Post by Mashiro Satou on May 29, 2016 23:15:05 GMT -5
Looking Backwards to Face Forward
The words softly illuminated by the touchscreen on my phone were concise, simple, and somehow exerting extreme pressure. That was the sort of girl my cousin Yuki-nee was, and the sudden text message sent the day before was rather exemplary of it. Fortunately, I knew the reasons for her sudden summons, or at least a good part of it, but strangely, it worried me more, as it was regarding the matters of the four Satou brothers. Hopefully, saying it involved my father, in both senses of the word, sufficed in describing how troublesome it was. For all I wished to care about, I was born to a candy-making family, even though I knew that the text message I was blankly staring at meant that the truth was likely some else.
"Now arriving at...Hinode Station"
Despite advances in voice synthesis, the digital reverb of the female voice coming from the train's speakers above me was still had a rather jarring effect for me, but it was enough to remind me to put my phone back into the pockets of my favorite cobalt blue jacket and disembark. Being an outdoors station, one on a raised platform to boot, I was greeted by a blast of wintry air that threatened to tear my beret of my head. Though Spring was rapidly approaching, it was as if Winter refused to let the seasons cycle.
The Starfish Cafe was a rather favorite haunt for Yuki-nee. Situated on the Hinode Pier in Minato-ku, it provided a beautiful view of Tokyo Bay while not being so far away from any sort of transportation, being visible from the Hinode Station, albeit from afar. The cafe itself was ostensibly of the French variety, though unlike the various themed and niche ones that surged in popularity in recent years, it kept itself rather simple. Add in the fact that all the food was made fresh in the cafe and not imported from some other bakery, and it was the perfect spot for for Yuki-nee's overworked mind to wind down.
Fortunately, the tempest that buffeted me at the station failed to reach ground level, though I was sure that I still had a very wind-swept appearance as I approached the cafe. The head waitress greeted me with a bright smile; while not to the degree that Yuki-nee was, I was a frequent enough patron that they recognized me. Admittedly, I came for their strawberry cheesecake as much as I did for the quiet ambience. Out of habit, the waitress gestured towards where Yuki-nee was likely to have commandeered a table. After bowing my thanks, I swiftly navigated through the myriad of empty tables and chairs. The lunch rush had passed and afternoon tea was still roughly an hour away, meaning there were few patrons at this time, which hopefully meant less intruding eavesdroppers.
The table at end of the wooden pier was my final destination, where a girl with messily-cut black hair was seated and looking out into the bay like a sentinel at vigil. As I got closer, I could see more clearly Yuki-nee's black hooded jacket, the heavy jeans with a myriad of pockets, and a hefty pair of construction boots. It was a stark contrast to my bohemian-esque coat and frilled dress, but it was fitting for my pragmatic cousin who favored mobility, warmth, and carrying capacity over my feeble attempts to have some sense of style.
The timbers beneath me creaked with every step, though I made no attempts to hide my approach in the first place.
"Mashiro-chan. Thank you for indulging me."
The suddenness of Yuki-nee's voice caused me to flinch, primarily because Yuki-nee was still looking out into the distant blue as she spoke.
"Ah, it's no problem, Yuki-nee," I replied, taking the empty seat at the other side of the table. From the smell of the tea coming from the teacup next to her, it was genmaicha, her favorite. With a deep sigh, Yuki-nee turned in her chair to face me, placing the black briefcase that was on her lap onto the table.
"Here it is." Yuki-nee spoke matter-of-factly, taking this time to take another sip of her tea. The breifcase that was in the center of the table was featureless and coated in a glossy black finish. As I slowly pulled it towards my side of the table, I could see in its mirror-like shine my own reflection. Between my pale fingers I could see my ghostly visage, with my snow white hair slightly covering the crimson eyes that stared into my own. It was this ghastly appearance that made me grip the ends of the briefcase as if to crush it.
