Chapter 4: A Visit with the Kuzoka's
Ár teaghlaigh sona – Our Happy Family
-"Sadhbh Ni Bhruineallaigh" by Solas-
A knock came at the door and Eiichi was the first to answer. Kotonoha's face met his.
"Katsura-chan!"
"I hope I'm not too late…"
"Nah-nah, come in!"
Eiichi and Torio lived in one of the small townhouses in a lower middle class side of the city. The modest structure featured two floors with balconies on the second and a compact garage. Inside, there was a narrow passage after the doorstep with a walkway into the living room. The passage continued into a hallway, here and there could be seen paintings of landscapes. The place was relatively clean to Torio's specifications, though papers, magazines and a few novels could be seen laying on the coffee table and the open counter next to the kitchen entrance.
Kotonoha kicked her shoes off at the step. A light plaid shawl was draped about her shoulders, and a long flowing skirt about her legs. Eiichi thought she looked the part for a young girl in a Celtic village.
Rich and savory smells wafted about the house, accompanied by the hissing of fire and oils from the kitchen. Torio was hard at work.
"Eiichi, is that our special guest!" Torio called out from the small kitchen.
"Why don't you come and see!" Eiichi took Kotonoha's shawl and hung it by the coats.
Torio appeared from the kitchen, wearing an apron over his work clothes and wiping his hands on a towel.
"Katsura-chan, so glad you could make it," he bowed.
"I'm sorry for the intrusion. It smells wonderful!" she bowed in return.
"Well, I do what I can," he chuckled. "Please, feel free to take a look around. We welcome you to our humble abode. You two can even run off to Eiichi's room for a while if you want."
Kotonoha and Eiichi blushed.
"Would ya stop that!" Eiichi started, "We're not running an escort service here!"
Torio laughed, "Can't blame me for trying. Please, dinner will be another half hour."
He rushed back to the kitchen.
"Your brother is a very interesting man…" Kotonoha smiled shyly.
"Yeah, he's a real character," Eiichi commented apathetically.
In the living room, Kotonoha walked over to the TV table. Pictures of family members hung on a portion of the wall above the television. There was one of Eiichi and Torio making goofy poses like they were battling Samurais while at Himeji Castle. Another was of them with fishing poles on a small sail boat, and an older man who must have been their father. One was of them with him on a hiking trip at Fuji Mountain.
"Who's this?" she pointed to one of a stern looking young man in a dark blue uniform with red trim and gold pins on the collars. There was a backdrop of an American flag.
"Oh, that's our dad when he was about Torio's age. He's been a career Marine ever since he graduated high school in America. He was stationed back here in Japan after having Torio and me."
"You don't live with him?"
"Nah, he thought it would be good for us to try living on our own once Torio was old enough to work."
She turned to a sepia tone photo of a similar looking man, this time wearing an old Japanese World War II uniform.
"That's my great grandpa. My dad always jokes about the irony of him joining the side gramps fought against. He imagines gramps must be rolling in his grave to this day, but he says he'd rather drink with the man and share stories than anything."
Kotonoha found this oddly endearing.
In Eiichi's room, there were posters of music groups and musicians pasted in tilted positions on his walls. His desk had little on it except for a few stacks of books, his stack of text books, and a desktop computer. His dresser was by the door with a mess of papers and random trinkets on the surface. On a hook by his entrance, above a pair of shoes, hung a pair of boxing gloves.
"You're in to boxing?" she walked over to the gloves.
Eiichi took a breath before answering, "A little…I was hoping the school had a team, but I guess that sort of answers itself. I don't think any high school has a team anymore."
He knew Kotonoha was the type of girl that was opposed to violence, so he had been reluctant to talk about this interest of his.
She poked around the gloves and peered at them curiously.
"Do you think you could show me some things?" she looked at him.
This was a surprise. Her emotions were leaning toward something she had been experiencing lately. He remembered the Committee members. He figured it would never come down to something like that, but what would be the harm?
"Well, I don't know that I'm all that good…but sure," he was actually flattered at the thought.
"How've you been?" her smile changed to a look of concern as she turned to him with her hands clasped behind her waist.
"I'm-I'm doing okay…My doc and the school say I should stay home a few more days."
"Are you getting better?"
"I am. I was walking around two days ago. I actually went out and got some things for Torio for tonight."
What was concerning him most was her being at school without him around. He couldn't shake the feeling that ever since the episode, he'd been tied to her in some way. That he was no longer just her friend, but had been given a mission to look after her, that if he did not do this, the things he witnessed would take place one way or another and push her to that point of no return.
