Brothers (Part 3)

Chapter 34 - Bye, New Friend

Nadeshiko: "Mama!"

???: "Nadeshiko! Where have you been, sweetheart? Have you been causing trouble for everyone?"

She looked guiltily at her mother.

???: "*sigh*... Hm? Who's this, dear?"

Jinx: "Inmate number 33, ma'am. My name is Jinx."

Nadeshiko: "She's my new friend."

My eyes widened slightly when she said that, but I smiled.

Navarin: "Well, nice to meet you, Jinx. I'm Navarin, Nadeshiko's mother."

Suddenly, Hajime walked into the room.

Navarin: "Hajime Sugoroku? Please accept my apologies for all the trouble Nadeshiko caused today."

Nadeshiko: "Um... I'm sorry for breaking the machine"

Seitarou: "Not at all, it's alright. We were just about to get a brand new one anyway."

Hajime: "You've got some superhuman strength to break that thing with one punch. You're one dangerous little brat."

Seitarou: "Supervisor, remember that you're speaking to someone else's child!"

Jinx: "I'm... sorry too..."

Hajime: "You're not off the hook yet, you little troublemaker!"

Seitarou: "Supervisor, it's thanks to 33 we were able to get thing back under control."

Nadeshiko: "Your supervisor is kinda strict, huh?"

Jinx: "Heh, understatement of the century."

Hajime scowled at me.

Navarin: "Uhm, as for the actual apology,"

We all look up to see a literal pyramid of bags of rice.

Navarin: "If you like, please feel free to partake of this."

Hajime & Seitarou: "Too much!!"

Navarin: "As expected, rice suits Japanese men best! Please eat one bag every day, no restraint!"

Uno: "That's definitely Yamato's wife."

Rock: "Families think alike."

Seitarou: "Ah ha ha, thank you very much."

Hajime: "Like hell I'd eat all this, you damn rice loving housewife."

Seitarou: "SUPERVISOR!"

Navarin: "Well, come on Nadeshiko, time to go home. We'll come back and see your father again soon."

Yamato: "I'll walk with you both down to the docks."

Nadeshiko: "Kay. Uhm... Mama, Papa, can Jinx come too?"

Jinx: "Uh- me?"

Nadeshiko: "Mhm. If it wasn't for you, I would be leaving hating papa like when I arrived."

Yamato: "I don't see why not. Supervisor?"

Hajime: "*sigh*... Fine. But then you're grounded!"

Jinx: "Grounded...?"

Hajime: "You four, back to your cell. Now!"

The Boys: "Fiiine..."

The rest of us headed down to the dock. I took a step back to let Nadeshiko say goodbye to her father.

Nadeshiko: "Jinx told me about how papa doesn't have a sense of direction... That's why papa never came to get me, right?"

Yamato: "Indeed... that would appear to be the case. But I'll put in the effort to fix that from now on."

Nadeshiko: "No, it's okay. Papa's fine the way he is. I mean, it's because papa's who he is that he came to get me today. That's why I will be the one to come and get papa this time! So be a good boy and wait, okay?"

Yamato: "Nadeshiko... I'm sor-... thank you."

Nadeshiko hugged her father before turning around and hugging me.

Nadeshiko: "Thank you, Jinx, for not giving up on me."

Jinx: "Of course."

Nadeshiko: "And... I'm sorry I called your brothers bad guys. They came to get you. Like Papa came for me. You told me you've never had a good papa, but I think you're lucky to have your brothers."

I smiled.

Jinx: "Heh, thanks, Nadeshiko. You're right."

She and her mother got on the boat and waved as it left.

Nadeshiko: "Bye bye, Jinx! Bye bye, Papa! Do your best at work!"

Navarin: "A Japanese man needs to be diligent every day, my love! Nadeshiko and I will come back again soon!"

Yamato and I waved back.

Yamato: "I'll be waiting!"

Jinx: "I hope I see you again!"

Seitarou: "Still, I wonder why the deputy supervisor never told us about his family before. It would've been better if he did."

Yamato: "No, well... there's actually a reason for that..."

Hajime: "Hm?"

Seitarou: "A reason?"

Jinx: "What do you mean?"

Yamato: "When I start talking about my family, well... they become all I can think about. At any rate, I can't concentrate on work after that."

Hajime & Seitarou: "..."

I laughed.

Hajime: "Whatever, come on, 33. You're grounded, remember? Back to your cell."

Jinx: "Sure, Hajime. Just one question though."

Hajime: "What is it?"

Jinx: "What's 'grounded' mean?"