She finally left….
Tsurumi-chan has been in a very good mood lately, as she’s been invited to tea many times lately by a prominent Aizu family. She treats it as a great honor as they are very properly Japanese and are well-ranking. Or were. Aren’t we all the same now?
But I had to wait until she was occupied before taking Makoto-chan and Yagi-san’s kind invitation, as I think that bringing her along would be… a bit of a disaster. She’d either chide me about Tsutomu-kun or… would she be rude to Yagi-san? Or bother Makoto-chan in her own home? I never know with Tsurumi-chan these days.
And today is the right day, for many reasons.
First I make a stop. My mother expressed, when her letter finally arrived, that I take a gift. I had made a little something for the baby, and make another stop to get something for the entire family. Well, maybe just Makoto. Do boys like Tsutomu-kun even like sweets?
Ah her letter… it takes so long, by sea, for word to go back and forth. The government said ten years ago there would be a train by now, and telegrams. But nobody’s started yet, over the mountains and rocks to the seaside towns… even to Niigata, which is becoming an important trading port.
The air is finally starting to get cooler. Like home, where the sea breeze flowed from across the ocean, from Korea and China and Russia, lands of snow and ice. But it’s been so long… I shake my head, and pay attention to the streets. It’s not too far from the school, and it’s nice to be in a neighborhood of nice Japanese-style houses.
The nameplate says “Yamaguchi”. Wait, isn’t that the name Makoto-chan uses? But her mother is Yagi-san… families are strange. I shrug. After all, I suppose that Fujita-san is still married to Fujita-sensei. That’s what I overheard the teachers say.
I knock on the gate and call out. “Hello?”
(OOC – Anyone can come and let Midori in)
“There’s someone at the gate!” I call downstairs. I can’t see who it is from this vantage point but it seems no one’s paying any attention. Maybe they’re all with that “Yuunosuke”? I sigh and get back into my room swiftly from the roof, then run downstairs straight to the outside.
Maybe it’s Eiji-nii? I haven’t seen him for at least a week!
With a bit of a huff, I throw the gates wide open, with a wide grin on my face. “Did you bring sweets?”
Wait… My eyes go a -little- wide. “Oh it’s you.” I now say evenly, “Umm… Come in. I thought you were my brother.”
What is a girl doing here? Oh wait, perhaps she’s visiting Makoto? “Makoto-chan’s probably inside playing with the baby.” I tell her and close the gates. “Feel free to go inside and find her yourself.”
Did you bring sweets?
He seems happy to see me… no, wait, he thought it was his brother. “This is cake,” I say, holding out the box. “Do you like Mille-Feuille?”
But isn’t his brother in Aizu? That’s what people at school talk about. Apparently it’s a whole thing.
“I was invited to see Makoto, yes. But your brother Tsuyoshi-kun asked me to visit you as well.” I don’t tell Tsutomu-kun that Tsuyoshi-kun said that he didn’t have any friends beyond Kai-kun. I walk in. It’s a nice place, well-cared for… home-like.
Makoto-chan’s probably inside playing with the baby. Feel free to go inside and find her yourself.
“How has she been as a sister? Since it’s a girl and not a boy?” Makoto-chan is one who’s pretty open about sharing her thoughts on certain topics…
Tsutomu:
“Do you like Mille-Feuille?
I lean in and open the top of the box she’s holding slightly.
“Is that a fancy cake? Usually we only get the log shaped ones or the plain square ones.” I smile a little, “You’re a good girl to have brought something. Your mother must’ve taught you good manners.”
I take the cake from her. It would be a shame if she tripped and the cake became the casualty. So I walk with her into the house.
“I was invited to see Makoto, yes. But your brother Tsuyoshi-kun asked me to visit you as well.”
“He’s the meddling sort.” I tell her, “Don’t listen to little boys like him.” I’m still annoyed at how he was in his last visit. Being all samurai-like, being all Nisshin-kan like or whatever obedient Aizu samurai boys are supposed to be. Aren’t you a samurai boy Tsutomu?
“How has she been as a sister? Since it’s a girl and not a boy?”
“She’s adjusting I guess.” I slide the door open with my foot. “Ai-chan is so much more cuter than her…” And I add in a low voice, “But don’t tell her that? It might trigger something because -he- has been paying special attention to the baby.”
Is that a fancy cake? Usually we only get the log shaped ones or the plain square ones.
