Subject: [kffdisc] Sake and Sakura 1 and 2 Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 10:01:20 -0800 (PST) From: Rurichan and Harichan Reply-To: kffdisc@onelist.com To: kffdisc@onelist.com From: Rurichan and Harichan Ever have a story plot run around in your head demanding to be written but you ignore it because its just too stupid and predictable to write? ^_^; ok so not everybody has had this. Here's the ooc Hiko fic that demanded to be written. Parts one and two because they're short and they go together. I still haven't determined if its a comedy or just a romantic fic yet. Oh well. Happy reading. I also have writers block for For the Sake of Hope. :P Sake and Sakura Parts 1 and 2 ------------------------------ Hiko grumbled as he hefted the heavy pot to the house he was supposed to deliver it to. He looked up and squinted at the last rays of the setting sun. He would have made it back to his home in the hills if it weren’t for the sweet face of the old lady and the beauitful girl watching him. He cursed himself for his vanity. “That will be the first and last time I curse myself for my vanity.” he muttered. He stood infront of the gate of the house and knocked on the door with his foot. A girl opened the door and smiled at him, “Welcome.” she said. “Your grandmother told me to deliver this here.” he said. The girl looked at the large pot and said, “Oh dear, Oba-san always does this. Sakura!” she said turning away. “Haiii!” “A man with a heavy pot from Oba-san came!” she shouted. “Is he still at the door?” “Haiii!” “Well let him in baka!” Sakura shouted. The girl turned back to Hiko and smiled, “Dozo.” she opened the door wider and stepped to the side. Hiko grumbled a reply and stepped into the home. “Where would you like it?” “I don’t know, Sakura! Where should it go? Its huge!” the girl said. “Kotori I’m busy!” Hiko sighed, the pot was beginning to take a toll on him and he was strong considering his training in the hiten mitsu ryugu (?). The weight with the fact that he had to walk back in the dark and the indecisive (yet pretty) girl were starting to annoy him. “Bring it in, the man carrying it must be tired from carrying the thing.” Sakura said. Kotori turned to Hiko, “This way.” she said as she walked up the steps. Hiko followed. “Oh no! How could Oba-san even think about buying this for us?! Its useless!” Sakura’s voice said. Hiko couldn’t see past the large pot. He could hear an exasperated sigh and a mutter about her crazy Oba-san. He smiled. “Gomen nasai.” Sakura said, “But it is best that that goes next to the kitchen, I may as well use it for scraps. Kotori help him to the kitchen.” “Hai.” Kotori said. She led him to the door and then bee-lined it around the house and finally said, “You can put it here.” Hiko put the pot down and sighed, “Any longer and I would have made my own decision.” Kotori giggled and bowed, “Arigatou.” Hiko smiled, “Your Oba-san has a way of making people do things for her.” “Yes she does, she makes a sweet innocent smile on that face of hers and she has her way.” Kotori said. “Kotori!” Sakura said from the kitchen. “Hai?” “Invite the man to stay for dinner.” “Really I shouldn’t-” Hiko started to say. “Yes! We’d be honored to have you for dinner, we rarely have guests.” Kotori said. “Actually I wanted to get going so I could-” “Actually its just an excuse for Sakura to get rid of the sake.” Kotori said. “Sake?” Hiko said turning an about face. “Why yes, our father made sake.” Kotori said. “Ever since he died he left the sake business to his partner but left half of the business in to us. We have bottles of it.” “I’d love to stay for dinner.” he said with a smile. Kotori bowed, “Thank you errr.” “Hiko.” he said. “Well Hiko-san,” Sakura said. He looked up and saw a pretty woman standing at the door, “come inside to eat, dinner is ready.” Dinner seemed to go by smoothly. Kotori on the other hand talked non-stop about the things in the market and what she was going to buy the next day. Sakura seemed to be silent as she ate her rice. “I saw this beautiful obi for you Sakura.” Kotori said, she paused as if expecting Sakura to reply. “Sakura?” Sakura had not moved. Hiko stopped his eatting and listened, he could hear it. Sakura calmly placed the bowl and chopsticks on the table and said , “Kotori, go to your room.” Kotori promptly went quiet, placed her bowl and chopsticks on the table and quickly went to her room. “I don’t understand.” Hiko said confused. The person outside was coming closer and Kotori had left the room. Sakura covered the dishes and then said to Hiko, “I’d get down close to the ground if I were you.” “But-” Sakura ran into the kitchen and then returned with a kitchen knife in her hand. Suddently the rice paper door came down on top of the table in splinters, paper, and food. Where the wall was