Mum, whatsa legend?
My okaasan says that my da has important things to do for the gov-governement. S'why you can't meet him. Huh? I dunno, IMPORTANT things. He once saved Japan. My dad is a LEGEND. What's your dad?
Mum, what can dad do?
Shut up! My dad does all sorts of things; he's a legend. He's a master at kendo. When I grow up, he'll teach me how. And he can do all sorts of stuff at home too. Okaasan says that when he's here, he cleans the house and washes the dishes and cooks—shut up! My dad is not girly. He does that coz my ma can't cook very well. Shut up about my ma! My otousan will tenchuu you if you say anything bad about my mum. Ha! My dad can beat up your dad; he can beat up your dad, your uncle, and your whole family all together! So what? When he hears about this…well, my mom will beat them up then! She's a master of Kamiya Kasshinryuu. I betcha your mom can't be anything but girly.
Mum, I don't think I like dad very much.
Everyone knows about my dad. They say he was a hitokiri. My dad killed lotsa people. He's strong, but why did he kill so many people? They say he's out there again, trying to kill more people. They say that hitokiris can't help but look for trouble. When I asked my mom, she got really mad at me. She said my dad has had enough of mali-mali-shoes?—well, gossip anyhow. That's when people say stuff about you that's not true because they are jealous or 'coz they just don't have anything else to do. That's what my mom said. She said I should respect my dad, because he's over being hitokiri. She says he went around Japan helping people to say he was sorry already. But no one says anything about this. No one remembers, I've been askin', but I didn't tell ma about it. I don't think I'll ask ma about dad anymore. She always gets sad when I ask about him.
I'm tired of the same old questions. I love 'ya mum, but only he can give me the answers.
I've asked shishou not to speak of my father in my presence. Despite his deprecating tone, I know he has a soft spot for my father. It puzzles me, how someone as strong as Hiko-sama can love a man like my father. My father is irresponsible; he left in the middle of training to fight in a war no one won. If I wanted to go to war, I'd be sure that I'd learned all there is to know. And I'd win, unconditionally. I won't have to go back to sensei when some offshoot of the war, like that Shishio guy, threatens my country. My dad's been lucky so far. Yeah, he's good, but his actions seem impulsive to me. I can be better. I'll have to. Maybe, if I'm good enough, I can make dad listen to me. Maybe I can bring him back so my mom won't be so sad anymore. Maybe I can make him pay first, for making my mom cry so much. I don't know why she still loves him so much. He left us, he was supposed to protect the people he loves, that would be just my mom I guess, but he can't do that if he's so far away. He wasn't there to protect me from those bullies. Not that I needed him to. I took care of them. Hiko-sama says I'm as talented as my father, perhaps even better. I don't like hearing those comparisons, but I guess I'll let this one slide. 'Coz I want to be better than him, better than anyone. I will master Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki and be the best swordsman in Japan. Then no one will bother my mom and me again. And maybe, I'll get the answers I'm looking for—from the guy who never cared enough to stick around and hear the questions.