Picking up the Pieces- A H&K: MD Christmas Special

[Hoitash]

The editor in me wants to point out flaws as a preface for offering congratulatory platitudes, but there weren't any worthy of note this time, so, job well done!

Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!

Thanks

Still, I do have one issue, though it seems petty; I'm not sure where this story is going. The timing and subject matter thus far indicate a heartwarming end of some kind, but how it will arrive there within the few updates that remain--two or three at most--is unclear.

Two updates remain, and while the path I am forging may seem murky, I assure you all will be clear, given time.

[SpcPotshot]

I don’t know what it is about those blasted cookie sticks, but thank God for the international food isle.

Have you had the Korean ones or the "Men's" Pocky? I've had ones with almonds on them.

[Hoitash]

I don’t know what it is about those blasted cookie sticks, but thank God for the international food isle.

Have you had the Korean ones or the "Men's" Pocky? I've had ones with almonds on them.

I'm honestly not sure. They're in a red box in the international food aisle.

Almond? Hmm, wonder if those are stocked. Sound good.

Wait, there are nearly a dozen Asian markets around here. Ooh, I could get sesame balls, too -those things are a pain to make.

...I'm getting deja vu for some reason...

[SpcPotshot]

I don’t know what it is about those blasted cookie sticks, but thank God for the international food isle.

Have you had the Korean ones or the "Men's" Pocky? I've had ones with almonds on them.

I'm honestly not sure. They're in a red box in the international food aisle.

Almond? Hmm, wonder if those are stocked. Sound good.

Wait, there are nearly a dozen Asian markets around here. Ooh, I could get sesame balls, too -those things are a pain to make.

...I'm getting deja vu for some reason...

The "Men's" ones are in a blue-ish box, I think, and are dark chocolate. They're awesome with coffee.

[Hoitash]

The "Men's" ones are in a blue-ish box, I think, and are dark chocolate. They're awesome with coffee.

There is nothing in this sentence I don't like.

[Steinherz]

The "Men's" ones are in a blue-ish box, I think, and are dark chocolate. They're awesome with coffee.

There is nothing in this sentence I don't like.

There is nothing in this sentence I like.
Dark chocolate is "meh" to me, and I dislike coffee (never could stand the flavour)

[bhtooefr]

People have different tolerances for bitter tastes.

I tend to prefer my coffee in mocha form, and I prefer my beers under 30 IBUs.

[SpcPotshot]

The "Men's" ones are in a blue-ish box, I think, and are dark chocolate. They're awesome with coffee.

There is nothing in this sentence I don't like.

I just bought some more of the Korean ones; they're called "Pepero." Tasty little bastards.

[Hoitash]

Christmas is a comin’ and the geese are getting fat…

…I’ve never had geese before. Or is it goose? Now I want duck. Ooh, Chinese food…

Um, where was I? Oh, right, shopping for various forms of chocolate cookie stick things.

Er, I mean Christmas Special. With my usual nuance and subtlety of Ghal Maraz, naturally.

Previous Chapter

Chapter Five: Why Then Here Does Any One Step Forth?


Subject: Kim Soon-hee

Kenji,

Dr. Sorami and I have gone over your proposal, and, based on our current time frame, I see nothing preventing your idea. Once things are better hammered out on your end, we’ll know how to move forward. I’ve decided to accelerate her weaning in anticipation of her possible transfer. Whether or not she wants to, we need to start now to be ready by April –your confidence in the school’s medical facilities aside, I’d prefer she not be on morphine while in school. How she handles the weaning might change things, so be prepared for that.

Keep us posted and we’ll keep talking to Administration, though they seem on board with the idea as well.

-Tainaka Umi, MD.


Subject: Physical Therapy Study

Hey Four Eyes! I’m attaching that info you asked for, along with my contact information. My schedule is pretty full, but if the kid wants to talk to me, I’ll make time for her.

I’m also attaching a list of universities with good PT programs, both in Japan and in the US and Europe. You said her English grades are pretty good, so I figured it might be something for her to consider.

