"Kiri," Hikaru questioned, "it seems unusual for a guy to be good at this kind of dancing these days?"

He grinned at her and said, "All dancing is similar. My grandmother taught me though, she demanded that I learn. She'd always say that a man should know how to dance with the woman he loves." He looked at Hikaru and said lightly, "She was right."

"She sounds cool," Hikaru commented.

"She is, would you like to meet her?" Kiri asked.

"She's still alive?" Hikaru asked. She was surprised because Kiri had told her during their phone conversation how much older his parents were, especially his father. Kiri's father had been 16 years older than his mother, and quite scandalously, her high-school teacher. Although they hadn't married until she was 20, he'd explained.

"She's my mother's mother," he said. "She and grandpa are both 88 this year. But so far both are still in good health. I try to visit once or twice a year at least. I lived with them when I went to college."

"I'd like to meet her," Hikaru said.

Kiri laughed and quietly asked teasingly, "You don't want me to take your shirt off, but you're fine with a multi-day trip up north?"

Hikaru nodded.

"Really?" he asked a little incredulously. He flushed a little and cautioned, "I'm not sure I'd be able to resist doing more."

"Kiri, you won't hurt me," Hikaru replied.

"Why are you so sure, I'm not sure?" he asked.

Hikaru stopped dancing and he stopped with her. "You always wait for me," she explained.

He looked at her, confused.

"Ever since the first kiss," she said blushing, "you always wait for me to be ready. And if you think I'm scared or don't like something you always stop, or ask. And," she added, "even if you do do more than I'm really ready for, I'm pretty sure it will feel pretty good." She dropped her eyes.

Kiri drew her close and kissed her gently. "I love you Hikaru," he said quietly. They stood cheek to cheek for a moment and then he asked lightly, "Shall we continue dancing?"

Hikaru nodded.

An elderly couple joined them on the little dance floor.

"Kiri look," Hikaru exclaimed when the pair executed a twirl.

Kiri laughed and asked, "Do you want to try?"

Hikaru nodded.

"OK, when I step back, stand on one toe," he said. She did and he spun her under his arm in time to the music then caught her up again and they continued. Hikaru laughed happily.

"Want to try a dip?" he asked after a little bit.

"Sure," Hikaru replied with a smile.

Kiri tried dropping her, but she stiffened up too much.

He laughed and said, "Hikaru, you already know I can hold you up, do you think I'll let you fall? You have to fall in my arms." He grinned at her.

"OK," she said and nodded.

He tried again and she fell back into his arms, he kissed her before lifting her back into the dance. "Good," he said, grinning.

The elderly couple on the floor with them broke out into a complicated pattern of dance. And Hikaru laughed and said, "There's no way I could manage that."

"Not yet," agreed Kiri.

"Kiri?" Hikaru asked hesitantly after they'd danced a bit more.

"Yes?" he enquired.

Hikaru said, "I'm not saying it's fate or anything, that we met, but I'm glad, that there were always other chances for us to have met, by you coming here. It just seemed so random, meeting you on the street one day?"

Kiri laughed and said, "How can you claim that's not fate? What if I'd met you too early, I started coming here shortly after this place opened. What if you'd been barely 14? If I'd dated you then I'd have totally felt like a pedophile, and worse, what if I'd just thought you a cute child and ignored you?"

Hikaru looked at him. He leaned in and kissed her. "Fate is being able to meet at the right time, instead I met you when I wasn't dating anyone, and when you wanted me," he said. "It was fate."

Hikaru leaned into him, and he pulled her arm over his shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist as they danced cheek to cheek for awhile.

When the music changed again a waiter dressed in charcoal grey with a bolero that matched Hikaru's Sunday uniform came to collect them, saying, "Your booth and your food are ready."

They left the little dance floor and followed him around to the booths in front of the kitchen. Hikaru surveyed the food ruefully. "I think Kao-ji-chan is mad."

"Is that what your food says? I think mine says 'I know who you are and your habits'," Kiri said laughingly.

"Why?" asked Hikaru.

"It's something I order fairly often," he replied. "What's yours?"

"Everything I don't like to eat," Hikaru answered. "Nothing that I won't eat," she added, "just things I don't enjoy."

Kiri frowned and said, "We should trade then."

"Why? If you order it a lot, then it's something you like?" Hikaru replied.

Kiri nodded and said, "But I don't dislike anything you have."

Hikaru frowned and offered, "Shall we share half of everything?"

Kiri nodded agreeably.

They shifted the food around and started eating.

Kaoru joined them, carrying a plate of food for himself a little while later. He slid into the other side of the booth and asked, "What are your intentions toward my niece?"

"I want to marry her of course," Kiri said seriously.

"Kiri!" Hikaru stared open mouthed and panicked. She kicked him in the shin. He winced and she apologized, "I'm sorry!" She reached out and put her hand on his arm. "But how can you say that, you, Kiri you idiot!" she said with alarm.

"I'm sorry, that was supposed to come out jokingly," he told her apologetically, turning toward her. "That sounds even worse, I'm sorry Hikaru, I mean it though," he added quickly.

Hikaru protested, "You can't say that to my uncle! You've never even asked me!"

Kiri opened his mouth and Hikaru clapped her hands over his mouth. "And you can't ask me until we've been dating for at least 6 months, given your dating history!" She said firmly.

He nodded and she removed her hands.

"OK Hikaru. There's nothing I can say to that. Six months," he agreed.

Hikaru stared at him and her uncle coughed and said, "Hikaru, go powder your nose or something for a few minutes."

Hikaru stared at her uncle, and Kiri slid out of the booth to let her out. Hikaru looked up at him, he held his hand out to her. "It's OK Hikaru, let us talk for a few minutes. I didn't mean to distress you, it just slipped out," he added.

Hikaru took his hand and climbed out of the booth. "OK," she said, and walked off to visit the restroom.

Kiri watched her go with a rueful expression, and then slid into the spot she'd left.

Kaoru looked at him consideringly. "You aren't much like I thought you were," he said after a moment.

Kiri blushed and asked, "Oh?"

"Isn't it a little fast? Did you really mean it?" Kaoru asked him.

Kiri nodded, "Yes, to both questions."

Kaoru lifted an eyebrow and asked, "Why?"

Kiri looked at him and said, "She's... she says everything I... I really... she's your niece, do I really have to tell you how amazing she is?"

Kaoru asked dryly, "And if it were your niece?"

Kiri winced and said, "Honestly, I can't believe that Hikaru is barely older than my niece, I can't imagine my niece dating a grown man."

Kaoru looked at him in surprise.

"My niece is a spoiled, childish brat. Hikaru is a talented, hardworking, freaking gorgeous young woman," Kiri said resolutely. Wryly he added, "And I doubt you'll believe me after I said I already want to marry her and I'm already head over heels, but I'm trying very hard not to push her into things."

"I believe you, which surprises me too," Kaoru replied with a short laugh. "Hikaru knows something of your dating history?" he asked.

Kiri nodded slowly and said, "I told her a little when we started dating, but from what she said earlier, she's probably picked up more." He blushed again and looked away. And saw Hikaru approaching.

Hikaru reached them and her uncle said, "That was fast."

Hikaru frowned at him and said, "I did everything it's possible to do during one visit to the restroom. I even checked my makeup."