"So you found him lying in the forest Hanako?"
"Yes he was all soaked and shivering, the poor boy. His clothes are all drenched in mud and completely waterlogged. I may as well throw them away."
Opening his eyes, the world was slowly coming into focus. The first thing the boy noticed upon awaking was the sharp pain throbbing in his head. "Where am I?" he thought while rubbing where the pain in his head was the worst. Looking upwards, the child looked at the two women who he guessed had taken him in. They were unlike any women that he had ever seen. They both looked like larger versions of the painted dolls that his big sister would play with. The surroundings were quite unfamiliar, but it could possibly be the home of the ladies who had taken him in. The woman the other referred to as Hanako picked up his clothes and took them into the other room.
"Oh, my clothes!" thought the young boy as he looked down and found he was wearing a dark blue kimono.
"You must be terribly frightened young man. Hanako found you in the forest unconscious when she was heading to town. Now, what is your name?" said the woman, her face showing genuine concern.
"My name is Yoshio. Yoshio Iwamoto," the young boy replied.
"Yoshio then. What were you doing all by yourself in the forest? It's dangerous," she said while rubbing the boys head, stroking his long strands of purple hair.
"I ran away from the city when the soldiers came," Yoshio whimpered.
"Damn them…" she breathed just under her breath. The woman's face went downcast for a moment as she took some time to think. Her almond shaped eyes showed a sadness and pain the young boy had never seen before.
"Sou ka. You poor thing…what about your family? How old are you?"
"I'm six years old. My mother was the one who told me to run. My dad went to go fight when the soldiers attacked the village. I haven't seen them since. I ran into the forest, and ran and ran, and I stumbled and hit my head on a big rock. Where are they? Where are mama and papa? Where is my big sister Chihiro!" exclaimed the young boy sobbing, the tears streaming down his chin like great rivers.
"I wish I could tell you, but you were the only one Hanako found. Well you're here with me now my child and you'll be safe here. Why don't you get some rest and I'll have Hanako bring you some food."
"What is your name?"
"My name is Yukina," the woman said, hugging the boy and weeping. "Why don't you get some rest now and I'll have the town doctor come and take a look at your head. I don't want it to turn into anything serious."
Yukina motioned to Hanako to leave while she laid Yoshio down on the bed. "Dr. Kawakami will be here in a bit. You just take it easy." Yukina turned and disappeared down a hallway while Yoshio looked on. The boy couldn't rest in bed, he was too curious about where he was and what had happened to his family. Yoshio found a window and looked out at the city he was now in. It was early morning and people were just beginning to fill the streets. From the looks of it, he was in a big, busy city. Rikshaw men were carrying people to and fro, and there were many women wearing beautiful kimonos and covering their faces with fans.
"You're in Heiankyo, Yoshio," said Yukina as she returned to the room carrying some bowls filled with food.
Yoshio heard his father say the name of the city sometimes when he would go off to sell their wares in the city. Not once did Yoshio ever tag along, his mother simply forbade it. Yoshio remembered how his parents would get into little squabbles about his mother being 'overprotective' or something like that. The great Heiankyo, with all the nobles and people of myth were far off in Yoshio's mind. Now here he was, in the big city with all the important people. Yoshio felt a little intimidated by his new surroundings and his mind quickly returned to trying to find out where his family had gone.
"Here's some food for you, I want you to eat everything like a good boy. Tomorrow I'll take you out to see the city, and we'll see what we can do about finding your mom and dad? How about that?" said Yukina.
Yoshio perked up at the thought of going out and finding them. Being separated from one's loving family was a situation a six year old really isn't prepared to handle, and Yoshio found himself unable to hold back the tears. Visions of his hometown being set on fire came back to him, and he hid himself within the folds of Hanako's kimono and began to weep. Not really knowing how to handle the situation, the woman simply knelt and gave Yoshio a much needed hug.
"It'll be alright, don't worry…" she said patting his back.
Hanako reappeared with an elderly man carrying a bag of medicine in tow. She bowed politely and left the room without a word.
"Now let's see, are you the little man that's hurt?" said the old doctor, his voice rather creaky like an old door. Yoshio didn't really respond but walked up to the old man and pointed to his head.
"Oh, let's see here. Hmm, you banged yourself pretty bad young man. Here, I'm going to use this ointment, and it's going to sting. But you're a brave little guy right; you can take it, right?"
Little Yoshio's screams indicated otherwise.
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In the morning Hanako woke Yoshio up and dressed him for the day. Yoshio was rather despondent but knew that he would soon see his family, at least that's what Yukina had promised him. Yoshio studied Hanako's hands while she dressed him. For a six year old he was extremely observant, and was usually described as "quiet" by the adults in the village. The first thing the boy noticed was Hanako's hands were smooth and soft, not marred by a single blemish. His elder sister's hands were slightly calloused and worn from years of making crafts. Yoshio was finally dressed, and Hanako led him by hand to the front of the house they were staying in.
"I've never seen a house this big," remarked the little boy, taking in his surroundings. Yukina's home was fairly lavish and had several rooms, all simply decorated with scrolls and art pieces. Yoshio's farm house was nothing compared to this place.