As for high schools, I got no idea. Take it up with Lilly and Hanako; they sit on the Foundation Board, after all. I just write checks. I’d consider it a damn sight better than the psych ward, but it’s not my call.

Until then,
Shortie

PS: Don’t let Kwan set anything on fire this time at the Movie Night. I don’t care how much he brags about what he can start one with. Seriously, I will kick your ass if I hear about another “Yippie kay-yay” incident!


Subject: Next Trimester

Dear Kenji,

I have received the information you sent me, and I see no reason why Miss Kim couldn’t enter. I also think we might be able to arrange some financial support, based on what you were able to send to me regarding her grades. There’s a chance someone on the Board or in Admissions might want to use her for PR, but we won’t let that be an issue.

I’m getting ahead of myself, however. I believe Yamaku’s facilities are up to the task of her admittance, both academically and medically, so I see no reason not to at least give her the option. I’d imagine it preferable to living in the psychiatric ward.

Sincerely,
Lilly

PS: George is looking forward to the Christmas Movie Night. Please don’t let his hair catch on fire this time.


Subject: Kim Soon-hee

You are a Magnificent Bastard. You have my respect.

-Shizune


“I might print and frame that one,” I remarked.

Standing behind me to read the laptop’s screen, Hisao said, “Wow. I think I should start looking for Four Horsemen riding down the street.”

I chuckled and turned in my chair to face Hisao, “Never mind saving her father’s ass three times, it’s this that gets me her respect.”

“She’s just weird like that,” Hisao stated, “She still says her proudest moment training me was when I nearly broke her nose with my elbow.”

I nodded and started opening and printing the attachments Emi had sent me. Hisao moved around my office desk to grab them for me, while I stood up and prepared to head to Soon-hee’s room.

“Do you think it’s a good idea?” I asked him, “My plan?”

“You’re second guessing yourself?” Hisao asked, “Are you feelin’ alright? I told you not to drink that bathtub eggnog Akira made.”

“A kid’s future is involved, I have a right to be worried,” I grumbled.

Hisao smirked and remarked, “Paternal instinct can be a real bitch, can’t it?”

I sighed and nodded. Pinching the bridge of my nose and closing my eyes, I grumbled, “Sometimes at night, when I remember the shit we did, the times we almost died, I wonder, if I had had a kid when all that started, would I have still been so eager to go through all that? I mean, even when I started dating Miya, I was starting to doubt my ideas, but we were too stuck in by then….”

I felt a hand on my shoulder and jerked up. Hisao was standing next to me, “You wouldn’t be the man you are if you didn’t fight for what you thought was right. Would you have been so insane about it? Probably not. But, you were insane when we needed you to be, and now you’re a father, because that’s what we need. And I have been hanging around you too long, because now I’m being the dramatic one.”

I chuckled and lowered my hand, “Thanks, man. Hey, if this trip goes well, I might need to ask a favor of Hanako.”

Hisao nodded, “She’s expecting you to, and the answer is yes.”

“Thanks, man,” I said, “I better catch the bus.”

“Good luck,” he remarked.

Hisao handed me the papers, which I placed in my briefcase. Donning my hat, I gave my partner a farewell wave before heading out into the chill early December weather.

If ever there was an excuse to spruce up a building with pretty lights and decorations, Christmas is the perfect one. The psych ward was practically bursting with decorations of the coming holiday, and, unlike the overbearing décor normally filling up the place, the Christmas decorations seemed to actually brighten up the otherwise falsely cheery building.

Soon-hee’s floor was decorated, too. Strands of artificial garland in gold and green were pinned up along the walls, along with what looked like paper decorations. A few of the decorations looked like they were from the wrong holiday, but that’s cultural osmosis for you. Several residents had also decorated their doors, in a continued effort to brighten the place up and help the fight for a future where none may exist.

Soon-hee hadn’t decorated her door, which looked the same as it had the first day she moved in. Koizumi was nowhere in sight, so I knocked lightly and announced my presence.

“Okay!” Soon-hee called from inside.

The door clicked a few seconds later and was pulled open. I stepped inside and took off my hat. I stepped to the side so she could close the door, and as she did so she greeted me with a cheerful, “Hey!”

