Tsutomu:
I wait for mother to say -something-. I told her -everything-. How my good for nothing father moved out of Yagi-san’s house and how he now has -another- woman who managed to chase us off.
“And that’s why you’re here?” She asks me quietly. “Same with that girl?”
“Midori? Yes.” I nod.
She shakes her head so solemnly, as if she’s really -sad- that this has happened. “I asked your father to leave that woman -alone-. I suppose his -arrogance- still gets the best of him, instead of just coming home to -here-.”
I try not to frown at that. So mother still wants father here? I didn’t know -that- but I shouldn’t be surprised. The last time I saw her, when she sent me to go with him… Mother… She’s much better off without him. Just like Yagi-san is, though Yagi-san just doesn’t -know- it yet.
“He’s with another woman now mother.” I tell her, because he -is- with another even if that same other already said goodbye. Besides, they don’t really say goodbye. He’d find a way. That’s what he did with Yagi-san. Find her and Makoto-chan when he really should’ve left them alone in that place where they’d be happier. Now what? They’re here up North where they know no one and no one really knows them, much less care for them.
She smiles wistfully for a moment and I wonder why that is. “He’s using them you know. That’s how your father is. He wants me to come to him and yet he can’t help but visit me -here-. Why he just did that a month or so ago.”
I can only heave a sigh at that. “Well mother, whatever he is doing… He’s not -here-.”
“Not yet.”
There’s no sense arguing with mother on this. I wonder if he was here would the two of them do the same things all over again? I shrug, “So that’s what I came to tell you. Now that father has abandoned Yagi-san, Makoto-chan and Ai, it’s probably best to let them be.” To let her animosity towards them go because I remember how angry she was with Yagi-san, back then the unknown whore that father kept.
“Oh I do take -pity- on them.” She tilts her head and looks out the window, “I told your father not to have relations with that woman anymore, to avoid having more children with her. It was all for her sake you know.”
“Really mother?” I’m… astounded. My mother is a good woman, I heard she was called a saint. So giving… So understanding prior to his messing with her.
“Of course son.” She touches my face and lightly taps my cheek. “Now aren’t you hungry? Enough talk about -them-. It’s time to eat.”
“Ah well then I’ll call Midori.”
“Oh wait Tsutomu.”
“Yes mother.”
“You said that the reason Midori is here is because she’s a casualty of your father’s abandonment of his mistress and bastard children.”
I wince a bit at how mother addresses them. But I nod. “So was she living with you in that woman’s house?”
“Well… Yes. Yagi-san was kind enough to take her in as there was some trouble in school.”
“Ah, well then. That explains why she seemed a little aloof or rather… stand offish.” She sighs, “I don’t want to make her feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. I’ll have the servants bring her some food to her room. That should make her feel rather special ne?”
“I don’t think that’s necessary.” But the truth was, I think Midori wasn’t comfortable at all earlier with mother’s line of questioning about her background. And now that mother associates her with Yagi-san?
“No no. She’ll -love- being waited upon.” She laughs softly, “You see merchant girl’s like that never experienced the type of life that an Aizu elite would. Let her have the experience.”
“Very well then mother…” I bow.
“But you and I will have dinner first and then I’ll take care of letting the servants know to take care of your friend later.”
(OOC: Tsutomu and his “Mother” have dinner. Tokio instructs the maid to prepare something for the girl and then Tokio goes to bed.)
Tsutomu (again):
It’s late when mother finally decides to go to bed. I’m worried that Midori might already be asleep. But I took the tray anyway from the old woman, telling her that our guest would be more comfortable if no one was hovering around her while she ate alone. The woman just bows and hands over the tray of food to me and leaves.
I knock on Midori’s bedroom door. “You still up Midori? I brought your food.”
I thought they were going to feed me? One of the servants from earlier came by and told me to “wait” and that Fujita-sensei requested that I eat in this room.
Ugh, why did I leave my sweets stash at Ueda-sama’s house? What if Makoto-chan finds them… I sit back down. I don’t think this room gets used much. I think of my parent’s home in Sakata – built very, very nicely but every room feels cozy.
But this is Tsutomu-kun’s world. Well, I guess the one he wants. And Tsurumi-chan would eat all of this up. I can imagine her and Fujita-sensei admiring each other….
Ugh, I’m hungry. Maybe I will just go rummage around the kitchen.