"Mistress Yukina is waiting for you. She said she wants to take you around the city," said Hanako, holding the boys hand firmly.
"We can go looking for mom and dad right? They ran all the way here to Heiankyo right? Right?"
Hanako remained stolid, as she didn't want to get the young boy's hopes up. Yukina was already at the entrance, a bright blue umbrella in her slender hand. She was chatting with several other women who, like Hanako and Yukina, had white painted faces with accentuated eyebrows. Yukina looked over to Hanako, nodded, and took Yoshio by his hand. Hanako bowed slightly and left the room without a word.
"Let's take a walk Yoshio. The ladies and I thought it would be good if you got a look at the sights of the city."
"Mom and Dad might be around here. They probably ran away just like me, maybe we'll see them?"
"We just might," said Yukina, looking downwards at the boy. She made a slight face, her eyebrows furrowed, by then resumed her genial expression. Yoshio, along with a small entourage of women, left the house and began to walk around the streets of Heiankyo. There were men selling their wares, shouting out special bargains and prices on all sorts of knickknacks and trinkets. There were people from all walks of life, from nobles with their flowing robes and exquisite long hair to earthly farmers and peasants. Yoshio looked frantically through the throng of people, looking for a single familiar face. Suddenly, a carriage came rolling through the street, stopping next to Yukina and her lady friends. The window curtains were pulled up, and a man peeked his head out. Yukina covered her face with a white fan, only her eyes showing.
"Ahh Yukina, I knew I'd find you around her somewhere," said the man, his voice gallant and dashing.
"Oh you know me, I'm always flittering here and there, Taiji-sama."
"Oh forget all those stuffy honorifics and politeness, Yukina. With me you can be yourself, be straight," said Taiji, smiling.
Yukina simply giggled, followed in suit by her female entourage.
"Will I see you tonight?" said the man, a look of longing in his eyes.
"Well I don't know, but…" teased Yukina.
"Tonight by the Sakizama pond. I want to see you more than anything…"
Yukina let down her fan, and she smiled sincerely. Their eye contact never broke, as if they were locked in some sort of silent communication with one another. Yoshio thought to himself how weird grownups act. The carriage rode off, and Yukina and her friends were caught up in some conversation Yoshio didn't really understand. As they continued to walk, Yoshio was starting to give up on finding his family. There was no way he could make them out anyway, with all the people around. When he was about hope, Yoshio looked up and he thought he caught sight of his sister.
"Chihiro-nee san!" yelled Yoshio as he let go of Yukina and ran down the street.
"Yoshio-kun! Where are you going?" yelled out Yukina, but Yoshio didn't care to give her a response. The boy's mind was too fixated on finding his sister. Her face seemed to flitter in and out of the crowd, only to disappear down a street. Yoshio's little legs carried him as fast as they could, when he arrived at a small building.
"Chihiro…where are you?" panted Yoshio as he tried to catch his breath. As quickly as he saw her, she had disappeared into thin air. "It had to be real, it had to be her. She ran away too, and made her way here. That's got to be it!"
Yukina soon appeared, a little upset at Yoshio for running off but holding her exasperation inside.
"Yoshio-kun, don't run off like that! What if you had gotten lost?" scolded Yukina.
"I thought I saw nee-san, I could've sworn she was here…"
"Well I don't see anyone here now. I'm sure if she's in the city she's trying her best to look for you." Yukina bent down and looked into Yoshio's watering eyes. "Come along now."
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Yoshio awoke in his bed, even more depressed than he had been the previous day. He barely touched the food Hanako brought to him, as he didn't really feel even the slightest bit of hunger. Horrible thoughts of his family never coming back haunted Yoshio in his sleep, and he couldn't help but feel a little bit of despair. The old doctor from the previous day soon appeared in the doorway flanked by Yukina.
"Doctor Kawakami is here to check on you Yoshio. I wanted to make sure you were getting better," said Yukina as she bowed to the doctor and walked over to Yoshio, stroking his head.
"Let's see here young man. Well it looks like you're healing nicely. I'm glad that it didn't turn out worse, you must've had a nasty bump. Why so glum? You look totally in the dumps," said Kawakami, looking into Yoshio's face. "Well I have something that might cheer you up."
That was the last thing on Yoshio's mind, but he didn't have much strength to resist at the moment. Doctor Kawakami took his hand and led him out the house, down a street, and into a wide open area much like a park. Yukina walked patiently behind, curious at to what the doctor had in mind. Yoshio's eyes were downcast the entire trip, until he noticed a bunch of elderly gentlemen sitting in front of wooden boards and staring downwards. Yoshio walked forward, his curiosity overtaking his other emotions. The patterns on the board mesmerized him, and drew him like a moth to a flame.
"What is that they're playing?" asked Yoshio, rubbing his eyes.
"It's called Go and I'm going to teach you how to play today," said the doctor, smiling and lifting young Yoshio into the air. The doctors smiling face calmed Yoshio down a little, and for once since he arrived at Yukina's home, did he smile.