He called early and was there at ten a.m. on the dot. She jumped out of the chair when the buzzer sounded, mostly from surprise, grabbing her stick and padding her front pocket to make sure her key was there. Assured everything was in order, she left without a word to either human or dog, her mind at ease that her chichi would watch Beethoven for the day. Taking him along was regrettably out of the question. With a hand almost firmly gripping the rail in nerves, despite the fact that it would be the fastest way she could trip, she descended the steps as rapidly as possible. She could feel eyes the second she hit the final batch and tried to slow to a calmer pace, even though the adrenaline running in her veins made her anything but. How long had she waited for this day? It seemed that the days DRAGGED by as she tried to occupy herself with notes and homework, trying to get it all caught up and done so she could clear her 'schedule' for an entire day. Nerves and apprehension of wondering and doubting if this was the right thing kept making her doubt her request to someone that sounded genuinely interested in her company again. She knew a mother would never turn away her offspring's friends, as many families tended to 'adopt' them the more time spent in their home. It was so easy in Japan to call a friend's parents their surrogate. She doubted that'd ever happen, not since she considered herself such a burden right now, but there was always that little sliver in her mind. A tiny ray of hope at being able to call someone 'haha' again. And now that Cye was actually HERE, there was a tiny giddiness of anticipation and need to see his mother again. All the doubts in her mind ALMOST sounded silly, even as they rushed into her head again. The nerves of doubt suddenly turned to eagerness and happiness that this was actually HAPPENING. Everything WOULDN'T be a waste of time and energy, just for her. She almost hurriedly pushed the door open with a fairly large smile, looking to the eyes. "Ohayo gozaimasu Cye-san." She nearly chirped, feeling highly unlike herself. She almost felt younger, as if she was doing this for the first time and not after so long. So many years of waiting... The only other time she had around mothers was the brief times she used to shop with her father in grocery stores and listening to them in an occasional pass-by. Now all that motherly talk would be directed to her. Her smile almost widened. "Ohayo gozaimasu Kimon-san. Shall we? If you don't mind..." His voice uneasily trailed off, even as his hand hovered close to her arm, ready to wrap them together to help her to the car. "Iie. Onegai." She allowed him to touch her again, her heart pounding an almost dance club beat behind her ribcage. The feel of another man touching her was new...the feel of someone NOT her father anyway. This was intriguing and she never felt it before. It was almost nice. He studied her face and attitude as he helped her into her seat and then hurried to his own. Sayoko was happy to have the girl back, as was his mother. Ryuusuke was the only one not able to meet her, as he'd been gone at the time, but now he was going to be there to be introduced. It was quite odd, to have this girl known to his entire family...considering their beginning knowledge of each other. He put the car into gear, checking to make sure she was strapped in. He blinked in small wonder at seeing an almost white-knuckled grip on the collapsible cane in her lap, then shook it off. It could mean any number of things and he was going to focus more on getting back. She must be nervous about the meeting. Silence registered in the car for over half the trip. As he entered Toyama, she finally said something. Something about him was different and though she couldn't SEE it, as she didn't NEED to, she could smell it. And smelling the difference was what she was wondering. "What is that smell?" She quietly inhaled again, turning her head a little to him without being too open about it. "What smell? I don't smell anything." He sent a small, confused look to his cargo, brows furrowing. A small, ironic smile graced her face. Of COURSE he wouldn't smell the difference on himself. Only enhanced senses could smell tiny changes to anyone. "You smell like..." She inhaled again, trying to place what was niggling in the back of her mind. It smelled like something she encountered before... "That...thick smell...strange." Teeth bit her lip as her brow furrowed in concentration. "I've encountered it before in the art wing..." "OH... I was working with clay." He answered with a grin. How funny that she smelled the traces of clay on his clothes, even after he washed everything off his face and hands. Her sense of smell was just that good he knew. He was even wearing an apron to shield his clothes of most of the clay. "My family owns a pottery business." He explained, heading down the resident streets to his home. She absently nodded at this, putting