1 Year later

It has been a hellish year because my bad premonition of growing up, that's why 'I hate it when I'm right....' I found myself sighing once more, due to this I don't know how much good luck is left for my future.

Growing up was pain, in both physical sense and psychological way. Growing pains were a sensation I had no fond memory in my past life and I finally get why, it hurts like bitch every damn day. No wonder babies constantly cry for no good reason, we're crying in pain people! then there is the whole ' I'm baby situation ' so I should not understand anything that is going on around me but I do and it's become a topic around the neighbourhood is that how aware I am of the situation around me.

'Humph, even in the early days' gossip groups exists.' I thought.

I roughly have the estimation where I am right now, it's not modern-day, my family don't even have the cheapest home appliance, It's the 17th century, in Edo, modern-day Tokyo, where is the residence of Emperor, few things that supported that was every one uses the old unit of measurement or the shakkanhō (尺貫法, "shaku–kan system")

1891 definitions Unit Definition Conversions Romanised Kanji Length metres metres feet shaku 尺 10⁄33 0.3030 0.9942 Area square

metres square

metres square

feet tsubo 坪 100⁄30.25 3.306 35.58 Volume litres litres US

gallons Imperial

gallons shō 升 2401⁄1331 1.804 0.4765 0.3968 Mass kilograms kilograms pounds kan 貫 15⁄4 3.750 8.267 Note: Definitions are exact and conversions are rounded to four significant figures.

If these are what I remembered, and another would the patrolmen carried muskets and spears, and other few things I heard between the conversation of my current mother and father, which are that my father was once in a high position in the army or you can say he is a certified samurai. He left the army before marrying my mother and taking over both of their family business because the maternal family has, the only mother as an heir. My father even showed his musket and gun which he took with him when he left the army, he still does maintenance from time to time in front of me.

Speaking of business my father family has the business of textiles and my maternal family is on the business of books, yes books, I didn't think a day I would see books weigh in golds, I had seen many times my mother ripping people of their money in business. Yes, my mother is better at business than my father she alone can handle the business of both the families and she has the final say in both the matter of family and business. I had even seen my father sitting in seiza in front of my mother. As for my house its in the business sector Edo.

"Boo!" Hina chooses this moment come out of the corner she was hiding making me jump slightly. I slowly turned toward the odd woman who can shoulder throw any trained man, which was my mother and stared. We spent a few moments in silence before a grin slowly appeared on her face.

"No reaction even today huh?" Hina asked

"Humph close but no cigar," I said in a dismissive tone. Well, I tried to but all that came out of my mouth was baby babble.

"Hahaha." Hina laughed all the same as if she understood my intention before scooping me up and putting me in a basket tied to her back. She gathered all the things she needed for the day( money, smaller handbasket, bento, sun hat, etc) before turning toward and asking "ready?"

"Yes sir" baby babble was her answer.

Smiling once opened the door we were greeted with the sun low in the sky blanketing the earth in its orange haze. People were already on the street. going for work, opening their shops on both sides of the road, restaurants were open serving tea and dimsums for breakfast, wives and kids going to vegetable and fish market, for fresh ingredients. Hina greeted the other wives who she knew personally. 

On the way to store they were greeted by pair mother and daughter, "Hey Hina, Goodmorning, everything alright?"

"Oh hi, Himari, morning is alright, today will be a very busy day" Hina answered. Himari was a seamstress employed by my mother in the shop. Oh, and she also had a very cute daughter, her name is Sakura. when she will grow up she will as beautiful as her mother a big breasted beauty.

"And how is Benjiro-san, is his arm doing fine now?" Hina asked.

"Dr Eijji prescribed some pain killer and medicine for stress relieve. And ordered him to take a week rest from his last job, you know him and his passion for his work, you can even call him workaholic, Seriously when he gets so engrossed in his work he does not even care for his health, you know." Himari answered.

Benjiro is the husband of Himari, he and my father worked in the army together, and were discharged together, he is also a bladesmith, he takes custom made order from samurais in Edo and also a well-known figure in this parts of the city.

Himari chooses this moment to look at me and I stared right back into the women's eyes. For a time I tried to act my age, I tried not making expression for everything and react how a baby reacts in general. 'Yeah, nope sorry this isn't working out'. Not even three months into my new life I was ready to give up and try my chances in a new one. 'I'd probably end up in another baby's body.' I just couldn't play with wooden toys for longer than 10 minutes before putting them down and contemplating life. Then there were playdates with neighbour's babies and that just went swimmingly. I would just stare at them for the better part of the hour since I couldn't talk, they would not even understand me I could, or just mess with them by poking them and making them giggle, or wrestle with my undeveloped motor function and stubby limbs. The diaper change was also something I slowly got used to liking, breastfeeding (I made it my mission, however, to come off uncomfortable about it even though it wasn't half bad). Overall it was mind-numbing, tiresome being a baby and I was coming to terms with the fact I may never get the life I had before my death, so I have been taking to the name Kazuo Hideyoshi more often than not, it was slow but it was progressing. Anyway, after acting however I liked rumours started flying around the community about and incredibly outlandish and eccentric baby that can look into your soul with just a glance. While my mom and dad didn't care what others thought about me (mom just said they are jealous of her baby-boy who is such a genius) superstition like that spread quickly and fast and as result, my baby dates were reduced much to my appreciation, but there was still little regret that I won't be able to annoy anyone anymore, oh well to get something, you have to lose something.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"...Still, with the piercing glare, every time we meet huh? is it my face?" Himari was part of the minority that was not scared of me in my family's circle of acquaintance. 'Scared cause a child look at you funny, people of this era are full of idiots,'

