He had talked with The Badger about taking the time to stop by here, and now seemed as good a time as ever.

Finding a empty table he took a seat and ordered some sake. Nothing expensive mind you, but nothing dirt cheap either.

Shinnosuke hasn't been down here yet. It is perhaps not the sort of place other people would consider his scene, exactly. But Heichi Ai had made it sound rather charming and homey when he'd been talking with the wrestler earlier that day, and his curiosity is piqued. Also, he's a little wound up after being on very best behavior speaking with his Champion again earlier in the evening. Why not a little adventure? He's dressed appropriately casually, but his natural vibe is probably just too sparkly for the baseline grunge of the Old Man's Stump.

He meanders into the tavern and looks around actively for an empty spot, or, better still, someone interesting to talk to. Aha--

"Good evening, Hiruma-san. You look rather different fully dressed," he says, lips quirking playfully. "Do you mind if I join you? If you're waiting for someone, just tell me and I'll shove off."

"I tend to end up that way, at least time to time." Daichi replied with a smirk. It had been some time since he had spoken to the actor, but he did still recall their first meeting. "And no, I'm not expecting anyone so have yourself a seat." He added as he gestured towards an open space across the table.

The man looked about as out of place as a peacock in a pigsty, but that apparently didn't matter to the Crane he wasn't going to say anything. "I figure you've already heard it, but well done with the play the other day, Doji-san."

"Oh, thank you." Shinnosuke grins. "It was an effort of many, of course. Including your clanswoman."

He does, in fact, help himself to a seat, gesturing to the bartender to bring him a drink as well. He might regret not specifying a drink of what, but that's a problem for Future Shinnosuke.

"A clanswoman who I hear is to be congratulated on her engagement, too," he adds, brows arching. "The Crab are having a busy season. And two wrestlers in the grand Sumai tournament, too, more than any other Clan! They both played very well, by the way," he adds (tactfully not mentioning that as skillfully as Miyagino and Kashiwado had wrestled, neither one actually won his match earlier this evening).

Future Shinnosuke seemed like he had to pay quite a great many debts incurred by Present Shinnosuke.

"Yes, I do need to pass my congratulations to Kuini-san. Both on her performance and the coming wedding." He hoped she was looking forward to it, but also understood that could be difficult. "We are hoping she isn't the only one here who has similar arrangements in the coming days, but we will have to see."

When the summit were brought up he smiled. "It's a rather popular sport in Crab lands, so I was not surprised two see two of our Sumai here. Though I am happy to hear they preformed well."

"I must say, I haven't been the closest follower of sumai in seasons past, but it really has grown on me," Shinnosuke says, with a smile that maybe has a hint of the cat that got the cream about it. "I suppose I really only needed to learn more about the sport and the wrestlers to appreciate it properly."

He arches his brows at Daichi. "Oh? Does that mean you're also hoping to finish the season with a betrothal, Hiruma-san? Or is it one of your two Yasuki clansfolk I should prepare to congratulate?"

A server deposits a bottle and cup in front of Shinnosuke as he's asking this question. The Crane produces a handkerchief from his obi and casually wipes the inside and lip of the cup, not making much of it--so maybe he's not totally unfamiliar with establishments like the Stump--then fills it with whatever substance Fate has seen fit to deliver to him.

Something told Daichi that Shinnosuke enjoyment of the sport might be exactly why most crabbed enjoyed it, but he wasn't going to pry. "That's the way of a lot of things, once you get to know it better you like it better. I'm glad to hear you have come to like it though."

Then the talk turned to marriage which rather made Daichi want to sigh, but he managed to solider on instead.

"I haven't made much luck of that front." He replied with a wry smile as he picked up his glass and took a sip. "We are hoping to find matches for both of our Yasuki, but I'm not entirely sure of the likelihood there. Shiozaki Ryoichi if you met him is likely as not to be the next match among us here." At least if he could work things out in that direction.


"What about yourself though, any plans for nuptials on the horizon?"

"In a sense. I think--" Shinnosuke pauses to rap his knuckles on the wooden table superstitiously, "that I've now made a good arrangement for my cousin, who's a little older than me. And according to my aunt, past due to be married." He smiles a little ruefully. "For my family, Kinuyo-neesan's marriage, as a project, has rather eclipsed mine. Which I can't say I've minded terribly, so far, but now that she's taken care of... I suppose I'm next."

He picks up his full sake cup and takes a mouthful. His eyes widen just a smidgen before he swallows it.

If the look on Shinnosuke's face was any indication, whatever the Crane had got was a little stronger or fouler tasting then he was used to. "Parents don't tend to forget about that sort of thing." His mother was getting none too subtle about the fact she wanted some grandbabies to spoil. Daichi thought that wasn't quite fair though, after all Himari hadn't even passed her gempukku.

"Or your Clan for that matter. You have time though." He took another sip of sake. "Unless you are planning to find a wife here."

"I can't say I planned on it. I knew it was possible, if the court allowed us to make new betrothals this year, and then we were allowed... but I'm not in a tearing hurry, either. Think of all the hearts that would be broken." Shinnosuke grins, clearly joking (at least mostly).

"I haven't got a House to secure--plenty of cousins ahead of me for that. If all this is good for my career, I suppose my portfolio as a bridegroom is improved." That thought is a little too utilitarian, so he eyes his sake cup for a second and then manfully tosses the rest of it back, coughing slightly to clear his throat after swallowing. "Ahem."

Daichi finished his own cup as well, apparently whatever was in it was far more palatable than what the Crane had. "It is indeed important to improve one's portfolio as a bridegroom. How would you win the best match if it merely read. 'Had a very mediocre performance as a wind kami in Kakita Ichiro's rendition of Maple'?" The young Crab replied his tone a slight bit playful.

"You don't that's how." He continued after moving to refill his cup. "That's how you end up being the third husband to a Crab Matron with twelve children already." Daichi finished with a nod before eying Shinnsuke carefully for a moment. "You wouldn't be interested in such a match, would you?"