I hear some voices down the hall…
You still up Midori? I brought your food
I get up and slide open the door. “Yes, yes I am.” My eyes light up at the tray. Tsurumi-chan said that I’ll never find a man when I show too much interest in food, but, well, I -am- hungry. Besides, why would a man like a woman who doesn’t eat? It’s a sign of illness!
I take the tray from him. “Thank you,” I say. “How is your mother?” I sit at the table, opening the lids of the little bowls. The portions look… ‘lady-like’. Oh well, I’ll take what I can get! “It seemed like you surprised her.”
Tsutomu:
“Yes, yes I am.”
And the door immediately opens with Midori taking the tray from me. I watch as she goes to the table. She’s not hungry at -all- isn’t she?
Thank you,” I say. “How is your mother?”
I stand by the door but since she’s asking about mother, I go ahead and move inside and close the bedroom door. I do stand just by the door in case anyone unexpected comes.
“It seemed like you surprised her.”
“I haven’t been home since that father of mine took me back to Futaba.” I sigh a little. “Mother can’t help being surprised of course. School isn’t even out yet.”
But as for how my mother is? I take a while to answer that. “She’s… Improving I guess. I asked one of the servants and apparently the one I thought was a nurse is actually a doctor that has been treating mother lately. My Uncle Morinosuke found that lady, Takani Megumi was from a well regarded family line of doctors.”
But for some odd reason, she seems familiar. Like I’ve met her already.
I watch as she eats ravenously. It is kind of late for dinner. I don’t tell her mother wanted us to catch up first away from the company of a strangers. “I’m worried about mother.” I lean against the door, “She still wants that no good father of mine back but look at all the trouble we’re in because of him.” I remember back then the stony and heavy silence in the house only broken up by hysterics from my mother or his cutting remarks triggering her or egging her on.
“Compared to mother, Yagi-san had a wonderful life.” That much is -true-, even if according to that Hiko that the rest was a lie. And I was part of Yagi-san’s house thankfully not -his-, but in the process forgot about my own mother’s needs nor her instructions. Maybe I should stay here instead? Would she recover faster? I try to move on from that, “So how do you like dinner?”
I look at the tray of food. Dried herring with peppers and Kozuyu soup. “It’s not too salty for you is it?”
That Tsutomu-kun doesn’t join me by the table at first makes me… sad? That maybe his mother’s talk got to him, that I’m some low creature… but then I realize he’s being careful at this very formal house. It makes me miss the easy ways of Yagi-san’s house. Not that him and I are ever alone, with Makoto-chan around, but that’s what makes it feel like a family.
I nod as he answers my question about his mother. A lady doctor! I think I heard, too, from Yamaji-sensei, about the family of famous Aizu doctors, maybe that’s the one she called in when there was an outbreak of measles a few years back at the school?
“I’m worried about mother. She still wants that no good father of mine back but look at all the trouble we’re in because of him. Compared to mother, Yagi-san had a wonderful life
He’s quiet and I think for a minute before speaking. “That must be a lot, coming back home suddenly, and your marriage having fallen apart.” She -complained- about him, but he was also the brave captain who served alongside her. “Even if something’s not happy, it still must be hard when it’s over, and she lost teaching, too. And while this house of her family is nice… my mother always said that a woman wants her own home.” That’s why she had houses built for my siblings as they got married, or so she said. “Even if she is ill, is there some teaching she could undertake here? Maybe she misses the… idea of the life, more than him?” Despite the stories Fujita-sensei told, I don’t get… well, Fujita-sensei and Yagi-san are much older than I, and that’s the sort of man they prefer?
I also notice that he said Yagi-san -had- a wonderful life. I suppose that’s all changing, too. Will she actually go back to Tokyo? Selfishly I wish it so as to have a nice place to board at, but I wonder how Yagi-san would fare if in a situation like Fujita-sensei?
So how do you like dinner? It’s not too salty for you is it?
“Oh, no, not at all!” I say. “Yamaji-sensei used to make it for us boarders once a year or so, but she couldn’t get scallops for the broth. Chicken will do…. but as a fisherman’s daughter I’ll always want more from the sea.” Maybe I should talk to my mother about adding dried scallops as a new product. But I look back over to Tsutomu-kun. I’m eating like I’m starving, so I guess it’s good that I didn’t eat with the family as this is not good manners! I slow down for a minute, as I want to savor the Kozuya soup.
