It was hot.
The sun was barely risen and already the earth was baking. The crops needed water more than ever, but the rain just wouldn't come. Ofukuro seemed more worried everyday, but Tou-chan just kept smiling. In the evening, before going to bed, he would persuade his mother to play the biwa for a few moments. Tou-chan claimed that it helped him have good dreams. Shinta had heard him telling Shin-nii that it helped Ofukuro more than anything else.
Rousing himself, Shinta lifted the water bucket from its place near the door, and skipped down to the river to bring up the water for the morning wash. It was his task as the youngest to do the small chores around the house, to help Ofukuro before they all had to head to the fields. Shinta was still too young to really be any use in the fields, so he was sent to the landowner's home to do chores there. Instead, he went to sit with the grandfather there and learn to read. He knew that mother and father had been able to send Shin-nii to learn to read and write before they lost their land. Now they were too poor to do the same for Shinta. He didn't mind. It was more fun to learn from Jii-chan anyway.
Reaching the stream, he bent over and scooped water into the wooden pail. When it was full, but not too heavy to lift, he swiftly set the bucket atop his head. Moving smoothly, he made back to his home before even Tou-chan had gotten up. He slipped off his sandals at the door and padded over to his mother. She smiled briefly at him, before telling him to wake his older brother.
"You know he won't get up unless you're the one to do it. You must have quite powerful fingers Shinta."
He only smiled before tiptoeing to the futon he shared with Shinichi. Pouncing on the older boy, he let loose a blood-curdling scream, and began tickling his older brother's ribs. Starting violently, Shinichi began giggling immediately.
"Agh. Stop stop," he gasped. Struggling to untangle himself from the light blanket and the onslaught of Shinta's fingers, he finally managed to throw the smaller boy off.
Laughing madly, Shinta danced over to his father, and prodded him with a toe.
"Tou-chan… tou-channnn," Shinta sing-songed, knowing his father was probably awake and waiting to pounce on him in turn. He was proved correct, as a hand grabbed his ankle and began tickling the underside of his foot.
Hopping in place, he yelled, "Shin-nii, he's got me. He's got meeee!"
Chuckling softly, Shinta's father slowly sat up and released the foot. Instead, he grabbed his son in a swift hug before hopping off the futon.
"Ohayo!" his father said cheerfully, to the room at large.
"Ohayo gozaimasu," they chorused in return.
When Tou-chan smiled, it was impossible not to smile in return. Moving so his father could stand, Shinta watched as the older man stood and stretched. The slowly brightening sunlight illuminated the deep auburn of his father's hair, so like his own. It made Shinta feel a little less strange when he saw that his father was just like him. Red hair and bright violet eyes. Tou-chan sometimes said that they had a gaijin somewhere in their bloodline, but Shinta wasn't really sure. Ofukuro liked to say that Tou-chan should be a merchant, he was so good at telling tales.
"Miso soup today, everyone. And some nice cool water before we start our day," his mother was saying as they finished neatening the small room.
"Shinta, you'll remember to bring more water and the onigiri at the hour of the horse, won't you?"
Nodding, he smiled with a mouth full of miso. "Don't worry, I won't forget this time!" Ofukuro had glared at him, quite hard, the last time he forgot to bring the rice and water. He had gotten absorbed in playing with Jii-chan, so he probably deserved the bit of punishment. As his family sipped down the soup and water, Shinta thought he detected the sound of the headman's voice.
"Ofukuro, can you hear that?" he queried his mother.
She tilted her head toward the open door. "Ee, he's calling us to start working. She set down her small earthenware cup on the tray that served as their table. Rising, she beckoned to her husband and oldest son. Collecting their hats, she tied the smaller onto Shinichi before doing the same for herself.
"Please rinse the bowls and cups, Shinta. Remember to dry them well before you go to Tashida-san's home." She waved quickly and stepped out the door.
His brother ran after her after gulping down another cup of water. Last to leave, as usual, Shinta rinsed the cups and bowls, and set them upside down to dry. Almost before he knew it, the sun had risen. Even though it was only the fourth month, the heat of the sun was burning the ground. He knew that if he stayed outside too much, his skin would start to burn like it had last summer. He and his brother had stayed down by the river all day catching fish to share with the other villagers. By the time they came back home, both of their faces were hot to the touch and starting to look suspiciously pink.
Shaking himself from the faintly disgusting memories of shedding for days afterwards and the scolding Ofukuro had given them, Shinta readied his hat and sandals and headed to the door. Taking a last quick look around, he declared himself satisfied with his work, and shut the door behind him. Hopping down to the ground, he set out at a run for Tashida-san's house. The largest in the village, it could easily hold all of the villagers, and had in times past according to Tou-chan. Several times, the river nearby had flooded wildly and nearly swept their houses away. During those times, Tashida-san had sheltered everyone in his home. Tou-chan thought that Tashida-san and his wife were some of the nicest people he had met, or at least that was what Shinta had heard him tell Ofukuro.
