Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 8/23
Aug. 23rd, 2010 11:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mbarkera.k.a. how are you going to keep them out?
One morning, Fumie stood in the front door holding a large box. She thanked the delivery man. She fingered the delivery label, and saw it was from Takashi, her brother. She carried the box into the living room, and set it on the table there.
Shigeru came in, carrying a newspaper. As he inhaled breakfast, he said, "Could you clip this story?" He pointed to one headline. Then he said, "Kanou is going to be in the office later. She's working on a story for her magazine." Fumie said, "Oh, should I come to the office? Maybe I can help?" Shigeru shook his head. "No, this is about work." He gulped the last of his tea and stood up. "I'm going." Fumie said, "Itterasshyai." (A Japanese phrase used for "See you later"). Shigeru grunted and walked out of the kitchen. Fumie looked after him, and said, "Ittekimasu?" (the normal polite response meaning "I'm going, but will be back later."
Shigeru had rearranged the house a little. So at this point, he walked out the door of the family part of the house, walked a few steps, and went into the door of Mizuki Productions. He walked in, with the assistants calling "Good morning."
Meanwhile, in the family part, Fumie said to herself, "What was in the box?" She opened it, and soon had a large straw house set up on the family room table. She looked at the card. Takashi said, "This is a house for Kitaro that I made for Yoshiko, as I promised when I was there. I hope she likes it." Fumie looked at the house and shook her head. "I'm sure she will." Then she read the rest of the card. "Next week, I'm taking my wife to a hot springs for a family vacation. Thank you again for your good advice." She remembered Takashi talking with her about having trouble balancing work and family.
A loud voice said, "Shigeru? Are you here?" Fumie looked up. "That's Yuichi! That's odd, he doesn't usually come here."
Yuichi, the older brother, Mitsui, the younger brother that worked as the office manager, Sachiko, Yuichi's wife and company accountant, and Shigeru sat around the visitor's table in the office. They were huddled over Sachiko's notebook. Mitsui said, "There's a lawyer that we might talk with?" Sachiko said, "I think it's going to be hard. But..."
Fumie walked in with a platter and four cups of tea. She said, "Yuichi, it's good to see you. You don't come here enough." He sat back, and said, "Well, yes...but this business is going to be difficult." Fumie said, "Business?" Yuichi said, "Yes, the one machine...hasn't Shigeru told you about it?" Fumie looked at Shigeru. He frowned, then said, "It's just work. Nothing to bother you with." Mitsui leaned forward. "As I was saying, there's a friendly lawyer..." Shigeru looked at Fumie. "What are you waiting for? You don't need to wait."
Fumie went back to her kitchen. She wondered why they all had such serious faces, and what it was that Shigeru didn't want to tell her.
Later, Yoshiko came home from kindergarten. She smiled at Fumie and said, "We drew mothers and fathers at school today." Fumie said, "That sounds like fun. Who did you draw?" Yoshiko held up a large sheet. "Here. I drew Father!" Fumie took the picture and looked at it. "Wow! That's really good. But... there's something a little strange. Does Father have whiskers like this?" She held it and pointed to the dark whiskers, perhaps a mustache and goatee, that Yoshiko had drawn on the face around the mouth. Yoshiko looked puzzled.
Shigeru walked into the room. Yoshiko said, "There's Father." She ran in front of him and peered at his face. He looked down at her and said, "What are you doing?" Fumie held up the drawing and said, "Yoshiko drew your picture today at school." He took it and looked at it, turning it this way and that. "Pretty good." Fumie said, "Yes, but do you have whiskers like that?" Shigeru said, "Maybe I should?" Fumie laughed, and told Yoshiko to wash her hands. She ran out.
Shigeru said, "I just came to tell you that I'll be working late tonight. We'll get some takeout food." Fumie said, "I could make something and bring it over?" Shigeru said, "No, it's better for you to eat here. I'll eat with the assistants." He started to walk away, and looked at the straw hut on the table. "What's this?" Fumie said, "Oh, it's a house for Kitaro. Takashi promised it to Yoshiko." Shigeru nodded. Then he turned back to Fumie. "By the way, I think from now on the assistants should make tea. You shouldn't bring it over. We'll keep the house separate." He left.
Later, Yoshiko was playing with the house. She set her Kitaro doll inside. Fumie said, "Do you like your new house?" Yoshiko said, "Yes!" Fumie said, "Maybe you should tell your father?" Yoshiko said, "OK." She picked up her red toy telephone and said, "Father? Yes..." After Yoshiko hung up the telephone, Fumie said, "Yoshiko, does your father have whiskers?" Yoshiko looked very puzzled again. Fumie shook her head. "You shouldn't forget your own father's face. Although, I have to admit, sometimes I think I'm going to forget, too."
In the office, Kanou, the woman who had been Fukuzawa's assistant, had a cameraman taking pictures of Shigeru and the assistants at work. She smiled, and asked Shigeru, "One more of just you, okay?"
