Tsuyoshi:
I jump up on the futon and look outside.
“Ani-ue! You’ve got a nice room here at Yagi-san’s!” I smile at him at look out the window. “Gee you guys even have a treehouse with a swing! I’m sooooo jealous!”
He shrugs and starts to put his things on the table.
“Come on! Don’t tell me you’ve not even used the swing?”
“I did.” He sighs, “I had the treehouse built you know, but it was Makoto’s idea.”
“Man! You did that?”
“Yeah it took most of my money from my part time job.”
“You’re a great brother Ani-ue.” I tell him because he was to me and I believe he is today.
“Why’d you come here Tsuyoshi?”
“Yagi-san asked me and you too.”
He shrugs again, “It probably wasn’t a great idea for you to come. But Yagi-san was so insistent.”
“She seems like a nice lady.” I think back to our first meeeting in Aizu, “And I can’t believe we have another sibling on the way! I’m so excited!”
He groans and plops on his futon.
“How’s she… I mean mother.”
“She’s doing better.” I get down to his level and crawl, “I think being near Uncle Morinosuke is good for her.”
He nods.
“I know you probably wanted to read a letter from her but,” I look down, “Otou-san thought it might be best not to let her know we’re spending time with you here.”
Of course I agree with Otou-san. He’s strict but he’s a wise man. He got me in the best school in Aizu and he’s always helped our family. I owe him. He probably thought mother would not take it well if both of her sons willingly came here.
“I don’t need anything from her.” He says in a clipped tone. That’s odd.
“Hey so how is our sister?” I ask, “She seems fun but a little pushy.” I can’t help but chuckle.
“She’s not a bad kid. It’s obvious how much Chichi-ue loves her.”
My eyes go a little wide at this. I haven’t heard him call father, Chichi-ue in years. I can’t help but blink a little, look away and smile.
(OOC: anyone can drop in)
(Makoto)
I think I wore chichiue out! And I’ve been waiting to go see my brothers. Hahaue said that she’s invited Eiji-san to come over *any* night but oh he works. I hope he comes over! Then I’ll have all of my brothers here!
After going to the washroom I go upstairs.
I knock. Hahaue said that’s its really important to always knock and *wait* because what if the boys are getting dressed? I don’t want to see that!
“Hello it’s Makoto do you like yams, Tsuyoshi-niisan, as much as Tsutomu-niisan?”
I wait! (I hop up and down on one foot)
Tsuyoshi:
“Hello it’s Makoto do you like yams, Tsuyoshi-niisan, as much as Tsutomu-niisan?”
“He likes it more!” I answer her and throw open the door.
“So I think you and I should take our share already.”
I usher her in and close the door. I don’t want Uncle Namuzawa to hear in case we get loud.
“Don’t listen to him Makoto,” Ani-ue responds, “Since I’m the oldest you should give me the yams and I will be in charge of giving it out. Be respectful to your elders.”
“Don’t listen to him! He’s going to say he’s the oldest and get twice what we’re supposed to get.”
We’ve played this game so many times back then and I’d get mad but Chichi-ue always had extras in his pockets. I go over to my bag and show Makoto the gift box. “Here if you give it to me I’ll give you your gift first.” I laugh.
“He likes it more!” I answer her and throw open the door. So I think you and I should take our share already.
I giggle. “Tsutomi-niisan ate so much cake! Chichiue told me a story one time where he ate an entire cake!” I’m glad we all like sweets. I was worried that my brother would be
Since I’m the oldest you should give me the yams and I will be in charge of giving it out. Be respectful to your elders. Don’t listen to him! He’s going to say he’s the oldest and get twice what we’re supposed to get
They’re so funny! “I have six so we get two each!” I can do math myself! And besides they would probably start fighting! Hahaue said that her brothers would tussle like puppies!
I *look* at the present. “Can you give me my present anyway?” I smile at Tsuyoshi-niisan and give him his yams. He and Tsutomu-nii san look alike, sort of. Tsuyoshi-niisan smiles more. They both have good eyebrows!
Tsutomu:
“Tsutomi-niisan ate so much cake! Chichiue told me a story one time where he ate an entire cake!”
I look away as I listen to that. I remember that day, mother bought cake for Yoshi’s birthday. Uncle Morinosuke was there. The adults were all at the table and Mother was holding Yoshi and I took the cake under the table. He remembers?
“I have six so we get two each!”
I groan. Well isn’t my little sister smart? But that’s okay and I smile a little as I take my share. Yoshi was right of course I’d have given a 2 for 1 exchange.
Turning my attention back to the table, I read the letter that was given to me by Yagi-san. It’s that girl… But it doesn’t seem like a letter that needs answering so I put the pen down.
“Here you go Makoto-chan. It’s a daruma!” Yoshi comes up to the table, “Hold on let me get you a pen.”
“Here.” I give him mine but his eyes fixate on the letter.
“Hey what’s that? Who’s Midori?”
“No one. Just a classmate.”
“But why is a girl writing you a letter? And she knows Makoto-chan?” He grins and takes the letter quickly.
Tsuyoshi:
Tsutomu-kun: Please excuse my rude behavior on Friday. I had to deal with something. Sakaya-san will not bother Makoto-chan anymore. Nishino Midori
“Makoto-chan! Who’s Midori?” Of course I don’t say anything about the other girl. It looks like the other girl caused Makoto-chan trouble. “Hurry tell me so I can give you the pen and tell you what to do with Daruma-san!”
“Give that back Yoshi!”
“Later!”
“Yoshi!”
Tsutomu-niisan doesn’t look happy when I tell the story about the cake. Maybe he got a terrible tummyache? I would have!