"I don't glare I keep respectful eye contact." Baby babble ensued

That got a small chuckle from the two mothers and a curious look from the baby girl peeking from Himari's back.

"So, how is Sakura doing these days?" Hina asked as the baby was usually left at home with her relatives.

"She is fine, her grandmother hurt her back. So she will not be able to handle her, so I brought her with me, I will leave her in the crib as she had just drunk milk, she will soon be asleep till evening. It will not be a problem will it?" Himari asked.

"It will not be a problem, I also leave him in the crib he does not even whine much" Hina answered giving her consent.

"Yeah, even if my daughter was like that, how good it would be," Himari whined.

Hearing this Sakura babbled as if she understood her mother was bad-mouthing her in front of a stranger. 'Good grief women and their instincts, even a one-year-old girl knows if someone is bad-mouthing them.'

Thankfully at some point, we arrived at big storage where my mother supervises a group of female workers who are a seamstress."Girls, we have a big order from the temple, and we have until next week to finish the order. So chop-chop we have to finish the order even we have to work till late hours."

"Ehh..hhhhh!"All Girls whined at once.

"let me finish first, for this rush job I have a reward for everyone" Hina gave carrot to them.

"What?" one of the girls asked.

"I will give you a bonus, and one-meter cloth each understands, So no tardiness. So what are you girls waiting to begin" As Hina ordered everyone went to their designated station to start their work.

I along with Sakura were bought to behind the storage which is covered by a partition and a window is opened in the opposite side so air can circulate 'It can very hot during summers you know, and when humidity is very high as a bitch, and I curse the sun for it, I am a modern man of convenience you know, I can't forget them that easily' 

When it was almost mid-day, a break was given for shift change, my mother came and picked me up and went to an adjacent shop of books.

"Hey," Hina said softly.

"hi," Kaito returned with a goofy grin.

They give each other a slow but passionate kiss and didn't separate for a while. I couldn't help but admire their relationship, the knew each other better than they knew themselves and they always seem so happy together. I rarely see them fight and they do it's either due to mom overprotectiveness of me or dad's mischievous sides come out to play or both. One is Japanese Yamato Nadeshiko and other is stoic looking, funny father.

"Hey sport" Speaking of mischief.

Dad picks me up from the mom's back basket as he held me up.

"Still we the tough guy act?" Dad questioned.

I just stared at my father and having an idea where this was going just gave a cheeky smirk.

"Oh?" Dad's eyed gain fire to them.

Mom took this time to go to the courtyard at the back of the shop to open the bento she prepared this morning for lunch." Danna-sama what doing-oh god!"

He chucked me high in the air, not to to be dangerous but enough for it to take a second for me to start falling back down, right into his arms. Giggles escaped me almost instantly and my dad was about to join me in laughter...instead upside the head by Hina.

"Are you crazy!? what if you dropped him!?" She was pissed

"I wasn't going to." Kaito defended

"Yeah, he wasn't going to" I backed him up with some babble

"Quiet!" Hina was having none of it.

It quickly became a 15-minute lesson on how dangerous (not really) and stupid (read fun) that was the end of it, Dad after having lunch retreated to counter of the store since his break was over but in reality, he will sleep on it and my mom returned to the storage and placed me with Sakura and bunch of toys so she can get to sewing with others. After a while they learned they can leave me alone in a room by myself and it'd be fine, I'd cry if I really need them.

'Alright, what do we have here?' I looked at the toys in front of me and after 10 minutes I eventually choose to go with plan B.

'Look out into empty space and daydream it is.' With the amount of time, I went with plan B, I should really just start calling it, plan A.

As I start to think about the past year, I only had one thing to say. 'I can't even be upset anymore.' Born in a relatively peaceful neighbourhood, having enough food and warmth to get by comfortably. A mother and father who loves me unconditionally no matter how odd and quirky I'am. If reincarnation route was a lottery I can honestly say I hit a jackpot, no matter what anyone says. Sure I miss my family and friends but this life is more than making up for any depression I had. I was happy.

