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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[She claps her hands together, looking more than a little excited. Apparently she really likes having the chance people to cook.

(Actually, it's just that she likes having the chance to teach Kaoru to cook.)]

Then, I'll look forward to it..! Um, I don't want to take up too much of your time, though... so please, just tell me whenever you're ready to learn.

[WHAT A NERD. no he seems pretty excited by the prospect too, though it also causes a stir of confusion and unease in him. the whole "treating this familiar-looking stranger like I've known her my whole life" thing doesn't fly over his head, perceptive as he is even in this version of their reality.]

I should have the free time this weekend. [he won't pretend his weeks can get pretty busy, considering he's the only person running the clinic now.] Would that be all right?

[while talking, he turns back toward the path leading away from the market.]

I think so...

[They may not have as many chances to cook together as she would like, if that's the case; she's aware she can't linger here for too long lest the Nagumo come looking and find Kaoru. But waiting until the weekend... what could be the harm?

She starts down the path after him.]

So long as you aren't busy. [She's not the one with the job here, after all, though she may or may not end up trying to help out around the clinic if he doesn't keep a close eye on her.]

[luckily for him, he's used to keeping an eye on people, so he will definitely do his best to intercept her when he can because she! is a guest!! and he's failing at everything if she does so much work!!!

that said, unaware of the somewhat distant threat in the form of the clan that was once his, he seems to be in good spirits now. he keeps his gaze on the path before them, but it's a confident sort of thing rather than one borne from nervousness.]

I'm not. Or rather, working through an entire weekend... Well - with the work I do, I can't guarantee that it won't happen, but I can guarantee that I'll have the time to cook with you. Business isn't as busy as it was in the earlier months, anyway.

[she's also his family!! family helps out!!!]

Is that so..? [Well - with the primary doctor out and about doing god knows what, it makes sense. She smiles faintly.] I'm sorry business has been slower for you, but... I'm glad we'll have the chance to cook together.

[nOT IF THEY ARE VISITORS sit down chizuru]

It's fine. I don't really mind it, since it gives me time to work on other things. [like arranging flowers!! in vases in the kitchen...! also not improving his cooking skills at all because he's the lamest bachelor and lives on the bare minimum!]

What sort of thing would you want to start with? We'll have to go shopping again.

[CHIZURU REFUSES TO SIT

wow kaoru at this rate sen's going to come looking for a husband and she's just going to take one look at you and shake her head and gallivant off to find kazama. work on that cooking...]

Um... [She pauses, thinking it over, before her lips curve up into a small smile as something occurs to her.] ...do you like odamaki-mushi?

[WHY DON'T YOU EVER LISTEN TO HIM CHIZURUUUU.

it's true, though, even Kazama is a better bachelor than him when he's actually being charming. HOW SAD... it's a good thing he isn't aware of that or how horrible it truly is. he's too focused on the food she suggests, which has his expression lighting up.]

Odamaki-mushi? It's one of my favorite foods. I haven't been able to make it in a while, though...

[LISTENING TO KAORU IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA LIKE EVER...

The way his expression lights up is such a great sight to see. To think that something so simple could make him that happy - well, it's not like it's much of a surprise. Good food has always had a way of cheering her up; the fact that it makes him happy too... well. It means he's had a good enough life in this re-imagined world that he can afford to take happiness from such a thing.]

Let's make it together, then.

[THIS KAORU IS FINE TO LISTEN TO!!

but the idea of making his old favorite dish once again seems to suit him perfectly well. he tugs at the bottom of one sleeve in what appears to be a habitual gesture of excitement.]

Ah, I almost don't want to wait for the weekend. [antsypants kaoru...] Could we make it tomorrow?

[put up or shut up...

She doesn't mind the impatience. She doesn't mind it at all - because she's impatient too, and the thought of making odamaki-mushi the very next day is much better than the thought of making odamaki-mushi at the end of the week. She claps her hands together excitedly.]

If that's okay with you, it's okay with me! [A pause.] Ah, I want to go to sleep so tomorrow will come faster...

[rude as hell...

BUT HER EXCITEMENT IS CONTAGIOUS they're in a soundchamber of Too Happy About Odamaki-Mushi and no one can stop them.]

We'll have to get ingredients in the morning, so we should sleep quickly. [are they even back at the house yet, i forgot... WE'LL SAY THEY ARE NOW.]

[YES NOW THEY ARE... so much for eating those peaches for dessert. Then again, buying them was always a pretense for getting the chance to go for a walk...]

Mm. I'll definitely do my best to wake up early, but if I seem to be sleeping late and you want to go out, please feel free to wake me up. I won't mind at all.

[She'd probably mind if he went shopping without her, though.]

[oops because that's exactly what he decides to do if she isn't awake by the time he gets up... he couldn't possibly wake a visitor in order to go shopping with him, it breaks like all the doctor-patient codes!! like he hasn't already soundly trampled half of them or anything.]

All right, that's fine. [he'll place the bag of peaches on the counter, leaving them there for early access.] Ah - help yourself to these if you get hungry, of course. Is there anything else that you might need?

[he can't think of anything else to put in the guest room, but he also hasn't had guests in quite some time.]

[Don't do it Kaoru you have no idea of the hyper-paranoid conclusions she is going to jump to if you're not there when she wakes up...

But for now she is blissfully unaware of what he may or may not be doing in the morning! She smiles and shakes her head before bowing to him easily.] I have everything I need. [In more ways than one. There is a roof over her head and she has a bed to sleep in, but she's sharing the roof with her brother and the guest room feels more like home than her room in Tosa ever did.] I'll see you in the morning... sleep well tonight.

[HE'LL... TRY NOT TO......]

