"GRANPA! I SEE HIM, OVER DERE!"
At Hajime's excited yell, multiple heads turned on the train station platform, and Tohru was hard-pressed not to blush. They had been working hard with Hajime lately to moderate his voice and not yell all the time, and it had definitely felt like they were having success...right until they weren't.
But Hajime was still only three, she reminded herself. Three-year-olds got excited, and yes, three-year-olds yelled. Loudly. Shrilly. In public spaces, filled with people. And as the parent of a three-year-old, she could either die of embarrassment, or else accept it.
And on this beautiful May day, she chose to accept it, simply returning any potentially grouchy looks from other people with an apologetic smile and a shrug. If nothing else, Hajime was right.
Tohru let go of Hajime's hand and Hajime went barreling straight into Kazuma's arms as the karate master knelt on the platform. Both of them were beaming as Kazuma stood up, Hajime's excited chant of "Granpa Granpa Granpa!" as he hugged Kazuma a more than sufficient exchange for the long hours on the train.
Tohru was beaming as well at the reunion; no matter how many times she saw it, it never got old to see Hajime with his grandfather, just like it never got old to see Kyo with him, either. "It's so good to see you, Master Kazuma!"
"And you too, Tohru," Kazuma replied, shifting Hajime to his hip so that he could also hug Tohru. "You're looking so very-"
"Pregnant?" Tohru asked with a smile, looking down at her extremely pronounced bump, and Kazuma chuckled as he stepped back.
"I was going to say 'healthy,' but I'm happy to say that they're not mutually exclusive. I hope you weren't waiting long, though," Kazuma added as he squatted to pick up his bag. "I know it's not terribly hot today, but I imagine it's still not good for you to stand around too much."
"No, we haven't been here long," Tohru said, shaking her head, "and I promise you I'm fine, Master Kazuma. On a day like today, it's wonderful to simply be outside!"
"I walk, Granpa!" Hajime suddenly announced, and Kazuma obediently let him down to the ground. "Hold my hand?"
"Gladly," Kazuma said with a smile, taking the small hand as the three of them set off for the bus station. Looking down at his grandson, Kazuma inquired, "And what have you been up to today, Hajime?"
Hajime considered for a moment, then beamed up at Kazuma. "Lotsa stuff, Granpa! I eat breakfas', I ride da bus, I go school, den Mommy and I go get you from da train!" Hajime was so excited he gave a little hop, dragging slightly on Kazuma's hand. "Now we gonna all ride da bus!"
"That's right, we are! You've certainly had a very busy day, young man," Kazuma said with a chuckle. "It was so very kind of you and your mother to come get me."
Hajime giggled. "Silly Granpa, dat's not my muvver, dat's my MOMMY."
"Ah, my mistake," Kazuma said, glancing from Hajime to Tohru with twinkling eyes. "It was nice of you and your mommy to come and get me, otherwise I would have had to ride the bus all by myself."
Hajime's eyes rounded. "Den no one would hold your hand, Granpa!"
Kazuma shook. "Most likely not, no."
"Dat's ok. I hold your hand, Granpa."
"Well thank you, Hajime, that's very kind of you!"
"I know," Hajime said cheerfully. "I a very kind boy!"
Tohru had to smother a laugh at that, but Kazuma managed to keep his own expression serious. "You really are, Hajime, and it makes me so happy to get to spend time with you."
Once on the bus and on their way, Kazuma was able to talk to Tohru while Hajime was preoccupied with looking out the window. "How are you feeling these days, Tohru?"
Tohru let out a small sigh, then smiled at her father-in-law. "As far as I can be, good, Master Kazuma. Tired and achy, of course, but otherwise I'm doing very well! When we were in Hirosaki last week, I was able to manage walking around and eating festival food without any problems, so I consider that a success."
"That's right," Kazuma said, smiling. "You and Kyo went to the cherry blossom festival, didn't you, for...what was it called again?"
Tohru giggled. "A babymoon, and that's right! We were only there for the weekend, but it was really nice to get away by ourselves for a little while. It's been a few years since I'd been to the festival and even longer for Kyo, so we both had a really nice time!"
