recountal | reunion;;

reunion;;

Yukimura Residence.
Edo, Japan, January 1864.

[The years have stretched on and on, agonizingly slowly. Part of it is because Chizuru lacks the child-like lack of perspective that makes time fly by so quickly in the earliest years; mostly, it's because the Nagumo are so very cruel. Time flies when one is having fun, but among that clan...

This is the first opportunity she's had in years to even consider a visit to Edo, and though she might pay for it later, she doesn't care. There's something she has to do here, and so here she is, dressed in the finery one would expect of the wife of the young master of the Nagumo. Perhaps it's strange, to see such a finely-dressed young lady in front of the humble Yukimura clinic.

She doesn't care. She just doesn't care.

She is stopped, outside the house, because it's both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. The house looks mostly the same, but the subtle differences, are they there because it's not her that's living there? All the touches of a young woman are gone. Chizuru has never lived here, but Kaoru has, and -

The differences are Kaoru's touch. That eases the knot of tension in her gut the slightest bit and gives her the courage to move forward, to call into the house as though she's a patient and this is a perfectly normal visit.]

Excuse me? I was wondering if perhaps I might speak with Yukimura-sensei...

[He won't be here. She's sure he won't, sure she's remembered the timing because her memories are all that's gotten her through the years at the hands of those horrible people, but that's okay. He isn't the one she is here to see.

She's depending on the fact that it will be Kaoru who will answer her call.]

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[yes that is exactly what it is, it's a long scrawling note confessing deep admiration for the 5'2" squirrely loser that runs a podunk medical clinic while his dad is gone.

actually, the only things written on it appear to be a time and a place. the script is tidy; Chizuru will likely recognize it from when Kaoru had to write his own alibi. penmanship is apparently still a talent that he possesses...]

Edited 2014-06-13 05:33 (UTC)

...

[She commits the time and place to memory, before folding it back up just as it was and sliding it back into the vase. Hopefully it's nothing - but if it's something clandestine enough that he hadn't wanted anyone to see it... she worries it has to do with the ochimizu.

For now, she'll get back to cooking - but she has every intention of going to that place at that time, if circumstances allow it.]

[SHE'S IN LUCK since it's later at night - 11 PM - and the location is very near, too.

and about forty-five minutes later, Kaoru trundles back into the house. he has several bags in his arms which rustle loudly, likely heralding his arrival before he even opens his mouth.]

I'm back. Please excuse me for making you wait, Nagumo-san.

[the sound of the door closing follows soon after, and his shoes noisily clattering to the floor as he takes them off and brushes them to the side with a foot.]

[45 minutes later, Chizuru has already laid out a delicious and nutritious meal of fish, pickled vegetables, and of course rice... There's tea ready, too! In fact, she's just setting down the last cup as Kaoru enters the house.]

Yukimura-san!

[She beams.] No, you didn't make me wait at all. Let me help you with the groceries...

[And she'll pad on out to take some of those bags from him!]

Was it a good trip?

Oh, thank you— [he shifts his hold on the bags so that the lighter ones are being held out. it certainly wouldn't do to overwork a guest, okay...! even though just... having her clear out her own room and cook is probably already overworking. HE'S SORRY.

but he'll wander in after her to put the rest of the bags down, distracted once he sees the meal that's been set out. almost as soon a that happens, his stomach growls in a seemingly reflexive measure. EMBARRASSING. his cheeks flush...]

...My apologies.

[this is probably literally the best meal he's had in like years okay, these losers can't fend for themselves at all...]

You don't have anything to apologize for.

[She smiles and gestures at the table.] Please, take a seat. You must have been hard at work before I arrived... isn't that the case?

[Yes, no, maybe so - it doesn't really matter. Regardless of what his answer is, she's going to urge him to sit and eat. Once he's taken a seat, she'll sit down as well, across from him.] I hope the food is to your liking. It's been some time since I cooked...

Ah— Well... there haven't been many patients here lately.

[despite the fact that his tone sounds uncertain, the look on his face is strangely difficult to read. nothing about it seems off, exactly... it just appears to be placid to the point of being hard to see through.

either way, he doesn't linger on that for long. instead, he tucks himself up at the table - which she likely would have also been able to tell has been left unused for quite a while - and surveys the food with a look of quiet appreciation.]

I'm sure that it will be, Nagumo-san. I'm very grateful that you were kind enough to do this in the first place. [folding his hands together, he dips his head a little in a polite bow.] Thank you.

Edited 2014-06-13 07:19 (UTC)

Ah?

[She tilts her head to one side. Well - if Kaoru's father is in Kyoto as he was when he was pretending to be Chizuru's father, of course there woudn't be. The influx of patients had slowed to a trickle then, too. But still, it does seem as though Kaoru is much more involved with the business than she ever was, so she wouldn't be surprised if a patient came to see him every so often.]

