Kuroda rushed forward to catch his granddaughter if she fell, Shin not far behind. But Kumiko recovered quickly, and instead almost pounced on Shin, both elated at her former students return but also furious that he had not told her before simply showing up. "Sawada! How is it that you are here?!" Kumiko felt the need to insert other interrogatives, but couldn't squeeze them out. She felt breathless. "Why… When..?!" Now Kuroda was occupied with keeping her off Sawada. He was fairly certain that she would shake Sawada to death.
"Kumiko! Please stop trying to attack Sawada!" Her grandfather was losing his hold around Kumiko. Sawada was keeping a moderate distance, but Kumiko would cross that in a heart beat. Slowly, Kumiko relaxed, and regained her breath. Kuroda let go, and sat back down on his cushion. Realizing it might be a few minutes before dinner could begin, Kuroda called out toward the kitchen. "Tetsu! Please tell everyone it will be a few minutes before we can have dinner." A muffled response came from the dining room, and then a much louder groan from Minoru.
The two sat down, Kumiko on the cushion Sawada had previously occupied, and Sawada on the floor. Kuroda thought better of remaining in the room, and he quietly excused himself to deal with Minoru. Kumiko had only slightly relaxed, and was bombarding him with questions. Sawada attempted to answer those questions, but the flood prevented most of his words.
"And what about when you came back? Where did you fly from, how long was it? Where did you travel? How did you manage to stay healthy? Did you get sick at all? How are the natives? What's it like to build a well? How long did you stay everywhere?" Eventually the endless train came to a halt, and Kumiko regained a bit of her composure. "You know… I am really happy to see you Sawada. After all, you were one of my first and best students." Sawada bowed to her compliment.
He looked up and met her eyes, smiling. "I'm happy to be back… Yankumi…" He squeezed the last words out with slight difficulty, but she did not notice. The eyes of the Oedo henchmen watched from an open window, Tetsu twitching slightly. "I thought it was time. Africa taught me a lot, but it was time to come back to my home." He looked up and toward the open window, everyone disappearing except Minoru. A bodiless hand reached up and pulled his head down, and he disappeared as well. Sawada could not help but laugh.
To which Kumiko spun around toward the open window, lunged at the sill, and pulled all four of the men up and almost all the way into the room. "How can you spy on me?!" She swatted them all across the head, and threw them to the ground. Sawada was always amazed by how strong Kumiko was for her tiny frame. He had made it a goal not to fight with her. "All of you, go sit in the dining room, and none of you get meat!" Minoru audibly whimpered, and Kumiko smacked him across the forehead for good measure.
They all disappeared back into the dining room, and Kumiko sat down on the pillow again. "Perhaps we should go eat Ku… Yankumi?" Sawada bowed slightly, indicating it was up to her to decide. The henchman wouldn't mind a reason to come back and watch again. At the very least Tetsu would have to return.
Again, Kumiko paid no attention to Sawada's naming mishap; rather she made a bolt for the dining room. She was starving, and hot pot was waiting. Sawada followed behind her, motioned toward a seat next to Kuroda and Kumiko.
The traditional hot pot feast was laid out in front of everyone, the large soup pot simmering on a warmer, and meats and veggies on plates as well as floating inside. Kuroda handed Sawada a bowl full of stock, salmon, and cabbage. Minoru, despite Ojou's forbiddance, was fishing around for meat, and Tetsu had snuck a few pieces. Kumiko knew it, but she didn't feel the need to take vengeance. The henchmen needed their strength.
For the first few minutes everyone was silent, enjoying the warming stock. Often, Sawada would loose himself in thought sitting at this table. The brief bickering between Minoru and Tetsu, Kuroda pouring sake for his granddaughter and visa versa, and the serene traditional Japanese room and table, it all lulled Sawada into a familiar happiness. This was more than he ever had, even as a child.
Kumiko moved her hand in front of Sawada's eyes, reeling him back into reality. "Did you hear me Sawada?" He shook his head slightly. "Ah, Sawada, you never did pay attention." She laughed, "Would you come speak at school? During a home room… or something like that." Shin was taken slightly aback. The idea of talking to Kumiko's students seemed slightly jarring. Had it really been that long since he was in school that he could command their respect? Not to mention that they were Kumiko's students.
