Chapter 1 (A very, VERY rough draft)

As Aika began to pack up her college dorm room, she thought of her mother. Would she be proud of her for following her dream of being a teacher; or would she be disappointed in the fact that she wasn’t married with children by now? Although her father had supported her decision to be a teacher, she knew that it was frowned upon by the rest of her family, namely her twin brother Aiko. As children they had been as close as two souls could be, playing ball in their small yard and chasing the frozen treat truck during the hot summer months of their youth. It was shortly after their 12^th birthday when it all changed. They had known their mother had been becoming increasingly tired as their birthday approached but what they didn’t know was that she had cancer. It was their mother’s decision to keep the diagnosis from them, not wanting to alarm her children of her impending death. Aika learned later that it was her mother’s wish to create an abundance of beautiful memories for her children, filled with happiness and laughter, not sadness and tears. She loved her mother for that.

“Aika, are you ready?” Aiko said as he came into Aika’s dormitory room. She could tell by his tone that he hadn’t wanted to take the day off from their family fish market. She wished her father would of let her ask her friends to help her like she had originally planned but instead he ordered her brother to.

“Yes.” she answered, thinking about their small town and her family.

“Good, I don’t want to waste any more time doing what we could have had hired done. I don’t know what father was thinking when he sent me to help you; I have much to do today.”

Since Aiko began working alongside their father at their small, yet profitable, family fish market he slowly began to expand their cliental to local businesses. What began as a small catering business specializing in rare tuna and traditional Japanese sushi, servicing the local area businesses, was quickly expanding into the city. As their catering business grew into a successful business, so did Aiko’s ego.

Aika and Aiko barely spoke during the 45 minute ride home to their small village near Katsuura. They had lived in their small brick home since they were born; it had been in her father’s family for generations. She was anxious to see her father and her grandfather, whom she had not seen since her last holiday home, 3 months ago. She closed her eyes for what seemed like only a moment, remembering her mother’s face, her father’s laughter and her grandmother’s special tea.

“Isn’t that just great, I’ve wasted my day with this moving nonsense and you sleep it away. By the way, we’re home.”

Aika paused for a moment before opening her eyes, allowing the salty smell of the sea welcome her home. She had always loved the smell of the sea; it reminded her of days lingering along its shores with her family. Her mother would pack a lunch and bring Aika and Aiko down to play with their red dragon kite along the shoreline. They were innocent then, believing that they were touching the clouds as their kite drifted along the invisible currents of wind. While they played their mother would gaze intently at their father as he artfully casted out his fishing line. He would fish for the pure enjoyment of it, not for profit. Aika guiltily grieved more for the total loss of her family as it was, more than she did for her mother. It was memories such as these that allowed Aika to overlook much of her brother’s coldness towards her.

Aiko’s voice snapped her back into the moment, “I’m not unloading this alone Aika! I have places to be!”

Ugh, she thought to herself as she climbed out of the truck. “I know, I know. I’m sorry Aiko, thank you for helping me move back home. I know you are busy with clients.” Aika genuinely answered back against her brother’s impatience. She missed the Aiko from the beach.

As she made her way to the back of the moving truck, she caught a glimpse of a familiar face. At first she recognized it as her mother; she often made this mistake since her passing.

“Aika! Welcome home and congratulations on your graduation from university!”

“Auntie! What a pleasant surprise, Aiko didn’t mention you were going to be visiting.” Aika said as she made her way towards her mother’s younger sister, Ren.

When Aika’s mother was only 3 year old, her father died in a horrible car accident and it wouldn’t be until she was 5 that her mother would remarry. Ren was born a year later and became the apple of everyone’s eye, especially her older sister, Aika’s mother. Even though they were 6 years apart, Aika’s mother and aunt were inseparable. As adults, Aika’s mother and Aunt Ren would often meet for tea outside their family fish market, reminiscing about their youth, and dreaming about their future. As a young girl, Aika would often join them as they giggled and spoke about strange things which she had no knowledge of. Now, as an adult herself, Aika came to understand that some things are not meant for small ones ears and she was sure that her mother and aunt were speaking “in code”. It warmed Aika’s heart to remember those times, happy times. She was happy that her aunt had taken it upon herself to help Aika settle back into her home and role. The prospect of such a task overwhelmed her but was made easier knowing she was not alone.

