Chapter 2: Settling in.
Hiro fell asleep throughout most of the journey. By the time she woke up, she realized that she was nearing her destination to make the switch to a smaller line to where Tadashi's town is.
She contemplated just skipping the station and go who knows where. So she didn't have to deal with her brother. But then again, she really wouldn't want to do anything to drive her aunt more crazy at the idea. For the very least, she does kind of owe her for all the troubles she's caused over the years.
She gets up from her seat and pulls down her duffle bag from the overhang storage space and makes her way to the train door as it pulls into the station she's transferring from.
The train she transfers to is much smaller and slower. But the train ride is much shorter. It was only a few stops before it reaches the station.
The station was small. Really small. Unlike the San Fransokyo Union Station, this station only has a few pews for sitting with a ticket and information booth. As well as a couple vending machines and a coffee shop.
Hiro collapses into one day of the pews upon seeing that the station is practically empty. She honestly doesn't care that her brother isn't here. She rather savor the last few minutes of her freedom anyway.
That is until she heard some people come in.
" Do you think her train has passed by yet?" A woman's voice she heard.
" It just came by. I hope Hiromi hasn't missed her stop." A man's voice came in. Hiro rolls her eyes at this.
Hiromi is her birth name. Only she isn't called that on a normal basis except during official procedures. She only tolerates it when she hears her name.
She figures she has to give herself away at some point, so she stands up and says, " Tadashi?"
The couple turn to look at her. Tadashi has really grown since she last saw him about eleven years ago. He's tall and lean with a sharp jawline like their dad's. He's wearing skinny jeans with a blazer and cardigan over his shirt.
She can't believe what he looks like now. Then again she has changed too which is why the two of them are in shock upon each other's appearances. The only difference is that Hiro doesn't show it on her face.
The lady that was standing by Tadashi must be his wife. Of course, she would have known ahead of time if he bother to contact her. Either way, she looks pretty with the long blonde hair and tall frame.
" Hiromi?" He said.
" Yep." She confirms with a shrug.
He comes up to her and he has this look on his face of figuring out what the hell to say. Though Hiro isn't really that interested.
" You look... different." Was all he can say. Hiro figures it wasn't a compliment. I mean she does choppy boyish hair and piercings on her face. What was he expecting? A little angel?
" Thanks." She says. " Can we go now?"
" Uh.. Yeah sure. Do you want me to carry your bag?" He offered.
" I can handle it." She immediately responds as she heads towards the exit of the train station ahead of him and his wife with her bag in hand.
They hop into the couple's car and drive off to where they are living.
" I'm sorry it's crowded with stuff. We just went grocery shopping." He apologized as Hiro adjusts herself in the back.
" It's fine." She said as she moves her legs from the crate of fruit. He has a lot of food in this car. Probably because he doesn't go shopping all that often.
" So how's Cass?" He asked.
" She's fine." Hiro responds. She knows what he's trying to do is to try having small talk with her.
" I'm Honey. Tadashi's wife. It's nice to meet you Hiromi." The lady smiles at her.
" Ok." She shrugs.
The car ride lasted about an hour and it's mostly quiet. Tadashi and Honey feel like strangers to this sixteen year old. You would never think that Tadashi and this girl would be siblings
They finally reach the place where they are living at. Which has gone from a mid size town to really in the country. There are only a few stores that exist within the area they reached. Nothing really lively and fast pace about this place. Hiro doesn't like this at all.
" Is he some farm boy?" She thought about it as she stares out the window.
" Not really a place that has much going on, but it has its perks. I've been living here ever since I was adopted. It's great once you get used to it." Tadashi said earning nothing from the teenager.
He turns the car off the main road and up on a hill. By the time they reach the top of the hill was when Hiro saw the house.
It was certainly beautiful and very spacious unlike the congested apartment in San Fransokyo. It's one of these japanese like farmhouses that doesn't seem have much technology to them. Just the open like feeling. The house sits on a plot of land with a small farm next to it. This not where she imagined her brother living at.
" I thought you're a robotics engineer at some top notch engineering company." She responds.
" Yes. It's a bit of a commute, but I honestly don't mind the drive. It's nice living here." He says as he pulls into the garage.
" You'll love it here." Honey promised but she doesn't know her at all.
Hiro gets out of the car and pulls out her duffle bag from the trunk. She follows them through the sliding main door and sees already how differently they live. She watches them take off their shoes in the entryway before stepping into the main part of the house. After much consideration, she mimicks the same thing not at all feeling used to it.
" I'm going to start on dinner. Give you some time for a reunion." She said before she goes off to another room.
" Alright we need to lay down some ground rules." He said.
" I know the drill. I don't cause trouble for you. I just hope you extend the same courtesy to me." She said as she follows them into what appears to be the living room area. There are not couches for that matter. Just a few cushions on the floor. This is really traditional japanese living. What kind of a house has so little?
" That's not how we run things here." Tadashi shakes his head. " I don't want any secrets in this house. If you're in trouble, talk to me about it. You're not allowed to go anywhere without letting me or Honey know where you're going. You have to respect everyone here and we will respect you. If you don't, there is consequences and don't think I won't try. Understand?"
She scoffs. Oh great. He's a goody two shoes.
But she's not in the mood to argue.
" Fine." She begrudgingly said.
" One more thing before we show you to your room. The piercings have to go." He said as he holds out his hand.
" What?!" She said in outrage. " No. The piercings stay."
" I don't approve metal things on your face and since you're staying under my roof, you will take them out."
" No." She responds.
" Hiromi..." He says in a warning voice.
" It's Hiro." She said.
" What?" He said in confusion.
" It's Hiro. Not Hiromi." She repeats.
" Alright…..Hiro. The piercings are not staying with us."
" I'll take the mouth ring and the nose stud out. The ears you leave alone." She offered just to get him off her back.
But he shakes his head," This is not negotiable Hiro. You take those piercings out now and give them to me. I will let you keep a single pair of lobe piercings on. The rest will be given back to you when you leave."
" But I just got my mouth a few days ago. I take it out, it will close." She said.
" Well then. Maybe it's for the best." He said stubbornly.
She growls. She's not even here for five minutes and already he's telling her what to do. This is not what she signed up for. In fact, she didn't sign up to be here in the first place.
" Come on. I can stand here all day, but I'm not letting you off the hook. You best want to get this over with." He advised her.
She begrudgingly starts taking out her ear cuffs and putting them in his open hand. She moves onto her lobes. Then her nose stud and finally her mouth ring. Her tongue feels the bump from inside her mouth where her mouth ring is.
Tadashi closes his palm and places the jewelry in a plastic bag before it goes into his pocket.
" There that wasn't so bad." He gives her a smile. Which makes her even more angry. If he wasn't her relative, she would punch him in the face nevertheless.
She scoffs at him, " Can I be in my room now?"
He nods before he leads her down a hallway with her following and slides open a door.
The room doesn't much in it, but it is spacious. It has one of those japanese futon beds on the floor along with a low desk and cushion. There's a little closet for clothes. There are a couple of windows that help give it's light. It's a room she can live with.
" If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask Honey or…" Tadashi said as Hiro swiftly goes in and slams the door on him. " Me."
I decided to wait on this update because I was busy with other stories. I just started on this and I'm still trying to figure out how things are going to go for this story. This is one of these stories I have thought about for the siblings. Especially if they were separated.
Check out my other stories that can help with the waiting time. I have put a lot of time and work into them.
Please Review and See you later.