"Maybe…" If he did it, it would only be for Kumiko's sake. "I have a lot to worry about right now." Kumiko nodded, but still looked hopeful, as if there were no question that he would do it for her sake sometime very soon. And she was right. Sawada would do it, even though she didn't know exactly way.
"Having the kids from their first year is completely different from starting with the third. They still fight, but the school has calmed down, or at least my class has." Kumiko had her eyes set on the other two D groups. She couldn't teach them all at the same time, but she could try to inspire the others. "I'm trying to branch out, but Kurogin is just like Shirokin, but maybe that's because of Sawatari. He never learns." Kumiko thoughtfully ate a bit of rice, and then pictured Sawatari actually having faith in her class. A sigh indicated she knew how completely unlikely that was.
The rest of dinner was spent discussing Kuroda's plans for the family, the successes with the takayoki shop, and other such endeavors. Sano listened quietly; he had never heard much about the family business. Kuroda was a savvy business man, and a power in his own right, but he never struck Sawada as cut throat. That seemed a key ingredient to a high ranking Yakuza family.
But if he had the same manner as Kumiko, reserved, but capable of great feats of violence, that would certainly explain things. Again, Sawada was lost in thought, but the hot pot had all but emptied, so Kumiko and Kuroda allowed him to stay trapped in thought. It helped that Sawada had eaten all he could possibly want. His stomach was still small after Africa. A bowl full of rice and a piece of fruit was more than he needed for any meal. Kuma and Ami had both commented on his tiny portions at breakfast.
Tetsu and Minoru began clearing the table, Kuroda sitting back and reading the last few articles in the paper, and Kumiko was getting ready to move into the sitting room to grade papers. She tapped Sawada on the shoulder. "Would you mind helping me for awhile Sawada?"
Shin considered. It wasn't very late yet, but it was definitely far colder now. If he stayed much longer, the sweatshirt wouldn't stop him from freezing. He didn't have the money for a taxi ride, but there were buses. And this was Kumiko; he could suffer awhile for Kumiko. "Yeah, I can help you for a bit."
The sitting room had been tidied up since they had left it before dinner. Kumiko set down her bag filled with papers on the small table, and grabbed two cushions from the cabinet. Sawada sat down on the cushion she did not occupy, and looked over a few of the papers already on the table. "I've been asking them to write down schools they'd like to visit. Both high schools and colleges." She pulled out Kiyoru's sheet. He was being the most resistant to her ideas right now, which was unexpected. "This is my best student right now…" She handed the sheet to Sawada who glanced over the paper. "It's kind of surprising that he isn't willing to do this. Everyone else has expressed interest in a school to visit, either because they have friends there, or because it would be a day away from Kurogin, expect for Kiyoru…" Kumiko leaned against the table, folding her arms together.
Sawada set the paper amid the others, and looked over at her. A few strands of hair were hanging over her eyes; he denied the impulse to brush them away. "Perhaps he doesn't want to risk the peace in the class…" He could remember the first months when 3-D had relaxed slightly in Kumiko's presence. There were always tensions trying to break, but somehow she had kept the peace. From her near resignation to the weeks before graduation, Sawada could remember 3-D almost being productive. But even she hadn't stopped all of their fights. If this Kiyoru was anything like Sawada, he was wary of the stresses under the surface.
"But everyone is getting along now…" Kumiko tucked the strands behind her ears, and looked back at Shin. "How could it be bad to visit new places together…?" She trusted the bonds of friendship everyone had made since the year began.
Sawada looked back towards the sheets of paper. "Well, consider this…Yankumi. Some of the students have friends at other schools. That alienates parts of the class. And some of those schools don't get along with others. I'm sure Kiyoru is worried about that. Any class leader would be." He leaned back, and focused his attention on the ceiling.
The argument Sawada posed for Kumiko sunk in slowly. "I guess that's true." But Kumiko didn't say much more. They sat quietly together for awhile, Sawada thinking about the things he needed to do, and Kumiko flipping through the sheets of paper. Outside, the weather was turning worse. Sawada looked out the nearest window, and realized it would probably start snowing shortly. "Well… Yankumi, I believe I should be going. It's looking a bit like snow and I have to get to Kuma's." He stood up, and bowed toward her. Kumiko nodded and walked with him to the door.
