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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[it's... sad. looking this woman directly in the eyes makes him feel strangely sad, and he isn't sure why, but it bothers him and that reflects on his face.

however, any distraction immediately seems to fade away as soon as she states her problem and reason for visiting. his brow furrows upward in an expression of sympathetic concern - and it's all real, because this Kaoru, the Kaoru that Chizuru had protected, has been able to grow up without his kindness being twisted to the point that it became unrecognizable, thorny and broken and a far cry from anything actually kind.]

I won't refuse it, but... I've never had to make anything like that, either. I'll see what I can do, but it may take me a while...

[he trails off, glancing to the side at the stacks of papers there. he seems to be considering something, but after a few seconds, he fixes his attention on Chizuru again with a determined look.]

How far have you traveled to get here, out of curiosity?

[She bows to him deeply when he says he won't refuse her request - and while there are many things about her that may not seem entirely sincere now, after so many years with the Nagumo, the sheer amount of gratitude and relief in her voice when she thanks him is entirely genuine.]

That you're willing to help me at all, Yukimura-san... I truly appreciate it. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

[She starts to raise herself from the bow gracefully, but is actually caught by surprise when he returns his attention to her, and can't hide an expression of slight confusion when she answers.]

Ah? From... From Tosa Domain. [It's a long trip, to be sure - but she would have made it regardless, because seeing her brother again is worth it. Also worth it is avoiding the ninja that are at the disposal of the demons who are assisting them. She's sure that, once she's missed, they'll be sent to discover her whereabouts, but being so far away now means she has a little bit more freedom to do as she pleases without people keeping tabs on her.]

[at the genuine thanks, Kaoru offers an equally genuine smile. it doesn't seem like it would be doing a whole lot and he still isn't even sure he can manage it, but he'll surely do his best.]

It's the job of an apprentice to help, isn't it?

[upon having his assumption confirmed, he nods to himself once.]

Right... That's a trip. If you don't have an inn room booked yet, you can stay here. I can't say how long it might take me to finish this, but it would be inconvenient for you to have come all the way here just to pay boarding fees, right? I'll try not to take longer than a week, but it depends on how quickly I can get into contact with the right people...

[When he makes the offer, Chizuru's eyes go wide.

It's more than she could ever have hoped for. The chance to stay here again - in the house that feels like home, alongside the brother she worked so hard to save... even if it's only temporary, she wants it. She's far enough away from Tosa and the Nagumo clan is so busy that, perhaps, her absence won't be noticed for a few days; the ninja in the Tosa domain's employ aren't demons... even if it were to take Kaoru a week, that should be enough time for her to spend some time here and get to know Kaoru, before it could be reported back.

But if the Nagumo clan were to ever discover where she is, who she was spending her time with, and what Kaoru was doing for her... her stomach churns at the thought of them turning their wrath upon him, just because she was selfish and wanted to see him again.]

Yukimura-san is a very kind person, to make such an offer... But, I... [It's true she hasn't made her arrangements at an inn yet, but she did bring money to do so. And it's much, much safer for Kaoru if he has no reason to wind up on the radar of the Nagumo.] ...I don't wish to impose. I'm already asking you to go out of your way for me, as it is.

[IT'S CLEARLY HIS DESTINY TO WIND UP ON THE RADAR OF THE NAGUMO

that is, he simply shakes his head once in response to her polite decline - or semi-decline, really. it doesn't have nearly enough spirit in it for him to believe that she really wants to find herself an inn. he assumes it's because she doesn't want to spend the extra money if she can avoid it, which he thinks is sensible. something anyone would do, surely.]

It isn't imposing. I really don't mind it. Besides, if you stay here, then we won't have to worry about accidentally missing each other if anything important comes up, right? By working closely together, we can get this finished faster. ...Most likely, anyway.

[the last part is spoken as a gentle jest. an attempt to lighten the mood a little, maybe.]

[Selflessness and selfishness are at war with each other within Chizuru, and in the end, selfishness wins out. She's had so little happiness over the years - surely it isn't asking too much to allow herself this, however fleeting it might be. It's been so many years since she's had any sort of happiness at all that didn't come from the memories she's clung to so tightly.

She'll never have the chance to see Okita and the Shinsengumi again, but she has the opportunity to spend a few days with Kaoru. She can't pass that up.

One hand comes up to her mouth to hide the twitch of her lips into a smile at his joke.]

If you truly don't mind... Then I will accept your offer, Yukimura-san. Please, allow me to pay you what I would have spent to stay at an inn.

[seemingly satisfied with the fact that she's taken up his offer, Kaoru's smile grows just a little.]

That isn't necessary. Please consider it an apology for forcing you to wait for so long... [even if a week is rushing it in medical terms, he knows well that it's a pretty long wait. even patient people start running out of their patience after a while of dealing with "not yet, not yet" from a doctor - he's seen it enough to know that it's very true.]

Ah... Well, I'll need to clean the room a little, first. But you're welcome to it, and to any food in the kitchen. Please consider my home your own for the week, Nagumo-san.

Oh, no..! A week really... [Her voice falters, and she looks down.] ...isn't that long at all...

