*** Hanayome-shin’s Wrath (Tomo POV) ***
Silence descended as quickly as the cacophony had arisen.
I looked at Kan-chan and if I was half as pale as she was, we could have been mistaken for ghosts.
“What should we do?” I finally asked. “Is it Mikawa?”
Kan-chan shrugged. “We can wait for Kao or investigate. But it doesn’t sound like Mikawa. It’s daytime, and that isn’t her style.”
“Then, let’s look. I’m not sure I could stand to sit around waiting.”
Despite the disclaimer, my companion seemed to have an idea of what had happened and walked to the shrine screen she and her partner had helped me set upright days earlier.
I joined her, and we peeped in.
It was a wonder the screen still stood because inside lay a ruin. The shrine looked like lightning had struck it, scattering wood splinters all over. Broken pieces of branches, twigs, and flower petals lay mixed in the carnage. And in the middle lay Hanayome-shin’s box, still wrapped in unwrinkled white silk. The neat pattern of sakura blossoms on it mocked the surrounding wreckage.
I pulled a sliver of wood from the screen, showing it to Kan-chan. “Good thing the screen didn’t blow over. We might have been shredded.”
“Is that her box?” Kan-chan pointed at the silk-wrapped object.
I nodded, and she took my arm, leading me away. “We should leave her in peace. I think she is upset about something.” It was typical Kan-chan. Straight to the point, without adornment.
“Should I make an offering? I have some good sake that I was saving for her?”
Kan-chan replied with the adage, “Don’t wake a sleeping child.”
Point taken.
We sat at the kitchen table, and I asked, “You think she’s upset because Ume is dead?”
“No idea,” was the only answer I got. Not reassuring.
After that, I waited in silence, nervously smoking. Kan-chan looked perfectly calm till she said, “Worried you’ll have to marry her.”
I was offended for a moment and then laughed. The joke was pure Kan-chan. She couldn’t read the room for the life of her.
Soon after that, there was a knock on the door and I went to let Kao in. As I crossed the living room, my phone buzzed. I signaled Kan-chan to get the door while I looked to see who was calling and was relieved to see Ume’s name.
I was about to tell Kan-chan my news when I thought better of it. I was only a half-dozen steps from the shrine and Ume’s name might set Hanayome-shin off again. Instead, I said, “Meet me in the kitchen.” Which is where I hurried before answering the phone.
“Moshi moshi,” I said as soon as I hit the answer button.
“Moshi moshi.” My heart leapt at hearing Ume’s voice. I’d half expected a trick by Mikawa.
“You’re alive!” I burst out,
“Yeah, sorry to disappoint you. Shiomi and I are both still alive. I would’ve called sooner, but we didn’t have a good signal.”
At that moment, Kan-chan and Kao walked into the kitchen and I mouthed, “Ume. She’s alive.” And then resumed talking to Ume.
“What happened? We were really worried, and your guardian freaked out.”
“Yabai. She wanted me to give Shiomi up, but I wouldn’t. But I’ll tell the story when I get home. It’s too long for the phone.”
There was a pause before she continued, “There’s something I need to tell you, and you won’t be happy. Hanayome-shin smashed the front windshield when I stood up to her. It’s bad. I’ll have to stop in Numata and get it fixed. As it is, I need to avoid the main roads.”
At that moment, I wouldn’t have cared if she said a youkai had flattened the car. For days, I’d worried she was dead and then Hanayome-shin’s return convinced me things had gone badly wrong. Ume was much more important than a windshield.
“But I have good news!” Ume continued. “Shiomi understands Mikawa is dead and dangerous.”
Ume sounded happy, making me feel guilty for not feeling the same way. I didn’t want Shiomi dead, but that meant we still had to deal with Shiomi’s problems. So I put as much enthusiasm into my reply as I could. “That’s great, Ume.” Then I realized this was good news. Now, Shiomi could renounce Mikawa. So I repeated with more enthusiasm, “That’s great!”
“So, I have news from my end too,” I continued., “There’re people from Chinmoku Izumi Temple here. They’ve been helping me.”
“I knew I could count on you. I’ll try to get home before dark. But if I can’t, I’ll stay in Numata and call. Look, I’m sorry about the trouble I’ve caused you. You’ve been a great sport and I appreciate it. Shiomi appreciates it.” There was a pause and then Ume’s voice returned, lower than before. “I really appreciate you, and you’re the best husband a girl could ask for.”
We said goodbye after that, and I got off the phone feeling even guiltier. Why did it have to be Shiomi?
*** Debts (Ume POV) ***
*** 負債 ***
I’d pulled off the road at the small temple to check my phone. There were no new weird messages, but there were a bunch of worried texts from Tomo and one from my boss saying, “We have re-evaluated our labor needs and need to talk to you about that.” An ominous-sounding message that could only mean bad news.
The date on my phone’s front panel showed several days had passed in the mundane world, explaining Tomo’s and my boss’s messages. I’d disappeared again, leaving everyone to wonder what was happening.
Despite worrying about how Tomo would react to my news, I needed to call him immediately. I owed him that much. My boss could wait.
