"I'm back!" Sachiko called out, stepping into the front entry of Kazuma's home and kicking off her shoes. She was immediately met by a chorus of greetings, and she grinned as she walked down the hall to the living room.
"So'd I miss a family meeting, or what?" she teased, greeted by the sight of Tohru, Kyo, Kazuma, and Kunimitsu all sitting around the table. "You oughtta've texted me, you know how much I love a good meeting."
"You mean a thing where you've gotta sit down and shut up?" Kyo commented, and Sachiko stuck her tongue out at him.
"I can do both of those things, easily, and you know it, Daddy!"
Looking around at the four adult, she asked, "Can I grab any of you guys anything else to drink, or anything to eat?"
"Nah, I'm good."
"No thank you, sweetheart."
"Thanks, Sachi, but nope."
"Actually, Sachiko, would you terribly mind making me another cup of tea?"
Kazuma held up his cup, and Sachiko took it with a smile. "No problem, Grandpa! I'll be right back."
Cup in hand, she crossed the hall to the kitchen to make Kazuma some tea and get herself some water.
"And how was Mii?" Tohru called after her. "Did you two have a fun day?"
"We did!" Sachiko said, grinning. "Her baseball team kicked ass at their game, and it was really fun to watch. Uncle Momiji was there, and it was so fun to watch him, he's soooooo not the kind of guy you'd expect to be a sports fan, but he was so into it. And he took us out to lunch afterwards, which was fun, then she and I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out."
Sachiko had always been the closest to her cousin Mina, out of all of her Sohma relatives. Mina was only nine months older than Sachiko and the two were in the same grade; more importantly, they'd both always been sports-crazy from a young age, and while their sports were different, they had long since bonded over their shared interest in athletics. Sachiko had been glad to go watch her cousin; Mina played shortstop for her team, and although Sachiko wasn't the biggest fan of baseball, she had enjoyed the game.
And watching Mina's papa Momiji get fired up wasn't bad, either.
It was the end of March, and Sachiko and Tohru were in Tokyo for the term break. Sachiko was officially a third-year high schooler now, or she would be, when school resumed, and they were both happy to take advantage of the chance to see Kazuma and reassure themselves that he was fine...as well as to finally, after two and a half months, see Kyo again. Kyo would be back home two weeks after the break, and it was harder to say who was more excited, Tohru or Sachiko.
Well, maybe not that hard, not really. But Sachiko was sure she missed him at least half as much as Tohru, and considered how hard their separation had been for her mom, that was saying something.
Today was the fourth day of their visit, and Sachiko had been excited to spend some time with Mina. The first few days they'd been in Tokyo she'd been practically glued to her grandfather; though Kazuma was very different temperamentally than Sachiko she'd always adored him and they'd always gotten along, and when she'd first learned of his accident she'd been terrified. Seeing him now, looking almost the same as he always had, sounding the same as he always had...it was enough to make her heart full.
But today she had finally ventured out, and she'd had a good time. It was nice to see Mina, nice to go to the game, nice to sit back and gab with one of her oldest and dearest friends...
And it was nice, at the end of it all, to be back at the dojo, with some of her favorite people.
"Here you go, Grandpa," Sachiko said, setting down his tea. "With an extra scoop, just the way you like it!"
"Thank you, Sachiko, that's very kind of you," Kazuma said, smiling up at her as he lifted the cup to his lips. "And it tastes perfect, thank you!"
"Hey, I know how you like your tea," Sachiko said cheerfully, sitting down at the end of the table and looking around. "So what have you guys all been doing while I've been gone?"
"Didn't you already guess?" Kunimitsu asked, grinning at her. "Or did you forget about the family meeting already?"
Sachiko giggled, looking around at them. "Seriously, that's what you guys were actually doing? Don't any of you remember how to actually have fun anymore, or's that something you forget after forty-five?" She shook her head, then paused, her expression becoming more serious as she looked around at the four adults. "You guys were seriously having a family meeting? What about?" she asked, frowning as she straightened up.
Tohru automatically glanced at Kyo, who looked across the table to Kazuma, who gave a light shrug. Then Kyo turned and looked at Sachiko.
"Honestly, Sachi...we've been talking about you."
"About me?" she automatically repeated, looking at them all warily. "Why?"
Kyo glanced at Tohru, and she gave him an encouraging smile as she laid her hand on his leg. And he smiled back, then looked at their daughter. "Sachi, I know we've talked about it a little bit, but can you tell us all your plans, for after high school?"
