A day at the
Tea House

Even before the teahouse had opened for the day, Kaena could be seen hurrying down the street toward it, a rare sparkle of excitement in her step. Even her rushing looked graceful,more a light, eager flutter than true running, but something had clearly filled her with delight.

Soon, cheerful voices drifted from inside. It sounded as though lively plans were being made to rearrange something on the terrace. Then a bright, happy squeak rang out, quick and unguarded, followed by a long, sudden hush. And those with very sharp ears might just catch a soft, slightly embarrassed whisper: "Please forgive my little outburst."

Fang arrives a few steps behind Kaena his fox-like steps quiet as usual and arms crossed over his chest; body language from him for 'Not open for converstion' as per usual as well. "I think we might have a mouse problem." he jests, quieting down right after to try and listen to figure out what was being changed. With no clues just from that he decides to speak up again "What's going on?" he hadn't been told of any changes so this was suprising to him.

Kaena had been so full of delight that she had not even noticed Fang at first. The moment she did, she quieted at once, smoothing her posture and drawing herself back into composure.

"Oh, nothing has been decided. I… I only wished to plan something that might be lovely. The idea came to me a few days ago, and yesterday I spoke with Xiangliang about it and she like it."

She gathered herself, then continued with more steady confidence. "My thought was this: here, at the back by the pond, where the table now stands, and the firewood is kept, we could clear the space and build a small raised stage instead. Just here, in front of the Water. It truly is the perfect place."

A bright little smile touched her lips and it carried clearly into her voice as she spoke. "Then, on special occasions, or even just from time to time, our guests could enjoy music, dance, or even poetry."

Kaena's words make his expression sour "So it will just be more noisy than before." He couldn't lie to himself though and he admits it's a great idea. "Just don't hire anyone that sounds like a dying crow when they try to sing and I'll be fine." The blind man's price for having such keen senses was having high standards in such things as that. Turning his head slightly in the tea experts direction he asks "Will you be singing for everyone?" mostly just curious since he actually rather enjoyed her soft spoken voice gracing his ears.

She let out a small breath of relief when he did not seem opposed to the idea.

"I was trained in singing," she said modestly. "It is not my greatest strength, my true skill lies in dance, but it has always been part of my life to Sing."

She lowered her gaze slightly, her tone respectful yet sincere. "I hope my abilities will be worthy of your standards, Esteemed Fang."

"Criticism, criticism... I hope you're a talented singer to have such rude words. Even a dying crow deserves to be heard if they gather enough courage to sing their swang song" a voice commented behind them.

You Yun was waiting near the entrance, listening to them. She wasn't wearing her usual dusty, traveler outfit, but a nice dark black and red dress, hair neatly made and, especially, wasn't wearing her mark, appearing face revealed for the first time in this place. On her back, her instruments were attached, waiting for their time to shine.

"This idea of a stage sounds lovely
I'm sure it will attract artists and customers
Making this place even more lively
For the worse to be heard, and the better..."

She looked at the stranger, then Kaena and asked : "Is it possible to have a drink in good company today?"

"C'mon I've told you to stop with the formal stuff multiple times now." A hand comes up to ruffle his hair and then card his fingers through it in frustration. Unfortunately he won't be able to see the dacing aspect of her performances. Singing and music was an important thing to him though, it was a ray of light in his world of darkness. At the arrival of someone else, he is pretty quick to know he hadn't met them before based on their voice. "Wasn't even talking to you." He sasses and turns on his heels to head into the kitchen to start getting everything ready for the day with a "Why couldn't I have been born deaf insted?" muttered under his breath.

At the sound of a guest's voice, she at once returns to the training rooted deep within her.

With gliding steps she hushed to the entrance of the teahouse and bows low, perfectly, to the very tips of her fingers. Her robes move with her, as though each fold were aware of the gesture and followed it in quiet harmony.

She rises with a gentle smile, her hands resting lightly within the wide sleeves before her. Her pale skin and youthful features speak of a sheltered life, and it may apear that she almost seems out of place here.