the word with the smell. It was interesting on a small level. She never knew people that owned their own pottery shop, let alone their own business...let alone knowing anyone PERIOD... A small smile tipped her lips. "Does that mean I'll smell it the second I get into your home then?" His lips quirked. "Possibly. Sayoko-one-chan has been moving throughout the house all morning. Then I came from the back room through the main hallway, so you might catch traces of it if there hasn't been that much traffic since I left." Her lips also twitched. Somehow, this conversation was just pointless, but still silly at the same time. Such a lighthearted conversation...who ever thought someone like HER would be making idle chit-chat to someone she used to tutor on a strict basis? 'Yes Kimon...you have definitely come far in what seems like such a short amount of time.' That right there sent her into a thought process almost unbidden through her repressed giddiness about the changes in her life. She was NEVER this happy in her life, yet someone else's mother made her this way. That was logic enough, even though it was someone she rarely knew, and a mother she met only once days ago. It really boggled the mind, hers especially. She NEVER thought she'd be having this much fun in her life. That right there sent a small stab of guilt through her, dimming her fuzzy state a tad. She didn't know what would come of this visit, but a lot of her hoped it was good, even if there was a possibility of it happening only once. She mentally backtracked the months in her mind, just to see how much one person could change someone who spent her entire life almost virtually alone. There was an encounter before Christmas for sure...then Thanksgiving in November...then up to Labor Day in September when classes were out and she spent the day with Mia, and she made mention of Cye THEN... She looked away when her eyes drastically widened, biting her lip in small confusion and wonder. There was one talk she remembered having with Mia at work, back in August. It was around then that she had that encounter with the five at Mia's estate. 'FIVE MONTHS??' She wondered. 'Where's the TIME gone??' Five months from being utterly unresponsive to reluctantly tutoring, then to hesitate reconciliation, then an almost friendship and open conversation about their time together. 'Strange...shouldn't I feel angrier that Cye-san managed to wheedle through seventeen years worth of barriers in that short a time??' It WAS quite odd that she didn't feel upset or undignified at being unknowingly opened up. Somehow she managed to accept the changes in a part of her subconscious and now knowing about it didn't faze her that much. All she could say was 'oh well' to five highly interesting months and let it go. Nothing she COULD do except dwell on it... And she'd done too much dwelling already! "We're here." He announced, shutting the car off. Her head whipped around as he unbuckled his belt, seeing small amaze in those eyes. He wondered what kept her mind so busy out the side window that she didn't track their destination. "Stay put and I'll come to your side." "You really don't need to-" She was abruptly cut off when his car door slammed shut and muffled footsteps circling the hood. Lips pressing together with a small shy blush, hands tensely twisting her cane, she unbuckled her belt and waited for him to open the door. How chivalrous he was...she wasn't used to such ongoing treatment... Yet it was nice. She accepted his hand with a tiny smile and a thought sprung up. 'I could get USED to this...' The two made their way to the front door, and this time she made more time to remember the steps and small mental layout she made upon her first journey here. Her hand almost hastily tried to find a place to store her cane, going to compact it even further to slip it into a pocket inside her coat. As far as she knew, Cye was the only one who knew she was blind, as she had her cane in her backpack LAST time she was here. She didn't make any indication of letting the Mouris know she was blind. And a lot of her still didn't want to. Damned her stubborn pride! How did she expect to get AROUND?? Yet it wasn't as easy to get around and admit that as the other changes to her life. The screen door squeaked a little as it was pulled open, drawing her back to the present. She silently gulped and inhaled a deep breath to calm the even quicker pounding in her chest. This was it... As soon as the front door opened and she was inside, that warm voice met her ears. "Musuko? Is that you? Have you brought your little friend back already?" Her lips quirked as Cye shut the door and touched a hand to her coat in silent invitation to take it. 