144 5.33 A Stomp Is All It Needs!! (2/2)
”Hiko-dono... It is nice to meet you too.” and the girls bowed their heads and greeted Hiko-sama second.
”They should greet Hiko-sama first since he is the eldest in this group. Hmm... Its should be reversed.” I thought to myself.
Suddenly there was a soft knock and a female order taker came in with 4 sets of the menu and a note in her hand. To make matters less bothersome for us, I simply said, ”We can skip looking at the menus, please serve us 8 bowls of seafood Ramen, not too spicy and please hand me the bill for the Ramen.”
The order taker took away the menus and simply wrote on the notepad including the price for the Ramen. I take a look at it and showed it to Hiko-sama and he took my roll of gold coins, unknotted the end and passed some gold coins on the table.
The 4 other girls saw how casual we paid up for the food that they stated at the gold coins that Hiko-sama places on the table and was quickly taken away by the order taker.
”As Hiko-dono mentioned, we have our dinner here and goes back to the house for supper, OK?”
All the girls nodded in agreement.
”Sensei, you don't want to take a look at your present?” I nudged him and he sheepishly reached out and chose his paper bag and took out the small wooden box out. The box was intricately designed with a hot souldering iron and there were brass hinges at the back and a small brass flip-lock. He looked at the box and finally opened it up.
There laid a pocket watch made from highly polished metal. It shines in the lantern light of the room overhead. There was a knob at the top and was attached with a chain with a small blunt hook at the end.
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Hiko-sama pressed the knob gently and the cover flipped open. The knob was also used to wind the pocket watch. Protective mineral glass protects the watch. The face of the watch was made of a shiny type of material, like an oyster internal shell that exudes a multitude of colours when tilted at the sides.
Hiko-sama held it to his ears and heard the soft ticking. He had never owned one ever and receiving one that was so exquisite made his eyes slightly watery.
”You should wind it 8 times every morning, Sensei. Hope you like the gift. At least we won't be late for any appointments in the future.'
'Thank you very much, kid. I will treasure this for all my life. This is the most precious gift I had received besides the 12 jars of sake! Thank you so much, again.” he said as he wound the knob 8 times and put it back into the box before he glanced at the time and closes the watch's polished lid.
”Come here, you....” and as soon as Hiko-sama said that, he grabbed me again in a headlock and rubbed my head and I laughed again like a silly kid again. In fact, Hiko-sama never showed his emotions so openly and some 20 years later, he was shot 4 times and one of the bullets penetrated the pocket watch thus stopping the bullet from piercing his heart.
The 6 girls watched the scene unfold and was awed that the young boy in front of them could afford and give away an exclusive item away as a gift.
”Remember I said to the old man that I wanted to buy the 2 pocket watch and passed them as a gift to my father and his best friend. Hiko-sama, I had regarded you as my father and my best friend. Without you, I won't be here stuck in a headlock and getting a head rub from you.” even when I said this words and the last sentence as a joke, I was gritting my teeth and was stemming the flow of my emotions but a tear managed to run off my right eye and stream down my face as I quickly wiped it away on the sleeve of my gi.
Hiko-sama too was holding back his emotions because according to him, he had gotten the highest honour from the kid he saved not long ago from the brink of death and had been regarded as a father and a best friend.
He swallowed hard and put on a pretence of running his tummy and asking when the Ramen would be here. ”Ahem... I wonder what time the Ramen would be here. Could you check your time, please?”
Hearing his cue, I opened my paper bag and took out the box. It was the same kind of box and when I flip it open, I removed the pocket watch and pressed the knob. ”The time was already past 10 minutes past 7 and our Ramen has still not arrived yet.” I turned the knob 8 times and closed the lid and replaces it back into the box.
We smiled at each other and then bowed deeply as we returned our thanks and appreciation for each other.
”Hey kid, you know what? Buy one take one. Haa... Haa... Haa...! You are one bloody genius, kid!” I soon realised that we had paid only half of the total price and we laughed again at our drama that we had put on at the shop. ”That old man deserves to be taught a lesson, right Sensei. And you were so fearsome just by holding the handle of the katana and you get a 50% discount. Haa... Haa... Haa...!”
