にほんじかの間奏曲
*** Sika Interlude (Ume POV) ***
When I finished my story about Hanayome-shin, Shishi stirred. “You had it rough, too.”
After a moment, she continued, “I wish we could stay here forever. Leave our past and our troubles behind. Listen, how peaceful it is.”
The glade was indeed peaceful. In a week, the sakura should bloom. It would be nice to see them. So different from the hospital. It was hard to remember that we had just run away from a youkai bent on cutting our legs off.
Regretfully, we got up and sprinkled the stray rice grains from our meal in front of the Jizo statues.
“There is something about this place.” Shishi continued. “I should be afraid after Kashima-san, but I’m not. It’s so peaceful. It’s not like the other places we have been. I feel like we belong here, don’t you?”
I felt the same way, but knew it wasn’t true. We didn’t belong here. If we let feelings like that lull us into complacency, eventually Mikawa-san would find us. She belonged in Kakuriyo; we didn’t.
“We need to find the kudan’s mate,” I said and started down the hill toward the road.
When we reached the bottom, Shishi stopped and picked some violets. “For the Princess,” she said and started handing me a bouquet. I reached out for them, only for her to jerk them away and send violets showering down upon my head with a sweeping motion.
“No, fair,” I complained, but I didn’t really mind. She was smiling and laughing. If having a few flowers sprinkled on me gave her so much joy, I didn’t mind at all. In return, I saw a smile that broke the cuteness meter. There was no way it could handle the load.
Reaching up, I swept the blossoms from the top of my head into my hand, sprinkled them in her hair, and said, “Violets for my violet.” In response, she darted away, laughing, and I gave chase.
“Look,” Shishi called, stopping at the clearing exit. Someone had carved a heart on a tree with “Arisu + Sakuma” written inside.
Shishi looked between me and the heart, and I opened my mouth to speak my feelings, but at that moment there was a crashing sound, shattering the mood. We looked back into the glen to see a large deer standing at the far side. Its head swung from side to side as if sniffing the air.
I’d never heard of a youkai deer, but there was no point in taking a chance. “Let’s go,” I said and plunged into the dimness of the forest again. The trees arched over the road as the forest closed in around us.
We continued on the road for another half hour when it petered out and became a trail that began climbing the hills. The way wasn’t steep, but frequent patches of snow made the way harder. We were winded by the time the path emerged from the forest onto another road that continued up the slope. Above us, low bushes covered the hills, and the horizon appeared nearly within reach.
It turned out to be further than I thought. The road headed up but would periodically descend into shallow dales with icy rivulets running through them. When the road passed through the water, the ground became marshy, and we were glad to be wearing boots. Other than that, the path was clear except in areas of deep shade where we carefully picked our way through half-thawed snow. In the first of these dales, we began seeing sika deer grazing amid the low shrubs.
“They’re cute,” Shishi commented when we first saw them. She tried offering them candy from her pocket, and they gathered just out of reach, examining us, but would come no closer. We could gaze at them with wondering eyes, but if we tried to bridge that last gap, they would dart off.
“You know, they’re the only normal animals we’ve seen in Kakuriyo.”
“This is nothing like any place I’ve been before,” Shishi agreed. “You think we’re still in Kakuriyo?”
I looked at the bright azure sky, nothing like the dull steel gray colors we had seen before. “No sun,” I said as I pointed to the empty sky.
“Oh, I hadn’t noticed, but you’re right. Still, it feels different, like it’s welcoming us.”
I nodded.
It took another hour to reach the crest of the hills. A cutting breeze greeted us, but the view was spectacular. Below was a steep decline that plunged into a forest. Beyond that spread a grassy plain, dotted occasionally with small groves, brooks, and what might be buildings. Above was a sunless azure sky.
I heard Shishi tell herself, “There’s no one to bother us here.”
I responded, “No one but Kashima-san and her kind.”
“Touché,” she replied, a phrase she had picked up from me.
We turned to go when I spotted something in the woods further down the ridge. “Look, there’s a tiled roof in those trees.”
Sure enough, we could see a gabled irimoya roof, like one you would see on a traditional manor or temple, with lapis-blue kawara shingles that blended in with the azure sky, partly obscured by a grove of old cedars. The road curved, following the ridgeline toward it.
“I don’t see any spirits. Maybe we will find the kudan’s mate there,” Shishi said. “Or the owner can tell us where to find it.”
I wasn’t reassured, but not knowing where to look, it was as good a place as any.
The wind had swept the road clean of snow, and we made good time and soon entered an ancient grove of cedars. About ten meters into the grove, we reached a large wrought-iron gate in the middle of a high brick wall decorated with red and blue tiles. Through the open gate, I could see the unpainted wooden exterior of a large traditional manor.
Shishi took another look for apparitions before I led the way through the gate. Inside, we found a lovely garden with a white gravel path winding through a carefully groomed lawn. Stone lanterns stood at each bend in the path, and at the end were large black garden stones. Along the wall were well-tended trees that stood wrapped in protective bamboo mats.
The sound of crickets singing broke the silence we had grown used to. It was a peaceful, soothing sound. Was it to lull us into complacency?
Shishi didn’t seem to have the same doubts I did and asked, “Shall we see if anyone’s home?”
Like the day I’d first met Hanayome-shin outside the sakura grove, I should have been frightened, but I wasn’t. I had to remind myself we might find a malevolent youkai, oni, or another hostile owner. But Mikito-sensei had said this was the most favorable place for us to find the kudan’s mate. Maybe Shishi was right, and there was a clue here. I had no better ideas, so we continued.
A paper lattice door under a gabled roof was at the far end of the path. The air was warmer here. Bamboo cricket cages hung on either side. A welcoming light came through the paper.
I stood looking at the door. The sense that it was safe was illogical. I should take a warning from that. Knocking would warn any inhabitant we were there, but just entering would be rude and might turn a helpful host into a hostile one.
I reached up and knocked loudly.
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Note:
It’s better than wandering around alone. But what will they find, an oni perhaps?
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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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