Eleven

When the crows go off. It's probably the most chaotic morning ever.

Mother is smiling and acting like the previous conversation I heard before didn't happen. Father took the far corner of the room, all huddled up in his futon trying to sleep out the sake from his system. Hatsuga is just looking around the room with a very tight expression, his eyes in a squint as he's trying to wake up (it takes him a long while honestly. Maybe too long). His hair as wild as a bird's nest in the reeds. As always. Kaika's narrowing her eyes as she gives Father's sleeping body a look, the smell isn't doing Father any good.

I pretend like I just woke up, "Good morning everyone-Oh. When did Tou-san get back?"

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"W-what? Tou-san used up our savings?" Kaika hisses under her breath when Mother whispers it into her ear. She clutches at the bottom-half of her kimono, "All of it?"

"Y-yeah. Sorry Kaika-chan. I know I promised that you didn't need to take any extra work anymore for the rest of the season but..." Mother presses her hands together and raises it up to her lips, making a pleading gesture, "Help us out with some extra jobs from the workshop?

"Kaa-san!" Kaika whines, shaking her head from side to side, "You promised! If I do that I can't spend time with him! I'm already doing so much for the family and yet-" Her eyes start quivering and she sucks in her bottom lip.

Mother rushes to Kaika's side to embrace my sister in her own thin arms. She takes a shaky breath, "Sorry Kaika-chan. I know you've been wanting to spend some time with that boy but we-" She gulps and tries again, "We need your help. The money that Kizashi sent back this month isn't enough. Shibomu hasn't written back in a really long time and-"

Kaika shoves Mother away, bunching up the fabric of her kimono in both her fists. Her face mushed up into a mix between anger and something else. She calmly walks towards the dresser, pulls out her small mirror stand and goes to brushing her hair. The way she holds the brush and the way her face looks doesn't match at all (the brush looks like it's going to snap right in half, it's a really sturdy brush).

Kaika doesn't say another word.

Hatsuga and I share a look. What was that? The both of us communicate that to each other with just our eyes. Doesn't this mean I have more of a reason to enroll? Monthly stipends means extra money for the family. And I love this family. My family. I look at both my hands then clenching the both of them. They fall to my sides, still clenched. I'm going to be a shinobi no matter what.

"Kaika-nee, you can't push Kaa-chan like that," I say in a tone that's softer than my usual. I glance between my sister's back and my mother's shoulders.

Kaika doesn't respond to me. Her hands working on her hair in the same meticulous manner that she uses when she sews.

Hatsuga stays silent, a wrinkle forming on his forehead as he looks at Father's figure underneath the blanket.

Mother takes a deep breath and turns her body behind so the rest of us can't see her face. For a second, the inside turns cold when the corners of her lips drop just by a fraction. She brings both her hands to her face and takes another breath, stilling her body for a moment. Then she turns around with a smile on her face as she moves to pick Moe up to cradle her in her arms.

"Boys, get up and get ready to do your chores," She then looks at me, "We'll go the post office after to post your letters, okay?" Mother turns down towards my youngest sister and presses her fingers on Moe's forehead, "We have to visit the doctor too. Moe-chan's been really quiet lately. She doesn't cry- She doesn't." Mother sucks in another breath and presses her hand against her chest, closing her eyes, "It's nothing, it's just a little fever. We'll get her some medicinal herbs and she'll be right as rain."

Then, a hushed whisper underneath her breath that I barely catch, "W-where are going to get the money for- No. Stay strong. I'm a mother. I need to stay strong for my kids. I'll find a way-"

"Kaa-chan. Did you say something?" I slip out of the sheets and I move to fold up my futon into a nice square (It's not that nice, but I'm trying! I'll get better at folding futons one day!).

Hatsuga looks at me with a raised eyebrow, "What are you saying? Kaa-san just said that she's going to go to the doctor's after we head to the post office. Didn't you hear her? Have you turned deaf?"

Huh? Hatsuga didn't hear her say the last part? But I clearly-

Mother presses her fingers to her lips and sends a hasty smile my way, "Toru-chan, you're hearing things again. I didn't say anything." She claps her hands together once, twice, "Chop, chop. Time's a wastin'. The quicker the both of you complete the morning chores, the quicker we can post these letters." She pulls the letters from the folds of her kimono and waves it in the air. Her tone sounds a little too cheerful.

I circle my fingers around my ears in disbelief as I make my way outside the house, "Okay."

Hatsuga just sits there for a good solid minute before throwing the covers open and drags himself out of the futon, trailing behind me.

"Toru-chan, Hatsu-chan. Remember to brush your teeth!" Mother reminds us.

I pause mid-step and waddle my way towards the sink, turning sharply back into the kitchen. Hatsuga stops and stands still with his head hanging. Then drags his feet towards the kitchen like he's carrying a heavy load of firewood. It takes him a few minutes, halfway brushing his teeth. Toothpaste foaming and toothbrush deep in his mouth before he has a sudden realization.

"Kaa-san. Don't call me that! I'm already a man!"

I tease him about it later when we're feeding the chickens but all I get is a swift strike on the top of my head.