Little Bird
Chapter 28
On the ship, Kaen sat between Yutaro and Shinta, unsure of what she should do. Yahiko had warned her to always either have a bucket on hand or be standing near the railing when traveling by sea. She had laughed, but when Sano agreed, she decided that they had to be right.
So far, there had been no sign of seasickness, but Kaen was listless. She had watched as her father and 'uncle' had stood at the dock, watching her go. She hadn't seen it, but both men had tears running down their faces. She hadn't cried then, but as soon as she couldn't see the dock clearly, she had started to shake. Then when she went to lie down for the night with Heidi, the floodgates burst. Her tears were completely silent, but Heidi knew that they were there and went to fetch her mother. When they got back to their cabin, Kaen was gone.
They had found Kaen after a few minutes of panic, the girl had moved out onto the deck. The sailors had kept an eye on her as she sat with her forehead against the rail, her eyes still leaking tears as they watched the horizon.
'Too late now. I have to keep going.'
Most of the boat ride went by uneventfully for everybody, Yutaro and Gretchen teaching Kaen more German while the ship's cook taught her how to fish and sometimes letting her help him to prepare the meals. A few of the sailors were origionally from Japan, and they all sometimes sat with her and talked in their own language and told the old stories in the old way, keeping time by tapping their fingers against the deck. During these times, Yutaro would join them, but his wife and children didn't. Kaen wasn't sure if it was because they were trying to give them private space or if they were perhaps uneasy with the sailors.
Once she, Shinta, Heidi and a handful of other children and teenagers begged and pleaded with a few of the sailors until they were allowed to jump over the sides of the boat into the sea after the captain shut off the engine and gave the word. They had shouted and splashed around for nearly an hour before they were told to climb up a rope ladder onto the deck. By that time, Yutaro had joined them along with a few more adults. Kaen was the only one out in a borrowed swimsuit. The garment came from Gretchen, who was much bustier than the little Japanese girl, but they knotted the straps until it stayed snug enough to swim.
It was on that ship that Kaen caught sight of her first Frenchman, a tall mousy man with long muscles like the other sailors. His dark hair was cut short and tied into a low ponytail while his beard, a small pointy thing that clung to the end of his pointed chin, was meticulously combed and oiled. Even his eyes were dark and oily. His eyes always followed Kaen whenever he came across the redhead, and she was quite sure that he watched her in other places too.
He was the first foreigner that she wanted to stay away from.
Germany was a busy place. Kaen had to hold on to Gretchen's sleeve to avoid being left behind in the crowds. She stopped for a moment to readjust her grip on her shamisen case and when she looked up, she couldn't see any of her party. A moment of panic came over her before she saw Shinta come running toward her, his face red.
"Where did you go?!"
Kaen looked at the boy and made a face, taking her time and adjusting her kimono sleeves before answering in her most formal Japanese that Yuka had taught her.
"So sorry, I paused to attempt to find a more appropriate handhold on my luggage and you proceeded with your company without thought for your foreign guest."
Shinta's eyes narrowed. He knew what she had said, but he was not sure if she had been making fun of him or if she just was a little addled from the change on scenery. When they were in the car, Kaen fell silent and watched as the people and buildings sped by. The huge house that they stopped in front of took her breath away. There were flowering trees and bushes by the house, a fountain in the front yard and a few small outbuildings. She was eager to explore, but she was first supposed to unpack her things and get settled in. She had lots of time to look around and get aquainted with the house she would be spending the next two and a half years in later.
Kaen was given a big room with a huge bed, a mirror over a vanity, two bookshelves, fine rugs⦠things that she had never even seen in her home in Japan were now everywhere. Without waiting to unpack her biggest luggage, she sat down at the writing desk and pulled a pen and a piece of paper to her and began to write. Gretchen had promised that after the red haired girl got unpacked and washed up, she would take her and Heidi shopping for new school things.
With a sigh, Kaen wrote herself a reminder to do a few things when she got back from shopping and walked out of the room.
Outside was Heidi, already in her favorite blue dress and looking up at her new housemate expectantly.
"You're going to wear a kimono?"
"Yes. This is the first time I'll be the foreigner, and I want to do it right!"
The girls laughed and Heidi followed her back into her room and watched as she changed into a grey-green kimono and a black obi with bronze maple leaves embroidered on it.
The girl giggled and took the older girl's hand, leading the way downstairs and outside. Kaen's head was spinning, but she smiled.
She was finally here.
