View From the Floating Bridge
by Akauzu-kun, jrock fic writer in exile Touya Akira + Shindou Hikaru, Touya Kouyo + Fujiwara no Sai pairings...
SPOILERS FOR TANKOUBAN 15!!!! Okay... anyway... I wondered, "What happens to Sai?" and wrote this~. I expect it to be contradicted, and terribly, by whatever happens in the manga... So let's just say that I'm taking a completely different route after Chapter 124 or so...
Hehe, I think this story may require some notes... I'm referring a bit to "The Tale of Genji" which was written about a thousand years ago by a woman known as Lady Murasaki. Although her real name is unknown, she was a member of the Fujiwara clan and therefore a relation of Sai. I never paid attention to the Hikago timeline, but let's just say that he saw some of it before he died. ^^;; Now everyone go and read some Japanese literature! Yes! Yukio Mishima and Haruki Murakami are also very cool! (ahh, my sensei is turning me into such a weirdo... many thanks to her for historical things.)
Chapter One: Fuji no Uraba - New Wisteria Leaves
"Is the room comfortable?" Nurse Kurumae didn't really expect a response. In the two weeks he had resided at the small mental hospital outside Kyoto, he had scarcely said more than "good morning" and "thank you." If not for those words, they might have blieved him mute. He was polite and smiled easily, but there was a disconcerting sadness to the one- sided dialogues with him. Nurse Kurumae sighed and went about her duties. She partitioned a small dose of anti-anxiety pills into a cup and filled another with water, wondering if pills could really help the strange patient.
It had been three weeks, or perhaps a month ago, when something other than fish or garbage had been pulled out of the Kamo river - a man, half- drowned but still clinging to life. The occasional suicide case was a reality that disturbed many, but this was somehow different. The man was dressed like an actor out of a Noh play, or perhaps like a monk; not even the most traditional Japanese would wear clothing like that anymore. Certainly a man assumed to be in his mid to late twenties would not wear such a thing. Stranger still was that he remembered nothing before waking up in a Kyoto hospital, not even his name.
Naturally there had been a local TV spot, something begging the family to come forth. Then the speculations of attempted murder - with the economy in such a sorry state, it was a little bit of excitement. But given the only witness's lack of testimony, it took only a few days for the mysterious suicide to be forgotten, at least by the public. Like so many, he ended up the slightly run-down institution where Kurumae Yasuko worked long hours to make ends meet for her family. She was in her thirties, married with two children and really couldn't afford to hope for a better job.
"Emiko is sick again, but it's just a cold so she should be back in school by tomorrow." The room was so silent that Nurse Kurumae would discuss her family or local news with the mystery patient. He rarely, if ever made a response, but his expression of earnest interest made it easy to go on chatting to herself. "My older son, Shinya, is doing terribly in English but a private tutor would be too expensive..." The nurse had long since finished preparing the patient's medicine and tidying the already neat room, but since his was the last room on her circuit she had a few extra minutes. It was a little embarrassing, though, to talk to him - it was as if he were completely empty and somehow the little stories of her home life filled him. That and his only other interest - reading novels from the hospital's small library.
"Ah, did you enjoy the last book, sir?" The book in question lay face down on the bedside table, so she picked it up. "The Tale of Genji? I read this when I was younger. 'Hikaru Genji', right? Ah, I'm afraid I don't remember much..."
"Hikaru... but...it's different." Nurse Kurumae was a little startled - both that the patient had finally spoken something more than empty pleasantries, and that the word for "different" was also the word for "wrong." Were his first words only to correct her? She gave a nervous smile.
"Have I messed up the names again? That's the only thingwith that story - I kept losing track of the names. It's not the 'Shining Genji', then?" The patient was suddenly embarrassed, covering his mouth shyly. Nurse Kurumae had often been surprised by his very feminine appearance and enviously long, straight hair. He could have passed for a girl had he not been so tall.
"No, no, I meant that the words are different. They've changed since... I've seen this story before." The patient's face wrinkled in consternation. "But the writing has changed - it's more simple now, but then it was poetry... ah, what am I saying?" The nurse was both confused and overjoyed.
"Sir, is it possible that your memory is coming back?"
"I..." He trailed off helplessly. Nurse Kurumae's fingertips traced the cover of the book absently. "I don't know who I am, but this book seemed familiar." The nurse could scarcely contain her smile; this was more than the patient had ever spoken.
"Murasaki."
"Hmm?"
"No one knows your name, and no one knows the real name of the person who wrote this novel. So we call her 'Lady Murasaki'" Kurumae laughed softly. "You've been here long enough that we should call you something better than 'guest.' Is it alright?" He made that thoughtful face again, but it resolved into a smile.'
"Murasaki... is a good name."
And here's the useful Japanese section! -__-;; From someone who writes fanfics during Japanese class!
Fuji no Uraba - "New Wisteria Leaves", the title of chapter 33 in "The Tale of Genji" Hikaru - shining, bright. It's added to Genji's name because he was a real bishounen... ^^;; Fuji - wisteria (the wara bit means swamp or barrow or something like that) Murasaki - purple (color) Wisterias are purple, too. chigau - is different, is wrong. I think Sai would say "chigaimasu" to be polite. Genji - It's a different way of naming the Minamoto clan. In the novel, the emperor disowns his son into the Minamoto (Genji) clan, so Genji spends much of the novel trying to work his way up the ranks. Kamo River - It's near Kyoto... I think... ^^;; Geography is not my strong point...
by Akauzu-kun, jrock fic writer in exile Touya Akira + Shindou Hikaru, Touya Kouyo + Fujiwara no Sai pairings...
