Chapter 2 What is that sound? I wake to hear shrieking from the opposite side of the poor little village. No one else seems to be waking up. It’s as if everyone is either afraid to do anything or is accustomed to the sound. Unfortunately, I cannot ignore this. Slowly, I rise and follow the desperate sounds. There is a rustle as if someone is thrashing. Is there a fight going on? A life struggle between two of the residents here? Surely, the sound can’t be made by more than two people. It’s just not loud enough. Is it? I’m scared. Maybe Michio and his men have come for me and some poor man has fallen victim. Damn them and their pride! No…I see a flash of platinum. White hair. Enishi? The man who saved me is thrashing about and screaming at the top of his lungs? Why? I kneel just far enough away to not get trampled. He is still asleep! What could he have gone through to be forced to deal with such a horrendous nightmare!? Without hesitance, I crawl over to him. Briefly, he seems to have settled. I take the opportunity to approach him. Perhaps I can comfort him. It would be a proper payment for his kindness earlier. He screams, shrill and desperate, in his almost childish attempts to break free from some unknown demon. His face is contorted with anguish. Though physically he looks older than me, he mentally appears to be a lost, pained child. Thrashing once more, his head rams into my leg. He freezes, scared out of his mind. Whimpering, he tries to shy away. My hand shakes as I reach for him. Gently, I rest my palm against his forehead. He is sweating profusely. His eyes shoot open, but it’s obvious that he is not truly awake. I smile warmly. “Everything will be okay.” I make soft shushing noises as he dazedly falls into me. Something tells me he would never do such a thing if he were awake. He really is just a lost child. I rest his head over my beating heart as a mother would her son. Almost instantly, he settles. Innocently, his right arm snakes around my waist while his left reaches so that he may grasp my dress. It is good to see him comfortable. I wish I could say the same for myself. I never was very good at sleeping while sitting up. Nonetheless, I still seem to be able to nod off. My head bows to rest upon his. Much to my drowsy amusement, he sighs in contentment. Finally, I am able to sleep in relative peace. * * * I wake to find that Enishi has moved during the night. His head is no longer against my chest, but resting heavily upon my shoulder. My legs are numb. The man is anything but light, especially when he has been on my lap all night. His arms are still around me. They are tighter than before as if he is frightened of losing the comfort I offered him. His eyes are opening. I can feel his lashes fluttering against my neck. “Tomoe…?” He is not fully awake yet I suppose. Who is this Tomoe? Slowly, he raises his head off my shoulder. A lethargic hand leaves my waist to brush the hair out of my eyes. He squints. All I can do is smile and wait for him to react. He doesn’t seem to like what he sees. Quickly, he fully awakens and removes himself from my lap. Violently, I am pushed away. “What are you doing??” “You were screaming!” I flinch and wait for the blow. “I was comforting you! I’m sorry!” He stops and clutches his head as if he’s in pain. Teal eyes open to stare blankly at me with the intensity of someone who is insane. I disregard the blood dripping from my lip. While I was with the gang, if I wiped blood I was beaten even more. Apparently, they were attracted to the brilliance of the red against my pale cheek. They always used to taunt me about the beauty of the colors my fair complexion could produce when hit hard enough. “Please forgive me! I did not mean to-” “Leave!” He continues to clutch his head as I run for safety. This is the man that saved my life? He was so kind yesterday. What happened? He did not like my comfort? * * * It has been a week now. Every night I hear him screaming. One would think I’d learn from my first mistake, but I can’t sleep when he dreams like this. Each time, I find myself crossing the tiny village to offer him comfort. And each time, he immediately relaxes holding on to my frame for dear life. Each morning like before, he becomes angry and violently pushes me away. The only thing that has changed is the ferocity of his push. I no longer bleed. Therefore, he no longer has to deal with such a horrible migraine. Yes. I believe violence against a woman gives him such a