After dropping Saya off at the sweets shop I make a stop by our rented place before proceeding up the hill. It is good that I have the keys to the place and all of them are at work. I do not mind being left alone for a few hours by myself. It gives me time to think… Ah yes of how my life is still a mess… I can’t help but smirk at that thought… So much for being alone.
I head towards the back and open the kitchen door there. Saya did have some leftovers from last night which we had for breakfast so there was no need to stop and buy some sweets. I’m not that fond of processed sweets unlike Souji. As I sat down for a quick smoke before I start, I can feel the rays of the sun starting to touch my arm, the feeling is similar to when Hide would lay her hand there.
Maa… I should not think of these things.
Done with the cigarette, I remove my shirt so as not to soil it and also to bathe myself in sunlight. It does lift the spirit after all, aside from what I heard that there is some intrinsic benefit to natural sunlight. Flexing my muscles first and then stretching my legs, I watch making sure that the muscles contracted as they should and that I do not over stretch and break a cartillage nor pop a capillary. It has been a while since I practiced, the confines of my office isn’t really perfect for such activity nor the confines of the room that I rent at the Machiya. And simply, I do not like it when someone watches… Not that I am embarassed, not at all… Years of practicing swordsmanship both in form and technique, I have kept it close to my heart and ingrained it to my soul such that I know it like the back of my hand. Done with the preliminaries, I look at my nippontou and ran my hand over the saya. Perfect…
Taking a deep breath I place it beside my waist. It’s been said that the art of Mugai Ryu is the art of drawing the sword… That’s true, I’ve never been really fond of the battou-jutsu of course and thank kami that sword drawing is actually a requirement before I can even execute any other sword style. I crouch low with one of my knees bent, my right supporting the sheath, the thumb right below the swordguard. Placing my left hand lightly on the handle, I pull on the sword quickly and lightly tightening my grip as soon as it leaves it’s resting place calming the tremor of the sword with both my hands.
It’s done…
June 11, 1885 – Kata
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Hiroku was in a rush this morning, running to get to a fitting for one of her clients. Some very elaborate western-style dress… I think she’s both frazzled and exhausted by this commission. I can support my family and the extra money -is- nice but I’m happy if she’s going to work, that it’s something she loves. Though I wish she would make one of those dresses for herself. Then we can get away to Atami for a weekend where they have a western restaurant …
This morning I lingered at the house seeing to chores that I didn’t get to this weekend. I get the wood away that I chopped this weekend and there’s too much for the shed – then I think of Yagi-san, and how she could use it. Hiroku won’t mind; they’re really close after all and we -do- try to keep an eye out for her. And given that Hiroku’s improved cooking reminds me of a Kyoto style, I wonder if I have something to thank her for anyway?
Grinning and thinking of that snapper from last night, I take the key that Yagi-san gave us – just like she has one to our house – and load up the wood in my arms before walking next door. I have to juggle the wood to get the gate unlocked, and hum a little as I do.
Coming around to the back yard with my arms full of wood, I see over what I’m carrying…
There’s a man in Yagi-san’s backyard!
It must be because when doing the kata you are required to have presence of mind… that I immediately feel a presence enter the yard. I hear no forced entry so I continue with my swings until of course he comes to view and I stood straight up, walking over casually to my sheath and placing back the nippontou there.
“You should know that the owner of the house is not here.” Looking over the wood, I wonder if he is a peddler but decide he can’t be if he got in with that much baggage easily. “Do you know the owner of this house? And what are you doing here?”
Could he be the one?
Oh! It’s Yamaguchi-san… then I remember what Hiroku told me about him, that he was sick and lost his memory…
I set the wood down – I’ll put it away in a minute but I should explain myself to the man with the sword who probably doesn’t know who I am.
I bow. “I am Mochizuki Isamu, I live next door. My wife is a good friend of Yagi-san’s, and our little girls are best friends.” I nod at the wood. “I had some extra, I thought I would bring some over for her.”
“And you would be…?” I ask. A good neighbor asks these questions, after all.
Good… The duffus doesn’t seem to remember that carrying swords were outlawed now in the Meiji… Or maybe he’s just not informed. It’s a rural area of Japan anyway.
Dressing up quickly, I pull on my black shirt and run my hands through my forehead wiping the sweat from there. I listen of course as he speaks, a friend of the Yagi’s.
“Then if you -are- a friend, you should know that she is out to work.” I scoff and throw him an annoyed look. “Leave the wood, I can put it away.”
I do not care to introduce myself. Civilities are a bother really unless they’re someone I decide I will respect. This man with his jolly demeanor reminds me too much of… I certainly do need to move on.
“Doke…” I pass him and head inside the kitchen.
I gather the wood up and place it in the shed, and watch Yamaguchi-san head inside. He’s a lot more like that time I saw him by the river when he didn’t seem to be in good spirits -at all- than the time he first came and met my wife and I.
I follow him inside the house. “Well then as a friend of Yagi-san’s, I would like to know who -you- are,” I say in a friendly manner. He -is- after all a relative of Yagi-san’s. I wonder if he has any of those cigarettes? One every now and then is very good indeed.
