Death And Wisteria

(In unison, from one corner of the town to the other, we hear both of them say, their tones laced with a shared, unknown gravity.)

Aika / Rebel: "I think there's a lot to be said about that."

𝔇𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔪 𝔖𝔢𝔠𝔩𝔲𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫 - Chapter 09.

(Jinko's home was still, the Chabudai (low table), is a silent witness to the explosive dinner. Jinko's mother looked from Aika to Jinko, her expression a mix of shock and concern.)

Jinko's Mother: "Hm? What's to be said?"

Aika: "It started when my dad and the rest of the ministry members of our party were holding a meeting as usual."

(Jinko felt a need to interject, possibly to hurry the story along, sensing the emotional toll it was taking on Aika.)

Jinko: "So I assume this story cain't end well from the way ye're phrasin' it."

"Precisely so. The meeting… it wasn’t even supposed to be dangerous,” Aika said softly. “We were drinking tea. My father was reviewing papers. Someone was laughing at a bad joke.”

Her fingers tightened around the rim of her cup.

“And then the Meiji stormed the building.”

(Jinko's mom gasped, covering her mouth.)

Aika: "You obviously know the Meiji aren't fond of democracy."

"They view political parties, independent political gatherings and petitions for representation... as dangerous disruptions to their unity."

Aika: "On paper, Japan has no political party except the Meiji regime right now, we aren't really an official party, but to the public we are regarded as a strong force to be one if democratic methods were sought."

Aika: "The Meiji claim to be Imperial Way of Society, but they fail at what they aren't and what we are."

(Jinko glared, his focus intense. He finally saw behind the flirtatious but unconcerned facade she had worn the entire afternoon and evening, seeing only raw, frightened conviction.)

(Suddenly, the tension was violently broken as Jinko's little sister accidentally spilled her cup of water all over her bowl of food.)

Jinko's Sister (Kaori): "Oh crikey! I'm done-a-mistake!"

(Jinko's mom shifted her furrowed-brow focus instantly from Aika to her distressed daughter.)

Jinko's Mother: "Kaori-chan! Ugh, wait let me clean it off."

(Jinko looked from one to the other, then turned his attention back to Aika. She was quiet, her eyes open but staring into an abyss drowned in dark thought.)

Jinko: "Ai-chan, ye were sayin'?—"

(Aika was instantly startled. "Ai" (meaning Love) was an affectionate shortening of her name (Aika = Indigo Flower), and the softness in Jinko's tone was unmistakable. It was as if he had metaphorically let his hand sink into hers, easing her pain without permission.)

“...I was there,” Aika whispered. “At the meeting.” 

"And we were stormed by the Meiji's.

Apparently our location was given away by one of our ex-members who participated and got caught from the Satsuma Rebellion." 

(At first she stuttered from fluster, but as she went on, Aika's voice trembled despite her effort to sound composed.)

Jinko: "Ye handlin' a mighty much fer someone o' ye're age."

Aika: "Huh, says the samurai who's skills are so honed he can feel the presence of shinobis in hiding."

Jinko: "It ain't much, I'll tell ye that much."

Aika: "Anyhow.. we were ambushed, our members unsheathed their swords and told me and my dad to make a run for it."

"My dad stood still, he went in front and grabbed his gun and told Ryuuji-san to take me away."

Jinko: "...Dad?"

Aika: "Yeah. Jinko.. your dad is the reason I'm here and alive."

(The sound of a heavy ceramic bowl dropping on the wooden floor echoed as Jinko's mom froze, the bowl she was washing for Jinko's sister shattered.)

Jinko's Mother: "Aika-chan.. what happened to my husband..?" (She leaned in, her face etched with shock.)

Aika: "He's alive and well, from what I know at least."

(Jinko and his mom left off a massive, shuddering exhale, relief flooding their systems.)

Aika: "As I said, he was the one who assigned me to the two shinobis, he took me away to a safe distance from the ambushed place into the hills and told me to make my way to you guys."

(Jinko's eyes widened, the disparate pieces of the puzzle snapping into place with a horrifying click.)

Jinko (Internal Monologue): "That means.. we are now harborin' two escaped refugees in this village... Oh god."

…and suddenly the warmth of his home felt like a trap.

(Elsewhere, in the dim and quiet Nagase House… The dim oil lamp flickered across the tatami, outlining Tenkai’s weary face and the Rebel’s bandaged head.)

Tenkai: "Eh? What do you mean a lot to say about your daughter?"

