Tetsuo had managed to alter his preparations to accommodate the new information he had received from his father, but he was never comfortable arranging things in short notice, and he worried that he may have overlooked something. Although Tetsuo would never dare complain about such trifles, Shingo noticed a subtle change in his son's demeanor: the young man's confidence was beginning to waver ever so slowly. Shingo could not pass up this opportunity to tease his son. "I'm jealous of you," he said, approaching Tetsuo the morning the Nakashima family was scheduled to arrive. "I miss the days of reading poetry to pretty young women."

Tetsuo knew that his father wanted some kind of indignant objection; he would ensure that such satisfaction would be denied. "Mother will not listen to your poems?" he retorted. 

"She knows them all already. It takes the fun out of reading them. You can only enjoy something for the first time once."

Tetsuo ruminated on his father's last sentence for a few moments, and then gave a respectful bow. "Thank you. I will keep that in mind when entertaining my guest." Tetsuo was still nervous, uncomfortable, but his confidence had returned. This was a social visit, not a matter of business; there was no excuse not to enjoy the day.

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The Aroi family did not keep their guests waiting long, and arrived in the tatami room only a few minutes after the Nakashimas. Father and son both wore a deep blue kimono, the Aroi family crest displayed on the back in golden embroidery. Tetsuo carried himself with the dignity one expected from nobility, each footstep the result of an immaculate calculation. The lady of the household, Aroi Kaname, wore a kimono that flaunted dyes all of the brightest reds and oranges. Here hair appeared equally colorful as it was adorned with a jeweled headdress that could dwarf the wealth of an entire family on its own. For Kaname, there was no such thing as overkill when it came to her appearance. 

"Welcome to Ido castle!" Shingo said in a courteous, but clearly friendly tone. The three took their seats across from the Nakshima family, Kaname facing Rie, Shingo facing Shigeru, and Tetsuo facing Chiharu. "It is an honor to have you here and I hope you enjoy your stay..."

As his father delivered their salutations, Tetsuo was free to take in his first glimpse of Chiharu. It was clear that she took great care in her appearance as nary a fold of her dress or a single strand of hair was out of place. He could easily call her beautiful, and it took some restraint not to break decorum with an inappropriate smile. His father was speaking, he should be listening. "...my wife Aroi Kaname, and my son..." No, his father was finished speaking. "Aroi Tetsuo," he said, introducing himself with a bow, just barely saving himself the embarrassment of missing his turn to speak. He was sure the guests would be utterly unaware, but he prayed that his father, sly as he was, hadn't noticed that brief hesitation; there would be no defense against the teasing later if this was the case.

Shingo continued the introduction. "My son has been taking on numerous responsibilities as of late. Although I am the lord of this estate, my son is the actual executor of all the affairs at Ido Castle. I have given him full authority to make any and all domestic and economic decisions without consulting me if he deems it wise, and thus far I have not regretted it. In fact, my life has become rather easy. But let me not belabor my own family's introduction. You have written to me about your family in our correspondence, but surely letters rife with business do not do them justice."

Tetsuo listened carefully now and adjusted his posture ever so slightly. This was their invitation to speak, and he did not want to let even one piece of information slip his mind, not on their first meeting. A crucial part of making a first impression was listening, and he was prepared to memorize an entire genealogy as they spoke if that was what it took. Also, if was was to seriously consider courting Chiharu, he would need to make sure that a relationship with the Nakashimas would be beneficial to the Aroi family.