Under the Sun

Chapter Nine

The plant belonged to his mother. Green rosette leaves, pink rounded petals sticking out above the foliage. It lived in between a jar of crushed marigolds and his mother's favorite tea set. Tokuma knew it to be something she had treasured. The primrose had been with them for as long as he could remember, it's color giving life to an otherwise plain home.

His mother cared for the plant as one would a beloved friend. She saw to its needs on a weekly basis, eager to see it grow into something she could admire. Once, when the primrose showed signs of dying, his mother had taken it from its place, to her room. There she sat with it for a long time, divulging her feelings to it's wilting appearance.

They say plants, like all living things, should be nurtured with love. After the scare, his mother would take her tea time alone, spend it with her precious primrose, and speak to it of just about anything that came to her mind. Over time, her words encouraged it to cling to life.

Tokuma never questioned her or thought her insane. He had been fascinated by the dedication she displayed towards the fragile being. He observed in wonder as the plant bonded with his mother, responded to her voice, and benefitted from their relationship. As a result, he learned a lot about commitment - what it entailed and what it represented.

Looking at the plant now, he saw his mother's years of care reflected in its stout glow of health. It was fuller, and one blossom had become many. After he lost his mother to illness, Tokuma began to acknowledge the primrose in passing to keep up the tradition she'd started. Everyday he'd set aside a few minutes to talk to it and to his surprise, it flourished - a sign that his attention was much appreciated.

Contrary to his responsive primrose was the infamous Hanabi Hyuga. He could offer her his company but she'd turn him down. Or, he could make plans with her that never panned out. With Hanabi, he played a constant waiting game. Tokuma hated the uncertainty he felt and spurned at the misguided attempts he made to grow closer to her. Not a day went by where he wasn't wishing that things would be different, that she would change.

Still, it came as a shock to him when one day, like his mother, she was just gone. He had sought her out to once again apologize for offending her but his search came up empty. He had rushed to inform Hinata of the girl's disappearance. She took the news hard, as he suspected she would. And by the time word got around, Tokuma expected Hinata to drop everything and go chasing after her sister. Much to his chagrin, Hinata retreated into isolation instead. Nothing was done to combat the situation.

Neji had been informed around the same time but was equally unreliable. When Tokuma tried several times to speak with him, he was ignored. With no one left to whom he could confide in, Tokuma turned to Hizashi - the man who was becoming like father to him. His own family members paid little or no attention to him. With his mentor dead, he looked to Hizashi for his abundance of wisdom and experience.

Days after the fact, the elders called an emergency meeting. They ordered a search party and insisted that Hanabi be found and brought back immediately. Tokuma was chosen to assist in this mission. (Had he not been, he would have tagged along anyway). It was important that Hanabi be located. The question was, where had she gone?

It was discovered that she was traveling light. A small pack was missing, along with a cloak, assortment of weapons, and a generous amount of money. She hadn't packed any food for her journey. Thus, with Hizashi's help, Tokuma was able to deduce that Hanabi hadn't planned to go very far. Wherever she was headed, it had to be somewhere close by. Together, Hizashi and he were able to narrow down a few places she was most likely to frequent. They also considered several spots on the outskirts of the village. Each one was within a few miles from the other.

"She won't have gotten far. It's only been three days," Hizashi reassured him for the umpteenth time.

Tokuma glanced up from the map they were studying. "You were afraid this was going to happen."