Chapter 17 – An Echo of Presentiment
Kuroji Sat up with a solemn expression, feeling mentally exhausted.
Mu-chan nearly fell off his head as he did so.
"Sorry," he said quickly.
Mu sat silent, composing, then gave the spider equivalent of shrugging. She crawled down off his head, 8 fuzzy legs carefully planting themselves strategically along his back as she made her way to his pillow to steal it, curling up in the warm spot left in its center. Like an arachnidan dog.
He heard some low squeals from downstairs and the sounds of his daughter scolding young Shino-sama. A smile graced his lips. Truly…had it not been for his children, he thought, he would have let himself waste away, dying a slow death…drowning his kikaichu in bitter, sad chakra. But with them to look after, and the responsibility to continue the work of his family line, he was able to live on. It gave him something to live for.
As for the permanence of his black mourning jacket, it was not because he couldn't accept her death. (Truly no one could replace Hamitsu, he would always be affected by her absence) It was in part because it was one way in which he honored her memory. The day of her funeral when that warm rain fell, he could forever be reminded of her when wearing that jacket, how that felt, how he touched her one last time. He accepted it, and embraced it, wearing the mourning jacket also as a badge to show he could never really move on from her, but could live with it and carry it with him.
Satiated, but still exhausted, he laid back down to go to sleep.
Tesuro poked at his snap peas and rice, watching his sister.
Yusuro watched Shino in a similar fashion like her father would do, looming over him like a big black and red pillar with gleaming sunglasses. The size difference between little 3 ½ year old Shino and 18 year old Yusuro being even more striking. Shino picked up a snap pea slowly, watching her, and put it in his mouth. The looming figure didn't move. Then he, thinking himself sly, tossed one up at her without warning. She caught it quite easily. Shino frowned and looked back down at his plastic kiddie bowl.
What is it with kids and me? They don't like me, Yusuro pouted.
"He'll never eat with you lording over him like that." Tesuro said.
"I'm not lording, I'm standing."
"If I was a 3-year old, you'd look pretty intimidating I think." You are only half a foot shorter than dad you know…
"Kids don't like me. That's the problem."
"You going to eat?"
She came and flopped down next to her brother, unclasping her coat's buttons.
"…" Tesuro stared at her.
"…"
"…"
"…"
".."
"What?" She finally said with annoyance.
"I'm worried about father."
"He's fine…let him be." She said with despondent reassurance…and picked up her chopsticks.
Tesuro took a bite of rice.
"He probably fell asleep. Bother him in the morning."
"I know."
KNOCK KNOCK
"Oh thank KAMI." Yusuro got up instantly.
"Konbonwa," She answered the door. Shibi and Kaho walked in, scuffed up a bit from training.
"Good evening to you as well," Kaho nodded, seeing the crib stuck in the living room, "Was he misbehaving?" She went over and looked down at Shino, who smiled.
"Mommy!"
"He was a bit troublesome," Yusuro responded.
"Thank you for watching him," Shibi said.
"Not a problem Shibi-sama."
Kaho picked up Shino and stood him down on the floor, "Get your things." She told him.
The little impish figure nodded, and grabbed his blanket and darted off to retrieve his crayons, papers, and cicada plushie.
"Where is spider-lover?" Shibi asked with jest.
Tesuro and Yusuro feel uneasily silent. The apprehension was so apparent it made their kikaichu rustle with a characteristic sound of the flavor of worried chakra, it was subtle but someone like Shibi could pick it up easily. Shibi blinked, and figured something was the matter.
"Tell him I expect him to train with us next time, we have not done so in a while."
"Yes Shibi-sama." They echoed.
Shino walked up past Kaho and for the door. She followed him, "Thank you Yusuro, Tesuro,"
They bowed. The door closed behind them.
…
…
…
"Hello darkness my old friend…
I've come to talk with you again…
because a vision softly creeping, left it's seeds while I was sleeping…
and the vision…that was planted in my brain…
still remains.
Within the sound…of silence."
Shibi leaned against the doorway, catching Kaho singing in insect language to Shino as she put him to bed.
" People talking without speaking, people hearing without listening.
People writing songs,
that voices never share…
no one dares…disturb the sound…
…of silence."
" Silence like a chorus grows…
hear my words that I might teach you,
take my arms that I might reach you,
but my thoughts like silent raindrops fell…
…and echoed in the words…
…of silence."
His presence was given away as a floorboard creaked softly when he shifted his weight. She turned from the now asleep toddler to see Shibi in the doorway.
"I don't think he needs the song, he's a genius ninja it seems." He whispered.
"It was to lull him to sleep, ever hear of that?"
He watched her.
"You tell me your father sang you that song to instill a certain emotion, to help you learn insect language. Because it speaks of the way it feels, not how it sounds. You were having trouble with it as a child, as I recall?"
"As much trouble as I had early on, by the time I was six I had made up lost time, and could handle it extraordinarily well."
"As expected of a clan heir…" She took him by the arm and led him out so she could close the door.
Speaking normally, they walked back downstairs and sat in the living room.
"Shino receives his kikaichu very soon." Shibi said.
"I am aware."
"And starts school."
"…" Kaho sighed.
"What?"
"Do…Aburame kids get along with the other kids in school?"
"One can only teach their child the best they can and hope for the best."
"Surely you were teased in school as a child. You must know how awful that is."
"As I said, it is not in our control. We do the best we can."
"I just want him to be happy."
"He'll be fine," Shibi leaned over and tried to tame her with a kiss.
She pushed him off playfully, getting up "I think I need more persuading."
He watched her walk back upstairs, and quickly followed.