The 6 girls looked on and were befuddled at what we were discussing that they just stared at us wide-eyed and at the same time noticed that there were 2 exquisite items before them.
The girls must be thinking that they had to work their asses off in order to get one by the time their hairs on their head had turned all silver.
”Don't worry girls, soon you could afford one that you can wear on your wrists,” I said casually as I told them about the unforeseen future about the affordability of wristwatches.
”Senpai, you mean we could wear that kind of size on our hands in the future? It's too big for our wrists... It's like wearing a huge necklace!”Riko remarked as the idea of wearing a wristwatch the size of a pocket watch doesn't appeal to her one bit especially when she looked at her thin and scrawny wrists.
We both laughed at Riko's outburst of her usual blunt speech and the former quickly hung her head down for she just realised her mistake again.
Suddenly our door was gently tapped and it slid open slowly as trays of bowls of Ramen were brought in. The wonderful smell of the Ramen was bursting in the air and penetrated right into our noses, salivating our mouths that made the girls drool over it too. It's been a long time since they had a decent hot meal like this.
”Itadakimasu” as we all graced our food when all the bowls of Ramen were before us. We picked our chopsticks and began to eat from the fairly large bowl. The order taker placed a few coppers and silvers on the table and Hiko-sama slipped it into his kimono hidden pocket.
2 of the girls were staring at their bowls and tears started to drip and stain their kimono. ”Haish... Don't cry over food. It is not good... Accept it with God's grace and eat.” I spoke softly and the two girls named Hanna and Eko wiped their tears and picked up their chopsticks and began to eat slowly.
The other two girls, Fei and Gin started to cry when the first mouthful of Ramen entered and they started to chew. And quickly wiped away their tears.
Hiko-sama and I looked at each other, no words need to be exchanged as we need the new house to be built as soon as possible to accommodate them into the household and at the same time arrange to meet with Mesen and his nephew for the contract and the start of the production.
I was thinking about the wealth that we could acquire and there's no joy if we can't share it with those less fortunate.
I sighed to myself as I think back about these 4 girls' ugly past and hope to pave a better and meaningful life for them.
After everyone had their fill, we graced our food ”Gochisosama” and left the room and went downstairs led by Hiko-sama and I. When we stepped out on the streets, we saw a large group of people had gathered at the watchtower and patrolman were scurrying around to stabilise the peace.
”Here, follow me this way. It is quieter than walking through the square... Walk in the shadows like me.” Hiko-sama signalled to us as we walked briskly behind Hiko-sama through alleys and dimly lit districts before we reached Hiko-sama's House.
”Come sit down here first. Make yourselves comfortable in the garden. If any yatai seller comes, stop them first and said the owner wants to buy from them, understand?” Hiko-sama instructed the girls to sit tight and advised the following instructions as both Hiko-sama and I head back into the house.
Hiko-sama passed me back the change and the roll of gold coins while he enters his room to keep his coin pouch, katana and pocket watch. I entered mine and grabbed a few more silvers coins plus the change given earlier and stuffed it into my own coin pouch. I kept my pocket watch safe and then went out to join the girls before carrying 2 jars of sake. Seeing me carrying the jars of sake, Hiko-sama carried his two huge pottery that was meant for me to put at the front of the house and carried to the garden.
I placed the jar a few distances from the girls and told them I would be back in a bit as I knew we still had the sweet corn, sweet potatoes and bananas I had steamed early morning. I made a fire quickly using my fire release and the firewood caught fire and I stoked just enough to boil the water and heat up the food. I came out with 2 cups, took the house plan and joined the girls and Hiko-sama came out holding a small bucket of water, and some face towels and the soap he had prepared from the trip back from the Realm of Mind.
”Please forgive us for leaving you all alone outside again. We had to do something first before heading back out here.”
The girls nodded their heads and looked around the area. The two pottery that Hiko-sama took out earlier was overturned and served as a seat for us since the 6 tree trunk stools had been occupied by them.
”So tell us about yourself abit. Why don't Eko starts first? Followed by Fei, Gina and Hanna.” I said and dropped the honorific because I can't be calling everyone one-sama since nearly everyone was older than me except Riko.