"Well, if you need a place to stay, our home is open to you Sawada." He nodded and collected his belongings, storing his favorite slippers in the same spot. "I'll come to Kuma's shop soon, and you better be ready to talk to my class." Kumiko gave him a smile, and Sawada stepped out into the cold. Sure enough, it was beginning to snow, but it was so cold the flakes were minuscule. He slid down the walkway, and suddenly realized his real challenge would be ice.
There were no lights moving along the street outside. Sawada examined the road, and it was covered with black ice. The temperature had dropped so much after sun down that everything was crystallized. This did not bode well for his trip home. He flipped the hood on his sweatshirt up, and began the half mile to a viable bus stop.
About a quarter of a mile in, Sawada was beginning to take serious notice of no cars going by. Even if it was cold, one should have passed by now, unless something was going on. Sawada did not like his chances for a bus. One of those should have definitely gone by. He turned, and looked down the direction he had come from. A fine layer of snow had coated the road. No lights other than the street lights. Despite an instinct to return, Sawada kept going. Ahead, he could see the bus stop. No one was waiting, and he hadn't seen anyone. Sawada was wholly alone.
This particular bus stop was not covered. He attempted to conserve his body heat, but it wasn't very effective. The minutes passed, and the ultimate fact that a bus was not coming was setting in. After ten minutes, police lights lit the distance. Sawada looked in that direction, confused, but pleased that something was happening. The car approached slowly, skating along the ice.
"Sir, what are you doing out here?" The policeman peered up and out his window. "There are no more buses running because of the ice." Sawada nodded. No surprise there. "Do you need a ride?" He examined Sawada with regarded suspicion. Anyone outside in such light clothing had to be some sort of social radical. "I can take you if it's in the neighborhood, or I can send someone for you…"
"No… I can walk." Sawada was just as wary of policemen as this policeman was of him. "You need to finish your rounds." The policeman nodded, rolling the window back up. He turned up the heat in the car, and started to skid along the road, attempting to resume his patrol. That was of great amusement to Sawada, but he was too preoccupied to laugh. Kuma's was too far to walk, and he had no money for a hotel. That left Kumiko's. He knew this was going to happen, but he didn't want to impose on them the first time he saw the Oedo family again.
He watched the police car finally catch, and began driving away. Sawada looked back the way he came, and began the trek. A few times he almost lost his footing, and ended up skating back to Kumiko's. It was getting fairly late, and though the entrance hadn't been closed, most of the lights inside were off. The policeman was right, it was getting far colder.
Minoru appeared outside, sweeping the walk, and porch. Slowly he moved down toward the street, clearing the snow and dirt, and preparing to close the gate for the night. "Oh… Sawada, what are you doing here?" He noticed the young man standing just outside. Minoru leaned his broom against the fence, and pulled Sawada inside for another hug.
Sawada laughed a little, and returned the hug. "There are no busses running, and I can't walk all the way back to Kuma's." Minoru nodded. When alone, the bumbling giant seemed much sharper.
"Just go in, Kumiko is asleep, but Kuroda is still in the sitting room. He'll give you a place to sleep." Sawada nodded and stepped back onto the porch. Minoru resumed sweeping, and closed the gate. Shin observed him for a minute, and then stepped back through the threshold. Only one light was on inside and Shin had difficulty navigating through the hallways. Kuroda was still reading the paper when Sawada finally reached him.
"I wondered why Minoru was making so much noise. I doubted whether or not you had managed the last bus Sawada." The radio played softly in the background. "They closed the roads about 20 minutes ago." Kuroda set another cushion out for Sawada. "Or do you want to sleep?"
"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to turn in for the day. I should get up early tomorrow so I can get back to Kuma's." Kuroda nodded and pointed him in the direction of a guest bedroom.
"But you only get to sleep here on the guarantee you will join us for breakfast in the morning." Kuroda followed the young man through the room with his eyes. Sawada nodded and bowed to his mentor of sorts.
The room he came to he had slept in many times before. He dropped his bag on the floor, and nearly fell onto the mat, feeling his body pulling toward sleep. With a good deal of effort, he pulled out his journal, and wrote a bit more about the day before falling dead asleep, his pen leaking the last drops of ink onto the page. Written in his journal, scribbled in Bambara, were the words 'I would spend every breakfast…'