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It was extremely difficult to think about anything other than the sweet taste of Yumi Hasegawa lingering on his lips, but he rallied his focus as they entered the chic little Johtonian restaurant, trying to remain in the moment rather than think too far ahead. Sitting across from Yumi, Seb removed his winter coat, grateful to be rid of the extra layer now that they were within a cozy indoor setting. As they settled in, Seb answered Yumi's question, thinking of the many times he had visited Johto as a kid.[break][break]
"This restaurant isn't familiar to me, but Johtonian cuisine certainly is," he told her, opening his menu. "I've been to Johto many times - mostly in my youth - and grew especially fond of a few of the dishes there." As if manifesting it through sheer will, he was pleased to see some of his favorites available for order on the second page of the menu.[break][break]
"Are you from Johto?" He asked her, though he was fairly certain Hasegawa was a Johtonian surname. All the same, it would be impolite to assume. He'd been taught from an early age the intricacies of social etiquette. Though he had disliked much of the formalities of his youth, he found that in the presence of this woman, he was more than happy to be chivalrous.[break][break]
Her eyes met his for half a second before returning to her menu, and he could see the hunger in them. That smoldering look made him all the more eager to get her alone in a private room...but he schooled himself to be patient. Dinner first.[break][break]

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Seb took the question in stride, anticipating it as the next logical step after his inquiry into her origins. Perhaps if he played this well, he would not have to lie to her.[break][break]
"I am from Paldea," he answered, keeping his tone casual. "The Southern Province. Mesagoza, specifically. Have you been?"[break][break]
He sipped his highball, appreciative of the quality of the Johtonian whisky. When the waitress returned, he ordered an unagidon made with fresh-caught Gorebyss, the perfect meal for a night that might end in carnal pleasure. It wouldn't be overly filling, but it would still have just the right amount of satisfying umami.[break][break]
The lighting in the restaurant was moody, romantic even. Seb gazed at Yumi from across the table, marveling at all the little details that made her lovely: long eyelashes, bright amethyst eyes, the dimple when she smiled (a smile that always seemed halfway to a smirk). She exuded confidence, keenly aware of her own desirability. It was refreshing to be around a woman who clearly knew what she wanted.

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One does not spend a decade avoiding their homeland without being able to answer the question of why they had left in the first place. The truth was the simplest explanation, one that did not need to involve too many details.[break][break]
"Freedom, actually," he answered with a sheepish grin. "My parents had a very specific future in mind for me, one I did not want. Wasn't ready for. I guess you could say that I ran away," he shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. "I prefer to think of it as making a choice. I wanted to decide for myself what to do with the rest of my life."[break][break]
Though, for the first time in a very long time, Seb found himself toying with the idea of telling this woman the truth. I am not suited to lead, he'd say to her. That's what they wanted me to do. After I married a woman I did not love, of course.[break][break]
Would she think him foolish or wise? Cowardly or brave? And why did her judgement matter to him anyway? He wanted one thing from her, nothing more.[break][break]
"It may not be as far away as Paldea," he continued, attempting to divert her away from any continued probing about his past. "But your home isn't exactly next-door to Hoenn, either. What brought you here?"

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It happened so fast, Seb could not be entirely sure - but he thought, for a moment, that he saw Yumi's haughty, confident expression soften into a tender awe. But then she blinked, and it was gone, replaced by a seductive smirk.[break][break]
"I do come from money," he admitted as their food was delivered. He wasted no time digging in, handling the traditional Johtonian chopsticks with a practiced ease. He listened attentively as his date continued to describe her own situation, marveling at the unexpected similarities between their circumstances.[break][break]
"An arranged marriage, you mean?" He flashed her a wry smile. "Trust me, I can relate." He didn't elaborate, but he had a feeling she was clever enough to draw the connection between what he'd said about freedom and choice to the topic of a forced union.[break][break]
As he took a bite of the decadent broiled seafood, Seb chewed on more than just his meal. Why were the rich and powerful content to sell daughters off to the highest bidder, force sons to take wives they didn't love just for show? It was something he would never understand; which was, in part, precisely why he'd left that sort of life behind.[break][break]
"You should get to choose," Seb murmured, grey eyes smoldering with a sudden intensity. "Your future spouse, I mean. They ought to be devoted to you out of genuine affection, not out of obligating to some political or business contract."

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Yumi Hasegawa's tone was light and teasing, but Seb considered her question seriously. For all of the opulence he had been surrounded by in his youth, romance was not a luxury afforded to a man such as himself. A marriage? That was expected. Sex? Sure, he could have had as much of that as he'd wanted: with or without the woman that would become his wife. But romance...[break][break]
"Yes," he admitted, meeting her gaze with a sudden intensity that was honest in its longing. Then he shrugged, an amused smile of his own tugging at the corners of his mouth. "My little sister used to tease me for being a hopeless romantic. Said I reminded her of the knights in shining armor you always hear about in Galarian fairy tales. Better suited to serve than to ru - " He stopped, realizing what he'd been about to say.[break][break]
Luckily for him, their waitress arrived at that very moment to inquire as to whether or not they would be having dessert that evening. Seb took that moment to steer the conversation back in the direction of what had drawn them to dinner in the first place. "There's something sweet waiting for us at home," he told the waitress, eyeing Yumi with an obviously suggestive look. "We'll pass. The check, when you get a chance." She nodded respectfully to him, then retreated.[break][break]

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Seb froze. Yumi's laughter cut into him like a knife. So did her observation.[break][break]
"Oh, just something my little sister and I used to joke about when we were kids," he chuckled, forcing his tone to remain light and casual. "She loved to play fantasy games. I was the oldest, but she always insisted I should be her bodyguard - the knight in shining armor - rather than the prince to her princess. Said it suited me better than ruling." He smiled somewhat sheepishly. "A silly thing, really."[break][break]
It was true, for the most part. @gigi had said these things. The only difference was it had not been a game.[break][break]
The waitress returned shortly with their check. Seb quickly fished his wallet out of his jacket pocket, slipping a credit card into the booklet before Yumi could react. The waitress took it with a nod of gratitude. "My treat," he smiled at his date, hoping she'd move on from his little slip of the tongue.

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