Summer Wars: Aftermath Part 1

Chapter 5

Natsuki slipped into the north suite with a tray of fresh tea and padded across the room toward the bedroom where she could hear voices.

"...mazing place," Kenji said. "It's very luxurious."

"Yes," uncle Riichi said, "this is where we used to put the clan leaders when they came calling. Traditionally, it is always kept ready, even though our clan days are long behind us. If you want to know more, ask Mansuke. He is the keeper of the history. He really gets into those glory days."

"Why move me here, though?"

"Because," aunt Naomi said. Natsuki could hear a wicked tone to her voice. "Natsuki has a special technique she wants to use on you. One that requires privacy and quiet."

Natsuki's eyes widened and she could feel herself blush as aunt Naomi's laughter pealed through the room.

"And here's Natsuki now," uncle Riichi said.

Natsuki could barely hear her own footsteps, how had he known she was here?

Uncle Riichi stuck his head around the door frame and grinned at her. "Come on in. Naomi is just preparing Kenji for you."

She would have liked another minute for the blush to fade, but it was too late now. She stepped into the bedroom. Her eyes sought out Kenji and found a matching blush on his face and that just made her blush more.

Aunt and Uncle laughed at the sight of the two of them.

Natsuki set the tray down on a low table, crossed her arms and glared at them. That just made them laugh harder.

"We're supposed to be keeping Kenji calm," she said, "I don't think you are helping."

"All right, then," uncle Riichi said, "we'll leave you two alone. Come on, Naomi."

"Later you two," aunt Naomi said. "Just remember Natsuki, you're supposed to be keeping him calm too." She winked and laughed and followed Riichi out.

Natsuki took a deep breath and turned back to Kenji. He jerked his eyes aside. "Would you like some tea, Kenji?"

"Uh, yes, thank you."

Natsuki poured their tea and they sipped.

"Natsuki, what was your aunt talking about?"

"Oh, ignore her," Natsuki said. "That was just her sense of humor."

"But what did she mean?"

"I wanted to try a meditation technique that Granny taught me. We used it all the time. It calmed her heart and mind. She preferred it to the drugs Uncle prescribed."

"I was never into meditation," Kenji said. "What do I do?"

"First, we chat while we finish our tea," Natsuki said with a smile.

Kenji tried to smile back, but there was a manic edge to it that worried her. She could tell that his mind was still racing.

When the tea was gone, Natsuki stood up and looked around. She pulled the futon from the storage closet and spread it out in front of the sliding door, open on the vista of mountains marching into the north.

"I've brought your pajamas," Natsuki said. "You should change. If this works, you might just fall asleep unexpectedly and it would be best to be prepared. I'll step into the other room."

Natsuki stepped out. She briefly debated whether to change herself, but decided that she could do that later after Kenji was asleep. She re-entered at Kenji's soft call.

"Come sit here with me," Natsuki said. She knelt on the futon and patted the space in front of her.

"Uh, all right." Kenji sat cross-legged at the other end of the futon.

Natsuki smiled at him. "No, you have to kneel here." She patted the futon again. "It's all right," she said encouragingly, "I won't bite."

When she had adjusted Kenji's position properly, Nasuki explained.

"What we're going to do, Kenji, is to teach your mind and body to slow back down to its normal pace. We will be making connections between us, so the chi can flow in a loop from me to you and from you to me. We'll be using my pace as a model for your body to follow. All right?"

"O-okay," Kenji said.

"Place your right palm on the side of my neck. A little more forward. That's good."

Natsuki placed her left palm flat on Kenji's chest. She smiled encouragement at his start. Then she took his left hand and pressed it against her chest. "No," she said when he tried to pull back, "leave it here." He blushed brightly. When she was sure he was going to leave it in place, she placed her right hand on the side of his neck.

"It might help to close your eyes, but it's up to you," Natsuki said. She smiled into his eyes and began the soft instructions.

"The chi will flow as a warmth from my chest, down your left arm, then returning through my right arm, then through my left arm into your chest, finally completing the loop through your right arm. It's a double loop, like a figure eight."

"Feel my heartbeat, feel my breath. Slow your breath to match mine. Slow the breath and the heart will slow, slow the heart and the mind will slow. Feel the chi flow, bringing peace and calm."

"I don't–"

"Shh, don't speak, just feel. Match your breath to mine. Match your heart to mine." Natsuki continued the low-voiced, calming routine she had learned from Granny. After a few minutes, Kenji's eyes drifted closed. Good, she thought, it's working.

Slowly Kenji tilted forward. His hand slipped from her neck and slid down her shoulder. He leaned forward until his head was resting on her shoulder. His breath tickled her neck softly. His left hand started to slip from her chest. Quickly she moved her right hand to hold it in place. The heart connection was the most important, anyway. She kept her breath and heart as slow as she could.

Slowly the light started to fade.