~*~ Reminiscence ~*~
Disclaimer: All characters, places, and events mentioned in this piece of writing are copyright of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shounen Jump, Viz Comics, and other copyright holders.
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The dim moonlight through the shoji, silent sobs, and the pale woman against the white sheet, all gave in to the heart-breaking scene. Almost everyone in that room was shedding a tear, including the new-born baby who did not know why he was not the center of the attention. Yet all the tears and all the grief has left an eight-year-old girl, as she stood quietly like an obedient child besides her mother's deathbed without any emotion on her face.
She does not know what to do, to say, or to even think, because all she could do right now is stand and look into nothing as her beloved mother flew away with the wind, leaving only a hollow shell in which she used to dwell.
" Tomoe…" her father called. She lowered her head down so that her bangs would shield her glistening eyes from view, as her father looked grievously at how her cheerful daughter had come to be. " Your mother told you to take care of your baby brother." He said. His daughter still stared into nothingness as if she did not hear him, but inside he knows that she heard what he had said. It's just that she did not know how to respond.
He closed his eyes, trying his best to make his tears stop flowing, yet it did no good since the translucent orbs still roll down his cheek to the sandy-brown tatami. He himself, like his only daughter, does not know what to do then to let the sorrow and grief of the moment engulf him in its silent void.
Meanwhile, in the head of the girl who now stared into her mother's unmoving figure, raced thousands and thousands of thoughts. Each one trying to conquer another one and win the place of attention in girl's head. Yet all the races of the thoughts within her mind stopped as comprehension won the trophy.
She gazed at where the bathed baby lay crying and tossing in his wooden cradle, not knowing what has happened to his mother. She was uncertain whether or not she would try and make the infant stop crying, but when she put on the first step, the next ones were as easy as drawing a stick figure. After a few steps across the dimly lit room, she reached the cradle where the babe still cried and tossed. From the look of it, the baby seemed really strong since one toss from his tiny palm made the cradle rock gently.
She reached her insipid hand towards the baby, doubtful about what is going to happen. The toddler seemed to realize her hand's presence and suddenly caught it with his still-clenched and tiny hands. The movement almost made the little girl jump in surprise but she restrained in doing it, afraid that the baby would cry louder. Instead, she just stared into the baby's jet black eyes and without realizing it, her touch has made the baby silent as he stared into her eyes too. An unbreakable bond was made that very moment as they looked into each others' souls, mending each others' broken surfaces.
" May I give him a name, father." The soft yet clear voice of the little girl sounded across the room. Her father looked up and smiled weakly before answering her straight forward question.
" Yes, dear, you may." Her father answered with a croaked voice from crying. Tomoe was now cradling the vulnerable baby in her pallid arms, as he smiled contently, drifting to sleep almost immediately. She faintly smiled between the tears that now rolled down her cheek, looking at the sleeping baby lovingly.
" I'm going to name him Enishi." She stopped and looked at the babe's peaceful slumbering face, matching the name with its owner, before smiling even wider.
" Yukishiro Enishi."
----------------------------------------~*~7 years later~*~----------------------------------------
Standing in front of the pond, I sew Enishi's ripped hakama up. The sun was already high, but the house in which I dwell is still silent and peaceful with the occasional chirping of the birds to break the silence. I sighed as I remember last night's incident. Closing my eyes, I pictured the scene once again after replaying it for a thousand times last night.
It was a beautiful night, actually, with fireflies near the lake and crickets singing in the background. The stars were shining brightly and so did the moon, as if not knowing what was going to happen next. I and my tiny family were sitting round the fire, having dinner, when Enishi told us of his ambition to gather some money to help some poor children who lives on the sides of the railroad track.
Father was smiling proudly as he listened to Enishi's babbling, when Enishi asked if he may get some money from father. Father's expression still bore the same pride as he asked Enishi how much would he need. Enishi's answer suprised us both as he said that he will probably need one ryo or more.
