Good story. Please finish!

I just reread this whole story and I can't even tell you how wonderful it is. I love it. I wish there were fifty chapters of it! This chapter was wonderful... that was so sweet when Kasai took pity on Kichi and helped to calm him in his nightmare. _

Part of me hates Kaiyoumi for keeping Kichi, knowing what's going to become of him in that world... but at the same time, it seems she loves him, and he loves her, and so of course she has no choice except to keep him. It's not like there's anywhere else for him to go, anyway. She has saved him... and she has doomed him. I wonder if Kichi really will end up hating her for it? somehow, I don't think so. But man, talk about psychological trauma...

I must know the rest of the story, every heartbreaking bit of it- what finally happened to Kaiyoumi? What about poor Kasai, will he be able to help teenaged Kichisaburou deal with his bottled-up anguish, or will he go on to his own sad, wasting-away fate without Kichi ever really confiding in him? And what about the rest of the cast? there are so many interesting characters who have been introduced... Ikue, and of course Shouki, and what about Taizo and Taizi from back in chapter three? And what about Kaiyoumi's little boy, the one she lost? curiosity is killing me! Write more immediately! (onegaishimasu!) _

Present-Ha ha, Jiro is so cute! And Kichi's interactions with the kids shows us a side of his you don't see often. I really can't wait to see what will happen next at the inn, somehow the 'visiting uncle from Kyoto' part makes me feel like something's gonna happen!

Past present- Poor Kichi! And good insight into Kasai. He really isn't just some naive village boy after all.

Past-I feel so sorry for Kaiyoumi! Even more so than little Kichi. And shudder, the beginnings of psychologically unbalanced Kichi...

write more!

Heh, psychotic Kichisaburo threatens to chop a kid into little pieces. No wonder he wet himself! He he, I loved that exchange with the kids. Jiro was adorable, wanting a toll.

I could just imagine the look on Kichisaburo's face, having to deal with him. Ah, this story is moving along so nicely!

*hums*

-Thank goodness little Kichi was not harmed by that freak, though it definitely had it's effect. The poor kid!

That was some insight into Kaiyoumi, I really felt so sad for her, how she thinks Kichi will never forgive her...and as for Kasai-I love that guy! He's really an awesome guy for wanting Kichi to keep his pride even though he's always teasing/annoying him.

I can't wait to see what will happen next at the inn-and how the memories will progress, though I just know bad things are going to happen...*bites nails*

Another beautifully written chapter! I'm so glad you decided to have Kaiyoumi rescue Kichi before the pervert could get very far, and that you wisely portrayed the emotional fallout (nightmares, clinginess) that ensues even when an assault is unsuccessful. Kichi's reactions were very realistic.

A particularly good line was: "But he couldn't burn his memories. They'd be with him until the day he died."

Those memories of his early childhood explain his contempt for the naivity of children, but also his reluctance to harm them. People who've been hurt by the world have little patience with those who think it's a good place, and children are incredibly innocent in that respect.

Jiro perfectly exemplifies this. In his childish world the only real danger are the neigborhood bullies, and he thinks nothing of confronting a real killer and extorting a toll from him with only a play sword at his side.

I liked Kichi's uncharacteristic gallantry towards the little girl, Sachi. It seems he can still be kind when he wants to, so perhaps he's not totally unredeemable after all!

Wow, that was good. The beginning was very sad, it made me teary. Poor Kaiyoumi! Poor Kichi! I feel like things are building up to a disastrous climax...more insight into Kasai's character...Kichi underestimates him. The part with the kids was cute and humourous. Things seem normal-for now...now all I can say is...more please!

Hey..

Another lovely chapter.

Moving in its clarity .. the flow stronger too.

The scene with Kichi and Kaiyoumi was touching and vivid(as usual)

Great work on Kasai's past, so humanized, livley, well drawn.. what a sore turn to his future..

The new arrivals, Jiro and Sachi make a great addition in themselves, but the rending contrast that u two seem to be setting up for, is, well... anyway.

Also the normalcy of the final scenes, the village and the way kichi acts.. interesting to say the least..

Looking forward!

"The love and trust in his eyes makes her own blur again. But they were already painted, so she can't allow herself to cry"

That quote defines Kaiyoumi incredibly well. She's so trapped in that life, wanting to be a mother figure to Kichi, but ultimately just as unable to protect him as she is unable to protect herself.

