(Midori)
As the afternoon comes, the snow melts. It was fun watching Makoto-chan and Asuka-san play in the snow. I smile. They don’t know what -real- snow is, these southerners. So it’s fun to watch them get excited here in Tokyo over it. What would Makoto do if she saw a real snow? I assume Tsutomu-kun has seen them in Aizu…
But after lunch, I nudge Makoto-chan. “Come on, miss turtle, let’s make your friend a pond.” Fujita-san didn’t come yesterday. I didn’t tell anyone that I had asked him, because… well, Tsutomu-kun would have known better than to ask. After all, he didn’t come.
So we get a shovel and some other tools from Yagi-san, and I get the stakes and string I bought at the market. Paint would have been easier, I muse, but such a mess.
“Let’s make it SUPER big, Midori-san,” Makoto-chan tells me, as she runs to the other side of the garden with some of the stakes.
“I don’t think your mother would be happy with that, and remember what the book said? That Kame-sama will be happy with a -small- pond.” Makoto-chan’s uncle found us a book about turtles when he was here. It’s in some other language but thankfully one he knew, and he wrote translations in it for us.
“Well I’d like a big pond so we can swim together. I learned, or -was- learning, when we lived in the place we did before this.” She does come back, though, handing me the stakes. It’s funny how she talks about her life before Tokyo. Like it didn’t happen? But she’s young. Sometimes my life before Futaba seems… like another world.
We pace out a reasonable perimeter for a -small- pond. “Does this seem right?” I glance at the house. I told Tsutomu-kun what we were doing and asked for help… will he come out? I put on a pair of gardening gloves I borrowed from Yagi-san over my winter gloves. I’m not vain about my hands, but if I’m going to stitch with silk they have to stay free of calluses. I hand Makoto-chan a trowel, as she’s too small for the shovel. “Here, you do the first one.”
Yahiko:
Man… I shouldn’t have stopped by Saitou’s place. Now my afternoon is -ruined-. Just because I don’t have work on the Akabeko on Sundays doesn’t mean I’m free to do just any kind of job.
I sigh. But he was actually quite generous so I couldn’t say no. Especially since I wanted to buy Tsubame a gift for her birthday. Otherwise I wouldn’t have agreed to go dig a pond at the Yagi house. Besides, I thought they threw him out? Heh. He must still be trying to weasel his way back to Yagi-san’s house. They shouldn’t let him! He’s trouble after all and now have taken up that deplorable habit of drinking. Didn’t Kenshin used to tell me Saitou avoided alcohol? Maybe he’s wrong. But I can’t tell Kenshin, that cop is my neighbor now.
Well here we are. I have a shovel with me and a pick. He said the soil should still be soft since we haven’t had a hard frost yet. Now how the hell did a city cop know anything about farming?
“Hoi! Anybody home? I’ve come to help you dig!” I call over the gates.
(Hide)
Midori-san is… determined to get this pond dug for the turtle. It was strange but yesterday she seemed to be waiting for something? Or someone? I told her she could invite her friends over, but after Makoto’s party, I wouldn’t be -excited- to see the Sayaka girl.
But nobody came. Hajime… I close my eyes as I pause from scrubbing the stone floor of the genkan. My conversation with Saya-san on my mind, still…
Then I realize that it’s noise -out front- that I hear, a voice that is familiar but I can’t place right away, and one I recognize as the member of the sword police who usually is nearest to the gate.
“Tsutomu-kun? There’s someone at the gate” I call up the stairs. He’s the man of the house at fifteen, after all and the sword police are here and… my heart pounding, I go out to the front and then crack open the gate, just a little. I wish we had one of those little windows…
It’s then when I see the face the voice connects. Somehow, in my mind he’s a child but he’s a grown man now. “Myojin-san?” I ask, opening the door a little wider. “How may I help you?” I nod at the police officer, who takes -maybe- a half-step back as I notice that the young man brought… tools?
