Restless Retirement

Moving Forward

Tsunade shoots back the shochu. “Cho!”

Keigo refills Tsunade’s shuki sake cup again as he watches the ongoing activities. The man in the navy haori sitting across from them rolls the dice.

The dice combine value is odd. “Again. Cho!”

Tenko sits behind the two, watching from the small open space between them, overwhelmed by everything. This is the first time he’s seen her act that way and Keigo is all too eager to be there. Being in a full room is nerve-racking, but the heighten overload of joy and disappointment is like being in another world.

“Can I play?”

Tsunade looks down to Keigo’s wide, eager expression. “Absolutely. Next round is yours.” It is only natural that her follower? trainee? ward? recognizes the greatness of gambling. Just like her grandfather had done for her. “Tsk.” She watches the dice land on snake eyes. “Oi, Kijuro. Let Keigo play a few rounds.”

Kijuro shrugs. “It’s your money.”

“Han.” One die lands on four and the other on five.

Tsunade gaps. “Way to go. Do it again!”

“Beginner’s luck.” Kijuro collects the dice. It isn’t that hard of a game. Same numbers cause an even outcome. Odd sums and bets are Han. Even sums and bets are Cho.

Keigo goes on to win the next eight of the nine rounds.

“Hahaha. You’re a natural.” Tsunade wraps her arm around Keigo’s shoulders and neck.

They put the dice away and bring out a hanafuda deck and starts shuffling. “Ever play Koi-Koi kid?”

Keigo shakes his head. “But I know the rules.” He is dealt four of the Hikari cards. The last one, Ono no Michikaze, is one of the eight faced-up cards. “Goko.”

Tsunade continues to laugh as their opponent’s faces turn white. “I knew I kept you around for a reason.”

Their opponents are dismayed. The Legendary Sucker is still notoriously bad at gambling and willing to gamble away every last yen, but who knew Bird Boy who always tags along like a puppy was secretly a hawk – a symbol of kings, power, and success.

Tenko tries to understand what’s happening, but while the cards are pretty he understand nothing about the rules. He’ll take Keigo and Tsunade’s cheering as a good sign.

…..

“You’re the Big Guy’s grandkid, no?” Tsunade glances at the kid watching her from the side of the room before looking back through the microscope.

“Nothing so grand. He simply took me in when there was nowhere else for me to go,” Kai replies. The room comforts him. It’s always been one of the cleanest rooms.

“He considers you family.”

Kai looks at his hand. “Even though we don’t share blood?” Tsunade doesn’t reply as she grabs the dropper and adds three milliliters. “Are you family then? With those two boys?”

“That’s—” Tsunade has no response. It isn’t a surprise people know about the kids. She doesn’t exact hide them. The answer to that question is more complicated. Their relationship never clearly defined. She’s been fine going along with things as they happened. It’s looking more hopeless but if she finds a way home then what happens to them? As far as she knows there isn’t anyone to take them in, and she’s never once seen an orphanage. If she stays here, then what? Do they continue on as they do now? It worked for Shizune, but they aren’t her. Their company isn’t unwelcomed, but there are limits on what she can do for them.