"Hm. I believe what you were thinking of more so is along the lines of a courtship, then. Dates don't really have an end goal." For the most part. They are what you make them to be.
Stalling as well. "Ah—" He hadn't entirely anticipated that Kija would comment on that (although that was incredibly rude).
Maybe the word slipped and he hadn't been thinking much on it?
"W-Well I was just teasing," he finally replied. Teasing. Yes, that was right.