„Hikari" by GreatMarta
Episode 11: Chichi-no Chi
Tsutomu Mazaki was starting to doubt the plan he had prepared before coming to America. Partly because of the pain, which seemed to be increasing much faster than he estimated it would. Partly because of the gaijin, whose knowledge of genetics prevented him from getting hold of Hikari's blood sample without her finding out his true motives. But most of all, he was starting to realize, just how much his daughter will hate him for what he was doing to her. When she finds out, that is.
No. He can't think like that. He knows what is best for his daughter. It is his responsibility to make sure she will be able to live in safety, away from that pseudo-samurai clan of jerks. Without him to defend her, they would be free to use her for political reasons. He had to prevent it from happening. Even if she hates him for this, he had to do it. To do the right thing.
Having turned off the engine, Tsutomu went out of the vehicle. He still had about two months. That's enough to complete his plan. Even if there are complications, he will find a way to go past them. He always managed to finish what he had started. After all, he was Tsutomu – the one, who does his best.
When he entered the house, that family – the Bennetts – greeted him warmly. But he was able to see past their friendliness. They didn't like him. There was this negative fluid coming from their small gestures and faked expressions of happiness. The people of the West had no idea, how to mask their true feelings. A man of the East, like Tsutomu, could read them like an open book. They, on the other hand, had no idea of what was going on inside of him. It gave him a certain advantage. This fact cheered him up a little. He could be sure those people will never figure out he was using them and their culture as a background for his plan. Pulling such a thing up would've been much harder in Japan.
"How waseh Hikari doin? I hope she causeh no problems" he said, cursing his katakana-ized English. More directly, he was cursing his father, who forbade him watching English TV channels and made sure he was taught by Japanese teachers only. Because of that old racist, he could never develop the right pronunciation. Even years of making business with Americans couldn't defeat the habits learned during the childhood. Actually, Tsutomu considered it a miracle, that he was able to communicate with those people at all.
"Oh, she was doing great" the gaijin woman assured "Your daughter is such an intelligent young person, she's a pleasure to be with"
"Right she is!" her children confirmed. Tsutomu nodded. Of course, what else could they tell him? Even if Hikari drove them to the edge of reason, they had to pretend everything was okay. At least this part of etiquette was the same for both sides of the world.
"Thateh iseh good" he replied. He allowed himself to take a closer look at the gaijin woman. She looked pretty well for her age – he assumed, she must be at least 40 – but the eye color made her totally unattractive to him. He didn't have anything against the White race, but he didn't like people with light eyes. He couldn't help it but find them unnatural. This discomfort he felt while looking at them was stronger than his sensibility. Fortunately, he was able to hide it.
"We had a lot of fun with Nee-san!" that boy, his daughter's half-brother, came before him "She was reserved at first, but now we're the best of friends! Just the way she should've been from the start!" he claimed. Right, thought Tsutomu, you should've been. Just like you should've been my son. But that doesn't matter anymore. It's all in the past and we must focus on the future now.
"I am happy to heareh iteh" Tsutomu stated, regarding the boy. A healthy young man with a handsome face and an open mind. Tsutomu wandered, how would his life look like if he had adopted the boy back then, after the martial artist, his father, had gone missing. That way, his family would've gained a successor, and he would have a son he had always wanted. But he was too proud. To proud to raise a child not of his own. The living evidence of his loss. The living evidence of his foolishness and inhumanity. He was glad when he found out, that this child was taken in by a family in America. He found some strange satisfaction in the fact, that the son of his ex, which was not his own, will have to grow up away from home, among white people with blue eyes, and become an Americanized disgrace to the entire Japanese nation. A bigger disgrace than he already was for Tsutomu.
Back then, Tsutomu couldn't see past his pride and supposed to be honor. But he came to realize he needed that boy. Even if he wasn't his son, he remained his daughter's closest male relative. Brought up in US, the country of free people. Yes, the people of the West were not barbarians, not what Tsutomu's family made him believe they were. Those people were free, not bounded by the feudal system. The families were not ruled by old, selfish bastards. Nobody could be forced into an arranged marriage. Nobody had to bow to their ancestors. Those people were free to care for themselves, without having to worry about the rest of their family. Tsutomu has finally realized, that there was a point to this. Bunjiro, who knew both the East and the West, has become the perfect guardian for Hikari. Exactly the type of guardian she was going to need very soon. It couldn't have been more perfect. Apart from the inevitable, which he had to face.
