Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 8/7
Aug. 7th, 2010 03:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mbarkera.k.a. guess what
Everyone clustered around the television to watch Ge-ge-ge no Kitaro. And the theme song was a hit. Fumie heard children singing it as she walked in the shopping area.
Miura, the shopkeeper's wife, chewed on a cracker as she told the other wives and Fumie, "And it's not just kids. The salary men out drinking at night sing Ge-ge-ge." Matsui looked at Fumie. "With the television show so popular, Mizuki must be even more busy?" Fumie nodded.
In the office, Sachiko talked on the phone. "A television interview? Wait a minute, I'll get Mizuki's manager." She handed the phone to Mitsuo, Shigeru's younger brother. He had been hired to act as the office manager.
Then one day, Fumie walked into the kitchen carrying Yoshiko, the baby. Shigeru sat on one side of the table, across from Yuichi and Mitsuo. They all frowned. Fumie said, "Oh, I didn't know you were here. Good to see you." Yuichi gave a short nod.
Fumie walked into the next room, where Aiko was drawing at a short, round table. Fumie whispered to her, "What's that about?" Aiko looked up, and said, "A meeting of the big three." Fumie looked puzzled.
Shigeru said, "Please, come sit down." Fumie set Yoshiko down, then went and sat at the table. Shigeru said, "Our parents want to move to Tokyo." Fumie blinked at them. "What?" Yuichi nodded. "It's true. The Anger called this morning, and said that with us all living here, it didn't make any sense for them to stay there."
Fumie said, "Well, but maybe it will be too cold here?" Shigeru laughed. "It might be." Yuichi shook his head. "This is nothing to laugh about. Their idea is that they're going to stay with each of us for a while in turn." He looked at the table. "The Anger can't stay with us. Our apartment is too small, the kids are too noisy, and we don't have a bath." He looked at Mitsuo. "What about you?" Mitsuo shook his head. "My apartment? I don't have room, either."
After a moment, Yuichi said, "Well, it sounds like they'll have to stay with Shigeru." The two brothers looked at him and smiled.
Shigeru said, "Wait, we don't have room. And I've got the assistants, I'm trying to run a business, I'm really too busy." Yuichi said, "But you've got Fumie." They all looked at her. She bit her lip.
Sugai came in and said, "Mitsuo? There's a telephone call... Oh, and Sensei, there's a publisher's assistant waiting for a draft. Deadline today."
As the men started to stand up, Yuichi said, "Okay, we've decided. And if we need to, we'll get together again."
They all left. Fumie sat at the table.
That night, Shigeru sat in the darkened workroom, drawing. He finished a page of Kitaro, then set it aside. He pulled another sheet of paper out, and said, "Tokyo? Maybe with a couple of rooms..."
Meanwhile, Fumie was digging in the closet upstairs. She pulled out an old tin box, and opened it. She got out the paintings that Shigeru had done long ago. She started to lay them out, as Aiko asked, "What are those?" Fumie said, "They're paintings your father did." She pulled one out and said, "Here, this is where your grandparents live." She looked at it, and remembered Kinuyo showing her the card that Shigeru had sent, with a sketch of a man in uniform holding his empty sleeve. Fumie remembered Kinuyo asking her to take care of her son.
Another day, Fumie was outside watering. She played with the hose, and smiled at the rainbow that she created in the bright sunshine.
Kurata ran up the street. "Fumie! Look!" He held a manga out to her, open to a story. She read the title, then the author's name. "Kurata? It's yours?" He said, "Yes!" Then he jumped up and down in excitement. "I did it!"
In the office, Shigeru looked at the manga and smiled at Kurata. "Congratulations! You've turned professional, and gotten a start. That's great." Sugai and Komine also congratulated Kurata, then they went back to work. Mitsuo took a phone call, and said, "Another strip? Next month?" He looked over at Shigeru, who raised his hand, okay.
Sugai tugged at Komine's sleeve. "We're so busy, how can Sensei let Kurata go?"
That evening, Shigeru led the three assistants into the family area. Fumie had a feast laid out on the tables, red bean rice, fried rice, fried chicken, bottles of cold beer, everything. She said, "Congratulations!" Kurata looked at it, and said, "This is for me?" Shigeru said, "Of course it is."
As Shigeru poured beer for Kurata, he added, "We're so busy right now, we may not be able to have a going away party when you leave. So I hope you'll accept this as congratulations and going away party." Kurata winced. "But we're so busy. I don't think I can..." Shigeru shook his head. "No, don't worry about us. You've got a start, now use it. You have to think about yourself now. Don't worry. Go!"