“Hello,” I greeted, “How’re you feeling?”

Standing in the middle of her room in her normal outfit, she shrugged and reached for a box of Pocky sticks on her desk, “Sore. Went a bit overboard at training today.”

“Any particular reason?” I asked.

Soon-hee shrugged again and popped the box open, “Felt like it. Also, Doc mighta mentioned speeding up my weaning. Made me a bit nervous.”

I nodded and looked around her room. Now that I focused on it, I realized that her room had been mildly decorated for the season; a small artificial tree was tucked into the far left corner by the closet, with a red and green paper chain wrapped around it and a tinfoil star at its top.

“Decorated for the season, I see,” I remarked.

Soon-hee nodded and started shoving sticks into her mouth, “Yeah, Koizumi gave it to me as a present. I like it, but…”

“But what?”

Swallowing the sticks she had rammed down her throat, Soon-hee said, “This holiday makes no sense to me,” pulling a stick from the box, she pointed to a book on her desk and added, “Even after reading about it.”

“Think of it as an excuse to get free stuff,” I said, since George and Lilly weren’t around to pull a Linus on us, “Speaking of which, do you want anything for Christmas?”

Soon-hee glanced down at the floor, chewing through a stick using just her lips to guide it, “You’ve done more than enough for me already.”

“So let me do a bit more,” I stated, “I already shop for a bunch of kids anyway, won’t hurt to add you to the list.”

After grabbing another stick and chewing through it, she swallowed and asked, “Can I think about it. Please?”

I smiled and nodded, “Sure. While I’m here, you want some tea? Or an orange?”

Soon-hee nodded, “Is it okay if I make the tea?”

I nodded and reached into my jacket. Handing her some tea bags, she thanked me and headed for the bathroom, which gave me a chance to pull out the chair and set down my briefcase.

“So how’re your classes going?” I asked her as I kneeled down.

“Same,” she replied, “English and history are going well. Still hate math.”

“Good to hear,” I said.

“…I also picked up a Korean language study guide.”

“Thinkin’ of learning it?” I asked.

“Uh-huh.”

“Learning a language on your own can be tricky,” I said, “So if you ever want some help, just let me know.”

“…Thank you. I’d like that.”

While Soon-hee fiddled with the tea in the bathroom, I hefted my briefcase onto the chair and popped it open. After sorting it out a bit, I pulled out two oranges, some napkins, printed copies of the papers Emi had emailed me, and some pamphlets for private high schools I had spent several weeks looking through. Like Hisao, I’m a fan of finding and taking the third option, and a school dormitory seemed like a good one to me. It had its own problems, of course, but like Emi said, it was a damn sight better than the psych ward.

Once I had pulled everything out, I closed the case and placed it next to me where it would be next to Soon-hee’s preferred spot. I placed the fruit and napkins on the chair, and the papers and pamphlets on top of the briefcase.

After a few minutes Soon-hee returned to the main room, each hand holding a plastic cup of tea.

“You know,” she said as she handed me my tea and kneeled down, “We could go to the cafeteria.”

“I know you prefer it here,” I said. Sipping my tea, I grinned and added, “Besides, even lukewarm this stuff is better than what they serve there.”

Soon-hee nodded in agreement and sipped her tea, eyeing the orange I had placed at her spot the entire time. She waited until I had set my tea down and started on my own fruit before going at hers. While she ripped the skin off and started piecing up her fruit, I noticed her eyes wander to the papers on top of my briefcase.

[Hoitash]

Part II:

Smirking lightly, I quipped, “Noticed the papers?”

Soon-hee flushed and nodded, turning her eyes down to look at her orange.

“Well, these papers,” I said, taking the stack of printouts and handing them to her, “Is some info my physical therapist friend sent me. It’s a basic rundown of physical training programs and what you’d need to study in college. I know it’s two years away, but it’s something to consider.”

“Thank you,” she said. She set her orange down and started skimming through the pages

I sipped my tea and picked at my orange while she read. After a few minutes, she put the papers down and went back to eating her orange.

