Don't ask why I write this. I really don't know. The idea just jumped into my head one day. I do want to note that I really don't know much at all about Japan, and if some information seems a little weird, that's why.
Chapter 1
Lightning flashed, bathing the dreary outside in blinding light. Miyuki Takara yelped at the ensuing booming thunder. A test was currently underway, and the noise she made elicited glares from her instructor and peers. A dark color filled her cheeks as she turned his attention back to his exam. She was doing quite well on it, and while she was never one to brag or glorify herself, Miyuki was confident that she would score high. She wished she could say the same for her friends.
Glancing away from her test, she covertly observed Konata Izumi and Tsukasa Hiiragi. Despite her great affection for both of them, she was not blind to their faults. As was typical, Konata was speeding through the test, and cat-like smirk pasted to her face as she raced through questions. The light-haired girl winced inwardly as she thought back to hearing Konata exclaim that morning that she had pulled an all-nighter to prepare for the exam. Miyuki doubted that her friend would be successful on the test, and if she was, it wouldn't be by much.
Contrary to Konata's smug appearance, Tsukasa looked downright fearful. Her eyes were wide, and her lip was quivering as if the young girl was close to crying. She was constantly going back to erase her answers, replace them, then erase them again. The frantic, futile efforts of Tsukasa were close to bringing a mist to Miyuki's eyes, and she decided it was best if she returned her attentions back to the test before her.
Once she had completed the final question, Miyuki thoroughly went over her answers to the best of her ability. She found a few errors in her reasoning, and remedied the problems quickly. Satisfied with her finished exam, she pushed her chair out and stood from her desk. However, she hadn't taken four steps before she felt the tip of her shoe grace the floor to early, and she was soon spiraling down to the floor. A loud clap of thunder accompanied her trip, and it was until after the booming had subsided that the teacher, Ms. Nanako Kuroi, noticed the prone school-girl. Rushing over, Nanako kneeled next to Miyuki.
"Takara-san? Are you alright?"
Miyuki nodded shyly, saying, "I'm alright, Sensei. I just tripped."
"That much is obvious. Are you sure you do not need to go to the nurse's office?"
Nodding again, Miyuki tried to stand, but almost collapsed again from the pain in her ankle if Ms. Kuroi hadn't caught her. The fact quickly crossed through her head that she had somehow sprained her ankle in the fall.
"It seems I must go after all. I apologize, Sensei."
"Nothing to be sorry for." Briefly taking her attention from her injured student, Nanako looked at the class. "Is there anyone finished with their test that could take Miyuki down to the nurse?" The words were no sooner out of her mouth that Konata jumped from her seat, brandishing the paper in her hand. "You're with your test," the skepticism in her voice was quite heavy, "Are you sure?"
"Of course, Sensei. Would I lie to you?" Konata's grin only widened when she saw the scowl that graced Nanako's face. She wasn't lying though, she was done with her test. If she had cut a few corners, guessed on one or two questions, what did that matter?
"Fine, I'll take your test, and you escort Takara-san down to the nurse. Then come right back." Tests exchanged hands, and soon Miyuki was off to the nurse, with Konata supporting her along the way.
*
"How are you feeling, Miyuki?" Miyuki looked up as Kagami entered the room with her lunch. The colorfully wrapped box was soon set on one of the four desks that had been put together to accommodate her group of friends.
"Thank you, Kagami-san. I am feeling much better."
The quartet was soon involved in eating their lunches and talking about the latest topics. Did you here Sebastian asked out Asuka-san? Really? I always thought he was gay? What makes you think that?!
"I heard she said no," Tsukasa said quietly, "Yumi said Asuka laughed right in his face when he asked. Said he was a loser and would never be caught dead with him."
Konata glanced over in Shiriashi's direction, seeing the boy with his friends in a moping slouch. "I suppose that would explain why he has been so dark today."
Putting her stick down, Kagami also looked in the lad's direction, but with much more sympathy that Konata. "Did she have to be so harsh? Asuka-san could have at least given him a chance. How rude of her!"
Konata couldn't contain herself, "What's this," she needled, "Does Kagamin have a secret crush on Sebastian?"
"Shut up, I do not!"
"You don't have to lie to us, Kagami. We're your closest friends!"
