Early as ever, Hide decided to find a nice spot for her planned double date. She even waited for one of the tables by the windows to clear out so she could swoop in and take it for her incoming group.

So she sat, waiting. In her black button-down shirt that had been to many of bars and nightclubs. Oh, and a karaoke club.

Matsu Eriko was also here for this particular event, which she only had a few small details about. She had been spending most of the day getting ready for her dive into the slums that she has almost forgotten about this soiree! However, she was more than ready to mingle and dress for the occasion. She wore a tan-coloured suit with a black top to match her wife slightly. While she had her pumps on at the moment, she did pack a bag for her sneakers much later tonight.

"It's been a while since I've been here! Still swanky as ever. Honestly, we had to drop by this place eventually. Good idea on the selection. So who are we meeting tonight?" She asked curiously as she took a seat.

With Eriko’s arrival, Hide’s eyes lit up with excitement. She made room for Eriko to sit next to her as she glanced towards the door. “Ah, I extended Kuni Koyuki-san’s invitation to include a plus one kinda deal.”

Hide paused as she looked over her wife. “You look nice. Errr… Well, you always look nice, but yeah.”

Eriko beamed at the compliment and she straightened her jacket with a quick brush of her hair. "Hey! Thanks! That means a lot. I'd like to think that I haven't been to too many of these swanky parties they've been throwing around here because I'd knock them out! People would be losing their marbles if both of us were there looking like knockouts."

"So, Koyuki-san, huh? Just as well. Haven't seen her in a while and it seems right to take her somewhere to thank her in advance." She nodded. "Especially, all the trouble I'm going to make in the future..."

Coming from that very big swanky event that was just earlier today, Koyuki was still dressed to impress with a little help from the Crab Embassy. Stopping by the front of the establishment with a glance around to find the other couple to this little shindig. Happily spotting out the familiar facepaint that Eriko wears among the crowd. Meeting eyes with either of them to acknowledge they'd been seen and turning to check on Yakumo right behind her.

Waiting to make sure they were both ready for it, before they'd approach the table.

Like Koyuki, Yakumo was also coming directly from the artistic soirée, and was still dressed in her ensemble that featured the colors of the Spider, Crane, and Mantis. Black gloves in place as always.

She wouldn't say that she was pretty nervous - in fact more nervous about this than her meeting with the magistrate later, but she maintained her cool, giving a nod to Koyuki that she was fine. "I'll follow your lead." They were, after all, her friends, but she kept in stride with Koyuki as they approached.

Wasn't quite a smile, just a look, but Koyuki gave Yakumo that little nod before setting off through the Golden Frog to their intended targets. Having that little mind to make sure Yakumo most benefitted from her scary dog privilege's. Only breaking away when they were in the clear to getting toward the table and stepping up first. Giving that perfunctory and polite bow first, as she relied a little more on base etiquette than she normally would have.

"Matsu Hide-san," her dips her head toward Hide. "Matsu Eriko-san," and another toward Eriko. "This is Susumu Yakumo, my-" brain blank. Hand extended to Yakumo as a matter of indication. Falling back on exactly how Hide had put it, "Plus one."

"Thank you for the invitation," she was a touch mechanical in tone.

Oh this was already feeling a little bit awkward, but Yakumo put on her social face and bowed to the two women. "A pleasure to meet you both," she said as she bowed to the two Lion, then gave a nod to Eriko, "and to meet you again too, Matsu-san."

"Hey! There's Koyuki-san, right there!" She would mention the obvious to Hide, in the off-chance that she couldn't see the obvious Kuni at the entrance. Then after a moment when Yakumo entered the place, she would also add-in. "Wow, I know this place was nice but this place must be pretty nice if Susumu Yakumo-sama is visiting here. Then again, I did run into her while I was hanging out with cats. I told you right?"

She watched Koyuki approach their table and saw Yakumo was following her. Well, she supposed there were other tables around them too. No harm in saying a quick hello before she moved on. Then Yakumo stopped at the table with Koyuki and she gave a single blink. She paused for a moment to look at Hide right before they said their greetings.

...huh.

"Uhm...it's good to see you again too, Susumu-sama." She quickly pulled out a response as she stood from her seat to bow back in return. "And you as well Koyuki-san. And your plus one...who is Susumu-sama. Yes, good evening! Good evening to you both! Ahah! We've been expecting you! Right, Hide-san?"

Right???

Hide looked to her wife and back to the couple that had approached the table. After a moment of a bit of confusion, Hide rose up and offered a bow. “Ah! Hello! I see you are acquainted with my wife.”

She couldn’t help but think how this Koyuki and Yakumo thing happened, but Hide wasn’t going to judge. Just be… Very surprised. “We saw your concert the other night. It was wonderful.”

Hide started to question her understanding of Kuni-Spider relations, however.

