Hajime:
We sit on the bench that early morning and I hold his injured hand inspecting it. Hide did in fact do a good job but of course she likely cared for her younger brothers.
“It doesn’t hurt?” I ask him again.
“No chichi-ue.” He looks up at me with those clear eyes.
I let his hand go. “What did you tell your father?”
“I told Otou-san, I hurt it while Ani-ue and I were sparring.”
Tilting my head I look at him, “That’s not the way to treat your father. You should respect and trust him enough to tell him the truth.”
But my son looks away. “I didn’t want Tsutomu-nii to get in trouble.”
“I’m sure Namuzawa wouldn’t dare to do anything to Tsutomu.” I remind him, “Were you afraid of something else?”
“No. I just don’t like to cause trouble.” Then he looks up at me, “Otou-san wants to make sure everything is perfect.”
I suppose it’s better to leave this as is for now. “I understand.” I ruffle his hair, “And I want to thank you for trying to protect Hide and the baby.”
“Of course!” He suddenly brightens up. “I want to protect those who love you chichi-ue.”
“Oh you think she loves me?” I grin and finally light my first cigarette of the day.
“Don’t you think so chichi–ue?”
I let out a chuckle, “I think she does, after all you’ll have a sister soon. Or brother.”
“Sister. And I’ll think of a name.”
I shake my head and stand up, “I have to go to work now Yoshi.”
“Have a good day at work chichi-ue.” He smiles and for a moment I wish I could spend more time with him. That he could stay here with us.
(OOC: Time will move on to mid-afternoon and Tsuyoshi will post)
Tsuyoshi:
It’s mid-afternoon and Tsutomu-nii has stayed in his room for most of the day. I guess he’s avoiding me or avoiding all of us? He made himself scarce the entire morning and then disappeared after lunch. I’d go in his room but I know just like Yagi-san said, he probably feels bad. I wish there was something I could do but Otou-san and I will leave this Saturday already… And I know he’ll be lonely even if he won’t show it. Makoto seems nice to him but there’s only so much a little sister can do… Nor a little brother but I AM much older than Makoto-chan!
I know! Maybe I can find his friends at school!
Who were his friends? I only remember Kai-san…
Wait… How about that girl? Midori isn’t it?
Makoto-chan knows Midori-san!
I run into the house. I need to find Makoto-chan, she was in the letter. I’m sure she knows Midori!
(OOC: Makoto can drop in)
I have so many chores to do and it gets in the way of keeping an eye on Tsuyoshi-kun and making sure he doesn’t steal the baby!
I asked Yukiko-san earlier today how the baby gets out and she turned red and said to ask my mother!
UGH. I just want to be ready in case he tries something.
Oh, there he is. “Oh, hello Tsuyoshi-niisan. What are you doing?” Part of watching someone is to act like you’re -not- watching someone.
One day I’m going to be great in the police, just like Auntie Saya!
“Oh, hello Tsuyoshi-niisan. What are you doing?”
I pull Makoto-chan to the side, after making sure we can’t be seen by -anyone-.
“Hey Makoto-chan. I need your help.” I whisper, “You know Midori-san right? Can you take me to her?”
Of course I know how to get to the school but I don’t know what Midori-san looks like nor which building she’s at. But I think she’s probably Tsutomu-nii-san’s special friend. If I can get her to come here to visit… Then everything will be solved!
Hey Makoto-chan. I need your help. You know Midori-san right? Can you take me to her?
He pulls me over and I think that he’s going to -confess-!
But he wants to go to school to see Midori-san?
“We’re out on break right now but she -lives- there!” I tell him. “Her family lives far far away.” At least, that’s what I heard.
But should I help him? It will keep him away from Hahaue for a while. But maybe it’s all a trap. I should keep watching him.
“Okay.” But does he want to sneak?
“We’re out on break right now but she -lives- there!” I tell him. “Her family lives far far away.”
“Oh that’s perfect.”I tell Makoto-chan, “Then she’ll want more friends and to visit friends. She’s nice right?”
I pull on her hand as we get to the gate, “We’ll go out real quick and no one will have to know, especially Ani-ue.”
“Ready to go? Don’t worry we’ll get back here real quick.”
(OOC: You can move them along to the school that is if Makoto actually agrees)
We go to the school and it’s so quiet! There’s usually so many other kids here but today there’s nobody.
“I think the big girls stay in this building,” I tell him. “All the way upstairs.” I’ve heard the one with the round face that’s Sakaya-san’s friend complaining about it.
The door is unlocked to the building and we go up, up. “Don’t tell anyone you’re here,” I giggle. “This is a girl’s building, no boys!”
In the hall there’s some doors – “there’s names on them!” I say. Oh no, there’s Sakaya-san’s room… I hope she’s not home. I get closer to Tsuyoshi-niisan. He maybe is a baby-stealer but he wouldn’t let her hurt me, right?
But it’s very quiet!
I knock on the door with Midori-san’s name on it… no answer? The door pushes open. Her room is very, very tidy.
And she’s not there.
“I don’t know why she’s gone?” I look back at my brother.
We get to the school and Makoto knows the way!
“Don’t tell anyone you’re here,” I giggle. “This is a girl’s building, no boys!”
She found Midori-san’s room and knocks but there’s no answer and then she goes inside!
“Great job little sister!” I tell her. “It’s okay we’ll just stay here a while until she gets back. You said she was nice right?”
It’s a very tidy room like how I’m asked to keep my room neat at Otou-san’s.
We sit together to wait a while. “So do you like Midori-san?”
(OOC: I’ll post in another thread – after I check on dad and leave this one for later when everyone finds the two of them).