Kanbee:
Leaving the horse and cart tied outside, I let myself in to the yard. Normally I’d call out but I’d rather Yagi-san and the children stay inside. I don’t know who’s watching but there haven’t been any new faces in Aizuwakamatsu but still he’d want me to be careful.
I knock, “Hello Ueda-sama. It’s Kanbee. I came to visit.” Not really, I was summoned here. I’m a little late as it’s well into the afternoon but I wanted to bring some provisions.
(OOC: Anyone can let him in otherwise Ueda will)
(Hide)
I’ve been restless since Tsutomu-kun and Midori-san left. Will they be back tonight, or will they stay the night? Will they… -stay-? But I attend to the girls’ needs, as well as Ueda-sama, bringing him some tea as the afternoon remains chilly.
I hear a knock on the door, with Kanbee-san calling out for Ueda-sama. “Please, I’ll get it,” I tell him.
I open the door and see Hajime’s old friend, whom I greet and bow to. “Ah, come in, Ueda-sama is right in here,” I say, leading him in.
Kanbee:
Ah, come in, Ueda-sama is right in here
I didn’t come for Ueda-sama of course. “Ah thank you.” I say and go inside locking the door behind me.
“I brought some provisions. Nanae, my wife, was insistent that I bring some of her cooking and…” I take out a couple of jugs, “This is goat milk for the baby. It’s sweeter than cows milk but it is nutritious and will keep for at least 3-4 days.”
Sweeping my eyes around the room and the hallway, I take notice of the entrance and exit and thankfully it seems they’ve not opened the windows. It is cold anyway but it helps that they’re not seen outside. I sit down beside Ueda-sama.
“Are you staying here or do you wish to go elsewhere Yagi-san?” I don’t think Ueda-sama will take offense if she decides to not stay here. But since AIzu is a small town, even an out of towner in the local onsen will be noticed. We are not a tourist area after all.
I thank Kanbee-san for the provisions. “Thank your wife for me, please. And the milk… Ai-chan is working on solids but when she’s tired or fussy milk is best.” It’s very thoughtful and he seems well-informed on our family. Akane-san did see the baby, briefly, so perhaps she told him?
He looks around. “Tsutomu-kun went to see his mother, and he took our boarder with him, a young lady, who came along as well.”
Are you staying here or do you wish to go elsewhere Yagi-san?
“I will go wherever you think it’s safest, Kanbee-san,” I say. “I would prefer here, if Ueda-sama is willing.” I smile a bit, looking over at him, meeting eyes that don’t see mine. “I would do better here being useful than sitting around an onsen, truthfully, but I will defer to your advice.”
“I feel that the trouble Fujita-san sent me away from in Tokyo remains in the south. My concern here is the brother of Yaso-san, he issued a… challenge to Fujita-san, which he did not return for.” I look out the window, wondering if Tsutomu-kun made it to his mother’s yet? “
Kanbee:
“Tsutomu-kun went to see his mother, and he took our boarder with him, a young lady, who came along as well.”
“Is that right? Well I suppose he must see his mother.” I haven’t visited with Kurosawa lately but I can only assume nothing’s changed with that woman. I wonder if it’s gotten worst now that Goro’s divorce has been finalized. I take a long glance at Yagi-san wondering if she knows he’s divorced his wife.
“I will go wherever you think it’s safest, Kanbee-san,” I say. “I would prefer here, if Ueda-sama is willing.”
I look at Ueda-sama and he simply nods. He’s not a man of many words. “It would be safer here -if- you plan to stay mostly inside. You’d be a new face and easily identified especially at an onsen.” Though of course the boarder girl is already out and about. But that can’t be helped.
“I feel that the trouble Fujita-san sent me away from in Tokyo remains in the south. My concern here is the brother of Yaso-san, he issued a… challenge to Fujita-san, which he did not return for.”
I stop for a minute. I remember the last time we were in this house she told me they were not yet over. That she calls him so formally must mean, this too is over just like his marriage.
“So he sent you the opposite way.” Which means he should be taking care of whatever threat is in the South. But Yagi-san has other concerns, one that I’m familiar with. “You mean Naito. Lately he’s been coming and going around this town and he’s no longer a familiar face to most residents here but those who came back from Gonohe likely would recognize him. But I’ve not heard about him the past couple of weeks.”
I look at Yagi-san, “But from what I remember of Naito, he was a good young man – always a smile on his face and helped around in Sannohe village. He took care of his sister in her last days but then decided to stay in Gonohe for good. But a challenge to Goro?” I let out a deep breath, “It wouldn’t be surprising but that the challenge was done in the open.” I shake my head, “In any case whether it’s Naito or someone else, you should stay here and I’ll be standing guard.”
I show her my rifle and of course I brought my sword. I suppose those souvenirs when I was still in the Para-military Police is going to come in handy after all. “So Yagi-san, what is the other threat and more importantly, what do they look like?”
Is that right? Well I suppose he must see his mother
I nod. “He was ready to go as soon as his sisters were settled. He’s a good son,” I say. I catch the long, searching look – as if he’s trying to figure out something. If I’ll attempt contact with Tokio, perhaps? “He told me that he plans on spending the night there, as her home is some distance from here.” It’s already starting to darken, with the short days and the cloud cover.
But there’s a moment of thought that I don’t miss, either.
You mean Naito. Lately he’s been coming and going around this town and he’s no longer a familiar face to most residents here but those who came back from Gonohe likely would recognize him. But I’ve not heard about him the past couple of weeks.