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves," Kazuma chuckled. "I imagine that it's not often you two get time to yourselves right now, and that's not likely to change for a while."
"No, it really isn't," Tohru agreed, looking down at her stomach with a sigh. "But that's ok; even if we're all going to be at home together, at least we'll have room!"
Kazuma's visit was an exciting one for all of them this time around. Tohru, Kyo, and Hajime had been settled into their new home for about a month now, and both Tohru and Kyo were satisfied at with where everything was. They would still have work to do over time; some areas, like the loft at the top of the stairs, weren't really being utilized yet. And there were some places that would definitely benefit from furniture, art, or other small touches. But for now, it was as good as it was going to be, and they were ready for guests.
One guest, in particular.
Kazuma had followed along their entire house hunt, ever since the very first day that the two of them had told him about Tohru's inheritance and their plans. He'd been excited for them, frustrated for them, hopeful for them, and elated for them; ever since they'd shifted gears from buying to building he'd been eagerly watching their progress. No detail had been too small, no change too insignificant; he had been delighted to be included, even from a distance.
And now, finally, after months of waiting, he actually got to see it for himself. He'd been able to see the outside during a brief visit in early February, but that had been the last time he'd made it to Hibe and the interior was still off limits. Now, though...
Well, right now, he had to wait.
As the three of them got off the bus, Tohru gave Kazuma an apologetic smile. "I hope it's not too much of an imposition to stop by the dojo first, Master Kazuma!"
Kazuma shot her an amused look. "I'd hope you know me well enough by now to know I'd never take a stop at a dojo to be an imposition, Tohru!"
At the way he said it, she had to laugh herself. "I know that in general, but you have been travelling all afternoon!"
He nodded. "Yes, I have, so the opportunity to stretch my legs and breathe in some fresh Aomori air is exactly what I need right now," he said with a smile. "It's no trouble at all, I assure you; it will be a delight to stop at the dojo, and I wouldn't dream of seeing the house without waiting for Kyo."
Both Tohru and Kazuma held Hajime's hands as the made their way down the road to the dojo, Kazuma keeping an eye on Tohru the whole time. And as they approached the dojo she finally acknowledged it, giving him a giggle. "I told you, Master Kazuma, I'm fine. Moderate exercise, like walking," she stressed, "is actually really good for pregnant women."
"My apologies, Tohru, of course you'd know what you're capable of. Still, I hope you can forgive me a little concern," Kazuma said with a smile.
"Of course! And it's very sweet of you to be concerned, but I'm fine. Don't you worry, I will definitely say something, if I need to sit down!"
They had entered the dojo courtyard now, and as they looked around Tohru suddenly gave Kazuma a sheepish look. "And on that note...do you mind if we find a bench?"
Kazuma laughed. "Of course not!"
Making their way to the side of the courtyard, Tohru sat down on a bench near the koi pond. Hajime immediately wanted to look at the fish, so Kazuma held onto his hand and squatted down beside him to point out the different colors and types.
As she pulled her water bottle out of her bag, Tohru watched Kazuma and Hajime with a smile. The two of them were always so cute together; would they still be this cute when there was a new baby in the mix? She certainly hoped so, but she also had to wonder just how that would go, adding an additional child to their dynamic.
She had to admit that she wondered about that across the board, not just with Kazuma. Hajime understood they were going to have a baby, and for the most part he seemed excited about it. He was sure he was going to have a brother, because his friend Jiro at daycare had a baby brother, so that could be a complication if it turned out to be a girl. And he would occasionally come up to his parents and tell them he actually didn't want a baby, so they could just send it back.
Tohru and Kyo themselves had been only children, so neither of them really knew what to expect in terms of change when the new baby came along. Even in their friend circles growing up, siblings, or at least close in age siblings, had been rare. And while they were both confident that things would work out...Tohru would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous about the transition.
"See da fish, Granpa? Itsa biiiiiiiiiig fish! Could it eat a people, Granpa?"
"No, I don't believe it could, Hajime. It certainly looks hungry though, doesn't it? I imagine it probably eats quite a lot of fish food."
"But not me! I a people, Granpa, not a fish food!"
