"I don't know why I'm staying for dinner while Jiro is at Auntie Mebuki's..." Ichiko pouted as she smoothed down the front of her kimono, her hair being tightened into a high bun by her father. The man held a hair pin between his lips as he adjusted the girls hair. "If I told you, it would ruin the surprise." The man mumbled before removing the pin, and placing it to secure his daughter's hair.

She turned, looking up to her father, giving him that slught Kubrick stare. He smiled softly at her. "Go, finish setting the table." The man leaned down, tenderly kissing her forehead, before standing from the edge of the bunk futon that served as Ichiko and Jiro's bed.

While the apartment was cramped, he and Kimurahime had made it a home.

While his kimono was less formal, it still showed that taste in fashion. His hair was more natural than in appearances in court and formal settings, the jagged edges just above his shoulders. Those red eyes looking over the table, being set for four, before walking across to the kitchenette.

The rice cooker beeped that it was done, and the braising hot pot of meat was simmering. A favorite of his from growing up on Whispers. On the table, an assortment of pickled vegetables, especially Ichiko's favorite, pickled plums.

The man grabbed two small hand towels, and removed from the timy oven the small tray of roasted carrots, before adding them to a pan on the small stovetop with a miso-honey glaze.

Susumu Kimurahime

Kimurahime followed in her husband's fashion as she was dressed in a tsukesage kimono with the sleeves of a married woman. Her kimono was a deep purple/night blue with minimalistic designs of branches with flora blooms. One could see spiders in the embroidery if one looked closely. The kimono had emerald hues edging at the hem and sleeves.

She would smile brightly when she was joined by Ichiko, having already brought all of the table settings to the table beforehand. There was a time ago she knew that it would take a while for her daughter to find everything. It was perhaps hard to choose a music arrangement for the evening, especially when hosting a musical celebrity. As much as she thought it might have been a bad idea, she still had the traditional ambiance playing in the background.

It wasn't often she got invited over for a family-style visit, and she figured it would be a stark contrast to the visits she had been doing other places lately, but it would be one that would have a sense of home in comparison to any other meeting or visit that had happened in the past weeks.

Yakumo wore her spiderweb kimono where small spiders hid among the spun webs, paired a stark pale gray obi adorned with woven motifs of white lillies. Hair neatly tucked up into a simple chignon.

Taking a deep breath to prepare herself, holding a wrapped gift in her hands, Yakumo rang the doorbell to signal her arrival.

"Ichiko-chan. Could you get the door please?" Yuji smiled inwardly, as the glazed carrots were moved from the pan to a simple platter, and then brought over to the table. Drinks were set out, with a fruit juice in a plastic cup for Ichiko, waters and plum wine for the adults. The little girl looked to her father, "Okay, okay."

The gaunt Deceiver maneuvered to stand next to Kimurahime, his arm moving around her waist, as theie daughter reached the door.

She opened it, and looked up... and then up still.

"Irashaimase...." then her eyes widened as she looked to the tall Idol standing at the door. "Oh. My. KAMI!" An excited yelp before clasping her hands over her mouth.

Susumu Kimurahime

Kimurahime smiled softly as Ichiko trotted off to get to the door she quickly finished up with the remainder of setting up the table. It was a bit last minute but getting Jiro to Mebuki ate up more time than she thought. However, Yakumo will be none the wiser by the time the door opened and everything was set immaculately with. When she noticed the commotion at the door, she quickly made her way over to join Ichiko, placing her hands on her shoulders to calm her down.

"Ah, good evening, Susumu-san. Thank you for gracing us with your presence tonight. Please excuse, Ichiko-chan...I suppose it was a bit of a surprise," she said with a polite smile before giving a glance toward where Yuji was found as she swore this was brought up beforehand. Not that Ichiko would misbehave, of course. "This one is Susumu Kimurahime and, of course, this one is Ichiko-chan. Please, Susumu-san, welcome to our home."

"Hello there," Yakumo said with a wink and a smile to the little girl, careful not to overdo it (too much). "Thank you for receiving me Ichiko-san," she bowed to the child, and then once more deeply to the Spider matriarch and her companion, "and thank you for welcoming me into your home, Susumu-sama. It's most kind of you. Please forgive my intrusion."

It was all the usual politeness one was expected to follow. Stepping inside, she removed her sandals at the genkan.

Wow, I had thought it would be bigger, she couldn't help but to think. And also wonder if it would've been better to invite them over to her suite instead. "You have a very lovely home." Not a lie though, as she could see the personal touches it seemed to have... and the smell of what seemed like homecooked food. Something she had not had in years. Her shoulders rose with the inhale of air, gently sinking into a relaxed state.

