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"Tanjoubi omedetou, Tsubame-chan!" Tae called out cheerfully as the young waitress entered the Akabeko. Handing the tray she was carrying to another server, the older woman caught Tsubame in a gentle, motherly hug. "A-arigatou, Tae-san," Tsubame managed, bowing slightly. Startled by the exuberant greeting, the timid young girl felt her face begin to flush, and hastily reached for her apron to hide her discomfort. "None of that tonight!" Tae told her, taking the apron from her surprised hand. "Demo . . ." "Not tonight!" The older woman was firm. "This is your birthday!" her voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper, "And I've got a surprise for you! "A surprise?" Tsubame looked up at Tae, hesitant pleasure blossoming on her face. "For me?" Tae nodded, wrapping an arm around the young girl's shoulders to steer her toward the back of the restaurant. Tsubame followed obediently, her eyes growing wide when she saw where Tae was leading her. "Tae-san! This area is reserved for parties!" she exclaimed in a voice breathless with hope and excitement. She'd never attended a party before, much less one held in her honor. It was almost too much to believe... The older woman simply smiled, reaching out to slide open the shoji. "Wait!" Tsubame cried, suddenly overcome with shyness. Parties meant people, and people made her nervous. To her dismay, her protest came too late, and the thin panel slid aside to reveal Kenshin, Kaoru... all of her new friends waiting for her. Although reassured by their smiling faces, still she hesitated to enter, doing so only after Tae gave her a gentle, encouraging push. "Happy Birthday, Tsubame-chan!" Kaoru told her, rising to give her a hug. Tsubame smiled shyly in return, grateful for the comforting clasp of Kaoru's hand on hers as the rest of the Kenshin-gumi greeted her in turn. Stammering her thanks she let them coax her into their circle, soon finding herself seated between Yahiko and Sanosuke. Both boy and man took pains to see she was comfortable, refraining from their customary bickering and swearing. Finding their efforts both sweet and comical, she soon began to relax, and turned her attention to the festivities. Never in her life had she seen so much food arrayed for such a small group, nor eaten so much in a single sitting. She supposed it was just the excitement of it all, but everything seemed to taste so much better than usual! Of course, the best was saved for last: after the meal was cleared away, Misao brought out a small tray of daikichimo -- a confection Tsubame had sheepishly confessed was her favorite. "You've got very good taste, Tsubame-chan," Kaoru teased, winking at her. Tsubame smiled shyly in return, knowing the older girl was partial to the sweet-potato cakes as well. When the last daikichimo had been eaten, and everyone had indulged in a spate of bad manners to chase the last of the cinnamon from their fingers, Yahiko and Kaoru each brought out a carefully wrapped package. Tsubame's eyes teared up as they presented them to her to open, her voice small and tight from trying not to cry. "For me?" Kaoru gently brushed the younger girl's hair away from her face. "It's your birthday, isn't it?" Nodding, still somewhat disbelieving, Tsubame carefully opened the larger of the two gifts, knowing that it was a present from all of them. Her breath caught as her fingers stroked over the softness of silk, eyes widening at the sight of the kimono they'd picked for her. The fabric was a mix of cream, peach, and yellow-green, with flowering branches scattered over the whole. It was dainty and understated and above all the most beautiful garment she'd yet to own. "Kaoru-san... Tae-san... minna!" she gasped, further words escaping her. Kenshin laughed, the sound soft and comforting. "You're welcome, Tsubame-dono," he answered as Kaoru reached around their shy young friend to give her another warm hug. Dazed, Tsubame set the kimono aside with one last lingering look, to carefully open the smaller package which Yahiko had given her. This one contained a beautifully embroidered omamori bukuro, and the young girl couldn't help smiling as she peeked inside. Yahiko was always looking out for her, trying to bolster her spirits and keep her safe; and it was no secret that her nervousness made her more than a little clumsy. A charm to ward off accidents and bad luck was both sweet and practical, and somehow typically him. He grinned sheepishly when she turned to thank him, and she found herself even more at ease as he betrayed his own anxiety by nervously rubbing the back of his head. Cradling the omamori in her hands, Tsubame quietly surveyed the group gathered so warmly around her, friends closer than family. Engrossed in their own conversations, giving her time to recover from her overwhelming response to their kindness, they didn't appear to notice her shy observation. She watched as Kaoru carefully poured Kenshin's sake, her cheeks bright, his eyes glowing, yet both of them so reserved; noticed that Megumi never moved far from Sanosuke, even though the two did little more than exchange insults; saw how Misao attempted to coax Aoshi out of his silence time and time again, and how he tolerated her repeated failures with humor; witnessed how Yahiko covered his own uncertainty with unnecessary bluster. Everyone so close to one another, and yet so far apart. They'd made her so happy... wasn't there some way to share how she felt? With the thought barely formed in her mind yet filling her heart, and the omamori clasped close against her, Tsubame unwittingly unleashed something fantastic with a single murmured phrase: "I wish..." Wishes have power - especially those well-intentioned requests made on special days. Little more than a whisper, the words were still loud enough for Daikoku-sama to hear... ... and grant. Author's notes and random babbling:
October 8, 2000 |
Part One