Hannya set the seven bowls on the counter top and stepped back. The crowd stood, hushed and waiting, peeking over each other's shoulders to get a view of the famous waiter's trademark move.
Smiling under his mask, he took a step forward, or so it seemed. At the end of the step, all seven bowls were magically transported from the counter to the tables of those who had ordered. All placed next to a napkin, soupspoon and chopsticks.
"Ooh! How wonderful!"
"How does he do it?"
"I bet it's rigged!!"
"How can it be rigged when we're standing right here watching him, you baka?"
The usual tirade of enthusiastic diners and other miscellaneous speculators faded into a murmuring blur in Hannya's mind as he bowed modestly and headed into the kitchen to do some dishwashing. Nodding in turn to his fellow workers, he reached the washing bin and picked up the first bowl.
Everything stopped.
A scene from far away, long ago burst from the murky waters of his mind, and he stood absolutely motionless where a normal man would have collapsed to the floor.
~*~
"Nii-chan! Nii-chan! Ichi, ni, san! Ichi, ni, san! I can count, Nii-chan! Isn't it wonderful?"
It was that blue-eyed girl again.
Smiling, Hannya reached over and mussed her soft, downy hair before answering, "Hai. You've done very well today, Misao-chan…maybe tomorrow I'll teach you some more numbers!" The lesson finished, Hannya picked up the small bowl with which he taught Misao the numbers. The numbers one to twenty-five were carefully painted on with bright blue paint, swirling into a spiral pattern that led to the bottom of the bowl. He had crafted it himself, taking a few spare minutes each day to touch it up with pictures of cute animals and candy.
"Wai, nii-chan!! Yatta! And I can fight, too!" To prove this, the young angel bounced up from the straw mat and punched a small fist into air. A determined grin upon her face, she started to assume what she thought of as a proper beginning stance.
He chuckled, deep and rich. "Another time, perhaps, little one; besides, it's time for you to go help Okon and Omasu gather firewood for dinner. I'll be here when you return, and maybe then you and I can have a sparring match, ne?" In a sudden motion, he grabbed her legs and scooped her up into a hysterically giggling bundle, placing her onto his shoulders and racing out of the room at blurring speed, causing more laughter to erupt from her delighted little self.
"Again, again!!" Clapping her hands, Misao reached her arms out and enveloped his face in a soft, loving hug.
"Yare yare, you'll break my back with your agains, Misao-chan. Okon! There you are! Quickly, take her before I am bound into a miserable life of slavery!" Feigning terror, Hannya gave Misao a quick squeeze and threw her shrieking into Okon's ready arms.
"See you soon, Misao-chan!" He called as the young woman carried his surrogate younger sister down the hall.
"Genki!"
~*~
Hannya stared at the bowl.
Numbers.
One to twenty-five.
Misao…
"Why can't I remember…" he whispered.
But now you remember her name, Hannya. And your name, his conscience reminded him. You'll remember soon enough. It just takes time. And in the mean time, you'd better get back to working if you want to repay the Takamuras for all their kindness.
The Takamuras…
Yukiyo…
An image of the lovely young woman entered his mind unbidden, her twirling around in her the dress that he had bought for her, then running up and giving him a warm, firm hug. The elder Takamura had laughed, saying that Hannya would have done better to have bought her a temple, he was spoiling them so much. "Not at all," he had replied, insisting on showing his gratitude. Takamura-san, laughing, had had nothing more to say as Hannya handed him a new dark blue hakama and gi. "You're like a son to me," he had said. "Stay, please, stay until you regain your memories, and then please consider whether you really do want to leave this place. I don't know what we did without you."
"I did all the work, tou-san!" Yukiyo had said huffily, faking anger and indignation before collapsing into a hysterical heap.
Hannya dipped the bowl into the basin of water and started scrubbing.
But what will I decide when I finally remember who I am? He wondered. And what if I do not like what I learn when that happens? The ominous thought sent a shiver down his spine.
Just then Yukiyo burst into the restaurant, her eyes red and her breathing ragged.
"Hannya!! It's tou-san! Tou-san is dead!!"
