I quickly get out of the ink-splattered kimono and into a lighter yukata. It’s late enough…
Frowning slightly at the stains. Next time I take a nap I’ll secure the ink… It seems like Hajime and Makoto had time together, and I’m glad. I want them to have something together… I think a lot of that is still missing for him. But she still adores him… I see it in her smile, bright and happy.
But him and I? Our picnic last week… I hope he hasn’t had problems from that. Because outside of these gates, all of Ito believes him to be married to Saya… no wonder he brushed me away outside.
I fold up the futon – left out this morning – and spread the kimono out on the floor. I sigh… it’s on the sleeve, as well. This light color shows everything… I pull a rag out of my scrap bag, dabbing up what’s still slightly wet.
(OOC – upstairs.)
Saturday, June 27th – Evening
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Makoto holds out the door as I go inside with a bucketful of water. I wait for her to go with me upstairs but she didn’t and instead went to the back again. I watch her as she disappeared, it’s not yet dark so I guess she still wants to play.
Going up the stairs I can hear slight footsteps. I open the shoji door and look around. Placing the bucket beside her, I go to the window since I’m still smoking after all.
“You need to be careful around her.”
I kneel down over the kimono, carefully dabbing the water… I don’t buy a thick ink since I share it with a small child and spills are common… usually however it’s not me with ink on her clothes. so it thankfully comes from the fabric easily.
You need to be careful around her.
I sit back, looking up at Hajime, smoking by the window. “In what way?” I am… I try to be. “What happened?”
I scowl. “That hand of yours.”
How obvious is that? I inhale quite sharply, almost choking but succesfully I kept a straight face.
“She’s a bright child but still a child. If she saw that who knows what she’d think?”
Of course I do not tell Hide what Makoto just said. Words of children are honest but very naive.
Finished with the kimono, and satisfied that the ink is gone, I set it on the kimono rack to help it dry.
That hand of yours.
I look at my hand. “And here I thought…” I shake my head. “You’re right of course…. I don’t know what she would think of it, since she thinks that we’re merely cousins.” I smile slightly, straightening the kimono, “and grown cousins don’t go around holding hands, do they? I’m sorry… it’s been a while since I’ve seen you and I wanted to… I miss those hands of yours… and the rest of you.”
I watch the clouds of smoke as I step closer to him, and look up at him. “At work… did they say something to you about me coming to see you?”
“You’re right of course…. I don’t know what she would think of it, since she thinks that we’re merely cousins.”
I nod and look out. The sun is halfway gone behind the waters. It reminds me that things do not really wait. No matter how much I will them to. She talks about missing me and I watch her as she came close.
“At work… did they say something to you about me coming to see you?”
“No. Only Miyake saw and he seems to be a man not prone to gossip. But you shouldn’t worry about that. I heard from Kawaji that this will be over sooner… rather than later.”
“Then can two -cousins-… when it’s just them for a few moments… she can hold him then, right?” I put my arms around his waist. “You do smell better today.”
I’m glad to hear that Miyake-san isn’t a problem. It’s not just a matter of respectability but it’s also his cover.
I heard from Kawaji that this will be over sooner… rather than later
“Then you’ll be back to Tokyo?” I ask. Then I think of something he spoke of in Kyoto. “Or… are you still wanting to go to Hokkaido?”
She embraces me and I flick the cigarette butt out the window.
“You do smell better today.”
“Thanks.”
“Then you’ll be back to Tokyo?”
“Yes I have a few things to do there. To be quite honest I am hoping Kawaji will send word to get us back to Tokyo this week… I don’t really want to wait any longer than necessary.” I stare at the creeping shadows lost in thought for a moment.
“I hope Kawaji will spare me the trouble of telling Saya I no longer want to do this… It’s not who I am.”
He’s quiet inbetween speaking.
get us back to Tokyo this week
So soon? “Then Saya will be out of danger soon.”
I hope Kawaji will spare me the trouble of telling Saya I no longer want to do this… It’s not who I am
“Do what? Your work with the police?” My hand goes to his side, where he wears his sword. The leather of his belt is more worn here… “And Saya… I think she’ll still adore you no matter what you do.” I smile… even I can see how devoted she is. “But not who you are? What’s changed?” I know some of it… from things we’ve spoken of.
“Then Saya will be out of danger soon.”
To be frank, I have no idea. I can feel my eyes narrow. I’m still torn after all… I want to be the one here but I know if I stay this place will eat up at me and I’ll forget about that which I have worked for all my life in exchange of everything and everyone else.
“Do what? Your work with the police?” “And Saya… I think she’ll still adore you no matter what you do.”
In surprise I pull on her a bit. Aghast and a little angry perhaps that she would even think… “What makes you think I’m giving up the Keishikan?”
So I was right… Little by little I’ve been too comfortable here in Ito.
What makes you think I’m giving up the Keishikan?
His eyes blaze… “You spoke of your frustration of your career since your injury… how you’ve been relegated to desk work. Not the work you once did…” But if he’s back to doing what he once did… I will support him, because in all things I want him to be true to himself.
“So what isn’t who you are? This place?” I ask, meeting is eyes.
“So what isn’t who you are? This place?”
“We shouldn’t talk about this.”
I move towards the door.
“Makoto’s probably hungry…” I mutter and then remember the reason I came here, “Do you still need me to watch her this week? I’ve already quit the job at the docks.”
Of course Saya doesn’t know that yet.
We shouldn’t talk about this.
“Yes we should, Hajime. We need to be able to talk… you always make me talk.” I smile slightly. “Please… you’re not alone in this. Tokyo, Hokkaido… we’ll be there with you.”
“I should get dinner together… are you sure you’re not hungry? I brought some fish from work… but if not, wait for dinner and me to get Makoto to bed we can have some more time together?”
Already quit… then he must be certain that he’ll be gone soon.
“Next week Makoto is back at school… but could you watch her after she gets home – there’s a couple of hours before I get home. She’s normally at the Mochizuki’s but I do feel like I impose on them too much.” And she’ll enjoy time with Hajime.
“Please… you’re not alone in this. Tokyo, Hokkaido… we’ll be there with you.”
I just look at her. How can she possibly say something like that? How reckless…
“I’ll stay at the tatami room. You two go ahead and take your time. I need to get some sleep anyway.”
I head downstairs.
(OOC: I’ll stop here continue whenever you feel like it)