Sugai, sitting at the end of the table, said, "But what about another assistant?" Shigeru said, "I'll ask Fukuzawa who he would recommend. I'm not going to advertise for one again." Fumie laughed. "I didn't have a driver's license then, so we had driver in the description." Sugai said, "I answered that ad." Shigeru shook his head. "We had a lot of strange people answer that ad. Bodybuilders, guitar players..." Then he smiled. "We only have one strange person left from that." Sugai snorted. "Wait a minute..."
Komine said, "I might continue my trip, too." Fumie said, "What?" He shrugged. "Three years ago, I was drawing when Shigeru found me. Just traveling and drawing. I said I'd help a while, but..." Shigeru nodded. Komine said, "I'll probably leave sometime soon, too."
Sugai said, "What? I'll be alone." Shigeru laughed. "No you won't. We'll get more. And then you'll be the senior assistant." Kurata and Komine looked at him. "And then you'll get to help them."
Later that night, Fumie brought a cup of tea into the darkened workroom. "Shigeru?" His work lamp was on, but the room was empty. She walked over, and looked at the plan sitting on his desk. Shigeru came in from the other room. "Oh, you saw that?" He slipped into his seat. "I thought... well, we could use some more room for assistants, and ... maybe a second kitchen..." He turned the plan in his hand. "You know, maybe the Anger and the Strong Stomach could stay with us for a while, just for the fall? They could help you?" Fumie set the tea down, and said, "Okay." Shigeru looked at her. "Really?"
Fumie looked at him, and said, "Really. Whatever happens, as long as you and I do it together, it will be all right."
Shigeru smoothed the plan on his desk. "Oh. Okay, I guess we can call the Anger and tell them."
As Fumie walked out of the room, he glanced over his shoulder, and said, "Thank you."
That fall, Kinuyo and Shuhei walked through the gate. Kinuyo stretched, a large package in her hands. "It's so nice that Fumie could pick us up in the car." Shuhei nodded, his hands full of suitcases. He had a new hat pulled low.
They stepped inside. Shigeru brought Yoshiko and Aiko. Behind him came Mitsuo and Yuichi. Kinuyo looked and said, "It's a Murai family reunion." They all said hello, and introduced the children to their grandparents.
The episode ended with bits from next week. The theme is the ghost or spirit of busyness. And the bits started with Shigeru saying "The spirit of busyness?" There were kids teasing Aiko (probably kindergarten?). Shigeru outside the front door, asking Fumie, "Who am I?" Fumie and Aiko looking out a window together. And Fumie saying, "Maybe I'm the spirit of busyness."
<to be continued>
Everyone clustered around the television to watch Ge-ge-ge no Kitaro. And the theme song was a hit. Fumie heard children singing it as she walked in the shopping area.
Miura, the shopkeeper's wife, chewed on a cracker as she told the other wives and Fumie, "And it's not just kids. The salary men out drinking at night sing Ge-ge-ge." Matsui looked at Fumie. "With the television show so popular, Mizuki must be even more busy?" Fumie nodded.
In the office, Sachiko talked on the phone. "A television interview? Wait a minute, I'll get Mizuki's manager." She handed the phone to Mitsuo, Shigeru's younger brother. He had been hired to act as the office manager.
Then one day, Fumie walked into the kitchen carrying Yoshiko, the baby. Shigeru sat on one side of the table, across from Yuichi and Mitsuo. They all frowned. Fumie said, "Oh, I didn't know you were here. Good to see you." Yuichi gave a short nod.
Fumie walked into the next room, where Aiko was drawing at a short, round table. Fumie whispered to her, "What's that about?" Aiko looked up, and said, "A meeting of the big three." Fumie looked puzzled.
Shigeru said, "Please, come sit down." Fumie set Yoshiko down, then went and sat at the table. Shigeru said, "Our parents want to move to Tokyo." Fumie blinked at them. "What?" Yuichi nodded. "It's true. The Anger called this morning, and said that with us all living here, it didn't make any sense for them to stay there."
Fumie said, "Well, but maybe it will be too cold here?" Shigeru laughed. "It might be." Yuichi shook his head. "This is nothing to laugh about. Their idea is that they're going to stay with each of us for a while in turn." He looked at the table. "The Anger can't stay with us. Our apartment is too small, the kids are too noisy, and we don't have a bath." He looked at Mitsuo. "What about you?" Mitsuo shook his head. "My apartment? I don't have room, either."
After a moment, Yuichi said, "Well, it sounds like they'll have to stay with Shigeru." The two brothers looked at him and smiled.
Shigeru said, "Wait, we don't have room. And I've got the assistants, I'm trying to run a business, I'm really too busy." Yuichi said, "But you've got Fumie." They all looked at her. She bit her lip.
Sugai came in and said, "Mitsuo? There's a telephone call... Oh, and Sensei, there's a publisher's assistant waiting for a draft. Deadline today."
