Somewhere amidst the quiet, a door slammed.
A sigh sounded in the kitchen. Not one of forlorn, just that of stretched patience. "They're at it again..."
A soft chuckle sounded in response. "Those two never quit, do they?"
"If they did, I think it would be so quiet I'd go crazy."
Pounding on the door drew six sets of eyes to the ceiling as if asking the gods for help. Three of the handful decided it not best to throw their two cents in.
"LET ME IN RIGHT NOW!"
"Make me!"
"Chikushou!"
"Tsk, tsk, nee-chan...don't let okaasan hear you say that..."
A loud growl sounded. Fists clenched...nails digging into fair skin. Teeth clenched so tight that pain ticked at the gum line. "OTOTO! LET. ME. IN!"
"You already said that...try again." Silence. "Hmm...Tuesday the sixteenth..."
"Don't you DARE! Anata o korosu!"
"'Ototo-chan's up to his old tricks again.' I am? Pray tell, what would that be? I think I shall read on."
A tight fists harshly pounded on the door again, the other futility twisting the locked doorknob. "Yamero! Stop right there!"
"'I think he might have found out about me and Chad, though I pray the Gods are merciful and his constant ignorance through daily life helps me out.' CONSTANT IGNORANCE?" The door flew open and the two looked at each other, one minutely startled, the other playfully scowling. "What do you MEAN constant ignorance? I'm not ignorant! I'm HIGHLY competent!"
At the outburst, matching dark brown eyes quickly narrowed to slits as fists clenched again. "Anata...o korosu!"
A cocky grin sprouted and a hand shot out, pressing a small journal into a thin body. "Yea right." He boasted dodging out of the way of a punch. "Nice try...gotta be faster though nee-chan."
Another growl sounded as set of punches were thrown at him. All missed and hands shot out to grab arms to keep more punches from being thrown. "HANASO!"
That cocky grin widened. "If you say so..."
Lithe hands let go and a startled yelp sounded as he hopped over the offset body teetering to the ground. "OTOTO!"
"Catch me if ya can nee-chan!" He called, snickering at his sister's annoyed look from the floor.
Just as he jumped the three stairs from the split level leading to the upstairs, he nearly slipped in haste to stop. Fighting that same grin, he gave a quick bow of respect to three sets of his elders. "Konnichi wa minna-san." He hastily muttered.
"Please don't tear up the house musuko..."
"And no running around inside magomusuko."
"Hai...take it out back if you must himagomusuko."
"INAKI! Come back here!"
He gave another quick bow, slyly grinning. "Yosh!" He saluted to the order and whipped around for the front door mere feet away.
"OTOTO!" A second pair of socked feet copied and hopped the short bit of stairs.
"Magomusume..."
"Jayden, anata no sonkei wa doko da?"
"Gah!" Trying to twist proved to Jayden's downfall - literally - as she went down a second time. She hit the ground with a low thud, yet quickly scrambled to her feet and bowed. "Gomen nasai minna-san." Laughter from the front door sounded and fists clenched again. Jayden's face donned another annoyed look. "Atashi no ototo-chan o atashi korosu?"
"Iie!" He playfully called, hanging out the doorway.
Two pairs of aged eyes looked around Jayden then locked with deep brown again. "Just don't make a mess."
"Obaasan!"
"Isn't ANYONE on my side here?" He wailed. There was no time to answer as Jayden whirled around. He yelped and jumped the few steps off the engawa and took off for the backyard.
In mere minutes, the six individuals sitting at the low table enjoying afternoon tea twisted to see the pair rocket past the patio doors and around the back engawa. The eldest woman of the three chuckled. "Those two never give up."
"I think it's safe to say my SON never gives up."
Everyone quietly laughed. Six pairs of eyes - four brown, one hazel, and one green - watched in amusement and sipped their tea.
After a minute, the youngest male put a hand on his wife's with a small smile. "You have to admit, they make good entertainment."
"Yamoi Omo-kun you're incorrigible." Omo simply shrugged and looked over when the two dropped to the grass, finally exhausted.
Two pairs of heavy breathing sounded as the two tried to get their breaths back. "Okay so maybe I...DON'T get to kill you today...you got lucky..."
"Your old age...must be getting the best of you." He quipped back, sitting up. Dark brown glared against the grass and he grinned back. Finally standing, he stretched and looked to the clear sky. "Another day finished." He idly reported, extending a hand to the grass.
Without missing a beat, Jayden accepted the help to stand.