"That's right. But let's both stay out of the water anyway, it looks pretty yucky, don't you think?"
Sitting back on the bench and listening to Kazuma and Hajime, Tohru could only feel optimistic about how things would go. With a big brother and grandfather like this, there was no way that the new baby would be anything but loved.
Kyo was equal parts annoyed and amused when he finally got out to the courtyard after his class got out. Although he was supposed to be done at 6:30, naturally he'd had to deal with a disciplinary issue on the night his entire family was waiting for him in the dojo courtyard, so he was nearly fifteen minutes late by the time he was done. And while he was ready to apologize, from the look of things neither Tohru nor Kazuma had had much of a chance to miss him, given the group that had gathered around them by the time he got out.
He knew he shouldn't be surprised. Tohru had always been a favorite at the dojo, and now that her due date was getting close he could only imagine how curious they all must be, as well as how concerned about her welfare. And Kazuma was a favorite for entirely different reasons, well-liked by pretty much everyone who ever met him even if they weren't a karateka. This particular visit of Kazuma's was only for the weekend and had been decided on somewhat spur of the moment, so none of Kyo's coworkers had even known he was coming.
Kyo hadn't actually been able to see either Tohru or Kazuma initially, but he knew they had to be there, given the little crowd. And speaking of the crowd...
"What the hell, do I need a number to see my own family?"
Several heads promptly turned, and Kyo was greeted with affectionate shoves by his fellow karatekas.
"Hey, give us a break, Sohma, you get to see them all the time!"
"No kidding. But you're planning to come to class tomorrow, aren't you, Master Kazuma?"
Kazuma smiled, bowing slightly to Sensei Maeda. "I believe so, yes. As long as Tohru doesn't mind me leaving as well!"
Kyo couldn't see Tohru yet, but he could hear her voice. "Of course not, Master Kazuma, you all enjoy yourself. I'll be fine by myself for the morning, don't worry!"
"As long as you're not pushing yourself too hard, Tohru," came Sensei Wada's voice. "At this point, you should be taking it easy as much as you can!"
"She's not made of glass, Wada," Kyo heard Sensei Sasaki say. "And you're looking very good, Tohru, really. This pregnancy really seems to be agreeing with you!"
Sensei Yamada nudged Sensei Maeda. "Good idea or bad idea, to comment on a pregnant woman?"
The comment had been intended as an aside, but it wasn't quite quiet enough, and Sensei Sasaki's voice came back sharply. "For you two? Bad idea. But you both have kids, so you should know that by now."
"Anyway," Kyo said, finally elbowing his way through, "sorry I'm late."
His eyes immediately went to Tohru, finding her sitting on a bench in the middle of the group, and he gave her a smile. She was looking good, he was relieved to see; clearly the walk from the bus stop hadn't been too much for her.
Then he turned to Kazuma, giving the older man a big smile and going in for a hug. "Great to see you, Dad, thanks for coming."
Hajime, clinging to Kazuma's leg, immediately puffed up. "He not DAD, Daddy! He GRANPA!"
The whole group laughed at Hajime's indignant comment, including Kyo, who then bent to pick up Hajime. "Well, you're half right, Hajime! Yeah, he's your grandpa, but he was my dad, first!"
"Not your dad, GRANPA!"
"Both"
"Granpa!"
Kyo wasn't about to get in an argument with a three-year-old at the dojo, so he decided to call it there with another chuckle. Glancing from Kazuma to Tohru, he gave them each a questioning look. "You guys about ready?"
"We've just been waiting on you," Kazuma said, offering Tohru a hand and helping her up. "So if you are, we are."
And Kyo very much was, so after exchanging goodbyes with the other instructors, the four of them left the dojo, piled into the car, and headed for home.
"This is absolutely wonderful, you two," Kazuma said as the four of them stood out on the large balcony on the back of the house. They had just finished giving Kazuma the tour, and he'd been every bit as appreciative and interested as either Tohru or Kyo could have hoped. Even though he'd seen pictures, being able to walk through and see everything in person had been a completely different, completely superior experience in every way.