“Feels weird,” she declared, “Thinking about college and my future. I have some time to think about it, but even being able to feels…weird,” she looked up from her orange, “Thank you, for the information. And thank Mrs. Kotobuki for me, please?”

I grinned and nodded, “No problem. Would you like to meet her in person?”

Soon-hee chewed on a piece of orange, swallowed, and nodded, “I’ve been speaking with Mrs. Kosaka, too, and I think I want to be a PT. I want to help people be strong, so they won’t feel weak. I used to feel weak, and I hated it. Sometimes still do. Thanks to Mrs. Kosaka, though, I’m not.”

“Makes sense,” I said.

Soon-hee nodded and sipped her tea, then set it down to finish her orange. When she had finished eating it, I pulled out a chocolate bar and handed it to her. She thanked me, opened it, broke it in half, and shoved half down her throat. No matter how many times I saw her do that, her lack of a gag reflex continued to disturb me.

“Something on your mind?” I asked.

She nodded and gestured for me to take the other half of the bar, which I did with a nod of thanks.

“Two years is a long time,” she declared.

“Yep.”

“I don’t know if I want to be here that long,” she continued, “Now that I’m less screwed up, it feels weird being here. It’s my home, but it doesn’t feel quite like home.”

“Probably because you feel like you’re stuck here,” I stated, “Congratulations, you’re angsting like a normal teenager.”

Soon-hee smirked and finished her tea. When she was done, she looked up at me and raised an eyebrow, “You said ‘feel like’ I’m stuck. I am stuck. I’m too old for adoption, too messed up for foster care, and all my relatives are dead.”

“True,” I conceded.

Eyeing me oddly, she asked, “Are you suggesting there’s another option?”

I smiled, “There just might be. Have Dr. Tainaka or Miss Sorami spoken to you about possibly transferring to a private high school?”

She nodded, “Miss Sorami did. She said I have funds set aside by the Foundation for it, and there are probably scholarships or grants I could apply for. She thinks I could handle being around so many people, and even if not, I could hole up in my dorm if I wanted.”

“Sounds like you’ve given the idea some thought,” I remarked.

Soon-hee shrugged and turned her gaze to her desk, most likely gazing at the pile of Pocky stick boxes she kept there, “A bit. It’s appealing, but…”

“But?”

“…Those schools are full of rich kids,” she stated, “Rich kids from old families.”

I nodded as I connected the dots, “Worried you’ll get bullied?”

She nodded and sipped at her tea, apparently forgetting she had finished it.

“I’m sure there are some schools where that won’t be too much of an issue,” I remarked. Nibbling on my half of a chocolate bar, I used my free hand to grab the small stack of pamphlets and brochures I had brought with me. I handed them to Soon-hee and continued, “These schools, for instance.”

She took the pamphlets and stared at the one on top. Raising an eyebrow at me, she remarked, “The one on top in particular, perhaps?”

Chuckling, I said, “You’re a smart little thing, you know that? Ever hear of Yamaku High School?”

Soon-hee shook her head and unfolded the pamphlet.

“It’s a school for physically disabled kids,” I stated, “It has a bit of a reputation as a dumping ground for rich family’s disabled kids, though it’s not as bad as it was. It’s a rather well regarded school academically, and accepts students who don’t have disabilities, though they’re in the distinct minority. It has a good counseling program, and medical staff if the withdrawal becomes an issue. Also, if you’re serious about physical therapy as a career, it’s a decent option. I don’t think they have a Judo club, but they do have a pool, and you could probably get a scholarship or grant because of the PT thing.”

Soon-hee glanced up at me, “You’ve put a lot of thought into this.”

I nodded, “I don’t want you wasting away here. I’ve seen it happen too many times. I know it sounds cliché as hell, but you need to be able to expand your horizons, go out in the world, all that sappy crap. A private high school would be a good stepping stone for that.”

“…Is this why Dr. Tainaka wants to accelerate my weaning?”

I nodded, “She thinks you can handle it. I know you can. So does Miss Sorami. Your Foundation Advocate is on board, too.”

Soon-hee was still glancing at me, her expression thoughtful, “Did you go there?”