As the men started to stand up, Yuichi said, "Okay, we've decided. And if we need to, we'll get together again."
They all left. Fumie sat at the table.
That night, Shigeru sat in the darkened workroom, drawing. He finished a page of Kitaro, then set it aside. He pulled another sheet of paper out, and said, "Tokyo? Maybe with a couple of rooms..."
Meanwhile, Fumie was digging in the closet upstairs. She pulled out an old tin box, and opened it. She got out the paintings that Shigeru had done long ago. She started to lay them out, as Aiko asked, "What are those?" Fumie said, "They're paintings your father did." She pulled one out and said, "Here, this is where your grandparents live." She looked at it, and remembered Kinuyo showing her the card that Shigeru had sent, with a sketch of a man in uniform holding his empty sleeve. Fumie remembered Kinuyo asking her to take care of her son.
Another day, Fumie was outside watering. She played with the hose, and smiled at the rainbow that she created in the bright sunshine.
Kurata ran up the street. "Fumie! Look!" He held a manga out to her, open to a story. She read the title, then the author's name. "Kurata? It's yours?" He said, "Yes!" Then he jumped up and down in excitement. "I did it!"
In the office, Shigeru looked at the manga and smiled at Kurata. "Congratulations! You've turned professional, and gotten a start. That's great." Sugai and Komine also congratulated Kurata, then they went back to work. Mitsuo took a phone call, and said, "Another strip? Next month?" He looked over at Shigeru, who raised his hand, okay.
Sugai tugged at Komine's sleeve. "We're so busy, how can Sensei let Kurata go?"
That evening, Shigeru led the three assistants into the family area. Fumie had a feast laid out on the tables, red bean rice, fried rice, fried chicken, bottles of cold beer, everything. She said, "Congratulations!" Kurata looked at it, and said, "This is for me?" Shigeru said, "Of course it is."
As Shigeru poured beer for Kurata, he added, "We're so busy right now, we may not be able to have a going away party when you leave. So I hope you'll accept this as congratulations and going away party." Kurata winced. "But we're so busy. I don't think I can..." Shigeru shook his head. "No, don't worry about us. You've got a start, now use it. You have to think about yourself now. Don't worry. Go!"
Sugai, sitting at the end of the table, said, "But what about another assistant?" Shigeru said, "I'll ask Fukuzawa who he would recommend. I'm not going to advertise for one again." Fumie laughed. "I didn't have a driver's license then, so we had driver in the description." Sugai said, "I answered that ad." Shigeru shook his head. "We had a lot of strange people answer that ad. Bodybuilders, guitar players..." Then he smiled. "We only have one strange person left from that." Sugai snorted. "Wait a minute..."
Komine said, "I might continue my trip, too." Fumie said, "What?" He shrugged. "Three years ago, I was drawing when Shigeru found me. Just traveling and drawing. I said I'd help a while, but..." Shigeru nodded. Komine said, "I'll probably leave sometime soon, too."
Sugai said, "What? I'll be alone." Shigeru laughed. "No you won't. We'll get more. And then you'll be the senior assistant." Kurata and Komine looked at him. "And then you'll get to help them."
Later that night, Fumie brought a cup of tea into the darkened workroom. "Shigeru?" His work lamp was on, but the room was empty. She walked over, and looked at the plan sitting on his desk. Shigeru came in from the other room. "Oh, you saw that?" He slipped into his seat. "I thought... well, we could use some more room for assistants, and ... maybe a second kitchen..." He turned the plan in his hand. "You know, maybe the Anger and the Strong Stomach could stay with us for a while, just for the fall? They could help you?" Fumie set the tea down, and said, "Okay." Shigeru looked at her. "Really?"
Fumie looked at him, and said, "Really. Whatever happens, as long as you and I do it together, it will be all right."
Shigeru smoothed the plan on his desk. "Oh. Okay, I guess we can call the Anger and tell them."
As Fumie walked out of the room, he glanced over his shoulder, and said, "Thank you."
That fall, Kinuyo and Shuhei walked through the gate. Kinuyo stretched, a large package in her hands. "It's so nice that Fumie could pick us up in the car." Shuhei nodded, his hands full of suitcases. He had a new hat pulled low.
They stepped inside. Shigeru brought Yoshiko and Aiko. Behind him came Mitsuo and Yuichi. Kinuyo looked and said, "It's a Murai family reunion." They all said hello, and introduced the children to their grandparents.
The episode ended with bits from next week. The theme is the ghost or spirit of busyness. And the bits started with Shigeru saying "The spirit of busyness?" There were kids teasing Aiko (probably kindergarten?). Shigeru outside the front door, asking Fumie, "Who am I?" Fumie and Aiko looking out a window together. And Fumie saying, "Maybe I'm the spirit of busyness."
<to be continued>
