#kurashi

2021/01/31

【寒（かん）に仕込むもの】

「やっぱり、寒はさぶいのぉ。」

そう。木頭の冬はもうさぶいけれど、寒は余計に寒い気がするのです。

「寒にへぎもちこっさえたら、ほりゃあ長持ちするわだ。水が冷うてええんじゃわだ。節分越えたらもういかんもんの。へぎもちがダメになるもんの。へぎもちは、寒のうちに作らんとの。」

木頭の暮らしには、寒を意識した暮らしがまだ残っています。

「小雪もちらついて、いかにも寒のさぶい日じゃのぉ。」

1月29日。小雪がちらつく、いかにもさぶい日に、今年は我が家のお味噌を仕込みました。

今年は、いつも仲良くしていただいているご近所さんと一緒に。

大豆は、毎年、我が家で育てているものを。今年は、1.5升収穫できて、まあまあ豊作。

大豆は、一晩水につけておいて。

しっかりと水を吸ったものを羽釜へ。

豆が指で潰れるくらい、くつくつと煮るのだけれど、定番の焼き芋もスタンバイ。1時間～2時間くらいくつくつと。

待ち時間に、地域の方がお昼ご飯を手際よく作ってくださって。

「大根かさあるけん、大根めしせんかのぉ。」

大根と人参を短冊切りにして、油で炒めて、醤油と砂糖で甘辛く味付け。木頭では定番のゆず酢を使った酢めしを作って、それに炒めたもんを混ぜ込んだら。大根めしのできあがり。