Mm. You're welcome. Um... [She hides a smile behind one hand.] ...it feels nice... to be able to make something like this for someone who appreciates it.

So, thank you, too. You've done me a favor.

[he seems keen on leaving that particular line of discussion behind, moving on to the next part seamlessly and with a polite but genuinely pleased-looking smile.]

Then it looks like we've helped each other out, right? [but he'll clasp his hands together after that, dip his head and give the proper thanks, and then reach over to pick up some of the pickled vegetables. after that, it's a small piece of fish. he's taking polite portions even though he is VERY HUNGRY so as not to disturb his poor guest...]

—These are very good... I almost can't believe that this is the first time you've cooked in a while, Nagumo-san.

Edited 2014-06-13 08:45 (UTC)

[SUSPICIOUS... but she is easily distracted by that smile because wow, that sure is her brother looking genuinely happy, she doesn't see that every day. She sure doesn't want to ruin that, so she'll just smile in return!]

It seems that we have. I hope we can go on helping each other, Yukimura-san.

[And her cheeks flush a little at the compliment.]

Oh no, um... It's simply a skill that you never really forget once you've picked it up... I think.

Mm, I hope so, too.

[wow, all of this genuine sentiment!! granted, it was pretty difficult for most people to tell that he wasn't being genuine back in the life he had lived before... but there does seem to be a warmth present now that Kaoru was never fully capable of capturing before, no matter how perfect his mimicries were.

he delicately picks another piece of fish out, but pauses before he takes a bite, looking curious.]

Is that so? I guess something like that could come in handy, at least... Never forgetting how to cook once you learn, I mean.

When you do certain things often enough, they just... stay with you!

[She beams, obviously delighted; the truth of the matter is, cooking is one of the other ways she can feel connected to the Shinsengumi even though chances are she'll never see any of them again. When she prepares a meal, it brings back so many memories of preparing meals for those men.

But that, too, is part of the bargain. Her brother's safety in exchange for the life she used to lead.]

I'm sure it's the same with Yukimura-san. Maybe not cooking, but even so... everyone has at least one skill like that.

[that actually has him lapsing into a thoughtful silence for a second, though he's still smiling. he picks up his bowl of rice, but doesn't actually eat anything from it yet.]

Hm... Do you think so? A skill like that? [...honestly, he can't... actually think of one. not that he's ever particularly excelled at any one thing - he hasn't, not really. he's all right with housework and he can at least cook decently enough so that he doesn't give himself food poisoning. his medical skills are fine enough to treat things that aren't too complex... but these aren't things that really take a lot of thought to begin with, medicine aside. even that's just a bunch of memorization.]

I wonder what mine is. Maybe I just haven't found it yet? [learning a skill in the future and having it become something that he never forgets again wouldn't be too bad, he thinks.]

I do think so.

[It is, perhaps, one of the more obviously sincere things she's said so far; the castle had given her faith in her brother before she knew he was her brother, and that faith had been tested but not shattered when her memories returned. She wholly believes in his abilities.]

It takes time. No one is born knowing exactly what it is they're going to be good at. [She smiles.] That's why you take as many chances as you can to try new things... right?

["chizuru said i could be anything i set my mind to so i somehow ended up dealing with ochimizu again" SORRY CHIZURU...

but he's mentally running down a list of things he thinks he might be good at, or might become good at, and it seems like his already bright mood is brightening even further. he taps his chopsticks against the side of his bowl, apparently satisfied with whatever conclusion he's drawn.]

That does make sense. I think that I have a little catching up to do in that case, though... [his work takes up a lot of his time, after all. hobbies aren't really something that he has.] As soon as I get the time, I think I'll give a few things a try.

[nOT WHAT SHE HAD IN MIND

Ochimizu dealing notwithstanding, seeing that expression on Kaoru's face makes everything Chizuru has gone through so far - the years in Tosa, the long trip here, and then the hurried preparations for food - worth it. If she can just hold the memory of that smile close to her heart, even if she has to return to the Nagumo family... she can bear it.

She just has to be sure that his father hasn't involved him in something that could lead to tragedy, before she goes.]

If you'd like to take some time to try new things while I'm here, I don't mind. [HE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WORKING ALL THE TIME... she doesn't mind staying a little longer...] Perhaps we could try something together?

[CHIZURU... just move in, gosh. throw a murder tantrum and accidentally the entire Nagumo clan, it sure worked for him.]

Ah... [at first hE LOOKS EXCITED but then the look shifts into one of mild guilt instead. he should probably not take a patient up on the offer when he's already going to be taking a long time to fill the prescription... granted, based on the small amount he's heard from her alone, maybe going back is something that she's trying to avoid.]

