Poston

Chapter nine : New Neighbors

The longer that Nino was at Poston, the more he realized he needed a job. When he was alone during the day, he would idly strum his guitar as if something magical might happen if he did. Of course, when nothing did, then Nino would toss his baseball up into the air a thousand times until everybody came home to talk about how exciting their day was. It was beginning to wear Nino out.

"Why don't you work in the mess hall again?" Mai suggested one night at supper. Now that the Ohno parents were somewhere else, both Natsumi and Ayumi insisted that everybody eat together again like they used to. "Masaki and Yusuke are gone, so you could help cook the meals again."

Nino frowned. "I can't take over their job. It was their thing, not mine."

"Well, you have to think of something," Sho said. "If you're that bored, you should find something you are passionate about."

"Like what?"

"What about baseball?" Jun looked up from his plate. "Masaki said that you were really into baseball back home, and a lot of the kids in the elementary school have been asking if we'll be having a baseball team."

Nino thought about that. It was true, he was really enthusiastic about baseball in high school and right before the war. He was the best pitcher on the team and almost won a scholarship to college. Of course, being Japanese played a part in that. "Sure," Nino said. "I guess I could do that."

"Then come with me tomorrow," Jun insisted. "Tomorrow is Monday, so we can go talk to Mr. Takayama about you coaching."

"Who is Mr. Takayama?"

"He's the superintendent for the schools here in Poston I. He's an older man, but he knows his job."

Nino nodded. "Okay."

The next day, it felt weird to Nino to follow Jun and the kids to the elementary school. Samantha and Charlie thought it was the best thing ever that "Nino gets to come to school with us!" Often times, Nino forgot that Jun taught at the elementary school, but everybody loved him, so Jun had to be doing something right.

"Mr. Takayama!" Jun called out on the playground while the kids went to play.

An elderly man turned around and walked over to them. "Ah, Jun-san! Good morning!" he said. "How are you this morning?"

"I am good, thank you," Jun replied. "Mr. Takayama, I want to introduce you to Mr. Kazunari Ninomiya. He's interested in coaching a baseball team for either the elementary school or high school."

Mr. Takayama looked at Nino, and it made Nino feel like he was being inspected by his grandfather. It made him feel small, and like every bad thing that Nino had done in his life this man could see. "Have you had any experience coaching?"

Nino cleared his throat. "No, sir, not exactly," Nino answered. "But I played baseball all throughout high school. I was a pitcher for my school, and my junior and senior year we went to the state championship and won."

Mr. Takayama eyed him. "Are you bragging, Mr. Ninomiya?"

Nino panicked internally. "N-no sir! There's nothing to brag about. I may have been on the team, but we wouldn't have been able to win if we didn't have an amazing and united group of kids. I was just lucky enough to be on the team for those years."

The old man looked at Jun. "Do you think we can do it?"

"Yes, sir," Jun answered.

"Then, okay," Mr. Takayama answered. "You can coach for the high school. The boys have been begging everyone there for a coach to play ball. Gila River is also establishing a baseball team, so maybe we might be able to hold baseball tournaments if you're good enough."

Nino was very close to jumping in excitement. "Thank you sir!" he said bowing to him. "I promise I will do my best!"

Jun smiled and nudged him. "See? I told you that you could do it!"

"Oh, Jun-san, that reminds me," Mr. Takayama said, focusing his attention on him. "Starting today, you will be training a new replacement."

"Replacement?" From a few inches away, Nino could feel Jun's blood go cold as his eyes widened. "W-what? For who?"

"We have gotten quite a few more inhabitants here at Poston since a lot have gone to Tule Lake, and one of them is one of our brand new elementary teachers. She just recently graduated and she really wants to teach here. Since you're more qualified to teach at the high school, I thought it would be a great opportunity for you to move up. You can help her, and then in a few weeks you can go teach the big kids."

It took a couple seconds of shock to wear off before Jun could think again. "But Mr. Takayama, I am perfectly fine teaching here—"

"Jun-san," Mr. Takayama said. "You were asked by the teachers up at the high school. And with your temperament and teaching style, you would do a lot better with the teenagers. This is a promotion! Plus, you would get paid a dollar more a day! This isn't something you turn down!"

After a few more seconds, Jun cleared his throat. "Who will be replacing me here?"

Mr. Takayama smiled before looking over the playground. "Mao-san! Come here please!"