Tomo surprised me as usual and when I got off the phone I said, “That went better than I expected. I thought he’d be upset about the windshield.”
Not only was it an expense we couldn’t afford, but he loved that clunker, warts and all. He might not have been so forgiving If I’d told him about the message from my boss.
There was no point in worrying about that now. I might as well look on the bright side. I resumed, “Tomo puts up with a lot from me. He’s wonderful.”
“You really love him, don’t you?” Shiomi sounded forlorn, but I hadn’t noticed then. I was still overjoyed Tomo was being such a good sport about everything.
I should have said how happy he was that she was alive. Instead, I said, “He’s great. He didn’t even mention we can’t afford this.”
She looked uncomfortable, then said, “I’d help if I could, but I don’t have any money. Mikawa kept it all.” Then sounding brighter, adding, “But I could sell some of our things. No one will miss them.”
“You don’t have to. It’s not like you owe me. I’m just a white knight blundering around on my nag.”
I wasn’t sure why she looked unhappy. Something I’d said? So I amended my statement to, “I was joking. I’d be happy if you could help, but keep anything you need or value.”
It would’ve been nice if I could have told her not to sell anything, but I wasn’t sure how we would make it financially. I had a credit card that I seldom used, and the car repairs could go on it. Paying it off might be a problem if that message meant I thought.
“I wish I could help more. You’ve never complained about how much I cost. Cigarettes, food, and now car repairs.”
“You help around the house.”
“Yeah, right. Tomo does most of it. He even cleans up things I just cleaned.”
I didn’t know that, but it didn’t surprise me. I’d given up cleaning because it never satisfied him.
“Look.” Shiomi showed me a pack of Camel Lights. “Expensive cigs. I’ve never had it so good. When I was on my own, I couldn’t afford them and Mikawa said I cost too much. She said I owed her, and I made do with whatever was cheapest.”
“Well, you don’t owe me.”
“Yes, I do, and not just because of the money. You saved my life a bunch of times, and how did I repay you? I swore at you; implied you just wanted my body; took things that didn’t belong to me. When I freaked out and demanded it, you tried taking me to my aunt’s. I never even thanked you. I’ve been a little shit. So, please don’t feel you have to buy me expensive stuff.”
“If I have to buy cheap smokes for myself, I’ll cut back. Otherwise, I couldn’t do that. And please don’t compare me with Mikawa. I am nothing like her.”
“No, you’re not. I couldn’t ever make up for what you’ve done, but I’ll do my best. I have many faults, but I’m loyal and pay my debts. Mika never believed that, but I am.”
“Indeed,” I thought. “A samurai ready to fall on her sword.” It would’ve been easy to take advantage of Shiomi. I just needed to stake my claim, like Mikawa. Only with kindness and generosity. Shiome’d probably see it as a good thing. Moving from a cruel mistress to a caring one.
The thought of “owning” someone, though, was utterly repugnant. I supposed D&S might be okay. This was different. It was duty, not choice. “I want love, not obligation,” I thought bitterly.
My mood carried over into my next statement. “Can you call some auto glass places? Find a place that can do the work today and accepts credit cards.”
A few calls later, she said, “I found a place that says they can do it. It’s within walking distance of the café we ate at.”
I couldn’t miss the wistful tone in her voice. Well, at least our relationship was friendly. I couldn’t be mistaken about that. Maybe it wasn’t everything I wished for, but it was still nice that she didn’t hate me anymore. “Then we’ll walk there while they fix the car and get some ramen, no alcohol, and I promise not to seduce you?”
The joke fell flat, and she responded, “Don’t force yourself.”
“We’re back to that,” I thought, missing her meaning. Tomo was right, I was a disaster lesbian. Instead, I continued focusing on the food, saying, “We don’t have to if you don’t want.”
“No, no. I want to. Even if it is only ramen.”
Still dense, I thought it was a funny thing to say after telling me I didn’t need to spend money on her. Ramen wasn’t good enough? Or did she want a drink? I didn’t ask though and instead inquired, “Check on buses or trains home.”
She returned to researching on the phone and soon responded that it was about a three to four-hour bus ride. That meant being on a bus at night, which was a bad idea with Mikawa still hunting us.
We soon arrived at the auto shop and turned the Tanto over to a polite young man who promised to have it done by closing. I explained I wasn’t a local and it would be very inconvenient if it wasn’t done by then. He reassured me he would personally see to it.
Shiomi and I set out on foot for the café. It was a ten-minute walk and when we turned onto 401, we stopped dead. Just down the road where the café should have been was a burnt shell. I could hear Shiomi starting to whisper, “No, no, no. Why? Everything I touch.”
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Note:
No one is happy right now. Shiomi wishes life wasn’t hell. Ume wishes Shiomi cared more for her. Tomo, Mikawa, and Hanayome-shin all wish Shiomi and Ume cared less for each other.
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Story by Nara Moore
Twitter/X:@nara_moore
Mastodon: sakurajima.moe
WordPress: Josei Yuri and Paranormal Romance
Art by Mai-sensei
Twitter: @Maiisheree
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