It was… liberating in a sense. Toshi never thought he could sing as loud as he did, as well as he could. But, the music flowed out of him, the brothers kept pace and yet… why were they all smiling the way they were?
They did a song called The Dead Heart by Alexisonfire. Toshi hit every note right and yet… when the song ended, the brothers kept smiling at him. "What?" he asked innocently.
"You didn't feel it?" Junpei asked.
Toshi… took a moment. Did he feel it?
There was more to this than what was being asked…
"The synergy between us, as brothers!" Eso explained. "We get that when we play, our energy syncs in a sense, did you not feel it?"
It took him aback a little. Toshi's face flushed red with embarrassment.
"Tanso's right…" came a defeated sigh from Junpei.
Toshi turned and saw the words just heal over on Tanso's chest. 'Ease up, it was his first time playing, and his first time experiencing the brother connection!'
"I'm sorry I didn't feel it, at least, I don't think I did… I'll do better to do so."
"It takes some time, but you'll get there. I know, personal experience talking here." Junpei explained. "But you sounded great! If anything, we ought to have you as an opening acting!"
"Maybe not… let's just keep this between brothers for now, okay?" he asked innocently enough.
They smirked and nodded. "Fine, but sooner than later, your ass is going on stage with us!" decreed Noranso.
"By the way, do you play anything?" asked Kotsuso.
Toshi turned red again. "I actually use to play the shamisen." He said meekly. "Family made me do it, but… I did enjoy it. I was good at it."
"Funny, don't we have one of those? Didn't Suiryu want to try it or something but got board?" asked Eso.
"Who knows with him, Suiryu liked to buy stuff at random," Junpei replied. But Noranso appeared to know what he was talking about, he went to the left side of the room where they kept other instruments and found it. "Wanna play a little for us, let's see how good you are!"
He accept.
Toshi got himself comfortable, he tested the shamisen and tuned it a little. When he was ready, he began to play.
His eyes closed, Toshi lost himself in the instrument. It was one of his few escapes he had in the clan, no one played it as good as he did, as well. Since it was considered a 'dignified hobby' he was permitted to continue it.
His hands were fast and furious, the pace steady, smooth and yet upbeat as he continued to work the three strings in his possession.
When he finished, he peered about and saw the brothers had froze. "Whoa…" whispered Junpei. "That thing is not easy to play either."
"That was very enjoyable…"
Everyone paused and turned to see Choso lingering. "I enjoyed that very much."
Toshi smiled to him. "It's one of the few releases I had in the clan. I could play this like no one was watching. I didn't think I would pick it up again so soon."
"Makes me wonder if Sukuna ever played…" snickered Noranso.
The brother giggled on the notion, but Toshi was curious too, did someone like him listen and play music?
Perhaps it would be a question to ask later, or if he is ever in a good mood.
Speaking of which…
"Thank you for today, but I better go to the brewery to check on things." The brother nodded and let him go, however there was a commotion when he arrived.
"It was an honest mistake!"
"LIKE HELL IT WAS A MISTAKE!"
Toshi froze, he felt that in his gut that something was off, at the same time, different emotions started to flood him oddly.
"I didn't think it would upset you so much, it was just ONE bottle"
Toshi walked in on Yua and Sukuna arguing, which normally… never happens. Yua is rather quick to shut him up, but today… he was adamant that she was in the wrong.
However, these emotions he's feeling right now, doesn't explain the anger he is unleashing.
"That bottle, was from MY personal stash!" he said venomously. "Who gave you the right to take it?"
"I admit, I am in the wrong here. But don't you think the bottle went to a worthy cause? Considering all the other time you have bought sake from him?"
Curious.
Toshi cleared his voice, which made the two pause. "What?!" Sukuna demanded of him.
"I… just walked in, what happened?"
Yua sighed and explained that she took one of Sukuna's bottles of home brewed sake to the brewer who lives in the village as a token of thanks. "I buy from him all the time, Sukuna drinks it all the time, and considering all the booze I have bought for YOU, you get pissed off over ONE BOTTLE!"
Toshi then realized what bottle was given away.
"Uh… Yua… it didn't happen to have a label on it? Riverside robust?"
"Yes, it did, why?"
"I KNEW IT!"
"Uh… that was the last one we had of our first sake brews that we aged in the river. Sukuna's preferred batch, he was saving that one for a celebration…"
Suddenly, Yua froze.
"It… was the last bottle? I thought… it was next to all the other ones…"
"I mark the ones I like… and only the ONES I like, I don't mark one and fill a shelf. That's stupid!" Sukuna said with a snarl to his voice. "You… OWE me,"
She sighed aloud. "Maybe… I can get it back. Let me go try…"
"Don't try… GET IT BACK!"
Sukuna stormed off shortly after, pissed that his last good bottle of sake was gone. Yua was rather disappointed in herself. "The one time I mess up…" she said.
"But it's still one time and around him, I think that a rather good track record." Toshi said offhandedly. "Let me go with you, in fact, let me bring some other bottles, perhaps we can trade for it back."
She agreed, or else there is going to be one pissed off king of curses around here…
#
They arrived at the sake shop, and yet, the place was oddly packed.
"I want some! Sell me some! One glass!"
"What on earth…" Yua muttered. She kept back due to the crowds and her condition, Toshi was able to push his way in and saw these men clamoring over the table of the brew master. He saw in his hands the bottle of Sukuna's sake, but it was already empty.
"I'm sold out! Sorry!" the man finally shouted.
Peering about, Toshi found these were well to do businessmen. Then again, this place can be a tourist spot as well. Yet soon, the storeowner noticed him and the bottles in hand. "Young man… that's not my product!" he protested.
Toshi sighed with defeat. "No… they are not… actually, I was hoping to trade you for the bottle you just sold out of… you see, my… friend and I brewed that one and it's his favorite…"
Suddenly, piercing glares came all around him. "You… and your friend are brew masters?!"
"It's more of a hobby…"
"Young man…. What's in your hands there?" one of the patriots asked.
Peering down, Toshi realized he had five bottles with him. "Oh these… well, these are the other sakes we have made, they aren't as good as the one the owner had but…"
"Sell me the bottles! All five!"
"Uh…"
"No sell them to me, name your price!"
"But…"
"What do you want for five bottles!?"
"I…"
"Those five are Tokubetsu style sake, high grade and high priced…"
Toshi froze as he saw Sukuna lingering in the doorway. "You drank the last of my favorite brew, this is all we got left because of that," he muttered bitterly. "All five I won't sell for any less than 20,000 yen per bottle!"
There came a moment of pause, that was a rather high price if one considers it, from a no name brewer and yet… money was shoved into Toshi's face!
"Sold!" one man shouted. "Take it! Take it all, I want them!"
Sukuna grabbed the money as the man took the bottles from Toshi.
"Do… you have more of those? We will buy them!"
"Tch, I'll see, this is time consuming…" Sukuna muttered. "Let's go." He said to Toshi.
They managed to get out of the store, however getting back home is not going to be simple. Yua was even surprised to see Sukuna had made his way out here for his sake, however, the result of him being here… startled Toshi a little.
Not to mention, his emotions are all over the place!
'How does Choso do this?' Toshi thought to himself.
"We work double time at the brewery now, I want to replace what was lost. Tooru, when you are no longer pregnant, you are working off that bottle!"
She paused oddly for a moment. "Pardon me?" she asked of him rather bluntly. "I made a mistake, I admit that. But you can't let it go despite what I have done for you?" she snapped back. "I'll work off my debt, fine, but next time, remember what has been done for you in the mean time you ungrateful ass!"
"Tch, pregnant women are moody…"