Inside that case was all the evidence proving that my father, Shouzou Satou, was not my biological father, and neither was Souichiro Sonohara the father of Chiri, who was also, in truth, my twin sister. Inside was the proof that our father was Reiji Satou, Shouzou's oldest brother, who had attempted to craft the perfect daughter through manipulating the embryo's DNA. The other details, such as how Chiri and I ended up in the forest or if he really did it because we were albinos, didn't concern me and our respective adoptive parents had explained long ago how they found us separately and thus why we were raised separately.
I looked at the case for a few more moments before closing my eyes and sighing. "Ah...I'm not going to open it." I finally said, loosening my grip and languidly dragging the breifcase off the table and setting it beside me. There was no need to open it.
"I know."
Yuki-nee's response was brief and prompt, and she took a sip from her tea as if she was expecting it. I had to shake my head. Yuki-nee was born with the gift of foresight, and while she did her best not to show it off, there were times where she couldn't help herself. And when dealing with serious matters...Yuki-nee was one who preferred to plan. Extensively.
"Everything inside is confirmation of what we suspected from the start," Yuki-nee continued while I was still mulling over its morose contents. "In a sense, this is really just a formality. Handing over a copy of all the data."
"Ah, how did you do it for sure?" I asked in a daze. "I mean...you found some hard evidence right?"
"That is right. It was a combination of science, some family effort, and Hikari-chan."
I had guessed that "science" referred to some form of paternity testing. The family effort was likely Cyrus, Yuki, and Chiri pulling strings to find a lab that would do the testing for us without too many questions. And lastly, Hikari Imamoto.
Hikari was a friend that Chiri had made through a chance meeting, and perhaps as a morbid coincidence, was the daughter of the man who helped Reiji with his 'perfect daughter' plan. She too had a bit of a gift, this time was her ability to remember everth-
"Ah...wait," I suddenly chimed in. "I thought Hikari-chan's memory was perfect. If she remembered something, why didn't you figure this out out sooner? Or were you waiting for an opportune moment to set your plans in motion?"
Yuki shook her head lightly as she poured another cup for tea for herself before offering some to me. "It is perfect. It was just a matter of figuring out what to remember." Yuki-nee smiled, and I knew that not only did she predict my concerns, but that despite my tone, I wasn't accusing her of anything. "The samples were not labeled in an obvious manner, so it took us a while to figure out which of the vials actually belonged to Reiji and Yui."
"Ah, I see..." My mind kept spinning, though I was still lucid enough to gesture for Yuki to pour me some tea as well. Something was bothering me, something was...missing. That's right. Hikari was able to locate Reiji's and Yui's files and thus get their genetic data, but for these tests, they should require a sample from the child. That meant...
"...I don't recall giving you any DNA for this." I raised my eyebrow in anxious curiosity, wondering what convoluted scheme Yuki-nee pulled off.
"That is correct, you did not. Chiri-chan did."
Such a simple and prompt reply caused me to wince, admonishing myself for overthinking. Of course. Being a twin, they didn't need me if they had Chiri to provide the DNA. With a deflated sigh, I slumped in my chair.
"Enough sordid things," Yuki continued, looking into what I suspected was a now-empty teapot wih an amused expression that I was not in the mood to parse. "We are at a cafe, and that means, good music, good tea, and good food. Go ahead, it is my treat."
I blinked, a bit unhappy with the sudden change in mood. I was still rather full from lunch, but I wasn't going to pass on the chance to have another slice of their strawberry cheesecake. As if to answer my unspoken wish, the head waitress from before stopped in front of our table. With a wordless smile, she placed a plate in front of each of us and swapped the teapot with one filled with fresh tea.
For a moment, I stared in shock at the wonderful cheesecake that had practically appeared in front of me like magic, until I remembered who else sat the the table. Yuki's eyes seemed to glow as she eyed pored over her favorite flourless dark chocolate cake as if to feign ignorance over her already over-the-top clockwork schemes. Knowing Yuki, opening the lid of the pod and looking inside it was the signal for the head waitress to bring us the food.