Sachiko straightened up. "I'm gonna go to university," she said, almost immediately. "Where, I'm not sure yet; I've got a few I wanna look into, but I haven't narrowed down the ones I wanna actually apply for yet. And I'm gonna get a degree in business," she said, grinning at them all. "I'm gonna work hard, and study hard, and I'm gonna train hard, too; wherever I end up going to university, you can bet your asses I'm gonna find a dojo. If I can stay on track," she said with the challenging smile they all knew well, "then I oughtta be ready for yondan right around the time I'm finishing up at university."
"It sounds like you've put a great deal of thought into your plan, Sachiko," Kazuma said with a smile, and Sachiko nodded.
"If I can, I wanna work part time at my dojo, too; I figure whatever time I can spare from my studies, I wanna keep working on my skills. Then after graduation, I wanna look into getting a full-time teaching position, like Daddy," she said, smiling at him.
"You want a business degree to teach karate?" Kunimitsu asked, and for a second Sachiko thought he was understandably surprised. It was a bit of a leap...but then she saw the hint of a smile in his face, and she realized he was...teasing her?
Testing her?
Either way, she would meet his challenge.
"Not to specifically to teach karate, no," she said, straightening up. "But I thought it would be good to have, and good info to know, for maybe, one day, if I was gonna be running a dojo myself."
She was aware of thoughtful looks, and proud ones.
"You planning on starting your own dojo one day, Sachi?" Kunimitsu inquired, and his dancing eyes gave her the confidence to flat-out say what she'd always actually hoped.
"Well, I figured that one day, I'd try running this one."
The response to that...was pretty much what she would have hoped. What she could have hoped. Kunimitsu was chuckling, giving her that amused look she knew so well. Tohru was beaming at her, eyes shining with excitement. Kyo was looking at her affectionately, his affection mixed with pride, and Kazuma...
"I think, when that day comes, you'll do a wonderful job, Sachiko."
Sachiko felt like her heart was almost bursting with pride, and she looked around the table. "Is that what you guys have been doing, talking about the dojo?" She was answered with nods, and she promptly zeroed in on Kazuma, an anxious look suddenly on her face. "You're not planning to retire yet, are you Grandpa?"
Kazuma shook his head. "No, I'm not. With the heavens willing, I'll be running this place for some time yet. Maybe not doing as many things as I used to," he admitted, glancing at his arm, "but I can still teach, and I can still handle the Sohmas, and I can still...do quite a lot of things," he said, smiling around the table.
Sachiko let out a huge sigh of relief, then grinned at Kazuma. "That's so great, Grandpa! I wouldn't wanna be done any sooner than I had to be, either."
"Maybe you oughtta try starting first, Sachi," Kyo said with a smile. "It might end up being a lot less fun than you think."
"I know it's hard work!" Sachiko promptly argued. "I've sat with Grandpa when he's working in the office loads of time before, and I've even helped him get stuff he needs for reports, haven't I, Grandpa?" she asked, looking at Kazuma.
"That's true, you have," Kazuma said, smiling at her.
"And that's why I'm gonna get a business degree, so that when I'm in charge, I'll know what I'm doing. Yeah, I hope to train on that stuff in the dojo before you retire, Daddy," she said, looking at Kyo, "But I think studying it, and knowing what I'm doing ahead of time'll only help. I'll definitely be more prepared than you are," she teased.
"You're not wrong," Kyo agreed, looking at her fondly. "And you're definitely gonna be learning that stuff before I retire, Sachi, so you don't gotta worry on that score. But you're not gonna be learning any of it from me."
Her smile faltered, and she looked at him in confusion. "I'm not? But why-"
"'Cause I'm not gonna be taking over the dojo, kiddo."
The silence that followed in the wake of that remark was almost deafening, and Sachiko stared at Kyo with wide, confused eyes.
"You're not?"
"Nope."
Sachiko's eyes widened even further, and she looked around the table in bewildered, almost panicked confusion. "I don't understand, why wouldn't you? That's what's supposed to happen, isn't it? Grandpa, isn't that what you wanted? Why aren't you gonna take over, Daddy?"
"Whoa, calm down, Sachi," Kyo said, scooting close and hugging her. "This is a good thing!"
"What?" She was still bewildered. "Why? You were always supposed to take over the dojo, Daddy, why's it a good thing if you're not?"
