It’s the afternoon. I haven’t seen Yukiko all day. That’s unusual. The workers just left and I look at the gates wondering where she could be.
I just came back from the market with the beef and eggs she requested. It’s all there in the kitchen. So why isn’t she here?
I turn my thoughts to the house addition most of my well intentioned additions were turned down by Yagi-san however it’s not like I will demand payment. Even the money that’s left to me by Yamaguchi-san is unspent. There’s probably a better use for it. Now I did notice last night that Yukiko had to take Makoto to the outhouse. It would be highly convenient if they had a bathroom in the house though that addition would definitely be expensive. But I don’t have to tell anyone do I?
Well Yukiko wherever she is..
(OOC: anyone can speak to Kinosuke otherwise he’s just waiting for his certain someone)
An Evening of Waiting
12 thoughts on “An Evening of Waiting”
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We return to the house. As expected, Tsutomu-kun, who walks ahead of us, has gone his own way and my attempts at getting Makoto to tell me about her messed up uniform are met with an uncharacteristic silence. I see her face having the “closed off” look that I’ve come to expect from those of Hajime’s blood.
Well at least they don’t have those eyes. I’ll let Makoto have some room to relax before asking her again. She’s been happy at this school so far…
I go into the kitchen, and see… beef? Eggs? Both are so expensive this spring that I’ve not been able to buy them much. This must be Kinosuke-san. I see him outside near the construction and go to join him.
“Good afternoon. Are you responsible for the groceries? If so, thank you.” I look around the addition – it’s coming along nicely, and he’s thankfully made it as simple as I’ve requested.
“Good afternoon. Are you responsible for the groceries? If so, thank you.”
“Oh yes Yagi-san.” I nod and smile but still keep my eyes at the gate. “Yukiko told me that the Yamaguchi’s typically like beef dishes? One with eggs?”
I look at Yagi-san. She’s starting to show. I wonder if I should let Yamaguchi-san know? It’s about that time I should be sending him a telegraph but where is Yukiko? If something happened to her…
I sigh and wonder if I should ask Yagi-san. Is this what it feels like to wait for somebody? It must be hard but the lady beside me has been waiting for several weeks now.
“How are you feeling Yagi-san? Is the baby coming along well?” I ask, it maybe something I should add to when I report back.
Ah, yes, that dish. I’ll need to start on that soon. Maybe it’ll help Makoto and Tsutomu-kun’s moods?
He asks after the baby and I, and I blush a little. I must really be showing now. Pregnant women often make young men uncomfortable, so I answer simply, with a smile, “we are both doing well, thank you for asking.”
I see him staring at the gate, “Yukiko-san should be back soon, she had an errand to see to.”
“If you’ll excuse me? I need to get some green onions from the garden for our dinner.” Thankfully some herbs managed to do well so far this spring, which saves trips out to the markets.
(OOC- Hide will exit unless stopped)
“we are both doing well, thank you for asking.”
I bow my head slightly. “That’s well Yagi-san.” I should let him know.
“Yukiko-san should be back soon, she had an errand to see to.”
“Ah you’ve noticed.” I simper a bit and sigh, “I suppose there is no point just waiting around here.”
“If you’ll excuse me? I need to get some green onions from the garden for our dinner.”
I bow again and leave her to her devices. I should make myself useful waiting doesn’t suit me. (OOC: Kinosuke exits)
(Hide re-enters)
I clean and wash the green onions, but I’ll cut them later.
I inspect the beef that Kinosuke-san bought, it’s of a good quality, but it’ll cook up well. I work carefully as the variances in passing in time – well, I worry that I’m a little rusty – and not just in cooking.
I thoroughly inspect my knife before working, as my grandmother taught me. I think to another time I considered a blade carefully, and hope that it’s serving him well, doing what it needs to do so that he can come home to us. But this one is straight and true, and I make quick work of the white onions.
Into the pot they go, and while they start to sizzle, I make the dashi, which I add to the onions, along with soy sauce and just a splash of sake. Using a spoon I taste it as it is, and it’s fine for now, I’ll check it again closer to serving – the onions are neither too sweet nor too bitter, which helps. Then I slice the beef, thinly, and add it to the pot.
Now that will cook for a while. I set up the things for rice – the strainer to rinse, and my favorite pot to cook it up closer to time. I get out the jar of pickled ginger. I’ll cut the green onions closer to time as well.
Ah! The eggs. Since I don’t know who Kinosuke-san bought them from, it’s best to poach them – I don’t want to serve them over the dish raw to the children unless I’m certain that they come from a good market stall. Poaching requires attention, so I go ahead and take care of that, but keep the water simmering in order to completely finish them and serve them warm.
