| Fan Fiction |
by biniBningPunkista
I haven’t been at this spot for the past 8 years. The Inoue’s were really formal people, the very opposite of Mao’s personality. They have always thought that Erika and I were good for Mao’s stability in life. We were the OK friends, what they didn’t know was that everything Mao bid us to do, we’d do it whether we like it or not. Mao may not notice it but she has this sense of authority which I think she got from the Inoue family, and she gets away with it. This do not just happen to us but also with the people she’s around. Mao is surely a spoiled brat, but not wretched. That’s probably why the three of us stuck with each other through thick or thin. Our friendship must have been the craziest thing that ever happened in my life, aside from living in a home, if that’s what I could call it, with a dysfunctional family where there was no father in the picture, only a mother who thinks more of “Yen” than the word “Son” and of course my ever loving grandparents whom I lost from an accident before I actually stepped out of the house forever. They were the only reason I stayed in that god forbidden house.
If Mao’s family is the traditional type, Erika’s would be the hippies and mine the dysfunctional one. Our family back ground did contribute a bit with how the three of us got together, we were raised so contrast to other people, that we repel the others on our age group that only the three of us had this magnetic pull with each other and we immediately clicked.
Earlier while I was on the plane, agitation crept through my skin. The conversation I had earlier with Mao’s mother was rather formal than an actual conversation I could have with Erika’s parents. Mao and I have been closer to Erika’s parents than we have been to our own. It gave me chills to think what Mao’s mother has come up with just to ask me to come here. I really didn’t want to meet Mao’s mother especially with the image of her in my childhood days.
I took a deep breath and knocked loudly at the Inoue’s gate. A few seconds later it squeaked open to reveal the Ancestral house which hasn’t changed much over the years. It was still the same Japanese style kind of house where everything was wooden and trees of cherry blossoms were part of the decoration in the vast space inside.
The Inoue’s had a reputation for being one of the founding families in all of Sapporo, they are also part of those upper class clans where the father of his father’s father was from such a high standing samurai family during the early 1800’s. Thus giving Mao a really good family back ground along with very high expectations. That’s why when she was born, being the only girl in the family, third and the youngest of the Inoue’s children; she was put on a high pedestal. At the age of three she learned how to hold a brush and do a perfect calligraphy which amazed her parents, because a calligraphy was rarely done or even almost impossible by just a mere child at the age of three. Mao was branded as a gifted child and different from the rest. They only understood how different she was when she finally had undergone puberty. That’s when she started to do things on her own way. Everything she did was against their strict rules and regulations. Finally they found out how stubborn and difficult she could be.
Up until college Mao loved to paint, but her parents wanted her to undergo business so she could also manage their household and assets. The stubborn Mao took business and arts at the same time and was able to finish both with the help of Erika and me. I helped with her math classes while Erika took care of her thesis. The Inoue did realize that Mao was meant for other things but not for their clan although I think at the back of their minds they still kept a tiny hope that Mao would still choose their clan’s old ways and tradition.
I walked into the large space of the Inoue’s front yard, looked around at how the house was seemingly connected as one but still separated in some way. The person who opened the door was an old man who was one of the Inoue’s many house helpers, he bowed courteously at me then stretched his arm to point at the hall by his right and led the way. Reluctantly I removed my shoes as the helper removed his slippers. The wooden floor was shiny and slippery, this made me walk uncomfortably specially with my socks on, afraid that I might slip up anytime soon as I followed this obachan who walked ahead of me. This was one of the reasons I hated going to Mao’s home, I grew up in a westernized environment and I could never really get used to removing my shoes to walk on wooden or cemented floors. It was one thing to remove your footwear at home where there is a carpet and another when you remove it to walk on slippery floors. My sense of balance was rather pathetic in such a thing that’s why I was never good in ice skating or roller blades.
Slowly I trudged behind the old man trying to keep my steadiness at the same time, it was amazing on how fast he could walk on these slippery floor.
When I thought we were going to walk on that long hallway forever, he suddenly stopped then turned to look at me and pointed to his left where a sliding door was open. I glanced towards that direction and was stunned to see that Mrs. Inoue was sitting right there, already waiting for me. She sat on her legs as the traditional way of sitting for Japanese women, I found this tradition rather painful and so did Mao. I secretly winced at the sight of Mao’s mother sitting like this wondering how long she’s been waiting for me.