He looked into brown eyes and went to brush his clothes and hair clean. "So what say we raid the fridge? I'm hungry."
Jayden gave a playful slap to his shoulder, but started for the patio doors. "Then help me start cooking dinner for the others. It's about time to get things prepared and okaasan should be laying stuff out soon."
His nose wrinkled as he closed the sliding door behind them. He just wanted a quick snack...but there was no point in ruining his appetite. And he wasn't a COMPLETE loafer...he helped do some of the lifting and chopping. If one didn't help out in some way, one didn't eat.
After pushing in the half dozen mushrooms off the chopping board into a boiling pot, he set the knife and board down. A hand absently went to his head and tried to brush the bangs away from his eyes. It was getting longer than necessary again. He could nearly see where original black stopped to white. Another inch or two and he could get his hair cut and back to his NORMAL color.
Finally.
'I am not going to accept dares that deal with my hair ever AGAIN.' He vowed, smirking. 'Can't wait until it grows back to where I had it. Then maybe obaasan and hisobosan will stop bringing it up!'
"Ototo-chan...can you grab the pot holders and put that pan on the table? It should be done." Jayden muttered, leaning over the sink.
Dark brown darted to her, finding brown on him, and gave a brief nod before going to the stove. He set the massive soup pot on the table in front of his grandparents and great grandparents. After giving a nod of their thankful ones, he stood and headed to check on the rice. Finding that ready, he playfully nudged his sister over at the double sink and washed his hands.
It seemed Jayden had the same idea, for they both moved to the large pot and began grabbing rice to press into rice balls. Making enough for three to a person, the two grabbed the plates and set them around the table.
"Musuko ugokanai." He instantly froze at the soft voice and an arm snaked around, a large teapot set down seconds later. "Go ahead and sit down musuko...Jayden and I can finish getting the rest."
He looked into his mother's eyes, asking if she still wanted help, before shrugging and going to his zabuton. He waited until parents and sister were seated and his great grandparents, grandparents, and parents filled their plates and bowls before digging in. He was sarcastic, rash when it came to decisions, lazy when it came to work, and didn't entertain a lot of solid thoughts of the future...
...But he respected his elders as they should be.
Dinner was silent, as it always was. Little talk was made but none was needed. They bonded by nearness and the comfort of being a family. He helped Jayden and his parents pick the table up, letting his grandparents and great grandparents sip their tea in quiet. Though it was said if one didn't help out, they didn't eat, that didn't apply to the owners of the business putting food on their table - also those who helped keep that same business running smoothly.
And both sets wouldn't hesitate to reprimand him and remind him of tradition if he DIDN'T do his part around the house.
Letting Jayden load the dishwasher, he headed to the basement. It was late enough to be rude if he called his friends, but too early for bed. He loved the basement. Aside from the washer and dryer, pipes, furnace, and other stuff that kept the place running, he had his own workout area. It was part of an open room, but when he was down here no one bothered him. The only person who came down here was his grandfather and that was to teach him part of what he knew as far as Kempo was concerned.
Going to a zabuton in a corner of the room, he positioned his legs underneath and rested hands on his thighs. After a bit of shifting to get comfortable, he started his form of meditation.
His ears picked up everything going on in the old house above. It was calming, better than any mantra or meditative music he knew of. After countless minutes, he stood and started stretching his muscles. Dark brown spied a clock and found it was too late to work on his falls, so decided to do a kata tonight.
Rolling his shoulders, he stopped in front of a weapons rack and eyed his choices. The ceiling was tall enough to work with short swords, but long swords would have to wait until it was light outside.
He decided on Sai. He worked enough with the short sword to know it well enough and was still practicing the current. He picked up a dull one. The sharp ones were for higher skill, as all weapons were, and he didn't need any safety lectures from any of the family.
Twirling was becoming easier and easier to do. His hand was getting accustomed to having such an oddly designed weapon in his fingers and it slipped from his index less and less. It only happened three times in ten minutes this practice.
He didn't know any Sai kata yet, as his grandfather and great grandfather had told him to know this weapon well before increasing his level. So he worked some basic training in with the weapon to gain understanding of how it flowed. At least it made Kempo more interesting...
After taking a small break from doing impromptu kicks and jabs, the door slowly peeked open. "It's eleven ototo-chan. I'm going to bed."
He silently nodded and put the weapon back where it belonged. When Jayden went to bed, he went to bed.