"I suppose this is compensation for suddenly throwing such melancholy matters at me?" I asked with a wry smile, not yet willing to deform the strawberry goodness in front of me.
Yuki-nee shook her head without any sign of being intimidated as she poured us another round of tea. "That too, I guess, though, I intended it more for celebration."
I tilted my head and glared at her, my patience running thin by how Yuki seemed to be running around the topic. An uneasy mix of annoyance and fear filled me as Yuki-nee filled my teacup.
"Ah...Yuki-nee, for all I really want to care about, I was born to a family who runs a candy store."
"But, you weren't."
"Ah...No." I sighed bitterly. It wasn't difficult for me to accept who my biological parents were, but rather openly admitting it. With a pained face, I looked to Yuki-nee. "I'm not. Happy?"
"No," was Yuki-nee's immediate response, albeit in between sips of tea.
Barely able to prevent myself from yelling, I stood up and growled. "Why are you doing this?!"
Despite my sudden aggression, Yuki-nee seemed unfazed, calmly setting down the teacup to speak, although she looked off into the distance. "You are a girl with many gifts. Smart, strong, and despite what you think, you have your own brand of cuteness and elegance. But you keep shying away from that. It's as if you don't want to be, well." With a pause and a sigh, her pitch black eyes looked right to mine with a cold, piercing glare to counter my own furious exasperation. "You."
My temper immediately cooled once I saw Yuki-nee suddenly exhchange her calm and focused facade for a sharp and one. After a few deep breaths, my breathing stabilized, and I could speak again, albeit in a despondent tone. "Ah...Yuki-nee...you of all people should know why. I only have those gifts because I was...manufactured."
As I breathed the last word Yuki-nee's expression and tone softened. "True, but were you manufactured to play the piano? Or be able to compose music? Or to be a kind and caring person?"
"Ah, no, but I still have to be smart to be able to do such things," I retorted.
Yuki-nodded. "That's correct, but what about Chiri? She was manufactured exactly the same as you, yet it seems her calling is in medicine."
With my twin sister used as a reposte that I had no counter for, I slumped back into my chair with a sigh. Chiri, for all our innate similarities...was indeed a bit different than me. Less shy, a bit more whimsical, and had a knack for taking care of others. An idea popped into my head, but I wanted one last piece of information to be sure.
"Ah...Yuki-nee...if I still lived in Niigata...what do you think I would be?"
"A lawyer, of course. Look at poor Ichika." Yuki-nee shook her head with a frown. From what rumours my father was able to pull from Niigata, Reiji had a son named Ichika, a sort of second attempt. "I doubt he's been learning law by choice."
I took my turn to shake my head sadly. Of course. The Satou family was originally a family of lawyers, and the supposed reason why Reiji embarked on his 'perfect child' project was for the sake of the family legacy. "Ah, choice...that's really it isn't it." I looked down into my pale hands for a moment before placing them on the table, arcing the fingers as if they were resting on the keys of a piano.
"That looks fits you," Yuki said with an approving nod, and I raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You know, for someone who decided to teach themselves how to play the piano, without any tutors at all, you're quite skilled. I'd love to see you in get better, perhaps see you in concert one day."
"Ah, don't worry, I will." I grinned a bit. While neither myself nor my immediate family made much noise about the good news, it was inevitable that the rest of my cousins would find out.
"I'm sure of that. I can see a bright future ahead. Now, with that out of the way, let's get to the main event," With a devious grin, Yuki-nee dug through her pockets and pulled out a small party popper. Without any warning, she pointed it across the table and gave the string a tug, resulting an an anemic wheeze and a strand or so of confetti to emerge from the plastic toy's mouth. To the bystander, it was a weak cheer, but for the ever-serious Yuki-nee, it might as well have been a tumultous shout. With a warm smile spreading across her lips, Yuki-nee looked straight at me one more time.
