table of contents

prologue

Chapter 1: Fragrance sachets and sakura mochi, with a secret.

Chapter 2: Little Ayu and a small request.

Chapter 3: The missing rabbit and Minazuki.

Chapter 4: The reason for the continuing rain and tears.

　Afterword

　prologue

　If you are heading to Gigion from Kyoto Station, the best way is to take the bus.

　There are often long queues at the bus terminal in front of the station, but the buses come one after another so it's not a problem. If you don't like waiting, you can always take the train.

　However, if you take the train, you can't get there in one go; you have to transfer once.

　Ah, now that you mention it, it's only one transfer, so maybe the train would be fine. -- No, but the bus means there's no need to transfer, so there's nothing to worry about.

　Even if we miss a few buses, we're sure to get the bus.

　There are guides at the bus terminal and signs, so it's easy to find. If you get lost, just tell the guide "I want to go to Yayasaka Shrine," and you'll be sure to get there.

　Since you're here, why not stop by Yasaka Shrine since the bus stop is right nearby?

　Well, whatever it is, be careful.

　　　　＊

　──On the Shinkansen heading to Kyoto.

　Sakurai Ikoharu looked out the window, ruminating in her head on the words her uncle had repeated over the phone last night.

　He said a lot of things, but to sum it up, he said, "Take the bus from the station."

　It had been a long time since I had heard my uncle's voice, but as I talked on the phone, I couldn't help but smile, as he seemed the same as always.

"Listen, don't call me old man. I'm only 30 years old!" he would say, raising his voice in frustration, as if nothing had changed.

　Her uncle, Soujirou, is Koharu's father's younger brother.

　Since Juzo is his younger brother by a large margin, his father always seems to think of Sojiro as a "naughty child," and Koharu feels the same way.

　My mischievous uncle lived up to that image and lived a carefree life.

　As soon as I graduated from high school, I practically ran away from home and moved to Tokyo.

　I don't know why he left home, but I guess he was looking for the city.

　However, contrary to his longing, it seems that the city air did not suit Sojiro, and he moved around the city to Shinjuku and Shibuya, before finally settling in the atmospheric Asakusa.

　Perhaps because of this, on the phone he now sounded like a true Edokko.

　That may be true, as Sojiro had not returned to his parents' home in Kyoto even once in the twelve years since he ran away from home at the age of eighteen.

　He had previously had a huge fight with his parents and run away from home, so they were probably both stubborn.

　Koharu's father and other close relatives seemed to be optimistic, thinking that "Sojiro will probably get married soon, and then the relationship between father and son will be reconciled."

　However, the situation changed dramatically.

　Suddenly, without any warning, Koharu's father - who is now her grandfather - passes away. All of his relatives try to contact Sojiro, but are unable to find him, and he makes the big mistake of missing his father's funeral.

　Even he was very upset and remorseful about this, and feeling unable to leave his elderly mother alone, he has now returned to his parents' home in Kyoto, where he is quietly helping out with the family business.

　--Uncle Sojiro is already in his thirties.

　Koharu took a small sigh and leaned back in her chair.

　Even though we lived in the same city, we hadn't seen each other for a long time.

　I count on my fingers, wondering when we last met.

　That was four years ago, when I was in sixth grade.

　He was still in his twenties at the time. I remember him being such a handsome young man that I felt bad calling him "Uncle." When my friends in the neighborhood happened to see him, they shouted, "How cool!" and I felt happy, embarrassed, and a little proud.

　He is now in his thirties. Although he himself said so, he must have become a complete "old man."

　Koharu imagined what Soujirou must have looked like now that he'd aged, and a smile lit up the corners of her face.

　As she was lost in thought, a low, drawn-out voice echoed through the train, saying, "Next stop: Kyoto," and Koharu hurriedly stood up.

Koharu has a strong impression that Kyoto is a very faraway city.

　Maybe it's because whenever I went to Kyoto with my family, it always took hours by car. It takes at least seven hours by car from Tokyo to Kyoto.

　Once I was stuck in traffic for twelve hours.

　However, if you take the Shinkansen, it takes about two and a half hours to get there from Shinashinakawa Station.