Father arched one of his eyebrows and asked why he would need that much, and Enishi answered that that is how much he would need if he was going to make any difference for the poor children. Father put his bowl down and said that he was not going to give him any money worth more that a ryo, and started explaining to him that we are not a very rich family to be able to give that much.
Enishi, as unpatient as he is, cut father's words by saying a 'but' and father told him not to cut people when they were talking harshly. He knotted his eyebrows in an instant and yelled to father that if father was not going to give him any money, then don't lecture him. Father was not finished by then, and he was angry as a bear as he glared at Enishi with his hazel brown eyes, and told him to not cut people's words.
It was then that it reached its climax. Father said that if he cut his words again, then he will give him no money at all. Enishi was taking deep breaths by then, as if he was holding back his anger, and suddenly, he stood up and yelled at father to shut his mouth. He gave father no chance to explain anything and ran into his room, as father followed closely behind and I, still sitting on the tatami, looking at their unfinished bowls. Enishi has left before I served breakfast today, and I wonder where he went that early in the morning.
Just then, a soft knock could be heard from the lawn with a call to accompany it. Standing up to open the door, A simple yet faint smile crossed my lips as he knocked on the gate again and called my name. I put my work aside and stood up to open the gate for my best friend. Weird, actually, I have no female friend and the only friend I have is a boy. A boy named Kiyosato Akira…
" Tomoe-san, are you there?" He called from behind the wooden gates. I feel no obligation to answer his question, as he probably heard my getas' echoes on the rock pavements already. I reached the gates and started unlocking the bar by using the chains my father had installed just last week.
" Oh, there you are." He said. I suppose he heard the clinging of the chains, so that he could assume it as that. " Is your father home?" He asked me again when I finished opening the gates for him.
" No." I answered shortly, " He left for work just an hour ago." I explained.
" Oh." He answered as he looked to the left and right.
" What brings you here?" I asked him. More out of politeness than out of curiosity.
" You know why." He stated the obvious. " I came here to…" he stopped, thinking about what he was going to say. "…uh…well…" He was at lost of words, " play, I guess? Is that the right word for it?" He looked at me with his unique boyish smile. I almost chuckled, but decided not to since it might insult him in some way. I smiled faintly at him and walked back to where I was before he came as he tailed behind me, looking around as if it is the first time he had been here.
I gestured him to sit before getting the tea I made just a few minutes before starting my work for him. He sat politely besides my unfinished work, and looked at the garden. After getting the still warm tea, I strode back to where I left him and placed the pot and the cups in front of him. He took one cup and I poured the tea into it.
Silence brought its presence to view as we both sit quietly before he broke it, saying, " Tomoe, where's Enishi? He's supposed to be home today, ne?" He asked. I stopped working. I did not know what to say to him. Should I just tell him the plain truth? Or should I keep the family's name by saying that Enishi is playing with some kids? My mind decided on its own…
" He…he's not in the house." I answered a matter-of-factly, still not wanting to tell him the reason.
" Is there something wrong?" He asked my most feared question of the hour.
" No." I answered, trying my best to keep up my working pace as my hands started to gain some speed because of my nervousness.
" What is it? Tell me." He knew. That is what I feared of him, he knew everything behind this mask I wore since the death of my mother. " You do believe me, don't you? I won't tell anyone else, please tell me what's wrong." He pleaded. "Please?"
My hands had stopped working then, and they were sweating and clammy. Eyes on Enishi's hakama, options of whether I should tell him or not raced into my mind like arrows shot from his bow. As my brain was too occupied with the race that was going on, every part of my body moved on it own. Including my lips.
" It will take some time to explain." I told him. " Enishi is angry with father, I don't know where he is right now…"
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Author's Note: That's the first chapter! Thank you for reading it, I appreciate your time and willingness to read this kind-of-boring fic! :) This fic is dedicated to Michiru Kashyuuno who asked for this fic, thank you for giving me and idea, thank you so very much! :) Enough of my babbling, I just hope you enjoyed my fic, and would be patient enough to wait for the long process of making the second chapter! :)
Be responsible. Review.