How Do You Procrastinate Marriage??

(The orange glow of the setting sun painted the deep snowdrifts in front of Hasegawa's house. Jinko stood frozen, his face, a mask of disbelief, facing the ethereal beauty of the girl who had just proposed marriage.)

Jinko: "Excoose... me-all...?"

???: "I am being utterly honest and direct, Jinko-kun. And I am afraid you do not possess the latitude to reject this offer in any fashion."

Jinko: "Now, hol' up, I ain't hear ye proper. Let me jist clean m'ear up." (Jinko frantically jiggles his finger in his ear.)

???: "I think you heard me with adequate clarity."

Jinko: "No, no, wait a second. I'm cleanin' m'ear, ye know how it is durin' winter times, ain't it?" (He forces a soundless, nervous laugh.)

(Jinko’s laughter slowly dies out as her words settle in — the political gravity of what she’s saying finally slicing through his panic.)

Jinko: "WHAT IN TARNATION—?! HAND IN WHAT NOW??" (Jinko explodes, his eyes wide with shock.)

???: "Allow me the grace to offer an explanation."

Jinko: "NO. DO IT IN THIRTY WORDS OR LESS BEFORE I LOSE M'DAMN MIND! I'M NOT COOPERATIN' IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER, YE HEAR?!"

???: "Sheesh. I was informed you were calm, quiet and reserved."

(Jinko's eyebrows, previously locked in fury, let loose as he suddenly comprehended the full scope of the situation.)

Jinko: "What in the blue blazes do ye mean?"

???: "Saitou Jinko, the gloomy, frizzy-haired samurai of the villages with an accent thicker than the snow people have to plow. That is indeed you, is it not? I was told you were so calm you fit neatly on the grey line between the quietness of a shinobi and the flamboyance of a samurai."

Jinko: "Well, that's quite the compliment I didn't 'spectedly think someone would go around sayin'. Speakin' o' which, how come ye know about me? Who done told ye about me? 'Tain't like I'm a popular person in any way."

???: "Jinko-kun, where is your father currently stationed?"

Jinko: "What do ye mean...?"

???: "Simply answer the inquiry."

Jinko: "He's currently branched in Edo fer the Kōdōkai" (The Imperial Way Society).

???: "Yes, he is."

Jinko: "EXCUSE ME? YE ARE MIGHTY CONFUSIN'! JIST GET TO THE DANG POINT!"

???: "Very well, handsome, I shall fulfill your inquiry. I am Kōdō Aika."

Jinko: "Huh, funny name. And here I thought Kōdō Arinori bein' named after Kōdōkai was—"

(Jinko is hit with a sudden, dreadful realization. His jaw drops, and his eyes widen.)

Jinko: "He-hey there's n-no way ye-you're in any way possibly acquainted with the Lord Kōdō Arinori or the Kōdōkai... ri-right?!"

Aika: "No, you dummy, I am his daughter and the royal heir to the political party itself."

(A sudden, sharp gust of wind flies by, whipping Jinko's hair around his face. He is more profoundly startled than we have ever seen him.)

Jinko: "Right, so I'm goin' to jist turn around"
 (Jinko awkwardly whirls his back to her)
"And oh, look! There's no one in front o' me! Looks like thet conversation never took place! Haha! I must be hallucinating at this dusk time! I shall head home with immediate effect! Hahah!!"

(Jinko speaks in a high-pitched, manic, and nervously denial tone, and starts marching the opposite direction through the snow.)

Aika: "Hey now, honey, where do you presume you are going?" (Aika's hand shoots out, grabbing Jinko's shoulder with surprising strength.)

Jinko: "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH NO NO NNNNEVER! NO WAY! I'M NOT YOUR HONEY! I'M NOBODY'S HONEY! THIS IS A MISTAKE! I'M SURE YE'RE LOOKIN' FER "SABITO PINCO"! I'M SURE THE DUDE CALLED DANJIKI KIN TELL YE WHERE HE IS! IN NNNO WAY AM I AFFILIATED WITH ANYTHING YE'RE LOOKIN' FER! PLEASE LET ME GO!" (Jinko panics, shouting, his voice strained.)

