I look up at the tree. It’s the afternoon and the rays of the sun are peeking through the leaves. Should we really build a treehouse there? Isn’t it too tall for Makoto-chan? I worry she might fall.
I look around it some more. She really wanted a treehouse though. I climb up and hang on one of the branches and put my weight on it and push down several times. It hardly budges. It seems sturdy. Well if she does fall down it won’t be the fault of this tree. But I don’t want her hurting herself. Then I had a great idea, we can even put a swing on this branch. That might be fun.
Excited, I jump down and I guess it was a little too high and I feel a sharp pain in my ankle. Ouch…. I hold it a little and hop up and down until it calmed down a bit. See you’re the one who needs to be careful Tsutomu.
(OOC: Anyone can come by. If not, plans will continue a bit later)
Tsutomu Makes “Plans”
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(Makoto)
Hop hop hop I am a kangaroo. That’s a big animal from a faraway land and it hops, like a rabbit or a frog. So I pretend to be that, off the engawa, to the ground!
I shouldn’t hop off the engawa to the ground but I’m fine. I go and get my zori on before I go to the back garden and there’s Tsutomu-niisan by the big tree! Maybe he’s building our treehouse.
He’s hopping, though, but just on one foot, but not like a kanagroo, like me. I run up. “Tsutomu-niisan, are you okay?”
“Tsutomu-niisan, are you okay?”
Oh I didn’t notice her. I straighten up and lean on one foot. “Yes.” I say simply and lean on the tree.
Crossing my arms, I say “Aren’t you supposed to be studying?” I don’t really know but it sounded like a good way to shoo Makoto-chan away.
I’m upstairs, putting away the children’s laundry with Yukiko-san. I look out the window and Tsutomu-kun is in a tree? I smile – hopefully Makoto isn’t seeing it because she’s on the front engawa, working on her homework.
By the time I look out again, Tsutomu-kun is … hopping – with his hand on his ankle? How did that happen? And there’s Makoto running up to him. I sigh, excusing myself to Yukiko-san. Makoto’s last math test came back very poor and I need her to study more. She’s a smart girl and should be doing better. Her father and I expect her to do well – and I smile at the thought of her father.
Aren’t you supposed to be studying?
Makoto has a silly smile on her face as I come outside. “Yes, Makoto, you should be doing those math drills.” I look over at Tsutomu-kun, leaning against the tree. Something looks off in the way he stands.
“Sorry hahaue,” she starts to run off, but I stop her. “Bring me my sewing basket, please,” I ask her, and she goes into the house.
“So how’s that ankle?” I ask. He’s his father’s son so he’ll probably deny it.
Oh I see. She really -was- supposed to be studying. I wonder which one? It can’t be English, she seems to be doing well in that with so much time she spends on it. Her mother sends her away and now I’m standing trapped under the shade of the tree.
“Bring me my sewing basket, please,”
Oh is she going to sit there on the engawa sewing? That would take more than a few minutes, maybe even an hour.
“So how’s that ankle?”
“What ankle? Everything is fine.” I turn up my nose slightly and look to the side. I can stay here -all- afternoon.
I only look at him until Makoto returns. “Now, please go ask Kinosuke-san to go and get a big block of ice? Then… get back to your math work.”
I kneel down on the ground and look up at him. “This would be easiest on all of us if you sat.” I can’t see much through his sock. I open my sewing basket and pull out a length of sturdy fabric. “Let me see and then I’ll stop fussing over you.”
I add in a casual tone, “You know, some of the other mothers at the gate were talking about the kendo tournament at the end of the month. Are you in it? It would be bad if this ankle held you back.” I go through my basket and find two strong straight pins, and -wait-. “She was bragging that her son was the best back at Genbu and is going to win the main division.” I can’t wait forever, as the weight of this child makes it impossible for me not to have to excuse myself at some point, but I can wait a while. “I haven’t had kakigori since last summer, I think today is a good day for it.”
This woman… is stubborn! But I don’t move. I -said- nothing was wrong. I watch her from the corner of my eye as she starts doing something with the cloth.
“You know, some of the other mothers at the gate were talking about the kendo tournament at the end of the month. Are you in it? It would be bad if this ankle held you back.” “She was bragging that her son was the best back at Genbu and is going to win the main division.”
“Oh he’s not going to win.” I tell her and take a step forward and I grimace and shake slightly as I put weight on that ankle. It’s hurting much worst now I guess. “He’s not that good. I just need a little more practice.” I tell her and I try to take another step and… Oww… I purse my lips together. -Fine-…
“You can see for yourself.” I put out my left leg and show her, there was absolutely nothing wrong. I turn my nose up a bit more. Is this what -he- has to put up with?