「味噌汁はのぉ、すいとんにせんかのぉ。こうやって、小麦粉水で練ったんを伸ばしてのぉ。」

ちょうど1年前頃、一緒に仕込んだ味噌を開けて、味噌汁に。すいとん汁。昨年仕込んだ味噌のお味もいい感じ。

焼き芋も、大豆を煮てる間にできちゃう。

「こりゃぁ、甘いぜぇ。水分飛んで、甘みがよう残っとるのぉ。こりゃあうまいわ。うまい。うまい。」

豆が煮えたかどうか確かめるのに、やたらとつまみ食いするのが美味しい。これも、手作りの醍醐味。

「味噌する前に、豆なくなってしまうのぉ。ははは。うまいの。」

このやりとりを何度繰り返したことか。

豆が煮えたら、木頭の方から譲っていただいた、豆を潰す機械。

昭和20年代に、地域の方数名で共同購入されたという機械。

あっという間に、豆がつぶれます。見ていて気持ちいい。

つぶれた大豆と麹と塩を混ぜ込んで、酒粕で蓋をして、入れ物の中に。

今年も、味噌の仕込みが無事終わりました。

寒い日に仕込んだ今年のお味噌。

福寿草も裏庭でしっかりと太陽に向かって咲く季節。

「サブちゃん的　スニーカー」 起きる時間、食べる時間、出かける時間。

帰る時間、食べる時間、寝りにつく時間。

誰しも各々、時間の区切りがある。

当たり前だけれど、あの人とこの人は生活の区切りが違う。

昨日、靴を注文した。

随分と便利になり、家に居ながらにして買い物ができる。

某ケータイ会社の、長期契約プレゼントの金券をもらったのだ。

『誕生日だし。』と理由をつけては、財布の紐を緩める。 ちなみに誕生日は来月中旬をすぎてからである。

このまま紐を緩めっぱなしで居ては危険極まりない。

これが最後、そう決めた。

お気に入りのスニーカーが、いささか草臥れている。

手入れをすれば復活するかとおもって、手を入れた。

が、キレイさは取り戻したけれど草臥れた様子は拭えない。

このままハードに使い倒せば、そう長くはないだろう。

靴は休ませたほうが長く履けるという。

少々気の早い誕生日プレゼントにサブのスニーカーを選んだ。

お気に入りの靴を長く履くための策である。

こうして理由づけは留まることをしらない。

草臥れ切った面影はなかなか消えない。

後からどんなに磨きをかけても、限界がある。

消耗してすり減って、立ち上がれなくなる。

起き上がり方を知っていれば恐れることもない。

けれど、限界を２-３歩先に行ってからの復活はそう甘くない。

その折には他人様へ迷惑もかけるだろう。

何より自分が苦しく辛い時を過ごすだろう。

しかし、倒れる前に的確な策を講じていれば、そうはならない。

事前に受け取り先や日時を変えれば、荷物を受け取れるのと同じである。

外で働く人は、仕事が配達時間内に終えられなければ、荷物は受け取れない。

私もかつては夜中まで働いていた。

帰ってきて、ご飯を食べて、慌ててお風呂に入って、急いで寝る。

そこから寝ずにまだ、仕事をすることすらあった。

今思えば、若いからこそ成せる必殺技だったように思う。

質は悪くとも、情熱は人を動かすものだと知ることができた。

自宅で仕事をしていると、荷物を受け取れないということがない。

ただし、進度は自分を如何にコントロールできるかで決まる。

悩みは、訪問販売や宗教勧誘など望まぬ来客が増えることだ。

回数を重ねるごとに、察知してすぐ扉を閉められるようになった。

貴重な時間を奪われたくないのだ。

許してほしい。

迫りくるゴールデン過ぎる連休に、

とことん体を休める人がひとりでも多く居ることを願いつつ、

新しい靴を履いて打ち合わせに出かける自分を想像する。

サービス業が染みついたこの体は、休日こそ仕事を欲する。

Leaving the ANBU to deal with the bodies,Kurama turns to where the bound little girl is still sitting, covered by hisshirt. The fight was quiet, but for her sake he hopes she passed out ratherthan listening to it. The kid can't be more than four, if that, and Kuramaremembers the orphans Kaguya’s forces left behind. He’s dealt with enoughtraumatized kids for one lifetime, thanks.

Futilely, Kurama wipes his goryleft hand on a clump of grass, then gives it up as hopeless and simply tucks ita little behind him. With his clean hand he reaches out and pulls the darkcloth off the girl’s head, and when wide, terrified eyes snap to himimmediately he gives her the gentlest smile he can muster.

What would the brat do? he thinks a little desperately. Damn it, how would Naruto handle this?Think!

“Hey,” he says softly. “You'reokay now. They're never going to be able to scare you again. You're safe.”

There's a click of metal against porcelain, and Kurama andthe girl both glance up to find the ANBU pulling off his green-streaked mask. Thecurly black hair had already given away that it was someone entirelyunfamiliar, and seeing his face doesn’t give any hints—this isn’t someoneeither Kushina or Naruto knew.

“Hello,” the ANBU offers, smiling at the girl, and it’s alittle charming, a little silly. “Your dad sent me to find you. He got really worriedwhen you didn’t turn up.”

Thankfully, the girl’s terror is easing, even if it isn’t disappearing.She glances from the ANBU to Kurama with a few more tears cascading down hercheeks, but she doesn’t look like she’s about to break, and Kurama supposes that’svictory enough.

“I'm going to get that gag off, if you're okay with metouching you,” he soothes. “Once that’s gone you might feel a bit better.”Lifting his hand, he twists it to show her his nails, and says, “I don’t wantto cut you, but these are pretty sharp so try not to wiggle. It okay for me totake that off?”

A pause, and then the girl nods emphatically, making mufflednoises. Kurama chuckles a little, reaching out, and she goes determinedlystill. “Here goes,” he warns her, then tips her head slightly to the side,slides a claw up under the rough twine, and presses carefully. It takes amoment, and a bit more pressure than he’d like, but with one or two cautioussawing motions the threads part. Kurama unwinds them from her head, then helpsher get the wad of cloth out of her mouth.

At the same time, the ANBU shifts around behind her, pullingout a kunai to slice through the ropes around her arms and legs. “You’re abrave kid, aren’t you?” he asks cheerfully, though his hands are gentle as hestarts to massage her wrists. “I've seen big bad jounin who would be a wreckright now.”

“I didn’t like them,” the girl says, and if her voicetrembles a little, if a few more tears spill, Kurama’s sure it can beoverlooked. “They were mean and rude and—and—”

Her mouth trembles dangerously, and Kurama knows the warningsigns well enough to lean in. He’s about to try for a joke, see if he cancomfort her, but his hair swings forward and her eyes are on it instantly. She reachesout to catch a handful, and says almost wonderingly, “It’s the same color as myfavorite crayon.”

The ANBU makes a sound like he’s swallowing laughter,sliding back around to crouch next to Kurama. “Yeah,” he agrees brightly,ignoring the warning look Kurama shoots him, and pats Kurama on the head. “It’sas red as a rose, isn’t it, Naho-chan? Just like something in a fairy tale!”

Konoha shinobi or not, Kurama is going to murder him.

But it makes Naho giggle a little as she crawls forward,practically into Kurama’s lap. “I like fairy tales!” she declares. “My mom usedto tell the best ones ever!”

Past tense, Kurama thinks, and it’s something he’s used to,seeing children after the death of a parent, but—

She has blue eyes just like Naruto, and it’s hard to bear.

Maybe that’s why it’s easy to wrap his arms around her as heshifts back to sit in the dirt, pulling her more securely into his lap.

“Does that make you knights?” she asks, one hand still in Kurama’shair, though she keeps looking between him and the ANBU.