A young woman turned around upon hearing her name and quickly came over to the group of men. Nino couldn't deny that the woman was beautiful in every sense of the word. She was slim and a little shorter than him, her hair wasn't curled as much as many other women had it, but it was perfect just for her, and her eyes were bright to match her yellow dress. She smiled sweetly but nervously at them before her superior introduced her. "Jun-san, Mr. Ninomiya, this is our new assistant teacher, Miss Mao Inoue. She just recently graduated from the University of California and just came here with her father from Gila River."

Mao held out her hand to the two of them. "Pleased to meet you," she spoke.

Nino took her hand and bowed politely. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Inoue," he said. "My name is Kazunari Ninomiya, and I am now teaching baseball at the high school."

Mao's eyes widened. "Oh, how fun!" she exclaimed. "Me and my brother love baseball! He's gone off to fight, but I know that anytime he's here on leave, he will love to come to your games."

Nino felt his ears get red. "Thank you, Miss Inoue."

"Call me Mao, please. Wait... Ninomiya? Are you related to Natsumi and Chiyo Ninomiya in block three?"

"Yes, that is my sister and mother."

"That's incredible! Well, I look forward to coming to your games in the near future."

"Please do!"

When she held out her hand to Jun, however, Nino saw that it took a second for Jun to get his brain to start working again. He took her hand as well and bowed, but didn't say a word.

"This is Jun Matsumoto," Mr. Takayama told her. "He's the teacher that you will soon be replacing."

Mao's eyes widened. "Replacing?" she asked. "But I thought... Mr. Takayama, I thought you told me I was going to take the class of the teacher moving up into the high school."

"You are, and Jun-san is that teacher."

Mao looked at Jun and bowed her head slightly. "Oh, please do not think I am trying to take your job, Mr. Matsumoto. I'm not trying to—" However, before she could finish, Jun walked on past her and went inside the schoolhouse before the children started coming in.

Nino chuckled slightly. "Um, Miss Mao? Please do not harbor any ill feelings about him. Jun is probably still in shock, but he'll be okay. He's a good teacher, so I'm sure you'll learn a lot from him."

Mao smiled, but not as brightly as she had before. "I certainly hope so," she said. Then, she turned back to Nino. "Well, I hope you have a good day at work, Mr. Ninomiya, and perhaps we will see you tonight at dinner."

Nino couldn't help but smile back. "Knowing my sister, I know we will definitely see each other tonight!"

--

Going to the high school was a lot more intimidating than the elementary school. As soon as the announcement came that a new baseball coach had come to form a team, Nino could bet that most of the boys from the school had showed up. Nino was thrilled by the response, but he had no choice but to tell everyone that if they really honestly wanted to be on a team, then tryouts would be Saturday. He saw no disappointed faces, though, just excited ones.

And Nino told Satoshi all about it when he got back. "It sounds like you'll like your new job," Satoshi smiled, pulling him down to lay beside him on the bed. "I'm happy you've found something you like, finally."

"Me too," Nino sighed. "I think it will be fun. You'll come to the games, right?"

"Of course! But no victory kisses, right?"

"Sorry, no victory kisses until after we're home."

Satoshi chuckled. "That's fine. At least I'll get some."

--

At night, everyone ate together like normal, but the past few weeks the two new people sharing barrack 2B came and sat next to them. "Everyone!" Natumi exclaimed to the group on the first day. "This is Pastor Akihiro Inoue and his daughter, Mao. They're our new barrack mates, so be good to them, please!"

At the mention of pastor, it was like a lightning bolt hit Nino and Satoshi. They quickly separated their joined shoulders and regretfully sat a few inches apart. They could be as close as they wanted to in their own barrack or even when they made sure they weren't being watched, but with a person who they knew for sure would condemn their relationship, they had to keep a pretense that they were just friends who shared a barrack together. When Nino looked up, he saw that at least everyone looked up to glance at them, a look of a little bit of sadness and encouragement in their eyes.

"So, Mao-chan," Ayumi spoke first that night. "You never said where you are from."

"Fresno," Mao answered. "Papa and Mama were born in Los Angeles, but me and my brother were born in Fresno. Papa leads the Japanese speaking Baptist church there."

"That's amazing!" Natsumi smiled. "So you are a san-sei?"

"Yes, I'm a third generation. My grandparents went back to Japan a year before Pearl Harbor happened. They believed they would be safer there than here."