"Good…I was worried…" she raised a hand of curled fingers to her chin. "When you collapsed on the floor like that…well, I wasn't myself, but when I saw you, I had to do something. I remembered something I learned about CPR, that you should turn the person on their side if they're coughing."
It had been her who turned him on his side before he blacked out. She saved his life…
"I just can't believe I let it get that far," she was beating herself up again.
"Katsura-chan…I…"
Those lost and innocent eyes looked at him.
"I'm just so glad you're my friend…thank you."
Again with the blushing, she'd been doing it an awful lot.
Something occurred to her suddenly, "What about your homework? You have no one to bring it!"
"Oh…uh, I figured I'd just take care of that when it came around," he had been looking forward to not being bothered with school for a while.
"I can't allow that. This is your last year, you need to finish strong."
"W-Well…"
"I'll bring it for you."
Then Kotonoha noticed a few CDs on Eiichi's cluttered dresser. She walked over and looked at them.
"Eiichi, you listen to Kimie Choshi?"
He forgot to hide them! "I…a friend left those here."
"What do you mean? You were walking around singing 'For The Love of Stars' all yesterday," Torio poked his head in the door.
"What the hell, Torio!"
"I think she's wonderful, but I don't know many of her songs," Kotonoha leaned in.
"Eiichi can lend you one of his. Also dinner is ready."
Torio had already fixed the table with all the dishes in the middle. He re-entered the kitchen when they stepped out. Eiichi followed after him and grabbed a beer from the fridge. He poured it into a glass while Torio walked over to the table and presented a bottle to Kotonoha in a maître d fashion.
"Heated saki for the miss?"
Kotonoha looked at the bottle with wide eyes. Eiichi could tell she wasn't expecting this. This entire night she was going to be learning more and more about just how seriously the Kuzoka's took their hospitality.
"I'll just have juice, thank you."
"Very well, no peer pressure under this roof, unless it's Eiichi's birthday."
"Do not remind me," Eiichi groaned and sat down across from Kotonoha.
Torio sat at the head of the table, between the two.
"Itadakimasu! Let's eat!"
"…And then he walks up, get this, he walks up to the receptionist again and says 'I forgot my pass, can I have another?'" Torio spoke ecstatically while gesturing with his hand.
There was another burst of laughter from the table.
"When was the last time you saw that guy?" Eiichi spoke, his eyes teared up from laughing so hard.
"Oh, I think I was in Kyoto last. He said he was moving to Sagoya for a while. I tried to tell him, if we was going to be a cop, he had to learn to keep his affairs in order."
Their plates empty, Eiichi was on his second beer, Kotonoha with her juice and Torio had the saki bottle next to him.
Eiichi had noticed a constant shift in Kotonoha during the meal. At times her emotions floated to that recurring pattern that told him she was thinking of Makoto, but then the atmosphere would take her by the hand and lead her away to a better place, and she was able to forget for a while.
"And that reminds me of another story, of another certain absent minded person I know," Torio was looking at Eiichi now.
"No, don't-don't you dare!" Eiichi was pointing, but still smiling.
"I actually want to hear it," Kotonoha said.
"Well, I suppose that's for another time. I'll make him sweat it out," Torio leaned back.
"May I help with the dishes?" Kotonoha stood.
"Well I don't want to make you, but an extra hand in the kitchen is good," Torio got up and laid a napkin on the table.
"I'm stepping out," Eiichi always had his pack ready for an after dinner smoke. He scooted his chair in and made for the back porch.
Kotonoha and Torio gathered the plates. At the sink, Kotonoha cleaned while Torio placed the dishes in the washer.
"Everything was delicious," she handed him a plate and hashi.
"I always love to hear that," he said, taking them.
"And…I wanted to know if you could teach me."
"Oh of course! I've always wanted to take on a student," Torio's face lit up.
"Thank you so much. I've been trying very hard, but the people I know at school don't seem to enjoy what I make…"
"Well, why do you feel the need to learn it right away?"
"I guess, I want to be able to do something. I want to be able to make wonderful meals for the person I'm with."
"Well there's nothing wrong with that, but you don't need to go for the whole housewife gambit."
"What gave you that idea?"
"I've met enough people to know," he was only half lying, to save her feelings. Torio had actually learned a few things about Kotonoha from Eiichi, "There's nothing wrong with finding something for yourself. Ya know, something that makes you feel good just because you enjoy it."
She seemed to be thinking about this as she worked, "I've never considered it, now that I think…I don't know what exactly I could be good at though…"
"You'd be surprised."
"I'll keep it in mind…Have you taken anything in culinary before?"
"Oh no. I excelled in home ec, but that was about it. Everything else has been self-taught."
"That's amazing!"
"Yeah well, I haven't had time to look at school and the tuitions are pretty high. Mostly I do this to provide," he said, rather cheerily.