It was still summer in Japan that’s why understandably, she opted to wear a Yukata to fit in with the surroundings of her home and weather, she was very much bound to the tradition of the house. Mao’s mother looked exactly like her, only an older version. Her face does not look aged, although there are thin lines beside her mouth, her face still glowed with youth and beauty that only she and Mao could have possessed at the same time.
“You’ve come at last.” She said while looking at me with piercing eyes, then looked at the old man beside me.
“Totoru please bring some tea for this young man.” The old man nodded courteously then bowed before leaving.
“Ikuta-san, you may come in and have a sit.” Mrs. Inoue motioned for me to set in one of the satin, square cushions embroidered with bright red markings. It felt too customary and suffocating just being there.
How could Mao stand being back here? It still confused me to know that she came back to the very place she hated to be.
I bowed cordially to her and took the cushion in front of her, then sat on it.
“Where is she?” I asked straight to the point not intending to stay any longer.
“Mao is in her room. You will see her shortly after our conversation.” The tone of her voice held something that seemed if she continued talking it would come gushing out of her mouth instantly in an unstoppable way.
“Ikuta-san, I understand you’ve been living with Mao for this past couple of years?” She said this carefully, not actually asking but more like confirming. I wouldn’t want to lie to her especially at a time like this.
“Yes, Okasan… we’ve been together for three years now.” I said this carefully but with firmness in my voice, but as soon as this came out of my mouth her eyes went big and her mouth formed an O which took me by surprise.
What exactly did I say to get that reaction from her? Surely she already knew this information with her confirming tone, so why does she still have to give a shocked reaction?
Mrs. Inoue stared at me with her wide eyes in that expression just as Totoru came in with the tea. At first he didn’t notice her appearance as he laid the tea set between us, but when he gave a quick glance at her, he swiftly looked at me with an accusing look that said “what have you done?” then he looked at her carefully.
“Ojou, is everything alright?” Totoru asked with a concerned look on his face.
Slowly Mrs. Inoue’s face went back to normal then looked back at Totoru after giving me five more seconds of staring.
“Everything is alright Totoru, you may leave us now and please close the door behind you.” She said calmly using the same tone earlier when she addressed him.
“Yes Ojou…” he bowed hesitantly then looked suspiciously at me before living the room and closing the door behind him. As soon as he left, Mrs. Inoue’s face broke out into a smile.
Now this is more unexpected. What was this woman thinking?
“Okasan! You called me Okasan! Does this mean? Oh my… Toma I never thought you would really call me that.” Mrs. Inoue gushed like a teenager in front of me.
Was I really looking at Mrs. Inoue? I have never seen her like this in my entire life. The whole time I’ve seen her while I was young she was aloof and rarely smiled, while Mr. Inoue never did smile at all. I realized that this was actually the first time I have seen her without her husband by her side either. To top it all, she called me by my first name! For heaven’s sake what the hell is happening here?!
“Excuse me?” I asked baffled by her reaction.
“You called me Okasan! Does this mean you and Mao are married?” She looked at me expectantly.
So that’s why she reacted like that.
“Ano… no. Not really.” I said apologetically for giving her false assumptions just because I called her Okasan. It just suddenly slipped off my mouth. I don’t even understand why I called her like that. I wanted to kick myself for letting that slip out unintentionally.
“Oh.” Complete disappointment replaced her happy expression.
I guess she realized that we still have been living against the norms of tradition.
“But… I asked her to marry me.” I told her quietly.
By hearing this her facial expression changed abruptly. A look of hope replaced the crestfallen face she had a few seconds ago.
“Did she say yes?” She asked eagerly.
Is this really the person I detested to see just a few hours ago? Where was that grim person I anticipated and have always seen as an image of this woman in front of me?
“Ano… there wasn’t a response yet. Then she suddenly ran away without even telling me the reason so… I’m not sure what she’s actually thinking by not.” I told her honestly, letting my guard down. This meeting didn’t seem as awkward as I thought it would be.
