So we have my birthday dinner.
The children gift me with a yukata, Makoto not looking at me has she hands over the yukata and obi, Tsutomu-kun more straightforward in presenting the matching footwear. “Thank you both – I don’t have much that fits me these days!” I reward both with a kiss on top of the head, which surprises both of them. Tomorrow I’ll have a talk with my daughter.
Then we eat. The children eating as little as possible, waiting for the cake… and even though Hajime sits by me, he’s a million miles away. “Eat,” I say, softly. I feel the eyes of Yukiko-san and Eiji-san on us. Did she tell him what happened today?
Does he know that man?
Another Year Older, But Not Wiser
7 thoughts on “Another Year Older, But Not Wiser”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
“Thank you both – I don’t have much that fits me these days!”
I watch and smoke as the children give the gifts to Hide including the maternity obi. The lady who managed the store let me know it should help her lower back in case she experiences discomfort doing housework. I’m glad that the gift giving went through without a hitch. That’s good.
Eat
“Mmm…” She’s right. I reach over for some somen. Not quite like the zaru soba but it’s still good. I suppose I just don’t have much of an appetite but I try to have something.
I look her over, she’s hardly touching her food either, more pre-occupied with watching our companions. I reach over and start picking apart one of the fish and place it on her plate. I wonder if beef is good for our baby? It’s full of protein isn’t it? I reach into the Nabe pot and find a nice lean piece and put that too on her plate.
“I think I’ll go back to work tomorrow.” I tell her. I had planned to stay at home for another week but now with this development, I may need to get ahead of the work in the precinct and check up on certain things so that this new issue doesn’t impede on my work. Besides I may need to leverage police resources again but would she agree to it?
My eyes settle on Tsutomu, although he brushed off that man he and I should have a talk. I’m not sure how to broach it, much less come across as hindering his freedom. He does not need to know who this man is to his mother. Tokio would openly berate Hide and I, but when it came to this man I conveniently told myself I didn’ t know the nature of their relationship, perhaps it was an excuse? To spare myself from fighting a man whom my wife was seeing, since I already gave up and simply stayed in the house because I had nowhere else better to go until Hiroaki set me straight.
I look at Eiji who is stealing glances at Hide and I and Yukiko is doing the same. I take a long drag on my cigarette. Will Kinosuke or Eiji be more useful as an escort to Yukiko and the children to and from school?
I’m waffling at details…
For a moment I think back to something Kondou-san told me a long time ago before Kyoto, that he married his wife because someone told him that a wife can help ease the troubles of a man. Although of course I also know of his eventual indiscretion in Kyoto. I am partial of course to his wife Tsune as this was the woman who I was indebted to.
But is putting more on Hide’s plate a good thing? She already tells me she doesn’t understand or know anything. She can’t handle anymore. It’s probably a blessing she’s likely going to stay home from now on. But that never was what I wanted for her. Not after the wilderness.
Throughout all this, I can see him frantically thinking. The way he’s abandoned his food again and the smoke furiously rising from above his head… He doesn’t know that I know. And I’m already thinking of ways to help him. I know he won’t ask anyone here. That’s the way he is. But that’s the way he was the last time he almost got himself killed.
“Thank you for the food Yagi-san.” I tell her and raise my bowl. “The noodles are a much better match than the nabe on grilled fish! Don’t you agree Yukiko?” I smile at her and she nods and manages a smile.
“Tomu, I hear you won.” I laugh a little, “To be honest I thought you were going to lose because how did you find time to practice, what with the Akabeko.”
“Well you know I think I have a natural born talent.” He grins at me, obviously joking.
I nod, “Well I think you know who you get it from.”
Tsutomu stops for a moment and I’m concerned his mood may turn sour but instead, “Well Eiji-nii-san, even if you didn’t have “my heritage”, you could’ve practiced till you got good.”
“No no. I’m in the army and these days in the army very few use swords these days. We’re all trained in firearms.”
“Oh! That would be good to see Nii-san.”
“No. Only for important occasions.” I tell him seriously. “It’s not a toy you know.”
“Feh…”
It’s then that Kinosuke-san joins us. I watch as he sits by Yukiko, but that’s okay for now I’ll put my plans aside.
(Hide)
I take the beef Hajime puts on my plate. “Thank you,” I say, quietly. I hadn’t been eating. Beef isn’t my favorite but it’s said to make for strong blood, I think?
I don’t miss Yukiko-san looking at me. I feel bad, she’s had a bad day – first her shock this morning, and then she was there to see what the caped man did and what it did to all of us.
I think I’ll go back to work tomorrow
Under the table I take his hand, and ask in a low voice. “Day-to-day or away again?” I knew this week and a half was a long time, for him. But I’d hoped when it was time to go, we’d be in a good place, so he wouldn’t worry about us? About me? But I do smile a little at him, because I know what his work means to him. It’s good that he wants to go back, right? I squeeze his hand before getting to what the children want – the cake.
(Makoto)
Hahaue FINALLY gets to the cake. “Now we’re not going to have a repeat of Tsutomu-kun’s birthday – -one- slice each tonight, the rest will keep until tomorrow.” She smiles, and I look over at Tsutomu-niisan. “So we can have cake for breakfast,” I whisper, with a giggle. But she gives some of -our- cake to Eiji-niisan and Yukiko-san too!