From their vantage point on the balcony, they could see the pale pink flowers on Tohru and Kyo's apple trees, and the deeper pink blossoms on the cherry trees. The cherry trees had been a welcome surprise; Mr. Suzuki hadn't mentioned them, and neither Tohru or Kyo were educated enough on trees to actually recognize them when they didn't have fruit or blossoms. But just last week they'd started flowering, and both of them had immediately recognized the blooms.
Assuming all went well, they might have three types of fruit to enjoy in the fall!
Leaning on the railing, Kazuma looked out at the yard with a smile. "So did you actually plant any of these gardens, Tohru?"
At the question she blinked, then laughed and shook her head. "No, I didn't actually plant anything this year. With the baby's timing being what it is, we decided it would be a lot simpler to just...not. But Kyo did dig up the spot I'm planning to put my vegetable garden next year," she said, pointing to a large dark rectangle. "Hopefully having it turned over early will make it easier to work next year. All the flowers and plants you see are perennials that the Suzukis had planted," she added. "I've done a little work with them, like pruning and watering, but that's all."
"Well, it's a good thing you're not overextending yourself," Kazuma said with a smile.
"Seriously," Kyo said, nodding his head in agreement. "This time, she even agreed to back off of things on her own!"
"Only because we've had too much going on for me to argue with you, Kyo," Tohru said, giving her husband an affectionate look. "Literally all of the laundry is on the second floor now; our bedrooms, our bathrooms, the washing machine, even the clotheslines!" She said, turning to look at the clotheslines in question. "I don't have to carry anything up or down any stairs, so I really don't see what the problem is right now."
When she put it that way, Kyo was admittedly a little hard-pressed to explain as well, but the pattern had been established and he wasn't going to back down now just because they were in a new house. "It's just easier to do things this way, Tohru; we've been doing it this way, it works...what's the problem?"
"No problem," she told him, her eyes twinkling, "Just an observation."
Kazuma chuckled as Hajime started to pull him back towards the house. "Well, it can't be a bad thing at this point to be taking it easy where you can, Tohru."
"No," she admitted as they all headed back inside, "and it's probably just as well. Hajime takes a lot of energy, and we've been so busy until so recently with the house..."
"-What she's saying is that she's actually letting me take care of her," Kyo said with a smile.
"Granpa, come see my room?" Hajime was tugging on Kazuma's robe again, pointing to the door to his bedroom. "It got my name, see? H, A, J, I, M, E, dat makes me!"
Kazuma smiled as Hajime pointed to each colorful letter on the sign hanging on his bedroom door. "It does indeed! And how very helpful that has to be, to tell everyone that this is your room!"
"Yes," Hajime said, beaming. "It says 'Hajime," 'cause it's MINE. Not Mommy's, not Daddy's, not yours, Granpa, MINE. You can come in, 'cause I say so! But not Mommy or Daddy, just Granpa," he said, crossing his arms and staring firmly up at his parents.
The three adults all had to fight to keep from laughing, Hajime's attitude was so comical. But with effort, they all managed.
"Well, I guess we'll leave you two to it while we get some dinner started, that sound ok, Dad?"
And Kazuma opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything Hajime burst out once again. "Granpa, Daddy! He not Dad, he Granpa!"
"I'm telling you, Hajime, he's both. Your grandpa is my dad, that's why he's your grandpa."
"No," Hajime said, sticking out his chin stubbornly.
Kazuma crouched down so that he was on Hajime's level. "Yes, actually. Once upon a time, your big strong daddy? He was a little boy, just like you, and I..." He glanced up from Hajime to Kyo, a big smile on his face, "was his daddy. And I still am, which is why I get to be your grandpa! Isn't that lucky?"
Hajime was still not sure what he thought about any of that, as it all sounded very suspicious. But both of his parents were nodding, even Mommy.
Thought there was still one thing he needed to correct Kazuma about.
"I not little, Granpa, I BIG!"
That time they all cracked up, and Tohru and Kyo were still laughing as they started down the hall.
"We'll let you know when dinner is ready, Dad, until then you guys have fun."
And Kazuma looked down at Hajime with a smile. "Alright, Hajime, what do you want to do?"
Hajime thought for a moment, then grinned and grabbed Kazuma's hand.
"Play!"