Though Tashida-san and his wife were rich enough to not have to work in the fields, they did so anyway, and let any of the small children who would have otherwise been alone, stay in their home until the end of the workday. Just now, there weren't too many children younger than Shinta, and of those there, Shinta was the only one old enough to learn to read and write. Jii-chan had him learning the kanji, and had told Tou-chan and Ofukuro, that he was doing splendidly.
Skidding to a stop at the door to the house, Shinta knocked lightly on the door before toeing off his sandals and announcing himself.
"Jii-chan, I'm here." Hearing a faint voice calling his name, Shinta came into the house and sped to the back of the house to the little room where Jii-chan stayed.
"Ah. Ohayo, Shinta-chan," the elderly man said, a wide smile brightening what would have otherwise been a somewhat stern countenance. "Come sit down, we've got a lot to learn today!" the older man smiling slightly. Shinta beamed back. Reading was a lot more fun than being in the fields.
Several hours later, Shinta looked up from his book, and jumped up in shock. Jii-chan glanced up as well, and shooed him off.
"Don't worry Shinta, it's not too late. Run home fast, and I'm sure you'll be able to feed your family lunch just fine."
Shinta bowed hastily, and hurried to the front door. Gah, Ofukuro would be mad again. Last time, she had ranted nearly all night how important it was that he not forget to do his duties before running off to have fun. When he'd tried to say that he'd been reading not throwing rocks in the river or something silly, his mother had given him a sharp glare. Running even faster at the memory of his mother's displeasure, Shinta hastily gathered the water jug and the small sachet holding the onigiri. Gathering the food and shoving his feet back into his sandals, he hastily shut the door and walked quickly to the fields.
He came upon his father quickly. "Ah, there you are Shinta. Come give me the water, I'll help you carry it."
Pleased his father didn't seem to be too upset, Shita smiled up at him and trotted along at his side. Coming to a halt under the trees at the very western edge of the field, Shinta spied his mother and older brother reclining in the scant shade offered by the trees.
He waved, and shouted, "Here's lunch!"
Dropping to his knees next to his brother, Shinta laid the onigiri on the cloth serving as their table. As his father sat down, Shinta breathed a sigh of contentment, he didn't want things to ever change.
"Itadakimasu!" the family cried as one and quickly grabbed the food in front of them.
Leaning back his belly full of rice, Shinta stared up at the clouds. Closing his eyes, he decided a little nap would be in order. His family had finished eating quickly today, even though his parents tried to maintain good manners during meals, a testament to how hot and backbreaking the work was. Feeling himself fall asleep, he succumbed to soporific effects of a full stomach.
Minutes later, Shinta was awakened with an intense feeling of unease. He snapped upright, and felt more than saw the quelling look his older brother gave him.
Glancing up at Shin-nii, Shinta whispered, "What's going nii-chan? Why is everyone so tense?"
"Hush," his brother replied. A sharp accent gave the word more force than Shinta was used to from his brother. He looked over at his father and mother. Tou-chan was not smiling, which was strange but not necessarily a bad thing, but his mother's face looked thunderous. Though his parents and few others of the villagers were standing several feet away, if he concentrated, Shinta could just barely catch what was being said.
"We've been in this village since our oldest boy was born, and we've never given any trouble. What is this really all about?" Tou-chan was speaking a low, serious voice, Shinta had never heard. Ofukuro was standing right next to him, and he had never seen her look so angry.
"Keiichiro-san, our crops are dying, and we're hearing all of these strange rumors. People withering away and dying for no reason at all. They're saying that we're being punished, being poisoned." Shinta glimpsed the face of Yuutaro's father, the owner of the voice.
Before his father could respond, the headman came over. "What is all this? The lunch hour is nearly gone, and all of you are clumped over here."
Looking from one face to another, the force of his authority caused more than one head to bow or look away.
"Back to work everyone." The headman shooed the other villagers away, and turned back to Shinta's father with a small grimace. "I knew that you'd had some rough treatment recently, but I didn't know it had gotten this bad, Keiichiro-san. I apologize, and I'll try to straighten out some of the troublemakers at the meeting tonight. " Sighing softly, he continued, "They all know how mach we all owe you, and they just need to be reminded of it."
Nodding slightly, to Ofukuro, the older man moved off.
"Come here both of you," Tou-chan beckoned Shinta and his brother closer.
"I know that you both were listening, but I want you both to know that I expect this all to be resolved at the meeting tonight. The headman will ease the other's worries. Let's work hard!" Tou-chan smiled at them and as he did, he felt Ofukuro's tension bleed away.
"Yosh!" Shinta cried, smiling happily.