Yahiko:
“Finally!” She seems surprised to see me. Well of course! And why is there a policeman here? Maybe there’s a restraining order to keep Saitou away. We’ll that’s good!
“I came to dig a pond. ” I show her my tools. “Some girl named Nishino asked for help. ” that’s what he told me to say. “So if I can just get this done so I can be on my way Yagi-san?”
Tomu:
I look out the window the girls are still trying to make that pond. Why? We’re likely not going to stay here in this house for very long. Then Yagi-san tells me there’s someone? But I see she’s already at the gate and I see Myojin-san with a pick and shovel. Oh she must have asked him to come.
“I came to dig a pond. Some girl named Nishino asked for help. So if I can just get this done so I can be on my way Yagi-san?
I’m joined by Makoto and Midori-san, coming from the other side of the house at the sound of our voices.
“Midori-san, I didn’t know that you knew Myojin-san,” I say, confused. Maybe he picks up Kenji-kun sometimes?
She only shakes her head. “I saw him at the party – you’re part of the Himura family?”
“Makoto-chan, Midori-san, this is Myojin Yahiko, who teaches at the Kamiya dojo – along with working at the beef-pot restaurant.” They both bow, and I lead the way to the backyard.
“Oh! Oniisan is supposed to take me there!” Makoto says, leaping from one stepping stone to another instead of walking. “Hey, did you know, who needs the pond? My pet turtle! Did you see him at my birthday?”
“As Midori-san doesn’t know you and Tsutomu-kun isn’t the sort to ask for help, was it Hajime that asked you?” I ask, in a quiet voice. But how did Hajime know about the pond project? I glance at the upstairs window. Is Tsutomu-kun not coming down at all?
Yahiko:
“Yeah I’m a family friend of the Himura’s really.”
She denies knowing me but Yagi-san already introduced me and let me in so… but the sprightly girl comes over. She’s Saitou’s daughter right? She seems much more easy going than he is. Already saying she’s going to the Akabeko.
“Yeah you can go eat there as long as you pay. ” Then asks me about the turtle. “I guess so. But I didn’t get to meet him because you ran up to your treehouse.” I nod up. “Why’d you disappear on your own party anyway? ”
Yagi-san asks if Saitou asked me. He did but it didn’t sound like I’m free to say that? Otherwise he’d not have mentioned the Nishino girl. I go ahead and inspect the area on she to dig. I see from the corner of my eye that Tsutomu was watching at first but then he closes the window. I guess he’s not going to help. He’s as bad as his father.
“So it’s beside this tree right? there’s some roots that need to be removed first.” I take out my pick and start on those roots first.
Yeah you can go eat there as long as you pay
“Oh,” says Makoto, sighing. “Then I’m going to have to wait for oniisan to have money again.” He’s not asked me for any lately, and seems to have kendo practice daily lately…
Why’d you disappear on your own party anyway?
Makoto stops hopping. “Oh…..” she says, with a sigh, cutting her eyes over to me. I nod, I’m certain that through Himura Kaoru he knows the state of our family, so she can feel free to talk about it, but she just goes back to jumping, then running. “You can meet him now!” she calls out over her shoulder.
Myojin-san doesn’t answer my question which is… as good as an answer, I suppose. Not that I gave him any reasons to come back, and coming himself, now, just for the children?
But I know they didn’t get along, and how are they in contact now? The only thing less likely than Hajime coming here now would be to that dojo… something flitters across my mind, but I can’t confirm that thought until -later-.
So it’s beside this tree right? there’s some roots that need to be removed first.
I nod, and Midori-san takes over. “Yes, right here. I’ve staked it out, and it should be shallow on this side so the turtle can get in and out.” She furrows her brow. “That’s what the book says, right?”
Makoto has been talking to Kame-sama but suddenly looks up. “I’ll go ask oniisan! He has the book!” She gets up and runs inside.
