Sleeping… Asuka-san done that most of the time since I’ve been back. Oneesan told me what she had done for Saitou-san, which makes her ill now. Her look the other day suited her much better – bright eyes and pink cheeks. “Rest,” I whisper as I brush an errant strand of hair from her face as she stirs slightly.
And my sister… stubborn. Going out, for what? Why? It’s just around the little house here at the ryoken, and under the watch of the large, sturdy Musashi-san…
Today I telegraphed my brother. Hopefully he’ll remember our childish code. No messages back, I’m hiding. I’ll have to tell him all about this later. Of our sister, Saitou-san and their little girl; and the events of the past few days.
Makoto sleeps as well, and I move over to sit by an open window. By a small lamp I sit and to try and read, to the soft sound of women breathing.
(OOC – Yuunosuke is reading, but not deeply as he’s watching over Saya and Makoto.)
Evening – Girl’s Room
14 thoughts on “Evening – Girl’s Room”
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Rest
There’s someone in the room but the voice is so soft, I found myself relaxing back to sleep.
No. I should wake up… Wasn’t that Yuunosuke-san?
Opening my eyes, I look towards the window where a slight breeze is coming in. Sitting up, I watch Yuunosuke-san engrossed in a book. What a pity I’ve not read anything in a long while…
I move over to him, avoiding Makoto so she doesn’t stir.
“Have you been here long?”
I ask, blinking away the grogginess in my head.
Asuka-san wakes and moves over to where I sit. I close my book, laying it aside. “I came back in the afternoon, you were already asleep.” I look at her carefully in the low light, then scan over her – she keeps blinking – is she feeling faint? I reach over for her arm to steady her.
“Asuka-san, how are you feeling? We ordered you some dinner, or I can get you something to drink.” I pause, grinning slightly, with all of the fussing I sound like a hovering mother. Then my expression grows more serious, “that was a brave thing you did for Saitou-san, Asuka-san.” I know she cares for him, but I’m still taken by what she did.
I wonder if all the Yagi’s are like this? He is like his sister, no perhaps even kinder than her. He offers me some food but I shake my head fervently.
“that was a brave thing you did for Saitou-san, Asuka-san.”
He speaks of Hajime and by the way he says it, there is something I can’t put my finger on.
“I’m sure anyone of you would’ve done the same. Are the two of you close?”
I remember a few things but I need to assess Yuunosuke-san. If it is even a possibility…
“Later, then, you need to eat, even if you don’t think you’re hungry. You need to get your strength back.” The way she shakes her head, she seems more stable… and that some strength never left her.
I’m sure anyone of you would’ve done the same. Are the two of you close?
“Of course I would have,” I answer. “I didn’t know him well back then… and now I’ve only seen him twice. But he’s…” I look up and then over at her, “admirable.” Yamanami-san told me that once, a long time ago, and I’ve seen it seen is since I’ve been here, both with my own eyes, and in how Hideneesan speaks of him… and this woman speaks of him.
He’s so serious… I can only hope he means what he says. Admirable? I nod slowly and look up at him.
“Then you would have no problem at all helping him Yuunosuke-san?” I give him an almost pleading look and take his hand.
“You said so yourself. So can I trust you to keep my request to yourself?” It’s a bit awkward as I’ve not known Yuunosuke-san for long, no really I’ve known him for only a few days but there’s no one else to ask and he is his sister’s brother.
Her eyes, pleading with me…
“Yes, I’ll help him, Asuka-san,” I take her hand, it’s such a little thing; but it’s not the hand of a pampered lady. “And it’ll be between you and I.” I trust this woman, after all.
He -assures- me! My eyes light up and I pull on him to come closer. In a hushed voice, I whisper,
“Help me get to Kyoto tonight! There should be a train leaving.”
I pause and let go of his hand, feeling my cheeks suddenly warm.
“I’ll get my things ready before anyone comes back. Someone needs to distract Musashi-san and I’ll wait for you outside the gate before midnight.”
I’m a little surprised as she comes -close-, but do I mind?
No.
But what she asks… I look over at her and I’m quiet for a moment.
“I’ll help you, but you didn’t tell me that I couldn’t ask -why-.” She lets go of my hand but I reach back for her, and continue, keeping my voice quiet as not to wake little Makoto.
“Asuka-san, do you think it’ll help Saitou-san if you suddenly disappear? In your state?” My other hand rests on her hair and it’s so soft, I can’t help but to stroke it. “He’ll just worry… although I would love nothing more than to tell a story of how we ran off in the night together,” I grin for a moment before going back, “if there’s something wrong… you can’t solve it by running away.”
“Answer me that, first.” Now it’s me, looking at her, wanting to know why she thinks that she must leave in secret in the middle of the night.
although I would love nothing more than to tell a story of how we ran off in the night together,”
I blink. What did he just say? It’s the first time I think that Yuunosuke-san had said something so forward… Iie. That’s not exactly true.
Pushing those thoughts to the side, I sigh at his query. I -knew- it wasn’t going to be easy convincing Yuunosuke-san.
“if there’s something wrong… you can’t solve it by running away.”
“I’m NOT running away.” I look to the side with a sleeping Makoto and then brought my voice down a bit more, “I’m being pro-active.”
“You already know I think, perhaps Yagi-san told you that Hajime and I are here on business…” I look at him. Can I really trust him? I frown, he’s so soft-looking and couldn’t hurt a fly, but maybe it’s the too good-naturedness that makes this all a bit awkward. “How do you suppose Hajime is going to get out of here with all of us in tow? And considering what just happened, travelling in large groups especially with him or I in it is more dangerous… Besides, I know that man will do his job first before securing things with his own. It’s a character flaw of the idiot.”
