Preparations
Akko was sitting at the table when Mari brought in breakfast, tapping away at the keys of her laptop that sat a few inches to her right. She stopped as Mari came out with two bowls of steamed rice.
"Do you want any help, Mari?"
Mari slid one bowl across to her and placed the other on the table nearest the kitchen door, then shook her head.
"No I'm fine." She headed back into the kitchen. "Have you found anywhere good to go?"
Akko stopped typing and moved the mouse across the screen, clicking on one of the rectangles at the bottom to open up another window.
"Not yet, I was thinking maybe one of the parks...perhaps the one near Hibiya Station? It shouldn't take too long to get there."
There was a clatter from the kitchen and then Mari returned with a white tray supporting two bowls of miso soup, two of natto, pickles and two glass beakers of orange juice.
"Sounds good," Mari said as she slipped the white enamel tray into the centre of the polished wooden table. "But I'd like to stop by my house first to change outfits and drop off the stuff we got yesterday."
"Ah sure. Well that shouldn't be too much of a detour."
The filling smell of the warm pasta, rice and miso infused within the rolling steam billowing from the food made Akko gulp and pull away from the dust streaked laptop screen. Clicking a few windows out of existence she shut the lid to a soft click and pushed it away to her right; moving her share of the food in small black porcelain bowls before her and then picking up a pair of black chopsticks.
"Ah Mari this looks great!" Akko exclaimed as her gaze flickered over the fluffy white rice, bright red and green pickles and the golden natto.
Mari blushed faintly and a her cheeks pulled her lips upwards to a small smile as she glanced back across at Akko.
"Thanks," she said softly; something of a leap from the time when she'd blush heavily at a compliment and just about stammer a thank you: Akko kind of missed that, whilst at the same time loving seeing Mari grow stronger. There was no doubt about Mari's happiness at the compliment, written within her eyes, and that warmed Akko's insides far more than the food could ever hope to achieve.
After that they ate in silence. Akko found it hard to multitask when it came to good food and Mari was quite content to observe Akko enjoying herself eating her food. Mari would almost go as far as to say that besides their more intimate moments it was the part of the day she most enjoyed...or perhaps it was holding hands when they walked; there were so many ways of communicating what one was thinking when holding hands...
With breakfast over Mari washed up, with Akko's help as Akko insisted she couldn't let Mari do it alone in Akko's own home. As Mari handed Akko a bowl and Akko dried them with a white teacloth, patterned with white square cotton bumps and green line borders, Mari asked,
"Where do you think your mum went Akko?"
Akko shrugged.
"No idea. Could be work or meeting up with a friend." Akko glanced left at Mari. "Why?"
Mari blinked, scooping up another bowl and handing it to Akko to remove the growths of bubbling soap suds clinging to its sides.
"I thought it would be a good chance to get to know her better before we left...although I'm still a bit nervous about her knowing about us."
Akko let out something of a cross between a laugh and a snort and there was a slight barb behind her next answer.
"She's not the easiest person to know."
"Mmmm."
Mari didn't press further; it was too early to pry into something so deep and probably uncomfortable for Akko. They finished off the washing within a few minutes and then they both headed back to the bedroom to collect their stuff, before walking out into the hallway, Mari carrying the couple of bags with new outfits. Doing the traditional evening fashion show after the clothes buying, that they had planned on, had slipped their mind. Something for tonight then, although doing it with Akko is when it's really fun. Well I'm sure we can go again before the height of Summer. Hopefully anyway. Her father sitting as a Judge from within his comfortable lounge chair with a heavy frown on his face clouded her mind and she lost her stride for a split second as she descended the twisting staircase leading out of Akko's block.
Akko slowed, concerned. "Are you okay Mari?"
Mari nodded, the shadowy image fading. No, I am sure we can. And that we will be together forever. Well this lifetime at least. I will work to make it happen and I know Akko is too.
They headed out into the sunlit parking lot, where a few cars were scattered, a couple sparkling with fresh cleanliness in the sunlight. It was quieter than usual, being a Sunday in the mid morning zone between the early risers and those who would catch up on sleep till mid-day, but there were still a couple of families heading out and a group of five young teenagers in casual clothes joking about.