“Please, get comfortable and look over the drink menu. They have some fun cocktails if you’re into them.”

Yep. Very awkward.

"Thank you, Matsu-san. It was my enjoy to entertain everyone who came," another bow. "Ah... Koyuki-san invited me to come along, how could I say no?" Yakumo chuckled warmly, shooting the Kuni a smile, and she moved to take a seat.

Question was, would this be more awkward than her 'date' with Daigotsu Isao? Only time could tell.

"Koyuki-san spoke so fondly of both of you, but, hmm... my apologies if this is awkward. I don't often get much chance to hang out like this."

With the initial surprise having worn off, Hide couldn’t help but smile. They seemed close which was good enough for the Matsu. “Ah, no need to apologize for any awkwardness. This is our first time inviting others out like this as a couple. If anything we’ll be more awkward than a sophisticated performer like you.”

Koyuki had spoken fondly of them? Hide looked to the Kuni with wide eyes.

Directed rays of that warm smile started melting away the ice that blocked up Koyuki's mechanisms. Glancing around, reading faces and expressions while she moves in to sit beside Yakumo.

Once free to hide her hand beneath the table she idly fidgets with the edge of her sleeve. "First time I got asked to spend time with a married couple. When Eriko-san made her offer I thought I should take the opportunity," she says, a pause that was a touch too long.

"Hearing Yakumo-sama had as little experience it seemed- fitting?" she offers, a little more of that ice melting when she looks to Yakumo as she references her.

"Oh, not awkward at all." Eriko laughed slightly on an awkward note. "As Koyuki-san said, I did offer to hang out. To be honest, Hide and I did muse about entertaining people as a couple. Considering our current setup and living conditions, we're not exactly suited to entertaining people...yet, at least! So something like this, I'd consider good practice. Not that you're like practice. Especially, with your face and status, Susumu-sama! Yes, this is very much an occasion...of sorts. Yes."

"Ah, please... Yakumo-san is just fine for tonight, everyone," Yakumo kept her smile on, doing her best to be casual and reassuring to everyone. "No need to be so formal, really."

Her gloved hands reached over for the cocktails menu that was on the table, and she cast a glance to where she had heard where live music had been played last time she was here. "They usually play some nice music here, so hopefully there will be some tonight. I had the Swooping Dragon cocktail last I was here, and I can recommend it for those who like something strong with a bit of a sour-flavour."

"You make it sounds so casual, Su-o casual. Yakumo-san. Here, my wife and I were looking to promote ourselves to a larger place and now were dining with a celebrity. A celebrity with Koyuki-san. So, yes! Drinks!" Eriko smiled sheepishly as she reached for the menu without really looking, keeping her eyes both on Yakumo and Koyuki as she pulled it toward her. Once she had the menu in hand, she passed it over to Hide without looking.

"Uhm, what's good here? Hide is usually the drinks person. I'm more of a dessert gal myself, probably too much bubble tea for my own good." She tittered.

“I’ve been eying the…” Hide squinted at the drink menu as Eriko handed it to her before letting out a sigh. “The Horny Toad. What an unfortunate name… I like cocktails with a splash of energy drink. If that’s something you’re interested in.”

"Yes, let's get Horn-Wait, what?" She said as she finally broke eye contact with the couple, who she was absolutely bemused and befuddled (maybe mind blasted) that they happened. It took her a moment to get what she was talking about and she chuckled it off. "Oh, yeah, the Horny Toad. That honestly sounds like a recipe for disaster but hey, I kind of foresee myself having a long night anyway."

Taking in the moment and that little tension laying in the air of everyone feeling a little awkward Koyuki finds herself. This was what she was best at, anyway, helping pull and keep her group together. It was just a little different. All she needed was to stop for a second and take a breath.

With Yakumo having taken the drink menu, Koyuki just leans over to share the space for a moment and peek over it as well. Focusing on that task a little more than Hide and Eriko for a moment, even if their conversation drew up what looked like an amused curl to her lip.

"Sweet Lies," she says, leaning back. "That seems a little too amusing considering.." she doesn't finish. "Anyway, sometimes you see a famous singer cause a new friend brings her to drinks. Sometimes you meet a woman on the side of a rain covered road, and learn later that she happens to sing as a matter of profession," she glances to Yakumo. Meeting her eye for a moment with a softer smile as if to show she's got this.

"With my help though, Eriko-san, at least that drink will be the only disaster of a night. One of two, actually, assuming you both order the same."

Well everyone knew how to be people so it was already a major improvement from the worst date ever.

"I still can't believe you hadn't heard of me or my music," Yakumo chided Koyuki with a soft chuckle. "Horny Toad is quite the name... but I think I will try the Stinger myself tonight."

Looking over at the married couple, she of course had to ask the obvious question. "So how did you two meet?"