I'm glad. Don't hesitate to come get me if you need anything, all right? [he bows in return, and he can't keep the smile from his face.]

Please sleep well, too. Good night.

[AND AWAY HE GOES. this Kaoru actually does sleep like a semi-normal person, being raised as a human and all, so he'll head to bed after organizing a few things for the next day and sleep soundly through pretty much the entirety of the night. he'll leave his door open though, in case Chizuru really does need something. otherwise, he'll wake when the morning light starts to filter into his room.]

[Chizuru doesn't sleep nearly as easily. The years she's spent in the care of the Nagumo have left her jittery and anxious around the time when the sun goes down - she is a light sleeper, stirring at any sound or movement, and waking every so often even in perfect silence. But she does, at least, manage to get a few hours of sleep, when you add up how long she's managed to stay out.

The dawn's light is what pulls her into wakefulness for the day, and she sets straight to getting ready - unwilling to risk even the smallest possibility of Kaoru leaving without her, apparently. She dresses herself in a simple yukata with an even simpler sash before heading out to the main part of the house to wait for him.

When he emerges from his room, she smiles.]

Ah, good morning..!

[well, at least she won't have to worry about tearing the house apart looking for him...! he's a little slow to rise, still looking sleepy and somewhat out of sorts when he stumbles out of his bedroom and into the main room. his clothing is very simple, too - light and suited for the weather, it's clear that he doesn't put too much stock into how he dresses before heading out the door. still, there's an elegance in the way he wears his clothing that makes it seem like he's used to wearing things much more complicated than a light summer yukata.

when he spots Chizuru, though, he makes a valiant effort to wake up the rest of the way, blinking rapidly and then raising his hand to rub at his eyes with.]

Yes—! Good morning! [god, sleeping past his guest... he's really not cut out for this host thing at all, is he?]

I'm sorry - I hope you haven't been waiting for me very long. I didn't mean to oversleep...

I haven't been waiting long at all.

[She smiles and gets to her feet to bow to him in greeting, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear as she straightens up.] I only just woke up, myself.

[She'd just been too excited about the prospect of cooking with him today to stay still, once she was fully awake. ...and also she was a little afraid he would just go and buy the ingredients alone, but she's not going to tell him that...!]

You didn't oversleep... Please don't worry needlessly.

[a little belatedly, he returns the bow. apparently he's still a little out of sorts despite his best efforts...]

I meant to get up early enough to prepare breakfast... [LOOKS LIKE THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN. he looks vaguely embarrassed, but what's done is done, so:] If you don't mind, then, we can just go get the ingredients now. It can be our breakfast.

[who cares if it's like a lunch-y dinner food NOT KAORU. that said, he'll turn to head to the door, glancing over to make sure that she's ready to leave, too.]

[This is not the face of someone who has any opposition to odamaki-mushi for breakfast. Chizuru follows him eagerly when he heads for the door, and though she keeps her hands folded in front of her demurely (as she ought to, for someone of her status), she sort of wishes she knew this Kaoru well enough to reach over and take his hand.

...she's not sure she'll be able to achieve that level of familiarity when she only has a week (though she wants to delay it, she wants to delay it so much - but it has to be a week, any longer and it puts him at risk for discovery by Tosa), but she'll certainly try.]

Is it the same way as we went last night, or is it set up somewhere different during the day?

[She knows, from the years she spent living here before the castle, but she has to keep up appearances...]

[AND AWAAAY. Kaoru is quite glad he's landed a guest who doesn't point out how ridiculous his eating preferences are...

on the way out, his own hands hang by his side, unhampered by anything since he carries his wallet in his shirt. it's a small contrast; the Kaoru that he's replacing held his hands and arms tightly against himself from years of being taught not to take up much room, very much in the same way that Chizuru is doing.]

Hm? Oh, it's the same. [he explains it smoothly, unaware that she's quite familiar with the set-up - likely even moreso than he is, considering he doesn't go to the market often.] Sometimes the vendors will change spots, but the stalls themselves aren't ever really packed up, so the layout and location is always the same.

How convenient!

[Whew, okay, that's one thing she already knew that she's "asked" about so it's okay if she slips up and reveals her knowledge... figuring out these things comes a little easier to the Chizuru that was raised by the Nagumo clan; she's not sure she would have been able to handle this nearly as well if she hadn't been.

...it's not something she really wants to be thankful for, but she supposes she is.] Mm, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find what we need at all. We can be cooking and then eating within an hour, I think.

I can almost taste it already...

[no, being grateful for Grade A Sneaking Skills is a sad trade... though the Kaoru of that other world had also felt gratitude for similar things at times. HE WOULD UNDERSTAND... this one, while still sharp, is a little less naturally attuned to that sort of thing.

there's a spring in his step as he walks now, though. the market sounds come into focus much sooner than he had expected, and he realizes belatedly that it's probably because he's walking faster than usual.]

I'm excited. I don't really cook much, so being able to make something like this again...

[and eat it with good company, but that seems like a presumptuous thing to say to someone he only just met.]

I'll get the eggs and vegetables if you get the udon.

[Maybe it would be presumptuous to anyone else, but Chizuru would only be happy to hear such a thing...]

I'm excited, too. And eating it in your company will only make it taste even better.

[...and happy to say it, as well. She nods when he speaks of getting the eggs and vegetables. Divide and conquer, then...] Yes! I'll get the best udon I can find...! And the I'll meet you right back here?

[If the vendors haven't changed too much from how she remembers them, she even knows exactly where to go. --And she'll head straight there! Though she does take care to make it seem as though she's looking around and wandering rather than striding there with deliberate purpose. Which mostly means a lot of turning her head to look around as she walks.]

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