"Why I ought to crack you one." All the girls laughed at that, knowing that Kagami would never hurt Konata unless pushed to it, and knowing, too, that Konata hadn't been truly serious in her teasing. A few more minutes passed in comfortable silence until Kagami spoke again. "So did Tsukasa tell you the news?"
"What news, Kagami-san," Miyuki asked.
"You didn't tell them?" Tsukasa gave a short laughed and small smile, saying she had forgot. "Ah, what am I gonna do with you? Well, whatever. Anyway, a friend of our family is coming to stay with us for awhile."
Konata perked up. "Really? Who is it?"
"He's an American," Tsukasa chimed in, "Oneechan and I have never actually met him except when we were really little. Our parents know him, though."
"Know him? To hear them talk, he's like the son they never had. And our sisters have been sprucing up the spare room all week for him, always finding something new to add."
"How does your family know an American," Miyuki asked.
"Well, our parents and his parents have known each other since their teens. They've kept in touch for years, and we used to go visit them in the States often. When they expressed that their son was interested in leaving America, my parents couldn't call fast enough to get him over here."
"Does he have a name?"
"Roger. Roger Ridel."
"Man," Konata huffed, "That name sounds weird. Does he speak Japenese?
"
"Well, we got a letter from him entirely in our script. So if he can write and read it, he can probably speak it."
"How old?"
Kagami put her finger to her chin to think. She knew that he was younger than both her sisters, Inori and Matsuri. But was older than both Tsukasa and herself by a few years. "I think he is about twenty or so. Our sisters would look after him when he was littler."
"I hope he's nice," Konata blurted out, "I've heard things about Americans, you know. A bunch of big bullies who want to fight at the slightest drop of the hat."
"Somehow I doubt this particular American is like that. From his letters, he seems remarkably well-spoken and decent. What's the first thing his letter said, Tsukasa?"
"Um…Let me see…'I do not pretend to write much of a letter. You know under what circumstances I am writing.' Or something like that."
"Yeah, it was something like that. And he gets here in two days!"
**
2 days later, Tokyo Airport, 6:20 PM
"God, I hate airplanes. Airports, too. Especially this one. Why is everyone looking at me like I have three heads?" Roger Ridel ignored the obvious answer to that question. Because he was talking to himself, of course. He had been speaking in English, a language very different from the native Japanese. But then that was to be expected, having originated in two very different lands. Perhaps another reason people were staring at him was his hair. Bright blonde hair was likely not a very common occurrence in Japan, and seeing a person getting off a plane with such hair was bound to attract some attention.
"Ok, looking for the train. Looking for the train." Roger wandered around the airport for what seemed like an hour without any signs pointing towards a station of any sort. Frowning, he walked over to a patrolling security officer and asked, "Excuse me, officer, perhaps you could point in the direction of the nearest train station." The officer just looked at him blankly, and Roger had to remind himself he was speaking in English. Great, now he probably thinks I'm an idiot. Switching over to Japanese, Roger asked the question again. This time, the officer was much more responsive, showing the location of the train station on a map he produced from his pocket. "Thank you kindly, officer. And do excuse my use of English. It was a long flight."
Following the directions laid out on the map, Roger soon found his way to the station. Going down some stairs, he was in the main area. After a minute of looking around, he found the ticket dispenser. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't remember the stop closest to the Hiiragi household. Good news, however, was that he had written this down somewhere. Carefully going over his person, he checked his pockets for the paper that had all the information he needed. Not finding it there, he set his bag down and rummaged through it. Finding nothing, the first seeds of fear began to settle in him. "This is isn't good. And my book's gone, too!"
Moping for a second, a memory surfaced in his mind. The slip of paper that had all the address and phone number information he had used for a bookmark. And it struck him now that he had left said book in the pouch in front of his seat on the plane.
"But never fear, mother will know where I need to go." Knowing that his cell phone wouldn't work in this country, he quickly located some payphones. Dropping in some yen, he dialed the necessary sequence of numbers to call his mother in Chicago. After two rings, communication opened. The voice on the other end was out of breath, and he could hear grunting in the background.
"Hello," a sultry voice replied, "Margaret Ridel speaking."
"Hey, Mah. I'm in a tad bit of trouble."
"I'm kinda busy at the moment, sweety. Can you call back later." Roger heard what sounded like a man's voice asking who was speaking, and then he heard his mother muffle the phone and say to whomever that it was her son. "What kind of trouble, Roger?"