Is it fancy? “It’s French. The name means ‘a thousand sheets’, and it has lots of flakey layers, and cream, and strawberries.” He smiles a little and I smile back. “I… like desserts a lot.”
He says my mother taught me well. She did… “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her,” I say. But she did say to bring something, in her letter. But a nice cake? My idea.
He’s the meddling sort.” I tell her, “Don’t listen to little boys like him.
“Do little brothers meddle?” I ask, realizing that I sound a little… wistful. I look around. The house is very informal, which surprises me. Fujita-sensei… wait, this isn’t her house? It’s Yagi-san’s.
She’s adjusting I guess. Ai-chan is so much more cuter than her… But don’t tell her that? It might trigger something because -he- has been paying special attention to the baby.”
He’s so serious about that! So I nod. “Everyone says that babies are cute, of course,” I say. I wonder if my siblings were jealous? Doubtful – the oldest were already grown! And “he”? That must be their father… “You should tell her what a good job she’s doing as a big sister. Wouldn’t that help?” I ask. She’s a busy little girl – very active.
“It’s French. The name means ‘a thousand sheets’, and it has lots of flakey layers, and cream, and strawberries.”
“Oh then this must be good.” I guess I’ll go ahead and just take out a few plates and portion it out by, well let’s see, well males eat more and then by female and lastly by age!
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her,” “Do little brothers meddle?”
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. She lives in the dorms so she probably doesn’t see family much. Not that I do either. “All the time. That’s why it’s better he’s in Aizu.” I feign a grin, “If he was here all the time, it’d be so troublesome.”
“You should tell her what a good job she’s doing as a big sister. Wouldn’t that help?”
“I tell her to persevere.” I look at her seriously, “After all this isn’t going to be the first time this is going to happen in her life. It’s best to just be realistic about it and do her best to cope.”
We finally get into the kitchen and i place the cake down in the middle of the table. I wonder where everyone is? Ah wait Yukiko-nee-san said she was going out to the market. She goes almost daily but that’s good because we like fresh ingredients. Fresh food. But where’s Makoto and Yagi-san?
I get out the plates and put 3 servings on my plate, then I put one for Midori and I look in the box. Oh there’s only one piece left. Maybe I can take that one piece and cut it in half and give Makoto-chan and Yagi-san half? I sigh and take one away from my plate, leaving me with just two pieces.
“Well let’s eat!” I say and dig in.
Oh then this must be good
“It is, but the best thing from this shop are the ice cream parfaits.” I nod seriously. But those wouldn’t make it out of the shop. But he seems to like sweets… maybe he’s been before?
He really likes them – he’s eyeing the cake like he’s splitting up a treasure.
All the time. That’s why it’s better he’s in Aizu. If he was here all the time, it’d be so troublesome
His smile is funny… and they were -close-, I could tell from that day in the rain. Two of the Aizu teachers were talking about how Fujita-sensei gave up her younger son to family, a high-status one… “Maybe that’s why he was so urgent to come all the way to the girls’ dorm to find me?”
I tell her to persevere.” I look at her seriously, “After all this isn’t going to be the first time this is going to happen in her life. It’s best to just be realistic about it and do her best to cope.
Persevere… You have to persevere, Yoshi! I heard him say that before.
But before I can tell him that he’s correct, Makoto-chan comes into the room. “Shhh, Niisan. Hahaue just got Ai-chan to go to sleep she was very very fussy. Baby was so fussy that hahaue sent my uncle off to do his government business!” Then she notices me.
“Oh! Midori-san! You came!” She runs up and over to the table. “Cake!” She grins at me. “Is this for your birthday?”
“If your brother doesn’t eat it all,” I tell her. He’s taking over half the cake for himself!
“Watch out he can eat a -whole- cake,” she giggles. I smile at her. It’s nice to visit with a family informally like this.
“Maybe that’s why he was so urgent to come all the way to the girls’ dorm to find me?”
I’m not sure why she’s talking about Yoshi so I shift the conversation to the parfait instead. “You’ll have to tell me where this shop is. Maybe I can bring Kai.” Of course Kai still isn’t speaking to me. Not until he gets his father’s treasure back. But we both know that’s impossible now.
“Shhh, Niisan. Hahaue just got Ai-chan to go to sleep she was very very fussy. Baby was so fussy that hahaue sent my uncle off to do his government business!”