Later, in the family area, Kanou talked with Fumie. Kanou explained, "These are pictures for an article in Young Woman. We're showing them places they might be working." Then she smiled. "Actually, it's my last assignment for Young Woman. I'm about to start a new magazine for Shonen." Fumie said, "You're really doing a lot." Kanou smiled, "Yes, there are lots of opportunities. Although, I really didn't want to leave Fukuzawa. Zeta was good, and he wanted to do more, but..." Then she looked at Fumie. "I guess times are going to be difficult here, too?" Fumie said, "What?" Kanou said, "I thought you would have heard." Fumie said, "Well, maybe that's what they were talking about. Something about a lawyer and the company."
Kanou got up and picked up a picture of Shigeru, Fumie, and the two girls. She looked at it and said, "You must be happy. Having Mizuki sensei so close." She set the picture down. "Sometimes I think about having a life like yours." Fumie said, "You want a life like mine?" Kanou looked at her. "Well, a family, all that..."
Meanwhile, in the office, Shigeru was sketching in his private office. Mitsui came in carrying several letters in his hand. "Shigeru, what should I do about these? They're from people who bought Kitaro dolls, and the dolls broke?" Shigeru frowned. "Nothing to do with us." Mitsui spread the sheets. "But there are several complaints..." Shigeru looked up. "How should I know? Don't bother me with that."
Later, Fumie started to walk into the patio with a basket. She paused, and said, "Shigeru?" He was sitting in the sunshine. She said, "What are you doing?" He looked up at her and said, "Thinking." Fumie said, "I guess work is hard, but you shouldn't worry too much."
Shigeru stood up and said, "Stay away from work. You shouldn't think about it." He stalked back into the house.
Upstairs, Fumie started to fold clothes. She shook her head. "We don't have time to talk..." She picked up the card from her brother and looked at it. And she scratched her head. "What can I do?" After a moment, she got out paper and started to write a letter. It was the first time she had ever written a letter to Shigeru. She tried to explain that anything she could do to help, she wanted to do. That she was family, too. And that recently, there was a lot of work for him to do, but that he should be careful not to overdo it. She tried to put all the things that she wanted to say to him into that letter.
Later that evening, Shigeru went into his private office. "What's this?" There was a letter laying in the middle of the desk. He picked it up and started to read. He read it, and shook his head.
The next morning, Fumie was going through the office space picking up trash. When she reached the trash can in Shigeru's private office, she stopped and pulled a familiar sheet of paper out of the trash. Her letter.
Sugai and another assistant came in from outside, talking. Fumie quickly folded the letter and put it in her pocket. She said good morning to the assistants.
<to be continued>
One morning, Fumie stood in the front door holding a large box. She thanked the delivery man. She fingered the delivery label, and saw it was from Takashi, her brother. She carried the box into the living room, and set it on the table there.
Shigeru came in, carrying a newspaper. As he inhaled breakfast, he said, "Could you clip this story?" He pointed to one headline. Then he said, "Kanou is going to be in the office later. She's working on a story for her magazine." Fumie said, "Oh, should I come to the office? Maybe I can help?" Shigeru shook his head. "No, this is about work." He gulped the last of his tea and stood up. "I'm going." Fumie said, "Itterasshyai." (A Japanese phrase used for "See you later"). Shigeru grunted and walked out of the kitchen. Fumie looked after him, and said, "Ittekimasu?" (the normal polite response meaning "I'm going, but will be back later."
Shigeru had rearranged the house a little. So at this point, he walked out the door of the family part of the house, walked a few steps, and went into the door of Mizuki Productions. He walked in, with the assistants calling "Good morning."
Meanwhile, in the family part, Fumie said to herself, "What was in the box?" She opened it, and soon had a large straw house set up on the family room table. She looked at the card. Takashi said, "This is a house for Kitaro that I made for Yoshiko, as I promised when I was there. I hope she likes it." Fumie looked at the house and shook her head. "I'm sure she will." Then she read the rest of the card. "Next week, I'm taking my wife to a hot springs for a family vacation. Thank you again for your good advice." She remembered Takashi talking with her about having trouble balancing work and family.
A loud voice said, "Shigeru? Are you here?" Fumie looked up. "That's Yuichi! That's odd, he doesn't usually come here."
Yuichi, the older brother, Mitsui, the younger brother that worked as the office manager, Sachiko, Yuichi's wife and company accountant, and Shigeru sat around the visitor's table in the office. They were huddled over Sachiko's notebook. Mitsui said, "There's a lawyer that we might talk with?" Sachiko said, "I think it's going to be hard. But..."
Fumie walked in with a platter and four cups of tea. She said, "Yuichi, it's good to see you. You don't come here enough." He sat back, and said, "Well, yes...but this business is going to be difficult." Fumie said, "Business?" Yuichi said, "Yes, the one machine...hasn't Shigeru told you about it?" Fumie looked at Shigeru. He frowned, then said, "It's just work. Nothing to bother you with." Mitsui leaned forward. "As I was saying, there's a friendly lawyer..." Shigeru looked at Fumie. "What are you waiting for? You don't need to wait."