"Just wait till you see her!" the blonde girl, the gaijins' daughter, exclaimed. Similarly to light eyes, light hair made Tsutomu feel uneasy "I've transformed her into a mega-princess!"
Somehow, the "mega-princess" part made Tsutomu seriously worried.
"Kari! Come here!" the blonde girl called "Your father wants to see you!" oh yes, he wanted to see her. In the same state she was this morning. But he had a feeling that was not going to happen.
Nothing in the world could've prepared him for the shock that hit him when he saw his daughter. There she was, wearing a red dress, with a make-up on her face and a shy, sensitive look. His narrow eyes reached the size of two tennis balls. His heart froze. The amazement was so great, that it seemed to have stopped the time. That subtle beauty. That naïve, delicate aura surrounding her. The mixture of fear and hope in her eyes. The clear essence of what the men of Japan considered feminine, desirably weak and fragile.
That wasn't Hikari Mazaki. That woman was not the strong, bad-tempered , independent person he called daughter. That woman was weak, shy and meek, scarred of everything and everybody.
The woman in front of him was Hikari Kawai.
Seeing her caused him a heartache. Brought the memories of that woman. Her fragile body, subtle smell, the way she shivered in his arms, the feeling of her breath on his skin. The disgust he felt when looking at her, begging for his mercy. The power he had upon her. The faith in his own strength of character and her blind obedience. The complete and utter lack of respect for this person, who proved to have had greater guts than he thought she could have. The effort he put into making sure his daughter would grow up to be the opposite of her mother. The fear of his little girl becoming what her mother was – a slave, a shadow of a human, dependable of somebody, who thought of her as of a trash. The pain of knowing how much she needed his guidance and how little time he had left. The frustration of seeing his beloved daughter ruining all the hard work he has put into her upbringing and becoming the spitting image of that whinny, making his worst nightmare come true.
"What have you done?" he spoke, not really knowing whom to "What the fuck have you done to my daughter?!" he demanded, turning to the gaijins. They were looking at him, as if he was crazy. Of course. He has just realized, he spoke in Japanese. They couldn't understand. But that didn't matter.
Hikari made a step towards him. The little slut.
"Father" she spoke in Japanese. With that freaking, shy tone, so typical for her mother "I can explain" she said. But he didn't want any explanations. He wanted to scream. So badly that it scared him.
Tsutomu has never felt as furious as he was feeling now. He was burning with anger. He wanted to throw himself at the woman in front of him. To put that little ingrate over his lap and beat all the foolishness out of her ass. To murder those freaking gaijins, who made her do this. To burn their house to ashes. To puke his own lungs and batter them, till he got rid of all the crap they contained. Madness. That was all he had left.
He just had to explode.
"You little piece of shit!" he roared at his daughter "What the fuck is this supposed to mean?! What on Earth have you done?!"
"It was her idea!" she pointed the blonde girl, panicking. Good. He wanted her to be scared. To be freaking frightened.
"I don't give a shit!" he went on "Have you forgotten what I taught you?! Nobody will treat you seriously if you dress up like this! They will be so concentrated on your body, that they won't be able to notice your soul! Do you want to be judged for the size of your ass, Hikari?! Don't you want to be respected for your intelligence and spirit?! Don't you fucking understand what I've been telling you your entire life?!" he yelled, and she trembled. She shivered in fear. He saw it in her eyes, she wanted to beg him to stop. Which only meant he had to keep on yelling.
"Father, I'm sorry!" his daughter cried. He ignored it.
His chest was starting to hurt. He ignored it as well.
"You will be sorry when someone decides to take advantage of your weakness! You won't even know before you have to beg for mercy! Before you turn into a miserable bug, into dust at somebody's feet, into the mirror reflexion of your mother!"
"Alright, that's it!" Bunjiro exclaimed, coming between Tsutomu and the frightened girl. He was seriously pissed "I had enough of your bragging, old man! And to think I defended you in front of my family, it makes me wanna puke!" the boy yelled and the man growled. What an insolent brat.
"Stay out of this!" Tsutomu demanded. The pain in his chest worsened, which only made him angrier. It didn't affect Bunjiro. He was not going to give in.
"Not after you've insulted my sister! Who the hell do you think you are to treat her like this?! How can you be so cruel?! It's no crime to put on a dress and get some make-up! It's just normal!"
Hikari tried to put a hand on his shoulder.
"Bunjiro! Don't…!"