Rebel: "I want to say that I'd be enlightened to share.. It's only that my memories are blurred, I think the damage to my head was severe huh."

Tenkai: "Well duh, you came to the village bleeding from your head. After all your Hachimaki was soaked in red and your face was indiscernible from the blood."

Rebel: "Yeah I guess so."

Tenkai: "But what does that have to do with your daughter and you sharing more?"

Rebel: "Tch, it's just that I barely meet her."

Tenkai: "Huh?"

Rebel: "I'm always away on my own selfish desires and reasons, I've never been there for my family."

Tenkai: "Oh.. I see."

“One night,” the man murmured, “I came home drunk—rain dripping off my coat, mud on my boots. I could barely stand.

She still smiled. Still poured me tea.

I could see it in her eyes… she didn’t want to forgive me.”

"She's always been the daughter I never felt I deserved."

(Tenkai was silent. He saw the heartbreaking correlation to why this man was able to synonymize between Tenkai's own sense of duty and the man's daughter.)

Tenkai: "I understand, old man. That weight... it’s not easily borne. It isn't easy being a person like that, but she's doing it for your sake, and that can take a toll on her shoulders.

"But I know for a fact she will persevere that toll like no other."

(The man managed a tired grin, then groaned in pain as he tried to shift onto his side, his head feeling heavy as ever.)

(Elsewhere, under the same moon that bore witness to the daughter’s grief and the father bleeding in silence  — The dinner was over, and Jinko's mom attended to put Jinko's little sister to sleep. Jinko and Aika were sitting idly in the small balcony, watching the moon shine bright.)

Jinko: "I hope ye feel more eased at now that ye were able to share ye're burdened thoughts."

Aika: "Yeah I'm.. I'm glad to do so."

(An owl's coos were heard in the distance. The night sky's stars twinkled, but the moon stayed ever so bright.)

Aika: "Say uhm, you referred to me as Ai-chan.."

Jinko: "Yeah about that, don't go around thinkin' I'm gonna let ye marry me or somethin'. I only did it to make ye more comfortable to how ye'd prefer it so ye can share more."

Aika: "Right.. well, thank you for being so considerate."

"And that's also a testimony that you still feel adoration, by the way." (Aika muttered, leaning in close to him to whisper the taunt, her grin wide.)

(Jinko was startled, his long-held emotional guard—was suddenly being questioned. He was visibly conflicted.)

Jinko: “Oh jist shut up,” he muttered, hiding a faint fluster behind his voice.

(Aika giggled at his childish negligence, wiping a mock tear from her eye.)

Aika: "I'm going to make you accept everything you're trying to stay away from, you best believe it."

Jinko: "Eh if ye're challenging me, yer first necessity is to make me marry ye, which I assure ye won't happen."

Aika: "Always rambling on marriage, ever tried falling in love first?"

(Jinko remained silent, staring at her with a poutful face while she looked up to the moonlit sky. After a tense silence, Jinko finally spoke, his voice low and serious.)

Jinko: "When it hits mornin', I will take ye somewhere."

(Aika audibly gasps and puts her hand over her mouth.)

Aika: "Oh my gosh, are you planning to spirit me off at dawn, have your way with me under the sun's rising rays, and cast me aside like some tragic poem’s heroine?" (Aika's shriek was laced with theatrical shock.)

Jinko: "JEEZ DUDE WHAT THE HELL. HONESTLY I CAN'T EVEN GO A CONVERSATION WITHOUT YOUR PERVERSENESS."

(Aika burst into uncontrollable laughter, tears truly forming in her eyes this time.)

Aika: "So.. handsome, where are you taking me?"

(Jinko twitched his right cheek, the weight of his idea finally settling.)

Jinko: "I'm takin' ye to Nagase's House, ye'll meet someone there."

Aika: "Hmm, okay."

(A silence heavier than before followed, Aika leaned slightly towards the balcony door, her face lit by the moonlight. Jinko looked away, pretending to adjust his sleeve — his chest felt unreasonably tight for no reason he’d admit.)

(He exhaled slowly, eyes finally meeting the sky. He wondered if loving anyone in times like these was just another rebellion in itself. But he felt ready to let off the words..)

“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?" 

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Afterword*: The chapter name "Death and Wisteria" refers to the name of the last volume of BLEACH "Death and Strawberry" with Ichigo's name that means Strawberry, Jinko's name means Wisteria! The idea is that a part of Jinko is slowly starting to fade away, or in this case die away, with something new taking place. But is Aika the cause of that? We will have to see.