"Reminds me of someone else I know," Satoshi mumbled to his cousin right next to him.

Jun turned and glared at him. "Shut up."

"Mao-chan, how's work?"

"It was amazing! All the children are happy to meet me, and already Mr. Matsumoto has taught me a lot about his class and how to handle difficult situations. I just hope I'm ready to take it on by the time he's ready to move up."

"We're really happy to have you as our teacher, Miss Inoue!" Samantha beamed. "You're really pretty and kind!"

Mao blushed. "Why, thank you Samantha."

"Right, Papa?" Charlie said nudging his father. "Isn't she a good teacher?"

Jun put his fork down on his tray before standing up. "Excuse me," he said. "I have work I have to do."

Everyone could notice the look of worry on Mao's face as he left. "Have I done something wrong?" she asked the table. "I've been told he's a very kind man, but these past few weeks he's been very cold towards me."

"You have done nothing, my dear," Mr. Inoue answered his daughter. "Remember, he's probably still getting used to the idea of having to move up."

"Mao-chan," Ayumi said taking her hand gently. "Jun is a very sweet man, but sometimes it just takes a while to get under the surface. He's been hurt by a lot of people, and he's not very fond of change. Just give him a little time, okay?"

Mao nodded slightly and tried to get back to her business, but Nino couldn't help but notice it was still bothering her. And, in all honesty, it infuriated him that Jun would even act this way. He never acted cold or uncaring towards anyone. Quietly, Nino slipped away from the group and followed Jun back to the barrack, where he nearly slammed the door as soon as he walked in. "Do you want to explain to me what your problem is?"

"What problem?" Jun asked, not looking from a stack of papers he was grading.

"Why are you being so mean to Mao?"

"Why is that any of your business?

"WHY JUN?!"

Jun stood up in defense. "Because she comes in here acting all sweet and loving and caring and nice to everybody, and I already know that the longer she's here, the more she's going to fool you all! She's tricking you! No one is that nice to anyone!"

Nino laughed. "Are you serious?" he asked. "Just because she's a nice person, you hate her?"

"The last time I met anybody that nice, our marriage turned into a disaster and she left me with two children while she went back to Japan for another man!"

Nino smacked Jun on top of the head, surprising him. "Mao is not your wife, Jun," Nino said, trying to keep in his anger. "You are not dating or married to Mao, Jun. She is not interested in you other than to teach her how to teach a bunch of first graders! Besides, even if she wanted to leave, she couldn't! Have you forgotten we're prisoners of war here? What happened to you trying to open up your heart and trying to empty that place in your heart for your soulmate?"

Jun stared at him. "How did you—"

"Oh, please! Even without me overhearing it, I can read it all over your face! You're trying so hard to forget Ami and everything that she did to you, but you're so scared to even think about loving again because you don't want to get hurt!"

"Can you fucking blame me?!" Jun nearly yelled back. "I've been cheated on, swindled, broken, and then left abandoned all by the same person! And then this girl just waltzes in here, all smiling and sweet and happy, and everybody loves Mao and everybody adores Mao, but what's going to happen when her true colors start showing? No, I am not getting hurt again! I refuse to be tricked and manipulated again. So if I'm a little harsh on her, can you blame me?"

"Yes, I can," Nino responded before he turned to walk out again. "You're refusing to even give her a chance. If you end up alone for the rest of your life, fine! But don't come to any of us full of regret because you refused to even trust people."

And with that, Nino slammed the door behind him and walked back to the mess hall, kicking dirt the entire way as he did. It wasn't until he was a barrack or two away that he noticed Satoshi standing in the road as if he was going to come looking for him. Nino took a deep breath and sighed. "He's never going to trust anyone, Satoshi," he said. "He'll never be able to do it. He's so stubborn and idiotic that—"

"I know," Satoshi said. "But you have to understand... Jun believed that Ami was the love of his life. He was convinced that she was the one for him, and for her to not only leave him but to leave her children behind is scaring for anyone. Jun will never get over that. I don't think anyone could get over that."

Nino frowned. "I just want to help."

"I know."

"But he's being so god damn—"

"I know. But patience."

Gently, Satoshi took Nino into his arms and started rubbing soothing circles on his back. Nino completely relaxed into his touch.

"Don't worry about him, Kazu. It'll be okay."