Ah… I place a hand over my mouth. I never meant for it to come out that way.
She speaks sensibly of safety concerns, which I understand. It’s that I also know too much of the other tensions that simmer here. She cares for the man who my sister is with, after all.
“Idiot? I used to know a -lot- of men like him,” I smile, thinking back as I move her hand away from her mouth. It’s good to see some of that spirit of hers shining through again, however.
And I’m beginning to understand, from the hints that my sister dropped and from how she speaks, that the “business” means that she’s in the same line of work. I had heard something vaguely about a couple of women being in the Kyoto police, but not seen any.
“It’s good to be proactive but if we disappear – he might think it’s because of the men who attacked you the other night,” I say, “then he’ll be tracking us for no reason, so I fear this wouldn’t be the right way. If those men hurt you already, they could again.”
“It would be better not to leave not all together,” I agree, “but not like this. And my sister said earlier that you had something about the attack you needed to tell Saitou-san?”
“If we can’t make the midnight train, there’s one right after dawn,” I wink and, with my terrible timing but unable to resist, I drop a kiss on her forehead, “it’s just as romantic to sneak away at first light than it is in the middle of the night.”
A pout found it’s way to my face as he kisses me. On the forehead no less, like a -child-. I look at him, he’s smiling…
“then he’ll be tracking us for no reason, so I fear this wouldn’t be the right way
“He won’t look for us if we leave word -afterwards-. I’m not about to ask for his permission. I am a grown woman after all.” I stand up and mumble something to the extent that Hajime would never give permission for us to leave.
And my sister said earlier that you had something about the attack you needed to tell Saitou-san?”
“No… I wasn’t talking about him.” I was of course waiting for Yuunosuke. Maybe I overestimated him? He’s much like his sister. I decide to rest my case for the night. I’ll just have to find a way eventually…
“Ah well.” I give Yuunosuke-san a weak smile. “I suppose you are right.” No not really, “Excuse me Yuunosuke-san. I’m going out to the engawa.” Time to work at Musashi-san I guess.
(OOC: Saya will exit unless stopped for some reason)
“No permission…” I repeat in a quiet tone and sigh. “You know, Asuka-san… I’m the youngest child, it’s been a life of asking.” Would Saitou-san not agree with this plan? I can’t say…
She’s so disappointed and I hate how her face turns away from mine, and the look on her face as she rises, as if I’ve failed her. She’s stubborn, and she’ll do this, with or without me. Off on her own, alone… then it would be me going crazy with worry.”
Suddenly, I’m reminded of words from a man I admired a long time ago, words I didn’t understand as a little child who adored the nice man who let me look at his books.
A man’s life is like a river, Yuubo-kun. Times in which it flows quietly, and others when one can barely hold on, but a man should stay true to the river no matter how it bends.
And I’d rather be with her, and helping her. I stand up at catch her. “Saya, wait-” her name slips out so unconciously, perhaps I’m being forward – no, baka Yuunosuke. You were -forward- trying to get your arms around her earlier.
Pulling her close I whisper in her ears, “I doubt you’re not giving in that easily, are you?” I touch her chin and tilt her face up. “And you won’t, so there’s just this one answer… after all, you asked me to stay with you the other night? So if you go, I’ll have to go too.” Arg. Holding her like this… she’ll think I’m a letch but I bend down to kiss those pouting lips for a brief moment.
“I’ll leave a note, of how I swept you away with my poetry and promises of imported sweets.”
He agrees… And the next thing I know he’s -kissing- me! What -is- happening? And he breaks away quickly… Was that even a kiss?
Wait… What is happening? I try to get a hold of myself, straightening up and fussing on keeping my dress straight. My head spins around just to be sure no one saw what just happened. I let out a sigh of relief.
“You need to be careful Yuunosuke-san.” I listen to myself trying to figure out if I’m being coy, which I -know- how to do… Or if I’m being demure.
Ah… This is so awkward! Why’d he have to do -that-?
Calm down… You are a professional…
Ah. I inhale rather forcefully. I am… or was… a professional. I bow to him greatful that he somehow, believed me. Hajime won’t be happy of course, but I’ll deal with that later.
“I’ll leave a note, of how I swept you away with my poetry and promises of imported sweets.”
This time I keep my composure. It was just a kiss after all, an impulsive one at that on his part.
“Thank you Yuunosuke-san.” I simply say, “There’s really nothing to pack, I’ll call you when everyone else is asleep.”
I stare at him for a long time. Wasn’t he just a boy? Yes… Of course he was. An intelligent boy, but surely earlier…
What am I thinking?
I bow and leave the room immediately.
(OOC: You may close this thread)
She’s flustered, but do I regret kissing her? No. Even as she reminds me to be careful, and addresses me with the same formality as usual. I’m not generally swept away, but after the type I meet through my usual circles – she had me when she looked at that dropped book in the sweets shop with such interest. Even if her heart is with someone else right now –
My river is still moving.
“Yes, Asuka-san,” I smile lightly as she moves away. She speaks of packing, arrangements, which I agree too. I travel light except for books, but it all still fits into one bag that I can carry easily. Hopefully in this we’ll be able to help Saitou-san, my sister… and the little girl that managed to sleep though all of this.
“Just like your mother,” I say to myself, bending down to kiss her cheek.
After Asuka-san leave I go back to the other room, to dig up some paper so I can write something.
(OOC – Close)