One problem with sharing a room, but it wasn't to stay up late when everyone else was in bed. That was discourteous and rude; since he was bound to wake everyone, even in the basement.
He didn't really mnd sharing a room with his sister, as he'd done as far as he remembered. From the bunk beds when they were kids, to the current low-set futons. There was the sibling rivalry, though not as bad as some people he knew. It helped immensely to have that early bond, along with the rest of his family.
He never thought himself unfortunate to live in such a crowded house with four generations, himself included. That just added to the history, since his grandparents also lived here. The place was well maintained as his father and grandfather did repair work on the place to keep it that way.
Once in the room, he went into the large walk-in closet and shut the door to allow his sister privacy to change. Though he loved picking on her to get a rise out of her, he respected his nee-chan and knew where to draw the line.
After he also changed and waited half a minute, there came a brief tap on the other side. That was his cue that everything was safe, and he switched the lights off and exited the closet.
He quickly stopped upon finding the room pitch black. "What the hell did you do to the lights??"
Jayden gave an evil grin and pulled the covers back on her futon. "Consider it payment for trying to read my diary earlier today ototo."
"That's not really much of a payback." He mused, giving an odd look to the vicinity of her bed. "I can turn on the lights on you know."
That grin didn't leave. "Yea...but then you'd have to get back up and turn them off. Don't think I'd get up and do it for you. I can sleep with the lights on, but you can't."
He scowled. The woman had a point and he knew Jayden was stubborn enough to fall asleep just to spite him. He also knew SHE knew he was bad at maneuvering his way in the dark. His depth perception was always off a little and there were a few things he knew of on his floor that were put there before picked up. He was liable to fall at least ONCE on his short trip to bed.
"Chikushou onna..." He muttered, spreading arms out for balance. He could already feel his center of gravity shift and teeter a little in hesitancy as he baby-stepped it to his futon. Dark brown narrowed at the short giggle before Jayden shifted to the wall.
It was a shaky journey, but he plopped down safe and sound on the mattress. He gave a quiet sigh of relief and shifted under his blanket sheets. In the quiet, Jayden's soft breathing could be heard. She was half asleep, he could tell. It would even a few more notches before REM finally hit her. He wished he could fall asleep that quickly. Though he couldn't do that to begin with, there was also a lot on his mind lately.
The concert in fourteen days for one.
'Two weeks...' Teeth bit his lip as a wide smile appeared. Hands propped his head up over the pillow as he stared at the ceiling. Two weeks and then it was the greatest concert he'd been to yet. True he'd been to some great concerts, but these bands were well-known. And the other few didn't include his three best friends. They were either with someone in the family, or a past girlfriend.
He heaved a small sigh and shifted. He was never going to get to sleep if he kept thinking about that concert! Too bad it was on his mind so much.
The whole month of June was torture, but as July neared, it was unbearable. Knowing what was around the corner, with everything set up, didn't make it easier. The days didn't pass by any faster, though he prayed and threatened them to do so otherwise. The only thing he could do to get rid of the anticipation and energy was long hours in the family business. His family didn't mind, as he did most of the moving stuff in the back room.
It was quite the organized setup. He and his father hauled things around, stacked some stuff, and cleaned some , while his sister and mother stacked the rest and cleaned some of the store. His grandparents did the bookkeeping and advertisements, while his great grandparents were notified of weekly income and expenses, and given opinions of what to order and change upon demand.
Everyone had a roll in the place. Everyone except his great grandparents worked the counters. He didn't do the register as much as stocking, cleaning, small maintenance, and hauling. He did grunt work, but he didn't mind. It was a productive tiredness that he enjoyed. It was good to know he could help his family out a little.
The only ones who kept tabs on anything in that store were his grandparents. They knew everything in that little grocery store, because of their roll as bookkeepers. Nothing escaped their sharp minds.
Unlike normal jobs, he wasn't paid an hourly wage, though he could've been. He didn't ask for one and his family didn't pay one. He gained most payment in having a house to live in, clothes to wear, food to eat, money for things like the concert, and freedom to be out during the day.
He had it rather well.
He liked to scoff at his friends when they poked fun of his living arrangements and job. They only saw he lived with his parents, shared a room with his sister, and worked for his family without being paid by the hour.
What they didn't see, were the perks behind the matter.
He had a magazine subscription through the store it carried and he didn't have to pay it. His grandparents would write down and tally, then he would work it off. If he got hungry or tired, he could take a few minutes whenever he wanted one and could grab something off the shelf...as long as it was tallied and worked off.