　For Koharu, who had been prepared for a long journey, the two and a half hours felt surprisingly fast.

　Now, rolling a huge carry-on bag that must be half my body, I walk through the large, modern station, which seems a mismatch with the image of an ancient capital.

　Following Sojiro's orders, I headed to the bus terminal in front of the station without any hesitation.

　After crossing the North-South Passage, taking the escalator down to exit the station, the bus terminal was right in front of me.

　The staff are happy to answer tourists' questions and provide friendly guidance.

　It really made me realize that tourist destinations around the world are well-thought-out.

　The bus stop for the Gion-bound bus was particularly crowded with tourists, so it was easy to find, and Koharu joined the queue at the bus stop without asking any questions.

　Then, with all my strength, I lifted my carry-on bag and boarded the bus to Gion.

　Since it was a weekday, the bus stop was less crowded than I expected.

　However, she is unable to find a chair, so Koharu holds on tightly to the strap and looks out the window at Kyoto Tower.

　Now, when I see Kyoto Tower in front of the station, I have a strange sense of reality that I've really arrived in Kyoto, more so than when I first arrived at the modern Kyoto Station.

　It must be one of the symbols of Kyoto.

　The city bus slowly starts moving and leaves the station.

　The view in front of the station is quite ordinary, with a large electronics store and a hotel.

　However, as you pass Sanjusangendo, Gojozaka, Kiyomizumichi and other places, the scenery changes to that of an ancient capital.

　Finally, at the sixth stop, we arrived at Gion.

　I was admiring the scenery and time flew by, I thought to myself as I picked up my carry-on bag again and got off the bus, and just as Sojiro had said, Yasaka Shrine was right in front of me.

「............」

　What should I do? Should I go and worship?

　Koharu looked down at the carry-on bag at her feet and shook her head.

　I don't feel like going with all that luggage.

　Yasaka Shrine has many stairs, so it's best to go when you don't have any luggage.

　I nodded in agreement, turned my back on Yasaka Shrine, and headed west along Shishijo-dori Street.

　Lined up are souvenir shops, dried goods stores, pickle shops, general stores, Kyoto candy stores, and coffee shops. Under the eaves, paper lanterns and shop curtains sway.

　As expected of Gion Shopping Street, it is full of atmosphere and is as lively as a festival.

　The unchanged atmosphere of the shopping district made Koharu feel a sense of security, as if she had returned to her hometown. After making sure she had crossed the north-south vertical road called Hanahanamimi Koji, she turned north.

　Furthermore, if you go further in, you will see "Tatsutatsumi Daimyojin".

　Also known as "Tatsumi Inari Inari."

　Although it is a very small shrine, its bright vermilion lanterns and candles give it a lovely and gorgeous appearance.

　Originally a shrine protecting the direction of Tatsumi, it is now a small shrine that attracts the faith of Gion's geiko (artists, dancers, and geisha) and is said to grant blessings for the improvement of performing arts.

　It brings back memories, Koharu thought, lowering the corners of her eyes.

　...I always came here when I came to visit my grandma.

　This shrine doesn't have any long stairs, and I've been familiar with it since I was a child. I have to greet people properly here.

　Koharu picked up her carry-on bag and entered the temple grounds.

　Just a few steps through the torii gate, the shrine is so small that the grounds are quite small.

　However, as soon as I stepped inside, I was greeted with a mysterious atmosphere reminiscent of another world.

　Koharu gently put her hands together.

"It's been a while. I look forward to working with you for a while."

　I muttered to myself.

　-- For a while. Although I don't know yet how long that will be.

　Thinking that, I gave a wry smile.

　I bowed to him and left the office. It was really close from here.

　After walking a little, you will see a storefront reminiscent of a traditional townhouse.

There is also a large sign that says "Sakuraan An."

　It is a two-story Japanese house with a store on the first floor and a residence on the second floor.

　In front of the store, carp streamers and May dolls made from crepe were lined up.

　The items include a hairpin with a cherry blossom and iris pattern, a Japanese umbrella, a purse with a clasp closure, and a bath mat that incorporates modern trends.