splitting headache. “I see we have a new comer.” An old man invites himself to sit down beside me. I have no idea what he just said, but it didn’t sound unkind. I smile and nod as I do to most of the people that try to talk to me here. “So it’s true. You don’t speak Japanese.” He smiles politely and presses his hand to his chest. “I’m Oibore.” “Oibore…” Did he mean that that’s his name? I think so. I stare at him confused. “Yes,” he nods. “You?” He points at me. He must want my name. “Liya…” I smile sweetly, no longer quite so confused. He grins back and takes my hand. I blush as he gives it a quick peck. He reminds me of my grandfather. Kind and eccentric. “Very pretty name.” “Vely…pdittii…neem…?” I try to sound out what he just said. He only laughs. I must have said it wrong. Apologetically, I blush and look at my knees. He tries again. “Liya…pretty name…” “He means your name is pretty…” Enishi. So he’s talking to me again. I nod enthusiastically. “Oh…na li na li!” I shake my head according to protocol. Never accept a compliment the first time. Apparently, the custom in Japan is similar to China. The elderly man smiles as if to say, “don’t be so polite.” I’m blushing again as I accept his compliment. Oibore chuckles and lets his gaze fall on the white haired man standing in front of me. I look up at him from my seated position. Normally, I would get up and offer him my seat. It is my place to do so, but he bruised me this morning and I don’t feel like moving the muscle just yet. “Oh good! You speak her language! I wanted to ask her something. You can translate for me.” He grins at the two of us and motions for Enishi to sit. Reluctantly he does so. His intense gaze falls on me. I can feel my face get hot from the relentless staring. Not even the men of the gang stared at me like this. It’s quite unnerving. “I was wondering,” Enishi begins to repeat Oibore’s words in Chinese, “you go to this man each night and he just pushes you away. Doesn’t it hurt you to be rejected like that? Why do you do it?” I am taken back by his abrupt question. By the frustrated expression on my ‘translators’ face, he is as well. I blush. “Yes. It does hurt. I am bruised. But he screams every night and I can’t sleep. I seem to be the only one willing to calm him.” Well, it is true. Enishi doesn’t seem like the man that would take kindly to pity, so I can only tell half the truth. Call it woman’s instinct to comfort a wailing child. Even if that child is most likely older. “Is this true?” He lowers his head. I don’t even bother to look at the mop of white hair that just spoke. Where did Oibore go? He was here a minute ago. Ah, he is exactly like my grandfather. Sparks conversation, then leaves when the objects of his matchmaking begin to talk. “Yes.” “I hurt you? And you only meant to comfort me so that you could sleep? It wasn’t for pity? Or because of what the yakusa taught you?” “I am bruised, but I don’t bleed like the first time you pushed me away. I can handle bruises. The yakusa, as you say, did not teach me to comfort. They taught me to please. I comfort you because I want to.” I know my smile is weak, but at least my expression isn’t as pitiful as his. He looks as if he has just been scolded by his mother. Perhaps he has. “Enishi! It’s your turn to go into town!” One of the men yells from the communal stew pot. With a smirk, the lonely tiger rises and offers me his hand. It appears he has been asked to do something. I have no idea what was just said, but the other man is holding out a bag. I assume there is a chore that must be attended to. “You will go with me into town. If you’re there, the cops won’t bother me. And you need something else to wear. No one here knows I have money, so I end up playing all day and coming back with a lot.” I nod and take his hand. He helps me up and frowns when I wince. Well, I did tell him that he bruised me. * * * Author's Notes: yakusa = I'm taking it to be a general term for a gang. Michio = according to my name reference page, this means: man with strength of three thousand. I thought it would explain the guy's big ego. na li na li = I'm not sure exactly what it means, but my teacher told me that the term is used as a general way to not accept a compliment. Yes, it is considered rude to accept a compliment the first time you recieve one from a person. They have to tell you "don't be so polite" before you can accept it...or so my teacher told me. She is from Taiwan, so I'm taking her word for it.