‘I’m even thinking in Japanese now,’ he thought. The mental leap helped him to understand why he had thought the Matsumotos were speaking English. David was so astounded that he missed a dip in the rough road and ended up on the ground in a heap of uniform and bags.
“Are you alright?” Rie asked. Dressed in her white and blue sailor uniform, she appeared over him with the same concern Yukiko always showed him. When he looked to her, she immediately stood and turned away. David just had time to wonder if he had offended her before Takumi was there pulling him up.
“So, yesterday, I mean Saturday really happened?” David asked sheepishly. Brushing off the dust from his black uniform slacks, he struggled to understand what was happening to him. David looked to the twins for answers.
“Yep, it definitely happened,” Rie replied, suddenly turning on the boys with a bright smile. Her return to the Rie he remembered before the accident made him sigh in relief. He had not been able to talk to her before, but he had definitely begun to worry the accident would keep him from ever getting to know the twins. “Now we can have a regular conversation! Maybe even get to know each other a little better.”
“Right, because he’s so concerned about getting to know you.” Takumi rolled his eyes. Then his hand moved in a blur as he caught Rie’s right punch. A low block deflected what David had thought would be a painfully accurate blow. David jaw hung loosely as he stared at the sudden show of martial arts prowess. Although he had been aware of the Matsumotos’ training, it was the first time either of the twins had been so open about it in front of him.
“It’s a good thing I’m such a nice sister, and didn’t kick you,” Rie said as she ended her attack and returned her attention to David. “Anyway, yes, it was real, but we can’t tell you much more than what you’ve already heard. Dad refused to tell us more, and I’ve only heard...”
“Look, like Dad said, secrecy is important, so we can’t talk about it except at the Estate,” Takumi said. Rie was suddenly very interested in the trees along the path. “You never know who might be listening.”
David laughed once at Takumi’s words, but the complete lack of reply from his host brother quickly stopped the laugh, turning it to a thoughtful frown. Takumi was deadly serious. Even Rie eyed him with concern.
As they turned off the drive to the main road into Nakano, more students began to filter into the town, all walking from the surrounding estates and farms. On his first day, David had imagined their conversations were about class and work. The students always seemed so serious. As he listened, he was shocked and pleased to hear them talking not about math, but cartoons, games, and the latest competitions.
David was also pleasantly surprised as they entered Nakano at his ability to read the various signs, banners, and flags. He had always wondered what the complicated symbols that the Japanese used for writing had meant. Although he had learned basic writing, he had yet to study kanji. Walking into Nakano it was as if he suddenly had an intuitive understanding of it. He smiled to himself as he passed beneath an advertisement for a movie. As they walked, Takumi completed his reversion to school mode, taking on an air more akin to Grandpa than Masao.
“So who do you think will be matched up?” Takumi asked his sister.
“I don’t really know, but Tsukasa-sensei better not try and pair me with Natsuki. I didn’t like the hints he was dropping.” Rie’s features darkened as she mentioned one of their classmates. Surprising both of the twins, David interjected himself into the conversation.
“What’s wrong with Natsuki… san? You two don’t seem to get along, and I always wondered why.” David smiled at his ability to speak clearly, and his new understanding of the words people were always adding to names. The mental fog had completely evaporated.
“I forgot you understand what we say now! You’re going to be a terror at school. Natsuki? She’s just a little back-stabbing, stuck-up-princess, cry-baby, traitor is all,” answered Rie, a crystallized smile serving only to darken her features even more.
“They had a falling out a few years ago. She used to train with us until… well things changed when we got to junior high,” Takumi said, cringing. David got the hint. Takumi was still friends with Natsuki.
“Now she uses every opportunity to make my life miserable. She and her little pack of friends, you know, Mizuki, Yuka, Kaeda, Yuuto, and Daisuke,” Rie added. With the subject on Natsuki, it was as if Rie had forgotten to be awkward around him. David decided to keep it that way.
“Isn’t that almost half the class?” he asked as he tried to remember all his classmates.
“Well maybe a third,” Takumi said with a strained laugh. “They’re mostly track team kids with a few badminton players as well. Mizuki is class rep. She’s the leader of the pack. A lot of what Natsu-chan does is to get along with the group.”
“You always defend her don’t you? I’m going on ahead,” Rie said, suddenly speeding up. She was nearly out of sight by the time David and Takumi passed the Police Station.
“So… what happened?” David asked once he was sure Rie would not hear.
“It wasn’t just one thing. Right before we entered junior high, Natsuki’s father invented some new gadget and suddenly her parents went from so poor they were on the verge of selling their family land to wealthy. Mizuki and her friends started to notice Natsuki. They invited her to their houses, and Natsuki started going out with them more and more. That’s why Natsuki and Rie started to bicker. I think Rie felt left out since our training and other responsibilities kept us from having much of a social life. Anyway, it came to a head one day during kendo practice. Natsuki walked out and Rie has never forgiven her.”
“Wow. Yea, that explains a bit of the tension.” David shivered.
‘I definitely don’t want to get on her bad side,’ he thought. ‘One day knocked out and I’m already seeing sides of the twins I never knew existed.’ Before they got too close to school, Takumi pulled David aside.
“Look, I wanted to say sorry I wasn’t around the other day. Koji-sempai had a couple of his friends led Rie and me off.” Takumi clasped his palms together in front of him and bowed low as he apologized.
More than a little thrown off, David was embarrassed by Takumi’s apology. After all, David had broken his own hand. “Hey no problem, right?” David wiggled his completely healed hand in front of Takumi, which actually prompted a laugh.
“Your Japanese is a lot better today, I mean almost perfect. Don’t forget. You have to keep using English. You can start ‘improving,’ but nothing too sudden,” Takumi whispered. His dark brown eyes bored into David’s.
“Right,” David said, “I’ll try not to forget.” It was hard for David to be concerned about his language skills. He was far too pleased his new ability to let Takumi get him down.
Takumi eyed David skeptically as they crossed the road in front of Nakano Junior High with a group of third years, luckily not Koji’s friends. Mingling, they all bowed and mumbled good morning to Principal Yogi and Police Officer Yonamine. Both stood in front of the school welcoming students, stopping traffic at the crosswalk, and otherwise keeping an eye on things. David smiled widely, listening in on the conversations around him, taking in as much as he could.
“Don’t forget to dumb down your Japanese. You don’t want to stand out any more than you already do,” Takumi added a bit desperately as they entered the school.
With the admonition in mind, David felt the same anxiety he felt on his first day. He would essentially be meeting his classmates anew. Maybe this time he would be able to remember all their names. Since he would be able to understand what they said, he might even be able to have slightly more meaningful conversations