Chapter 8

It is really getting dark out now. Cho is mewling happily from my 
shoulder. Liya is still deciding whether or not she should be upset 
with me for spoiling the little girl. Well, we were going to the bath 
house and, as before with Liya, I doubted it would be wise to put the 
same dirty clothes on after she was all clean. She couldn’t argue with 
that logic at least, so she contented herself with silently fuming 
about my over-generosity. 

“Now, where we go?” Liya gently brushed Cho’s now loose hair out of 
her face. The little girl was already tired and we hadn’t even really 
done anything yet.

“Well, Kaemon still has to really celebrate. I doubt that kid from 
before is working this late, if you want to try the Akabeko again.” I 
think Cho will wake up for food. She always surprises me with her 
appetite and no one will bother us if we have a child. Liya smiles 
serenely at this. Her eyes tell me she’s proud that I’m not letting 
past events get to me. 

“Welcome! Four?” Ms. Tae smiles warily. She remembers. I nod and smile 
back. At least she’s not kicking me out. That’s a good sign. The other 
two pass to go to the designated table. Ms. Tae stares at me with 
nervous eyes, but she remains nonetheless. I do have a child in my 
arms. It’s not as if I’m going to attack her.

“That man there?” She nods at Kaemon. “It’s his twentieth birthday 
today. Do you have anything?” Her lip is trembling at our close 
proximity. Suddenly aware of what my closeness is doing to her, I back 
up a step. Shakily, she nods and manages a smile. I thank her and leave 
to join the two already seated.

I rub Cho’s back in an effort to wake her gently. “Cho-chan…” Her head 
shifts on my shoulder. Much to Ms. Tae’s awe, she drowsily rubs her 
eyes on my shirt before using her tiny hands. The woman’s gentle smile 
widens. I think the child’s display made Ms. Tae forget her fear of me. 
It worked. I’m glad. 

“Enishi-nii…we gonna eat?” Her dark blue eyes blink lazily as she rubs 
them one last time. Tentatively, Ms. Tae approaches. She holds out a 
piece of candy and smiles. I see the brat emerge from the back. He 
glares at me, but notices the child and backs off with a 
non-threatening growl.

“Cho-chan…This is Ms. Tae.” I notice Liya grinning at me from the 
corner of my eye, much to Kaemon’s dismay. I can’t help that his 
little sister gets attention like this where ever she goes. It just 
happens to be that I’m holding her right now.

“Hello…”

“Here you go honey!” Her smile broadens even more with the cuteness of 
the four year old girl. I never thought I’d ever say, let alone think, 
a word like ‘cute’. It seemed so far from my vocabulary a year ago. 
Change really does sneak up on you when you’re not looking. It seems 
like over night I became this soft, nice guy. Once I would have thought 
that to be a weakness, but now that doesn’t seem to really matter much 
anymore.

A smirk set upon my face, I carry the child to the waiting table. The 
atmosphere doesn’t seem so tense anymore. Cho did her trick. I’m glad 
we decided to do this. We should take Cho every time we come into town.

I pass my gaze over the table. Kaemon is looking victorious about 
something. What is he up to I wonder? Is he actually going to make a 
play for Liya tonight? This ought to be very interesting. Wait. Liya 
is blushing. He already did something. Why is this annoying me? It’s 
amusing. That’s all. That’s right. I am amused by his attempts at 
getting Liya’s attention. Nothing more.

“What can I get for you guys tonight?” As we order, something 
resembling lightening bolts flash between Kaemon and me. I am not one 
to step down from a challenge, but this is ridiculous. Liya isn’t some 
prize at a festival. But, like I said, I am not one to step down from a 
challenge. So, challenge away little boy. 

Tsubame and Ms. Tae trot over to give us our order of sake and tea to 
go along with a very tempting cream pie topped with a huge display of 
fruit and a lit sparkler. The two women wish Kaemon a happy birthday as 
he hands the sparkler to Cho. Her dark blue eyes light up with 
excitement at the shiny firework.

Lifting my Choko, I offer a toast to the ‘birthday boy’. My wicked grin 
widens as my eyes narrow a silent challenge. Cho has already left the 
table, but I pay her no mind. This is more important. Sure enough, the 
twenty year old downs the whole choko in one gulp. He has answered my 
challenge. Let the festivities begin.


* * *

“I can’t believe you got him drunk.” I give her my best evil smirk as I 
adjust my glasses.

“We goin’ home now, koishiiiii…?” Liya gives the intoxicated man an odd 
look. Unable to contain myself, I burst out laughing almost waking Cho 
in the process. I cradle her in my arms as Liya helps Kaemon to his 
feet. Yes. I taught her what koishii means. Someone called her my 
koishii as a joke a couple nights ago. I got playful and teased her 
about it rewarding me with a growing blush. It was very nice indeed.

I can feel the brat of Kamiya Dojo watching us from the shadows. It’s 
alright though. I think he’s just curious now. Cho’s trick when we 
entered the Akabeko did more than I thought it would. It was causing 
the brat to second guess his earlier accusations.

There are, of course, other people in the shadows. Besides the brat, 
two others catch my attention. One is Saitoh Hajime, Mibu’s wolf. As 
usual, he is watching me to see if I make trouble. The other has a more 
sinister intent. I’m sure the ‘wolf’ has noticed the murderous ki 
already. If the person makes a move, I won’t be the one to attack him. 
Perhaps Saitoh might even let me talk to the bastard in jail. I do have 
plenty of questions. What is this revenge they’re going after? Why 
bother with Liya still?

“I loooove youuu, Koishiiiii…” Kaemon sings as he attempts to snuggle 
while standing up. The said ‘koishii’ blushes furiously as if she’s 
mortified. Because she is. I realize this when I notice where the man’s 
limp hand is. Liya gives me a pleading look. She doesn’t want to lose 
the grip she has on him. We had decided that she should take care of 
him because Cho is lighter. If someone were to attack tonight, I would 
need to be able to act fast. Having a burden like Kaemon would tie me 
down too much.

Once again, I don my wicked grin as I remove the man’s hand from the 
woman’s breast to place it innocently on her arm. Though she looks 
relieved, she continues to blush furiously. “I think he’s having a bit 
too much fun on his birthday.” I find myself winking at her. Kaemon’s 
hand slips off her arm to rest on her breast once more. Annoyed onyx 
eyes stare at the offending hand. “I guess you have no choice but to 
keep it there until you can put him down.” I laugh at the incredibly 
rare dangerous expression she gives me.

I counter her glare with my own telling her how unhappy I am with his 
wandering hand. She seems satisfied with that and walks the now twenty 
year old down the street toward home. I watch her attempt at not 
struggling with the man’s weight. She may be gentle and submissive, but 
she certainly has determination. Despite myself, I think I’m starting 
to fall for this woman.

* * *

Author's Notes:

A choko is the little saucer-like-cup that you drink sake out of.
Brought to you by:
http://www.suihitsu.co.jp/eng/lecture/sake/jiten.html

The Japanese do have a birthday cake of sorts. It looks like just a 
simple cream pie, but it has huge chunks of fruit that decorate the
middle. The Japanese don't usually do the sweets thing. I read that
it's because most of their food is starchy, so that explains why
their birthday cake is so simple.

I actually didn't learn this from a website. I frequent a Japanese
restaraunt. They serve the traditional Japanese birthday cake there.
They put a sparkler in the middle and everything. It's really neat.

Well, that's all from me. I decided to make this one short because
the last chapter was so long. I hope you liked it!