An invite had appeared, of all things, casually. The rumor became reality as it made its way around the Maze. A new pack, one Beauregard had spoken about, was hosting a summer festival. Sayuri was delighted to take part, making sure to give news through Akira's note to the organizers. The raccoon dog was still away in Boreas, delivering the news, leaving her alone. She felt restless, pacing through the shady location.

It would be her first event in Boreas... She must look presentable! The day was nearly upon them for beginning this "Summer Fest". She would make sure to bathe regularly, her fur shining like pearls by the time she marched all the way up to Menagerie. She hoped to see Beauregard there, safe and happy. But most of all, she hoped to look at the alphas and gleam some news from them. She was not so foolish to assume they'd spill 'beans'.

Yet, any news was good! She sometimes felt suffocated being here in Tojo-Kai, cut off from the world. It was a pleasant morning. An early morning. Sayuri paced around outside her den, murmuring about beauty regimes. She barely noticed the other's approach.

"Speech"

It would be an understatement to say Kuroo knew anything that happened outside of Tojo-kai. Since he and his brother had joined Hattori Hanzo in this venture, Kuroo had only gone north into Boreas to fish once. That journey had indeed been fun, but he was content to stay and work on his net system in the bay. The boy felt worthy and good of himself to know he was assisting in keeping the pack fed. Especially now that their numbers were growing, they were always going to need a fresh supply of fish. So really, Kuroo knew the maze and the bay and nothing of any other packs. He and Usagi hadn't cared to learn about the other packs and their politics since their main goal was to find their father. Which they had thankfully accomplished.

Now that the invitation had arrived to invite Tojo-kai to this "Summer Festival," Kuroo was interested. Maybe it would be nice to go out and meet new wolves. Or maybe he would see Sverre again! Or he and Sayuri could travel there together? Or he could go with the rest of the pack and have some fun! The possibilities were endless as he made his way from the bay back into the maze. Having spent most of his morning cleaning up after some random shark attack, he was quite smelly and needed a bath. His original destination was the bathing area near his den, but the sound of paws pacing in the dirt caught his attention.

Curious, the piebald boy made his way toward the sound. As he rounded the corner, he saw Sayuri-chan looking rather entranced in something. Tilting his head slightly to the side, he grabbed a fish from the small rack he was currently carrying and tossed it her way. He had been meaning to take the fish back to get them smoked for his own personal reserve, but sharing was caring, right? Sliding the rack from his shoulders and leaning it against the bamboo, Kuroo shot the girl a smile. "Sayuri-chan, what's on your mind?" He asked curiously as he took a seat with a loud thud and a few swipes of his tail in the dirt.

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"Oh, Kuroo-chan!"

Sayuri's mind returned back to reality, focusing on him. She nosed the fish gratefully, feeling her insides squirm with hunger. Nobody else was around, so she didn't have to bring the prey to her in order to claim it. It was for her, only her. Kuroo neared, sat down, and offered to listen. She gave him a flustered grin.

"You heard of the festival, yes?" Sayuri began, sitting next to him. Allowing her fur to brush casually against her friend slash interest "I met a boy named Beauregard at the Bifrost... He told me of Menagerie before it formed. Though he did not mention a festival." Perhaps the boy didn't know of his alpha's intentions?

Perhaps it was too new to consider a festival.

"I" she blurted out in a quick breath "looove festivals!" The autumn leaves or cherry blossom ones especially! She had always been working during them, and never got to discover their beauty for herself "but I never went to one. This shall be my first. I wonder if they have games and prizes and good food!" She babbled, blue eyes sparkling.

She didn't know if their Kaicho was friendly with Menagerie's leader, but if this Wren girl decided to invite Tojo-Kai... Sayuri could let down her guard a bit. It would be nice to see Beauregard again, too. Not hurt this time hopefully!

"Speech"

He liked the way she nearly squealed his name. Why? Kuroo had no answer to give but it made his heart do that flutter thing. Returning her flustered smile, he was glad that she accepted the fish he had offered her. As everyone knew by now, fishing was his trade and if someone were to deny that, it would surely break his heart. Turning his gaze to watch as she sat beside him, his tail wagged a few more times as she began talking.

Met a boy named Beauregard? Why had he never heard of this before? Why was he even feeling jealous about that? She was allowed to meet whoever and go do whatever she wanted. Keeping his expression even with a soft smile, he nodded in agreement about the festival. "Yes, I have heard of Tojo-kai being invited," his voice is curious as he waits for what she has to say next. Was she going to invite him along?

It was then she blurted out that she loved festivals but had never attended one before! While they had both come from different lands, he was surprised that she had never attended before. Back in Iga, Kuroo and his brother attended any festival that was available to them. When she was done wondering if they had food and games, Kuroo let out a small laugh. "Most festivals have those," he said warmly as he leaned over to bump her shoulder. "Are you going with anyone or with the whole pack?" Kuroo asked with an interesting look.

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She was keen, but even she did not realize he was somewhat jealous of the other lad. She would have giggled and laughed joyfully; Beauregard was obviously gay. Even she could pick that up from the boy. He didn't fluster or titter at her words, showing disinterest in her womanly charms. All he had done was be respectful and kind. "I travel with pack there" Sayuri said to Kuroo-chan "but I had hoped to go with someone, yes." He seemed keen on knowing, and she turned to look at him.

