It’s already afternoon by the time I get home. I decided to make a detour to the precinct earlier surprising Uramura-san. Why is it that people tend to know when I take a day or two off? It’s not like I announce my absence. But more than that, it seems like everyone was staring at my “items”. I suppose the big sack of rice was overdoing it but I couldn’t leave it outside. Rice today is expensive and the last thing I wanted was to throw someone in jail for merely rice. And it didn’t help that Uramura decided to go through the pillows, fabric and wash cloths. Next time I’m doing the chores AFTER I drop by the precinct but I was concerned the lady who sold pears would be gone if I didn’t go to the market first. I’m sure they’re having a good laugh. I sigh and close the door behind me.
“I’m back.” I call out.
(OOC: Anyone in the house can interact with Saitou.)
I had just hung Tsutomu-kun’s shirt out to dry after washing and come back inside –
I’m back.
I hear a THUMP on the floor – that must be the rice.
“Welcome back,” I say, looking him over. I smile. “It seems that you had a successful shopping trip.” Either he was able to find everything I had asked for, or added some more items…
I step closer and steal a brief kiss. “Thank you so much for getting anything. Did you have any trouble?”
I get a kiss and I hold her a little longer than necessary.
“No. No trouble.” I tell her, “I just needed to make a quick stop at the precinct.”
I leave the clothing and fabric for a minute and proceed to the kitchen with the “groceries”. The sack of rice I put in the dry pantry first. Then the rest I put on the table.
“I got you pears but don’t eat too much of them. You should only have 2 to 3 at most in a day.” That I learned from the mother of the young woman, who was nosy enough to ask who I’m buying the pears for.
I appreciate the embrace I get and lean into him while it lasts. Even on a hot summer’s day I welcome being close, just a moment to enjoy having him here. After all of those years when time stood still, I cherish it even more so.
I just needed to make a quick stop at the precinct
“Oh, no, not with all of this?” I really did load him down… I follow him into the kitchen as he puts the rice away. “But at least it wasn’t an old woman with a broom this time – speaking of which, when will we go see Shindou-san – before or after Tsuyoshi-kun’s visit?”
I got you pears but don’t eat too much of them. You should only have 2 to 3 at most in a day
I smile at his concern, and look them over. “Well I rarely have more than one a day -anyway- – when someone’s taking such good care of me there’s no need to gorge on them.” I smile at him, squeezing his hand as I walk past. “If you didn’t have lunch, I made some inari, and there’s also some grilled fish. I made Tsutomu-kun a light lunch but he’s been sleeping – or appearing to – most of the day.”
“Oh, no, not with all of this?”
I shrug. “It’s fine.” Besides it was my error in judgment. She asks about visiting Shindou…
“I do need him back soon.” I’m not sure but my instincts is telling me things will move unexpectedly. “Let’s see if we can do something this weekend before Namuzawa comes Monday?” I do wonder if she’s up for it. I know she’s busy.
As for the pears, I’m glad she only has one. If that old woman didn’t say anything I might’ve been overfeeding her.
“I’ll have the fish and as for Tsutomu, it’s probably best to leave him alone today to get some rest. I’m not sure if he’ll be up to go to school tomorrow but we’ll see.”
“How’s your ankles?” I ask as she walks past.
He dismisses my concerns about having to bring his shopping to the precinct. “Well, I do appreciate it – as does Yukiko-san. I couldn’t ask her to lug around that rice, and since Kinosuke-san left so suddenly…” I think about the girl who’s been so quiet lately. “Yukiko-san was worried about the way he left it. She doubts that it was business making him leave.”
Let’s see if we can do something this weekend before Namuzawa comes Monday?
“As long as Tsutomu-kun is doing better.” I’m sure he’s physically recovering… but the rest? “I’ll be up for it.” Besides, I owe him my thanks, even despite what happened while Hajime was gone.
I prepare him a plate, adding rice and vegetables, and set it on the table, along with coffee. I then go back and cut up one pear for myself and join him at the table.
How’s your ankles?
I lift up the hem of my yukata to show him my ankles. “No swelling.” I pull back my sleeves to show my wrists and hands. “Nor here.” I nuzzle my cheek against his shoulder, for he can see that there’s no swelling there, either. Ankles… that happens. Anything else – well, that’s where it’s -trouble-. “Thank you for checking on me, though. I’m being careful – we’ve waited too long for this one for me to not to.” The little one having spent most of the day on the move.
She assures me she’s doing fine and shows it to me. I’m glad nothing is bothering her.
“Thank you for checking on me, though. I’m being careful – we’ve waited too long for this one for me to not to.”
“It’s funny isn’t it? That child of ours always seems to far away.”
I sigh a little as I start on the food.
“I don’t mind the things we have to do here, but sometimes a minute can feel like an hour, a day be like weeks…” I keep on eating making sure I take some of the vegetables. “Weeks are months… And who knows how long a month is…” I don’t want to say it, but could a few months be an entire year? If so I’ll never see this child. Maybe i’ll be dead first.
I take some of the coffee and put it on my rice almost like a soup.
“We can make plans for all the things we want to do here but sometimes I just want to talk to you.” I think back to those old days. “I found a way but I’m not sure if it’s actually do-able as things are now. It certainly requires some time set aside, some preparation.”