I wouldn't want to waste any of your time, but... [is there a delicate way to try asking for some middle-ground compromise??]

...I wouldn't think of it as a waste, though.

[In fact, she really can't think of anything she would rather do than get to spend some time with Kaoru doing things like normal siblings. While it is true that she would love to see the Shinsengumi (and especially Okita) again - the fact of the matter is the members of the Shinsengumi have each other for support; Kaoru never had anyone, until his life was changed. He's had Kodou in this life, but now Kodou is in Kyoto (or elsewhere, she isn't entirely sure where he is at this exact moment) and while Kaoru may or may not have friends around here, she'd... prefer to be able to see that he's living his life peacefully with her own eyes.

And maybe it's selfish of her, but she wants some peaceful time with her twin before she returns to Tosa, too. Even if it means she doesn't get her medication quite as quickly. As long as she has it before her husband sends people out here to track her down -

As long as lingering doesn't put Kaoru in danger... she wants to spend as much time with him as she can.] In fact, I think I would really enjoy it.

[that seems to be all of the reassurance that he needs, really. he's doing much better in this version of reality than he had been doing in the one Chizuru changed, but he still doesn't really have many friends because he has to dedicate so much of his time to work. he doesn't mind it, really, but it can get a little lonely and leaves him kind of hungry for company. his expression lights up a little, but it's clear he's trying to temper it somewhat.]

I wouldn't mind, then... As long as it isn't burdensome to you. [really, he knows he should be expediting her medicine, but... the temptation to do otherwise is pretty strong.

maybe a little time off couldn't hurt...

but something seems to strike his memory after that, and he looks toward the window with a little jolt.]

Ah - it's been such a long time since I've had a meal with someone that I lost track of the hour.

[She giggles lightly.]

It isn't burdensome in the slightest.

[When he looks toward the window, though, she blinks; a moment later she brings a hand up to cover her mouth and leans forward, looking concerned.]

...I'm sorry... have I kept you from something important? [There is that meeting he has, she supposes - but as far as he knows she doesn't know about it.] ...if you would like, I could clean up so that you can go... I don't want to keep you from it if you had plans before I arrived.

[WOW WHAT A SNEAKY SNEAK. this Kaoru doesn't seem to notice that she could be lying at all...]

It isn't anything important. [a smile! though something about it seems a little less bright than his ones up to this point had been. he shifts where he sits, tapping his chopsticks against the side of his dish again. this time, it seems more like a nervous gesture.]

Ah... Well - I really would hate for you to have to do all the work for the meal and then clean up after, so you don't need to. I shouldn't take too long, but you can go to sleep if you want, or use the bath.

...ah, but! You've been hard at work all day, even before I got here.

[She notices that nervous gesture; it either has to do with what he has to go to that meeting for, or being worried he won't have enough time to get everything put away... most likely the first, but she'll act as though he thinks it's the second.]

I don't mind cleaning up. And it will be good for me to get used to putting things away, if I'll be cooking again while I'm here. [She smiles.] I can bathe and sleep afterward. Please don't feel as though you have to clean up the mess I made in the kitchen.

[She didn't make a mess at all. She cleaned as she was preparing. It's literally just the dishes from this meal that she has to put away, but still...]

[he seems guilty to let her go, though!! he hesitates and hems and haws for a few seconds more, shifting his bowl around a little on the table before decisively picking it up and moving to stand.]

I'll at least clean up my own dishes, then. Really, a guest shouldn't have to do any work at all. I haven't been a very good host and it hasn't even been a full day yet. [FAILURE AT THE HOST GAME.

he'll also pick up his plate and put his other two bowls on top of that before turning to head into the kitchen.]

No, please..! It's not as simple as me being a guest. [She'll start gathering up her own dishes and the serving bowls, then... and will follow him into the kitchen!] You're doing me the favor of allowing me to stay here while you also do me another favor of helping me with my medicine...

[So she should at least cook and clean and do something to help lighten the burden, she thinks!]

I think you've been a very kind and very accommodating host, Yukimura-san. [She smiles.] Truly.

[THAT IS STILL BASICALLY BEING A GUEST IN HIS MIND!! she'll never be able to convince him otherwise, okay. anyway, he'll wash his dishes out but just kind of leave them in a neat stack on the counter with the intent of returning to them later. for now, he's in a bit of a time crunch.]

Ah... Thank you for thinking so. I'd still like to be able to do a little more for you as the host. [a brief smile!] Anyway - thank you for all of the help so far, too. I'll make you breakfast tomorrow to make up for it.

[but he's already starting to ease out of the kitchen and head toward the door GOTTA GO FAST]

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