After breakfast, I sit out back. Saitou-san and Asuka-san went out to walk, and my sister and Makoto-chan to a bath…
Makoto-chan comes running out before too long, and starts to run about, almost as if she’s dancing in the shadows of a tree. “I’m -practicing-,” she informs me, and runs back off. I grin… where does she get that energy?
I think back to last night… Hideneesan only gave me a reminder to -think-, but didn’t question me, but Makoto had been around the entire time. And aside from her quiet presence at breakfast… I’ve not see Asuka-san. After last night… what kind of man she must think me to be.
I sit back, keeping an eye on the bathhouse and Makoto-chan.
Morning – Yuunosuke on the engawa
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The first person I see when I got back was Yuunosuke. He seems to be watching Makoto and something else? The bathhouse? I approach him slowly and sit a few inches away beside him on the engawa. Deciding I should smile, I do so.
“Who’s in the bathhouse?” I try to start polite conversation.
Asuka-san comes over, and smiles, but it’s still not the same smile I remember seeing just a couple of days ago at the sweets shop.
Who’s in the bathhouse?
“Hideneesan, I’m just keeping an eye out, since Musashi-san is getting some breakfast.” He’s done an amazing job.
I smile over at her, and ask, “I saw you going off with Saitou-san… did you talk about last night?” I’m afraid I didn’t do well for myself in sticking up for her or myself.
I watch Makoto run around, until I realize she seems like she’s practicing to dance? I wonder where she learned that, as far as I know it’s not taught in schools and what I see is not traditional japanese dance.
“I saw you going off with Saitou-san… did you talk about last night?”
He cuts to the chase, perhaps he does not want idle chatter. I can understand.
“I do apologize for last night. I was completely out of line and selfish. You should’ve not been dragged into it.”
I wonder if I should even ask that he come with me again to Kyoto.
I do apologize for last night. I was completely out of line and selfish. You should’ve not been dragged into it.
I brush back a strand of hair from her cheek, almost without realizing it, and shake my head. “Nothing to apologize for, and I wouldn’t let myself -not- be involved. I was glad to help you.” I look back at Makoto, who seems to be looking around for something. “And however I can, I still will.” Even though, after last night I doubt Saitou-san will stand for it.
Then I remember something else from last night. “And forgive me… how are you feeling? Your arm?”
What he does still surprises me… Perhaps it’s because it’s been a long time. I try not to coil away at his approach, if there is one thing to be said of Yuunosuke he at least means what he says. He asks about my arm and I shake my head.
“It’s nothing.” I manage a laugh, “You know being a Keikan, these are quite common.”
His sister surely msut’ve mentioned my line of work is the same as Hajime’s.
She dismisses it as nothing, and laughs, but I’m not convinced. “May I?” I ask, taking her arm and noting the scrapes… nothing deep but after what she’s gone through, she doesn’t need more injuries. “I’ll see if we can find some bandages later.” My sister must have some on hand for
“Keikan… Hideneesan said you worked with Saitou-san.” I let her have her arm back. “I know of a few women in the police, working in a clerical capacity… I doubt that these injuries come from paperwork. I didn’t get a lot of details from her, except that you were devoted to your work.”
“As much as I wanted to learn all about you…” I look back at her, “I’d rather hear your story directly from you… tell me what you do that makes you dismiss an injury like that one.”
He asks about my work… The truth is ever since working officially at the Keikan, I’ve been at a desk job until recently when my old connections in Shimabara came in handy. I look down, I’m not about to divulge some things that are better off forgotten, at least until Hajime came and made me feel, not loved but at least useful.
I blink a few times and look up.
“I’ve always been quite a klutz.” I tell him only half of the truth. “I was his assistant while he was in Kyoto for a short time. One time I had been careless and got revealed, thank goodness my superior is very skilled. Just like the other night, I can be quite an inconvenience.”
Watching Makoto flitter from one end of the backyard to another, it reminds me that I came here to ask soemthing.
“Yuunosuke. Hajime told me a Police escort will come this afternoon to bring me back to Kyoto. If you do not mind the police as company, would you like to accompany me back to Kyoto? I would think we would part ways at the train station as Toshio-san is to meet me there.”
From the corner of my eye I see Hideneesan come from the bathhouse and head over to the pond, with Makoto-chan in hand.
Just like the other night, I can be quite an inconvenience
“What you went through, it took a strong woman to do it. Don’t be so quick to dismiss yourself… and I doubt just anyone could work for Saitou-san. I was only a boy but I remember his group being -very- well disciplined back in the old days, he expects a lot.”
I chuckle, “and it was me that was the klutz the other night, but I’ve not had to sneak over a fence in a -long- time.” Besides, in Mibu we used tunnels…
would you like to accompany me back to Kyoto?
“Yes,” I answer, immediately. At least this I don’t like what she said after that, though. “Part ways?” I take her hand again. “Asuka-san, I do want to keep seeing you once we’re back in Kyoto…” I grin. “We’ll find some sweets and then I can hear all of your stories, and I’ll bore you by reading to you.” Really, she’s like nobody I’ve ever met.
I make no more comment about Hajime. It is best not to even think, much less talk anymore.
“So you did climb fences… We’ll have to try again some time after this case is over. Perhaps climbing a tree would be easier. I’ll bring the sweets in exchange for the reading.”
Sweets, something I’ve learned well working here in Ito. I hope the others at the shop are alright. I shall miss them. Quite funny I came here for the pure purpose of finishing that case, not purely out of duty but the rewards after it. Enough money to finance my original plans, why I keep having doubts perhaps my heart isn’t really into it.
Standing up I bow to him. “I should get ready.”
She agrees and I feel a spark of hope.
“Trees… I know just the place.” I stand with her, and take her hands for a moment in mine, squeezing them lightly. I never did think at my age I’d meet a woman who liked to climb trees… again reminding me of what a rarity she is. “We’re a bit lake for sakura but where I know, there will be plums.”
“I’m still packed from last night… I’ll keep watch so Musashi-san can get a little more sleep in.”
(OOC – you may close)
I squeeze his hand back just slightly. He’s so open it’s quite a change from what I’m used to.
“Musashi-san has been very kind.”
Letting go, I head inside. I’m sure Hajime will put in a good word for them, especially Muriyama and Musashi-san.
(OOC: Close)