(OOC – Makoto exits to find Tsutomu)
Yahiko:
“Yeah bring Tsutomu. Tae-san who owns the place should give him a discount. ” I laugh a little but stop when I notice the girl changed dispositions and sighed. Guess their split is affecting their children. But at least these children have two living parents. Since of us has neither. I keep hacking away at the root until a good chunk came off. Hopefully that’s not going to hurt the tree too much.
Yes, right here. I’ve staked it out, and it should be shallow on this side so the turtle can get in and out.” “That’s what the book says, right?”
“Look i have no idea about what the book says about this but I don’t need a book to dig.” I tell the Nishino girl. I take the shovel near the stake and start the shallow portion.
Tsutomu:
Makoto dragged me outside but I don’t really want to be working on this pond. “If you called me out here to help, I’m not going to. ” I cross my arms and tell the girls that.
“Oh don’t worry Tsutomu that’s why I’m here. Only strong guys get to do this stuff. ”
I throw him a -glare-. What does that mean?
(Midori)
Look i have no idea about what the book says about this but I don’t need a book to dig
He starts to dig and I want to argue, because what’s the use of a pond not suitable for the turtle it’s being built for? But we can always fix it later.
“If you called me out here to help, I’m not going to
Makoto-chan goes to the other side with the trowel. She’s still a young child but very determined! I go over to her brother, who’s now glaring at Myojin-san after he said something… well, I know it’s meant to be insulting and Tsutomu-kun seems to have taken it as such…
I grab his hand. “Come on, we can get the rubber sheet for the liner and then there’s rocks to carry from the front garden,” I tell him, hoping he doesn’t notice me blushing as I feel his warm hand. As we leave the digging area, I grin over at him. “I’d prefer to carry rocks, unless you’re worried you’ll find a worm under one?”
Yahiko:
Makoto seems to be going off on her own but she has the right idea. I guess she’s much smarter than her brother. “Bring that trowel over here Makoto so I can move all these dirt I just dug up. ”
But I can’t help laughing as the Nishino girl takes his hand and bosses him around. Doesn’t he notice the girl seems to like her? “Oy you two love birds. Make sure to bring the rubber line first and Nishino-san, let your “”boy… friend” carry the heavy and dirty rocks!”
I grin and turn away from them and back to Yagi-san. “Well this will be finished soon, where do you want me to dump all these soil I dug up?”
Tsutomu:
She’s making me do house work? And what did he mean love birds? I suppose I am her friend and am a boy. “Fine. The faster we work the faster he’ll get it if here. ” I look at midori, “did Yagi-san call him to work here? “
(Hide)
I’m surprised as Tsutomu-kun comes down and Yahiko-san starts giving him a hard time… only increasing after Midori-san takes his hand and drags him off.
Lovebirds? Boyfriend? She did grab his hand and turned red…
Well this will be finished soon, where do you want me to dump all these soil I dug up?
I show him a spot in the yard, that has a dip in it. It’ll be nice to have it flat once Ai-chan starts walking…
(Midori)
“I’m sorry that I’m dragging you around,” I sigh. “I saw him at Makoto-chan’s party but never met him. Is he usually so… pesky?” Boyfriend! Love-birds! Really now… I do drop his hand.
He asks about who called Myojin-san, and I shake my head. “She seemed surprised that he was here. Then he said that -I- called him here and I don’t even know him.” I glance back at Tsutomu-kun, his hair has flopped in his face so it’s hard to see his eyes. “Do you think… that it was your father who asked him to come?”
Is he usually so… pesky?”
“Yeah. He doesn’t like us because that “father of mine”, made trouble in their dojo a long time ago. But he agreed to hire me at the Akabeko restaurant because Eiji-nii is close to the Himura family because Himura-san saved ani-ue before he came to live with us.”
“Do you think… that it was your father who asked him to come?