“Gonhoe is where he wanted to meet,” I tell him, tucking back a lock of hair that keeps falling forward. I continue, in a low voice, “he speaks of getting revenge for his sister. She does not seem… at least it what I’ve heard… to be the sort who would want him to do something like that, to get blood on his hands.” I can see the young man Kanbee-san speaks of, between what’s driving him.
“I’m worried, too, about Tsutomu-kun – is there someone in his mother’s household that could protect him? Tsutomu-kun is excellent at kendo, but a real weapon is.. a different situation.” I know Tsutomu-kun seemed mildly offended that I questioned his safety…
In any case whether it’s Naito or someone else, you should stay here and I’ll be standing guard
I nod, happy to be here instead at an onsen. He presents his weapons but I know that Hajime sent me to someone who is -more- than capable of defending me in his stead.
So Yagi-san, what is the other threat and more importantly, what do they look like?
“It’s related to my kidnapping,” I say, tucking that hair behind again. I’ve never had short hair so I had no idea how it is when it grows back. “The main perpetrator is in jail in Osaka, and the two who kidnapped me are dead.” Their faces flash in my mind and I repress a shudder. “Who is left is a government official, Miyagawa. I don’t remember him from the kidnapping, but in the paper he has facial hair, but it’s not a noticeable face overall.”
“The other… is the mother of the perpetrator…” My hands grip each other tightly, and despite the temperature, I feel a sheen of sweat. “An… ordinary old woman. She’s… cruel, and dangerous.” I close my eyes as the memory of her face as she ordered the imposter to break my ankle, which I rub almost out of habit. I take a deep breath.
I look back at them. “I don’t think they’ve made a connection between Hajime – Fujita-san,” I correct myself, “and I. If they know I’ve left Tokyo they’ll look in Kyoto first.” Thankfully, my brothers are protected by Shimada-san….
Kanbee:
He’s a good son,”
A good son huh? I can’t help but heave a sigh. I’ve heard how that boy spoke to his father once. I was quite surprised that Gorou didn’t put him in his place and I doubt his wife was any help.
“ “he speaks of getting revenge for his sister. She does not seem… at least it what I’ve heard… to be the sort who would want him to do something like that, to get blood on his hands.””
“And so the time has passed…” Has it? Then why hasn’t Naito shown up here? “His sister seemed like a good person but unconventional. But in the end she did what’s best for the clan.” I don’t necessarily say what my hand in it was. We all did our best during that time.
“I’m worried, too, about Tsutomu-kun – is there someone in his mother’s household that could protect him? Tsutomu-kun is excellent at kendo, but a real weapon is.. a different situation.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about him. Kurosawa’s house has several servants and he can carry himself. Kurosawa isn’t that old you know.” I glance at Ueda-sama and almost quipped that Kurosawa was closer to our age than Ueda’s… Thankgoodness I caught my mouth just in time! “Also… I don’t think Naito knows of any of Gorou’s children. When Yaso and him divorced, he was already in Tokyo living with Takagi-san. It’s unlikely Goro would’ve written them anything about his new life.” After all, he never looked back or at least tried not too. “If you’re that worried however, I can have someone escort them back here.”
Yagi-san seems satisfied with my defense armaments. It’s been a while but I did lead a platoon here in Aizu many years ago so I can handle myself and hopefully against these kidnappers. But she seems to have a hard time speaking about them, but who can blame her? No one would want to recall such a harrowing experience. But an ordinary old woman? Why haven’t Gorou put this old woman away yet? Maybe that’s why Yagi-san and Gorou is no longer together?
“I don’t think they’ve made a connection between Hajime – Fujita-san,” I correct myself, “and I. If they know I’ve left Tokyo they’ll look in Kyoto first.”
“Well then, it’s good you came here rather than to your kin in Kyoto. And as for your connection to him, well there isn’t one anymore right? I wouldn’t worry about it.” I try to grin a little to put her at ease.
I think for a minute, “I can send word to Kyoto tomorrow morning to look out if you like? In the meantime I’ll spend the night here Ueda-sama.”
“You can get a spare futon upstairs.”
“Of course.” I’ll get the futon but I don’t plan to go to sleep. He’d have my head if he caught me sleeping on the job. But I was higher ranked than Gorou and I’m no amateur.
(OOC: you can close)
He sighs as I talk of Tsutomu-kun’s dedication to his mother. Should I not have let him go?
And so the time has passed… His sister seemed like a good person but unconventional. But in the end she did what’s best for the clan.
How did she? By giving up her husband, letting him think the worst of her, that she had murdered their child? But I refocus my attention on Naito. “Yes… he probably doesn’t know about Tsutomu-kun.” He -favors- his father but his looks also come from his mother – the hair, I guess, and his facial features. It’s mostly in the personality…
And as for your connection to him, well there isn’t one anymore right? I wouldn’t worry about it.
He tries to make light of it… then why are you here, Kanbee-san, I would ask. “Well, Naito doesn’t know any of what happened,” I say, quietly. I was here for it and I still don’t understand it all. It’s like being in a storm, and I feel like I’m still in the middle of the winds. And when it passes, what then? His orderly closure, I suppose.
Why can’t I let him have it? I say brave words about him not really wanting it since he’s not actually done it, after -all- this time, but… ah, there I am, getting lost in my thoughts. I’m here to be useful. If I wanted to mope I’d have gone to the onsen.
Kanbee-san makes his plans for the protection of this house. “Well, I’ll go warm up the dishes your wife sent,” I tell the men, rising.
(OOC – close)