“When I was at home, eating this every day…” I sigh, taking another sip of the soup, “it wasn’t special. But now being here in the North and enjoying these flavors, it’s wonderful.” I smile. “But I still want to go back to Tokyo and have some cake,” I laugh little.
Tsutomu:
I discretely listen for footsteps outside but there’s none. I’ve been waiting for Grandfather to get home from his Administrative duties since it -is- getting late but maybe he had to work late?
“That must be a lot, coming back home suddenly, and your marriage having fallen apart.”
I nod slightly, “It’s hard but it’s -not- new. They lived in the same house for six years but he…” I just shake my head. He couldn’t be kind to mother, in fact he egged her on. Telling her he did have someone, much better than her. I guess that must’ve been Yagi-san and he’s now tired of her like he’s tired of mother.
“He sent mother and I back here to Aizu claiming that there’s some danger but that wasn’t true. He just wanted to, as my mother put it, play around with Yagi-san.” I click my tongue, “Had it not been my last year of school, I would’ve stayed here.” Well I did go with him, initially to… to do what? I don’t even remember anymore. Mother wanted me to go however…
But our talk goes to a much lighter subject and I’m relieved.
“Yamaji-sensei used to make it for us boarders once a year or so, but she couldn’t get scallops for the broth. Chicken will do…. but as a fisherman’s daughter I’ll always want more from the sea.”
“You really like Yamaji-sensei huh? She’s never been a teacher of mine but I hear she think she’s some forward looking Aizu woman. She’s not from a known family here in Aizu so mother thinks she’s one of those non-Shizuko who thinks she’s equal or maybe even better than us.” I’ve always been curious why Yamaji-sensei even being from Aizu always seemed to hold herself separate from a number of Aizu teaching staff which included my mother.
“When I was at home, eating this every day…” I sigh, taking another sip of the soup, “it wasn’t special. But now being here in the North and enjoying these flavors, it’s wonderful
I look at her, “Well I’m glad you liked it.” I say, “In general I think it’s too salty since the fish and scallops need to be preserved. There’s some lake fish that I think taste better, like carp. Mother used to cook it for all of us back then. It was her specialty.” I go closer to her and seeing that she’s finished, start putting the small bowls back on the tray.
“But I still want to go back to Tokyo and have some cake,”
Then I remember, I still keep some of those. “Here, some yams.”
(Midori)
“It’s hard but it’s -not- new. They lived in the same house for six years but he…
I nod. How it must have been, to watch it all, though the eyes of a child and I feel so -bad- for him and his brother. The boys in the rain…
Had it not been my last year of school, I would’ve stayed here
I smile at him, “but I’m so happy you came back, Tsutomu-kun,” I say, before realizing that I kept looking at him, smiling like that, after I had stopped talking. I feel a flush coming on and I look away.
You really like Yamaji-sensei huh? She’s never been a teacher of mine but I hear she think she’s some forward looking Aizu woman. She’s not from a known family here in Aizu so mother thinks she’s one of those non-Shizuko who thinks she’s equal or maybe even better than us.
“She’s from a good family, but I don’t know who’s better than who,” I say, trying to remember it all, she was adopted around in that way that’s hard for me to follow but shows the strength of the clan, “and she was a tutor to Teruhime-sama as a girl, leaving her post only when she had her own child.” But I answer his first question, “she’s… not … cuddly? But she was always there for me.” I smile a bit. “And she’s -very- smart. I think she’d rather be teaching than running the Girls’ school, but she does as asked for Futaba.”
In general I think it’s too salty since the fish and scallops need to be preserved. There’s some lake fish that I think taste better, like carp. Mother used to cook it for all of us back then. It was her specialty.
I grin, “I’m a girl of the sea, so I like my salt,” I tell him. “Now lake fish, as a child, -that- was a treat. Now in Tokyo it’s easier to find.”
But then he pulls out yams, and my face lights up. I take -one- as I’m pretty full from my meal, and as my fingers graze his open palm something feels warm and fluttery in my chest as I look up at him.
She tells me she’s happy I came back. That’s – nice- but we hardly knew each other until recently. Then she goes red and I’m left to wonder again if she’s getting sick. Of course she’d hide it for sure because she wouldn’t want to be an inconvenience…
and she was a tutor to Teruhime-sama as a girl, leaving her post only when she had her own child.
