NOTES: Sorry that it's not Nanako and Teddie for the sake of Nanako and Teddie. I'm more focused on Teddie processing everything right now.

Last night I did a load of research on Japanese prisons and "aftercare". I have some stuff coming up—like the parole officer—so I needed to know what kinda stuff should be included. Adachi is one lucky little fucker... Because of his relationship with Doujima, things are significantly easier for him in terms of aftercare. Doujima can just be his volunteer, and work escort, as I'd mentioned before. (The work escort is a US thing, but I didn't see anything on it for Japan, so I'm going to assume it's similar.)

So, volunteers—Apparently, there are volunteer cops or retired cops who do probation check-ups post-incarceration. There's nothing too formal unless you've committed a serious crime or they're worried you'll relapse. I think in Adachi's case there would definitely be someone working in a more official capacity—Which is why I'm having someone do a visit.

Also as a side note, Wikipedia said usually they're cops around fifty or fifty-five and retired. That's a friggin YOUNG retirement age! I don't know if it's like that for other careers in Japan, but I'm going to assume not. I know with more trying jobs, retention can be iffy, but that surprised me...


Chapter Nine: I want...

(Teddie)

I read a magazine while Nanako looks at her notebook. I can't help peering over to check her progress.

I wanna know what's in there too...

I wanna know everything he didn't tell me—

I wanna know when he knew who I was!

"Why can't I remember," I mutter aloud—Not realizing until it's out and I'm covering my mouth with my hands.

When I look up, I realize Nana's face is upset, too. "What is it?" I anxiously ask her.

She shakes her head. "There's so much... I don't even know where to start."

I nod, staying quiet so she can have time to think. She flips through the pages again and I can see Tohru's messy kanji scrawled all over the place. Some aren't in the lines, some are really big, some are drawn over more than once...

I lean in to have a closer look when Nanako sighs. One page looks like he cried on it. There's a lot crossed out here.

"What does it say?" I question.

"Mm," Nana replies. "Which words can't you read?"

"That one and that one... This one..."

She tells me the kanji and I copy them down as best as I can on my phone.

"Two aren't the whole word," Nanako tells me. "He stopped partway through. That's why you can't tell."

"Ooh," I breathe.

"Now that you know, can you tell what he's saying?"

I nod quickly. "He's asking for help, right?"

"Yes..." she kind of agrees. "I think he's asking for reassurance more than help. He might want advice, but I think he's searching for my opinion on this."

"Let's call and ask!" I smile.

Nana laughs. "Not right now," she tells me. "They might be busy."

"Where did they all go?" I question.

"I don't know. Somewhere in Tokyo." She pauses. "Or near Tokyo. They're dropping Kanji outside the city, so I'm unsure." Nana narrows her eyes. "Dad was being secretive."

"Oh," is all I say, pulling out my phone to text Tohru. I wonder if he's having fun.

Why won't he talk to me?

I glance over at the other room when I hear Kaasan enter the house for the evening. "When will dinner be?" she calls.

"How about soon?" I ask. It's already after six. "We can start now!"

Nana begins to put her stuff away, but I tell her not to worry. I can chop the veggies myself!

When they're ready, I do ask for help. Nanako measures out dried fish flakes and cuts kelp to make the base, and takes out a bunch of other stuff for the rest of the broth. I sit and pay good attention while she explains what everything is and how much I should put in.

We call Kaasan when everything is set out and the soup is boiling on the portable burner. "Kanji's not the only one who can cook, anymore!" I tell Kaasan.

She laughs. "I don't believe I've ever eaten a meal made by Nanako before."

"And me!" I raise my hand.

"And you," she agrees, smiling.

Nanako laughs and brings over glasses of water. Then we cook the food and it's so good~

There is a lot of cleaning, but it goes by faster with someone to talk to! Nanako scrubs the dishes and I bring everything over. Then I dry and put stuff away.

Kanji calls her when we're just about done. They talk for a minute and then she hands the phone to me.

"How's your trip?!" I ask him.

Kanji grunts. "We're bringing an extra one home, apparently. The ojisan told me to wait at the station and they'd be here soon. I don't really know what's going on, but Dojima sounded pissed. Nanako can stay with us tonight. I think we'll be back late."

"Yay!" I can't help yelling.

"Uhh, have her stay in my room or something. Don't make a it hard for Ma, okay?" he says. "You can use the washer and you know where towels are. Help me out, yeah?"

"Okay~" I cheer and hang up, not realizing he was still talking until he calls back.

"Bear," Kanji sighs. "Make sure to actually sleep. She has school and you have work."

I nod a lot. "Yeah!"

"Alright. Have fun. Let me know if you need anything."

"Okay! Bye Kanji!"

I hang up again and give Nana her phone back. I'm grinning and she giggles.

"Don't get too excited," she tells me. "It's already getting late."

"Yeah..." She's right. "Hmph! We have time! Lemme show you where everything is~"

Nanako thanks Kaasan on the way upstairs, and drops her things in Kanji's room. "No!" I stop her. "I'll stay here and you can stay in my room! My futon's comfier!"

"Okay," Nanako smiles, picking her backpack up again.

I throw open the door to my room and then I remember it's a mess. "Oops—" I yell, hurrying to put things in order. I put away the snacks, take down the cushion tower, and throw my dirty clothes in the hallway. "All done!"

"Tohru-jisan doesn't put his away, either," Nanako says, gesturing to my futon.

I nod. "It's always on the floor when I come over... But he doesn't even sleep there, right?"

"No," Nana shakes her head. "But he sits on it while he plays games."

"He plays a lot of games," I observe.

"Right?" she snickers. "I couldn't believe all his stuff was for an adult when Dad was moving it in!"

I have to laugh, too. "I wish he was better at sharing—He has so many games!"

"Why don't you bring one of yours over?" Nanako suggests. "You can see if he'll trade. If not," she frowns. "Let me know and I'll tell him to try. I think he'd listen."

"He really listens to you," I agree.

Nanako sits at the table and takes out her books again. "We had a good talk the other night. He respects me."

"Do you respect him?"

Nana chews on her lip, thinking. "Yes and no. I appreciate that he's honest and more open with me, but I hate how difficult it is to connect with him. He makes it hard on purpose, for other people."

I sit next to Nanako and watch as she works on math problems while we chat. "Like with me?" I ask.

"Yes," she nods. "And Kanji. And just about everyone else. If he tried a little harder it would be so much easier. It's frustrating because I know he can do it—" Nana sets down her pencil, looking aggravated.

She taps it on the table. "Take the other night, after they came back from the TV."

"Yeah?" I reply.

"He and Kanji got along so well that evening! But I doubt he kept it up. They're both people whose trust and respect you have to work for, but Tohru-jisan makes it practically impossible. He sets his standards so high and looks for reasons to dislike people."

"With Kanji you just have to be nice!" I add.

"Yes," Nanako says. "You have to be considerate of others. That's the main quality he looks for. Tohru-jisan takes too many things into account and tries to find reasons why he shouldn't trust people. And he gets jealous easy."

"He does!" I nod. "He likes to be better than people or closer to people, huh?"

Nanako sighs. "Yeah. And he can't always have his way." She finishes the last problem on the page and closest the book. "But that's enough about that. How about I get ready for bed and we play a game?"

"Okay!" I happily reply. "What kinda game?"

"I have a deck of cards," Nana tells me, searching in her bag. "Wanna learn a new game?"

"Ooh~ What is it?"

Nanako smiles super-kind. I almost don't notice the look in her eyes because I'm so excited about the game.

"It's called King's Corners..."


Re-Edited 8/6/17