"No!" he shouted at her "Sister, you asked me to protect you, and that's what I'm going to do! I'm going to make that bastard father of yours apologize! To you and to mother!"
The pain became so bad Tsutomu had to grab his chest. The left side of it, the one that carried the curse. Hopefully, they won't notice it hurts him. Most of them didn't even understand Japanese, they were out of discussion. Only the insolent brat remained.
"Apologize?! What the hell for?! For telling the truth?! For being a responsible father?! For wanting to make sure my daughter doesn't do anything stupid?!" he roared, almost praying the brat would finally give in. He was tired of it. Tired of the pain he had to endure. Of having to argue with the boy, who should've been his son. Of having to live up to the expectations of his family. Of being unable to do everything he wanted to do. Of being the one they all will hate in the end.
"Now, hold it!" that man, the head of the gaijin family, decided to disturb them "I have no vaguest idea what is going on between you, but I'm sure as hell it's not going in the right direction! So stop it and calm down!" he demanded. Bunjiro seemed to struggle with what he should do now, but Tsutomu wasn't going to calm down. Not at the order of a gaijin.
"Jack is right" the gaijin woman spoke up "Mister Mazaki, I don't know what has made you so angry, but I'm sure we will be able to talk it over. There is no need for violence" she made a step towards Tsutomu. He could no longer bear the frustration burning inside of him.
"Stay away from me, you fucking foreigner!" he yelled at her. He shouldn't. But he couldn't control himself anymore. Not in this state. Not when it hurt so much.
Not when Bunjiro's fist smashed his chest.
Not when the blood from his lungs cannoned through his wind pipe into his mouth.
He tried to cover his mouth with his hand, but the pressure was too big. The cough overwhelmed him, his body went numb. He fell on the floor, coughing and choking with blood. Everybody froze. He couldn't stop it. He couldn't breathe. He coughed the blood out, gasping for some air, praying for relief. Not now, not yet, no!
"Father!" his daughter cried, kneeling beside him. She shouldn't be watching this. She shouldn't have to worry about him. He had to stop this, to calm her down, but, damn it, it was so hard!
"I didn't mean to hurt him! I swear!" Bunjiro cried, frightened with what he has done. If he only knew the truth. If he could see how devastated his lungs were. Darn it, it was a horror!
"I'm calling the ambulance!" the gaijin man decided.
"No!" Tsutomu revolted, using English "Itsu nothing, itsu fine…!" another wave of cough filled his throat. Darn it! May it stop!
His daughter took his hand, stained in blood, into hers. He tightened the grip immediately. He looked at her, desperately seeking consolation. She was looking at him with fear, but there was also compassion. Now, being too weak to think in advance, he couldn't focus on the challenges she will have to face. All he could see was her gentle face, the concern for his health, the support she wanted to offer him. He desperately crushed her hand, so small and delicate, in his. Yes, he was looking at Hikari Kawai. As miserable as she was, she had a good heart. She was so warm, friendly, compassionate, altruistic, the quintessence of goodness. Almost too good to be a human. Yes, Tsutomu had no respect for that woman, the mother of his daughter. But he longed for the type of consolation only she was able to offer.
He was a fool. He was born a fool and he will die a fool. But a part of him, the better part, will live on, combined with the better part of Hikari Kawai. He will always be grateful to her for giving birth to his child, regardless of its sex. It's the soul that matters, not the body. He knew it now. In the end, his foolishness wasn't so tragic.
The coughing stopped. The bleeding stopped. The pain was reduced to its average level. Tsutomu panted heavily, worrying they might've seen through him. The gaijins were all staring at him with sincere concern in their eyes and various types of fear on their faces. They shouldn't be worrying about him. He was a stranger to them, a yosomono. The one who insulted them and offended their hospitality. But the attack he experienced reduced him to the position of a person, who suffered. Somebody, who needed to be taken care of. He didn't like it. But he will endure it. He had no choice.
He had lung cancer.
"Father, are you alright?" his daughter asked in Japanese.
"Mister Mazaki, is everything okay?" the gaijin woman asked in English.
"Geez, Mazaki-san, Gomen Nasai! I didn't mean to hurt you!" Bunjiro claimed. Tsutomu wasn't sure, what language he used. It was meaningless. For a man who knows he has two months of life left, everything seems meaningless.
"Daijobu… I am fine" he managed to say. It brought a little relief to the people surrounding him.
"I still think we should call a doctor" the gaijin man insisted "It might be something serious"
"I don't understand this!" Bunjiro panicked "I didn't hit him this hard! Really!"