“She’s acquainted with Teruhine-sama!” My eyebrows shoot up! “Then mother must get to know her. I know mother wasn’t particular find of Yamaji sensei but it’s because she didn’t know they both served the court!”
But then my face drops. “But i don’t think mother will ever go back to Tokyo. I’m sure my grandfather and my uncle won’t allow it. ”
But she was always there for me.” I smile a bit. “And she’s -very- smart. I think she’d rather be teaching than running the Girls’ school, but she does as asked for Futaba.”
“I’m glad you have someone looking out for you. It’s probably too your benefit she runs the school instead of being just another teacher. ” I don’t tell her however that my mother has a friend in Kyoto who runs a school herself whom I’ve never seen but mother used to speak so much about. Her comrade in arms that’s been reduced to doing nothing but following her husband’s wishes.
Now lake fish, as a child, -that- was a treat. Now in Tokyo it’s easier to find.”
“But it taste better here. ” maybe if things improve she can come back.
She takes one of the yams. I was about to tell her to take all of it. I still had a bunch in my pocket. But she turns red again and this time I take my other hand and place my palm on her temple. “Well it doesn’t seem like you have a fever…”
It’s then that I hear. ..
Ah. We have a visitor? Tsutomu-kun! Anyone else with him?”
I take my hand away. I’m sure she heard that too. “Sounds like Grandfather is back. I better go and greet him. ” I go ahead and take the tray and head for the door.
(Ooc: she can follow or not.)
Then mother must get to know her. I know mother wasn’t particular find of Yamaji sensei but it’s because she didn’t know they both served the court!
“I think they’re both strong personalities,” I say, trying to make it sound light. I know that among some teachers Yamaji-sensei isn’t beloved but she has high standards.
But i don’t think mother will ever go back to Tokyo. I’m sure my grandfather and my uncle won’t allow it.
He looks so disappointed. “It probably is good for her, to be with her brother and father. But certainly there’s a school here that she could become involved in?” One of the things that I’ve heard, over and over, at Futaba is how Aizu prized education for women. It’s the main reason I was sent there, so far from home.
But it taste better here
I savor the last taste of the soup. “Oh, and I could say that in Sakata we have better scallops, food is very much part of our home memories, isn’t it? It’s where I first tasted sweets, Father brought a tin from one of his journeys…” Between that and Takimi-sensei’s peppermints, it’s no wonder I love sweets so much…
Suddenly he’s touching my face! Is my heart going to burst, it’s going so fast? But just like when we’ve held hands, I’m amazed at how gentle these hands are, the ones that are so good at kendo… but he takes care of Ai-chan with these hands. I wonder how it would feel against my cheek…
Well it doesn’t seem like you have a fever…
I look at him, and put my hand on top of his. “Tsutomu-kun – ”
Ah. We have a visitor? Tsutomu-kun! Anyone else with him?
He moves away so quick!
He has the tray, and I take it back. “In this house… I think it would surprise your grandfather too much to see you doing chores.” It’s ordinary at Yagi-san’s… I set it on the table. I -hate- that, but I’m surprised we were left alone as long as we were without a servant coming in.
Since the voice asked for “anyone else”, I decide to follow him out. I may be merchant-born, but I think it’s rude for me to skulk around like I need to hide.
Tsutomu:
Midori takes the tray away. “I suppose one of the servants can get it later.”
She follows me outside and grandfather is sitting seiza in one of the smaller receiving rooms immediately to the left of where Midori is staying. That’s by design. It’s not desirable for a guest to “roam” if their room was too far from a receiving room.
I go and present myself to his side and bow waiting to be acknowledged.
“Ah Tsutomu. It’s good of you to visit. And the young lady?”
I lift my head up. “A friend from Tokyo sir. Her name is Nishino Midori. She goes to Futaba.”
“I see. But why bring the young lady along? And did you two come by yourselves?”
“Yes Kurosawa-sama. We came by ourselves to here. As for why she’s came, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share Aizu to someone from Sakata who lives by the sea.”
He takes a moment of silence and I wonder if he will reprimand my reason.
“Mou… You my boy has not been brought up -here- and unlike young Yoshi who is now steep in our traditions i suppose it is not surprising that you allowed your unmarried friend to accompany you in public. Remember it is to her honor and benefit for you not to casually keep her company. ”
He smiles, “And it would be a poor example if one of our young boys see their sempai speaking so freely and publicly with a young woman whom he is only friends with and where his family has not shown intention for a future connection.”
