Fate and Sakura
Fate and Sakura
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Chapter 10
Growing Bonds
Jako talked with his family about me and Aiko’s relationship. To our amazement the family were more delighted to hear the news than we were. Actually they had been expecting this turn out some day. Later Aiko told me that ever since I came to this house her mothers had been keeping an eye on me for her. She told me that Aiko was always encouraged by Hana and Shila to bring food and other necessities for me. For sure she did play her part very well but I was bit sad and felt why they had to hide everything from the beginning? And ofcourse why Aiko shared only limited times with me when all this had been part of the plan? So I asked Aiko about this recent questions dwelling in my head.
She answered, “ It is not right for you to know from the beginning! Over here we live a very simple life and your arrival changed everything! No one had ever seen a foreigner here except for my father and a few. You must understand that am a girl and my family allowed you to stay here! Just think for a while, what must be going in everyones mind regarding you and my family! Maybe you didn’t notice but when you were badly wounded and village women used to come here they often passed comments to my mother saying you don’t have to look for your son-in-law now! You already had delivered from the skies!
Ofcourse it was something we shouldn’t take it seriously but I didn’t want it to be obvious! Yes I tried to stay away from you despite having feelings for you but I wanted you to ask for my hand instead of my family or me asking you! Just imagine if I had asked you then what would it be like?” she gazed in my eyes for an answer but there wasn’t any.
I didn’t say anything and she left to attend to other chores. Ofcourse it doesn’t matter to me how this people think and what they have to say about me or us. They had predicted and so it happened and now what are they going to do. Bark and gossip about us. How long they are going to do that? One day they will have to stop it ofcourse. Who wants to spend rest of their lives talking about one particular story. It’s human nature they move on and when they find something mew it becomes talk of the town then. The cycle continues and it won’t stop for if it does we are not humans. I agree with Aiko’s thoughts and explanation but it did not impress me wholly.
Everytime I see them I felt like that I had been used all this while. So I began ignoring them by keeping myself busy. But I didn’t have anything against the male members since they were not part of the plan but still I wasn’t close to them like before. I week had passed and I was still trying to figure out a way out of this problem when Jako invited me for a fishing trip.
It was still summer and the weather was really humid. We loaded everything in our boat and got in. I waited for Hiroto or Sato to join but they didn’t and asked us to take care. So it was just me and Jako. We rowed out into the deep sea and about two hours of rowing Jako pointed out at his usual spot. We anchored and started checking onto the fishing gear. Jako is professional with fishing as I can see. He already had the baits which were fresh fries from the stream. His fishing gear was all ready in advance. I suppose he is a kind of fisherman who doesn’t like to waste time when fishing. And ofcourse he was. He showed me how to double pin the bait in the hook and then slowly drop it into the ocean.
He told me, “ Watch the weight and wait till it reaches the floor. And then lift it up about a fathom length. Then you wait for your lady luck to strike!” he laughed and started preparing his line.
I did as he told me and dropped the line in the water. He observed me carefully to check whether am doing it right or not. After raising the bait a fathom length from the floor he let his eyes off me. It was growing dark and I loved the colours of the sky changing from crimson to grayish blue. We waited for about twenty minutes when I felt a jerk on my line. It was first time experience for me using hand line. Jako told me to watch the line and don’t pull yet.
“Let the fish take the bait properly and then you hook it!” he said.
I waited for a few moments and allowed the fish too long with the bait and suddenly I felt my line running away in my hand. I was nervous and didn’t know what to do and Jako barked “Hold the line!”
I dropped my reel but luckily my senses were working well and got it on time. I tried to hold a grip on the line but it seemed like it doesn’t want to. It kept going despite my attempt to stop it. Jako told me to get a hold onto it like a real man.
“Fishes are not easy my son! You have to really hold it hard!” he was right.
A small fish can really make you sweat sometimes and since we were in deep sea it’s really hard to bring it up.. while I was wrestling with it Jako’s line was also on. He gave a big laugh and started wrestling with as well. Jako is usually a quiet guy in the house but today I saw how loud he was. He behaved like he was actually in the ring asking the opponent to give their best shot. I enjoyed that moment for it brought some enlightment in the show. Soon I was able to bring the creature to the surface. It lied upside down exhausted and I tried to bring it up into the boat. Wasn’t bad for the size. must had been around a foot and half. It looked like a snapper to me but most important was that it was my first catch.
I was filled with vigour and drag my clutched fist like pulling a hand gear to show off my delight. Jako was still struggling and didn’t notice my precious moment. I tried to help him but he told me to rewind my line and put on fresh bait. I did what he told me but not long he asked me to bring the gap quickly. I didn’t what it was so I asked where it is. He replied in a struggling tone
“ The long stick with a large hook on the floor.”
I searched wildly but was able to find it and brought it to Jako. He instructed me,
“Hook the gill when I draw the fish out of water!”
I replied “Yes!” and waited for the fish to surface. I waited and waited and soon could see the white image in the dark water. It was much bigger than mine for sure. Slowly Jako drew it near the boats edge and tried to bring it’s head towards the surface. It was also a snapper and as soon he took it out of the water I thrust the hook into the fish’s gills, and then pulled the creature on board. It was very slippery and struggled on the floor. Jako pulled out his pocket knife and pierced it into it’s head. Soon it lay dead on the floor. We looked at each other and then burst out into hysterical laughter. For sure this had been the best first shot for the night.
