It is indeed, somehow 'less embarrassing'. For a moment he blinks rather owlishly at the frog, before laughing rather warmly. If she's a frog it'll just look like he took the ride...mostly alone right? Yeah, probably.

Scratching his head awkwardly, he thus relents. "Very well...you have insisted enough!" he declares, carefully trotting into the boat properly. "...I, the man Gongenzaka, suppose you may make yourself comfortable..." He's covered in leaves and you're a frog. It's probably a soft seat.