"Be welcome, Esteemed guest. please, step inside." A light, lilting accent touches the final syllables of her words high and sweet in tone. "Please make yourself at ease. I shall gladly serve whatever you desire, or offer a recommendation, should you wish it."

"And why not mute instead? It would have spared us the annoyance of your acrid words..." she answered in a low voice too, hearing him as he left inside the kitchen.

Turning to Kaena who came to welcome her, she bowed.

"I'm sorry, is he a... Customer? Employee? I-... Am not sure I will stay long. I was looking for a place to practice, but I feel like the mood just left... Maybe I'll just have something sweet, to lighten this new day which started sourly."

Surprisingly no more words leave the snarky man's lips, glad to receed into the background and focus on getting the oven warmed up. Through the window at the back of the main tea room he can be seen passing by the windows doing other idle work. Finding wood to put in the brick oven, washing his hands, fetching water, and once done he seems to stink off into a corner to peel some fruit until an order is requested.

She inclined her head deeply, her voice carrying a tone both sincere and apologetic. "Please forgive his unseemly directness," She remained in her bow, still and composed, "I offer my most sincere apology."

Straightening only slightly, she continued with quiet care. "If you are seeking a peaceful place for yourself, our small lounge is presently unoccupied. There, you would remain undisturbed."

With a gentle motion, she indicated the narrow corridor to the right of the entrance. "And should you wish for tea, I would recommend Junshan Yinzhen ((the Silver Needle yellow tea)). It is delicate, sweet, yet quietly refined."

"Can you add some honey with it? And... Mhh... Fruits and some... Rice crackers?" she inquiries eagerly. "I will have them on the terrace near the pond if you don't mind? In case inspiration returns..."

"Of course. With pleasure." She guided her guest out onto the terrace, each step a quiet flow of measured grace. Then she answered the guest's question regarding Fang.

"He has only recently begun working here as a Chef. Though he speaks in a rather direct manner, his meals are rich in temperament, robust in appearance, yet tender at heart. It seems to reflect his character".
As they reached the intended place, she slowed her steps and turned slightly toward her guest. she inclined her head once more in quiet conclusion.

"Is that so? Then, maybe of a plate of simple fruits, I may order a dessert to compare? I wonder if his core is sweeter, once you get used to his bold first flavours."

She sat on at the table closest to the pond, putting her guqin and konghou down near her and playing pulling a few strings randomly as she waited.

"So... A new stage here? I can see myself coming often, unless a certain someone dislikes my notes. Oooor.. Maybe it would be a good reason to stay longer" she chuckled, looking at the roof, in case the ghost she saw last time returned.

She gave a small nod and set to work at once. Stepping inside, she first began to heat the water, moving with quiet efficiency. Then she knocked twice, lightly, against the inner wooden window frame. It had almost become a habit, she realized, a small way of drawing his attention.

"Our guest would like a small plate of simple fruits," she said, "and perhaps a dessert later. If you are able to prepare it that would be most appreciated." She delivered the order with polite composure, yet as a simple fact. A guest's wishes, after all, were to be fulfilled. She placed a fine tray upon the wooden ledge by the window, arranging it so they might prepare everything together with ease.

Waiting for her tea and snacks, You Yun continued to graze her guqin's strings until a chord got her attention. She emitted a little "Huh?" of curiosity, looking at the instrument as if it just did something unexpected, and start exploring the musical path further.

Fang perks up from his focus on cutting and peeling "Thankfully I am already working on one of those." With expert method he pushes the cut of the blade between skin and inner flesh of the apple in his hand, easily making his way around the entirety of it. "M'not really a desert guy but I can give it a try." Once the apple is all skinned he starts cutting it into thin slices. "Just any kind of desert is good?" He asks with a curious puppy like tilt of his head.

"Something with a sweet filling…"

There was a brief hesitation in her voice, as though she meant to say more, but in the end, she let the thought remain unspoken. She then began the careful preparation of the tea. A Yixing teapot was set in place, along with a matching cup, each aligned with practiced precision. She rinsed the Junshan Yinzhen leaves with warm water, using that brief infusion to cleanse and gently warm the cup as well. Before long, the water had reached its proper temperature. She had chosen young leaves, knowing her guest preferred a sweeter note; their tender leaves already carried a faint honeyed fragrance. The water, however, must never boil, indeed, it was kept well below that point, for such a tea required a gentler touch.