Kotonoha looked out to where Eiichi had been seated, "Has it been difficult? I mean with Kuzo—I mean—E…Eiichi-kun?" Saying it made her voice tremble and she blushed.
Torio saw this and smiled, "Well, it comes with its ups and downs. He can be difficult at times."
"Because of his…"
"Nooo, that's just who he is. I don't think the ability makes the person, I believe the person makes the ability. He's a lot wiser than most kids his age. I don't know if it's because of all that pain he carries around, or because of the things that he knows, but he's found ways to deal with it, and I think that shows more character than anything. Though sometimes, being around him is like being around a cranky old man."
"You've been together since your childhood, right?" she handed him a bowl.
"Yeah…I know I seem like a pretty footloose guy, but to tell you the truth, I'm this way so he doesn't have to focus on the other things. Sometimes I wonder if it really works, he can see through lies like no one else, and it can make stuff even more difficult."
"You keep him busy…" she inserted, "…it's very caring of you…you have an understanding…"
Torio was actually astonished, and then it was his turn to blush. The Kuzoka's were definitely an emotional family.
"I think you've got something there."
"Don't take too long you two. What am I saying, take as long as you want."
"This isn't a date! Jeez!"
Eiichi had offered to walk Kotonoha home. Her house was far away and Eiichi had originally asked Torio if he'd drive them. Because Kotonoha was not around when he asked, Torio made up some lie about having too much saki and not wanting to get pulled over. Eiichi knew the ploy, Torio knew he knew, but played it off anyways.
They passed slowly beneath one street lamp after another, her shawl about her, being illuminated by the yellow glow.
Eiichi could sense Kotonoha had been having such a good time that she was unaware of her current setting. If anything, knowing would only bring about thoughts of Makoto again, so he was satisfied with things the way they were. He also wanted another cigarette, but something told him that would not be the right thing to do here.
1The sky was black, the stars blotted out by city lights, and a lone crescent moon shone up high.
Looking at it, he remembered the stars in Kotonoha's image, how there were so many, fading out of sight. A beautiful girl, with a beautiful mind. Why was it people like her were always so lonely?
Now she was actually concerned about something, "Should you be walking me so far?"
"It's late, you shouldn't be alone."
"But shouldn't you rest? I can call my limo."
"Nah, I need the exercise. If I can smoke, drink and deal with my brother, I should be able to handle walking you home."
"Okay…"
They passed another light.
"You um…you don't have to go out of your way for me," he said, not looking at her. She was so puzzled by this statement. "I mean, because of what happened. You don't have to be so kind to me. You have enough to do."
She shook her head, "Kuzoka-kun, you should not take yourself so seriously. You need someone to help, it's okay to depend on someone else. Besides, you've heard my story, maybe I should hear more of yours."
What was this? She was being forward, actually taking a step out and insisting on something.
He looked at her, there was not a spec of regret that he could find. This girl, who seemed to take back everything she ever said, hesitating on every bold statement, unless it had to do with something she was certain of, had given him his entire mental construct and presented a solution in only a few words. Unless it was something she was certain of…
Not a word passed between them until they made it to the gate outside her house. She walked up to a number pad and entered her code, the gate began opening.
She turned to Eiichi, "I had a wonderful night."
Something about this line did not ring like something one friend would say to another, on any occasion. There was definitely an air of affection about her, even if she didn't realize it. Maybe Torio was getting to him, but realizing where he was right now, at this very moment, did not add up well in his mind. Even if there was something here, even if he was the only one that knew about it, there was nothing he could do. She was in love with someone else, and no matter what kind of person he was, Eiichi could not betray her trust. It's not that she was testing him, he knew that, but the framework had set them up this way. That's all it was, circumstances, and emotions could run high that way as well.
"I'm glad, I hope my brother did not bore you with his conversation."
"No, in fact…your brother is very knowledgeable…like you. You should not forget how much he loves you…"
She had always been shy, but her eyes never left his when she said this.
"I'll remember that…thank you."
The gate had been open almost a full minute.
"Have a good night, please…walk safely," she muttered.
"Will do…"
She stepped through the opening and Eiichi watched her make it to her door. When the door shut, he turned. The gate began closing behind him and he reached in to his coat pocket for his pack. She was safe in her castle for one more night, he'd done his job.
With his cigarette lit, streams of smoke drifting into the night, he headed home.
Later, Eiichi received a text from Kotonoha, asking if he made it home safely. He was seated on his porch, another cigarette lit and leaning in an ashtray, the crescent moon beginning to drop from its arc in the sky. He responded back, and wished her a second good night.
1 "Pieces of the Night" by Gin Blossoms
