Tachibana Kippei

So, I'm finally summarizing the India Trip. I was back for a while, but the cafe is busy and Renge had been demanding my attention ferociously. I want to really thank Ishida-san, Kenya-san, Zaizen-san and Senri for looking after Renge while Shinji and I were away, you were all great helps and I am in your debt.

The trip itself was something incredible. Despite the standstill that came about due to rain and the short trip with illness, I enjoyed myself terribly. There's something very different about the air in India, beyond the extra humidity that makes you feel different. Shinji was great company and it was very very enjoyable.

We visited a lot of temples there and it was quite difficult to see, actually. While some of the smaller ones were utterly beautiful and breathtaking, I was somewhat disappointed by how the bigger temples have simply become money-making schemes, intending to rip-off the pilgrims that come and visit. I wonder whether the priests even consider the teachings of their Lords when they are so blinded by money.

The other places we visited were amazing, however. The Taj Mahal is really, quite spectacular to see. For a mausoleum, it's very beautiful. I saw many mosques and many bullock-carts in the road, which is quite an experience, even if they are very slow and halt the already molasses-like traffic! We visited the Gobi Desert and rode on camels, though I think mine liked me a little too much, as he was quite often chewing on my hair whenever we dismounted. Riding elephants through the forest is something absolutely vivid, their power is extraordinary.

And of course, India under the downpour of rain is a wonderful sight. When you aren't attempting to travel through it! The people in smaller towns are also very friendly. I spent most of the trip speaking english, since mostly everybody knows it, but it was nice to learn a few words in the local dialects. Everyone always appreciates the extra efforts of tourists trying to speak the language. Large cities, of course, are out to cheat you out of as much money as possible, but Shinji is very good at detecting how not to get cheated.

All in all, I enjoyed it and would do it again in a heartbeat, if Renge didn't complain so much about me going to have fun without her and if it weren't for the fact that poor Momoshiro would have to deal with all of my work again. It was certainly a ;learning experience, and I thank everyone who made it possible.

I think I shall stop apologizing for being late, because I do this every time. If you want to contact me urgently, please do it in the old fashioned way. Renge uses the computer more than I do.

I do have a slight excuse for not being around. Renge and I went to Hase Kannon Temple, in Kanagawa. She loved the architecture, she thought it was really pretty. But, I admit, I had more than just sightseeing in mind. She still wakes up in the middle of the night and speaks in a voice that isn't hers. I have spirit wards everywhere and I've been collecting as many protection charms as I can find and then stuffing them around the deli and in her schoolbag. They don't seem to be helping her, but I can try, at least.

I prayed a lot that she would get back to normal. I hope God will listen, because the specialist we went to see has no idea what's wrong. Technically, her brainwaves still indicate that she's in REM.

But I pray for things to go well. Marui-kun, I have a few ideas for Iron Chef. Next time we meet, I'll tell you about them.

-Tachibana

I find myself with less and less time as the days go by. Updating this as frequently as I should is very difficult. I apologize.

Thanks to an anonymous renovation to my kitchen, I've been able to cook food a lot faster, and with Momoshiro-kun and Shinji helping with that, I think our efficiency in the deli has improved a lot. It's nice. It means I can do more with my time, such as make more food for the soup-kitchens and spend more time coming up with recipes for the Youtube cooking show. It's a pleasant way to spend my time, thinking of new ideas for dishes and ways of cooking things. It involves a lot of cooking with foreign fruits and finding obscure, high-scale grocery shops so I can experiment, but it's worth it.

Renge's also been very busy. She has a dance recital coming up in a week, so she's very nervous for that. I promised her that I'd go see it, so I will be missing for a couple of hours next Friday morning. She's been trying so hard and I can't wait to see it. Though, at times, I still feel like she's trying to pay me back by doing everything perfectly, instead of just acting like herself, like a normal child. I don't know what to say to her to make her feel less like her life is a favour she has to pay back.

Sometimes I wonder why we live in a world where some children are forced to grow up so fast and think that everything has a price.

-Tachibana

I'm not quite sure what to say to this.

I was trying to go to sleep and Renge got up out of bed suddenly. I asked her what was wrong and she didn't answer for a long time. Then she looked at the window and said in a deep voice that sounded more like a boy's than a girl's, "You can't hide. I can see you." She got up, opened the window and got back in bed, as if I wasn't even in the room. Then she fell back asleep.

I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night and she couldn't remember any of it in the morning. That isn't normal for children, right?

-Tachibana

I haven't been around much because Renge recently fell ill with a dreadful flu. You think you've experienced hell; you've not experienced a petulant eight year old with a head-cold in the middle of the night who won't sleep. I swear Senri, she's just like you, wanting to wander everywhere. Keeping her in bed so she wouldn't get worse was perhaps the toughest job I've had yet.

I don't know how my parents ever dealt with me when I was ill. I think I shall have to thank them for being practical saints.

I still haven't been looking for a new house. I'm wondering whether it's worth it or not. I shall have to ask Renge as well, but really, it's more convenient to live here. At the same time, there isn't much room for two people and a dog.

-Tachibana

Things have been busy lately. There was a soup-kitchen held yesterday and I was helping out there, by making food and helping serve it. Renge was running around trying to help as well, which was adorable. But it made me think a little, about how we're all able to make a change. It's not exactly difficult to make soup after all, anybody could make it in something close to 10 or 15 minutes and help out so many people, yet so few help out.

I guess this comes from me finding that most people thinking that change comes from huge events that happen due to charismatic people, but really, change can come from anyone. As a culture, we tend to let things as it is, accepting it as it is, not wanting to change. I feel that we need to stand up to change what we feel is wrong. Or nothing will ever happen. The people, after all, help a charismatic person to rise to power.

In a less solemn note, the cooking videos that I've been doing with Marui-kun seem to be popular. There are a lot of views (more than I expected), probably since there are english subtitles too. It's been enjoyable doing them as well, so I'm glad that they're successful.

-Tachibana

Renge is having the time of her life here. Thank you to everyone who's been indulging her whims so far; she's never had a chance to do this before, so I'm grateful. I wish I could do this for more children, but I haven't the resources to help them.

It's been very nice to get a chance to relax. I thank you, Atobe-san.

-Tachibana