"Congratulations on getting accepted to Fukui Academy, Mashiro-chan."
Starfish Cafe @1400The words softly illuminated by the touchscreen on my phone were concise, simple, and somehow exerting extreme pressure. That was the sort of girl my cousin Yuki-nee was, and the sudden text message sent the day before was rather exemplary of it. Fortunately, I knew the reasons for her sudden summons, or at least a good part of it, but strangely, it worried me more, as it was regarding the matters of the four Satou brothers. Hopefully, saying it involved my father, in both senses of the word, sufficed in describing how troublesome it was. For all I wished to care about, I was born to a candy-making family, even though I knew that the text message I was blankly staring at meant that the truth was likely some else.
"Now arriving at...Hinode Station"
Despite advances in voice synthesis, the digital reverb of the female voice coming from the train's speakers above me was still had a rather jarring effect for me, but it was enough to remind me to put my phone back into the pockets of my favorite cobalt blue jacket and disembark. Being an outdoors station, one on a raised platform to boot, I was greeted by a blast of wintry air that threatened to tear my beret of my head. Though Spring was rapidly approaching, it was as if Winter refused to let the seasons cycle.
The Starfish Cafe was a rather favorite haunt for Yuki-nee. Situated on the Hinode Pier in Minato-ku, it provided a beautiful view of Tokyo Bay while not being so far away from any sort of transportation, being visible from the Hinode Station, albeit from afar. The cafe itself was ostensibly of the French variety, though unlike the various themed and niche ones that surged in popularity in recent years, it kept itself rather simple. Add in the fact that all the food was made fresh in the cafe and not imported from some other bakery, and it was the perfect spot for for Yuki-nee's overworked mind to wind down.
Fortunately, the tempest that buffeted me at the station failed to reach ground level, though I was sure that I still had a very wind-swept appearance as I approached the cafe. The head waitress greeted me with a bright smile; while not to the degree that Yuki-nee was, I was a frequent enough patron that they recognized me. Admittedly, I came for their strawberry cheesecake as much as I did for the quiet ambience. Out of habit, the waitress gestured towards where Yuki-nee was likely to have commandeered a table. After bowing my thanks, I swiftly navigated through the myriad of empty tables and chairs. The lunch rush had passed and afternoon tea was still roughly an hour away, meaning there were few patrons at this time, which hopefully meant less intruding eavesdroppers.
The table at end of the wooden pier was my final destination, where a girl with messily-cut black hair was seated and looking out into the bay like a sentinel at vigil. As I got closer, I could see more clearly Yuki-nee's black hooded jacket, the heavy jeans with a myriad of pockets, and a hefty pair of construction boots. It was a stark contrast to my bohemian-esque coat and frilled dress, but it was fitting for my pragmatic cousin who favored mobility, warmth, and carrying capacity over my feeble attempts to have some sense of style.
The timbers beneath me creaked with every step, though I made no attempts to hide my approach in the first place.
"Mashiro-chan. Thank you for indulging me."
The suddenness of Yuki-nee's voice caused me to flinch, primarily because Yuki-nee was still looking out into the distant blue as she spoke.
"Ah, it's no problem, Yuki-nee," I replied, taking the empty seat at the other side of the table. From the smell of the tea coming from the teacup next to her, it was genmaicha, her favorite. With a deep sigh, Yuki-nee turned in her chair to face me, placing the black briefcase that was on her lap onto the table.
"Here it is." Yuki-nee spoke matter-of-factly, taking this time to take another sip of her tea. The breifcase that was in the center of the table was featureless and coated in a glossy black finish. As I slowly pulled it towards my side of the table, I could see in its mirror-like shine my own reflection. Between my pale fingers I could see my ghostly visage, with my snow white hair slightly covering the crimson eyes that stared into my own. It was this ghastly appearance that made me grip the ends of the briefcase as if to crush it.
Inside that case was all the evidence proving that my father, Shouzou Satou, was not my biological father, and neither was Souichiro Sonohara the father of Chiri, who was also, in truth, my twin sister. Inside was the proof that our father was Reiji Satou, Shouzou's oldest brother, who had attempted to craft the perfect daughter through manipulating the embryo's DNA. The other details, such as how Chiri and I ended up in the forest or if he really did it because we were albinos, didn't concern me and our respective adoptive parents had explained long ago how they found us separately and thus why we were raised separately.
I looked at the case for a few more moments before closing my eyes and sighing. "Ah...I'm not going to open it." I finally said, loosening my grip and languidly dragging the breifcase off the table and setting it beside me. There was no need to open it.
"I know."
Yuki-nee's response was brief and prompt, and she took a sip from her tea as if she was expecting it. I had to shake my head. Yuki-nee was born with the gift of foresight, and while she did her best not to show it off, there were times where she couldn't help herself. And when dealing with serious matters...Yuki-nee was one who preferred to plan. Extensively.
"Everything inside is confirmation of what we suspected from the start," Yuki-nee continued while I was still mulling over its morose contents. "In a sense, this is really just a formality. Handing over a copy of all the data."
"Ah, how did you do it for sure?" I asked in a daze. "I mean...you found some hard evidence right?"
"That is right. It was a combination of science, some family effort, and Hikari-chan."
I had guessed that "science" referred to some form of paternity testing. The family effort was likely Cyrus, Yuki, and Chiri pulling strings to find a lab that would do the testing for us without too many questions. And lastly, Hikari Imamoto.
Hikari was a friend that Chiri had made through a chance meeting, and perhaps as a morbid coincidence, was the daughter of the man who helped Reiji with his 'perfect daughter' plan. She too had a bit of a gift, this time was her ability to remember everth-
"Ah...wait," I suddenly chimed in. "I thought Hikari-chan's memory was perfect. If she remembered something, why didn't you figure this out out sooner? Or were you waiting for an opportune moment to set your plans in motion?"
Yuki shook her head lightly as she poured another cup for tea for herself before offering some to me. "It is perfect. It was just a matter of figuring out what to remember." Yuki-nee smiled, and I knew that not only did she predict my concerns, but that despite my tone, I wasn't accusing her of anything. "The samples were not labeled in an obvious manner, so it took us a while to figure out which of the vials actually belonged to Reiji and Yui."
"Ah, I see..." My mind kept spinning, though I was still lucid enough to gesture for Yuki to pour me some tea as well. Something was bothering me, something was...missing. That's right. Hikari was able to locate Reiji's and Yui's files and thus get their genetic data, but for these tests, they should require a sample from the child. That meant...
"...I don't recall giving you any DNA for this." I raised my eyebrow in anxious curiosity, wondering what convoluted scheme Yuki-nee pulled off.
"That is correct, you did not. Chiri-chan did."
Such a simple and prompt reply caused me to wince, admonishing myself for overthinking. Of course. Being a twin, they didn't need me if they had Chiri to provide the DNA. With a deflated sigh, I slumped in my chair.
"Enough sordid things," Yuki continued, looking into what I suspected was a now-empty teapot wih an amused expression that I was not in the mood to parse. "We are at a cafe, and that means, good music, good tea, and good food. Go ahead, it is my treat."
I blinked, a bit unhappy with the sudden change in mood. I was still rather full from lunch, but I wasn't going to pass on the chance to have another slice of their strawberry cheesecake. As if to answer my unspoken wish, the head waitress from before stopped in front of our table. With a wordless smile, she placed a plate in front of each of us and swapped the teapot with one filled with fresh tea.
For a moment, I stared in shock at the wonderful cheesecake that had practically appeared in front of me like magic, until I remembered who else sat the the table. Yuki's eyes seemed to glow as she eyed pored over her favorite flourless dark chocolate cake as if to feign ignorance over her already over-the-top clockwork schemes. Knowing Yuki, opening the lid of the pod and looking inside it was the signal for the head waitress to bring us the food.