a man clothed from head to toe in blue stood there with a katana in his hand. “Nagoya Sakura, I have come to-” “Not this time.” Sakura said. “At least you could have waited until after dinner.” she added under her breath. Hiko stared at Sakura, was she crazy?! How could she stand there calmly with a kitchen knife while a madman with a katana wanted her dead? “Does this happen everynight?” he asked from the floor. “Pretty much.” Sakura said, she glanced at the man, “Is this the second time this week?” The man relaxed a bit and nodded, “Its my shift, I get wednesdays this month.” Suddently out of no where a bottle of sake beaned the assassin in the head. He groaned and fell to the ground dropping the katana. Sakura turned and saw Hiko standing. He shrugged and said, “It was the only thing I could find.” He could hear the police whistles coming. He could see Sakura relax. She turned and bowed to Hiko, “Thank you for saving me.” Hiko smiled, “Happens all the time.” “I’m sorry this had to happen during dinner, I was hoping they wouldn’t attack during dinner.” she said as she bowed. “Its ok.” Hiko said. He sat down and poured himself some sake. “There hasn’t been this much danger since the Bakumatsu.” she added under her breath as she sat down at the table and began to uncover bowls. “The Bakumatsu? How old are you? You don’t look like Kotori’s mother at all. Ow!” Hiko rubbed the place where the bowl ricocheted off his forehead and fell to the ground breaking into pieces. “Mother!? Mother!?” Sakura exclaimed. Hiko rose and said, “I’m sorry its just that-” Sakura rose silently and said, “Thank you for coming Hiko-san, I’m sure you know the way out.” Hiko bowed and said, “It was a delicious meal Sakura-san.” he left the room and found Kotori at the door. “I’m sorry Hiko-san.” Kotori said, “Its just that Sakura-neesan is just, is just-” “No need to apologize Kotori-san.” Hiko said, “It was partly my fault. Goodnight.” “... its just that she’s lonely...” Kotori’s whisper followed him out the door. Hiko kept walking and ignored the voice in his heart. The voice had said to him, “... me too...” Part 2: Hiko stared at the bowls that he had just taken out of the kiln. They were a deep blue with a translucent blue sakura pattern on it. He reached to the bottle that was next to him and poured some sake in his cup. Sakura... that infernal woman. Her dark blue eyes glittered angrilly at him, and her dark brown hair. A rich color, darker than the brown from a very steeped oolong tea. Against her almost pale white skin and pale red lips... lips that turned into a grimace when he made a comment that she could have been Kotori’s mother. The place where the bowl hit him tingled a bit. He unconsciously rubbed the place. He sighed and vowed to forget her and downed his sake. He choked on air, he looked at his cup and at the bottle and groaned, “Time to go into town.” he muttered. He glanced at the sakura bowls and decided to bring them along. He scooped up four bowls and placed paper between them so they wouldn’t break and placed them in a bag and trudged off to Kyoto. “Hiko-san!” Hiko turned and saw Kotori running towards him as fast as her kimono allowed. “Kotori-san.” Hiko said with a bow. “I didn’t expect to see you here. What are you here for?” “More sake.” Hiko said. “Oh! Then come home, we have sake, I’m sure Sakura would love to see you again. Stay for dinner.” “I couldn’t not after the bowl incident.” Hiko said, “But please give these to her-” “Give them to her yourself. We are going.” she took Hiko’s hand and dragged him to the Nagoya home. Hiko protested with her and himself the whole entire way. “But she won’t want to see me.” Hiko said, “I called your onee-san your mother.” “She’s cooled off, don’t worry.” Kotori said and pushed the door open, “Tadaima!” “Back so soon Kotori?” Sakura asked from the house. Hiko ignored the flip in his heart. ‘You’re a grown man not a boy anymore, you’re supposed to make women’s hearts flip not your own.’ he said to himself. “I didn’t find much when I went.” Kotori said. “But I did run into someone.” Sakura came to the door of the house, “Well you did go repeatedly for the past three days, you must have depleated the mar-” she stopped her sentence when she saw Hiko standing next to Kotori. “-ket.” she finished. She dropped the bowl she was drying. Hiko bowed and said, “Konbanwa.” “Sakura, I invited him to dinner.” Kotori said. “That’s good, I always like extra company when I visit my grandaughters.” a voice said. Hiko turned and saw Oba-san at the door. “Oba-chan!” Kotori said, “Okaeri nasai.” she bowed. “Hello Kotori-chan.” Oba-san said. She bowed, “Hello Hiko-san.” “Oba-san.” he said. “Kotori set another place at the table then.” Sakura said exasperated as she went back to the kitchen muttering about a conspiracy. “What’s that?” Oba-san