It was then an odd sensation washed over me and I knew I was in for something I liked to call Zen mode. You know when you are in class and your teacher is so painfully boring that your brain has no choice but to unconsciously zone out and you blank out for the rest of it? that's basically zen mode and lately, like 2 weeks ago, I learned to actively control when I want to go in this mode, the result of one year of doing nothing but sitting in a place and trying to zone out. I let my mind clear itself as I sat unmoving, like a statue, and because I'm not thinking of anything like semi-sleep, not awake but not sleeping.

'Wait..' I noticed something.'... What is that?' 

I looked for where the strange feeling was coming from and after some time I found it, it was a small, white, clear ball. It didn't physically exist, it was something ethereal, something which exists ....inside of me? Next thing I knew I was sucked into my subconsciousness and I ended up in a pitch-black space. With a clear white ball floating in front of me. The ball was as large as me now when I got a good look at it felt familiar for some reason as if it was there the whole time and you forgot it and happened to stumble on it by chance. My eyes roamed at the black space and then finally landed on the sphere. I noticed I had a body (but I'm in my mind). I slowly raised my baby arm, lightly reaching toward the ball of light and when I met the air even when I was clearly touching the ball I proceeded to plunge my whole arm inside, all the way to the shoulder. I waited for a second...I waited some more...nothing happened.

'Well, that was anti climat-' I didn't get to finish as the white light turned into a stream and started flowing into my arm and I came back to the present. I immediately looked down at my right arm...it was glowing. As I took a closer look I realised a thick white see-through aura was covering my entire right arm in a protective matter. I tried squeezing my hand and there was no resistance and tried moving my arm there was no hindrance either...This was weird. This was very weird. And Sakura was looking at my hand in a curious gaze. As my mind tried to a sense of why my arm suddenly became a glow stick after having some weird daydream, a logical answer never arrived. After staring at my arm for an unknown amount of time, my left arm finally started reaching for my right arm, to see if the white light was actually there. It never got the chance as the aura disappeared, leaving me wondering what before heavy fatigue hit me and I passed out.

'What the fu-' was my last coherent thought.

An Unknown Amount of Time Later 

I woke up groggy and after the initial haze past I found myself under the familiar ceiling, the sun was set and moonlight seeped through the window.

"Look who is up." Hina voice spoke up from the chair next to my bed, she was reading a book.

I turned my now clear gaze toward my mother before feeling a problem that I was hungry, no I was starving.

"It's a bit late you never did get your evening milk so..." Hina picked me up to breastfeed.

As if I just found an oasis in the scorching desert, I sucked like crazy and filled my stomach in 5 minutes top. Hina surprised by my vigour.

"Today you are very hungry isn't? here drink from this one to." that one did not last for long either, after feeling satisfied I gave a satisfied" Burrrp!". Hina lift me up to her eye level and spoke.

"Well someone was hungry." My mom was unfazed by my unusual hunger. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes thank you," which came as another loud burp that shot right into her face.

"Hahaha."That gave Maddie a good laugh and she kissed me on the nose before placing me back on the bed tucking me in.

"Sweet dreams." Hina made for the door to finish so unfinished business, she and dad stopped trying to lull me to sleep as I never went to sleep when the did that I am grown soul for god sake you know not the child they can trick with candies.

I stared at the door for a while before sitting up and remembering what happened earlier today.

'Did that really happened?' Or was it some weird hallucination?' I didn't know if what happened was real or not all I just have to do was find out. Looking down at my hand I close my eyes a tried feeling the same feeling I felt during the day. When I opened my eyes again I was in front of the white sphere with the ethereal glow floating harmlessly in front of me.

'Wait...did it get bigger?' It did was a minor increase but it was there.

Remembering how this went last time I hesitated before steeling my resolve. I slowly both hands-on the surface not going any deeper. Like last time the white ball turned into a stream but this time I hand semblance of control, it slowly trickled into my hand. I opened my eyes and stared down at my hands. They were glowing in a clear white aura it was if my arms are covered in mittens. Taking a deep breath I calmed down my heart I didn't have much time as the aura was slowly getting thinner so my stamina, I looked around my bed and trying to find something to test this on and found nails sticking out of the bed's sides, I grabbed it and pulled it started to come out a little after putting more pressure it totally came out. After grabbing it both hand I tried to bend it and it bends easily.

The white aura vanished completely once I finished my action and fatigued hit me once again, just enough to make me pass out like the last time. I fell back into my bed, breathing laboured and stared at the scrap metal, something no normal baby would be able to do heck even grown adult will have difficulty doing it with bare hands. A single thought entered my mind and I thought I would never have the privilege of thinking.

'I have superpower...' I laid there in a daze before a smile slowly appeared that threaten to split my face in two.' Holy shit... I have superpower!'

"hehe..!" I chuckled. "hehehehe.." I laughed some more. "Hahahahahahahahahah!" Until I was laughing out into the night.

Ask Kazuo and he will tell you it was the laugh of triumph and many celebrations. Ask his parents and they will tell you the house was filled with bell-like laughter of an incredibly happy child.