"I suppose this is compensation for suddenly throwing such melancholy matters at me?" I asked with a wry smile, not yet willing to deform the strawberry goodness in front of me.
Yuki-nee shook her head without any sign of being intimidated as she poured us another round of tea. "That too, I guess, though, I intended it more for celebration."
I tilted my head and glared at her, my patience running thin by how Yuki seemed to be running around the topic. An uneasy mix of annoyance and fear filled me as Yuki-nee filled my teacup.
"Ah...Yuki-nee, for all I really want to care about, I was born to a family who runs a candy store."
"But, you weren't."
"Ah...No." I sighed bitterly. It wasn't difficult for me to accept who my biological parents were, but rather openly admitting it. With a pained face, I looked to Yuki-nee. "I'm not. Happy?"
"No," was Yuki-nee's immediate response, albeit in between sips of tea.
Barely able to prevent myself from yelling, I stood up and growled. "Why are you doing this?!"
Despite my sudden aggression, Yuki-nee seemed unfazed, calmly setting down the teacup to speak, although she looked off into the distance. "You are a girl with many gifts. Smart, strong, and despite what you think, you have your own brand of cuteness and elegance. But you keep shying away from that. It's as if you don't want to be, well." With a pause and a sigh, her pitch black eyes looked right to mine with a cold, piercing glare to counter my own furious exasperation. "You."
My temper immediately cooled once I saw Yuki-nee suddenly exhchange her calm and focused facade for a sharp and one. After a few deep breaths, my breathing stabilized, and I could speak again, albeit in a despondent tone. "Ah...Yuki-nee...you of all people should know why. I only have those gifts because I was...manufactured."
As I breathed the last word Yuki-nee's expression and tone softened. "True, but were you manufactured to play the piano? Or be able to compose music? Or to be a kind and caring person?"
"Ah, no, but I still have to be smart to be able to do such things," I retorted.
Yuki-nodded. "That's correct, but what about Chiri? She was manufactured exactly the same as you, yet it seems her calling is in medicine."
With my twin sister used as a reposte that I had no counter for, I slumped back into my chair with a sigh. Chiri, for all our innate similarities...was indeed a bit different than me. Less shy, a bit more whimsical, and had a knack for taking care of others. An idea popped into my head, but I wanted one last piece of information to be sure.
"Ah...Yuki-nee...if I still lived in Niigata...what do you think I would be?"
"A lawyer, of course. Look at poor Ichika." Yuki-nee shook her head with a frown. From what rumours my father was able to pull from Niigata, Reiji had a son named Ichika, a sort of second attempt. "I doubt he's been learning law by choice."
I took my turn to shake my head sadly. Of course. The Satou family was originally a family of lawyers, and the supposed reason why Reiji embarked on his 'perfect child' project was for the sake of the family legacy. "Ah, choice...that's really it isn't it." I looked down into my pale hands for a moment before placing them on the table, arcing the fingers as if they were resting on the keys of a piano.
"That looks fits you," Yuki said with an approving nod, and I raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You know, for someone who decided to teach themselves how to play the piano, without any tutors at all, you're quite skilled. I'd love to see you in get better, perhaps see you in concert one day."
"Ah, don't worry, I will." I grinned a bit. While neither myself nor my immediate family made much noise about the good news, it was inevitable that the rest of my cousins would find out.
"I'm sure of that. I can see a bright future ahead. Now, with that out of the way, let's get to the main event," With a devious grin, Yuki-nee dug through her pockets and pulled out a small party popper. Without any warning, she pointed it across the table and gave the string a tug, resulting an an anemic wheeze and a strand or so of confetti to emerge from the plastic toy's mouth. To the bystander, it was a weak cheer, but for the ever-serious Yuki-nee, it might as well have been a tumultous shout. With a warm smile spreading across her lips, Yuki-nee looked straight at me one more time.
"Congratulations on getting accepted to Fukui Academy, Mashiro-chan."