A playful smile graced her pale features. "I heard there was a very kind fan of mine living here...?"

Yuji caught the glance from Kimurahime, and there was a hint of a sheepish smile, as if his hand had been caught in a cookie jar. He approached his wife and their eldest child. "You'll have to forgive me, darling. I wanted to see her genuine reaction."

Meanwhile, Ichiko remembered herself, bowing to the Spider Galactic idol, before looking back up to her, pursing her lips to try and contain her excitement. "I love your music, Kumohime-sama. You sound so beautiful. I can't believe I'm meeting you!" Her joy still bubbled forth, as she finally remembered to close the door behind their guest.

"Yakumo-hime," Yuji bowed in greeting, "Thank you again for accepting our invitation."

"It's my honor to be invited into your family's private home, Yuji-san. And an honor to meet your wonderful family."

And of course she could not ignore Ichiko. "Well you can believe it," Yakumo chuckled, happy to play along to entertain the girl. She knew she herself would've loved something like this when she was younger. "In fact, your most esteemed father told me that you were such a fan, I just had to come and visit. And to bring you something special."

With that, the songstress offered the wrapped gift-box she held in her gloved hands.

Susumu Kimurahime

"Intrusion?" She said with an amused smile. "Hardly the case, you're our honoured guest tonight. Yuji, made a few mentions of you and how you've been doing well during Winter Court. I know I've been mostly managing the household but I know you both are in need of a break. If my household can provide some small measure of that for you and my husband, I would say this meeting was long overdue. It's just us tonight. Of course, your biggest fan in the galaxy."

She smiled softly at Ichiko and took a step back to not intrude on her daughter's starstruck moment.

Ichiko breathed in deeply, trying not to let herself explode into a hug of the Galactic Idol. She shook her head, proudly showing off the beginning lessons of training as a courtier. Moving through the gift refusal ceremony, fighting back the natural instinct to just take the gift and start opening it.

Finally, after the final offering from Yakumo, she bowed her head deeply, taking the present. "Thank you, Kumohime-sama. I will treasure this moment forever." Her eyes sparkled with delight, looking up to Yakumo's face.

Yuji took a great deal of pride in Ichiko, watching her as she graciously, finally accepted the gift. He hoped that with success at this year's court, perhaps they would secure for her a chance to study with the Otomo, if not... she would clearly follow in her father's footsteps.

Jiro was three and too young to be thinking of such things like where he would be schooled, what path he would take. That would come in time. Yuji wasn't disappointed that they sent him off with their trusted neighbor, who often watched the children when needed. But he was glad that Ichiko had such a chance to shine.

"Thank you, Kimurahime." He replied to her comment, ever grateful for the rock and foundation she provided for the family. The center of his universe.

"Yakumo-hime, would you like a glass of plum wine while Ichiko opens her gift?"

Susumu Kimurahime

"Ah, yes! We were planning on opening some umeshu, gifted to us by Bayushi Mariko, just for the occasion." Kimurahime gave a smile before she made her way over to fetch the bottom of plum wine in preparation. If not, she might help herself to come. This was to keep Yuji with Ichiko and Yakumo, considering this was his master plan to surprise dear Ichiko like this. He should very much be here for that.

"Oh thank you. I've just been doing my best as a novice of the courts," she smiled a bit sheepishly, as she felt a bit praised for her mixed efforts. Though she felt things had been going better when she had been more focused on keeping to the values of Shourido. "Umeshu would be lovely, thank you."

For Ichiko, the box once opened revealed a few items; a signed poster from the Wicked Wasp concert, a data-stick that had those three newest songs from the concert on it, and a pair of black silk gloves in the cropped style that Yakumo was famous for wearing. They were made in a smaller size, to fit a child.

"I hope the gift is to your liking, Ichiko-san?" Yakumo asked with a warm smile.

The little girl looked at gifts. The gloves immediately slipped on. The other treasures looked over and cherished. She nodded her head vigorously. Fighting every base instinct to just hug her favorite singer. Trying ever so hard to practice her On.

"Thank you, Kumohime-sama. Thank you! I love them!" She met her eyes to Yakumo's smiling broadly.

The tall, gaunt Deceiver stepped up behind his daughter, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Yuji was so proud of her composure, even as he could sense her excitment just filling the apartment. "Set them on your desk, my dear. We'll find a spot for your poster." He leaned down, tenderly kissing her crown.

He then stood tall, and looked to Yakumo, silently mouthing a thank you.