[It's such a short time. A single week - if that, because if the medicine is finished more quickly, she'll have no reason to stay - and then it's back to the Nagumo, back to false smiles and niceties and pressure and she knows she probably has it easier than Kaoru ever did, but it's still difficult to bear, and having experienced it herself... she's proud of him for having been so strong. There have been times when she's wanted to give up, and only the thought that her brother is safe has been enough to keep her going.

At please consider my home your own she can't help it; her eyes fill with tears. To disguise it, she looks down demurely and puts a hand over her chest.] Mm. While I'm here, I'll... help with the chores. And, I can cook...! [Which is probably strange for the wife of "nobility," bet eh.] Since Yukimura-san will be working so hard to help me... I would consider it an honor to be able to cook for you.

[he seems to be watching her with some amount of care. he can imagine that she's in a situation that could easily be considered overwhelming if it's gotten to the point that she needs to ask for such a favor from a medical professor, and even though he doesn't know her, his heart aches for her. he tries his best to make his smile a reassuring one.]

If Nagumo-san would want to trouble herself with something like that, I won't say no... I can cook if you get tired of doing so. [and his smile freezes for a second, because... that isn't right at all. he had never really learned how to cook well even with his father gone on business trips - never had much of a need to, beyond simple basic foods that wouldn't be fit to serve to a guest. he doesn't know why he offered... he quickly adds, embarrassed:]

I'm not much of a cook, though. I apologize... But I can fetch whatever you might need from the markets if you want.

It's no trouble at all, Yukimura-san... I like to cook.

[And cooking for the pair of them would certainly be easier than cooking for the Shinsengumi - though that, too, is something she hasn't done in many years. It's possible she's out of practice, given that her status had been somewhat... different, in the Nagumo family, than her status ever had been as a Yukimura and as a "guest" of the Shinsengumi.]

What sorts of foods do you like to eat...?

If that's the case, then I don't mind it...

[he's been living off of his own mediocre cooking for quite a while now. even he has his limits when it comes to how many days in a row he can just eat rice with an egg cracked into it...]

Ah... I don't really have much of a preference. [so that much hasn't changed, apparently.] Whatever you make is fine, so please feel free to make anything that you would like.

[Just rice and egg... what a sad existence, Kaoru. Geeze, boys just can't be left alone to cook for themselves, can they.]

Then..!

[She's managed to keep the tears from spilling over, and when she looks up, her eyes are bright and her smile somewhat excited. Getting to cook for Kaoru, in their home, no less... she's really very happy.]

If you haven't eaten yet... shall I prepare something?

[HE HASN'T KEELED OVER YET, HAS HE??

that said, her expression seems to take him by surprise, just a little. she must... really be enthusiastic about cooking! wow. maybe she's not allowed to cook much, being nobility-ish and all.

except then his expression becomes ABRUPTLY STRICKEN.]

Oh—! I haven't, but, ah... um— the kitchen... It really isn't in a presentable state at all right now. Please let me clean it, first!

[well he's probably about to MAYBE THAT'S WHY SHIT GOT KNOCKED OVER WHEN SHE SURPRISED HIM... because he was keeling over...]

...eh?

[The kitchen isn't presentable... what does that even mean. You're so clean everywhere else, Kaoru, what sort of culinary monstrosities have you even been dreaming up in there...

But Chizuru smiles faintly and tries to suppress a giggle.]

No, no, I'm sure I can handle the kitchen... you said for me to consider this house my own while I was here, no? [SMILING...] I'm sure I can handle a bit of a mess.

[She better not find vats of ochimizu in there.]

[it's true... WHAT IF SHE DID FIND VATS OF OCHIMIZU HUH what if she found bodies!! what if he's actually just as insane but in a different way or something, huh, what then!

or maybe it really is just a large cookery-related mess. he's apparently going to try his damndest to keep Chizuru from finding out...]

I did, but that would be asking far too much of a guest! So... ah, I can show you to your room, instead! And you can get comfortable, and by the time you're done I should be finished in the kitchen. Is that fine?

[then she'll just have to turn him loose on the nagumo clan to kill them all so she'll be free to protect him from himself, duh

...at any rate, she decides to let him have this victory, and raises a hand to her mouth to hide a smile.]

Very well. If Yukimura-san insists... I would be much obliged if you would show me where I am to stay.

[that is a foolproof plan and surely nothing will go wrong with it.

that said, his shoulders slump with some measure of relief.]

Right— Right, it's this way. [and he's off, sweeping out of the clinic to head down the hall! he walks lightly - so lightly that his feet barely make a sound, in comparison to the dumb loser crashing that was going on before. eventually he gets to the spare room and slides the door open. it's clearly been in disuse, but it isn't too dusty. just... empty. without Chizuru around, apparently neither himself nor Kodo have really done much by way of decorating.]

Will this work?

[She follows after him, her own steps light and dainty, and when they arrive in front of the spare room she peers into it over his shoulder.

My... a pair of boys just really doesn't get many visitors. Not that she and her father really received many, but she had, at least, always kept the spare room prepared in case there were any patients who needed to be kept close so that her father could keep a watchful eye on them... sunlight and fresh air and a lack of dust were paramount to good health.

