Chapter 8.4

Murasako Munetaka stopped the rice mill and stepped out of the warehouse. Munetaka's house was the only rice shop in the village. It wasn't exceptionally good nor bad business but in recent years the rice trade had completely changed. The shop couldn't help but change with it. There was also the fact that the Mizobe workers in the same trade had expanded their delivery routes, making it so that lately even on Sunday they couldn't close.

Even so, his father Munehide was still healthy, and his wife Chizuko didn't dislike managing the shop. He was unsure when the decision was made to be open year around but when actually doing it it wasn't that much of a stressor. They still had two children on their hands, it was probably hard on Chizuko to handle along with the house work but she'd never given any complaints about this. Maybe it was in gratitude to Chizuko for that, or maybe it was just because his grandchildren were so cute, Munehide looked out for them, saying he would watch the house so take the kids out somewhere to play.

Returning from the warehouse to the top, Chizuko came hurrying out from within as if she couldn't wait. "Honey---Hiromi doesn't seem right."

Munetaka took off his gloves, looking to Chizuko's face. "Doesn't seem right?"

"He's dead limp and has no energy. But, he doesn't have a fever and there are no signs of diarrhea." 

Hm, Munetaka murmured. Come to think of it at lunch time Hiromu seemed unusually calm, he thought. 

"What did Hiromi say?"

"Nothing," Chizuko shookherhead. "I even asked if he hurt anywhere but he just looked at me blankly."

"Guess it's a cold?" 

At Munetaka's words, Chizuko murmured in a low voice. "I wonder if Masako-kun didn't do something to him again?"

"Chizuko." Munetaka's voice was challenging. Chizuko looked up at him sharply.

"You always cover forhim like this but it's for sure that Masako-kun bullies Hiromi. He has strange bruises, all the time. Hiromi's threatened to keep his mouth shut. But, Chika even says so, and even Hiromi doesn't deny it."

Munetaka sighed. "But still..."

"Masao-kun doesn't like Hiromi. Or Chika. He just can't stand that Ojii-chan shows more interest in Hiromi and Chika."

"The old man spoils Masao more than enough."

"To Masao-kun, it's not enough. Until he had grandchildren, all of Ojii-chan's attention went to Masao!"

Munetaka half believed half doubted. Munetaka always said that his old man Munehide was soft on Masao but even Munetaka thought he himself was soft on him. He wasn't a child anymore but he treated Masao like a child who still needed his protection.

All the same, Chizuko said biting her lip. The be honest, Chizuko didn't get along well with Masao. It was something Chizuko herself was self-conscious of. 

Chizuko was drawn to Munetaka's bright, undistorted disposition and married him. From that same Chizuru's point of view, Masao was dark and overly distorted. He was always rolling his eyes at people, and due to that habit, never made to look people in the eye. He watched with eyes that seemed to be looking to catch one with their guard down, looking for ways to test people, to pick fights. 

--Dear sister-in-law, what do you like about Nii-san?

When they decided to wed and she had met him countless times, she was asked that by Masao. When she answered that it was that he was bright and unwarped, that he was popular, an abject smile rose to Masao's face. 

---Then, you must hate someone like me, huh? I wonder if you won't be able to stand living with me.

He made a face as if expecting her to say 'That's not it at all.' He was waiting for the words 'I like you.' While casually holding out the threat that it'd be a hinderance towards living together if she didn't say it, Masao looked to her to be trying to extort her for kind words.

---I don't know yet. I don't know Masao-kun well yet, and all.

--You'll definitely come to hate me. I'm not as well made as Nii-san and all.

Looks like it, she resisted answering, though Chizuko didn't remember how she had answered. What she did remember was that ever since then she did come to hate Masao. All in all, Chizuko wasn't pleased with her little brother in law. It was also creepy, the eyes he made at her in the summertime or when she got out of the bath. She caught sight of him countless times fixedly staring at her undergarments she hung out to dry, and ever since, she started handling her under garments while Masao was at school. 

 "Say, do you think it might be better to bring him to the hospital?"

"That's right," said Munetaka with a seemingly troubled smile. "Let's keep an eye on him and if it seems like he really is sick, it will be better to have brought him in."

"That's no good. If we don't go right away... Something is wrong with him. What if it's because he was hit in the head?"

Oi, Oi, said Munetaka, eyes wide. "You're over-thinking it."

Chizuko shook her head. "I'm scared. Haven't there been funerals going on here and there lately? It might be my imagination but I'm still very uneasy!"

"Well, there are indeed a lot of funerals lately." Munetaka's expression clouded. "But still that's got nothing to do with Hiromi does it? You can't think like that?"

Chizuko once again shook her head and Munetaka said all right. "Then, first thing tomorrow---"

"Can't we go now? The Ozaki Clinic is open on Sundays these days too."

"Heh. ---We could still make it in time, huh. Let's take him now. If it's nothing, Chizuko'll be more relaxed, too, huh?"

"Thank you." 

Keeping Chika at her side, Chizuko changed the unenergetic Hiromi's clothing quickly. Taking Hiromi's hand, they got into Munetaka's car as Masao was returning.

"Heh, you're going out."