"You don't know your own strength, Bunji" his adoptive father scolded him "That's why you mustn't let your anger take over you. You could've seriously hurt our guest, the father of your half-sister. There is no excuse for such actions"
The boy lowered his head, but his face still carried a hint of grudge, of injustice. Tsutomu could understand him. If somebody insulted his sister, he would've protected her. He would've defended both of them, regardless of the feelings he had towards them. It was his duty as their younger brother. Tsutomu had to smile to himself. That Bunjiro might be a menace, but he sure has his honor. He will be there for Hikari. No doubt about that.
"Itsu no his faoul" Tsutomu spoke up "I am.. sick. Juseh little sick. Buteh I will be fine soon. That itsu nothing" he claimed. The gaijins didn't seem to believe him, but he was not going to reveal anything more.
"Are you sure?" the gaijin man insisted. Tsutomu met his gaze with determination. He has regained all his mental powers and was going to use them.
"Yes, I am sureh" he repeated. He has noticed that he was still holding his daughters hand. Now her precious hand was stained in his blood. The blood filled with the crap from his devastated lungs.
"I made your hand dirty" he told her. She just smiled weakly.
"The blood of my father is not dirty to me" she told him "The very same blood is circulating in my veins. It is an honor to me" she claimed, fitting somehow in between the image of her mother and herself. She was gentle, but not weak. She was self-confident, but without showing her bad temper. She expressed the harmony of the influence from both her parents. Tsutomu was relieved. In the end, she was the woman he intended her to be.
"Thank you" he whispered, releasing her hand. They both stood up and followed the advice of the gaijin woman, who told them to wash their hands. The attitude of the woman changed. She wasn't just being friendly now. She acted, as if Tsutomu was about to die. He noticed the change. He noticed both adoptive parents of Bunjiro started to act like this. They knew, he thought. No, that's just stupid. It would take an X-ray vision or some sort of ESP to discover the cancer in his lungs. Those people will never know. It's not like they were some sort of Bionic heroes or whatever.
After the father and daughter were done washing the blood off their hands, the entire group could sit around the table and talk in peace. The gaijin woman suggested she'll make some tea and everybody agreed. According to Tsutomu's wish, the gaijins' adoptive Afro-American son made a lecture about genetics. With the help of some charts and illustrations of crossovers he explained, how the blood groups of Hikari and Bunjiro could be inherited, and gave clear evidence that Hikari is Tsutomu's daughter. Somewhere in the middle of the lecture, the tea was served. Tsutomu listened to the lecture, drinking his tea, trying to sketch an emergency plan in his head. The truth was, he didn't really doubt his fatherhood. But he needed an excuse to run the DNA test. He was dying on lung cancer. The maternal grandmother of Hikari died on blood cancer. Hikari was at risk. He had to know. Even if he had a little time left, he had to know weather his daughter was endangered with cancer or not. If she was, he would have to tell her. If not, then there was no need to make her worry. So, he needed a good reason to make her cooperate, a good lie. He preferred to tell her he might not be her father than admit he's dying on cancer and she might die on it too. As much as it was heartbreaking to deceive her like this, he decided it was the lesser evil. Weather it was right or not was another story.
"Thank yoo" said Tsutomu, after the black gaijin was done with the explanations "It iseh a soot foh my heart" he lied, knowing that was what they expected of him. Not only them, Hikari too. If he made her go through this, he was obliged to keep his act. Fortunately, he was a talented actor.
"I'm glad I could help" the black gaijin replied, smiling. Tsutomu was angry at him at first, but now he calmed down. He had talked to the doctor. He knew now that DNA is located in all human cells, not only in blood. He could use her hair, nails, scarf-skin, anything. If he had known before, maybe he needn't have deceived his daughter. Maybe. But now, it was meaningless. Everything was.
Hikari moved her chair closer to Tsutomu's and embraced him. She was genuinely relived. He hugged her, trying to swallow the guilt of causing her so much pain. He cursed himself for having smoked most of his life. If he hadn't taken that shit in his mouth, the cancer might not have developed. Fortunately, his daughter didn't smoke. He made sure she didn't. When she was a kid, he made her smoke the entire packet. She suffered greatly because of it, but she swore to never ever touch a cigarette again. It was a good thing.