Oh so that’s why there’s like nobody in the house. Oh well. I take a large bite out of my cake but chew it very slowly. I want to enjoy every last morsel…
“Is this for your birthday?”
“If your brother doesn’t eat it all,”
“Watch out he can eat a -whole- cake,
I frown at the two of them. “Hey -not- fair. A grown man eats a lot more than little girls.” Then I look at Midori-san, “And besides, why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday? Then I’d try to give you an extra slice.” But the truth was, why didn’t she bring enough cake? I go ahead and keep eating. “Here let me just take your cake and eat that too.” I reach over to Midori’s plate, “I’ll just buy you a much nicer cake tomorrow after school.”
You’ll have to tell me where this shop is. Maybe I can bring Kai.
I grin a little. “Kai-kun? The big guy? The shop is a little.. frilly. It is Western, after all.” But I give him the address anyway. Some people will do anything for ice cream, and the idea of him sitting on one of those ruffle-covered chairs is a funny one.
And he does like the cake! He looks actually happy while eating it.
Hey -not- fair. A grown man eats a lot more than little girls
“I’m fourteen now,” I tell him, “so I need plenty of cake to stay strong.” He tries to take my piece and I play like I’m going to stab his hand with my fork. “How about Makoto-chan’s cake,” I say. “She’s not even touched it.”
“Nooo!” she giggles, and… licks the top of her piece. “Now you won’t want it!!”
I blink, and then start laughing. I’ve not laughed like this in a while… “Fine, fine, you win,” I say, sliding over -half- of my piece of cake to Tsutomu-kun. After all, they only make the strawberry flavor once a week… and he really wouldn’t buy me a cake, would he?
“Kai-kun? The big guy? The shop is a little.. frilly. It is Western, after all.”
“Yeah him. It’s the big guys that like the cute stuff you know.” Now how to get him to agree… I must make up a plan?
“I’m fourteen now,” I tell him, “so I need plenty of cake to stay strong.”
“You look much older.” I grin as I say that. I know she’s fourteen or at least that’s the average age of people at her class.
She tries to deflect my attention to Makoto-chan’s cake and I was just about to take a stab at it but the girl is too wily for the both of us! And she bursts out laughing and I laugh along with her.
“Fine, fine, you win,”
“I do?” And the cake is miraculously in front of me. “The strawberries are really good.” I tell both of them. “Hey Makoto-chan, all your friends are welcome as long as they bring me cake.” I nod at my little sister.
“And I take back what I said about your friend looking much older. She looks just -fine- for her age.” I laugh and finish up Midori-san’s cake first, because she might change her mind! Then I finish up -my- cake.
I rub my tummy a little. That was good cake. I look at both of the girls.
“So why did you have Midori-san come Makoto-chan? Is she going to tutor you or something? Are you falling behind in school?”
Yeah him. It’s the big guys that like the cute stuff you know
“Is that how it goes?” I’m thoughtful… Tsutomu-kun is tall but not -big-. So does he like cute things?
You look much older
He grins at me and I make a face. “Yes, Tsutomu-senpai.”
The strawberries are really good. Hey Makoto-chan, all your friends are welcome as long as they bring me cake
Makoto-chan nods her agreement, and I answer, “You mean I have to bring cake every time, and I’m not even guaranteed a slice? What sort of inducement is -that-?” I make an exaggerated sigh. It’s fun to be like this… just to be cheerful and in a casual family home.
She looks just -fine- for her age.
“As my senior, Tsutomu-senpai, you’re holding up well yourself, but shouldn’t you older gentlemen watch your intake of sweets?” Makoto laughs at that one, as she finishes her licked cake.
So why did you have Midori-san come Makoto-chan? Is she going to tutor you or something? Are you falling behind in school?
“I’m doing -great- in school, Tsutomu-niisan!” the little girl protests, with icing still on her face. I hand her a napkin. “Alright I had problems with a history test but that’s just old stuff.”
“Well besides your brother’s request, your… stepmother thought it would be good for Makoto-chan to have a visitor. And my mother and Yamaji-sensei agreed that I should get out some. The family that introduced me to Futaba moved last year.” Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gotten out for my birthday… and unlike Tsutomu-kun, I can’t eat an entire cake… but I could have managed a parfait!
“Yes, Tsutomu-senpai.”
I nod at her. “Sempai is -right-.”
“You mean I have to bring cake every time, and I’m not even guaranteed a slice? What sort of inducement is -that-?”