asked as she pointed to the sack. Hiko stopped his staring and opened the bag, “Bowls, Sakura broke one and-” “Go give it to her now so she can wash them so we can use them tonight.” Kotori said excitedly. Sakura chopped at the vegetables angrilly, how could Kotori bring him back?! And Oba-san! She acted as if having a strange man at their dinner table was normal! Well aside from the usual assassin coming through the house, but then again that was normal now. She was so absorbed in her cutting that she jumped at the sound of soft knock. “Yes?” she asked. “Its Hiko may I come in?” “Yes.” she said through clenched teeth. He stepped into the kitchen, “I’m sorry I made that comment that Kotori was your daughter-” suddently he jumped away from the swing of a knife. “You were stepping over the line a bit.” Sakura said holding the kitchen knife at his stomach. “Damnit woman what are you trying to do, slice me in half?!” he shouted. “The thought ran through my mind.” she said turning back to her cutting. “Why are you still here?” she asked. He looked down at the package in his hand and said, “I came to bring this.” She turned and saw a stack of four handmade bowls. What beautiful work! “How beautiful!” she said taking the bowls. “You broke yours that night and... it was partly my fault so...” “Hiko.” Sakura’s voice broke through is talking. “Huh?” “Thank you.” she said with a smile. “You’re welcome.” he said and turned away. He heard the sound of a scream and the sound of another person in the kitchen. He burst back inside and saw a man dressed in blue struggling with Sakura who was trying to fend him off with the kitchen knife. The man saw Hiko, his eyes widened and he ran away. Sakura dropped the knife and collapsed on the ground sobbing. Hiko wrapped his arms around her, “Its okay.” he said. “Sakura!!!” Kotori scramed as she burst into the kitchen, following behind her was Oba-san. “Are you alright?” Sakura nodded, “I thought they’d leave us alone.” “Who were they?” Hiko asked. “Where these the same people that attacked you the other night?” Sakura shook her head and said, “Robbers.” “That keep attacking you repeatedly?” Hiko asked. “You’re perceptive.” Oba-san said. Sakura rose, “Well,” she said, “Dinner is almost ready.” she handed the bowls to Kotori, “Go set the table.” Kotori nodded and left the room. “But you were just attacked, how can-” Hiko said. “Hiko-san, meet me outside infront of the dinning room.” Oba-san interrupted him as she turned away. “Hai Oba-san.” Hiko said and turned to Sakura, “Are you alright?” Sakura was putting pickles in dishes, “I am fine, I just need to finish preparing dinner.” “Alright,” Hiko said and left the kitchen. He walked to the dinning room and opened the doors to the courtyard. He assumed that Oba-san wanted him to wait here. He closed the doors behind him. “Ahhh Hiko-san.” Hiko turned to see Oba-san sitting next to a pot of tea. “What is it that you want me to carry this time Oba-san.” he asked. “Oh no! Its nothing this time.” she said. “I just wanted to talk to you about my grandaughter.” “Sakura you mean.” he said. “Yes,” Oba said. “Here.” she said as she handed him a cup of tea. “I don’t-” “Drink and sit young man.” Oba said. Hiko sat down and realized that Oba had given him warm sake. “I fear for my grandaughters.” Oba said. “Why?” “Well for one these people attacking them, Sakura especially.” “Ahh. . .” “This has been going on for a few years now, but lately the attacks have worsened. The attacks have left Sakura alone. What man would want to marry danger?” “I know a few. . .” Hiko said softly with a smile. “So she is litterally an old maid, all she has left is her sister Kotori. Kotori is young and has her future ahead of her.” “No wonder Sakura cares for Kotori as a mother.” Hiko said. “Yes.” Oba-san said. “Hiko-san, do me a favor. I assure you its not unreasonable.” “What is the favor, Oba-san?” “Watch my grandaughters for me. They need someone like you to protect them. Help me find out who and why they’re attacking my family.” Hiko finished his sake and looked out at the hills where his home was. “No it is not unreasonable.” he said. “Then you accept?” Oba-san asked. Hiko rose, “I accept, I will go home to close up the kiln and the house and return here by the end of the day.” Oba-san nodded, “Then we shall expect you tomorrow night.” “Obaaa-sannn!” Kotori called, “Dinner is ready!” ----------- Part 3 to come. Rurichan's notes: -typos and spelling errors all over! ^_^ -I always imagined a strong willed woman for Hiko. Someone who actually stood up to him and his vanity. Which is why Sakura is sort of like Kaoru in a way, except she can cook. -You can probably guess what's going to happen next. This is setting itself up to be a bad romantic-comedy ne? Oh well. http://members.xoom.com/Haruchan/rkff/rkffmain.htm