But she won’t want to. I pause, at the entry to the kitchen, where something smells nice. At least he food here is a lot better than the food at school.
“Ummm… Yukiko-san, do you have a minute?” I don’t know who else I can ask, after all.
I Think She Can Help Me?
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Yukiko:
Eiji-kun asked me to look over the oden that is just about done. He said that perhaps sharing oden this weekend may lighten the mood of the children. Tsutomu for his part has been watching over Ai-chan while I try to help out Eiji more. And Nishino-san has been so much help with Makoto. The children have been so good lately… I wish Uncle and Auntie could see them, but for now I don’t think Uncle would even notice and certainly Auntie has many troubles.
“Ummm… Yukiko-san, do you have a minute?”
I’m brought back from my mulling with Nishino-san’s voice. I turn down the fire for the Oden. “Of course Nishino-san, how can I help you?” I smile at her. I want to be helpful to everyone.
Of course Nishino-san, how can I help you?
She’s very nice, and doesn’t correct me when I called her Yukiko-san – it was hard not to copy Makoto-chan, but at least I didn’t call her sister like Tsutomu-kun does!
“Umm… do you think this weekend, while there’s no school, you could take me shopping?” I pause, feeling embarrassed. “When I boarded at school I just wore my uniform all of the time, and that was fine. But since I’m in a real home… I’d like to get a kimono or two?” I look up. “My mother sends me plenty to cover such things.”
But Tsurumi-chan always changes, the moment school was out. She liked to show off her family crest.
Then I realize something -worse-. “And… could you help me learn how to dress myself in it?” My mother sent me off in my first Futaba uniform. I’ve not worn anything since. It just seemed so sensible not to worry about it for all of these years. Why do I worry about it know, I wonder, a bit cross with all of this fuss.
Yukiko:
“Umm… do you think this weekend, while there’s no school, you could take me shopping?” When I boarded at school I just wore my uniform all of the time, and that was fine. But since I’m in a real home… I’d like to get a kimono or two?
She seems so nervous! But why? I smile closing my eyes and laugh softly. “Is that all Nishino-san? I’d love to.” I clap my hands together, “But we’ll have to ask the store owner what would look well. Unfortunately I wear plain kimonos all the time now.” Unlike before when Kinosuke-san would buy me pretty ones. These days I wear plain looking ones.
“And… could you help me learn how to dress myself in it?”
“Well of course! That I can easily do.” Because almost all kimonos are worn the same way with only the sleeve and the belt making the variance.
“Let’s go tomorrow morning? Eiji-kun shouldn’t have to work on a Sunday.”
Yamaguchi-san laughs, but it’s very kindly. “Oh, Yamaguchi-san, I don’t mind plain.” I look at my uniform, with the arrow-fletch pattern on the top part that I’m rather tired of. “I’m not really a fussy girl.” I look at what she’s wearing – it is simple but refreshing!
She also agrees to help me learn to dress, which is a relief. “I know there’s all sorts of rules about the obi and the sleeves that I’ve never understood,” I tell her. When I asked Tsurumi-chan, she said that -merchant- girls didn’t need to worry about it, but shouldn’t I wear my clothes properly?
“Tomorrow would be great, thank you!” I turn to leave, she’s making something good for dinner again… but I stop and turn back around.
“And one more question – Tsutomu-kun seems a bit quiet since the day Yagi-san and Fujita-san left. I know he was up late talking to his father – is there something I could do to cheer him up?” I know if I bring him sweets he’ll feel like he owes me… I feel my face go pink which is really, really annoying.
Yukiko:
“Oh, Yamaguchi-san, I don’t mind plain.”“I’m not really a fussy girl.”
She looks at me or rather my dress and tells me she’s not fussy! What a funny but nice girl she is. “Nishino-san, you’re very pretty so you’ll look good in most kimonos except maybe all black.” I laugh a little. Who would want to wear a black kimono or an all white one? We’d be going to a funeral then!
“I know there’s all sorts of rules about the obi and the sleeves that I’ve never understood,”
“Just a few simple rules. My mother didn’t have a chance to show me, but my father Hiroaki did.” I pat her on the arm.
And then she asks about Tsutomu. That Uncle spoke to him before he left.
“Tomu-kun and his father don’t get along well. They weren’t always like this.” I tell her, “It’s best not to speak to Tomu about Uncle… But I know he used to like bait fishing with his father and younger brother in Akashi’s rivers.”
I think back, “Those earthworms they used though.” I wince, “It was kind of gross and that little brother of his always dug his hands in the mud searching for them.”
Nishino-san, you’re very pretty so you’ll look good in most kimonos except maybe all black.
I blush again at that even though I know she’s just being nice. But I do agree! I’m entirely too old for all-black ones. Okaasan only wore hers for visiting important people…
Yukiko-san also assures me that she’ll help me and make sure I’m not wearing something terribly wrong. But then she mentions her father, not her mother taught her. “I’m sorry about your mother, Yamaguchi-san. Were you little?
She gives good advice about not speaking to Tsutomu-kun about Fujita-san, but I’d already noticed that was a hard topic… but then she talks about fishing and my eyes light up.
“Oh I don’t mind the earthworms, but you can use other bait, circuits, ” I realize she has a disgusted look on her face and I stop talking about insects. “My family is in fishing. Ocean fishing, but we’d go river-fishing sometimes for a different taste.” I smile. “Is there a place around here for fishing? Then we could bring back dinner.” I’d like to help more. Mending and wiping dishes doesn’t seem like enough when Yamaguchi-san has so much to do…
She blushes as I give her a compliment. What a nice girl.
Then she asks about my mother and I smile and tilt my head, “Very young but my parents gave me the best of what they could give. I couldn’t be happier.”
Nishino-san tells me about her family that has a fishing business. Well then isn’t that perfect? She wouldn’t be squeamish at all!
Is there a place around here for fishing? Then we could bring back dinner.”
I shake my head, “I don’t know my way around in Tokyo but I’m sure exploring Tokyo with Tomu is half the fun isn’t it Nishino-san? Just don’t stay out past dark.”
How nice. Maybe Tomu and her can be really good friends.
(Ooc you may close)
Very young but my parents gave me the best of what they could give. I couldn’t be happier.
I take that in and nod. Even though my parents are alive, I’ve not spent much of the past few years with them… but they always gave me their best.
I don’t know my way around in Tokyo but I’m sure exploring Tokyo with Tomu is half the fun isn’t it Nishino-san? Just don’t stay out past dark
I’m glad that she’s allowing us… “Oh, yes, I’ve only been a few places in all of these years here,” I tell her. “Maybe after we come back from shopping tomorrow, Tsutomu-kun and I can go out? We’ll take Makoto-chan as well – then you’ll have a nice quiet house for once!”
I thank her again and bow. Maybe I can even wear a new kimono when we go out…
(OOC – close)