Mrs. Inoue placed her fingers on her chin as if thinking thoughtfully. Just then I thought I was seeing Mao right in front of me. This figures almost everything out. I think Mao is half of her mother in some natural way, not just in looks but in actions and mannerisms as well.
“Well then, there are still some things that can be done. I’ll help you get her back at all cost if I must. You do know that my daughter is a very stubborn girl?” She said “my daughter” adoringly like she was a pride that could never be taken away from her. I nodded my head while smiling a little bit.
“I think that is already a known fact to everyone. Thank you for telling me this. It never occurred to me that Mao’s mother is so much like her, although not very openly as she is. I’m glad you do acknowledge me as almost like a son and calling me by my first name.”
“Hmmm… if you think I’ve already let you off the hook for doing this to my daughter you are mistaken Toma, but it is true I have already acknowledged you and Erika as my own children ever since Mao took you inside this house. She has never brought any friends in this house aside from the two of you. I even saw it coming that the two of you might get together in the near future, but I never really gave it much thought back then until three years ago. Then came the hope that a child could give happiness back into this house. Unfortunately my sons, still doesn’t have any plans of having children any time soon. I am getting older by the second and I don’t want my grand children to see me too old or withering in weakness. I would want to play with them the way I had with my children, but this time I want some things to change.”
I looked at this woman wide eyed as she told me the things she wanted.
“Ano… Okasan, I did ask Mao to get married, but children are still out of the question. We’re still young, and I’m not sure she would even want children and Mao still hasn’t given me an answer yet.” There are so many things I would want to give to my own family, things I was never able to have on my own. I wanted to have children more than anything but I don’t think it is in Mao’s personality to actually raise one. If that’s her choice it’s something I’m willing to take as long as she’s the one who would be part of my life.
“You mean you intend of marrying her without thinking of having children? What kind of marriage do you have in mind Toma, a play house?” She said while scowling at me.
I was taken aback by the statement. I let my head hung low not wanting to look at her.
“It’s based on love Okasan. I am deeply in love with your daughter but due to misunderstanding the circumstances went out of my hand. It also takes two to plan a future.” I stared down at the floor, almost memorizing the patterns of the tatami mat beneath me, refusing to look at her accusing eyes.
“Souka. I guess that’s a good enough reason for me. Children could come along later. I’m a woman bound to tradition and to the man I have been married to. Love was not even a variable for me back then or… even today.” She said the last two words more softly this time.
“I’m glad Mao found someone she could love truthfully. I will not ask of the misunderstanding between the two of you because I am a woman with no intention of meddling any deeper with my children’s affair, but if you do this again to my daughter Ikuta Toma I swear I will ruin every fiber of your entire being for making my daughter suffer. I would not want to see her like this anymore. You can never have my help again if she comes back home like this because of you.”
Slowly I looked at the woman before me, whose thought process I would never get to understand in a million years, but I would gladly accept. I was just glad that she accepted me as a man in love with her daughter and sad for her fate at the same time. If she was my mother I would have been very proud of her.
“Arigatou Gozaimasu, Okasan.” I smiled genuinely this time but not promising for the future because I know that there would be more misunderstanding that could behold, I am a human after all and make mistakes but I cannot make the same mistake twice in that near future.
Mrs. Inoue stood up and walked to her left and opened a sliding door motioning me follow her. I stood up quickly and walked steadily behind her, thanking that the tatami mats where not slippery like the wooden floors on the hallways.
We stopped on a sliding door that is the contrast of every door in that house. It was painted with lavender colored flowers and orange daisies with a sun light color in the background.
“She did this when she was five, I never had the heart to remove it even when her father asked me to. Every year she would retouch it when she visits. You know, when she came back, she barely looked at it. She just wallowed behind this door for days…” Mrs. Inoue whispered to me as if lost in her own thought.
“You can enter here, she’s inside.” She motioned to the door, then gave a small bow before she moved ahead to the other side of the house leaving me alone to myself.
Once again I’m standing in front of a closed door, and behind this door is the woman that my heart ached for, my head immediately became empty. Not able to think of anything to say, I just stood there staring blankly at the artwork painted on the door while letting my mind slip off into oblivion for that moment before I look into the eyes of the woman I’ve loved for so long.
~To be continued~
This is purely a fan-fiction.