I get out the bowls, and in the back garden I see Makoto hopping on the stepping-stones. Maybe her mood has lifted. We’ll have a talk at bedtime, while we watch the fireflies.
Closing the cabinet, I see my stack of bento boxes. Smiling, I set one out. I don’t know if they go where they should or maybe his writer eats them. But… I need to do something to care for him.
There, that’s it for now. I adjust the fire, and sit down to rest for a moment. Last time, I remember being exhausted, but I feel so much energy with this one. I rest my hand on my stomach and smile. I’m certain they’ll be strong, just like their father.
It’s still a while before dinner, but where is Yukiko-san? From the address I don’t think Eiji-san’s place is too far, but given the topics of conversation, it may take a while.
(OOC – Hide is in the kitchen, Makoto is in the back garden.)
It’s late when I get back. I didn’t take Eiji’s offer to walk me home. I’m not sure but it didn’t seem like Eiji thought it was a good idea but he did promise me. So I will put my trust in him.
Eiji is like a brother to me. I know of what happened to his family from the little bits and pieces he’s told me and those conversations he’s had with my own father, sometimes at length. It took a while to get him to open up and it may have been impossible if Uncle or even his wife were to do it. Maybe that’s why Uncle made sure he spent a lot of time with us. After all could Eiji really say what he thinks to the house who took him in? Much less the man who lost him, his only brother? But father had a way in reaching people’s hearts but the one he wanted to reach the most, his brother, was not open to him. At least Eiji was.
I go in the garden and see Makoto. “Hi Makoto-chan.” I look onwards and see dinner is already prepared.
(Makoto)
Skip skip skip.
Persevere
Hop hop hop.
I stop. Yukiko-san is back! I smile at her. I’m glad she’s here. “Hello Yukiko-san!” I hop across the stepping stones to her.
I can have fun with Yukiko-san. Later I guess I have to tell hahaue about today, how I got in trouble. But there wasn’t a note in my bag. I guess there was no time?
“Hello Yukiko-san!”
Oh she hops. Playing by herself. I smile at that, remembering how I’d do the same. Being the only child, you make up your own play. I reach out and hold her hand.
“Let’s go inside Makoto-chan? It’s getting dark and you don’t want to keep your mother waiting would you?”
I wait for her to lead me inside.
(Hide)
Yukiko-san is back, and she brings Makoto in with her. I give my daughter a brief squeeze and I get a smile. That’s better.
I’m finishing up, and putting rice into each bowl, and topping with the beef mixture, a poached egg, along with some of the pickled ginger and sliced green onions.
“Yukiko-san, could you please let Tsutomu-kun know that dinner is ready?” I’m getting the tea ready. And where has Kinosuke-san gone? This dinner is on him, after all.
They sit down and I say “Itadakimasu!” I dig in. This is more like it. We have beef most times in the house and I don’t ever recall having it here.
Yukiko breaks the egg for Tsutomu and I can see him take a tentative bite but after that he seems to not mind the dish and is quietly eating.
“Very good Yagi-san.” I say, mostly because it is good but it’s a quiet table and if Yamaguchi-san were here, he’d be telling her so and making Makoto-chan eat more.
I look over at Yukiko. She seems too quiet to me after coming back. She doesn’t know anybody here in central Tokyo, except her cousin of course who lives nearby. Something must have happened?
“Tsutomu-kun, it’s pretty good huh?” I say to him and reach over and pat his shoulders. But oh… I got that look again. “Ah sorry.” I scratch the back of my head, “Didn’t mean to interrupt you eating.”
Seriously he reminds me of Yamaguchi-san on his bad days when we were still teenagers.
Tsutomu-kun is eating – he’s actually eating. I keep eating, and prompt Makoto to eat the pickled ginger instead of pushing it to the side. “Your father wouldn’t like to see you being picky about pickles, Makoto.”
I’m annoyed by Kinosuke-san – he means well but as he good-naturally questions Tsutomu-kun I can almost feel the boy’s hackles rise. Well, at least I got most of a good dinner in him. I do think him for the compliment.
As we wrap up, I remind Makoto that tonight is bath night. Whoever has to clean up doesn’t have a terrible job, as I had time to clean as I cooked.
(OOC – Hide and Makoto exit)
Everyone leaves and I find myself alone. I sigh and clean up the dishes. At least everyone’s come home and I won’t have to give Yamaguchi-san bad news. If Tsutomu can glare at me like that, I can only imagine what the older one would do.
(OOC: Close)