A young girl has some very adult responsibilities; those she is loyal to wish to use her to drag her entire nation into war, and she will soon have to decide whether to speak for herself -- on the floor of the Diet.
Morning was in the windows of the Nakamura house. Mie rubbed her eyes, following the sounds from the kitchen. Hanae was already busy at work amid the clutter of appliances. Something about the color was painfully clear, as if even the light knew this was Mie's last day at home.
"Mother?" Mie ducked under the noren.
"Good morning." Hanae smiled her gentle smile.
"What can I do?" Mie asked.
"Do you remember how to prepare udon?"
"I think so," Mie said. She opened cupboards, found the items she needed. "Mother?" she said. Hanae did not answer. "Mother, about yesterday..."
"Use the big bowl instead," Hanae said. "We have to make enough for all our guests."
"Hai," Mie nodded. Won't you even let me apologize, Mother? Mie thought. I don't want my stay at home to end like this.
For an hour or so they worked in silence. Mie kneaded dough, found the slicing guide and cut noodles. Hanae prepared vegetables with quick movements of a knife, while rice steamed in the large cooker.
At about eight Tetsuo clumped downstairs in a terry-cloth robe and threw himself down by the table. "Mom, I'm hungry," he said.
"Certainly, Tetsuo-san," Hanae said. She put down her knife, then put rice bowl and cup on a lacquer breakfast tray. "Mie, please ready the bath for your elder brother."
"Hai." Mie ducked under the noren, turned towards the bathing room.
"Younger sister," Tetsuo stopped her, "We need to talk."
With an inward shrug Mie knelt near the table, at her brother's left hand.
"How you acted yesterday was inexcusable," Tetsuo said sternly. "You embarrassed two families by skipping that o-miai. Embarrassed them publicly. You¼re not just some fisher-girl, younger sister. What you do gets noticed. And what you did yesterday makes your family, your township, your company, all look bad."
"I'm sorry." Mie bowed her head.
"You should be!" Tetsuo said. "Do you think you're special, now? So you can be willful, ignore your family's wishes?"
Hanae came out from the kitchen with Tetsuo's breakfast. He took the tray without looking at her, swallowed a gulp of hot cha. Mie glanced up, saw nothing on her mother's face but her typical gentle smile. Odd, Mie thought. I never noticed before how pink her ears are.
"Pay attention, younger sister!" Tetsuo slammed down the cup. "I let you go to the Cherry Blossom Festival. To the festival, not to see that deadbeat again. I let you use your scooter and you risked your life on it. Mie-san, my men were trying to protect you. You risked your life twice by riding away from them."
Mie bit back any reply. She bowed her head to try to hide the emotion so clear on her face.
"And for what? To hang out at a karaoke bar in Wakanoshi? Younger sister, whatever possessed you?" Tetsuo sighed, as if at a loss of words to make her understand.
"Let me start your bath, elder brother," Mie said meekly. "Father will be wanting the bath, too, when he awakes."
"Younger sister," Tetsuo took her arm. "Will you promise to behave today? Our neighbors and friends are going to send you to the Emperor. They don't want him thinking ill of Iwa girls. Can you assure them you won't make a bad impression?"
"I promise, elder brother," Mie said. And stood before either of them was tempted to say more.
She started the bath, rinsing out the dipper, setting out clean underwear for her brother. She was looking forward to the bath too, as was Hanae. Fortunately Mie's father did not stand on ceremony; he didn't mind bathing after women.
By the time she got back to the kitchen Tetsuo had finished eating. Mie cleaned his place wordlessly, returned to help her mom prepare foods for the large group who would be visiting.
"I didn't raise my daughters to marry First Sons."
"Mother?" Mie looked over. Hanae had just spoken. "Mother," Mie took the chance, "I'm sorry about yesterday. I¼m sorry to have disappointed you."
"Don't apologize, Mie-chan," Hanae said distinctly. "I wouldn't have made that o-miai either." She smiled, her real smile; the one that opened the corners of her mouth slightly in a cat-like show of teeth. "I would have developed a convincing stomach ailment, though."
"You spoke in favor of Taro Fukasu-san," Mie said. "You said it would be a good marriage."
"I said what was expected of me. Neither your father nor I approved of this prospect."
"You mentioned he came from a good family," Mie pressed on. "You even commented I could live in the big city, be a housewife instead of working all my life."
"Poor Mie-chan," Hanae said fondly. "You were always such a conscientious child. You took everything people said to you at face value, never heard the stomach-talk."
She's right, Mie thought. It seems I always accept the public face of others, and my own face gives away my most private thoughts. I am a poor Tojimajin, not to be able to keep those separate.
"You'd like me to marry someone who will give up his family name instead, become a Nakamura," Mie said.
"Ii desu," Hanae said with a smile and a wave. "I have two other daughters to look after me when I'm old. And since Boya-chan was born the Nakamura name is secure." She added in a more thoughtful tone, "It's a disappointment to Yoshie-san, though; now he won't be heir. Fujiko has spoken of selling off her share of the inheritance; with that and a good loan Yoshie-san might be able to start his own business."
Mie felt her face giving her away again. I am just the youngest daughter, she thought. Not really needed.
"Oh, don't look like that, Mie-chan." Hanae said fondly. "Yes, you are free to make your own life. But you will always have a place in this family."
Mie raised her head, smiled faintly. The rhythm of Hanae's knife against the cutting board resumed, and Mie returned to her own work. "Where's Eri this morning?" Mie asked after a time.
"Looking after the boys."
"And father is still sleeping?" Hanae nodded. "He got in very late last night? He wasn't in when I got back." Hanae nodded again. "Mother, was he drinking?"
"Men have their own ways of dealing with feelings," Hanae said. "It's because they are not very good at speaking of them. Your father loves you, Mie-chan. It hurt him to lose you to the Company, and now to this other thing."
"Oh," Mie said.
"You were in rather late last night yourself, Mie-chan." The cat-like smile had returned.
"Hai," Mie said. I really have to learn how not to blush, she thought. However does my mom manage that trick?
"I like your Kousuke-kun," Hanae said. "He's not like other men. He's not...ambitious."
"Hai," Mie said again. Kousu-kun is responsible only to himself, she thought. Is that part of what I am attracted to?
"Mie-chan, did you and Kousuke-kun..?"
"Mother!" Mie was shocked. But as she met Hanae's gaze a shy smile found her face in return. "We did," she said simply.
"Was it your first time?"
Mie colored deeper. "It was...different then I thought it would be. Mother," she said suddenly, "If Tetsuo-san finds out he'll just kill me."
"He has no need to know," Hanae said firmly.
"And you don't think badly of me?"
Hanae did not reply immediately. "Mie-chan, do you remember that time in third grade?" she said at last. "That boy, the Hiwara family's first son I think he was, who was stealing from the other students? How no-one would report him? Until you stood up in class and lectured him like a little child in front of his peers?"
"They sent me home that day," Mie said. "I had never been in such trouble before. I was so embarrassed for you to have to come pick me up."
"I was never more proud of you then at that moment," Hanae said.
"Really?" Mie asked. "I try so hard not to argue. To be harmonious."
"Some things must be done," Hanae said. "I just want to let you know I understand."
And she still loves me, Mie thought. In spite of all that has happened. Now, at last, I feel like I have returned home.