"I misplaced all the information, and I'm stuck at the airport without knowing where I'm supposed to go. What spot is closest to the Hiiragi's?" She told him quickly, the annoyance at his presence on the phone obvious. "Righto, thank you, mother. Now about their--," He got no further when the line cut-off and the American was left with just he beeping. "Damnation," he blistered the air, "Can she not be bothered at all anymore?!" Slamming the phone back onto the hook, Roger turned back around only to find most of the station staring at him. A few seconds past like this before Roger sought to diffuse the tension. "My humblest apologies, ladies and gentlemen," he began after switching over to their speech, "I have just to realization my mother is useless and cannot be relied upon when I'm in a different country. Please, go back to your business and I apologize for disturbing you all." This seemed to satisfy the locals, and they went back to their business.
Ok, at least I know what stop I'm supposed to get off at. Perhaps some local can tell me the rest once I get there. Going back over to the dispenser, Roger bought himself a ticket and went through the blockers onto the platform. He had only to wait a few minutes before the train came gliding in. Lifting his bag onto his back, he boarded, and found a good place to stand that was out of the way. The Japanese on the train seemed surprised to see a Westerner, but none bothered him. And then the train was off, speeding along the tracks towards his new dwelling, he hoped anyway.
*
It was already deep night by the time Roger arrived in Japan, and it had only grown darker by the time he arrived at his stop. As soon as he stepped off the train and into the open air, though, he shivered at cold. Throwing his back to the ground, he sifted through it till he found his coat and wrapped himself in it. Warmth returning to his body, he then set about the task of finding his way to the Hiiragi residence. From what he could remember from the information he lost, they living up on a hill near a Shinto temple.
"And how many temples can there be in one area? So, find the temple, sniff around in the area for awhile, and then go to bed." Striking out of the station onto the street, Roger scanned the area for a venue likely to still be open. Continuing to walk as he did so, he eventually found a restaurant that still had its lights on. Perking up, Roger crossed the street and entered into the building. When he saw the look on a waiter's face, he wasn't sure what surprised him more, that someone was coming in this late, or than that person was white.
Not bothering to ask about his presence in his place of work, the waiter turned on his heel, going into the back. A few minutes later, a short, rotund man came out with the waiter and up to Roger. "Can I help something, sir?" The Engrish grated on the young American's ears, and he responded in Japanese.
"I hope so, sir. You see, I'm looking for a place, but I have lost the address. Most places are shut down right now, but your's was open. I was hoping you could help me." Roger saw that the manager was elated to see he didn't have to speak what little English he knew.
"Where is the place you're looking for?"
"Ah, yes. I'm looking for the Hiiragi residence. Do you know them?"
"The ones who own the temple?"
"Yes, exactly who I'm looking for. I'm a friend of the family from overseas. I can't get a hold of them because I lost everything pertaining to them on the plane; the idiot that I am."
"Understandable. Here, let me write you up some directions."
"Uh…Can I get a cup of coffee, too? I feel like I'm about to pass-out." As the manager ordered a waiter to get him some coffee, then went to go write down his directions, Roger took a seat in the foyer. When the cup of warm liquid was handed to him, he pulled out some yen and paid for it. Draining it all quickly, Roger thought, Ah, temporary energy that will result in a terrible crash later on. My favorite thing. When the manager came back and handed the Westerner the directions. With a grateful thank you, Roger left the building and began to follow the way to the Hiiragi's.
*
Matsuri wrinkled her nose as she lifted the trash out of the basket. It was her turn that night to take the trash out, and though she hated doing it and would have gladly passed the duty to Tsukasa, her mother had overridden her. The entire house was in an uproar because Roger was way past his time to be there. They had called his father, and the man had checked to see if his flight had landed. He said it had, and he also checked Roger's banking account, which showed a transaction for a train ticket. But that was hours ago, and he should be their by now.
The middle Hiiragi sister was worried. She hadn't seen Roger in years, but she remembered him as a boy easily riled, and a penchant for dark jokes. Knowing some of her countrymen, it wouldn't surprise her to find out her that Roger had told a rather low-brow joke than angered people enough for them to kick him off the train. She dreaded to think that Roger was stuck at some station far from where he should be.
Opening the front door, she walked out to the trashcans at the side of the house. The smell was terrible, but that's what she expected from trash. Opening the lid, and holding her breath, Matsuri dropped the bag of the night's waste into the bin. She was about head inside when she thought she heard something. Straining her ears, the noise became much cleared.