“I don’t see why not,” the younger man says cheerfully, andnudges Kurama with one pointy elbow. “Right?”

Kurama huffs, batting the limb away. “I'm not a knight,” heretorts, but makes the mistake of glancing down. Wide blue eyes are staring upat him, entreating, and it’s a little like getting hit with Kakuzu’s lightningall over again. Kurama’s mouth opens of its own volition, and he says, “But you'redefinitely a princess, aren’t you?”

The ANBU rolls his eyes, even as Naho gives Kurama a trulygutting look of quiet sadness. “You don’t want to be my knight?” she asks plaintively.

Sage, Kurama is not equipped to deal with this. Naruto wouldbe laughing his ass off right now, Kurama thinks with a sigh, and it hurts,like a crippling blow. But it’s bearable, if gutting. “I could be,” he answers,glancing at the sun that’s just starting to rise and then turning south. “But Ithink I’d rather be a monster.”

He can't quite tell if that statement’s a lie; this isNaruto's body, and as much as he’d prefer Naruto to still be the one in it, ifthat’s out of the question Kurama would rather it be in his own possession—andthe irony of that statement makes him want to laugh bitterly—than Kaguya’s.

Naho wrinkles her nose. “Don’t monsters eat princesses?” sheasks skeptically.

“Well, normally, but you're a special princess,”Kurama counters, tapping her lightly on the tip of the nose. “You’ve gotpowerful monster-taming abilities to make me your friend. ‘Sides, I think theANBU over there would be a lot better at the whole knight thing than I would.”

“He’s right!” the ANBU agrees, immediately offering Naho asmile. “And really, the best  princesses are the ones who can tamemonsters and have knights, don’t youthink?”

Naho mulls it over for a moment, then nods decisively. “You'remy knight,” she tells the ANBU, and then turns to smile up at Kurama. “And youcan be my monster and make all the bad people go away! As long as you're stillmy friend, I don’t mind.”

Blue eyes just aren’t fair, Kurama thinks with an internalsigh, and pats Naho’s head. “No worries,” he tells her gently. “I’ll be yourfriend for as long as you need me.”

Satisfied, Naho puts her head down on his shoulder, one armcurled around his neck. The thumb on her other hand is inching towards hermouth, but Kurama isn’t going to say anything; he’s hardly going to deny herwhat small bits of comfort she can find. Gently rubbing her back, he risesto his feet, and watches a touch warily as the ANBU mirrors him.

“Thank you,” the younger man says simply, and he offers Kuramaa smile too, though there's something dark behind his eyes as they flickeracross the blood-splattered campsite. “I appreciate the help. Uchiha Shisui.”

It takes effort not to flinch away, not to step back and letloose the growl that’s rumbling up in his chest. Still, Kurama can't stophimself from stiffening faintly, and he knows the boy—the Uchiha—catches it. “Clearly,” he bites out, all too aware of Nahoin his arms, “you didn’t need my help.”

Shisui doesn’t argue this, though he tips one shoulder in adismissive shrug. “Maybe not,” he agrees easily. “But she needed your help. Anychance you're headed towards Konoha? I can take her myself, but two people willmake things easier.”

Kurama eyes him incredulously. “You don’t even know me,” he points out. “And you wantme to travel with you? With a recovered hostage?”

“Of course!” Shisui says cheerfully, undaunted. He waves ahand, fingers curled to imitate claws, and adds, “That was really cool, youknow? With the shockwave and tearing throats out with your bare hands and all. Besides,you have no idea who she is, right?”

“I'm Naho!” the girl interjects, and tugs lightly on thehandful of Kurama’s hair she’s still gripping.

Shisui laughs, reaching out to tap her lightly on the nose. “Andyou're a princess,” he agrees without hesitation. “The best princess, even.”

Naho beams like this is the best thing she’s heard, thoughshe doesn’t loosen her grip on Kurama.

“For the record,” Shisui says, glancing back up at Kurama witha faint smile, “You are terrifyingand I definitely wouldn’t want to meet you in a dark alley, but the princesslikes you and you don’t seem to like kidnappers, so I figure we’re probablyokay. And I bet I can take you.”

Kurama growls, and Shisui has a good three inches on him,but he steps right into the younger man’s space with a glare. “You could try,” he invites, baring his teeth. It’sdefinitely not a smile.

Shisui blinks, and his gaze drops from Kurama’s eyes to hismouth to his hands where they're still holding Naho, and then he swallows hard.“Right,” he squeaks, and Kurama hasn’t heard a pitch that high from a grown mansince the last time Naruto sparred with Sakura and she kneed him in the balls. “Um.Yes. Take me. You, uh. Definitely. That’s absolutely a thing that could happen.”