========== Katami family house, Odake, Hokota ==========
Peaceful silence early in the morning but it wasn’t as such within the Katami’s residence; Inami wide awake and sitting alone at the dark, unlit living room while Tsurugi is half-asleep in her bedroom.
‘Why, Ina-kun? Why would you even think of taking on such responsibilities?’
Those are one of the several things Inami recalls during what occurred to be a brief outburst from Tsurugi shortly after he showed her the Minerva. His eyes unconsciously fixated on the glass of iced plain water sitting on the table in front of him as more memories of the outburst flash in his mind.
‘After five years, I thought you are home for good… but NO! You have been risking your life the entire time! Why?’
‘Leave that thing here and come home, please! I can’t bear to have you going around like that! What if something happens to you? How do you think I’ll feel, Ina-kun?’
‘I just want us to have a peaceful life together, Ina-kun… Please, don’t do this!’
He heaves a sigh, briefly clenching his fists on his thighs then leans back onto the sofa, staring blankly at the spinning ceiling fan.
“A peaceful life together… That’s right…”
-(clear line goes here)-
Meanwhile, the outburst also has great impact upon Tsurugi. In her mind are words that Inami spoke to her to justify his resolve.
‘Tsu-chan, I’m doing this so that there won’t be a repeat of what happened ten years ago!’
‘Please hear me out…! I’m also doing this to protect you and everyone else that we hold dear!’
‘I wish for the same, Tsu-chan… Therefore I’m prepared to pilot the Minerva, to protect peace as it is for us!’
She turns and faces the ceiling, placing an arm over her forehead as guilt swells in her heart and mind. As memories cease to flood her mind, lines of apologies fill her mind while unpleasant hunches of Inami being emotionally affected by her outburst urge her to approach to him.
“Ina-kun…”
She looks at the door of her bedroom, heaving a sigh before getting off her bed.
-(clear line goes here)-
Back in the living room, Inami resumes staring blankly into space and down to the now-empty glass on the table.
“I’m sorry, Tsu-chan…”
He grabs the glass and heads into the kitchen, washing the glass under running water along with some dishwashing detergent then places it on the dish drainer next to the sink before washing off detergents from his hands.
Leaning ahead towards the sink, he collects water with his palm and washes his face to cool down. As water trickles down his face, he looks down to the sink with his arms holding its sides. His mind gradually calms down as he stares into the sink, briefly shaking his head then grabbing a nearby cloth to wipe his face dry.
He hangs the cloth on the dish drainer and begins to walk towards the kitchen’s exit but he halts upon spotting Tsurugi in her blue striped pajamas standing outside the kitchen.
2012-09-14, 07:40