When all was ready, she poured. The leaves stirred beneath the flow, slowly unfurling and releasing their delicate aroma. As the tea rested for a moment, she placed a few rice crackers neatly upon the tray.

While Fang finished preparing the dish, the tea had already finished steeping. She removed the vessel in which the leaves had rested and carried the tray, together with the rice crackers, to the guest's table.

She bowed once, deep and composed, before setting the tray down. With a smooth, unhurried motion, she filled the cup. A clear, pale golden hue shimmered within it. A gentle aroma of blossoms and fresh hay rose into the air, followed by a subtle sweetness of honey waiting beneath. On the palate, the notes unfolded softly yet with clarity..

Upon the tray also rested a small bowl of golden honey, offered should the guest desire a touch more sweetness.

"If thats the only requirement then I've got it." He informs and goes about cutting up a few other fruits such as citrus and some berry like options. There is two different plates in front of him and he places his completed works on one and unusable bits on the other. Once done he rises from his seat and heads over to the cabinets pulling out some cinnamon and brown sugar, mixed nuts, and what seems to be a goat cheese. Taking them over to his table he places them them down then goes back to the food storage once more to take out a half full bag of rice. Going over to the cabinets on the opposite side of the kitchen he gets out a large deep pan with a lid and taking it along with a large bowl he fills both with the water he fetched earlier. Pouring the rice into the bowl he goes about washing it thoroughly, draining it, and then putting it into the pot on the stove to cook and soften with a divider in between so that the rice is steamed and not boiled.

Padding back over to the table he goes about cracking open and chopping up the nuts first then with everything ready he goes over to nab a small bowl and a spoon. Placing it in front of him he adds the creamy goats cheese In along with the cinnamon and sugar to whip and mix up well. The next step he is adding the chopped nuts and thin apple slices to mix up and by the time he is finished he gets up and checks the rice which seems to be ready. Moving it off the heat he carefully pours out the excess water and then taking the rice with the divider he plops it into a bowl to cool. As he does so he gets some seaweed and some mixed seed before taking both over to the table. Sitting down he mixes the mixed seed into the sticky rice then goes about making some riceballs with the filling he made and a thin strip of seaweed used for each one so they would be easier to hold. They come out a bit misshapen but they aren't horribly unappealing to look at and he places them in a row neatly next to the other chopped fruits.

Finally complete he gets up to take the plate over to the nosy customer from before. Placing it down in front of them he places a hand on his hip and scowls "I don't know much about deserts so this is as close as I can make for you. If you dont like it then just dont eat it." He remarks before whipping around and heading back to the open air kitchen that was wide open for the terrace to see.

You Yun was absorbed into her thoughts, pulling string almost hesitantly, trying notes by instinct, sometimes grimacing when one echoed off-tuned as if she had just walked over a painfully pointed pebble. She was alternating between her journal and her instrument, noting down chords she liked and realized she had been served when the sweet fragrance of Junshan Yinzhen tea came into her nose. "Mhh? Mhhhh~" she simply made, abandoning the Guqin to watch Kaena fills her cup.

"Thank you. Do you mind sharing a cup with me?" she asked, already picking a rice cracker she dipped into the bowl of honey before biting it, closing her eyes to enjoy the syrupy, very sweet treat. She eventually got dragged back to the instant by some scowling voice. "Sorry, what? Oh!" Blinking a few times, she examined the newly creation, those nutty rice balls and fresh goat cheese with fruits. Her eyes sparkled even more and she could not help but clap in her hands from excitation. "It would be a pity to waste all the ingredients used to make this! I will try to force myself eating everything to the last bit. Fortunately, there is tea to clean my palate if the dessert tastes like a nightmare" she teased as the cook returned to his workplace. "You said he was going to work here starting now? Well... Let's see what this Chef is worth..."

