The air here felt much more breathable. Ikuyo had arrived the previous night to her great aunt Tatseki's house on Okano. It had been over a decade since she had last seen this place, and wasn't all too surprised to see it change accordingly. She was sitting cross legged on a futon looking out through old, wethered floor to ceiling windows. Beside her, carefully covered with a soft blanket was a baby boy. His head was covered in a black mess of hair. He was fast asleep. He was the reason she came home.<br/><br/>Her aunt had woken up fairly early, being used to the routine. She was hanging laundry on the line outside to dry and came back inside, replacing her shoes with house slippers. "Come get some breakfast, dear," she said as she passed the small guest room in which Ikuyo was sitting. "We're going up to see Fuyumi's house today. I think it'll be nice for you and your boy."<br/><br/>Ikuyo looked over her shoulder, sighing, and then she slowly stood, careful not to move the mattress too much. Sora needed his sleep... he had kept her up most of the night. She crept toward the door. The baby's soft whimpers stopped her and caused her to turn around and go back to him. His little face began to turn red and his cries came soon after. She was afraid of this happening. She crouched down to gngerly pick him up. And soon he calmed and went back to sleep. Ikuyo shook her head and continued out of the room to meet her aunt in the kitchen.<br/><br/>After breakfast, Ikuyo and Tatseki walked to a bus stop nearby the house. The local bus was small, and looked like it hadn't been replaced since the ton was new. Its windows were open as was the side door. But soon they reached the outskirts and there sat a small house, the sign out front had been there since Ikuyo was still a little girl. It had faded greatly. She looked around as she and her aunt got off of the bus, Ikuyo had Sora wrapped up in her arms. He was still asleep, miraculously.<br/><br/>"Your great uncle Yuri built this house with his own two hands," Tatseki recollected. "My brother-in-law is responsible for building many houses on this island. Rest his soul." She tapped the ground with her cane before hobbling herself up to the slightly risen porch, the old wood was rickety under her. She unlocked the door and slid it open, dust fell from the door frame and Ikuyo shielded Sora's face before entering the house. "I've managed to keep the inside clean. Looks a lot better than the outside." she looked at Ikuyo who was observing the main room. "This old hag can only do so much nowadays."<br/><br/>Ikuyo smiled some. "Thank you, Tatseki. You really didn't have to do this for me, you know."<br/><br/>"Oh," Tatseki waved her hand. "It's nothing. It'll be good for you to get away from that city." She turned and slid the door closed behind them. The only thing lighting the room was the sun coming in through the windows. "Now, I know I left a broom here somewhere..."