'Little friend' eh? How amusing, if not touching in some way. "Hai otousan." He lightly called, hanging both coats up. Just as he was going for her shoes, his mother slid into the hallway, a pleasant smile on her face. He didn't even get to slip the house slippers on her feet before his mother hugged Kimon. "Ohhh, I'm SO happy you've come back for a visit dear. It's so quiet around here right now and I'm mildly bored with my children at work right now. It warmed my heart when my musuko said you wanted to see ME personally. I was touched." She returned the hug a little faster than the last time, though still trying to get over her shock at getting her personal space invaded so quickly and unknowingly. A hesitant, polite smile tipped her mouth as she gave a small bow when Mouri-san stepped away and clasped her hands. It was all she could do to keep tears from seventeen years of motherless attention coming to her eyes. "It...it was...NOTHING... I just thought that...that maybe you'd-" "Oh hush now...no stumbling. I understand perfectly." A hand lightly patted her shoulder, getting a dumb blink as she tried to process just HOW Cye's mother knew so well. Mother instinct maybe? "Kimon-san...your slippers are just left of mine. Hai?" Her attention was diverted as she looked down, listening to the almost silent shuffle as Cye deposited his feet into his house slippers. She blinked and suddenly knew he was doing that to allow her to know where her slippers were without incident in front of his mother. As there was PLENTY of time for him to've accomplish his task already. A shaky smile graced her lips as she nodded. "Hai Cye-san." Her eyes shone with small gratefulness, seeing he knew how much she valued her blindness kept secret. "Now, now musuko, you're distracting the poor girl. Why don't you get back to your previous responsibility while we get to it." Mouri-san pleasantly ordered. He smiled and nodded, giving Kimon his attention and a light pat on the shoulder. "If you need anything, just let mother know and she'll come get me. She knows this place better than you do and it's okay." She gave him a small nod and smile. "Thank you for making the trip Cye-san- " "Iie...I said no need to thank me. I might get offended." Her mouth instantly clamped shut at his teasing, even as an embarrassed blush graced her face from their previous conversation. When Cye started away, she nervously slid into the slippers, looking down as if she could actually see them. She put great care to make sure her feet went in the first time, thankful when the fabric touched her feet on the first try. The second she took a step up to the wood flooring and to the hallway, she paused and her nose wrinkled. Now that her full attention wasn't on Mouri- san and Cye, her senses started picking up small things in her environment. A habit she had to gain the most of everything for clarity around her, and to keep from hitting anything in her way. "This place DOES smell of clay." She remarked, instantly clamping a hand over her mouth. How rude was THAT?? She mentally chided herself, looking to Mouri-san's place next to her in apology. The elder chuckled and patted her hand, starting to pull her to the living room. "Daijoubu. It DOES smell of clay in here when those two go at it all day. You get used to it after a while." She HIGHLY didn't think she'd get used to something that pungent, hearing faint sibling voices from the open door far away with her sharp hearing. They apparently had no qualms about having the DOOR open anyway...and that had to resort to for the smell permeating the household. Everyone was used to it by now, she just had to catch up. "Anyway...Cye told me you have a weakness for tea. Jasmine for sure. I made sure to have some ready and waiting for you." That embarrassed smile reappeared as she allowed herself to be drug wherever they were headed. "A...arigatou..." That hand patted hers again as she mentally started mapping out the steps and light patterns in the house. "So polite... I think we'll get along just fine." Mouri-san murmured. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Cye carefully pulled the lid back to one of the kilns almost finished cooling and stepped back from the small amount of heat that rose to his face. He'd been at it with Sayoko for almost three straight hours since his return and he was getting hungry. Almost the entire time, he was barely able to concentrate on work, his mind wondering what Kimon and his mother were doing and saying. He wondered if his mother figured out Kimon's blindness yet, and what she was saying to THAT. "Ototo-chan...that kiln isn't going to empty itself if you just stare at it." Sayoko teased, putting a hand on his shoulder. His head whipped to his elder sister with a small smile. "I know that." He absently answered, sticking gloved hands into the kiln to retract things for customers. "Are you thinking about Kimon-san still?" She asked, going back to attend to her own kiln. She opened the lid and ignored him as she got to work. His mind abruptly halted from admiring the fine job on the glaze to his sister's question. "How...how did you know I was thinking about THAT?" He stuttered, quickly setting