In essence, he was fully capable of getting a wage, but he liked this way better. It was different; he didn't have to worry about stupid taxes - unlike his friends - and the money he spent was worked off. It was like dealing with invisible money, only using hard work as currency. Plus he set his own hours. His family expected him to help out - that was a given - but they didn't hound him to be there when the place opened and stay till it closed.
That was part of the freedom.
Even if he didn't go in till early afternoon half the time, he put in a lot of hours when he DID go in. He would write down his time to the minute to keep track for his grandparents.
He liked that part best of all. It was a good thing because he didn't fall asleep till around midnight or nearly one all the time, and tended to wake up after the sun had risen. Nine was his earliest half the time. He did NOT do mornings if he could help it.
Dark brown lazily trailed to the clock sitting on the nightstand in between the beds.
Twelve...yet he wasn't asleep. Nothing abnormal...though he was a lot calmer and it was getting harder to keep his eyes open to stare at the ceiling. He rolled to the wall and shifted to get comfortable.
Two weeks...it was going to take forever to get here.
He couldn't wait to pack; he already had the start of a list made out. And he didn't do that sort of thing, but that was the length of his exuberance.
A pair of deep green eyes suddenly sprang to mind and he blinked. How unusual that he think of her. K hadn't come to mind since the day after he got back from staying at that hotel. He briefly wondered what she was up to, if she was having fun. He shook his head and discarded the thought. She was a bitch for some unknown reason and that was a mere nineteen days ago...women didn't change their minds THAT quickly when it came to spiting a guy.
Half the ride back home was pondered over what he did. Sure he wouldn't be able to see her unless he went to Miami for something big like the concert, but it was always nice to make new friends. It seemed the only real ones he had - the ones that understood HIM - were Robert, Chass, and Kelar.
He shifted to the other side and stared at his sister's back. She still hadn't moved from the wall when she first got situated.
Lucky.
His thoughts went to Cameron. He was going to have to spend extra time with her a few days before to make up for the weekend. He knew she was going to say something about missing him, even for two and a half days. The whole notion was silly, but that was Cam. She was the clingy type of woman. Not that he heavily minded clingy...to a certain point. There were times to be affectionate, and there were times to be cuddly.
Cameron was one of those latch-onto-your-arm type girls and hold it like it was a stuffed animal.
And yet she only seemed to do that whenever they were hanging with friends.
It was odd, but he wasn't going to bring it up. Cam was also the type that cried in arguments and he LOATHED that. Crying was a weapon women HAD to've designed against men!
He could never stand to see women of any age cry. For some reason, he caved and became embarrassed or agitated and tried his damndest to get the other to stop, no matter what it took.
He shifted to his stomach and pushed the pillow aside. This position never failed on him and in a few minutes, his body started feeling like it was going to go through the mattress. Hands pillowed his head as he thought of the upcoming fourth. The famous American traditions of fireworks, cookouts, hot summer days, and pool parties. Well the hot days were on the money...but he was Japanese and not American. Sure he was born in the United States, but his heritage was Japanese.
But did that stop him from terrorizing the neighborhood with bottle rockets with the others like last year?
A sleepy smile appeared as his head turned to the wall.
They had to find a way to top last year... 'The four musketeers are going to put their heads together to make this the best fourth yet.'
**I am a BEGINNER Japanese learner...so if these are not 100% correct...please let me know if you care to do so. I only have a web page to learn from, a dictionary, and a few months experience to work with.**
Translations: Chikushou!-Damn it! Nee-chan-older sister (Without the honorific O) Ototo-Little/younger brother Anata o korosu-I'll kill you
Okaasan-Mom (The O gives more respect to the title) Yamero-Stop Hanaso-Let (me) go Musuko-Son Magomusuko-Grandson
Konnichi wa minna-san-Hello/Good afternoon everyone Himagomusuko-Great grandson Yosh-Alright Gomen nasai minna-san-Sorry everyone
Jayden, anata no sonkei wa doko da?-Jayden, where's your respect? Atashi no ototo-chan o atashi korosu?-Can I kill my brother?
Iie-No (More polite way of saying no) Obaasan-Grandmother Engawa-Veranda/porch (What normally wraps around the house)
Hibososan-Great grandmother Musuko ugokanai-Don't move son Musume-Daughter Zabuton-Floor cushion/pillow Tatami-Straw mat Kata-Form
Sai-Three-pronged weapon Chikushou onna-Damn (it) woman