"Hiromi's sick. We're just going to the hospital, we'll be right back." Munetaka said, a faint smile rising on Masao's face as he looked at Hiromi. "Aniki's soft on Hiromi, isn't he? Even though when I get a cold, he just says sleep it away."

Munetaka didn't look at Masao was he got into the car.

"Isn't it nice to be taken such good care of, Hiromi?"

Masao peered into the back seat, and without thinking Chizuko glared at him. Masao seemed to want to say something but since the car had taken off, he kept silent. 

The Ozaki Clinic wasn't as packed as it was on a weekday. Without having to wait long he was taken into the examination room for a medical interview. Chizuko conveyed her fear to Toshio that "I was thinking it might be possible he was hit in the head."

"Hit in the head? In what situation?"

"No, just that that might have happened, I thought. --This boy, he's awkward and always running into things, or falling down the stairs."

Oh, was all Toshio answered but with an expression that seemed concerned. The examination took some time. It was unusually thorough, Chizuko thought. 

"Nothing's abnormal with his head." When Toshio said this, there were no other patients left. There were only Munetaka, Chizuko and Hiromi, three people left.  "But, he does have anemia." Toshio's tone was almost as if he were pronouncing that he had an incurable disease. "It's possible it's severe anemia. We'll keep an eye on how it progresses."

Chizuko's face went blue. Munetaka's color changed likewise. 

"That's, for example, like leukemia or..."

"At the current stage I can't say. Anyways, I'll make you an appointment so can I have you come in tomorrow too?"

Chizuko looked to Munetaka as if asking for help. If Munetaka could do it, if it would take away Chizuko's unease, then he planned to bring him in even if only for that. He didn't think that he would have Toshio making such a face at him.

It can't be, he thought. ...I never thought that a funeral's going to come from our place too.

"...That is, is it something terribly bad?"

With all the ease of a childhood friend, Munetaka peered into Toshio's eyes. He wanted to ask for the truth.

"I really can't say anything at this stage. Just, there are several forms of anemia. Depending on the type it can fall into something worse, so I don't want us to take our eyes off of it. Hiromi-kun is still small and all."

"Ah..... Mm."

"It'd be good to keep an eye on how often he goes to the bathroom and the color of his urine. If there's blood in his urine, I don't care if it's in the middle of the night, bring him in. Even if it's something else, if his condition suddenly gets worse--for example, if it seems like he's suffocating, call me."

Aa, Munetaka answered while feeling his hand shake. It can't be--this can't be happening. 

Picking up his son who had become much heavier he got into the car. Settled into the back seat, Chizuko who sat next to him held him as if protecting him from something terrifying. On the way home, for the very short drive, Munetaka and Chizuko said nothing. 

When they returned to the home, Munehide made a sour face. "Where have you been at this hour?"

"I'm sorry," Chizuko apologized. "Hiromi is suck. So we went to the hospital."

What, said Munehide looking at Hiromi's face. 

"I'll put him to bed," was all Chizuko said, taking Hiromi's hand and going to the second story. Munehide gave an unsatisfied look to Munetaka.

"Even so was it something you both had to go for? What time do you think it is. When I came back from deliveries, there was no salesperson here. No signs of doing evening preparations either."

"Masao came back from going out, though."

"He closed himself up in his room and won't come out. You think you can leave just him behind at the empty shop and expect him to be useful? ---And? Is Hiromi all right?"

About that, Munetaka hesitated. "It might be a complicated disease, he said. It seems to be anemia but there're different forms of anemia, so, he said."

Munehide had visible confusion in his eyes. 

"But it looks like we don't know anything for certain yet. Anyway, he said to bring him in tomorrow too. He said if he gets any worse to call him, with a serious like face."

Munehide kept silent. 

"What, Hiromi's really sick?"

At that voice, they turned around to see Masao peering into the store. Aa, said Munetaka's voice, becoming naturally lower.

Heh, said Masao. "So that's why Ane-san's face looked like that. Lately, there've been a lot of deaths and all."

"Masao, this is no time to say such ill omened things."

Being scolded by Munehide, a thin smile rose on Masao's face. 

"It's true isn't it? Lately, it's been nothing but funerals. Isn't it better not to think that we're special? Probability isn't concerned with emotions or personal feelings after all."

"Masao!" Hidemasa's voice raised. "Is that any way to talk?!"

Masao flinched but soon another thin smile rose. "But, isn't it true?"

"Masao," Munetaka interposed. "Stop it. This isn't funny. Hiromi is really sick. It might be a complicated disease."

Heh, Masao murmured. "Well, these things happen. There're no people who don't die after all. That you're making that face about it is proof that we've just been special until now."

Before Munetaka could shout Masao's name, Munehide yelled. "You, what the hell are you talking like that for! Don't you have any feelings!"

 "What..." Masao took a step back. "I'm just saying."

"Is that something you'll joke about lightly?!"

"I'm not saying it, I'm just saying, someone could say it like that..."

"Enough!" Munehide said as if spitting the words at, looking to Munetaka. "---Where's Chika?"

"Next door. We left her there when we went out."

"I'll go and get her."

Seeing his father leave angrily, Munetaka then turned back to Masao. Masao had a wounded expression, likewise seeing their father off. Noticing Munetaka's stare, he made a face and hurried back upstairs.