Before he moved out of our room and into this one. I always liked this place, and sofa-san. Our love once grew here, in the early day. First, there was his lap. And then… there was sofa-san and futon-san and for that furniture, a house. -My- house.
The house I once ran away from. Another “prop” I threw away, in heedless persuit of… I close my eyes. But he got it back, once he rescued Makoto and I from Ito. Brought his son, his adopted son, his niece, and then, finally, our Ai-chan. As well as the girl, who, it is said, will tend him upon his dying day…
Pride, he called it. Perhaps. But the daughter of a samurai is always raised for war, and unlike two hundered years of peace that my mother and her mother and so on enjoyed, I was there for it. I know how to fight, how to struggle, how to prepare. Sometimes, to a fault. Making one night’s dinner with an eye to how to afford food for the next…
I made a list, last night, in that sleepless night as I listened for the door, the gate, his footsteps. I was once more clear-minded, different from the dithering, sobbing mess I’ve been for so long. For now… for all that I hurt and ache and -need-… I know he’d come to the rescue should I fall apart, that’s…
not how I want him home. But one thing remains. I will remain in Tokyo, in this house, if I can make it happen.
Should he ever come home… he’ll find it where he left it.
I hear Yukiko-san come back from walking the children. Good, I want to talk to her first.
(OOC – Hide is waiting for Yukiko)
Yukiko:
The walk to the school was quiet. Tomu seemed aloof but he kept eyeing his sister and then would mumble to himself. I couldn’t get the courage to ask them what’s going on but I heard something late last night. A scuffle of short words and then the noise of shoji doors being opened and closed.
I finally arrive at the house and I close the door behind me. I see as I approach Yagi-san sweeping the engawa as I approach. “It’s getting much cooler. I wonder when the snow will come Auntie.”
I smile as I hear Yukiko-san’s voice.
I look up at the sky, covered in clouds. “Not too much longer, perhaps.” It will be a long one, doubtless.
“Come in, I have some tea ready, to warm you,” I say, leading the way back inside. Ai-chan sleeps in her basket in the kitchen. “She went down a little early, but I woke her last night so her father could see her before he left.”
I pour us each a cup of tea, and sit at the table. “Well…” I look at the surface of the table. “Your uncle has left this house, and… I’m not certain what his next step is. He… loves his children…” I have to stop, taking a deep breath. Of course, I accused him of the opposite last night. “I know he also cares for you, and had ideas about your future. I wish…” I stop, and smile a bit, “I would -love- for you to stay here, as long as you wish. You’re an important part of this family, and like another mother to Ai-chan. With things that have happened… at least they had you, and Eiji-san.”
I’m given some tea whichi accept gladly. And then im told of what actually transpired.
“Oh. So that’s what it was… last night I thought I heard voices.” I look at Ai-chan. It was amazing how I didn’t hear a peep from her while her parents…
“Your uncle has left this house, and… I’m not certain what his next step is.“I would -love- for you to stay here, as long as you wish.
I look up at Auntie, who’s looking down at the table but she seems to compose herself and finally looks up forcing a smile.
“Uncle did tell me that it’s taken him a while but he still wants to settle my situation and the house in Akashi.” Yagi-san is too nice to not ask me to leave now that Uncle’s removed himself here. I didn’t actually thought it would happen but maybe I’m wrong about the love between two people. “I’m happy to accept your offer Auntie but only for some time. I think Uncle still wants make arrangements for me so I will wait until there’s some clarity of that settlement. ”
I’d of course excuse myself for unduefully burdening her but I’m sure she’ll just tell me it’s not a bother and that I’m a good help just like she’s doing so now. “I’ll be sure to help more in the house and if you need me to pay my way or contribute my father was a low level bookkeeper but he did leave me a small inheritance.” The home isn’t really mine but the entire Yamaguchi family, so I can only offer that to her. “I imagine finances may be a little challenging. “
Uncle did tell me that it’s taken him a while but he still wants to settle my situation and the house in Akashi.
She is his brother’s only precious child, after all. And the only one left with his name.
I’m happy to accept your offer Auntie but only for some time.
“However long it will take,” I tell her. Hajime tried to move fast, earlier. “I suppose Eiji-san will be returning to the military, then. I’ve not had a chance to speak to him today.” I look over at her. “I just wish that anything that happens, though, is also what -you- want. You can take the time you need for that… and I’d like to help you, even if by listening and offering my advice.” I smile a bit, wryly. “For what good my advice is. But… I still believe in love.” That much is true. If I fall to bitterness, to anger… I’ll never be able to live.
I imagine finances may be a little challenging.
I nod. “Thank you, Yukiko-san, for that. I’m thankful for your support, but I hope I can manage things so that you can preserve your father’s gift.” I look around this house. “For now, Midori-chan’s fees help, and it’s my income from my dowry that supports most expenses. Others… I’m going to have to work that out. But, I do plan on looking for work. I can’t just sit around here.” What, I don’t know.
“However long it will take,” I tell her. Hajime tried to move fast, earlier. “I suppose Eiji-san will be returning to the military, then. I’ve not had a chance to speak to him today.”
I heave a sigh. “He’s never been the same since then Auntie. He’s always making himself scarce.” I look at her. Is that what it is with the men in this house? I wonder…
I’d like to help you, even if by listening and offering my advice.” I smile a bit, wryly. “For what good my advice is. But… I still believe in love.”