I take another bite of my now almost gone cake. “Well you do get to spend time with my very cute and rambunctious sister.” I pat Makoto-chan’s head.
“As my senior, Tsutomu-senpai, you’re holding up well yourself, but shouldn’t you older gentlemen watch your intake of sweets?
“Older genetlemen who is the school’s best kendo representative, need not be worried about such small matters and instead find ways to encourage their morale and fill them with much energy!” I take one last bite of the cake and hold up my now clean spoon up in the air.
Makoto protests my suspicion, truly I just thought maybe I wasn’t the only one having trouble in school. Misery likes company I guess? “Aww I was just kidding little sister.” I pat her head again.
“Well besides your brother’s request, your… stepmother thought it would be good for Makoto-chan to have a visitor.
“Stepmother?” For a moment I’m taken aback by that word. I blink and look at Midori-san. I never really thought of Yagi-san as a stepmother. I have a mother. Who needs a stepmother? I frown and for a moment I’m tempted to tell Midori – that there’s no need for that woman he has been shacking up with. But I just take a deep breath and remember Midori-san doesn’t know anything about us and she was nice enough to bring cake.
my mother and Yamaji-sensei agreed that I should get out some. The family that introduced me to Futaba moved last year.”
“Oh I’m sorry to hear that.” I tell her. It’s hard to feel abandoned even if it were just strangers. “Well you’re welcome to visit Makoto anytime, and you don’t have to pay a toll either.”
Well you do get to spend time with my very cute and rambunctious sister
Makoto-chan grins at that. “I am very cute!” She nods at me. “I like this more than sewing club, because we would need a LOT of cake for that group!” I know, I tried that once, even just petit-fours… those girls can -eat-…
Older genetlemen who is the school’s best kendo representative, need not be worried about such small matters and instead find ways to encourage their morale and fill them with much energy!
He mentions something else that, like sweets… is something I’m very interested in. “Oh, you do have the multi-school tournament coming up. You and that other boy…” I can’t remember his name, he’s that jerk who came from Genbu and won’t stop talking about it… “are representing our school.” I sigh, dramatically. “I suppose -you- need more cake to bulk up. But not your teammate!”
Stepmother?
He seems surprised… so Fujita-san and Yagi-san… well, yes, there’s different names… but he doesn’t seem offended.
Oh I’m sorry to hear that. Well you’re welcome to visit Makoto anytime, and you don’t have to pay a toll either.”
“-Thanks-,” I answer. “If you can keep this one,” I incline my head to Makoto-chan, ” from -licking- all of the cakes.”
I realize that time has passed. I stand, and take a tissue-wrapped package from my bag. “Makoto-chan, this is a gift to your little sister. Remember you helped me baste together the pieces? I finished the embroidery. It’s a kitten, like you asked.” A little strange, motifs for little girls are usually flowers… “I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet the baby,” and I’m surprised that I sound wistful again. But news of a baby makes me miss my nieces and nephews I’ve not even been able to meet…
“I need to get back before anyone notices that I’m out unescorted, even if I have permission to leave.” I bow. “Fujita-sempai I won’t forget that you -owe- me a cake.”
(OOC – Midori will leave unless stopped, and you may close)
“I am very cute!”
I can’t help but grin a little at that. My little sister -is- very cute -sometimes-.
“Oh, you do have the multi-school tournament coming up. You and that other boy…” “are representing our school.” I sigh, dramatically. “I suppose -you- need more cake to bulk up. But not your teammate!”
I raise an eyebrow at that but then agreeably nod. “I really don’t want to be teaming up with him.” And in fact Makabe sensei already gave me a warning that he might replace me with Kudou but I don’t tell them this. “I’ll be sure to bulk-up Miss.”
I watch as she gives a gift to Makoto for Ai-chan. She really is a well mannered girl isn’t she? I’m glad she brought something for the baby.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet the baby,”
“There’s always next time.” I remind her.
“I need to get back before anyone notices that I’m out unescorted, even if I have permission to leave.”
That’s odd. We live in a fairly quiet neighborhood but if the school thinks she can’t go out without an escort… Well that will be a problem isn’t it?
“Fujita-sempai I won’t forget that you -owe- me a cake.”
“Well I did promise you.” I grin and stand up. I think I have an idea on how to get her cake. I let Makoto see her out.
(OOC: Close)