Quickly I bow my head, “I apologize sir for my lack of knowledge in this area. I assure you I had no intention of breaking tradition, much less letting Nishino-san’s honor be tarnished!”
Kurosawa:
The boy, rather young man is quick to realize his mistake. But it is not his fault but rather the responsibility of his own father to teach his son. But since his father is scarce, as part of our family I need to take responsibility and show the young man his error and what’s expected.
“Now stand up and come sit in front of me. You too Nishino-dono. Please make yourself comfortable.”
I smile at the young lady. “Now that you two are in this manor, all conversations are deemed private and allowed of course.”
“So tell me Nishino-san whats really the reason you came with Tsutomu-kun here to Aizu. Winter is not the time to sightsee and Tsutomu didn’t send advance word so we could’ve prepared for your visit. I apologize if we’d not been a good host as clan matters keep me mostly away.”
Perhaps the young lady will say the truth and fill in the missing details. For one tsutomu doesn’t really know how to travel all the way to Aizu nor would he have the means. I doubt Goro would approve of them coming here by themselves. But perhaps it is that woman that Goro is with, made this happen?
(Ooc: kurosawa is not old at all. He is only 10 or so years older than Saitou. If Tokio was his biological daughter he would’ve had her when he was twelve! But yes Ueda is quite older than all of them. He adopted kurosawa while kurosawa was still a young boy.)
Yes Kurosawa-sama. We came by ourselves to here. As for why she’s came, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share Aizu to someone from Sakata who lives by the sea.
I understood lying to Fujita-sensei; she’s… fragile, and all of this – me boarding with Yagi-san – may have been too much for her. But this to this man, more lies?
He also refered to him as “grandfather” but he doesn’t seem too much older than Fujita-san! So is he not Fujita-sensei’s actual father and this is all samurai-class adoption stuff?
Mou… You my boy has not been brought up -here- and unlike young Yoshi who is now steep in our traditions i suppose it is not surprising that you allowed your unmarried friend to accompany you in public. Remember it is to her honor and benefit for you not to casually keep her company. And it would be a poor example if one of our young boys see their sempai speaking so freely and publicly with a young woman whom he is only friends with and where his family has not shown intention for a future connection.
I -felt- his eyes on me during the “no future connection” part, even though I kept my eyes cast down as I was trained. I feel my face flush again because… it’s just so… dismissive. They leave Tsutomu-kun down there in Tokyo and lament about his manners and lack of traditions but where have they been all this time? Why did they let him leave and come back to Futaba if he was being trained so badly? And I am someone high enough whose reputation should be protected yet entirely unsuitable for… I know what this feeling is I’ve been denying, and to know that a man Tsutomu-kun must answer to just -dismiss- me, based on ‘merchant’… maybe there’s a reason I lie to myself, over and over, about how I feel.
I come closer and sit properly, as bidden.
I bow again. “Thank you, Kurosawa-san, for welcoming me to your home, I appreciate the hospitality of your home.” I sit back up, and keep my eyes trained down. A woman at Yamaji-sensei’s Futaba is taught to live in the modern world and be polite but not afraid to speak; but, as someone who will be seeking approval to study overseas and while overseas may mix with diplomatic officials when there, I’ve been taught more ‘old fashioned’ manners as well as speaking. “I am from Sakata, and miss my home and the North terribly. The warm food I’ve been served here touch my heart, the heart of a homesick girl. While we are far from the sea here the air is the same.”
I almost glance towards Tsutomu-kun but remember that I shouldn’t.
“I apologize for the suddenness of our visit, Kurosawa-san. It was a matter of some urgency that lead us to come uninvited from Tokyo, as neither Fujita-senpai nor myself would have come otherwise.” I bow again. “As all conversations are private, sir, I do hope that this one remains between the three of us? Fujita-senpai is a good son to his mother, I’ve seen it often enough at school; and he does not wish to distress her.”
He shouldn’t have to lie. Be it for his mother or me or whoever… Yagi-san speaks of going back within the week, but are those brave words? What if I’m here for some time?