She had a bite, her eyes silently widening when the flavours hit. She wasn't expecting to find such a harmonious blend of flavors, sugar, cinnamon and fresh apples balancing the cheese goat, nuts giving more texture and crunchiness to her improvised dessert. She continued chewing, trying not to show how much she was enjoying it, but it was no use, her sweet tooth being way too visible.

"I... do hope dying crows and crying cats
Won't cause your chef and I to spat
I may come here more often...
Just to check if his mood soften!"

Yuhang goes about cleaning up the remnants of the fruit and nuts putting them in an old cheap tweed bag to put in compost later then he takes up all of the used dishes, using the left over rice and filling mix to make himself a rice ball for his breakfast. Initially the peeled fruit had been for his breakafst but he supposes this isn't bad either, he didnt have much of sweet tooth at all but it was still fulfilling to his empty stomach. After his meal he goes about using the rest of the water he gathered before to clean the dishes and then drying them with a dry cloth.

When they were all cleaned and dried he packs them away before going and restoking the fire in the oven. Picking up the water bucket he walks towards Kaena's direction "Gonna go dump this and refill." he says in passing taking a brief moment to listen and see if he could tell if the customer liked it or not. Truthfully it was a recipe he made up on the fly, the riceball filling mixture was just some things he figured would compliment each other, not overly sweet but still flavorful. Despite how he acted he was still interested to know if they liked it.

Kaena waited until Fang had finished serving, her head slightly lowered in quiet patience. Only then did she answer, her voice polite. "If it is your wish, I would gladly keep you company." She slipped inside to fetch another cup and, after offering a small bow, joined Ye Yu at the table.

You Yun was eagerly eating her desserts when Fang returned to her table. In fact, she was looking like a starving hamster, cheeks full of rice and nutty cheese cream. When the cook arrived at her table, she froze, slowly turning her head away before finishing to chew and swallow her bite. Trying to appear a bit elegant again, she took her cup and sipped her tea, looking at her already more than half empty bowl and plate.

"Fortunately, I haven't lost my appetite" she commented."It is edible. Mostly thanks to Miss Kaena delicious beverage, it compliments so well the food, this faint fragrance of honey..."

She took another rice cracker and dipped it in the cheese cream, using it as a crunchy edible spoon.

At the reaction a smirk spreads across the usually angry visage and its followed my a confident and yet amused snort. "I'll be back." he continues on, takinging the extra large bucket out to the grass and dumping the dirty dish water. Rinsing it well he fills it up with clean water from the manual pump and carries it back carefully, he sort of comically looks like a wadding penguin as he does so.

There wasn't much to clean on You Yun's dishes. Indeed, she thoroughly emptied them, even discreetly licking the bowl when Fang was away and Kaena not looking. When the chef waddled back with his bucket of water, she almost gave in the temptation to ask for a second serving but her so light purse reminded her how broke she was. Hand half-raised, she awkwardly put it back on her Guqin, pretending to be reaching for her instrument she pulled back on her lap, resuming her musical exploration while licking the last traces of goat cheese from her lips.

"... ...If... If there are leftovers, don't throw them away!" she eventually let out.

Fang doesn't pay much mind to his surroundings by the looks of it but then again it never looks like he does unless someone has provoked him enough. Keen hearing doesn;t let him ignore the sounds of the instrument though, and he is pleased to find it is tuned well and carries a nice melodic vibration on the wind. The moody man goes about doing some menial tasks around the kitchen again only seeming to come out of his focus when he hears the voice from before.

"I ate it all." he flatly states despite his words he does go back over to the cabinet and takes out some more fruits to peel at least. "Sure packed that away quick." his tone carries a teasing lilt as he calls out from his station. Grabbing two plates and the knife he used previously he goes about peeling them experly as before. "You a traveling musician?" he questions, it would make sense if they were putting the stage in if they were here for that reason.

She sat quietly with Ye Yu at the table. It was a pleasure to see that Fang's creations were received with such appreciation. Having been invited to join, she first refilled Ye Yu's cup before pouring one for herself. As the play of notes continued, she lifted her cup with both hands and took a small sip. The floral sweetness unfolded at once, gentle and comforting.