The sword he was using when I came in made me think of two things… “I’ve not seen anyone with a sword in a while.” Not since… hmm… I think back.
“Well then as a friend of Yagi-san’s, I would like to know who -you- are,”
“Yamaguchi…” I tell him and wash my face near the sink. After drying myself I notice the man is still there and now staring at my nippontou.
How inconvenient…
But I pass the table where it laid and started smoking.
“I’ve not seen anyone with a sword in a while.”
“Not in public of course ahou. Why do you think I practice in the privacy of my cousins’ home?”
Bah…
Sucking deeply on the cigarette butt, I inhale until the smoke filled my lungs and then looked towards the side, exhaling it out.
“Good to meet you, Yamaguchi-san,” I bow again, remember how -formal- he was before. Watching him smoke makes me think how badly I’d like one… and it’ll be hours before I see Hiroku, she’d never know…
Heh heh… but I think that Yamaguchi-san is too ill-tempered this morning to be generous with his tobacco like he was the other month.
I look back out the window. “That would be a good place to practice, I would imagine. I never learned any of that…” I shake my head. My father died when I wasn’t much older than my son now and suddenly my mother and I had a lot more responsibilities… “I’d like my son to – Takeshi is seven.”
“You don’t give lessons, do you?” I ask. Hiroku and I have disagreed on this topic, but Takeshi needs something more than just running around making trouble with those friends of his. “He’s a bit, ah… headstrong,” I explain. How did we get such different children? The worst Izusu-chan ever did was cut her hair and get stuck up that tree that time… I just don’t know what to do with him but Tanaka-san suggested that kendo lessons might help him – too bad that school of his doesn’t teach it…
I watch as the ahou tries to hold a conversation. It always bothered me how these kinds of men, cannot take a hint or two.
“That would be a good place to practice, I would imagine. I never learned any of that…” “I’d like my son to – Takeshi is seven.”
I snort slightly. He’s never learned? Well… In a peaceful place like this one and he seems younger than I am.
“You don’t give lessons, do you?”
I’ve taught my own children of course and… Ah…
“Find someone else. I have no patience for headstrong children.”
I really don’t and who knows what will happen if I get annoyed and lose my temper? I narrow my eyes, perhaps if it had been another time. But I’m not like Souji nor Kondou who were gifted with teaching abilities and -patience-. Of course… Now I remember, part of my predicament back then was I got easily annoyed by Hide. Ah but that was for -many- reasons.
Find someone else. I have no patience for headstrong children.
“Headstrong children need the most patience,” I agree, “I didn’t like the look of the other dojo in Ito, I think that Takeshi-kun would benefit from some closer attention.” Hiroku and I do everything we can but I want him to find an interest in something aside from getting into trouble.
Yamaguchi-san is truly not in good spirits today. Perhaps he’s not recovered yet from being sick. I know that I was a bear those weeks Hiroku made me stay in bed after I fell from the roof last year. “Ah, well, if you change your mind,” I pull a card out from my pocket and hand it to him. “This is my card, come see me at my store sometime. I sell fabrics and such.”
I look up and rub the back of my neck. “Well, I got the wood for Yagi-san, so I need to get to my shop. It was good to meet you, Yamaguchi-san.” I bow one more time before stepping out of the kitchen. If I have time I need to stop by that place I know sells cigarettes…
(OOC – Isamu exits unless stopped)
Bah…
“Abayo.” I tell Isamu and turn to inspect my sword. It’s perfect of course but I -know- why that is… And it’s not just because I fuss at it.
I frown and put it back, pulling out another cigarette I loiter around wondering what the hell I’ll do next.
I leave work around lunchtime. There were train problems and that reduced the amount of comings and goings and therefore my work. I’m in a very odd situation where I know that I’ll have a lot of work to do tomorrow but due to the nature of that work – tallying guest bills and calculating pay – I can’t work too much ahead.
I decide instead to go straight home. I did enough shopping yesterday and there are things I can see to there.
Unlocking the gate and then the front door… cigarettes? Hajime did say he would come by to use my backyard for practice in the mornings, but I’m happily surprised to see him in my kitchen.
Walking over to him, I smile. “Good afternoon, Hajime.”
I sit and pull back on the chair, supporting the back of my head with both hands. Ah.. Chou’s favorite position of course, the only thing missing is the feet on top of the desk. But this isn’t my office so I refrain from doing so, not that I’ve done that many times at all in my own room.
“It’s barely after lunchtime.” I tell her, “Your friend Isamu dropped by to give you some firewood.”
I make no mention to her as to how the ahou disturbed my practice nor the card he’s given me. It’s not like I’d ever agree to it. Children are hard to take care of… Much less instruct.
It’s barely after lunchtime.
Tilting my head slightly I look at him in the chair, “Not too late… did you have lunch?”
Your friend Isamu dropped by to give you some firewood.
“Oh, that was good of him…” I look out the back window to see the small shed that covers the wood almost full. Good… and -very- generous of Mochizuki-san.
