122 5.11 The Visiting Ex Comrades of Hiko Seijuro (1/2)

I was sleeping when I heard someone's calling Hiko-sama name from the outside. There were exchanges of greetings and soon chatters broke into laughter. Since it was none of my business, I decided not to bother since I knew it was Hiko-sama comrades that had came to visit him.

Soon, I heard Hiko-sama was talking about me and I decided to inch nearer to listen. Fortunately, Hiko-sama did not reveal anything about my secrets, the same way he hid his secrets from others well.

We had a basic understanding of not letting others knew more about us than was necessary. Soon, I heard some yatai passing by near our district calling out for their wares as its past dinner and people were either looking for supper as well as an accompaniment to their merry drinking.

”Hey, kid. Do you want to join us up front? My comrades are here and we are having a small drinking session. Also around this time, there would be yatai passing by the district and there'd be plenty to eat also. You still full or want to get a bite?”

Hiko-sama peeked into my room as he mentioned about the incoming yatai. Although I was full from eating the sweet meat buns earlier, I was also expecting to see what the yatai was selling. Back in modern Japan I always wanted to try every single food that the yatai were selling.

”OK, Sensei... I'd come up to the front and join you. I would want to see what the yatai were selling. It would be fun to see.” I replied as I scrambled from my resting place and went to join Hiko-sama and his comrades.

The moment I met the comrades, I bowed slightly to them and greeted them about how they were and to welcome into the household. As I had washed earlier, they mistook me for a girl since my features were soft unlike the time before when I was covered with snow and ashes and had dirt streaked on my face.

”Oh hoy... Little kid. Here you are... Look, I am not taking to heart about the other day, but as you know, we Samurai have to be alert 24/7 even on and off the expedition. As you can see, I still wearing my gauntlet and carries my katana wherever I go.” exclaimed Kami-sama the moment I saw him and greeted with a smile. Well, it's a typical edgy man that is wary of every sound and creak around him even in Hiko-sama's house.

”Kami-sama, please forgive me when I did to your forearm gauntlet the other time. I am also like you, and it's not easy for me to take instructions from other people whom I am not acquainted. But now since we are acquainted, I don't think I would burn any more of your gauntlet.” I smiled as I spoke softly to Kami-sama.

”Haa... Haa... Haa... I am here to find out how you did that also. By the way kid, I don't take it to heart and am easy to forget about the whole matter since you are now Hiko's disciple.”

”Thank you for sincerity Kami-sama. Hope we would be friends after this. By the way, I also did not know what happen during that time, it was as if by luck or something when I pressed my palm on your forearm.”

”Ah, kid... Even if you tell me or not, it doesn't matter. But you do have some sort of strength as well as I can see. Come sit with us and join us for some sake.”

I smiled back at them and declined the offer since I am not forgetting I am currently an 11-year-old kid and don't divulge in adult manners like drinking sake. Hey Mr Director, how could you let juvenile drink alcohol?

”Thank you Kami-sama but I think I have to skip the sake, but I would like to see what the yatai was selling. It seems a hot favourite here among this district as I could see several yatai on the way here.”

”Yes, Himura... These yatai comes from the outer districts where the rest of the commoners and plebs were staying. So their means of income would be selling their food wares from outer cluster till they are into the inner cluster just before the marketplace. Normally that's where they end up before heading back to the outer cluster.”

”Oh... I see Sensei. So they won't stay in one place but moved about in the main street if this cluster then. Lucky we are near the main street and they could come and serve us directly like the one selling the Yaki Imo. It's nice to eat during winter time.”

”Ah, the Yaki Imo only available in the day time, Himura. Now it's merrymaking and drinking time, so basically what they were selling would be just the right accompaniment for the drinks.”

I nodded in acknowledgement and was thinking that instead of buying Yaki Imo regularly, we could make them ourselves and buy some raw ones in the market and store them in the kitchenette. Just throw them into the embers of the fireplace and it would be done in about 5 to 8 minutes.

”So Himura, what have you done so far? Last time I heard you wanted to be a swordsman, did your Sensei here passed you anything good?”

”Miroku-sama, we did a few sessions earlier when Sensei got back from the Mayor's house. At the meantime, I turned the whole house upside down and cleaned it up. By the way, since you are a samurai and mostly out on expeditions, do you have someone at home to tend to your housekeeping? I mean, do any of you guys have someone taking care of you at home?”

”Ah... What my apprentice here seems to ask is what do you live alone or have wives or girlfriends to take care of the housekeeping in the house while you are gone. He is looking for work so he could earn some coins for himself.”

”Oh...well, I lived all by myself and so the rest of 4 of us here. I don't really have the time to do laundry or clean the house. Normally I just stack my clothes one side and when I got back, I will hire some help to do the laundry for me. As for cooking, we all seldom cook and eat takeout or just waiting for the yatai to pass by our houses and just buy what they were selling.”

One of them by the name of Toshi-sama spoke up. He was the quietest one in the group and only speak whenever it's necessary and when he starts to speak, everyone stops what they were doing and listens.

”So, decide already then. My disciple needs coins to survive, I mean he also has his desires to earn money so that he could buy the things he wanted. He also did a good job for this house within the time I was in with all of you and returned to find the entire interior was cleaned up. My laundry was also done by him.”

Hiko-sama supported me by giving the rest of his ex-comrades the assurance that I could do a good job.

”That seems a good idea. In this case, your disciple could come over to our place every three days to clean up the house. Or you have other plans in your mind, kid? Since I saw you the other day, you are full of potential.”

Hide-sama spoke up and was happy that I knew how to make full use of my youth. Other kids may just laze around or bury their faces in the books as they might come from some established families where extending one's hand only would they receive a few gold coins to splurge. None of the Samurai grew up with a silver spoon in their mouths so they learnt from hardship.