Oh! A daruma! I look at his big eyes and funny face. I give Tsuyoshi-niisan a big hug. “Thank you!”
But why does he need a pen?
Makoto-chan! Who’s Midori? Hurry tell me so I can give you the pen and tell you what to do with Daruma-san!
“Oh, she’s a girl at school.” Why would she write Tsutomu-niisan a letter? “She’s in the class below Tsutomu-niisan and she has pretty hair and she’s kinda quiet.” I look down. She’s been really nice to me lately.
But I still don’t like the word. But I don’t have to hear it from Sakaya-san at *all* this week!
Tsuyoshi:
I get a hug and I give her the pen and since Ani-ue has a very pissed off look on his face. I give the letter back. He’s not good at taking things in stride. I -know- that.
“She’s in the class below Tsutomu-niisan and she has pretty hair and she’s kinda quiet.”
“Oh she’s pretty huh?” I’ve never heard of course of Tsutomu-nii ever liking anyone at school, even when we used to go there together. “Is she his girlfriend?” I ask.
“Yoshi! You idiot!” Immediately he throws something heavy my way and it hit my temple.
“Oww…” I yelp and look down at that thing that hit me. It’s a tsuba?!! Is it fathers’? I pick it up and give it back. “You didn’t have to hit me.” I tell him while rubbing the place that will likely have a bump later. “Is that Chichi-ue’s?”
Ani-ue grabs it from me and shoves it in his bag. “He forgot about it.” He mutters.
“But he gave you a part of his sword.” I remind him. He wouldn’t even let me touch his sword in Aizu… I try to smile at my brother anyway. I still believe, one day…
I turn to Makoto-chan. This time more seriously, enough of the jokes.
“So Makoto-chan, we’re from Aizu and most people in Aizu practice Buddhism,” I hold up the Daruma doll for her see better, “This doll represents the founder of Zen Buddhism and is supposed to bring you good luck.”
Then I point to the left eye, “You’re supposed to make a wish and paint the left eye.” I tell her and grin, “Once your wish comes true, you can paint the right eye.”
I look at my brother, then back at our little sister who has the pen. “So what’s your wish?”
Is she his girlfriend?
“Oh, no, we’re all still children,” I tell him, because that’s what the teachers say when we gossip about the big kids! Oh! I can tell him later about Eiji-san and Yukiko-san. I bet he doesn’t know that.
But then they start fighting! And Tsutomu-niisan got a part of chichiue’s -sword-? I don’t even get to touch it!
Then he tells me about the Daruma, and tells me about Buddhism. Hahaue has, some, and we went to a temple some in Ito. And then he tells me about wishes.
So what’s your wish?
I think and think. “I got one wish already. To have a whole family, because it just used to be hahaue and me. And then we got chichiue, and now I have three brothers!” I look up and smile.
But then I think about what I’d wish. I color in one of the eyes. “That’s for my next wish.”
Tsuyoshi:
“Oh, no, we’re all still children,”
I look at her. “I guess you are still a kid…”
“That’s for my next wish.”
“Aw you’re not going to tell?” I pretend to be soooo disappointed. “Oh but I guess it’s easy to guess what your wish is.”
I lean in and grin widely, “You want another baby sister don’t you?” Of course she does. We’re all boys here!
Suddenly I hear laughing in the background and I turn around and frown at Ani-ue. “What?”
“That’s the last thing she’d want.” He turns away and keeps chuckling to himself.
I guess you are still a kid…
WHAT? Tsutomu-niisan may be close to being a grown-up (that happens for 15 for boys, hahaue said, but she says that’s also changing in this “new time”), but Tsuyoshi-niisan – he’s not that old at all!
At least he didn’t call me short!
You want another baby sister don’t you?
“Oh no, I want a brother!” I hear Tsutomu-niisan laugh. “One girl is enough, and I like having brothers. One of the girls at school said that when you have a sister, they steal your clothes!” I don’t think any of my brothers would do that.
“So are you done putting your things away? Can we go to the treehouse? I even made you a cushion!” They’re all fixed now and very comfy!
Tsuyoshi:
“Oh no, I want a brother!” I hear Tsutomu-niisan laugh. “One girl is enough, and I like having brothers. One of the girls at school said that when you have a sister, they steal your clothes!”
I purse my lips a little. “Aww but -I- wanted a baby sister. Then there can be one for each of us.” Obviously she’s Ani-ue’s baby sister. I want my own…
Hajime:
“So are you done putting your things away? Can we go to the treehouse? I even made you a cushion!”
“It’s kind of late for the treehouse little one.” I look at my daughter and then at my youngest son. So he wants a sister… Of course that will be problematic knowing we don’t even have a name yet.
But something catches my eye, a very red spot on Yoshi’s head and Tsutomu is standing mostly away from the two. Did it start already?
“How about all of you go downstairs and help in setting up the table for dinner?”
(OOC: You can close or do the treehouse in a different day thread if needed. The dinner is just an excuse to move time along as pretty much things on my end is done here.)
“Aww but -I- wanted a baby sister. Then there can be one for each of us.
My eyes open wide – he wants a baby sister? But that means…. he wants to take the baby with him? OH NO. But wait, I heard hahaue telling Yukiko-san that she still has a month or so to go. So he can’t take the baby now, can he?
I’m going to have to watch him -carefully-. And maybe tell Tsutomu-niisan.
Then Chichiue comes in. I should tell him since he’s police AND my Chichiue… but not in front of Tsuyoshi-niisan!
“Okay we can play treehouse another night!” I run down the stairs so I can go help with dinner -and- keep watch on hahaue’s tummy!
(OOC – Close)