“Futaba closed the girls’ dorms due to some trouble, and Fujita-senpai stood up for me, protected me and when I needed a place to board and arranged for me to come to Yagi-san’s home. And when her home was under threat and Aizu was the safest place to be, I came along as well. Please do not chastise Fujita-senpai, sir, he is a friend who continues to offer me protection, even though I am someone to whom he should not have a connection.”
My eyes betray me as I look at Tsutomu-kun for a moment. All those carefully drilled manners. But while I know he will one day belong to Tsurumi-chan, for now… he is at least my -friend-. And these people can stop thinking I’m some tacky merchant girl, clambering onto a boy just for his bloodline.
Kurosawa:
“As all conversations are private, sir, I do hope that this one remains between the three of us? Fujita-senpai is a good son to his mother, I’ve seen it often enough at school; and he does not wish to distress her
Then I look at the young lady, “As for keeping this between us, I’m afraid I can make no guarantees nor is it appropriate to arbitrate such matters.” We are after all not equals not because of her background but merely because it is inappropriate for the young to try to dictate or negotiate with their elders.. “However rest assured that I would not go out of my way to distress Tokio.”
But the girl tells the truth and I look towards Tsutomu. “I see the young lady has more courage than you did. Though I understand why you would try to cover up what’s happening with your mother, it is cowardly to lie directly to me.” I let out a small sigh, “Very soon you’ll be of age and although you defer to your mother, you’ll have to find the heart and determination to ensure your mother render obedience to you.” I don’t of course talk about his father. The son has an irredeemable debt to his father, however his relationship to Goro is more complicated.
“Yes sir.” He replies somewhat meekly.
I can see that somehow Nishino-dono is upset that I made it clear that it is inappropriate for Tsutomu to casually be communing with her. It’s even more apparent with her words so I ignore the young lady’s comment about not having a connection. Regardless of who asked or who offered, a connection was made and so they are here in Aizu.
“But at least it seems the young lady believes you came to her aid when it was needed.” I look at him again wishing that his father could show him some guardianship. “A good shizoku never turns down anyone who earnestly asks for his help, so in this way you did a good thing Tsutomu. Now tell me what is the problem with Yagi-san and what is your father, Goro, doing about it?”
He keeps his head bowed, “He… told Yagi-san to come to Aizu for protection. Everyone came because -he- couldn’t keep any of us safe.” The boy balls his hands into a fist.
“I see.” I pause for a moment, “Lift your head Tsutomu-kun. In this house, you must call your father, your father. Not with pronouns. And regardless of your reasons and even if it is -true- that Goro cannot protect any of you, it is unbecoming for a son to forsake his own father.”
I look at the girl. “I’m sorry young lady that you have to be a witness to this but encounters between my grandson and I are rare. And it is a guardians responsibility to tell his ward, the error of his ways.” The truth was that I expected Goro or maybe even Yagi-san to put him in line since he is living in her house. Tokio is currently unsuitable for his guardianship, “His mother Tokio as you witnessed is not able to fulfill the duties of a guardian and so I agreed with his father to take Tsutomu to Tokyo.”
Tsutomu looks to the side as if he realizing something. Did he really think that Goro did not consult with me and just step over his mother? His mother wanting him to leave with Goro for Tokyo was just a coincidence but at the time was convenient for us all so it was put into place.
However rest assured that I would not go out of my way to distress Tokio.
That’s… good. Her son loves her so much, after all. And her distress will be his distress and… if she is ill, she shouldn’t be told of all of this.
Very soon you’ll be of age and although you defer to your mother, you’ll have to find the heart and determination to ensure your mother render obedience to you.
Obedient to him? But he’s her son… I couldn’t imagine that, but then again, as I’m learning, we come from very different mothers.
He… told Yagi-san to come to Aizu for protection. Everyone came because -he- couldn’t keep any of us safe
I break my stiff manners to look at him, I hear it in his voice, as I often have. How he speaks of his father… doesn’t he remember that day in the rain? Or was that just -one- time in a series of missed chances?
His grandfather rebukes him, and then apologies to me. “Please, sir, it is I who must apologize, for not remaining in the room which Fujita-sensei had prepared for me and awaiting your invitation for an audience.” I just… wanted to remain by Tsutomu-kun’s side, in this place that likes to keep reminding me that I’m not good enough.
But Tsutomu-kun’s entire posture seems to change when told that his return to Tokyo was not something his father forced on him? I don’t know the whole story as there are things he buttons up about, but I assumed it was all Fujita-san’s doing.