"'Cause it's not what I want," Kyo said gently. "Yeah, I did once, but not anymore, and not for a while. It took me a while to admit it, but...I'm happy where I am, Sachi. You and your grandpa can both love that boring business crap all you want; like you said yourself, it's not my wheelhouse, and it's honestly...not something I wanna deal with, not at this point in my life. Your mom and I," he said, glancing at a smiling Tohru, "we're happy where we are, and I'm happy at the dojo. I don't need, or want, to be the master, and if everything else is the same, then I'd honestly rather not be. Your grandpa agrees, so...I'm not gonna."
Sachiko stared at him, still not comprehending. "But if you're not gonna take over, Daddy, then...then who is? I know I can't," she admitted, "Not for like...a decade, or close."
"That's true," Kazuma said, and Sachiko's lip trembled as she looked at Kazuma.
"That seems so long, Grandpa. If you can't, then..."
"We've thought about that, Sachiko," Kazuma said, smiling at her. "And I first want to make something very clear. This is your father's choice; were he to change his mind, I would happily hand the dojo over to him, the moment we were both ready. But that isn't his choice...and I understand that. Were I in his position, I don't know if my decision would be any different. But I also want you to know that, should you still want the dojo in, as you say, another several years...then we all agree there is no one better suited. Assuming you stay committed to your training, of course," he said, his eyes twinkling, and Sachiko laughed through her tears.
"As though I'd ever stop!"
"I think we can all believe that, at this point," Kazuma said, and the others all nodded. Then Kazuma's expression became more serious. "I can't say you don't have a point though, Sachiko. As much as I hate to admit it, recent events have certainly reminded me of my own fragility...and my age," he said, smiling ruefully. "And while I want to say I can easily go another ten years, or even longer, before I can't manage things anymore...I know that isn't necessarily true," he admitted. "At the very least I might need assistance; it's perhaps more likely that there might need to be another master, at least for a time."
"Luckily we know the perfect candidate," Kyo said, smiling. "Someone who fits all the necessary qualifications, and is all but guaranteed to accept. It'd take some getting used to, having him in charge, but I think he'd do a great job. And he is a Sohma, so..."
Sachiko was wracking her brain, trying to figure out who it might be. A lot of the dojo's students were Sohmas, but one who Grandpa would be willing to name dojo master? Who'd be ok passing the role on to her, rather than a candidate of his own choosing?
"Well, he's almost a Sohma, Kyo," Kazuma corrected him. "You have to allow for the paperwork to go through, first."
"Yeah, well, if I remember right, that paperwork actually goes through pretty quickly, doesn't it?" Kyo asked, grinning. "Last time it took what...four days?"
Sachiko was totally lost. "What are you guys talking about? What paperwork?"
Kazuma shot Kunimitsu a smile, and Kunimitsu chuckled as he laid something on the table. "What do you think, Sachi?"
Sachiko picked up the paper and stared, uncomprehending. "'Formal Request for Adult Adoption'...wait, adoption?"
All the adults were laughing.
"I have to admit, it feels a little peculiar to me, too," Kazuma said, smiling ruefully, and Kunimitsu laughed.
"Yeah, we're definitely not going to be thinking too much about the legal terms for things."
Kyo was grinning across the table at them. "I mean, you've always been more like a brother to me, Kunimitsu, so I guess that part's not too weird, but the rest of it..."
Sachiko still looked bewildered, and Kazuma reached out to pat her hand. "I know it sounds strange, Sachiko, but it's actually...surprisingly common."
Kunimitsu's laughter had faded, and he was serious as he agreed. "Kazuma's accident...was kind of a wakeup call for us," he said, looking at Kazuma. "Things have always worked fine for us, the way we were, but now that we're getting older...things are probably gonna get more complicated. Things already have, clearly. Yes, it would be nice if something like marriage was an option for us; it would definitely sound a lot less creepy on paper," he said, grimacing.
"Same-sex couples have been using adoption as a method to gain legal protections for some time," Kazuma said, smiling. "Once this goes through, should something happen to me again, or to him, we'll both be able to have access to one another. And we'll also be able to inherit property."
"Sorry, Kyo, you're not the sole heir anymore," Kunimitsu said, shrugging at Kyo.
"Hey, don't worry about it. With any luck, you'll go first," Kyo fired back, and Tohru winced.
"Could we please not talk about it like that, if you don't mind?" she asked, and Kyo patted her arm with an apologetic look.
"Sorry, Tohru. But yeah, don't worry about it, Kunimitsu. Pretty sure we can share."
