This is a story arranged as moments in time. It follows Yoshiki and his daughter Stormy Akane Hayashi. It follows them from when she was born until she is fully grown. Readers of my 'Book of J-Rocker one-shots' may recognise Stormy from 'From Betray...
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An eleven year old Stormy sat at her father’s piano with him at her side and she began to play Endless Rain. He had given her a choice this week, of what song she would practice and recite for him. He had been teaching her piano from when she was four years old and then drums from when she was seven. She was nervous, he could tell as she would hit a miskey occasionally but overall she was doing very well. It wasn’t exactly easy to play, he should know, he’d written it. After she hit her tenth miskey, he placed his hand on hers gently to stop her.
“Little dove. Take a breath and relax. Why are you so nervous?”
“I’m sorry otou, I just really don’t want to mess up! It’s your song and I don’t want to ruin it!” Stormy said with a groan, dropping her head against the piano causing the keys to sound harshly making Yoshiki wince. His poor piano, he thought absently, but he shook his head and lifted her off the keys and gave her a hug before leaning back and placing his finger under her chin so she would look at him.
“No, no little dove. Stop that. You are doing wonderfully. Endless rain is not easy and it takes time. But you have done really well, it’s your miskeys that are letting you down right now. Tell you what? How about we go get some dinner and then come back to this? Will that help?”
He watched his daughter nod sheepishly before she gave a soft ‘yeah’. He smiled at her.
“Yeah? Ok. Well, lets go! Where would you like to eat, I think we should go out.”
“The stone garden!” She said without hesitation and excitedly.
Yoshiki laughed and nodded then told her to go and get changed into her kimono then. Before getting up and making his way to his room to do the same. After a little bit as he was finishing tying his Haori he heard a knock on his closed door. He walked over and opened it and saw a downcast child.
“What is it sweetie?”
“Otou-san! I’m such a bad Japanese person! I can’t remember how to tie my kimono! And I know I can’t tie it in the front because it means something. I don’t know what. Just that it’s not good.”
“Uh yes, it does mean something bad that you are too young to understand. Anyway. You’re not a bad Japanese person, Kimono is tricky. Especially for women and young ladies. Come here and I’ll help you.”
Stormy shuffled into his room and stood in the middle of it. He noticed that she had tied her inner kimono perfectly although a bit tight, which is what was causing the awkward shuffle. He shook his head, he’d have to loosen that lower half just a bit. Otherwise, it was perfect. He stepped in front of her and she handed him her outer Kimono, handling it very carefully. It was a pale pink and was spattered with Cranes, herons and chrysanthemums. It was her favourite kimono, so much so that he had to have multiple made in different sizes, so she always had it.
He laid the outer Kimono and obi on his bed gently and then knelt down on his knees, where he loosened up the bottom of her inner kimono and adjusted the top just a bit. Then he took the outer kimono, letting the obi fall across his lap and put it on her and wrapping it around her body. Then having her hold it in place, he took the obi and started to wrap it around her middle multiple times, before he shuffled behind her and tied it prettily to hold it in place.