Still, he was troubled. Not because of his own actions, but by his daughter's changed image. She didn't smell like herself. The impression of touching her was also different. He wanted to think he didn't like it. That such changes will only make her more vulnerable. But the truth was, he couldn't help it but appreciate the beauty. He was a man after all. The problem was he knew that many men would become interested in his daughter if she started to pay more attention to her looks. He didn't mind her sleeping with guys, he would be a hypocrite if he forbade her that, but he couldn't bear the thought of her getting seriously involved with one. Well, he did want grandchildren, but didn't want to lose his daughter. She was everything to him, his entire world and greatest love. Fortunately, he won't live this long to see her leave him. That was about the only positive side of his lethal illness.
"Ima Omae-no soba-ni, Hikari-chan" He whispered to her. I will always be there for you, my little light. Even after I die, my spirit will always be there for you.
"Ooki-na ai-ga boku-wo donna tooki-mo mamotteru" she replied. The huge love will protect me forever. If only this could be true, Hikari. If only.
After they parted, his daughter suggested that she will go get changed. The blonde girl said she will go with her. And so, the two young women left the room. Tsutomu sighed, taking one more look at this wonderful creature, whom he created out of nothing with the help of her mother. After he lost her from his field of vision, he directed his stare to Bunjiro. It was easier than to look in the blue eyes of the boy's adoptive parents.
"I do no want anybody to think of my dauteh the way I used to think of heh motheh" he said, deciding it was the best explanation of his actions "That iseh why I said what I said"
Bunjiro nodded. He still held sorrow towards Tsutomu, but seemed to be trying to understand him.
"Nee-san told me how you met our mother" he said "How you donated blood for our grandmother. I appreciate that"
"No only blood" Tsutomu replied. So Hikari actually opened herself a little in front of her brother. Good to know "I paid foh heh treatment, I foundeh merrow donor in Europe, I searched foh alternate cancer healing methods" he stopped for a moment, then added in a weaker tone "I made a speech durin heh funeral"
Like he expected, the mention of death brought the atmosphere of sadness and grief. Even if it concerned a woman, whom none of those people knew.
"You must have loved mother very much" the boy guessed. It was a bad guess, and a silly one. Tsutomu has just mentioned he didn't think much of that woman. But he could tell the boy just wanted to somehow keep the conversation alive. He just had no idea how.
"I did no" he denied "I waseh doin it foh myself. Youreh motheh said only I could help heh. It waseh a challenge to me. I felt, as if I could battle the God" with that, Tsutomu smirked bitterly, amused with his own foolishness "In the end, the God had won" And he will so again, when the time comes for me to die.
"But mother must have loved you" the boy went on "She did stay with you after her mother died" he noticed. So old, yet so naïve.
"Sometimes, love can be mistaken foh a differen feelin. Youreh motheh waseh grateful foh what I've done foh heh motheh. Andeh she waseh scared of bein left alone. Apart fro heh motheh, she had no family left. So she choose to stay witheh me. Buteh no, it wasn't love. It waseh all about…" he stopped, thinking of a less direct word to express the character of their relationship "…consolation"
Everybody understood what he meant by that.
"Besides" Tsutomu went on "By the time heh moteh died, youreh moteh waseh in 4th month pregnant. That waseh a good reson to stay witheh me"
"At least grandmother knew she was going to be a grandmother" Bunjiro noticed, smiling weakly "She must've been happy to know it"
"Indeed she wadeh" Tsutomu confirmed "Andeh she wished us, that the baby iseh a dauteh. Heh wish did come true" with that, he remembered about the gift he brought for Bunjiro. He pulled an USB Flash Drive from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of Bunjiro. The boy took it and regarded with curiosity.
"I have recorded all pictures I had of youreh moteh" Tsutomu explained "It isent much, buteh I believe yoo will be satisfied"
Bunjiro was now looking at the small device, as if it was made of pure gold. The sadness has left him and he brightened up with joy. In this moment, Tsutomu could see the boy's mother within him. Within the gratefulness he had for him.
"Arigato gozaimasu" he said "Thank you very much, Mazaki-san"
"Youreh welcome" Tsutomu replied simply. He was reserved before pulling out the other supposed to be gift. This one should definitely go to his daughter. But then, he doubted she would ever need it. Eventually, he placed the other gift, an old ring, in front of Bunjiro "Youreh grandmothe gave it to me before she died. Youreh grandfather gave it to heh when he waseh proposing. She told me to give it to youreh mothe, when I propose to heh. I never did. Perhaps yoo will propose to somebody one day. When it happens, use the ring" he explained.
