Kōgyū Residence

  It had been raining since early morning, leaving the air cool and damp.

  Tasuke and Kōgyū had finished their errands and returned to Kōgyū’s residence to take a short rest.

  Tasuke, as usual, walked straight in as if it were his own house. The moment he stepped inside, he grabbed a bottle of sake and began drinking straight from it.

  “Ahh… nothing beats free sake.”

  “Tasuke… is there anything in your life besides sleeping and drinking?”

  “Mind your own business.”

  “My lord… perhaps a little for me as well.”

  “Hm? Oh, right. Hold on.”

  With practiced ease, Tasuke drew Kanikichi from its sheath, poured sake into the scabbard, and slid the blade back in.

  “Ahh… indeed. Free sake truly is the finest.”

  Tasuke and Kanikichi shamelessly enjoyed Kōgyū’s hospitality.

  “Honestly… you two are starting to act like real brothers.”

  Kōgyū watched them with a tired expression, sipping his coffee.

  “I would never be brothers with such a crude man!”

  “Who are you calling a brute?!”

  Their conversations failing to line up was nothing unusual.

  Outside, the rain continued to fall, steady and quiet.

  “It’s really coming down today.”

  “Sure is. You dragged me all the way to Dejima in weather like this. The least you can do is let me drink.”

  “The master speaks the truth.”

  Tasuke and Kanikichi were already deep into their drinking.

  “You two are hopeless…

  Though whenever it rains like this and you’re around, Tasuke… I can’t help remembering that day.”

  “…You mean the day we first met?”

  “Yes.

  If you hadn’t been there that day… I honestly don’t know if I’d still be here.”

  “Jeez… you’re exaggerating.”

  Tasuke scratched his head, looking faintly embarrassed.

  “Oh? That sounds like a story I haven’t heard.”

  “Nothing worth telling.”

  Just then—

  “I want to hear it too!”

  Kana had appeared beside them, bringing Kōgyū a fresh cup of coffee.

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  “Oh, the wannabe comedian.”

  “I wasn’t talking to you.”

  She waved Tasuke away dismissively.

  “Kōgyū-sama, please tell us the story.”

  “It’s not very exciting. Tasuke and I were just drinking at a tavern.”

  “Oh really?

  Come to think of it, I went drinking with Sensei the other day too!”

  “Actually, I just went to pick you up...

  And Tasuke and Kanikichi were both there.”

  “R-Really? Oh ho ho…”

  “Kōgyū, ignore the wannabe comedian and continue.”

  Kanikichi, already flushed from drink, joined the conversation.

  “Don’t call me that, you clown sword!”

  “Ahem…

  Well then.

  It was the day Tasuke and I first met.”

  Sensing the atmosphere beginning to descend into chaos, Kōgyū began his tale.

  Tasuke continued drinking.

  Kana listened with sparkling eyes.

  Kanikichi folded the arm sticking out of its sheath and listened in solemn silence.

  Each in their own way.

  Kōgyū took a sip of the coffee Kana had brought.

  “That day… I was returning from Dejima.

  On a rainy day just like this.”

  --

  “Nice clothes you’ve got there, mister.”

  “Care to share a little charity with us?”

  “Quit acting so high and mighty and hand over the money.”

  On the road back from Dejima, Kōgyū found himself surrounded by three thugs carrying torn umbrellas.

  “I’m in a hurry. Move aside.”

  Though he was clearly at a disadvantage, Kōgyū showed no sign of fear.

  “Oh really?

  Keep that attitude up and you’re going to regret it.”

  The man who appeared to be their leader stepped closer.

  “You’re pretty na?ve, you know that?

  Wouldn’t want that fancy kimono getting ruined… or that pretty face of yours.”

  One of the men drew a knife and tapped it lightly against Kōgyū’s cheek.

  “…!”

  “Would be a shame to leave a nasty scar there, wouldn’t it?”

  (So this is how it ends…)

  Just as resignation began creeping into Kōgyū’s expression—

  “Oy. Looks like you boys are having fun.”

  A lazy voice called out from behind them.

  “Mind if I join in?”

  “…Huh?”

  The thugs and Kōgyū all turned.

  “I said let me join. Don’t you understand Japanese?”

  Standing there was a shabby-looking ronin.

  Messy hair. Unshaven. A torn umbrella resting over his shoulder.

  Tasuke.

  “What the hell do you want? We’re busy here!”

  “Beat it before you get hurt.”

  “Besides… doesn’t look like you’ve got any money anyway.”

  The men spat out their threats.

  Tasuke simply lifted one corner of his mouth in a faint smile.

  “Three ugly mugs like you are just in the way.

  Step aside. I’ll take it from here.”

  “What did you say?!”

  The men drew their knives.

  “If you’ve got a death wish—”

  “Man… hearing cold lines like that on a cold day gives me a stomachache.”

  “Shut up!”

  They rushed him.

  “Finally. Might get a little exercise.”

  Tasuke spun his umbrella once and snapped it shut.

  SMACK.

  “Ow!”

  The first man cried out as the umbrella struck his hand.

  “I told you to step aside.

  Do you even understand Japanese?”

  --

  “Y-You’ll regret this!”

  Moments later, the men ran off clutching their bruised faces and stomachs.

  “Barely even a workout.

  Man… I’m hungry.”

  Kōgyū, who had been watching in stunned silence, finally spoke.

  “Why did you help me?”

  Tasuke opened his broken umbrella again.

  “Well… at first I didn’t care.”

  He brushed his rain-soaked hair back and sighed.

  “But your eyes weren’t dead.

  So I figured I couldn’t just leave you there.”

  “…What kind of answer is that?”

  For a moment, only the sound of rain filled the space between them.

  Then Kōgyū’s lips slowly curved into a smile.

  “Oh right.

  I was supposed to take their place, wasn’t I?

  Let’s go get a drink. Your treat.

  Haven’t had much work lately. Haven’t eaten properly either.

  Standing around in the rain is freezing.”

  The tension from moments before vanished completely.

  “…Heh…

  Hahaha!

  Alright.

  There’s a place I go to sometimes.”

  “Now that’s what I like to hear.

  Free drinks are free drinks.”

  They began walking together.

  “Hey. That umbrella’s useless.

  Come share mine.”

  “Huh? No thanks.

  I’m not into walking that close with another guy.”

  And so, on that rainy day, Tasuke and Kōgyū first met.

  The rain continued to fall quietly over Nagasaki.

  --

  “…And that’s what happened.”

  By the time Kōgyū finished his story—

  Tasuke had completely fallen asleep.

  Kanikichi had somehow rolled far away across the room.

  “Amazing, Kōgyū-sama!

  You defeated three thugs without even backing down!”

  Kana, as usual, had exaggerated the story.

  “…That’s not exactly how it happened.”

  Even as evening approached, the rain over Nagasaki showed no sign of stopping.

  And so the peaceful yet lively atmosphere of Kōgyū’s residence continued, just as always.

  And that concludes this tale.

  Whether it pleased you or not…

  well, that is for you to decide.