She did not insert herself into the conversation between the two, yet she listened with open attention, present, but reserved. Curious in a quiet and measured way.

"Me? A musician? I indeed am traveling! As for musician, I do own those instruments, but... Depending on what I do with them, it can either be a robin singing or a cat being slaughtered" she giggled, forgetting for a time she wanted to pretend not liking him. "I still do pretend to know a few melodies that won't make your ears bleed. Almost!"

She caressed the strings tenderly, like one could do with their cat or their lover's hair.

"Music is how I speak the best
Translating emotions in my chest
It's not always an easy quest!"

Gulping the cup Kaena just pourred her -all that sweet made her thirsty-, she made another honey-dipped cracker and munched on it.

"Sho you are che new chef alound?" she tried to speak, before swallowing. "Hmpf! Are you a sedentary cook?"

As Fang listens to her speak he breezes through his peeling and has a plate full and ready. Picking it up he brings it over and gently sets it on the table. Theres an array of fruits both imported and native to pick from, seems he even did enough for Kaena to have some. "My brother used to have a woman he was infatuated with that played the same instrument, he would drag me to her performances as an excuse to see her to my parents. The notes she played always sounded dry, scratchy, and flat; you're better than her at least." It seems like he was trying to give a compliment without directly giving one.

Crossing his arms over his chest his scowl is right back on his face "I sure hope if someone is in the kitchen of a tea house that they're the cook." He snarks "I normally don't sit but I hadn't eat before coming in so I just sat down to peel. I get up early to train so I didn't have time before the tea house opened."

"Don't underestimate me. I can be a lethal artist too! I can make the most terrible, out of tuned notes you ever heard in your life. Even a banshee's scream would sounds like a lullaby next to me! Well... I hope so, once I'll have mastered the Spectral Harpist technique..."

She picked a slice of what looked like a citrus and dipped it in honey before swallowing it whole.

"Aren't the kitchen open to anyone?" she asked, remembering her recurring trips behind the teahouse's counter to snatch some rice crackers when Kaena wasn't around. "Or was it before you arrived? Where were you before? Did you just arrived here? Are you staying for some time? How should one address you? Is that a yellow melon? A brother you said? Did he confess his love? Is his story a happy ending?"

"Well...try not to do that too much." he trails off and the motions over his shoulder with his thumb to the spot he had been working at. "That part was added in after I started, if you do use it just make sure you clean up." he actually wasn't sure if that part was free use or not but Fang kept it clean and organized like it was his. After answering the first question his frown deepens and he seems to get overwhelmed by the brarrage of questions.

"Looks like I opened the flood gates." a hand comes up to pinch the bridge of his nose as if to stave off an incoming headache. "You can just call me Fang." he informs simply. "You sure are nosy, Did your parents not teach you it wasn't nice to pry into people's business?" turning his head slightly in Kaena's direction he seems to be pleading for assistance silently.

Kaena sat in her usual upright manner and listened openly to Ye Yu's lively words. Her expression held no judgment, only steady kindness. She noticed Fang turning slightly toward her. She herself had not been here for very long either, though longer than Fang had. She inclined her head briefly.

"I have not been assisting here for very long. Lady Sun Li offered me this role, I believe so that I might have something to occupy my time during my stay. Whether it is customary for everyone to serve themselves, I cannot say. I was instructed in my duties and I carry them out willingly."

She seemed to consider her words for a moment, her gaze resting on Fang.

"I am glad to share my thoughts on various matters, if that is desired. However, the personal questions our honored guest has directed at you, Fang, I am not in a position to answer."

"Better nosy than oblivious
As long as I don't make a fuss
Why would I stop myself from it?
Talking is how new friends you meet!" she sang, tossing another overly sugary piece of fruit. Was she preparing for hibernation?

"How am I going to meet my lover
If I'm afraid to come talking over?
How am I going to make a living
If all life surprises I am dismissing?"

She poured herself another cup of tea, refilling Kaena's one before looking around to serve Fang too. Finding none, she pushed her own towards him and simply poured a stream of lukewarm tea from the pot into her mouth, like a real tea drunkard.