“No lunch but I’m not hungry.” Looking Hide over, I stifle a sigh and looked up the ceiling. “You should eat though and get prepared for the afternoon.”
You should eat though and get prepared for the afternoon.
I smile, nodding. “Oh, I had something light earlier at work. One of the advantages of working there is that there’s usually something to eat.”
I go back behind him and lightly place my hands on his shoulders. “Did you find my backyard a good place to practice?” I ask in a low voice.
“Oh, I had something light earlier at work. One of the advantages of working there is that there’s usually something to eat.”
“I would imagine…” I think of the sea and how for a time back then we lived on that and the wild roots in aomori. Everything was from the earth and for a time I understood what it really meant to come from humble beginnings, something that I wasn’t privee to.
My thoughts are cut off when she came near. Her hand is on my shoulder but I decide that’s just the way Hide is now and I do not dwell on it like last time.
“Did you find my backyard a good place to practice?”
“The place is very well… Of course nosey neighbors are a big disadvantage.” I scowl slightly.
The place is very well… Of course nosey neighbors are a big disadvantage.
I go from behind him to stand beside him so I see that scowl. “Mochizuki-san -means- well. He’s a good neighbor to have – without him and his wife things would have been a lot more difficult for me.”
I shrug, “Alright then.”
For a moment I consider whether I was just a tad bit rude to Isamu but decide it’s pointless to even think about that now.
“I suppose I should make myself useful and see to Saya.”
Standing up I get my sword. I need to get my other one. It’s hard to conceal this one.
“Ah… too bad… I was hoping to see you for a while longer.”
I look up at him… I wonder if Isamu-san’s cheerfulness was offputting. Or perhaps he was singing. Oh, I hope he wasn’t singing…
By and old habit my hand goes up to brush his bangs back. “I understand if you have to see to your work but I -do- want to see you.”
Why she wants to see me just puzzles me even more. Aside from one or two people, the rest would rather not see my shadow. Of course there’s very good reasons for that.
I catch her hand that brushed my bangs before she’s able to pull it away. If she keeps doing that… But I tend to read into things too much. To over-analyze things and I can blame my job for that… It was after all a good asset to have but now… Not so much so.
“You should…”
Reserve that for -him-.
I blink a few times before continuing. How awful that would’ve sounded if it came from my mouth.
“wash your hands. It was dusty outside.”
Well of course it is.. And I’ve been working up a sweat earlier. Argh… I need to take a bath before I leave for Saya.
You should
He pauses… I watch him carefully, wondering… but he doesn’t let go of my hand, and I don’t move it from him.
wash your hands. It was dusty outside.
“Hai… it has been warm and we’ve no rain for a while.” I lean forward, closing my eyes, smelling that smell that’s so uniquely him. “Hmm… you must have worked up a sweat this morning,” I grin up at him as I move back.
No rain…
Suddenly I feel a bit dizzy. No rain for a while… That’s good I think. Of course it is, that day my son told me completely what he thought of my work was a day drowned with rain. I look down…
I wonder how Tsutomu is doing?
She leans forward and smells me. How I find that so… It is probably because I was fond of smelling the scent of my woman. But with all that in a blur and associations with quite a few of them, it escapes me on who it was. Perhaps it was Yaso a long time ago.
“I did…” I answer not able to grin or at least smirk back.
Stop grinning… You’re driving me nuts…
I bow slightly and turned to leave. I head for the door as if it’s a hundred miles away.
(OOC: Saitou will exit unless stopped.)
I watch him turn as if to leave.
You’re pushing him too much. You want too much.
No…
I cannot deny what I feel for him…
I walk after him. “Do come see me tonight, if you can leave Asuka-san.” I say in a quiet voice and touch him arm again. When what I really want to do is hold him close…
I’ll keep asking… long ago I was afraid to ask anything of him out of fear of rejection. I would rather him refuse an open request than think that I don’t need him around again.
“Do come see me tonight, if you can leave Asuka-san.”
She touches my arm. I wonder… How many times she’ll do that? And although it still escapes me why she does when clearly she would not have me the other day… Or did I really ask? Probably not…
The way she asks that I come here… It lightens my mood somewhat. How many times I hoped Tokio would do the same, even if she knew what the answer will be… Because there were times that I could’ve said yes, if only she’d ask.
I turn to look at Hide. Whatever it is that she can’t make up her mind about… We can at least talk… I’m sure there is something as well that is bothering her and perhaps we can be good listeners… I could talk with Saya but she and I have a past and I shall always be uncomfortable telling her everything.
“Once she’s asleep I’ll come. It might be late though…” I grin slightly, “Leave the light on the engawa on so I’ll know if you’re still awake.”
“Late… late is fine. I’ll leave a light for you…” I smile over at him, glad to see him grin again. Something in me feels so… happy. It’s such a small thing, to ask something and have it granted.
“I’ll see you then,” I say as I walk with him to the door.
(OOC – you may close)
Leaving Hide’s house I head for Saya’s workplace, although I know quite well she won’t be off till much later.
(Saitou exits)