Friday, October 21, 2005

A Parting of Ways & A Coming Together

Nakamura stood under a tree outside the inn. He was waiting for Ashida to leave. His patience with his subordinate was beginning to wear thin. Whatever his aide had been doing in Kamakura since he was sent there two weeks earlier had caused much suspicion. Anyone that had been a friend of Yoshihiro’s tended to not want to have anything to do with them. Yonaha was the one that had indicated to Nakamura that Ashida was beginning to become obsessed with the boy.

Ashida came out of the inn and quickly walked away. Nakamura followed as Ashida went to a small, unassuming house and waited under a tree across the street. Ashida watched the house for a while, never approaching. Nakamura kept his distance, also watching.

Eventually the two foreigners and the Japanese woman that had been staying at the inn arrived at the house. They knocked and Takeda let them in. Ashida still watched.

Nakamura approached Ashida and said, “So, after all I have said about leaving my grandson alone, you still approach.”

“Nakamura-san, I didn’t see you,” Ashida said.

“Explain yourself.” Nakamura kept his tone calm.

Ashida suddenly felt very small. He tried to look his employer in the eye, but found Nakamura’s calm gaze somewhat unnerving. “S-sir,” he stammered, “I… I just thought you’d like to know more about Hikaru-kun’s friends and activities.”

“If that is the case, why have you not informed me of anything you have ascertained?” Again there was no indication of anger in Nakamura’s voice, yet Ashida knew he was furious.

“I… I haven’t…”

“Never mind,” Nakamura cut him off. “You are going to return to Tokyo at once. I forbid you from having any contact with my grandson or his household.”

“But, sir, I protest,” Ashida exclaimed. “There is more going on behind that door than you may realize. They are hiding something.”

“Enough,” Nakamura said. “Now you have overstepped you bounds. Any more of this and you will need to find new employment. Do you understand?” This time there was a slight tone of anger to his voice.

“Yes, sir.”

“Now, return to Tokyo and await further orders there.”

“Yes, sir.” Ashida returned to the inn to gather his belongings.

Nakamura stuck with him to make sure he actually left for Tokyo.

Once Nakamura was sure that Ashida was on the way to Tokyo, he went to the wireless office and sent a cable to his office to instruct them to inform him of Ashida’s arrival. He then returned to the inn and wrote a message to Takeda. He looked for Satsuo in the dining room, but the boy was nowhere to be found.

Satsuo’s father, however, was there. “Did you need something, sir?” he asked.

“Yes, I was looking for Satsuo-kun,” Nakamura replied.

“He’s not here right now. Is there something I can do?”

Nakamura held out the message. “I was hoping he would take this message to Takeda-san for me.”

“Ah, he’s running an errand for his mother right now. I can take it for you if you wish.”

“Oh, no, don’t go to the trouble. Thank you for asking, but I will have Yonaha-san deliver it for me,” Nakamura said, and left to find Yonaha.

Yonaha was enjoying some fresh air in the garden near the inn. It was there that Nakamura found him reading. “There you are, Yonaha-san,” Nakamura said. “I should have known you’d be outside reading a book. I sent Ashida back to Tokyo. Thank you for pointing his actions out to me.”

“Of course, sir,” Yonaha replied. “His actions were beginning to worry me. I acted out of concern for your grandson’s well being. I am also worried about the health of the boy. Please do not think me too bold, but I don’t think he is well. Wouldn’t it be best to take him to Tokyo and have your own physicians see to him?”

“You’re not being bold, Yonaha-san. You’re concerned and I appreciate that, but I feel it is best they stay here for now.”

“Of course, sir. Will we be staying here much longer?”

“A few days, perhaps. I’m not sure,” Nakamura said with a sigh. “But first, could you deliver this to Takeda-san for me? I don’t need a reply.”

“Certainly, Nakamura-sama.” Yonaha took the message.

Nakamura stayed in the garden after Yonaha left. It was a beautiful day and it was a perfect time to relax in the warm summer afternoon. He put Ashida out of his mind and just enjoyed the day.
***
Hikaru sat on a bench at the back of the house. It had been a few days since he was discovered by the strange yellow-haired girl at the beach after having been separated from his body at the funeral, and it was just over a day after being reunited with his body. He felt weak and a little sick. The girl was walking around the garden talking to him, and he could not understand a word of what she was saying. Takeda was inside talking to the strange foreign man and the woman named Midori. He didn’t care what was being discussed.

Hikaru looked at his hands as they lay in his lap. There were calluses on his palms from all the years of swordplay. He smiled as he remembered the calluses on his father’s hands. He remembered how gentle his father’s touch was as he showed him how to hold the sword. As he posed him into the correct forms.

First position. Second position. Third position. Images floated through Hikaru’s mind and he closed his eyes and turned his face upward to the sun. It was warm on his face. He stood up and grabbed a long, thin branch from the woodpile.

Moving out into the garden, Hikaru slowly moved into the first position. He could almost feel his father’s hands closing gently around his as he began his training maneuvers. He closed his eyes and went through the moves completely unaware of the girl watching him.

Inside, Takeda was suddenly aware of the silence out in the garden. The girl had been chattering away at Hikaru for quite a while, but had suddenly stopped. “Excuse me,” he said. “I need to check something.”
He got up and went to the back door.

“What is wrong, Takeda-san?” Midori asked. She and Dr. Murphy followed him to the back door.

“It was suddenly quiet,” he replied. “I was worried that something had happened. Have a look.” He moved aside so the others could see.

Dr. Murphy asked what Hikaru was doing, and Midori explained that he was practicing the art of the sword.

“This is the first he’s practiced since the day Satsuo-kun knocked him out,” Takeda said with a smile. “I just wonder why he’s using firewood…”

The three of them watched as Hikaru continued his practice and were somewhat surprised to see Samantha grab another branch and try to mimic his movements. Takeda watched with the trained eye of an expert swordsman, and was surprised to see the girl had potential. He would have to talk to Hikaru about that later. For now it was enough to see Hikaru trying to act as normal as possible. Takeda ushered the others back inside and they continued to discuss Samantha’s purpose in coming to Japan.

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