Oh, well. She'll just have to tidy up a little. To her credit, she doesn't let any of those thoughts show; she just smiles graciously at Kaoru and nods.]

It's perfect... thank you. I really do appreciate your letting me stay here, Yukimura-san.

[just smiling right back! and mentally apologizes for being a moron who doesn't keep the guest room clean...]

Please, it's the least that I can do. I apologize that we don't have accommodations that are more suitable...

[high-ranking ladies having to stay in an undecorated, kinda dusty room with a futon that is a little lacking... THINGS COULD BE WORSE but they could also definitely be better. at least everything is clean, with the exception of the light dust. he is kind of neurotic about cleanliness and it shows in every room of the house (with the apparent exception of the kitchen).]

Anyway, please arrange things to your liking. The futon is in the closet and if you need anything else, please let me know.

[and with a polite bow, he's setting off for said disaster zone.]

[Her rank literally comes from her status as a demonic broodmare so really she's quite alright without having rooms befitting her status. THAT SAID...

Once he leaves, she immediately rolls up the sleeves of her fancy kimono (were she in Tosa, she would most certainly be getting some lecture about how such behavior is unseemly and how she needs to take better care of her clothing and let the servants do such menial tasks themselves) and gets to work. It's been years since she's had to do such a thing and so it takes a little more time than she would like to pull out the futon and rearrange what's in the room already into a small, pale imitation of what her room had been when she had lived here; some things she can't reproduce, but when she's done - well, she's happy with the result. It feels good, to have gone through the motions on her own like this... like she's really, truly come home.

After dusting off her kimono (because even with how clean Kaoru was, some dust did permeate the air as she was working, she makes her way to the kitchen. Once she reaches it, she pauses outside and calls out, because Kaoru really hadn't wanted her to see it, so she supposes she should give him the chance to let her know if it's okay for her to enter or not.]

Yukimura-san? I've finished. Is it alright for me to come in..?

[while she's working away at arranging the room to suit her tastes, she'll likely be able to hear him banging and crashing around in the kitchen like a giraffe... apparently there is QUITE A MESS in there. it mostly sounds like pots and pans and other common items used for cooking. there's also the sound of running water as he scrubs down the counters and makes sure that everything is in its rightful order.

however, at around the time that she's heading down the hall in the direction of the kitchen, she might hear something a little strange. it's a very light noise, a soft clink of some sort - something that sounds too light to be a pot or pan or any sort of pottery. but that's the last sound that comes from the area, and by the time she asks, Kaoru pops his head out from around the door with a smile.]

It's all right. Please come in; I apologize for the wait.

[wow that had better not be vials of ochimizu she's hearing clinking in there...

The notes she glimpsed so very briefly make her a little suspicious, but she supposes if she's to be here for a week or so she'll have ample opportunity to look into it. But it's not really something she wants to do - if she can, she'd like to pretend that everything is normal and nothing is wrong, and enjoy these few precious days that she has with her brother.

She returns his smile when he appears.]

There is nothing to apologize for, Yukimura-san. [INTO THE KITCHEN SHE GOES... how different will it be from how she remembers it, she wonders.]

[THE WORLD WILL NEVER KNOW...

or maybe Chizuru will if she snoops but gosh who would ever be that rude!!

either way, the kitchen itself reflects the general pattern of the rest of the house. it seems spartan in decor, though it isn't empty or unpleasant to be it. it just seems like not a whole lot of personal touches have been added. everything is put away neatly and there isn't dust or grime anywhere, so it's clear that this area sees much more use than the guest bedroom.

on the window ledge, there's a small vase that's filled with wildflowers. outside of that, nothing in particular stands out as being strange, out of place, or for use in creating vats of ochimizu. he steps to the side as Chizuru walks in, hands folded together again.]

I need to go to the market now, anyway. Is there anything that you'd like for me to pick up?

[If this were any other Chizuru she would most certainly never be so rude but... this is a Chizuru who's been trapped in a murderous castle and then managed to go back in time and grew up with the Nagumo family, so yeah, she's totally that rude. BUT LUCKILY FOR KAORU she will refrain from snooping until he's not around.

She can work with a spartan kitchen. It's reminiscent of the Shinsengumi and since her memories are all she has of them, anything that brings them to mind is okay in her book. She looks over the kitchen with a smile.]

...so long as you already have rice, fish, and vegetables, I think I can make do for now. [Then a light giggle -] I'll be sure to have something delicious ready by the time you get back.

[you can't grow up with the Nagumo and not become a snoop, apparently. IT'S A CURSE...

that said, this version of Kaoru is also much more trusting, so he apparently sees nothing wrong with leaving a stranger in the kitchen to cook while he moseys out to do whatever. good job Kaoru, those self-preservation instincts are strong.]

Mm, we have all of those things. The fish is out there- [pointing!] -with the vegetables, and the rice is in the lower cabinet. If that's all, I'll be going now... I'll try to make it a quick trip.

[and then he dips his head briefly in a polite gesture and backs on up to mosey out!]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject