Eight

“Kakeru.” Hikaru-nii called softly and lightly shook me awake. “Oi. Wake up. It’s morning.”

“Mm.” I turned over on my side. “It’s Sunday. Please let me sleep…”

“It’s already late. Wake up.” He said, voice still low. That was weird in itself but I couldn’t really be bothered by it in my state of sleep. “Kakeru.”

“I heard you.” I groaned and stretched my arm out a bit in trying to shoo him off. That was when I touched skin. I touched someone… small. I raised myself by my elbows, on my stomach and remembered the three-year-old sleeping next to me in her favourite yellow night dress only when I saw her peaceful features. She was still fast asleep. 

So that’s why Hikaru-nii was speaking so softly.

“How many nights has this been now?” Hikaru-nii shook his head in defeat.

“I don’t know… Four?” I slowly sat up and rubbed the sand out of my eyes. Aki-chan had woken me up at around 01:30 am saying that she wanted to sleep with me. This night was the fourth in the past week, ever since she found out that I was planning on moving out. It seemed to me that whenever she woke up a night, she would sneak out of her room and into my bed. She used to go straight to Hikaru-nii and Kaori-nee’s room till a week ago. “It’s fine, isn’t it? I’m only going to be here a couple more weeks.” I said in a low voice and looked back at her. “She probably wants as much time as she can get with me.”

“Why are you doing this to my daughter, you heartless brother of mine?” Hikaru-nii crossed his arms over his chest. “You could really just stay. We’re not driving you out.”

“I know that.” I said and took his hand when he offered to pull me up onto my feet. “Think about it though. Aki-chan’s already three. Almost four, actually. What if you wanted to add another one to the family? It would get awfully crowded in this little apartment.”

“You…” He gave me a poker face.

Damn. There was a time when such a statement would have made him blush. He had become domesticated…

I laughed off my failed attempt at teasing him and made for the washroom. “Sorry. Sorry. But I thought it was high time that I did move out. I’ve stayed long enough. You have looked after me long enough. You have your own two women to look after now anyway. It’s time I set out on my own and did some exploration.”

“Do you have a woman?” He asked seriously to which I practically snorted.

“I don’t have time to play around like that.”

“You are already twenty-three though. Wouldn’t you at least have a girlfriend?”

“One, no. Two, stay out of my non-existent love life. Three, I’m only twenty-three. Look at Hiro-san. He’s twenty-six almost and still single and free and happy.” I stopped at the door.

“So… what? You’re going to follow in his footsteps and remain a bachelor? No can do. Aki needs cousins.”

“The hell, man?” I gave him a weird look. “And can I go now? I really need to pee.”

“Ugh.” He rolled his eyes, glanced at Aki-chan and then looked at me again. “Kaori and I have to attend her former classmate’s wedding today. I’m leaving Aki in you care.”

“You’re not taking her?”

“I figured you both could use this Sunday together.” He smiled knowingly.

I couldn’t help but purse my lips at that to show that I was moved. “Okay.” I nodded. A whole Sunday with my niece. I couldn’t have asked for more. “When are you leaving?”

“In five to ten minutes. It’s a bit far off so we will be gone till late evening. Come and close the door soon.”

“Be there in five. Just let me brush too.” I said, sent him off and shut the bathroom door.

Aki-chan really had been sticking to me off-late. This Sunday was probably exactly what we needed. I will give her so much of my time that she will get fed up of me.

With that thought in mind, I went about my morning chores, saw them off, got breakfast ready for the both of us and then went to wake Aki-chan up. She tended to wake up at night often but she was very difficult to wake up in the morning.

I sat on my bed beside her and tapped her arm. “Aki-chan, wake up. It’s morning. I’ve made your favourite sausages for breakfast.”

Nothing.

“Aki-chan.” I shifted her closer to me and lightly shook her by her arm. “Wake up.”

She stirred but nothing more.

“It’s just you and I today, Aki-chan. What do you want to do?” She pulled her hand back when I took it in mine, turned the other way, chewed on nothing and fell silent again.

“Geez… Even though I am finally free… Aki-chan is only sleeping. Do you want to throw this precious Sunday away?” I turned her over towards me. “Come on. Wake up. Don’t you want to eat breakfast?”

“Mm… Kake-jii…” She grumbled and tried to get away from me but I did not let her. I picked her up straight away and stood up on realising that she had managed to open her eyes. “No… I want to sleep!”

“Wake up already. It’s boring without Aki-chan. Get ready fast, eat breakfast and then, we can play.”

I would neve have acted this childish had another soul been around. I could picture Kaori-nee and Hiro-san pulling this off but neither Hikaru-nii nor I would usually go this far with the way we acted. Ah… The things that I do for this little devil!

It was quite a task at first but eventually, I got her freshened up and seated in her high chair at the dining table. When she saw that I had actually cooked sausages for her, she swallowed all further protests and instantly brightened up. “Kake-jii is awesome!”

That’s right. I’m awesome. “Now, then. Let’s eat! Thank you for this meal!”

“Thank you for this meal!” She echoed grace and began tucking away the food before her. “Where are Otou-san and Kaa-chan?”

“They had somewhere to go. It’s just the two of us today.”

“What about Hiro-jii?” She chewed deliberately, probably remembering how her teacher at daycare had taught her to chew thirty-two times.

“Hiro-san? Probably at home.” I replied, then thought about it. “Should we call him too?”

“Yes! Aki want to play a lot today! Call Hiro-jii!”

“Then, let’s call him after breakfast.” I said and resumed eating.

Aki-chan kept hovering around me as I cleaned and wound everything up in the kitchen after breakfast. Her excitement was rather evident in the way that she seemed to have a never-ending list of things to talk about. A bit into washing up, because of her insistence, I dialled Hiro-san’s number and put it on speaker, keeping the phone on the counter while I continued washing. Aki-chan waited by the counter eagerly for him to pick up.

“Good morning, Kake-chan.” He said, his voice a rumble, when he picked up.

“Good morning.” I replied. Aki-chan followed. “Good morning! Aki is here too!”

“Eh? Aki-chan? What is it, in the morning?” I could hear the smile in his voice.

“It’s nearly 11:00 am.” I said. “Speaking of… did you just wake up?”

“That… would be correct.” He admitted. “Thanks to you.”

“Even a three-year-old is up and about already.” I chuckled.

“I’m an adult.”

What was with that?

“Can we sleep late if we are an adult?” Aki-chan asked sincerely. “For however long we want?”

“Yes.” Hiro-san replied.

What are you teaching the child, you big oaf?

“I too want to become an adult fast!” She bounced where she stood.

“Really? But I want to become a child again.” Hiro-san said.

Wait. We had not called to have this conversation. “Hiro-san.”

“Hm?”

“Are you free today?”

“Free… Ah, somewhat.”

“Then, come over.”

“Come!” Aki-chan echoed. “Let’s play! Otou-san and Kaa-chan aren’t here. Let’s play, the three of us!”

“Not there? Where did they go?”

“A wedding. Kaori-nee’s former classmate’s.” I replied. “Tell me. Coming or not?”

“Coming. Give me an hour.” He huffed. That was probably him sitting up in bed.

“Yay! Hiro-jii is coming!” Aki-chan jumped and ran out of the kitchen in celebration. “I’ll get my toys ready!”

“Aki-chan?” Hiro-san enquired after her.

“She’s gone. She ran out in excitement.”

“Ah. She makes me feel loved.” Hiro-san laughed. “What are you doing?”

“I’m washing up after breakfast.”

“You’re done eating already? Well, I guess I’m the only one who wakes up late among us. Ah. Then, I’ll come over and have lunch with you.”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“A little. That’s okay though. I’ll eat later. Then… wait for me~”

“Don’t be late.”

“Mm. Then.” He hung up.