As they sat around the dinner table, Kuroh once again expressed his admiration. “The meal is delicious, Ichigen-sama!”
“I see–that’s wonderful to hear,” Ichigen smiled, wielding his chopsticks with refined movements. The 10-mat living room had only a single low-set dining table, and while it lacked a television or air-conditioning unit, it held a large clock hung on the wall as well as a vacuum-tube radio.
The window opening out onto the veranda was flung open, letting a cool evening breeze flow through. The drops of rain from earlier had long since stopped, and clouds floated lazily across the madder red sky.
“But…I feel a bit disappointed.” Kuroh dropped his shoulders slightly as he moved his chopsticks around. “I need to be able to prepare this sort of thing properly myself–and yet I still rely on your help in the kitchen.” He turned to face Ichigen once more and dropped his head. “I deeply apologize.” It was a very boyish, refreshing move.
“………” Ichigen’s expression grew complicated. “You know, about that, Kuro…”
Kuroh’s head whipped up, eyes glittering. “Yes??”
“I’m was thrilled, of course, that you thought to prepare our meal, but–how can I put this… Don’t you think it falls a bit outside the category of general ch.o.r.es about the home?” Kuroh blinked a few times in shock, and Ichigen struggled for proper phrasing. “You see, while I might not be in the best of health, I can at least handle a bit of housework.”
“Of course! There’s nothing you can’t do! If you wanted to, you could even become an astronaut, or Prime Minister, I’m sure of it!”
“Thank you.” He smiled at the words of his ever-straightforward pupil. “It warms my heart to hear you say such things.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Wait–that’s not what I was getting at. What I mean to say is–I feel bad asking you to take care of all of the household ch.o.r.es. You even go so far as to address me using the -sama honorific, and I must confess it’s a bit embarra.s.sing.”
Kuroh tilted his head in confusion. His features were refined, setting him apart from the rank and file around him and ensuring that he would grow into quite the beauty with age, with eyes larger than those of any of the other children in the village. It had already been more than four years since the boy had come to live with him, and yet he still retained this sense of stiff formality. Quite the contrary–it may well have become even stronger with the departure of the elder students from their house.
“But, Ichigen-sama…” Kuroh began. “Didn’t you mention before that you cared for your grandfather like this as a child?”
“Oh, that was…” Ichigen paused, cutting himself off. “Mm, well that was a special case. Remember what I said? For generations, my family has run the Miwa Meijin School of traditional swordsmanship, and my exceedingly strict grandfather disciplined me to do as such. That’s not how things work in this day and age, though.”
As he related his tale with warm tones, though, he became aware that his words held no persuasive power, and sure enough, Kuroh announced with a broad smile, “Then I’d like to be raise in the same manner! I want to be just like you when I grow up, after all, Ichigen-sama!”
“Ngh…”
Kuroh continued merrily, “Ichigen-sama, caring for you makes me happier than anything else!”
Ichigen brought a bite of food to his mouth, not quite sure what he’d gotten himself into. “Hmm…” At this point, it was difficult to turn the boy down, even though he’d actually been raised in a much stricter household.
Kuroh added, “Ichigen-sama–please tell me more about what life was like when you were a child!”
“When I was a child? That hardly makes for a decent story.”
“I want to know anything and everything about you!” Kuroh’s eyes shone with the innocence of a boy who believed from the bottom of his heart that he was gazing upon a true hero, and Ichigen’s expression softened.
“Let’s see then… How about I tell you about my grandfather? He was a truly accomplished swordsman indeed. I even heard that he learned to wield a blade under the tutelage of Okita Souji of the Shinsengumi. Not that I put much stock in that legend, though.”
Kuroh let himself be swept away by the story as Ichigen began to chatter cheerfully. They had no television, lived in a tiny rural village deep in the mountains with no sources of entertainment, but they without a doubt found time to enjoy themselves to their hearts’ content.