She smiled gently, wondering if he would ask. Sayuri gave him the opportunity to do such a thing, but if he did not do it soon she'd move on. Chatter like a hen. Make it less embarrassing and awkward. That is what she vowed to herself. If he asked, she'd say yes. But how was he to know that? All he needed to do was take the plunge. But... he had been upfront. He said he liked two wolves, and what if... he was hoping to meet the other one there? She did not appreciate being the "other woman".

"Speech"

Maybe he was being a stupid boy. Or maybe he was trying to deny the growing interest he had for the girl. He had grown up more interested in boys as the girls back home had always been so... whiny? None of them ever cared to share his interests. Or really pay him any attention unless he was making them the center of it. Rather boring when other boys would actually play and hunt and do things with him. A lot more interesting to Kuroo, but Sayuri was different. She was fun and exciting and always keep him on his toes.

Yet, when she obviously hinted that she clearly wanted to go with him, all he could do was smile and wag his tail. "Oh, I'm going with the pack as well! We can go together, right?" It wasn't a straightforward offer. Not a date or anything that implied that he wanted alone time with her, but he wanted to spend some sort of time with her. That's what mattered, right? To Kuroo, it would be fun to spend the journey up north with Sayuri and Usagi, and the rest of the pack. An adventure for all of them!

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"You are quite lucky you are cute."

Sayuri rolled her blue eyes, half exhausted and half amused. He looked so happy at the moment, that it was difficult to be truly mad at him. He was still, despite his age, a boy. Or rather, he acted the part swimmingly. She turned to properly face him, a brief frown flickering across her face. If he was shocked by her words, she dove in for the kill. Hell, she did it anyway. You only live once.

"You, silly" she added, looking directly at Kuroo-chan "I wish to go with you." And left it at that. She waited, her heart was pounding as she listened for his reaction. Waiting to see if it'd go over well - or not at all. For once, she did not backpedal. She did not swimmingly save herself, say it was 'fine' if not. Did not cover up anything. Plainly, for any to see, she voiced.

"Speech"

Her statement was confusing. Why was it lucky that he was cute? Why was she rolling her eyes? Had he said something wrong? Did she not want to see him at the festival? A thousand questions raced through his brain as he narrowed his gaze at her. What did she mean? His ears would fold back for a moment as he was trying to understand, assess, something out of the statement when his brow furrowed farther. Kuroo hadn't thought he had done anything wrong...

You, silly. I wish to go with you.

The words hit him like a freight train. She wanted to go with him? Specifically him and only him? "Like a date?" His voice was hesitant and confused as he continued to further squint at her. Okay, maybe he was stupid. Were they not friends? Kuroo knew he was growing closer to her. He could tell by the way he felt every time he saw a glimpse of her in the maze. The way his chest ached to share a warm den for the company, nothing more. That could be more so because he missed his brother's presence, but the thought of being able to lay outside and look at the stars with her was just as inviting.

"I did not realize that... you wanted me to ask in that way," Kuroo's tone was quiet now as he felt his cheeks flush warm. Glancing away from her to collect his thought, he sucked in a deep breath. Spending time with her within the confines of the maze and the bay had been a lot of fun. And they had been spending a lot more time together than they had been in the past. Unlike his brother who was grumpy all the time and their father who was busy raising the pups, Sayuri had time to spend. When she wasn't training with Rheum or Tenshi, they could spend afternoons at the beach or evenings in the maze.

Making up his mind, Kuroo nodded. "I do not want to upset you. I enjoy spending time with you and I would appreciate it if you allowed me to go to the festival with you," he paused then as he turned his pale gaze back to her. Smiling gently, he reached out a paw to place it gently over hers. "I just need time. I do not want to rush into anything and hurt both of us. I would like to take things slow until I am ready to make a commitment," his smile faltered as his heart raced in his chest. Worried that her reaction would be bad, he forced himself to stay in place and not run like a coward.

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His words were fair.

She was not offended by them if that's what he thought. "You misunderstand" Sayuri began slowly, trying to make it as obvious to him as his fishing skills "yes, I do wish to go with you but" She looked away from him, across the Maze with a gentle frown "I am not wishing to tie you down, make you think you must like me right now. Right here." Because that's what he probably assumed she wanted. Commitment without logic behind it.

"I wished to spend time with you at the festival - my first one" she added "we could... have done that without strings, yes?" Sayuri added "as friends" she said this without regret or hurt "it is not good for me to ask you on a date when you did not think of it first" Men or women; if he hadn't figured out what he wanted she was not going to rush or push him into it! "now Kuroo-chan feels obligated." She shook her head.

"No, I wish to ask you on a date before the festival. If Kuroo-chan enjoys it, he can ask me to the festival. If not, we go as pack mates."

"Speech"

Kuroo listened to the girl earnestly. She sounded as if she really was trying to be patient with him. Maybe he was holding himself back too much. There was something that prevented him from giving himself to her.  He couldn't explain it, couldn't put a word to it, or really understand it for himself. Realistically, he was still so young, content, and inexperienced. The two crushes he had prior had been a whirlwind of confusion and Kuroo wasn't really even sure he was ready for a real thing. Whatever word someone wanted to put with it would work but relationship seemed too concrete.

Caught up in his own thoughts for a second, he looked at her a little wide-eyed. A date? A real date? Feeling his mouth dry, he waited for a few beats. Allowing his brain to process what she was asking, he nodded slowly. "Okay, I understand. I feel that is fair. We can still go to the festival with no strings as we do leave soon. The trek that far north will take us the longest of any pack," his voice is quiet as he finally looks away from her. The boy's heart races in his chest as he tries to still put together everything they went over. Was he being unfair?

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