~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~
This fan fiction chapter was finished at 4:09 PM (EDT) on Monday, September 17th, 2001. Thanks SO MUCH for reading~!! ^_^V" PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!! . AHH, DO IT!! ^_^;; -TBO~~ ^_^O"
~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~
Smiling under his mask, he took a step forward, or so it seemed. At the end of the step, all seven bowls were magically transported from the counter to the tables of those who had ordered. All placed next to a napkin, soupspoon and chopsticks.
"Ooh! How wonderful!"
"How does he do it?"
"I bet it's rigged!!"
"How can it be rigged when we're standing right here watching him, you baka?"
The usual tirade of enthusiastic diners and other miscellaneous speculators faded into a murmuring blur in Hannya's mind as he bowed modestly and headed into the kitchen to do some dishwashing. Nodding in turn to his fellow workers, he reached the washing bin and picked up the first bowl.
Everything stopped.
A scene from far away, long ago burst from the murky waters of his mind, and he stood absolutely motionless where a normal man would have collapsed to the floor.
~*~
"Nii-chan! Nii-chan! Ichi, ni, san! Ichi, ni, san! I can count, Nii-chan! Isn't it wonderful?"
It was that blue-eyed girl again.
Smiling, Hannya reached over and mussed her soft, downy hair before answering, "Hai. You've done very well today, Misao-chan…maybe tomorrow I'll teach you some more numbers!" The lesson finished, Hannya picked up the small bowl with which he taught Misao the numbers. The numbers one to twenty-five were carefully painted on with bright blue paint, swirling into a spiral pattern that led to the bottom of the bowl. He had crafted it himself, taking a few spare minutes each day to touch it up with pictures of cute animals and candy.
"Wai, nii-chan!! Yatta! And I can fight, too!" To prove this, the young angel bounced up from the straw mat and punched a small fist into air. A determined grin upon her face, she started to assume what she thought of as a proper beginning stance.
He chuckled, deep and rich. "Another time, perhaps, little one; besides, it's time for you to go help Okon and Omasu gather firewood for dinner. I'll be here when you return, and maybe then you and I can have a sparring match, ne?" In a sudden motion, he grabbed her legs and scooped her up into a hysterically giggling bundle, placing her onto his shoulders and racing out of the room at blurring speed, causing more laughter to erupt from her delighted little self.
"Again, again!!" Clapping her hands, Misao reached her arms out and enveloped his face in a soft, loving hug.
"Yare yare, you'll break my back with your agains, Misao-chan. Okon! There you are! Quickly, take her before I am bound into a miserable life of slavery!" Feigning terror, Hannya gave Misao a quick squeeze and threw her shrieking into Okon's ready arms.
"See you soon, Misao-chan!" He called as the young woman carried his surrogate younger sister down the hall.
"Genki!"
~*~
Hannya stared at the bowl.
Numbers.
One to twenty-five.
Misao…
"Why can't I remember…" he whispered.
But now you remember her name, Hannya. And your name, his conscience reminded him. You'll remember soon enough. It just takes time. And in the mean time, you'd better get back to working if you want to repay the Takamuras for all their kindness.
The Takamuras…
Yukiyo…
An image of the lovely young woman entered his mind unbidden, her twirling around in her the dress that he had bought for her, then running up and giving him a warm, firm hug. The elder Takamura had laughed, saying that Hannya would have done better to have bought her a temple, he was spoiling them so much. "Not at all," he had replied, insisting on showing his gratitude. Takamura-san, laughing, had had nothing more to say as Hannya handed him a new dark blue hakama and gi. "You're like a son to me," he had said. "Stay, please, stay until you regain your memories, and then please consider whether you really do want to leave this place. I don't know what we did without you."
"I did all the work, tou-san!" Yukiyo had said huffily, faking anger and indignation before collapsing into a hysterical heap.
Hannya dipped the bowl into the basin of water and started scrubbing.
But what will I decide when I finally remember who I am? He wondered. And what if I do not like what I learn when that happens? The ominous thought sent a shiver down his spine.
Just then Yukiyo burst into the restaurant, her eyes red and her breathing ragged.
"Hannya!! It's tou-san! Tou-san is dead!!"
~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~
This fan fiction chapter was finished at 4:09 PM (EDT) on Monday, September 17th, 2001. Thanks SO MUCH for reading~!! ^_^V" PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!! . AHH, DO IT!! ^_^;; -TBO~~ ^_^O"
~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~