"Mother did not have much success in getting her ideas into my thick skull, I suppose? I prefer life's teaching instead! For example...
If you want a free melon,
Be prepared to be called a felon!"

With a deep breath he mentally notes it probably wouldn't be a great Idea to ask for help in escaping conversation from Kaena again. Sharp brows furrow with confusion and mild disgust as he hears a cup being pushed towards him as well as the tea being poured directly into a mouth and for one of the few times in his life, he is glad he can't see the crime being commited. Fang certainly wasnt one for being all prim and proper, actively going against it, but that last bit felt a bit far even for him. Pushing the cup back in her direction he does feel refreshed that at least someone else around here wasn't so noble-mannered and frigid.

"I suppose you do make a point there, but it still isn't good. What if I told you about my past but I had to kill you afterward since you would know too much?" it was just a jest, but he was curious of the answer she would give. "Curiosity killed the cat right?"

A faint smile curved her lips as Ye Yu improvised her little song.

Yet the moment she lifted the pot and drank directly from it, the smile faded. Her features settled into composed neutrality, though a subtle ripple passed through her frame, barely perceptible, yet present. Indeed, there were smaller teapots from which one might properly drink. But from the large vessel itself… she found it quietly unsettling. Normally, one would have a personal pot of one's own if one prefers to drink right out of it. She gently pushed the thought aside returning her focus to the task at hand.

She inclined her head in gratitude and instead sipped from the cup that had been poured for her. "Forgive me, I must attend to my duties." Rising gracefully, she offered another bow. "Should you require anything, I remain at your service."

"Of course, of course!
Thanks for your company,
Drinking alone, what a pity!
No one to talk, there's nothing worse."

Then, returning to her discussion with the new chef, she thought for a time before answering honestly:

"Better die with my thirst quenched
Than living dreaming to drench.
Yet I would expect warnings
If there was possible harming!"

"... And even so, how would you kill me? Trying to choke me on your nuts?" she laughed.

Yuhang listens to her song-like words and his brow remains deeply furrowed with confusion, more so on how to respond to it all, and the urge to escape from the situation is at boiling point. "Quit with that!" he finally snaps, his arms unfolding to clench at his sides. The blind man's face is contorted with rage and his cheeks flare with crimson and it even dusts the tips of his ears and the back of his neck.

Closed eyes fly open as if trying to emphasise the seriousness of what he was trying to say, the icy blue orbs are some how foggy but clear at the same time like a starry sky on an overcast night. "Choke you with--?!" he flounders like a fish out of water on how to react. "Whatever! Who'd bother to kill you anyway!" he quickly turns heel and escapes back to his station like an upset child.

She looked at her guqin, asking the instrument :

"Did I strike a chord, you think?
Between that man and nuts, what could be the link?
He did burst open, of an eye in a blink
Yet...
One can see starry skies every time he winks."

Carefully packing her belongings, securing the Guqin on her back, she emptied the rest of the teapot in her mouth, put all the remaining rice crackers and slices of fruits in her bag then returned to the entrance to pay her bill.... or leave if nobody ask her anything. "Maybe it will be on the house?" she wondered.

Kaena receives her at the entrance and offers a polite bow. "I hope everything was to your satisfaction and thank you for the musical entertainment. You are truly talented." Her voice carries no flattery, only sincerity, clear and unfeigned. She then moves behind the counter, appearing to check something. It takes her a short while. In the quiet, the faint clacking of small counting stones can be heard as she works through the calculation.

"Twenty-five wen, please."

You Yun looked at her purse. The little goose shaped pouch had seen better days, now being quite flat. She pulled out the requested coins and put them on the counter.

"Musical entertainment? Oh, this? It was merely practicing and improvisation, nothing we can call music nor anything talented, truly! No need for such flattery, I'll return for the sweet teas and the cook nonetheless. Maybe next time, I'll ask for something spicy?" she said loud enough for her voice to be heard from the kitchen. "I'm looking forward to see this stage you talked about". She bow slightly and left the teahouse.