Gamble is hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.
He's been with me for just over a month, now, and I can't teach him anything.
We started with tea ceremony, which is my favorite of my hobbies. He loves watching me. It's quite flattering. His eyes are as big as the tea bowls as I do everything from measure the matcha to pour the water. He does seem to love hearing me explain the reason for choosing each of the bowls and tools, and he also loves my explanation for the snacks that I have chosen to serve with the tea. But as soon as the tea and snacks are actually before him, he scarfs them down with no grace! He seems incapable of the slow, purposeful movements required for this performance.
None of my other attempts were successful either. He told me outright he refused to dance and sing. He just sat in the corner with his mouth clamped shut when I brought it up. We attempted ikebana, but he finishes every piece in a manner of 30 seconds and can't seem to understand why I disapprove every time.
He refuses to wear collars, even though I bought him a beautiful masculine one. It was gold with stripes of a gradient from white to black. He looked absolutely charming in it, but he complained it was scratchy and the little idiot actually went swimming in it, nearly ruining the thing!
He is so uncultured that it drives me mad!
But he isn't a bad pup. He does basically anything I tell him to. He looks up at me with such admiration in his bright blue eyes (I realize he has our mother's eyes, but they don't share her broken spirit). He would be a perfect student, but I understand that he doesn't have any desire to be what I am. He is rough and rowdy, the way a little boy should be, I suppose. My father must have been so proud of him, until he started questioning about me.
The first full day he was with me, I went to all of my associates who I was planning on visiting and dragged him along, explaining to them that I couldn't stay and socialize and introducing him as the reason for my absence. But I assured them I would be back to business as usual the very next day. Then the two of us swam around the island, trying to locate a place where he could live. Realistically, I know he's too young to be on his own, but there's absolutely no way he can be with me at all times. We found a very small island, I think it was once a buffer island similar to my home in Tokyo. It has a nice view of the torii gate on the ocean, and he can watch all the ferry boats bringing tourists in. It's a very short swim from my cave, thankfully.
My own cave is very large, and actually has many entrances and exits through underground tunnels. This tiny probably manmade island has nothing of the sort. It's overrun with trees and brush. I was born in a den dug into the earth, but I have much higher tastes than that. So I was surprised that Gamble was content just living in a hole buried into the dirt under a tree root. He told me he preferred the sea to the land, and didn't need rooms or anything like I did. Regardless, I didn't want him to merely survive out here. I want him to be happy! So I filled his den with blankets and pillows. It's cold here, after all.
He heads to his little home whenever I tell him to. And when I want him around, there he is, as though he has some psychic connection to me. He pops his little head in, shakes water all over my nice things, and then cracks a warm and irresistible smile.
I didn't want this to happen. He has my mother's eyes, and I can't help but think of all the discouraging looks she gave me through my childhood. Despite it all... I really do love my little brother.
He's been with me for just over a month, now, and I can't teach him anything.
We started with tea ceremony, which is my favorite of my hobbies. He loves watching me. It's quite flattering. His eyes are as big as the tea bowls as I do everything from measure the matcha to pour the water. He does seem to love hearing me explain the reason for choosing each of the bowls and tools, and he also loves my explanation for the snacks that I have chosen to serve with the tea. But as soon as the tea and snacks are actually before him, he scarfs them down with no grace! He seems incapable of the slow, purposeful movements required for this performance.
None of my other attempts were successful either. He told me outright he refused to dance and sing. He just sat in the corner with his mouth clamped shut when I brought it up. We attempted ikebana, but he finishes every piece in a manner of 30 seconds and can't seem to understand why I disapprove every time.
He refuses to wear collars, even though I bought him a beautiful masculine one. It was gold with stripes of a gradient from white to black. He looked absolutely charming in it, but he complained it was scratchy and the little idiot actually went swimming in it, nearly ruining the thing!
He is so uncultured that it drives me mad!
But he isn't a bad pup. He does basically anything I tell him to. He looks up at me with such admiration in his bright blue eyes (I realize he has our mother's eyes, but they don't share her broken spirit). He would be a perfect student, but I understand that he doesn't have any desire to be what I am. He is rough and rowdy, the way a little boy should be, I suppose. My father must have been so proud of him, until he started questioning about me.
The first full day he was with me, I went to all of my associates who I was planning on visiting and dragged him along, explaining to them that I couldn't stay and socialize and introducing him as the reason for my absence. But I assured them I would be back to business as usual the very next day. Then the two of us swam around the island, trying to locate a place where he could live. Realistically, I know he's too young to be on his own, but there's absolutely no way he can be with me at all times. We found a very small island, I think it was once a buffer island similar to my home in Tokyo. It has a nice view of the torii gate on the ocean, and he can watch all the ferry boats bringing tourists in. It's a very short swim from my cave, thankfully.
My own cave is very large, and actually has many entrances and exits through underground tunnels. This tiny probably manmade island has nothing of the sort. It's overrun with trees and brush. I was born in a den dug into the earth, but I have much higher tastes than that. So I was surprised that Gamble was content just living in a hole buried into the dirt under a tree root. He told me he preferred the sea to the land, and didn't need rooms or anything like I did. Regardless, I didn't want him to merely survive out here. I want him to be happy! So I filled his den with blankets and pillows. It's cold here, after all.
He heads to his little home whenever I tell him to. And when I want him around, there he is, as though he has some psychic connection to me. He pops his little head in, shakes water all over my nice things, and then cracks a warm and irresistible smile.
I didn't want this to happen. He has my mother's eyes, and I can't help but think of all the discouraging looks she gave me through my childhood. Despite it all... I really do love my little brother.