(OOC: He’s putting out his leg but obviously it’s gotten swollen and red.)
He finally lets me see his foot. I carefully take off his shoe and sock, and look up to see if he’s reacting. Instead, it looks like he’s going for a neck injury, as he’s doing everything he can to look as far away from me as possible. I smile a little at this stubborn, stubborn boy.
It’s red and already swollen. He was able to put his weight on it a minute ago… my fingers are gentle as they feel around. “Mmm… I don’t think it’s broken, only a sprain. If you’re careful, you should be good in a week or so.” I press again around the ankle bone, and up the back of his heel, and it doesn’t seem like he’s ruptured anything.
I take out the strips of cloth and start to wrap around his foot, starting just past the ball of his foot and going up above his ankle. As I work, I speak. “With two younger brothers, and then the Shinsengumi, I saw a lot of these – there was often a doctor they could call but they liked the onee-san treatment better.” I wrap the fabric around and around his ankle, keeping it tight, and then secure it carefully with two long pins. “But like them, you’re young and strong, so you should get better in time to get some practice in before the tournament.” I put his sock back on, put his shoe on top of my basket, and stand.
“You’ll need to lean on me to keep the weight off your ankle, but let’s get you inside to the tatami room and the sofa – you can stretch out there and I can get this elevated.” I smile, “and hopefully Kinosuke-san will be back soon with that ice.”
She presses and I make sure not to wince. “See I -told- you, it was fine.” But I let her wrap my foot. It’s better not to take chances and miss kendo practice.
“With two younger brothers, and then the Shinsengumi, I saw a lot of these – there was often a doctor they could call but they liked the onee-san treatment better.”
So she has two brothers. That’s -interesting-. But then she talks about -them-, the Shinsengumi. I look back at her, “Those men of the Shinsengumi are -no- good. They were just a bunch of thugs commissioned by Aizu.” I do as she says and lean a little as we go back inside the house. “My mother said they high tailed and ran as soon as the tide was turned against them. And -he-…” I don’t like to call him father -anymore-, “stuck around the castle. That’s how he and my mother met. She was a lady in waiting to the princess Teru and he was their bodyguard, the -famed- captain of the Suzaku troop.”
She should know who my mother is, what the lineage of -our- family was. For him to give it all up for -this- was the height of his stupidity.
But it’s not too late yet, she said we can get him back.
Those men of the Shinsengumi are -no- good. They were just a bunch of thugs commissioned by Aizu. My mother said they high tailed and ran as soon as the tide was turned against them
“Oh, I’ve heard them called that and worse,” I answer, lightly. But I’m not about to argue with him. He needs to rest.
He does put some of his weight on me, which surprises me. He tells me about his mother, and I don’t know what to say about that – it’s mostly what I’ve heard before, but his tone – as usual, it’s daggers. Does he think I don’t know this? That Tokio was high-born and associated with a princess? We get to the tatami room, just as Kinosuke-san comes back with the ice. “Get settled on the sofa, I’ll be right back with some ice and tea.”
I get some of the ice chipped off, and wrap it in a tea towel, and go back to the tatami room with that and some tea. “Now rest,” I tell him, as I prop up his wrapped foot with some more towels, and set the tea within his reach. “I’ll get you for dinner – and now that we have ice, we will be having kakigori after,” I smile.
She doesn’t say much about the Shinsengumi but it’s better she -knows- they were nothing more than thugs.
She’s even more quiet when I tell her about mother and Princess Teru. Maybe now she’ll understand that she’s -only- and can only be the other woman to him. She walks away telling me to get settled in the sofa and so I do. She’s probably not a bad woman but she can never be like my mother nor her Aizu associations. Why he’s here can only mean mother was -right-. No way could she compare and no comparison can be made to a -true- lady in waiting.
She leaves the room and I tell Kinosuke-san, that I’d like to borrow one or two of the construction men. “I’d like to make a treehouse on the big tree outside.” I tell him, “Also it would be nice to have a swing. I can pay the builder. I have money my uncle always sends.”
“Oh? Are you sure?” He laughs, “Cost would not be an issue. I can pay for it.”
“No.” I look at him seriously, “it’s -our- treehouse. So I’ll pay for it.” I pull the money from my pocket. “See.”
“Oh that is a sizable sum but not quite enough.”
“I’m sure I’ll get more.” I smile a little, “It comes every few weeks. Uncle is very good.”
“But why would he be sending you so much money? Did he do so before?”