SPOILERS FOR TANKOUBAN 15!!!! Okay... anyway... I wondered, "What happens to Sai?" and wrote this~. I expect it to be contradicted, and terribly, by whatever happens in the manga... So let's just say that I'm taking a completely different route after Chapter 124 or so...
Hehe, I think this story may require some notes... I'm referring a bit to "The Tale of Genji" which was written about a thousand years ago by a woman known as Lady Murasaki. Although her real name is unknown, she was a member of the Fujiwara clan and therefore a relation of Sai. I never paid attention to the Hikago timeline, but let's just say that he saw some of it before he died. ^^;; Now everyone go and read some Japanese literature! Yes! Yukio Mishima and Haruki Murakami are also very cool! (ahh, my sensei is turning me into such a weirdo... many thanks to her for historical things.)
Chapter One: Fuji no Uraba - New Wisteria Leaves
"Is the room comfortable?" Nurse Kurumae didn't really expect a response. In the two weeks he had resided at the small mental hospital outside Kyoto, he had scarcely said more than "good morning" and "thank you." If not for those words, they might have blieved him mute. He was polite and smiled easily, but there was a disconcerting sadness to the one- sided dialogues with him. Nurse Kurumae sighed and went about her duties. She partitioned a small dose of anti-anxiety pills into a cup and filled another with water, wondering if pills could really help the strange patient.
It had been three weeks, or perhaps a month ago, when something other than fish or garbage had been pulled out of the Kamo river - a man, half- drowned but still clinging to life. The occasional suicide case was a reality that disturbed many, but this was somehow different. The man was dressed like an actor out of a Noh play, or perhaps like a monk; not even the most traditional Japanese would wear clothing like that anymore. Certainly a man assumed to be in his mid to late twenties would not wear such a thing. Stranger still was that he remembered nothing before waking up in a Kyoto hospital, not even his name.
Naturally there had been a local TV spot, something begging the family to come forth. Then the speculations of attempted murder - with the economy in such a sorry state, it was a little bit of excitement. But given the only witness's lack of testimony, it took only a few days for the mysterious suicide to be forgotten, at least by the public. Like so many, he ended up the slightly run-down institution where Kurumae Yasuko worked long hours to make ends meet for her family. She was in her thirties, married with two children and really couldn't afford to hope for a better job.
"Emiko is sick again, but it's just a cold so she should be back in school by tomorrow." The room was so silent that Nurse Kurumae would discuss her family or local news with the mystery patient. He rarely, if ever made a response, but his expression of earnest interest made it easy to go on chatting to herself. "My older son, Shinya, is doing terribly in English but a private tutor would be too expensive..." The nurse had long since finished preparing the patient's medicine and tidying the already neat room, but since his was the last room on her circuit she had a few extra minutes. It was a little embarrassing, though, to talk to him - it was as if he were completely empty and somehow the little stories of her home life filled him. That and his only other interest - reading novels from the hospital's small library.
"Ah, did you enjoy the last book, sir?" The book in question lay face down on the bedside table, so she picked it up. "The Tale of Genji? I read this when I was younger. 'Hikaru Genji', right? Ah, I'm afraid I don't remember much..."
"Hikaru... but...it's different." Nurse Kurumae was a little startled - both that the patient had finally spoken something more than empty pleasantries, and that the word for "different" was also the word for "wrong." Were his first words only to correct her? She gave a nervous smile.
"Have I messed up the names again? That's the only thingwith that story - I kept losing track of the names. It's not the 'Shining Genji', then?" The patient was suddenly embarrassed, covering his mouth shyly. Nurse Kurumae had often been surprised by his very feminine appearance and enviously long, straight hair. He could have passed for a girl had he not been so tall.
"No, no, I meant that the words are different. They've changed since... I've seen this story before." The patient's face wrinkled in consternation. "But the writing has changed - it's more simple now, but then it was poetry... ah, what am I saying?" The nurse was both confused and overjoyed.
"Sir, is it possible that your memory is coming back?"
"I..." He trailed off helplessly. Nurse Kurumae's fingertips traced the cover of the book absently. "I don't know who I am, but this book seemed familiar." The nurse could scarcely contain her smile; this was more than the patient had ever spoken.
"Murasaki."
"Hmm?"
"No one knows your name, and no one knows the real name of the person who wrote this novel. So we call her 'Lady Murasaki'" Kurumae laughed softly. "You've been here long enough that we should call you something better than 'guest.' Is it alright?" He made that thoughtful face again, but it resolved into a smile.'
"Murasaki... is a good name."
And here's the useful Japanese section! -__-;; From someone who writes fanfics during Japanese class!
Fuji no Uraba - "New Wisteria Leaves", the title of chapter 33 in "The Tale of Genji" Hikaru - shining, bright. It's added to Genji's name because he was a real bishounen... ^^;; Fuji - wisteria (the wara bit means swamp or barrow or something like that) Murasaki - purple (color) Wisterias are purple, too. chigau - is different, is wrong. I think Sai would say "chigaimasu" to be polite. Genji - It's a different way of naming the Minamoto clan. In the novel, the emperor disowns his son into the Minamoto (Genji) clan, so Genji spends much of the novel trying to work his way up the ranks. Kamo River - It's near Kyoto... I think... ^^;; Geography is not my strong point...