It had taken him longer than she had expected it would.
Popil made sure to take off his shoes before he entered her house, he had been studying the culture for a while now and he knew she would notice.
He smiled when he saw her smile.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said calmly.
"No, you are not. Please, come" she replied guiding him. "May I get you a drink, Inspector?"
"Just Popil, or Pascal, I'm not an inspector here. And yes, water, please"
He was exactly as she remembered, polite and a little shy around her. "It's a beautiful place"
"Thank you" She moved to the kitchen quickly. "What brings you to Hiroshima, Popil?"
He was blushing when she handed him the glass of water. "I've come to see you, you left Paris quite suddenly"
She watched patiently as he avoided the subject, Murasaki felt a little thankful for such. She lost something in Paris she still wasn't prepared to talk about.
Lady Murasaki smiled politely at him, her hands in her sleeves. "Sit with me and tell me about your trip. How is Hiroshima treating you?"
They walked together to the living room, the air somehow lighter than it had ever been between than in Paris.
Perhaps this could go somewhere good. Just perhaps.