I shrug, “I don’t know. He used to send money every new year but now it’s been more consistent ever since…” Suddenly I’m quiet and look down at the money, “Ever since Yoshi left for the Namuzawa’s a little less than a year ago.”
Was this why Tsuyoshi had to leave? The money came consistently from Uncle Morinosuke, sometimes to my mother but lately to me directly. I put the money away.
“Actually Kinosuke-san, can you front the money? I’ll find a way to pay you back.” I’m not going to be spending this money anymore. I’ll return it Namuzawa-san.
He ruffles my hair and i turn away slightly, “I can do that. But it doesn’t matter if you pay or not.”
“I’ll -pay- you.”
(OOC: Someone can choose to hear this conversation or not.)
Actually Kinosuke-san, can you front the money? I’ll find a way to pay you back.
Now what was that about? What would he need money for? I tap the door before entering, with Makoto trotting behind me.
I come in with a tray. “I made dinner a little early so I can get started on the afters,” I set it down – simple grilled fish, vegetables, rice and a soup.
“Hahaue, can I stay in here and eat with Tsutomu-niisan so he’s not lonely?” She gives me that expectant little smile.
“I suppose so – have Yukiko-san help you get a tray together and carry it in carefully,” I answer.
I use Makoto’s absence to change out the ice, and check on his ankle. The ice is helping, so I refasten the bandage. His face has a different look than it did when talking to me – but what could he be talking about with Kinosuke-san.
Makoto returns, walking -carefully- as I had asked, and sets down her tray.
“I’m going to go finish up. Kinosuke-san, your dinner is ready as well. Enjoy your dinner, I’ll be back in shortly,” I smile.
(OOC – Hide leaves the room)
(Makoto)
I wait until Hahaue leaves, to whisper, “do you want my pickles?”
I sit down on the floor next to the sofa. “So you aren’t okay? How’s your foot? How did you hurt it?” I look over at it but it’s still there, so it can’t be so bad.
Makoto comes in with food. That’s nice of her.
“do you want my pickles?”
I take the pickles from her plate. “I don’t like pickles that much.” I tell her and munch on it, “But I know you don’t like them.”
“So you aren’t okay? How’s your foot? How did you hurt it?”
“Oh it’s nothing. Your mother is just fussing at it.” I start eating my food, “Hey Makoto-chan, did you ever meet Tsuyoshi?” I pick at my food. “I saw you drew him in your picture.”
(Makoto)
He doesn’t fuss at me about my pickles. I give him a big smile before eating up my rice. “Thank you!” He said he doesn’t like them much either so he -understands-.
Oh it’s nothing. Your mother is just fussing at it.
I nod. “She does that. She’s very good at fussing.” It’s nice and makes me feel very happy, even when I’m tired.
Hey Makoto-chan, did you ever meet Tsuyoshi?
I shake my head. “No,” I look down, then smile. “Oh! But he sent me an akebeko! A cow with a head that goes like this,” I bob my head just like it. Then I tell him, “I’m really glad to have three brothers. It used to just be me and Hahaue, back when we lived in Ito.” It seems like a long time ago, and hard to remember, because I was basically a baby. “And now I have a -lot- family.” There’s Yukiko-san too, and Kinosuke-san. Oh, and Yuunosuke-san. But best of all is chichiue.
“Do you think that Tsuyoshi-neesan will like the treehouse? We need to make it fit all three of us if he comes to see it.” Well there’s the baby, too, but that’s silly, babies don’t go in trees.
“It’s annoying.” I say more to myself than Makoto. I wiggle my toes and it seems my ankle doesn’t hurt as much anymore.
“Oh! But he sent me an akebeko! A cow with a head that goes like this,”
“Oh he did huh. That’s just like him. You should ask him, to do the bobbing head for you. He’s very good at it.”
“I’m really glad to have three brothers. It used to just be me and Hahaue, back when we lived in Ito.” “And now I have a -lot- family.”
The way she said that, it seems like she’s very happy. I touch her hair. It’s so straight. I always wanted straight hair but mine is wavy. And then I’m sad. We used to have a family too but I don’t remember what it was like anymore.
“Do you think that Tsuyoshi-neesan will like the treehouse? We need to make it fit all three of us if he comes to see it.”
“I don’t know. It might only be a small treehouse. But he definitely don’t want to be called a “nee-san”, it should be “nii-san” because he’s a boy.” I don’t tell her the money i was hoping to build it is going right back to Aizu! I’m going to have to figure out how to get back to Aizu and I’m not sure if I can tell anyone.
I finally finish eating and Makoto takes my plate just like her mother asked her to. I tell her thank you and think about my plans.
(OOC: Tsutomu will end)