The butterfly as a symbol of lost innocence was very effective. How ironic that the clay jar that Kichi wanted to catch the butterfly in was shattered, symbolizing what happened to him. (by the way, I wanted to ram the pieces of that jar down the drunken freak's throat when he pulled Kichi away! There, I'm glad I've got that out of my system!)

Moving right away from Kichi at age seven to Kichi at age sixteen in order to whow the change in him was a good move. Kichi at sixteen has become hardened to the point where all he can do is sneer at Kasai for falling in love. That more than anything else shows the impact brothel life had on him. No one reading your story could ever romanticize life in the pleasure quarters of a Japanese city ever again, and the really cool thing about it is that you drive home those points without having to go into graphic detail. It's all done by suggestion, and leaving the gory details to the readers' imaginations is far more effective than spelling things out in gory detail. You get the pathos without grossing out your reading audience.

The last image of Kichisaburo laughing at the bloody water staining his hands was chilling. Very few people are born killers. Kichi became one through circumstances no kid should have to go through. While it's impossible to excuse his murder of the woman who owned the scarecrow, your story explains how he got that way believably and in a very moving manner.

Another great chapter! You guys are the best!

I have so many emotions swirling around after reading this! Where to begin...well first, that beginning part, with the significance of the title being explored, Kaiyoumi...her oceanic gaze, Kichi dreaming of an ocean...it made me think, could the ocean be calling him? Is that why he can't rest, can't stop? It seems that way, and I'm very excited to see where you will go with that.

Shouki trying to explain it to him? Oh, that was too cute. Reminded me of something my son did the other day...sure, I lost an expensive vase, but his hurried explanation was just too cute, lol. I hope to see more Shouki Kichi interaction!

The second part, oh shock horror, that made me feel so sad. I don't even want to think about it! This scary man leading him away...the green fields of innocence being lost...no, not thinking about it, not thinking...

But it's all so masterfully written. The last part was some comic relief, with the teenagers, but it's also sad, in relation to the other parts...just how dark his soul is really...Update soon, I'm dying to read more!

yipe! wow... I love, love, love, love the teenaged kichisaburo in the last scene... sitting in the rain, laughing at the blood on his hands, telling Kasai (who I also love) that he doesn't understand the ugliness yet... wow. that scene was brilliant and chilling. If there was a series of novels about that 16-yr-old Kichi, I would buy them all right away. (hint: write more! I need more!)

The middle part was absolutely horrifying- Kichi as a little boy following a butterfly of all creatures, and ending up somewhere that he wasn't supposed to be... very dark, very dark and sad, as of course it has to be...

Thank you for continuing your awesome work with this.

Booya! This is great!

I love how everything is progressing, when it's all in the past and yet it feels like it's still happening and I loved Kasai and Kichi talking.

Insane, heh!

Poor little Kichi and poor Kaiyoumi, but still I love this story.

What a bittersweet chapter...

the plot is thickening...what an allusion to lost childhood, the green fields...the butterfly taking him back..liked the memory with Kasai and Kichisaburo...

good chapter, can't wait for more!

Hmm

The bittersweet tone of this entire fic wells in every sentence, every verse.

Touching really, the world untouched by time.. a lonely child longs for love in "her oceanic gaze" and instead finds a thing as ugly as truth.

*shakes head*..

Loads of awesome turns here.. plot progressing nicely. The flow, coming in disjointed leaps though an effort to follow is both effective and satisfying.

Both the past and the recent past merge, or rather collide, harsh realizations ..

Touches like "discovering" birthday's and running through unreal nature hunting a butterfly..

And the present.. a new riddle for kichi

Awesome stuff here.. really can't wait for more!

Gasp! Omg! No way, poor little Kichi! *tries to compose herself* First there was a sweet little moment with Kichi and Kaiyumi, and then..! But still, I liked this chapter. The end memory was humorous, showing how Kichi interacts with the other guys..but it was also sad..because of what happened with Kasai. Update soon!

This story continues to be absolutely awesome! Little Kichisaburo, discovering his new world... cuddling up with Kaiyoumi, playing with her makeup and things, gazing out the window at the street below... and all the while, forgetting his family. now I want to know about his family! Who are they? Does grown-up Kichi remember them at all? I'm so curious!

More questions: what does Shouki turn out to be like when he grows up? What's the whole story with Ikue and Kasai? and what happens to Kaiyoumi? I can't wait to find out!