“Aika, wake up! I have not come all the way from the city just to stand here and watch you stare out at the universe. “Auntie Ren belted out in her raspy voice and with a smirk on her face. Oh how Aika missed her!

“I’m sorry Auntie, of course you haven’t. I am so thrilled that you are here for a visit, if I would of known I would of moved in yesterday and had dinner arranged for today. Please accept my apologies.” Aika shyly said. Although she was elated with her aunt’s visit, she felt embarrassed that she wasn’t prepared.

“Oh nonsense, you silly girl! If you had known yesterday, it wouldn’t have been a surprise today! Besides, I am treating you to dinner tonight; a girl’s only celebratory dinner!” Aunt Ren said with a gleam in her eye as she followed Aika’s father into their house.

Aika took notice to the grumbling behind her, it was coming from her brother. He most likely overheard their conversation and was not pleased of the delay of Aika’s duties. He had many expectations of Aika which he made quite clear during their ride home. He had expressed his and their fathers wish for her to marry Jin, a local boy whom they had grown up with. Although Aika was very fond of Jin, she was by no means in love with him. She had heard from others that their love would come in time, but she didn’t want that for herself. She had dreams of falling in love with a man who loved her as she was.

As children Aika, Aiko and Jin often spent their summers together, dreaming of the future and chasing each other down the shores that lined their village. They acted as carefree children, and rightfully so, as they were still innocent and naïve.

They remained that way until the summer when they first noticed that things around their house were changing. Still not knowing of their mother’s sickness, Aika and Aiko began to notice their mother spoke slower, moved slower, but loved more. The children began to do more to help her around the house, even Jin. The three of them would spend their days assisting in the daily chores, the boys to the more manual jobs such as gardening and even cleaning, and Aika tended to her mother. On their mothers “bad” days Aika would help her bath and dress, taking extra care when brushing through her long hair as it had begun falling out. Aika was not sure why her mother’s hair was thinning nor did she ask her. As the boys bonded over housework and laundry, Aika and her mother shared times in the kitchen creating dishes that had been passed down generation to generation. Aika began to appreciate the richness of their family’s history. What began as their great, great grandfather’s small fishing line, made up of a few small boats became their grandfathers fishing market. It was their father’s hard work, determination, genuine care for their community along with his humbleness about it all that made for a prosperous and successful livelihood. It was Aiko’s turn now to continue with their family’s tradition of success.

As Aika remembered the days before it all changed, she missed more than anything the closeness of her brother. Although she missed her mother dearly, she knew she had not chosen to leave her children motherless but Aika felt as though Aiko had chosen to withdraw from her and treat her coldly. It was Jin that would help Aika heal from her mother’s death and her brother’s distance. As Jin and Aika became closer, Aiko grew further from the two of them. He would still run the streets of their small village, but with other boys. Aika and Jin remained close right up until she left for university; their friendship was strictly platonic and had never advanced any further then the brother/sister relationship, even though their families would have hoped for more. In essence, he became the brother that Aiko wasn’t. Recently, Jin had begun dating a classmate of theirs, Ming. Aika and Ming had been in several classes together and she liked her very much.

She had been surprised that he hadn’t helped Aiko with the move today; it was unlike Jin. As they pulled up to her house today, she had hoped he would be there to welcome her back home.

“Aiko, I was wondering why Jin hadn’t helped with the move today, do you know if he plans on stopping by?” Aika asked. No sooner had the words slipped out from behind her lips, Aika wished she could fish them back in. She had forgotten about Aiko and Jin’s argument. When Aiko discovered that Jin was courting Ming he became upset, he had assumed that Jin and Aika would marry. Aiko confronted Jin about his relationship with Ming and what little connection to their former friendship that was left became broken.