Hahaue gets up, and says that she’ll make coffee, and bring me milk. I frown. I want coffee too! Maybe one of my brothers will share?
And she liked the yukata. I look over at chichiue, who’s smoking. Does he know… he found the bag so…
(OOC – Hide has left for the kitchen)
Hajime:
I feel her hand touch mine under the table. I hold it briefly.
“Day-to-day or away again?”
I wouldn’t leave in this state or at least that’s what I’d like to think. Thankfully that’s not the case. “Just day to day. I wasn’t scheduled to return to work until Next Monday but…” I don’t finish. It’s fairly obvious the events of today now requires some pre-planning both for my work and this menace. At least that leaves me free of a schedule this week, I can go drop by in that part of town. The dojo, the restaurant and I have to find out where -he- is.
She leaves to go get the cake and I can only watch. At least the kids are distracted by the sweets.
For some odd reason I reach out to taste the cake that Tsutomu is digging into and chew it slowly in my mouth. Wasn’t this supposed to be sweet?
“Now we’re not going to have a repeat of Tsutomu-kun’s birthday – -one- slice each tonight, the rest will keep until tomorrow.” “So we can have cake for breakfast,”
I glance at my daughter with a -firm- look. I don’t like the way that sounded even if it was likely meant as a joke. But I can’t bring myself to say anything, tomorrow I will address this.
Tsutomu:
Makoto’s mother brings the coffee and I grin as I see Makoto-chan is still with the milk. I’m not sharing mine, coffee is for big boys. For -men- actually.
Then I see him take a glance at Makoto-chan. He has that annoyed look on his face that I’ve seen many times.
“That man with the cape is no longer with us.” I sigh and drink my coffee, “He’s gone along with that stupid “Himura” and that annoying kid of his.” I don’t say anything about Kaoru-san though, she seemed nice. We should just enjoy the cake. “The chocolate cake is good. I’m going to try the white one.” I’m not about to stop with only one slice so I reach out casually for it.
(Makoto)
Chichiue gives me a look and I know I’m in trouble….
But Tsutomu-kun starts talking about the man with the cape! I thought his cape was very cool. And Himura? That’s Kenji-kun’s dad! And -then- he says that Kenji-kun is annoying. Well, yeah, he is! But he is a boy.
Oh! There are two kinds of cake. “Can I have some of that?” Fruit is healthy for children, that’s what they say at school. I don’t look at Chichiue. Either I’m mad at everyone or everyone is mad at me. Well, except for my brothers, and Yukiko-san. And I don’t think Kinosuke-san gets mad? Oh! He’s eating TWO pieces of cake!
(Hide)
Just day to day. I wasn’t scheduled to return to work until Next Monday but…
He’s telling me -something- of what he’s doing, and holds my hand. I have to take that. He says that he meant to take more time at … I understand. He’s a man of action, and the times now demand it.
I smile as I return with the coffee, and the looks exchanged between Makoto and Tsutomu-kun. This is different than how I was with my brothers – but I was the older sister, and had a lot to do with raising them.
Both of them vie for another slice of cake but I close the box. “One slice. You both have school tomorrow, and sweets make it hard to sleep.” I smile. “That goes for the adults, too.” I notice that Kinosuke-san is on his second slice…
I didn’t have any myself. I don’t feel like cake, after today – it’s not been much of a birthday. I start gathering the dinner plates. At least I have had my family with me.
Saitou:
“One slice. You both have school tomorrow, and sweets make it hard to sleep.” “That goes for the adults, too.”
I take that as my cue and stand up. It just turned dark out and there’s no more light except for the lone one by the kitchen door.
“I think I’ll call it a night.” For a moment I look at the fire but it seems to have fizzled out. -Good-. I’ll deal with Makoto tomorrow. I can’t today or it will go badly.
(OOC: Saitou exits to retire upstairs.)
Eiji:
Geez otou-san. I almost sigh as he just -leaves-. Standing up immediately, I start cleaning up.
“Yagi-san, leave the cleaning to us! It’s would be a shame if you had to clean up after us too.” I bump my fist against my chest. I look at Yukiko and then at the two children.
“Yukiko will take care of getting the children to bed.” Yuki smiles at her but has mostly been quiet. But as soon as I said that, she rounded up the children.
And what about Kinosuke? He’s good at eating cake apparently but I can’t think of anything for him to do…
Ah!
“Kinosuke will make sure everything is locked up after I leave.”
“Please leave everything to us!” I bow.
(Hide)
Eiji-san seems to … manage everything? I smile. He is a good young man.
“Thank you all again for a special birthday dinner, and in celebrating Tsutomu-kun’s big day. And to Tsutomu-kun and Makoto-chan for the gift.” I take the items and stand. I return Yukiko-san’s smile, and stop by where she stands as I exit.
I look up at the window upstairs, then go into the house.
(Hide will go upstairs, you may close)
I turn to Kinosuke. “Now how about helping me wash the dishes?” He makes a face as if he’s never done that before but I know from what Yukiko told me, he’d never say no.
(OOC: Close)