Kurosawa:
I can see the young lady’s brow furrow as I tell Tsutomu what he must do with his mother, when it is time. But she keeps the obvious disagreement to herself, so I continue. “It is a long standing samurai tradition that when the heir to the house becomes the head, even his mother or anyone older within the household defers to him.” I say this not just because of the girl but for Tsutomu to know what will one day be required of him. Control of the house is an important undertaking after all in order to protect it.
“Please, sir, it is I who must apologize, for not remaining in the room which Fujita-sensei had prepared for me and awaiting your invitation for an audience.”
“It is late so you wouldn’t have had the opportunity and it would be far more ill mannered to have stayed in the room knowing that the head of the house was there and not knowing if he may leave early in the morning.” Not that she would know my schedule, but she must realize that we are not as exacting and punitive as she seems to perceive us Aizu folk.
I look at Tsutomu again who seems at the very least confused to my revelation. “So Goro didn’t tell you that, -we- had allowed you living with them?”
“I didn’t want to go to Tokyo. I thought -he- just manipulated mother… To be with Yagi-san… his mistress.”
“Tsutomu! Is this what you’ve learned in that house in Tokyo?!” I almost put the blame not only to Goro but to this Yagi-san but was able to catch myself, “Surely you’ve not been allowed to speak so wantonly of your father and of your sponsor, who is housing you and feeding you?”
“I never asked for it.” He replies in a low voice. “I only came because mother wanted me to finish my schooling.” He looks away again. “I never believed mother when she said I should go with him because the two of them were already working things out. Certainly father -forced- mother to make me go to Tokyo. And you’re saying he didn’t.”
“I have no reason to lie to you. Eventhough the Fujita house is now separate from mine, we gave your father his own house and so what happens there is a reflection upon us here.” I shake my head, “I do not agree of course with the path Goro chose but we here in Aizu must deal with the consequence of his actions. Having to take care of your mother for once… And now having to set you on a straight and narrow path. It’s obvious that you’ve not been guided properly while in Tokyo.”
I glance back at the other guest, remembering what he did for her, “Your heart is good but your way is -not-.”
I stand up to leave, “But it is late and I’d like you to think about what we spoke about here and your obligations not only to your house but to the rest of us.”
With a small nod to the young lady, I start to leave. It goes without saying that I hope, even with our tense meeting that she at least get some rest tonight in a warm bed.
(OOC: you may close unless something happens Kurosawa is done telling his mind to his “grandson”)
“It is late so you wouldn’t have had the opportunity and it would be far more ill mannered to have stayed in the room knowing that the head of the house was there and not knowing if he may leave early in the morning.
So I was permitted to exit my room? I relax a bit, it’s been strange to be this intimidated by being in someone’s -home-.
I sit quietly as Tsutomu-kun and his grandfather go over what lead to Tsutomu-kun leaving for Tokyo.
Surely you’ve not been allowed to speak so wantonly of your father and of your sponsor, who is housing you and feeding you?
He doesn’t speak well of either. He’s good to his sisters, though – but is that because of who their parents are or -despite- it?
And now having to set you on a straight and narrow path. It’s obvious that you’ve not been guided properly while in Tokyo.
“Sir, if I may, since Fujita-senpai is not the sort to speak about himself – he’s done -well-. He won the school kendo championship this summer, and he’s helpful at Yagi-san’s house, and is kind to his half-sisters. He dotes on and cares for the baby in particular.” But does this speak well of him, or is it just what a -samurai- man is expected to do? He’s nearly adult, -yes-, but he’s been making all this work, even if he’d rather be here in Aizu. I drop my head back down. “Excuse me, sir, for speaking out of place.” He’s not a wayward child. Like me, he’s doing the best in a given situation.
Maybe that’s why I… -like- him so much. He speaks to Makoto-chan about persevering, but those aren’t empty words, he’s lived it.
But it is late and I’d like you to think about what we spoke about here and your obligations not only to your house but to the rest of us.
Obligations that don’t include girls to whom he shouldn’t be connected. Well, maybe he’ll help us get back to Tokyo. I bow back and stand as Kurosawa-san leaves the room.
“I should get some sleep. Thank you, Tstuomu-kun, for being my friend.” I reach out and touch his hand, briefly.
I turn to leave and go back to where I’ve been assigned.
(OOC – close)