Everybody's building
Ships and boats.
Some are building monuments,
Others are jottin' down notes.
Everybody is in despair,
Every girl and boy.
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets you in
Everybody's gonna jump for joy!
A smile jumped onto Matsuri's face as she rushed out into the dark street, just in time to see an old face pass under a streetlamp. The light glinting off his golden hair gave him away more than anything else, that and the singing of an old tune. She waited until Roger got to her before flinging herself into onto him, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
"Roger," she squealed, "Where have you been? We've all been worrying. Did something happen?"
"It's a long story, love. And I'm tired, smelly, and hungry. Let's go inside before I pass-out from exhaustion and starvation." Taking the bag of the obviously tired American, Matsuri lead him off the street and onto Hiiragi property. Before they were even at the door of the house, Roger burst into song again, something Matsuri had forgotten he liked to do.
In 1814 we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip.
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans.
Matsuri had never heard that song before, but it was obviously a rather old American tune. And while his voice was pleasing to the ear, it also served as an alarm to the rest of the Hiiragi family who came bursting into the hallway as Matsuri opened the door. "Look who I found outside. Singing songs as bold as you please at ten in the night!"
"Long time no see. I--," Roger couldn't complete his sentence before he was tackled by Inori, the eldest Hiiragi sister, into a close hug. "Well, hello, sweetheart. Come to welcome a sailor home?" The joke was lost on Matsuri and Inori, but Tadao and Miki, the patriach and matriarch of the Hiiragi family, understood.
With a laugh, Mr. Hiiragi offered his hand and Roger took it, before pulling the older man into a bear hug. "Uncle Tadao! How've you been?"
"Quite well, Roger. We thought you had disappeared. I was close to calling the police to look for you. What happened?"
"We'll get to that as soon as I greet my aunty." Turning from Tadao, Roger faced Mrs. Hiiragi. While there was no relation between Roger and the Hiiragi's, he always thought of them as family. Stepping towards Miki, she enveloped him in a soft, warm hug.
"We're so happy to see you again, Roger. How are your parents?" By now, the five of them had adjourned to the living room, and were sitting around the floor-table on top of the tatami.
"Quite fine, I expect. Father is in Europe buying up some company or another, I think. And mother is with some…friends." With the way Roger had said "friends" she knew it did not mean it in the way her daughters thought. She had known Margaret Ridel since they were both seventeen, and while she liked the woman immensely, she knew Roger's mother was a bit of a tramp.
"Was your flight comfortable, Roger?" Inori was looking at him with soft eyes, and Roger couldn't help but comment that she got prettier every time he saw her, which caused a deep blush.
"It seems I have embarrassed you," Roger announced quite dramatically, "Then I shall change the topic. Yes, my flight was comfortable. The seat was nice; I had no one sitting next to me. Probably afraid of the big bad American. The food," Roger put his finger in the air and his face hardened, "Not so good. Airline food is bad enough, and Japanese airline food is something a dog wouldn't even eat." They all shared a laugh about that. The minutes were ticking by as they swapped the goings-ons of their lives.
"This reminds me," Roger said after he finished commenting on Matsuri's evasiness about college, "Where are the other two Hiiragi's? I haven't seen them since they were six."
"I'll go get them," Miki said sweetly, and she stood up to go fetch her youngest daughters.
*
Kagami just finished her homework when she heard a light knock on her door. "Come in!" When she saw he mother there, she almost feared that she had come to tell her that their guest was hurt somewhere. "Is something wrong, mom?"
"Of course not, sweetheart. Can you wake up your sister? There is not school tomorrow, and there is someone I'd like you two to meet."
"Is he here?" Miki nodded and Kagami sprang from her desk-chair. Giving her mom a quick hug, she rushed down the hall and into Tsukasa's room. The lights were off, but she could make out Tsukasa under her sheet. The covers had just shifted as she walked in, so Kagami knew that Tsukasa was still awake. "Tsukasa, get up."
"What's wrong, Oneechan?"
"Nothing, silly. But Roger's here and mom wants us down stairs."
Tsukasa all but flung the sheets off her and scrambled out of bed. Looking in the mirror to make sure was presentable, she turned to her sister. "Do I look ok?"
"Of course, come on!"