There were plenty of seats on the train heading to Mari's house, so they picked a couple of red cushioned seats on the opposite side of the train a few places down from the door; Mari to the left of Akko. The seats either side were free but Mari still chose to dump her paper bags down on the floor in front of her. The train was on one of the older lines so bumped and rattled occasionally but still made good time, sunlight pushing through the many small square windows behind them and spreading their shadows over the dusty floor and crumpled, spidery kanji covered newspaper clinging to the seat opposite. Further down the carriage, to their right, a couple of girls sat in dresses with their mother and a wizened old man in a faded pin-striped suit was slumped on his seat staring at the floor morosely.
Neither group attracted much attention, aside from once when the two young girls began singing some slightly crazy children's song for a few minutes.
"Do you think we were once like that?" Akko whispered to Mari as they watched the pair, who were oblivious to their mothers tired glances and the deepening weight that settling on the old man's shoulders.
Mari gave the question a moment of thought, her head inclining to the left to get a better look at the girls.
"I don't think I was ever very loud...except when my brother annoyed me or my parents upset me. I was reading books mostly back then."
The train slowed to a stop at another station, and with a snake like hiss the doors slid open. A couple got on the train, the guy wearing a leather jacket and the girl, whose hand he was holding, a grey cotton fleece and white mittens; although sunny outside the air was still fresh. Akko and Mari spared them a brief glance before returning their gaze back to the out of tune kids drumming their feet against the side of the train. The train doors thumped shut with another angry hiss.
"How about you Akko? I imagine you were more like them." Mari said.
"Ahahaha, nah I wasn't really. I kept myself to myself as well, though I was usually watching TV and reading magazines. It was only at school that I became more outgoing and was able to start making friends."
For some reason the way Akko said 'friends' sounded off to Mari. Presumably this was pre Sugi and Tamamin. I don't recall Akko mentioning any such friends to be honest.
"I guess we both grew up kind of quickly," Akko added as the train picked up speed.
"Yeah," Mari sighed. I wonder if we really missed out on our childhood. Those kids seem to be having so much fun and are so carefree...was I ever like that?
Mari gasped and then fought Akko's hand that had wrapped round her back and started tickling her mercilessly.
"Ahahahaha! Stop Akko!" Akko was grinning.
"We still have plenty of time to enjoy life Mari. Just because we're growing older doesn't mean we can't go back occasionally and have fun like that."
"Ahaha. I...Ah..I get it Akko but please stop!"
Akko's left hand ceased it's tormenting, resting flat against Mari's side and encouraging Mari to lean against her, which Mari did. As she stared out at the passing buildings, cars and isolated sprouting trees, with her head on Akko's shoulder she whispered just loud enough for Akko to hear.
"With you I believe that's possible." Maybe it was her imagination but it sounded like Akko's breath caught a fraction before and she smiled, drifting into a daydream.
It wasn't a big shrine by any means, in fact it was comparatively small. Set on a rectangular island surrounded by a river of roads and hidden from view by a fence of evergreens trees, the shrine sat at ground level. A circular carp pool with a candlestick fountain stood before the white, and pale yellow shrine building interspersed with dark wooden beams.
A light breeze blew down the entrance way, sending a milk pocky wrapper, discarded by freckle faced kid a few days before, dancing across the cobbled courtyard and into a blue rose bush. A couple of people sat on the stone benches scattered about the edge of the circular courtyard, one staring at the central fountain and another at his trainers. A panel at the front of the shrine slid open and a blonde haired women stepped out and made her way down the three steps leading to the entrance; her polished, high heeled shoes clipping their way around the fountain towards the exit corridor.
This was where her mother had taken her regularly when she was little. Here they burnt incense and kneeled to think and seek guidance from the guardian spirit of their family. She didn't believe in such nonsense and she wasn't sure her mother did. But it was undoubtedly a comforting place and did help her when considering how best to act in difficult times. She was certain such times were not too far ahead, not so much for her but her daughter. She wouldn't stand in the way of her happiness but that would require strength of her own. Her mind clear and calm she strode out beneath the purple, wood flecked gateway into a quiet residential road.
When she got back home she'd have to find the Kumakuras' phone number.
A/N: Hi all - sorry for the long wait. I was struck down with a combination of writer's block and a job promotion, but have finally managed to get another Chapter out and will hopefully have another out before the New Year. Thanks for all the support so far and wish you all a Festive Yule/XMas! XD