The words "you're welcome" were whispered, and clearly mouthed, for Ichiko.

Just seeing how happy the child was with such a gesture, it made Yakumo feel at ease and strangely at home here. A part of it reminded her of a fond memory, and also... a picture of a family life she had never had. The tenderness Yuji had with his daughter was both painful and wonderful to behold.

Straightening herself, she pushed that building emotion down as she looked around herself more. "You have a warm home, Yuji-san," she commented, and while it could have been about his humble abode, it was meant more as a compliment of his family.

Susumu Kimurahime

Kimurahime would have made her way to get some plum wine for everyone and perhaps a little something fizzy for Ichiko to join in the festivities. She would return with a tray and smile at everyone gathered, catching the tail end of the warming exchange.

"And here you go, Yakumo-hime," she smiled warmly at her as she offered the refreshments. "I hope Ichiko-chan wasn't too much. She's an absolute fan and her enthusiasm comes only from a good place." That was said with the foreknowledge that her daughter was an absolute darling with receiving the gift.

"I can't say that I'm a fan but I've most definitely kept tabs on your fame. A Spider earning an Imperial contract was no small feat and gives us much hope for the future. I know that Yuji thinks so as well," she said before offering a glance at Yuji with a knowing smile.

"Oh, thank you. You're a most gracious host, Susumu-sama," Yakumo accepted a cup of umeshu with a small bow. "Your daughter is absolutely wonderful, I could not ever voice any complaints."

Well she might, but that was neither here nor there, since she doubted that these two doting parents would suddenly saddle her with the responsibility of looking after a kid. Because Yakumo knew her patience would run out pretty fast there.

Taking a small sip, her smile grew a little. "Thank you. Yes, I think it's important work too... to let the empire at large see one of us, come to accept us as one of them. And see that we're not the monsters their superiors have been telling them that we are." Because she had heard plenty of what people thought the Spider were, and some of it was just ridiculous. "I'm honored you both think so too. I... know many of our kin also thinks it's pointless and frivolous."

Yuji actually flushed at the compliment. Before he could speak, Kimurahime returned, giving him a moment to collect himself, taking the drink in hand. "We strive for that, Yakumo-hime. Thank you." He finally answered the compliment.

He nodded in agreement with his wife, smiling at her before looking to Yakumo. "When one of us rises, we all rise. It adds to the chorus saying we Spider are a key part of the Empire, like every other Clan. Our enemies take notice, and our allies draw ever closer."

He then looked to Ichiko as she gently laid out her treasures on her small desk, making sure everything was in its place. "And hopefully that means an Empire where our children won't have to claw as hard as we do for respect."

The last words was something that really hit home for her. "Yes. Yes, I absolutely agree with that, Yuji-sama. Trust me, as a Spider schooled on Isora's Rest, before this alliance brought closer to the Crane, I know what that is like. Just as the two of you no doubt know from being established here on World of Dreams."

And Kimurahime was... formerly Imperial, so she could imagine that had been a difficult change for the woman.

Ichiko kept her new gloves on, admiring them on her hands as she sipped from her fizzy drink. While quiet, she listened to her parents, and the galactic idol. There was a moment of recognition. While her primary schooling was good, and she had plenty of friends, there were a few her whispered things. Maybe only just loud enough because of who her father was.

It was usually easy to ignore, but she knew that being a spider already came with some problems. But every day she could come home, and know she was loved.

"It can be difficult. It's why making friends is so important; and letting our actions do the real talking, versus any boast." Yuji nodded, taking a sip from the umeshu.

Susumu Kimurahime

"Yuji-kun has been doing a good share of the action, I'd like to believe. I only chip in here and there when my busy schedule allows it. These are absolutely shining lights in the future of the Spider Clan." She smiled warmly at that potential prospect. "Funny enough, I've managed to acquaint myself with one of your producers staying on the World of Dreams, Yakumo-hime."

There was a glance given to Yuji for a moment, referring to their masked conversation partner at the party from a while ago. "Quite a small world, really. From what I gathered from Miya Kimiko-sama, it seems the Miya News and Entertainment Network are rather interested in retaining you potentially for a longer contract. She wasn't exactly clear and I didn't push more than proper on the matter but it wouldn't surprise me if this could be cemented with the right incentive. Perhaps, an Imperial in your future affairs?"

Kimurahime cast a small apologetic smile at Ichiko as it seemed that they've found themselves with a bit of an adult conversation when they were hosting one of the biggest idols in the galaxy. She hoped to keep this brief, at least.