Chapter 230: A Man's Back 5--The Word

(The sake is flowing at the Higashidani house.)

Higashidani: Ha! That fool! Once I get on him Fudozawa's going down like a house of cards!

Shopkeeper: Right! You're the best in Japan!

Higashidani (hitting him): In the world!

(They throw their arms around each other and laugh.)

Uki (thinking): They're drunk.

(Sanosuke is drinking quietly, off to the side.)

Higashidani: Uki, pour us another cup!

Uki: No! No more!

Higashidani: You're so spiteful...

Uki: I'm not! It'll be too late when your body starts breaking down! You're getting older now, you have to start taking care of yourself! You're not going to be young forever! You're getting a paunch--I know you're hiding it under those wraps!

People: You shouldn't talk like that to a heavy drinker. Uki worries about him.

Higashidani: Dammit. Guess you're right. All right, Outa, you're going to have to drink for me.

Uki: What?!?

(She snatches Outa away from him.)

(Uki: You drunkard!)

People: A little bit would have been okay. She really is a worrier.

Uki: I know it. I've always been overprotective.

Higashidani (whining): Uki ... Why don't you ever worry about me?

Uki: Why do you think I just did all that! I worry about you all the time. There's just the three of us now. Of course I worry.

(Sanosuke smiles, and slips outside.)

Sanosuke (thinking, under the stars): She's right. But this is no place for me. He's doing well, even with his short temper. Protecting Uki and Outa and the waystation. Putting up with it all so he doesn't explode. Fighting ... Protecting and fighting, fighting and protecting--you keep that up all your life and you still can't protect the one you care about most.

No more ... I'm tired. Sanosuke (thinking):Those words hurt him more than anyone else...

Uki: Oh, for heaven's sake!

(Everyone has gone home. The house is a mess, and Higashidani is slumped over sleeping on the floor.)

Uki: Dad, if you don't sleep in bed you're going to catch a cold. Everybody ate and took off and left the place a mess. (gathering up empty bottles.) Outa, promise me you'll never get drunk.

(Higashidani smiles, and passes a hand over his face.)

Higashidani (thinking): Well then...

Uki: Dad?

(The door is open, and Higashidani is gone.)

(Sanosuke smacks a fist into his open hand.)

Sanosuke: All right. Let's get this settled, and then I can get out of here.

(He sees Uki and Outa rushing along a path.)

Sanosuke: Sup, half-head.

Uki: Dad--have you seen Dad? He's gone!

Sanosuke: Settle down. Did you check the outhouse?

Uki (tears running down her cheeks): No! Dad always tells me first when he's going out! So I won't worry like when my brother left ... He always tells me so I won't cry!