Bunjiro carefully took the ring. This time, he was much more careful than when lifting the Flash Drive. He felt, that this little thing was much more valuable and deserved much more respect. Tsutomu smiled. The ring was a burden to him, since he knew he had failed the trust his ex's mother had for him. She wanted him to be her son-in-law. Tsutomu thought, if she had known how cold-hearted and self-centered he really was, she would've never entrusted her precious possession to him.
Finally, Bunjiro decided to give the ring back to Tsutomu.
"This should belong to Nee-san. Give it to her boyfriend once she finds one" he suggested. Tsutomu had to smile bitterly. He won't live long enough to see that happen.
"I'd sooner kill him" he tried to turn it into a joke "Whoeva tries to take my dauteh away fro me iseh my enemy. The ring will be safer witheh yoo than witheh me. Please, keep it" he insisted. This seemed to have work on Bunjiro, as his face brightened up. He took the ring and hid it in his pocket, along with the Flash Drive.
"Once Nee-san finds a suitable husband candidate, I'll be sure to give it to him" he promised. Tsutomu was pretty much satisfied with the conversation. There was just one thing left for him to say. He knew it was unnecessary, but he wanted to be sure the boy understood him. So, he spoke to him in Japanese.
"You must understand me, Bunjiro. Regardless of what I do or say, my daughter is the most precious person to me. My love for her is the most powerful force that drives my life. You are her younger brother, her closest relative. I want you to promise, that you will always be there for her. That you will help her whenever she needs you. If it's necessary, protect her with your own life. Can you promise this to me, Bunjiro? Can I trust you?" he asked. The boy was clearly under impression of both the language and the request it expressed. His mind turned to the Eastern way of thinking and he could notice the values treasured by the nation of Japan. There still was a good deal of samurai spirit in that boy. And that spirit spoke through his lips.
"Yes, Mazaki-san. I will always be there for Nee-san. You have my word" he replied. Tsutomu felt a huge relief. He had his declaration.
"Thank you" he said, satisfied. Hikari had her guardian. At least one goal was achieved.
A second later, Hikari and the blonde girl returned. Hikari was now looking perfectly normal. She washed off the entire make-up and changed back to her usual clothes. Tsutomu felt relieved, but had to admit seeing her dressed up like that was a sort of bitter pleasure. Something he could not allow openly.
Deciding they don't have anything else to do in the house of the gaijins, Tsutomu thanked them for the hospitality and everything. He also told them the name of the hotel they were staying at and left the address. The gaijin kids declared they would visit Hikari tomorrow, which pleased Tsutomu, since he was going to be away for most of the day and his daughter would appreciate company. He was glad that Hikari managed to befriend those people, even if they were gaijins. At least he won't have to worry about her while carrying out his plan. He still had to prepare a contract to sell his company and corrupt some people to help him make sure Hikari would receive American nationality, in case his family in Japan possesses danger to her. Oh, and most of all, he had to contact his sister Tori. She was the only relative he could trust. The only one who could help him leave this world in honor. He might be the last male descendant of the Mazaki clan, but he was not going to die in hospital, without any dignity. He was not going to let the cancer defeat him.
When the time comes, he will commit seppuku.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
Author's Notes: Now this HAD TO impress you.
In fact, I have never intended to tell this chapter from Tsutomu's point of view, but I thought that might work out just fine. Seems I was right.
Chichi-no Chi – Father's blood (good title, neh?)
Tsutomu – this names comes from the verb "tsutomeru" – to work hard, to do ones best. So, his name can translate as "hard worker". I suppose it fits his character.
Katakana – an alphabet used to transcribe foreign words in Japanese. Thus, katakana-ized English is English spoken the way Tsutomu does (avoiding groups of consonants, putting as much vowels in between as possible).
Yosomono – stranger.
Gomen Nasai – I am sorry.
Daijobu – it's okay, I am fine, etc.
Ima Omae-no soba-ni, Hikari-chan – Always by your side, Hikari-chan.
-chan – A suffix added to the names of people equal to you or of lower rank than you. Usually used for girl, can be used for little boys.
Ooki-na ai-ga boku-wo donna tooki-mo mamotteru – The huge love will protect me forever.
Arigato gozaimasu – Thank you very much.
Seppuku – ritual suicide.
Actually, the ending "jin" in "gaijin" already stands for "human", so it's inappropriate to use "gaijin man" or "gaijin woman", but that way it's simpler, so I left it this way.