The twins rushed down the stairs, hearing the sound of laughter. Both were eager to meet this American. They had asked about him, and they had always got a different story. Their father had said that he was a disciplined, honourable man. Their mother had talked of a sweet boy whose greatest problem with reining himself in. Both Inori and Matsuri shared that he was fun to be around, outgoing, and would sometimes do something really crazy for the fun of it. With these in mind, both Kagami and Tsukasa really wanted to meet this new addition to their household.
"Hold on, Tsukasa," Kagami reached out and caught her sister's arm before she went rushing into the living room. "Let's not go flying in there. We aren't little girls on Christmas morning. We should walk in, greet him respectively, and sit down."
"Ok, Kagami. I can do that. But won't that be embarrassing?"
"That's we've been taught to do, right?"
"I guess so…"
"Ok." Kagami slowly slid open the door into the living room. Roger's back was turned to it, so he didn't notice at first, but when the rest of Hiiragi's looked at the door, Roger turned as well. She immediately noticed his blood-shot blue eyes, greasy hair, and slight smell even from as far back as she was. "Hello--."
Roger held up his hand and said, "Don't say anything." He looked at both sisters for a few seconds, chewing his lower lip, shifting his sight from one to the other. Raising his finger, he pointed at Kagami, "Two tails. You're Kagami." Swinging his arm, he pointed at the youngest Hiiragi, "And that makes you Tsukasa."
"How—How did you know that," Kagami blurted out.
Roger tapped on his, "Psychic powers, obviously." Standing up, Roger walked over to Kagami and enveloped her in a strong hug. So shocked was she by this that she didn't think to hug back. The American didn't seem to notice.
Detaching from the inert Kagami, he turned to Tsukasa, who was smiling shyly at him. "Ah, the youngest." When Roger hugged Tsukasa, she hugged back tentatively. "I've so wanted to meet you both. Though, technically, we've already met. But it was so long ago. Come," Roger unwound from Tsukasa but kept his right arm around her shoulders, "Sit. I was just about to start telling the story of why I'm this late." Leading the twins to the table, he sat down between them, and started his tale.
*
"And the once I finally passed your temple, Uncle, I started to break into song, which alerted Matsuri to my presence. And now I'm here, sitting between two pretty young things," Kagami and Tsukasa flushed a deep red, "And—," the clock in the main hallway started to sound off, counting to twelve, "And it seems I've been awake for…" Roger calculated for a minute, "thirty-eight hours."
"Oh my," Miki put her hands to her mouth in shock, "Roger you must be exhausted. Kids," the mother reasserted itself, "Will you show Roger to his room and the washroom. I'm sure he wants to clean up before getting some sleep."
"That would be pleasant," Roger added.
"Sure, mom," said Inori. Like her mother, she was one to take charge. Taking Roger's bag, she lead the American and her sisters up the stairs.
Alone with his wife at last, Tadao turned to her and said, "It's good to have Roger here. It's been too long since we've seen him."
"And he's still the same flirt he's always been," Miki stated, "Do you think we should watch him?"
"I don't know. I could think of no better son-in-law."
*
Sliding open the washroom door, Roger continued to dry his hair with his towel. In a fit of wisdom, he had chosen to dress down and then up into his pajamas in private. Satisfied that he dried his hair enough, he began to walk down to his new room when he passed by Kagami's abode. After a minute of hesitation, he knocked, and when he heard the confirmation to enter, he popped his head in.
"Hey, Kagami, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Roger? Uh…sure." Kagami was confused, and she was sure she looked it, too.
Going into a room and sitting across from Kagami on her bed, Roger regarded her seriously. "I just wanted to apologize if I overstepped any bounds in hugging you."
"Um…There's no need for that…"
Roger gave a mirthless laugh and a slight smile, "Yes. Yes there is. I've known your family for a long time, Kagami. Your parents have been like second parents to me, and I grew up with your sisters on their frequent visits to the States. They're comfortable with me, so that's why I can be more affectionate with them. But I don't know you and Tsukasa all that well. If you ever get uncomfortable around me, just let me know."
"It wasn't that…Well, it was. But you were also a little…"
"Smelly?" Roger grinned, "Yes, I was a tad ripe, wasn't I? Don't worry about that in the future, though, I'm very conscientious about hygiene." Standing from her bed, Roger leaned over and gave Kagami and light tap on her shoulder. "Good night, Kagami."
"Good night, Roger. Welcome to Japan."