the pottery down. She didn't look at him, but a knowing smirk was in her place. "You barely talked since you got back and you've had this utter thoughtful look on your face. Since she's the biggest thing to wonder about in this house, it can't be on that vase in your hands." Cye almost sheepishly put the small vase down and went back to the kiln. "I'm just wondering how things are going." He voiced, feeling a little tentative as his emotions. "I hope things go great for her so far. She seems to really want this, and I couldn't say no." He stopped and blankly looked at the wall with a thought. "Even if it WAS highly odd for her to want to see mother." Sayoko carefully cradled the statue and met her brother's eyes. "Why?" She asked, brow furrowing. "I didn't hear much, except that you asked mother about bringing her here and mother was pretty happy about that... Did Kimon- san talk to you about it?" Blue jotted to the door, wondering how much their voices were carrying, and if there was any way she could HEAR them, before meeting his sister's again. "Kimon-san is a very private person. Mia told me SHE doesn't even know much about her and those two have been friends for a while now. Not a lot, but enough to know SOMETHING private." His head shook at that one. "I'm not going to pry, as it would be rude...but..." Sayoko gave that teasing sibling grin. "But she intrigues you, ne?" He sighed and turned to his job. "She's a mystery. A big one. There's so little I know about her except for a few obvious things." "She's stubborn for one." Sayoko supplied, also going back to work. Having finished the first layer, she pulled the special divider out for the next level. "Also doesn't think much of herself, that's for sure. And highly timid." He grunted in agreement and pulled out a tall object sticking in the back on a lower divider. He wasn't denying that, but he was talking more about her blindness being obvious. It was rather funny that no one in his family could really see that without knowing. Was Kimon really that good at fooling people? Or did his family not have enough experience that they just didn't know what to look for? 'Course, twenty-one years of blindness would DEFINITELY give someone practice at fooling people.' He darkly pondered, brow furrowed. "Hai, that... But she speaks little of herself, if at all. I've known her for five months or so, perhaps five and a half, and I don't even know her father's name! I know her see-" He abruptly paused and forcefully bit his tongue to keep from spilling THAT out. "Her...uh...her dog's name before his." Sayoko looked over at the slip, but let it pass and concentrated on her almost empty kiln. "Odd. Do you know her mother's name even? Her brother's or sister's?" "She's never mentioned siblings. I've never been in her apartment to actually see either..." He stopped his reach for the last piece on the divider and thoughtfully moved to rest his forearms on the lip. "I've never seen her mother and she doesn't talk about her at all. Never mentioned once." His brow furrowed. "That's strange..." Sayoko put the last of her pottery down to finish cooling and looked to her ototo. "What's strange?" She asked, ears perked to that soft comment. Her voice perked him from his thoughts and his head shook. "Iie...nan demo nai. It's just..." Once again, his hands paused, going to his final piece. It slacked as he rose a few inches, pieces starting to form questions in his mind. "I've never seen or even heard of her mother. No name, nothing. Almost like she doesn't exist..." Seeing as how Cye wasn't going to get the pieces out, Sayoko went to the kiln and started in on the few remaining on the shelves. "That IS odd. I wonder what happened." She stopped with a piece mid air to the table, her look slightly worried. "Do you think they were divorced and she just refuses to speak of her? That her father refuses to speak to her?" Although divorce was known to Japanese, it wasn't THAT common. Many who married remained married, but it was always possible for separation. It was something taught to be precious in their culture. It was bad to hear of people getting divorced. Especially those with children involved. Possibly young children, depending if his one-chan was right about that possibility. "I don't know... It's probable I guess... But if she hated her mother, why would she overcome shyness to make the trip and talk to ours? THAT doesn't make sense." "Well you're not going to figure it out leaning over the kiln." She kidded, putting the last bit on the table. Surveying the lot of today's work, she nodded in appreciation. They'd gotten a lot done and hopefully would be able to pull in money as soon as they contacted the customers. Provided her ototo didn't think this to death and keep distracting himself. She looked to him, seeing him slowly pull off his thick, glaze-stained gloves. His mind was still processing questions and trying to figure this out. She couldn't say