I nod. Of course I’ll listen but do I even know what love is? Truly? I thought it was what I saw here in this house but now it all seems like it’s fallen apart. I know Uncle can be stubborn with father but must he still with Yagi-san? I feel bad that my being here might be a reminder of the bad experience Yagi-san had with Uncle but I smile at her politely.
I’m thankful not to truly touch the small inheritance my father left but I will if I must. But the house in Akashi is not my father’s but the family’s. Truly I didn’t even know what to do with it and so I was thankful for Kinosuke-san… But something catches as Yagi-san explains how she’s been supporting the house expense. “A dowry?” I look at Auntie, “So were you betrothed to someone before Auntie?”
She sighs when I mention Eiji-san, and looks at me. “So have you and him not had a chance to talk, since Hajime told you of what his original plan was?” I take a sip of my tea. “It must be hard, to be told to see a friend as something more, when your heart doesn’t. That he’s a good man, and a kind one, must make it harder.” I look back at her, sympathetically. After Toudou-san’s proposal, and then his turn… it hurt to turn down a good man, even if I didn’t love him, even if his sudden aggressiveness made it… a little easier.
A strange look flickers across her face for a moment, so fleeting that it’s hard to read. Is she uncomfortable here? That she worries I don’t want her here? “I’ve spoken about what you’ve been to Ai-chan, and the children. You’re not just a good niece to me, but someone I consider a friend, as well.” I smile. I do appreciate her, always being here, a calm prescience in a household of sometimes… volatile people. “I should do more to express that, Yukiko-san.”
A dowry? So were you betrothed to someone before Auntie?
I shake my head. “No, it was in preparation. When I was young, until my brother was born, I was considered my father’s heir and there was some jockeying about who I would marry… my mother struggled with her pregnancies and in giving the family a son. After that… both she and my grandmother made certain that I would still be able to marry well, and my mother in particular, after Souji died, wanted to make sure that I would be provided for in my spinsterhood. I own mostly properties in Kyoto that provide some income, and I’ll preserve as much as I can for Makoto and Ai-chan.”
Yukiko:
“So have you and him not had a chance to talk, since Hajime told you of what his original plan was?” “It must be hard, to be told to see a friend as something more, when your heart doesn’t. That he’s a good man, and a kind one, must make it harder.”
“Not really. It’s not a subject to be broached so casually I think.”
You’re not just a good niece to me, but someone I consider a friend, as well.” “I should do more to express that, Yukiko-san.”
I smile back at her. “My father practically raised me so… Well I think of you almost like a mother. Not quite a friend I think.”
my mother in particular, after Souji died, wanted to make sure that I would be provided for in my spinsterhood.
Suddenly I can’t help but laugh softly at this. “I guess your mother thought after Okita there’d be no one else after.” That’s interesting that her mother thought her to end up a spinster. “Well if your mother could only see you now.”
Uramura Muraki:
It’s the least I can do, I think to myself. I can deliver this set of papers for him just before lunch time. After all he’s agreed to make the rounds discreetly most days as I cannot do it as every police recruit knows who I am and they are always on their best behavior…
Besides this morning, he was in a very bad mood. Mostly slamming doors shut and smoking till his eyes grew red. But he told me already last week they were having problems and that he was moving out. And yet, here I am with this message.
That man is hard to understand. And maybe that’s why it didn’t work out. But I’m not here to make judgments, just to deliver the news.
“Good day! It’s the Police Chief, can someone let me in?” I shout over the tall gates. Hopefully someone hears me.
Not really. It’s not a subject to be broached so casually I think.
I nod. “Certainly not. But… you two are longtime friends. Perhaps there will be a time when it should be broached seriously, at least?”
My father practically raised me so… Well I think of you almost like a mother. Not quite a friend I think
I smile at this, pleased that she thinks of me so. “Thank you, Yukiko-san.” My own mother was often my confidante, as friends were scarce during the Shinsengumi years and those after.
I guess your mother thought after Okita there’d be no one else after. Well if your mother could only see you now.
“My brother -tried-, later on, to find me a husband…” I sigh. I still need to contact him, I suppose. I smile a bit, “she’d be happy to have grandchildren – she died before my brother’s first was born, so she never met any of them. I think she’d be disappointed in me. Not in that I became involved with Hajime, or a married man… but that I couldn’t make it work out.”
Good day! It’s the Police Chief, can someone let me in?
I hear something… I look over to Yukiko-san, my face going pale. Chief Uramura? Would Hajime have already…? “I’ll go see what it is,” I say, standing up from the table and nearly running out to the gate.
Yukiko:
“Certainly not. But… you two are longtime friends. Perhaps there will be a time when it should be broached seriously, at least?”
“Of course but not now.” I wonder would I? What if he left soon would I still?
she died before my brother’s first was born, so she never met any of them. I think she’d be disappointed in me. Not in that I became involved with Hajime, or a married man… but that I couldn’t make it work out.”
“Oh that’s too bad but I’m sure she’s watching over them.” I stop for a moment taking in what Yagi-san said but I shouldn’t offer her words of encouragement. When Uncle makes a decision it’s about as solid as a rock… Could I offer her hope? Not right now I don’t think.
But we’re interrupted as someone from the police is calling at the gates. I stand up and bow as she leaves.
OOC: Uramura will start a new thread)