Fumie went back to her kitchen. She wondered why they all had such serious faces, and what it was that Shigeru didn't want to tell her.
Later, Yoshiko came home from kindergarten. She smiled at Fumie and said, "We drew mothers and fathers at school today." Fumie said, "That sounds like fun. Who did you draw?" Yoshiko held up a large sheet. "Here. I drew Father!" Fumie took the picture and looked at it. "Wow! That's really good. But... there's something a little strange. Does Father have whiskers like this?" She held it and pointed to the dark whiskers, perhaps a mustache and goatee, that Yoshiko had drawn on the face around the mouth. Yoshiko looked puzzled.
Shigeru walked into the room. Yoshiko said, "There's Father." She ran in front of him and peered at his face. He looked down at her and said, "What are you doing?" Fumie held up the drawing and said, "Yoshiko drew your picture today at school." He took it and looked at it, turning it this way and that. "Pretty good." Fumie said, "Yes, but do you have whiskers like that?" Shigeru said, "Maybe I should?" Fumie laughed, and told Yoshiko to wash her hands. She ran out.
Shigeru said, "I just came to tell you that I'll be working late tonight. We'll get some takeout food." Fumie said, "I could make something and bring it over?" Shigeru said, "No, it's better for you to eat here. I'll eat with the assistants." He started to walk away, and looked at the straw hut on the table. "What's this?" Fumie said, "Oh, it's a house for Kitaro. Takashi promised it to Yoshiko." Shigeru nodded. Then he turned back to Fumie. "By the way, I think from now on the assistants should make tea. You shouldn't bring it over. We'll keep the house separate." He left.
Later, Yoshiko was playing with the house. She set her Kitaro doll inside. Fumie said, "Do you like your new house?" Yoshiko said, "Yes!" Fumie said, "Maybe you should tell your father?" Yoshiko said, "OK." She picked up her red toy telephone and said, "Father? Yes..." After Yoshiko hung up the telephone, Fumie said, "Yoshiko, does your father have whiskers?" Yoshiko looked very puzzled again. Fumie shook her head. "You shouldn't forget your own father's face. Although, I have to admit, sometimes I think I'm going to forget, too."
In the office, Kanou, the woman who had been Fukuzawa's assistant, had a cameraman taking pictures of Shigeru and the assistants at work. She smiled, and asked Shigeru, "One more of just you, okay?"
Later, in the family area, Kanou talked with Fumie. Kanou explained, "These are pictures for an article in Young Woman. We're showing them places they might be working." Then she smiled. "Actually, it's my last assignment for Young Woman. I'm about to start a new magazine for Shonen." Fumie said, "You're really doing a lot." Kanou smiled, "Yes, there are lots of opportunities. Although, I really didn't want to leave Fukuzawa. Zeta was good, and he wanted to do more, but..." Then she looked at Fumie. "I guess times are going to be difficult here, too?" Fumie said, "What?" Kanou said, "I thought you would have heard." Fumie said, "Well, maybe that's what they were talking about. Something about a lawyer and the company."
Kanou got up and picked up a picture of Shigeru, Fumie, and the two girls. She looked at it and said, "You must be happy. Having Mizuki sensei so close." She set the picture down. "Sometimes I think about having a life like yours." Fumie said, "You want a life like mine?" Kanou looked at her. "Well, a family, all that..."
Meanwhile, in the office, Shigeru was sketching in his private office. Mitsui came in carrying several letters in his hand. "Shigeru, what should I do about these? They're from people who bought Kitaro dolls, and the dolls broke?" Shigeru frowned. "Nothing to do with us." Mitsui spread the sheets. "But there are several complaints..." Shigeru looked up. "How should I know? Don't bother me with that."
Later, Fumie started to walk into the patio with a basket. She paused, and said, "Shigeru?" He was sitting in the sunshine. She said, "What are you doing?" He looked up at her and said, "Thinking." Fumie said, "I guess work is hard, but you shouldn't worry too much."
Shigeru stood up and said, "Stay away from work. You shouldn't think about it." He stalked back into the house.
Upstairs, Fumie started to fold clothes. She shook her head. "We don't have time to talk..." She picked up the card from her brother and looked at it. And she scratched her head. "What can I do?" After a moment, she got out paper and started to write a letter. It was the first time she had ever written a letter to Shigeru. She tried to explain that anything she could do to help, she wanted to do. That she was family, too. And that recently, there was a lot of work for him to do, but that he should be careful not to overdo it. She tried to put all the things that she wanted to say to him into that letter.
Later that evening, Shigeru went into his private office. "What's this?" There was a letter laying in the middle of the desk. He picked it up and started to read. He read it, and shook his head.
The next morning, Fumie was going through the office space picking up trash. When she reached the trash can in Shigeru's private office, she stopped and pulled a familiar sheet of paper out of the trash. Her letter.
Sugai and another assistant came in from outside, talking. Fumie quickly folded the letter and put it in her pocket. She said good morning to the assistants.
<to be continued>
