Yugana Kashi
By Sakura Takanouchi
Disclaimer: If I owned nothing and then you owned nothing and then if everyone else owns nothing, then… …I'm sure I'll come to a conclusion about something sometime.
Chapter Six: Some visits are Made to Last Forever
Authoress' Note: I know I normally don't put authoress' notes at the beginning, but I keep wondering about where this fic is truly going. I have only 1 point that I wanted to make in this fic which will become apparent in this chapter, but after that…? I dunno. Comments help very much! *cough*
Kizuchi hailed a taxi fairly quickly and the three of them climbed into it, with Kateri sitting in the front. As the cab drove by, Kateri couldn't help but gasp and stare out of the window at things that a native Japanese person would take for granted.
"Wow! It's a bus! And a kimono store!" Kizuchi exclaimed as they passed yet another bus and yet another kimono store. "Sugoi…"
"I see you're not from around here, little lady," The taxi driver turned towards her and smiled.
"You speak English? Sugoi…" Kateri's voice rose even more. "Hey! A ramen stand!" Her attention was easily diverted.
The driver laughed. His voice was directed at Kizuchi now. " Shinjuku [1] made onegai shimasu," Kizuchi said politely.
"Hai," The driver nodded, and turned the corner to a different street to get to Shinjuku.
Seven Minutes later, the driver stopped in front of a well-kept apartment building. "This is an apartment complex in the west side of Shinjuku. I hope your ride has been enjoyable," he said.
Kizuchi was pleased. "This is where Shiori-san is staying," She told Kateri. "What good luck!" She paid the driver and he took off, leaving them there, facing the apartments.
Kizuchi started up the walkway, leading them to a corner apartment. A sign on the door read, 'Minamino'. She knocked on the door and stepped back.
Several moments later, a middle-aged woman opened the door. She was medium of height, with dark hair and kind features. Her face jolted something in Kateri's memory. 'No way…she couldn't be!' She thought.
"Konnichi wa…Kizuchi! Ogenki desu ka?" She moved towards her 'daughter-in-law' and gave her a hug.
"Hai, genki desu. Okagesama de," Kizuchi replied.
"Onamae wa?" Shiori asked, her attention diverting to Kateri.
"Uh… A-atashi wa Miwa Kateri" kateri replied shakily. " Hajimemashite."
"Omagosan?" Shiori asked.
"Hai," Kizuchi responded.
"Eigo ga wakarimasu ka?" Kateri interrupted.
"Hai, Kateri. I'll try to remember to speak English around you," Shiori said.
"Shall we go in?" Kizuchi suggested.
Shiori led the way into their apartment. It was very well decorated, and it was spacious enough for several people to live in comfortably.
"Now of course I'll have to introduce you to my son, but he's not here at the moment. Why don't we have a cup of tea and talk about why you've come?" Shiori said, and Kateri and Kizuchi went into the living room, and sat down. Shiori brought them tea a few minutes later.
"So," Shiori said while sipping her tea, "I heard that you had a request."
"H-hai," Kateri said. "Oba-san told me she cannot look after me well enough for me to stay there, and so I was wondering… can I stay here? I promise I won't be a burden. Onegai?"
Shiori considered this. "Hai, you can stay," She said with a smile. "You will always be welcome in this house."
Just then, the sound of a door opening could be heard from the living room. "That must be Shuiichi. Shuiichi-chan, come here, there's someone I would like for you to meet," She called. Shuiichi appeared moments later. When he appeared in the living room, Kateri's eyes went wide with shock. A redheaded face smiled at her.
"This is Minamino Shuiichi, my son," Shiori introduced. "She's from England and will be staying with us for awhile."
"Atashi wa Miwa Kateri," Kateri said. 'Oh my gosh, it can't be---him! Here! And me! Here! I can't believe it!' She thought. Her mind was racing.
"It has been very nice to meet you, Kateri," Shuiichi said politely. He left to go to his room (to study).
'She looks like she's recognized me somewhere,' he chuckled to himself. 'But there was something else in her eyes then shock, I could tell.' He walked down a hallway and shut the door to his room.
A/N
I finally finished it! Go me! I'm terribly sorry, but YK is reeeeeally hard to write, while Winds of Thyme comes to me really easily. I spend a lot of time on that one. I'll try to write more of YK, but I hardly ever have any free time anymore.
The main point I was stressing in this fic is, 'anime characters are real and will enter the lives of someone who really wants them to' or something like that. But now that I've done that, I don't know where to go now. I guess I'll do a chapter on her adjusting to life in the Minamino household.
Here is the Dictionary of Japanese Terms used in this chapter:
Shinjuku: The business district in Japan. ( I think)
Hajimemashite: How do you do.
Shinjuku made onegai shimasu: Please go to Shinjuku.
Hai, genki desu. Okagesama de: I'm fine, thank you.
Ogenki desu ka: How are you?
I think that's it for that chapter. Whew. Well, be sure to leave a review, peoples, and give me plenty of feedback on this. I need some suggestions as to how this fic is heading.
Sayonara and Snow Balls,
Sakura Takanouchi