I nodded, “My partner, too, and his wife, and her best friend, and a few other people we know. The President and Vice President of the Hakamichi Foundation are graduates, as is the physical therapist who sent me that info.”

Soon-hee nodded and turned back to the pamphlet. She glanced through it, then the others in the small stack. The other high schools were designed mostly for creative types, though they had more general curriculum as well. A couple were also like Yamaku, and there were a few regular schools that had more new money than old as the student body.

When she was done flipping through the pamphlets, she put them down and turned to me, “Do you really think I could handle it? Moving?”

I nodded, “I feel confident you could handle it now, and I know you could come April. You have a lot of time to think about it, and to look at other options if they come up. So there’s no need to make a decision for a while.”

Soon-hee nodded, “I’ll think about it. I think it might be worth a try, and the pool at Yamaku is pretty big, according to the flyer.”

“Just another option on the table,” I stated, “If nothing else, now you know you’re not stuck, right?”

Soon-hee smiled and nodded. She looked down at her finished tea and sighed. I offered her the remains of the chocolate bar she had given me, but she declined. I finished off the bar and moved to clean up the chair. Before I could heave myself up, she looked up at me.

“…You asked if I wanted anything for Christmas?” she asked.

I nodded.

“…Koizumi lent me a copy of The Hobbit to read. I like it, so maybe you could, if it isn’t too much trouble…” she trailed off, apparently unwilling to ask any more of me.

Well, I’d just have to offer then. Grinning, I finished her question, “You want The Lord of the Rings trilogy?”

Soon-hee nodded, “If it’s not too much trouble. I haven’t gotten them yet, but I’d like to read them over break.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” I said; no sense completely ruining the surprise, “Do you want English or Japanese. Or maybe even Korean if they have it?”

“English, please,” she said.

I nodded, “Okay. You wanna play a game of chess?”

Soon-hee nodded and moved to her bookshelf, which had a couple of board games placed on top of it. The top of the bookshelf was a bit too high for her, so, after narrowing her eyes and glaring at the chess board box, she hopped and yanked the box from the top.

I smirked and clapped, “Very nice.”

She flushed lightly and placed the box on the bed. I hefted myself up, tossed the garbage, and put the chair back by the desk. While I did that, Soon-hee set up the chess board.

As I sat on the bed to play the game, I reflected that the more of my visits that reflected this one, the better off she would be. I also realized that my relationship with her was such that I couldn’t really abandon her. At some point I had become more than a friend. Just what that was, I couldn’t say.

I wouldn’t say I had become a parental figure, but I was close enough that I felt like she needed me. She needed someone in her life to rely on who wasn’t being paid to do it. Wherever she went and whatever she did, someone had to be there on the sidelines for her.

Since I had never really had that growing up, it made me all the more determined to stand by her, guiding her and helping her when she needed it, and stepping back when she needed that, too.

Being a father changes you, even if the kid isn’t your own.

+++
Next Chapter

Hey, it was your guys’ idea .

One more part to go, folks. Hmm, a Christmas Special ending on Christmas Eve. Funny that.

Judo seemed the martial art most appropriate for Soon-hee, based on my research.

And if anyone wants to remark on the grammar of the title, that’s the nineteenth century for you. If I didn’t rely so much on computers and tabletop wargaming, I’d think I was born in the wrong century.

[bhtooefr]

Blood sister?

Did that take on a meaning that is opposite to the one I know?

[Hoitash]

Blood sister?

Did that take on a meaning that is opposite to the one I know?

This aughtta help: Blood Brothers TV tropes link

So kinda? It's not really the proper use of the trope, but it's simpler than saying "as good as sisters" to me, but language and me aren't on the best terms.

[AntonSlavik020]

That confused me a bit too. Since I was unaware of that trope, my definition is sisters who are blood relatives.

[Mirage_GSM]

Same here.
Might I suggest simply changing it to "best friend"?

[Hoitash]

Same here.
Might I suggest simply changing it to "best friend"?

I felt that term shortchanged the relationship, but in context it's probably the best response.

Sorry for the confusion folks, didn't mean to add to the holiday Chaos.