Jako gave me a slap on the shoulders and said, “ You are really lucky my boy! First two good ones and we have whole night to go!”
Well he said whole night and I wasn’t prepared for that. I thought this much was enough for the family. I didn’t say anything and quietly pinned the bait. Jako lit up a smoke and relaxed for a while. He told me to take a break and passed the cigar to me. I took few puffs and gave it to him. He took few puffs and then said,
“Ryan my boy, look at those stars! Do you think someone like us lives also there?”
I looked at him in astonishment thinking why he had to ask that weird question. In reply I said,
“ Well I don’t know if anyone is living there or not! But if someone is there he must be thinking the same from there!”
Jako looked at me for a while and said, “Really!”
I replied “Well I don’t know what’s out there but it is really a fascination which is compared to our dreams!”
Jako took few more puffs and passed the rest to me.
He said “Whole of my life I wondered why are they there and what it is really like! Folks over here have lot of stories about it but I don’t want to believe in that bullshit! Your answer though seems to have lot of weight my boy!”
I kept looking at him and smiled. He added later that all of us have dreams and they are compared to stars since they are the highest objects we can see. The problem is we perish and the stars remains just like our dreams. His words made sense. All of us have dreams and a hunger to reach the highest. But we don’t realize that when we reach the highest place we see that there is something far beyond our grasp. An ultimate impossible. As I was meditating on the theory of stars Jako told me to cast the line into the sea again.
We fished whole night and by dawn the floor was covered with slimy creatures of various kinds and colours. We began rowing back for it was enough for now. On the way back Jako asked
“Do you have dreams like the stars?”
I looked at him and smiled and told him “If had dreams like the stars then I wouldn’t be here right now!”
He laughed and said, “ You know there is reason why you are here! Whatever we do in our lives it has a reason just like the four seasons. But what you must know is that you should appreciate with what you have and don’t curse yourself for what you don’t have. Life is merciless and we shouldn’t expect a lot from it. Just take whatever you can and leave the rest alone for someone else.”
With those concluding words it struck me. All this while I was lost in my own head and tried to turn away from things which would bring me happiness and well being. I was in a doldrums just because I allowed myself into it. Ofcourse am here for a reason. I looked at Jako and said “Thank you!” in reply he smiled and gave me an appreciating nod. I admired his character once more for he must have known from his wisdom what I was going through. Maybe he went through a lot in his life and could sense such things that’s why he spends a lot out in the sea.
The sun was shooting first wave of it’s rays when we reached the shore. Hiroto and Sato were already there. As soon as we landed they unloaded the boat and began with their usual tasks. Sato and Jako were busy with their normal arguments about the catch and Hiroto was sorting out the fish. I joined Hiroto and together we sorted out the fish for the house and selling. Sato then started cleaning the boat after getting one cigar from Jako. Maybe that’s how Jako silences him everytime he returns from fishing trip. While we were busy getting things done Kimura with a couple of village elders came to the beach. We didn’t take much notice of that because we thought they meant with Jako only. After sometime I noticed that their tone was not normal for it showed signs of distress. I approached Jako and they stopped talking seeing me. Jako turned around with dropped face and in a low voice said,
“They had dropped big bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki!”
I was not surprised for all bombs are big and devastating. Jako then continued
“ The whole city turned into ash in one flash”
I was stunned with that description for I knew what it was. It was the H-Bombs. We knew what it was but never thought it would be used in a war. Jako then added,
“ The whole population had been wiped out in those areas!”
His eyes were filled with fear. Ofcourse he had all the reason to think that because now anything can happen. Nowhere is safe in this country. We could be next targets who knows. Jako told us to return home afterwards and he joined the men into village meeting. We quickly finished our work and returned home. The whole village had been fear struck and chaos was everywhere. As I passed I could see the same fear in everyones eyes. Some believed that very soon they will drop the bombs here as well and began preparations to vacate the village. We reached home and the ladies welcomed us normally. They seemed to be tensed but didn’t show it up. Hana was a strong woman. She would not follow ridiculous rumours and would wait for the appropriate time to act. We sat on the verandah quietly thinking about what is going to happen next. Hiroto came close to me and told me not to worry much.
“We wait for father to come and let’s see what he has to say!”
I agreed with him but could sense his hand trembling as well. Though it had been my fellow countrymen who must have done it but they don’t know that am here. Everything is fare in love and war. My life would seem like a necessary sacrifice to win the war. So be it. I will not run but stay instead. It would be much easier to die with the hatred of friends and love of enemies.
Aiko came closer to me. She brought tea. I asked her to sit down with me. She looked deeply moved by the growing scene. She lay her head on my shoulders and I didn’t resist in holding her as well. I could feel her tears dripping down on my hand but I didn’t say anything. Those tears were for fear or her dreams which seems very bleak now. There was a deep silence in the house and except for Hana and Shila’s voice I could not hear anything else. Maybe everyone were waiting for Jako to come. I also joined them in the much anticipated wait.
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