Aika: "Give up already. Are you new to this world? Marriage is only ever politically motivated for people like us at our age."

Jinko: "YEAH, EXCEPT I'M NOT POLITICALLY AFFILIATIN' M'SELF!"

Aika: "HUH?? You are literally a samurai! YOU PEOPLE ARE GOING EXTINCT SOON AND JUST CAME OFF SEVERAL WARS!"

Jinko: "YEAH, EXCEPT I'M JIST GOOD AT BEIN' A SAMURAI, NOT BEIN' AN EXTREMIST CULTIST OR SOMETHING!"

Aika: "Even if that is the case, your father is literally in our party. You are much more acquainted with us than you would like to believe."

Jinko: "No, no, no! I'm sure he's just a janitor or somethin'! Besides, jist 'cause he is don't mean I'm takin' up some mantle fer political hierarchy! JIST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

(Aika leaves off a big, dramatic sigh, letting go of his shoulder.)

Aika: "You know your father praises you a lot."

(Jinko quits the act of hyperactivity, although he wants to laugh this situation off again, something about her tone — calm and certain — made his chest feel heavier than before.)

Aika: "He told us you are the most understanding person he knows. Not because you are his son, but he just thinks of his wife so highly he prays you keep her calming demeanor."

Jinko: "M'.. Mom?"

Aika: "Who else is his wife, you dummy."

Jinko: "Okay, first off, ye need to quit callin' me that."

Aika: "Forget that. What is wrong with you? Why do you not want to comply? Am I not your type? Oh my gosh, am I ugly?"

Jinko: "No, no, no! May m'tongue be sliced if ye were!"

Aika: "Huh, at least you know how to save an argument."

Jinko: "It's jist.. I don't think I'm made to connect with people. All m'life I've known what ye'd probably assume someone like me would live through, and I think marryin' is somethin' I cain't do unless I'm ready to give m'whole heart fer thet person, which I feel like is too late fer someone as numb-headed as me. I think I'm losin' the ability to convey or even feel the root of conveyin' this "love and adoration" stuff."

(A long silence is followed by Aika tilting her head).

Aika: "Uh...huh... you know what? Let us proceed to your house. I wish to hear more from you."

Jinko: "Oh no you don't, not with two o' yer bodyguards spyin' on us."

Aika: "Oh? I am impressed you were able to feel their presence."

Jinko: "A samurai needs to develop senses others cain't develop to protect those very people."

Aika: “You protect people, don’t you?”

Jinko: “Perchance I do. It’s my moral code.”

(Aika leans in slightly, her voice dropping to a persuasive murmur.)

Aika: “Then you already love. You just call it duty.”

(Her voice softened, just a trace, as if repeating something she herself had been told too many times to believe anymore.)

(Jinko remains silent, he's caught off-guard with a side of logic he hadn't explored in his heart yet, or maybe, he was neglecting exploring it, because he was afraid of conflicting with himself even more).

Aika: "What? Has the cat bit your tongue?"

Jinko: "N..No.. it's nothin'."

(The tone of a man who has just been directly told a fearful burdening thought he didn't want anything to do with).

Aika: "Oh, if a cat did not, might I be permitted to do so?"

Jinko: "EXCUSE ME! EW! THET'S KIND O' DISGUSTIN'!" (Jinko flinches back.)

Aika: "Oh, shut up and get along with it! Come, we are proceeding to your house."

Jinko: "HUH? WHAT FER?"

Aika: "To meet your mother."

Jinko: "HEY! NO YE WON'T! HEY—"

And so the two make their way to Jinko's house, with Jinko as reluctant as ever.

But as they walked into the snow, Jinko realized — for the first time in years — that someone had taken his hand, and refused to let go, albeit with intentions other than which he desired, even this feels like a start for a home.. or does it? 

Jinko wondered if duty always began with a choice, or ended when the choice was no longer his.