“That man doesn’t care about anybody but himself! ” I snap at her but immediately regret it. I look away and more quietly. “He abandons everyone. I thought maybe this time would be different.” I shrug. “But I guess my mother was right all along. ”
“I better get these rocks to him. ” so he can leave so I go where the work is.
Yahiko:
I put the dirt where Yagi-san asks. It wasn’t as hard as I imagined digging a pond. I grin thinking, now I can get the other half of my pay.
“Here’s the rocks you asked for. ”
Tsutomu places them beside me still with a sour look on his face. So i try to distract him more. “Here show off a little for the girl. Help me put them over the rubber lining to keep it in place. ” I laugh remembering what Hiko sensei used to do with the girls from the Aoiya. But they’re not like Tsubame-chan, she would hide all embarrassed. Tsubame’s the best kind of girl!
After a while it’s all done. “Now all that’s left is to put water in it for Kame-sama.” I tell the little girl and her brother. Saitou sure gives out bad animal names but at least this time he is actually naming an animal and not people like he did Kaoru!
“Well that’s it” I bow to Yagi-san. “I should get back before it gets dark.” I want to get paid before Saitou’s too drunk to pay me.
(Ooc yahiko will exit unless something else)
(Midori)
Tsutomu-kun explains that his father caused trouble with Myojin-san’s friends, and Mishima-san’s connection to all of them.
That man doesn’t care about anybody but himself!
I blink as he snaps at me, surprised. But he quickly gets more quiet and expresses disappointment in his father. The boy in the rain, except that this time, nobody came. I put my hand on his shoulder, in quiet commiseration. To have unreliable parents… mine are reliable but a choice was made, to send me away for school.
Then he moves away to get the rocks move. I was happy to come here and find a family to be on the edges of, but it seems to be disappearing more, day by day.
I come around with rocks and Myojin-kun is -still- teasing! We’re entirely too young… but there’s something about Tsutomu-kun, working in the afternoon sun… I look away! But before I know it, it’s done, and Yagi-san is showing us how to put little plants between the rocks.
Makoto-chan claps and jumps up and down. “Kame-sama is going to be so so so happy!” It’s nice to see her happy and carefree again, but I’m learning that those typical little girl moods can shift -quick these days.
(Hide)
“Thank you very much, Myojin-san,” I tell him. He suddenly seems anxious to leave, but doesn’t he have a girlfriend? I seem to recall…
Then I think of something, and stop him at the gate after he’s left greetings to the others. “Myojin-san, please wait.” I hand him a paper-wrapped package. It’s the scarf I’d been wearing today. I had started it with the idea to give it to Hajime, but I don’t have the art of knitting perfect so it’s wobbly and you can see where I mis-counted stitches and didn’t give it to him earlier, since it wasn’t perfect… he’ll probably just roll his eyes and throw it out. Maybe laugh about it with Aioi-san, how I beg and chase… oh well.
“Please give this to the one who actually asked you to come here, and thank you for today.” From the backyard I can hear Makoto making guesses as to how many more buckets of water the pond will need. I smile a bit. It was a good day for her, but she’s not the only one in this house. I didn’t miss Midori-san’s anxious glances at Tsutomu-kun, and his face, as closed off as always.
(OOC – you may close)
“Kame-sama is going to be so so so happy!”
“It finally got done huh? ” I laugh a little at the girl. “Now you can stop whining to your big brother about it. Now that it’s finished. ”
And I saw that look of the Nishino girl! She likes him. I wonder if Saitou knew? And didn’t want his “cannot do household chores son” to look bad to the girl?
I’m accompanied to the gate and Yagi-san gives me a paper bag. I wonder what’s in it?
Please give this to the one who actually asked you to come here, and thank you for today.
“You know it’s that girl who asked him to help but he didn’t look like he’s up to it. ” I shrug. “I’ll be in my way but I’ll drop it off. ” I want to stop by the Akabeko. Maybe Tsubame’s preparing for tomorrow.
(Close)