"So...you're adopting Kunimitsu, Grandpa?" Sachiko said slowly, and they all laughed again.
"Legally, yes, that's correct. Factually, what is happening is Kunimitsu and I will have legal protections around our relationship...and Kunimitsu will officially be a Sohma," Kazuma said, beaming at him. "As well as my successor, if I have to step back before we feel you're ready."
Sachiko's rounded, and she stared at Kunimitsu. "You?"
He raised a brow. "Should I be offended?"
"No, I just mean...I never thought about it before!"
"It makes sense, now that he'll be a Sohma," Kyo pointed out. "Kunimitsu's a hachidan, too, and been running this place with Dad since before I graduated so he knows it like the back of his hand. And he's a decade younger'n Dad, so he'll hopefully be good to go for..." Kyo thought for a moment, then looked at Kunimitsu. "Fifteen years, maybe?"
"Fifteen years?" Sachiko immediately protested, and they all laughed once more.
"Don't worry about it, ok, Sachi?" Kunimitsu said. "Even if I have to step in, which isn't a guarantee, once Kazuma's stepped back...honestly, I'm gonna be happy to step back, too, as soon as we think you're ready to step up. We both plan to be around as you need us," he said, smiling, "but once we think you're ready...pretty much all of us are in agreement."
"That we are," Kazuma said, and Kyo smiled as he hugged her.
"You're gonna kick ass, Sachi. No offense to Dad, or Kunimitsu," he said, grinning across the table, "But what this place could probably use is a jolt of young blood, and young energy."
"I agree," Kazuma said, smiling at Sachiko. "I look forward to hearing your thoughts for the future, Sachiko."
"For sure," Kunimitsu agreed.
"Obviously you have a lot things that will need to happen, before you're ready," Kazuma continued. "But a suggestion for you to consider, that's in keeping with your plan: I don't know what universities are all on your list of possibilities, but I'm sure you're aware there are some excellent institutions within acceptable commuting distance of this very dojo."
Sachiko was starting to grin, and that grin only widened as Kazuma continued, "Obviously you wouldn't have to live here, if you didn't want to. But I feel confident in saying that we'll likely benefit from another part time instructor, in another year's time."
"Probably," Kunimitsu agreed. "And it wouldn't hurt to maybe teach that part-timer a bit about the business side of things, either. Not too much, because we wouldn't want to overload her, but it might nice for her to have a few years to start getting used to things before she's asked to take on bigger responsibilities."
"She's gonna have some pretty big shoes to fill," Kyo said, smiling. "But I'm sure she's gonna do pretty damn great...if that's what she wants."
Sachiko had tears running down her face as she looked at them all. "I do want it," she finally choked out. "I want it all so much, the dojo, and the job, and the training, and...I'm gonna work so hard, you can't even believe how hard I'm gonna work!"
Sachiko flew up and raced around the table to Kazuma, almost tackling him but catching herself just in time. "Thank you so, so much, Grandpa," she said, hugging him gently. "For having so much confidence in me."
"You've never given me reason to doubt you, Sachiko," Kazuma said, smiling at her. "As long as you don't start now...I doubt I ever will."
"And thanks, Kunimitsu," she said, turning and hugging him. "I know this has to be weird for you-"
"Hey, I'm used to weird, Sachi; I've spent most of my life around your dad, after all," Kunimitsu said, grinning over at Kyo, who rolled his eyes. "And don't worry about it; with any luck, I won't have to do anything," he said, smiling at Kazuma.
Sachiko returned to the other side of the table and wedged herself in between her parents, the one dark cloud in the plan suddenly occurring to her. "So that means...you two will be staying in Hibe?" she asked, suddenly conflicted. She hadn't wanted to leave, not while she was in high school, but afterwards...
Tokyo and Hibe were so very, very far apart.
"We are," Tohru said, taking Sachiko's hand and squeezing it. "And we'll miss you, so much when you go away to university," she said, her eyes tearing up, too. "But we're both so very happy for you, and your future, sweetheart. Truly."
"We are," Kyo agreed. "And let's be honest, Sachi; Hibe suits us a lot better these days than Tokyo ever could. As long as Sensei wants to keep me, I'm gonna stay right where I am," he said, smiling at her. "Though you know we'll always be happy to visit our daughter, the Master of the Sohma Dojo, whenever she's willing to have us."
Sachiko's face broke out once more into a huge, beaming grin.
The Master of the Sohma Dojo...she could get used to the sound of that.
One day, sooner than she'd ever imagined.