I keep eating. The food is good but I eat quickly and speak in between. “I still want to talk to you in the immediate, nothing like -this- scripted, asynchronuous thing.”Of course this is what I meant when I didn’t follow her into all the other places, after all aside from this house, we didn’t have a set place. Sometimes it was just a “blank” space. “But i’m not sure if you really want to?”
It’s funny isn’t it? That child of ours always seems to far away.
I sigh and put my hand on my stomach. “I wanted to -enjoy- this time – carrying a child – with you.” I smile a little. “I didn’t know it would be so long.” He talks of how -slow- time seems to move here. It has slowed. There’s a lot going on in this world. So many, with their own stories going on…
I found a way but I’m not sure if it’s actually do-able as things are now. It certainly requires some time set aside, some preparation
I look up at him. “I would really, -really- like that. I feel like we get things done here, but I need more -with- you. Not to tempt you to my bed, but to -talk-. Freely. Without locks and worries about ears, little or big.” I smile. “I am, after all, -very- fond of you.”
“I don’t want to let this place wither. There’s more than just -this- child in my heart, after all. As long as we can balance the two.” That… and there’s still something we must do. It’s been said should we accomplish that, it would be “the end” of our story, but would it really?
“I still want to talk to you in the immediate, nothing like -this- scripted, asynchronuous thing. But i’m not sure if you really want to?”
I take his hands in mine. “I do, Hajime, I so truly want to.” My eyes shining but determined. I’ve been wanting -something-… but no idea -how-. “What is your plan?”
She talks of our child about enjoying that time. In a way we do but I suppose there is a weariness to this place sometimes.
I would really, -really- like that.
I stop eating for a moment and turn to her. Really? I honestly believed she would say no. I put down my chopsticks and take a quick drink.
“I don’t want to let this place wither. There’s more than just -this- child in my heart, after all. As long as we can balance the two.
“In terms of thisi place, I like our life here eventhough I think when it takes me away from home, it truly does take me away.” That wasn’t so apparent until those weeks that turned into months away from here with hardly anyway to communicate. “I’m sure that reality stays the same. But while I’m -here-. Maybe we can talk real time?”
“What is your plan?”
I turn away slightly and then light a cigarette, “I saw the ahou put together an IM chat on hers and was thinking we can have the same thing.” Taking a puff I continue, “But i know the circumstances of those two are not the same, after all it’s been six years. We’ll probably only have very small windows of time, but even if it’s just a small window a half hour or an hour maybe it will work if we get the two to agree on a set future date and time?”
Of course even to me it doesn’t sound that great. But in this world I fell like there’s been a wall even when we’re both right here. Maybe i want too much? I puff a bit more. “What do you think? If you can get -yours- to agree. I can make the ahou go to work…”
I sound like an idiot of course. Will Hide think I’m a fool?
He seems surprised…
In terms of thisi place, I like our life here eventhough I think when it takes me away from home, it truly does take me away. I’m sure that reality stays the same. But while I’m -here-. Maybe we can talk real time?
I nod. “That’s fair. And just as with the children, your work -must- continue.” I look up at him. “We miss each other terribly, but it’s important. More than you needing it, as a central part of you… I support it so much. We may talk about these children of the new era, and how they don’t know the hardship – but I’m thankful for the sacrifices made by those such as you so that they don’t know it.” I add, softly. “I wasn’t much older than Makoto is now when I first saw the body of someone slain in a fight on the street near my home.”
He talks of bringing back an old method of communication… our -oldest- method. The sound of bells… calling me to him. I lean forward and put my arms around him.
What do you think? If you can get -yours- to agree. I can make the ahou go to work…
“Yes,” I say, kissing him, brushing my lips on his. “Yes,” I say, with another kiss, on his cheek. Which I repeat – yesses and kisses – over and over.
Finally, I stop to catch my breath. “You keep calling me back. Thank you.” I lean my head against his shoulder. “I feel sometimes like I’m -greedy-, needing you so much. And I suppose I am,” I say, looking up with a little grin, “but I’m -very- willing to make it work.”
She talks about my work and how it -must- continue. Of course it must. That’s why I keep stopping by the TMPD just in -case-.
“I wasn’t much older than Makoto is now when I first saw the body of someone slain in a fight on the street near my home.”
I hold her nearer to me. “It’s so peaceful now at least -here-. There’s something to this house eventhough they were almost at the doorstep.” I do believe this house keeps evil away -somehow-. Of course Kawaji-san happily takes a portion of my salary as rent ever since the police made it their property. I looked away from the indiscretion, I wanted this place.
She says yes and we kiss. And it seems genuine and I’m -happy-. We can talk, maybe not a lot or in such great quantities as before but a line will be opened.
“I feel sometimes like I’m -greedy-, needing you so much. And I suppose I am,” I say, looking up with a little grin, “but I’m -very- willing to make it work.”
“You’re not greedy. I’ve always felt the same.” Of course with all the time in between, I wasn’t really sure. “But I had to re-learn what I can or can no longer do with you.” Holding her cheek I give her one last kiss.
“Now go and do your womanly duties for this house.” I stand up and grin at her. “And I shall get my slave to do some work.”
Of course I’ll make sure this place doesn’t wither. Everyone else we care about is -here-.
(OOC: Saitou exits)