she wasn't curious as well, but it wasn't her place to get in the middle of this. If Cye wanted to ask Kimon, he had a right since he knew her more. Though whether the two could be called friends enough for him to ASK those questions was doubtful. She almost sensed they had a tutor/student business-like partnership for the most part and it rarely went past that. "Musuko...musume...lunch!" Mouri-san suddenly, yet pleasantly bellowed. Blue eyes lit up as she smiled. On cue, a stomach rumbled and Cye sheepishly grinned as she looked at him. "Come on ototo-chan. Let's put such dark thoughts behind us for a while and go eat. We haven't had anything since eight and it's already..." She spied a clock on the far wall and her eyes widened. "Sheesh...one. It's high time for food!" She headed for the door, taking off gloves and her apron as she went. He smiled and went for his apron strings as well. His one-chan was right about that. Perhaps if he wasn't so swept up in his thoughts, he would've noticed how his stomach tightened and demanded to be fed earlier than now. Leaving his thoughts in the pottery workroom, possibly to return later, he quickly followed his sister and shut the door after him. Cye stopped in the kitchen and looked at Kimon idly fiddling with silverware at her already set place. He took in the other places, almost meticulously set the same way, and suddenly knew SHE was the one to set them! His brows curiously rose at that before he stepped into the room and went to help his mother. "Here haha...let me help." "You're such a good boy Cye." She answered, smiling. Mouri-san turned to the side and let him grab the soup pot off the stove as she went to a cupboards above. As he set the tall pot on awaiting metal racks, he stole a glance at Kimon. She was quietly sitting, almost absently staring at her plate. She sort of looked nervous, even if her shoulders were loose. "Are you having a good time so far?" He quietly asked, giving a gentle smile. Thoughts of divorced parents sprang to his mind again. She quickly looked up and smiled. With a nod, she leaned back in the chair and kept both arms at her sides as she saw shadows move behind her eyes. "Hai. Your mother is very nice and polite Cye-san." "I heard that dear. You needn't tell my son falsehoods." Mouri-san teased, heading to the table with something to add. She blushed demurely and looked to the clasped hands in her lap. "Well...it's the truth." She almost inaudibly answered. He had to smile at their almost playful bantering and looked at her face. Somehow, divorce just didn't seem the case with her real mother's absence. Unless she hated her mother, which wasn't possible with the way she was treating HIS, she wouldn't act so withdrawn from the world. This behavior didn't come from a painful or recent divorce. Whatever happened to her had to be worse, and had to've happened longer than even teenage years. What he couldn't fathom. What could be worse than loosing family unity? "Sit down musuko and we'll get started." He slightly jumped and nodded, sliding into his seat next to Kimon's. With another quick, speculative glance, he started politely serving everyone and blinked when Kimon's hand rose. "Eh?? What happened to your FINGERS Kimon- san??" Her right hand shot back under the table so fast he feared she'd slam her elbow against the back of the chair. "Nan demo nai." She quickly breathed, sitting perfectly still. The hidden hand fidgeted. "Oh it was a little accident." Mouri-san responded, taking a few things from the table. Her attention focused more on the food than what she was saying, and Kimon bit her lip at the nonchalant tone. "She asked to help me with lunch and I let her cut up a few things for the soup and side dishes when she looked away. The knife slipped and cut her index finger and thumb. Nasty cut." The elder tsked and wagged her finger. "Next time miss, you should pay more attention to what you're doing." "H...hai... Gomen nasai..." She murmured, idly gripping her soupspoon. Throughout the entire time, Mouri-san was somehow unaware of her handicap, by choice or simple lack of seeing it. When she sat at the table and kept up small, idle chitchat to Cye's mother, she felt the sudden urge to help with lunch. To be a good girl and do something useful than just sit there helpless because of her blindness. She needn't concentrate on the knife and food in her hand, since she was used to cutting up things for sandwiches, or fruits for herself. She had practice, so she was feeling for what she was doing, and looked away. Her thoughts of how nice and serene the whole situation felt overwhelmed her until the pain of splitting skin pricked her mind. The worried cries of Mouri-san weren't any better on her pride at how her attention slipped. The cuts were actually deep enough to be a burden, but just out of stitch range. For that, she was grateful. It was still more scars to add to her hands. Scars of practice, like a child taking everything into its mouth to see what it was. "Well...enough of that. Let's eat before it gets cold." Sayoko piped up. "Ryuusuke doko da?" Where's Ryuusuke? "He said he was going to wash up before he came down. Your husband spent most of the time conversing with us don't you know." She answered, already concentrating on her food. Cye looked to Kimon, finding her eyes solely on her food. His confusion and wonder about this girl, who talked to people she didn't know, abounded him. She was so changed from when he first knew her, and the mystery of how and why compounded to everything else about her. His curiosity rose. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "I'm glad you had a nice time today Kimon-san." He answered, stopping the car in front of her apartment complex. She gave a shy smile and undid the belt, going for her cane. She was grateful to not need it, since she rarely got up for anything. Mouri-san's hospitality was so much that she refused to let her go get anything...as if there was any way she COULD. "Arigatou gozaimasu Cye-san. I'm very thankful you let me come today." Hands twisted her cane in nervousness as her head bent toward it, reluctant to get from the car just yet. He noticed. "Kimon-san? Nani?" Her lips momentarily pressed together before she steeled herself again for possible rejection and warred with the hope in her heart. "Mouri-san and I were talking...and during all that we talked about today...well I asked her if I could..." She paused and averted her gaze even lower in the car. Her hands kept twisting her cane. His mind processed her nerves and he smiled. "You would like to do this again?" He guessed, beating her to it. Her head snapped up and looked to him, but she managed a shaky nod. "I enjoyed my time very much. I didn't realize how much-" Teeth harshly bit her lip before she could verbalize that. "How much what?" He softly pressed. 'I didn't realize how much I missed being around a mother.' "I didn't realize how much fun I missed." She whispered instead. "Your family is nice." She hastily added, pasting on a small smile. "I asked your mother if I could come back to visit next Sunday, if that's possible, and she said that if I made it a common thing, that she'd be happier." Her cheeks flushed in the dark car and she was grateful for the poor lighting. "I would like to see her again. See her as she said for me to." Teeth nibbled her lip. "If that...that is...alright with...you?" She whispered, her voice getting softer and softer. If it wasn't so quiet in the car, he might not have heard her. A soft smile split his face as a hand reached over and gently patted her shoulder. "You're welcome in my home Kimon-san. Mother is happy to have you, and so am I. If you like, I can arrive at the same time next Sunday." She dumbly blinked, eyes almost owlish in appearance, and stared in his direction. These PEOPLE! So accepting...so generous...so KIND! To accept someone who didn't treat Cye as politely as she SHOULD'VE in the beginning, they didn't push her away and instead invited her into their home again for regular visits. The kindness and thoughtfulness made her eyes tear up. 'How was I blessed with such...such...' She didn't even know what to call the Mouris. There was no word to pinpoint their generosity, even if she had to turn to the passenger door so she could blink away tears of gratefulness. As she stood outside leaning in the gap from the door, she felt warm against the cold night. "I would like that...very much Cye-san. Oyasumi gozaimasu." Good night. He smiled. "Oyasumi gozaimasu." He repeated, pulling away as she shut the door. He didn't bother to wait till she got inside, knowing now that she was quite capable of doing so on her own. Her independence was nothing short of astounding for someone as quiet and shy as her. 'There's something about her that's so highly...highly...odd. No...interesting. Something. Her moods are primary introvert, but I can almost see in her eyes that there's SOME spark there. She's such a mix of emotions. What she must keep below the surface...' This wasn't helping his wonder to the mystery surrounding the raven-haired girl with such interesting, deep gray eyes. As he drove home, Cye went from sure to POSITIVE her mother wasn't gone from divorce. Then...what WAS it? Maybe she never KNEW her mother and that's why she was asking to see his; someone she barely knew. But that didn't explain such overly shy, practically emotionless behavior. His brow furrowed in frustration. This puzzle didn't have edges to start on to connect the larger pieces and it was slightly irritating. Though Kimon wasn't exactly a puzzle that probably WANTED to be figured out, he couldn't help but wonder. The questions wouldn't go away, and maybe...given enough time, he'd be able to ask a few and get some answers that were out of reach. That, or his mother would try to pry them out of her by talk. He snorted and left her complex for home.