeared when it came.

“I would appreciate that, thank you, Koga.” She said sweetly, and while they were keeping up with basic small talk, Hana was walked safely home.