　Koharu's grandmother's family has been running a Japanese goods store for a long time.

　The items lined up in front of the store are just the sort of thing that girls would love.

　It seems that people sometimes tease and mock Sakurai and his two sons, thinking that they were suffocated by the cuteness of their daughter and left home early.

"--Hello."

　Feeling a little nervous, Koharu stepped through the cherry blossom patterned noren curtain.

　The voice that comes out of my mouth always ends up being small and high-pitched.

　The store is still overflowing with cute miscellaneous goods, and a faint, sweet fragrance fills the air.

　Several tourists were looking at the merchandise with amusement, and when Koharu came in and said "Hello," they looked at her quizzically for a moment, but then quickly lost interest.

"Hey, this is cute too," she said, returning her gaze to the product.

　The customers who have been coming here for a long time have only been young girls.

　As she was thinking that, Koharu noticed a man standing in front of the wooden counter where the cash register was placed, and craned her head in surprise.

　...It's rare for a man to be alone.

　Only his back is visible, but he is a slender man with black hair.

　He seemed to be talking to Koharu's grandmother, Yoshino, who was on the other side of the counter.

　Koharu cranes her neck even further, wondering if it might be her uncle Sojiro.

　Yoshino noticed Koharu's state and stood up with a crumpled face and said, "Oh, my."

"Koharu, welcome."

"......Y-Yes."

　"Hello. Thank you for calling me. I'll do my best to help out at the store, so I look forward to working with you from today onwards," were the words I had prepared in my head, but I was nervous and couldn't get them out properly.

　Koharu simply bowed her head deeply, feeling bitter about her own shortcomings, and Yoshino narrowed her eyes in amusement.

"Don't be so stiff. You must be tired."

　Yoshino walked over, leaving the male customer at the counter behind.

"Ah, there's a customer..."

　Is it okay to leave the customer alone?

　Feeling worried, I glanced at the man's back.

　Then, as if he had heard Koharu's small voice, the man slowly turned around and

"Oh, I'm not a customer, so don't worry about it."

　He said with a bright smile. He was a young man with a very handsome face.

　A straight nose and slightly long, well-shaped eyes.

　Her glossy black hair sways gently.

"--!"

　Unexpectedly, I was at a loss for words.

　The female customers in the store, realizing that the man who had their backs turned to them was in fact a handsome young man, began whispering to each other, "Hey, isn't he cool?"

"Oh, you're Koharu. Nice to meet you. My name is Mio Reito."

　Koharu was even more confused when he extended his hand to shake.

　Who on earth is this person?

"Oh, is this the first time we've met? You're my younger brother's grandson, Mioto-chan."

　The grandson of my grandmother's younger brother... I ruminated in my head.

"To put it simply, you and I are second cousins. Please be nice to me."

"...Uh, yeah."

　In other words, they are close relatives. I had no idea that there were such good-looking people in my family.

　Though feeling a little nervous, Koharu bowed and took the outstretched hand.

　As they shook hands, Koharu noticed a faint, sweet scent like plum blossoms emanating from his body, and narrowed her eyes.

　......Smells really good.

　I gently raised my head and saw Mioto staring at me.

"Hk!"

　Koharu quickly turns her face away to avoid his gaze.

　The reason I looked away was not just because he was handsome.

　When Koharu lowered her head, Mioto gave a small laugh and said,

"Well then, Yoshino-san. I'll be off now. Thank you as always."

　He said, picking up a cherry blossom-patterned paper bag from the counter and raising one hand.

"Thank you very much."

"Please come visit us at our house. We're in the same city."

"I'm not going to go all the way down to Kamo-san."

"Don't say that. Well, Koharu, I'll see you again sometime."

　With that brief farewell, Mioto left the store.

　He was carrying a paper bag from this store, so I wonder if he bought something?

　Koharu watches his back as he walks away and makes a vague guess.

"So, did you get lost?"

　When Yoshino asked, Koharu turned around and nodded.

　I remembered the way from Yasaka Shrine very well, and although I was worried about how to get from the station to Yasaka Shrine, I followed the directions my uncle Sojiro gave me, so it was fine.

　That's what I want to say, but once again I can't find the words to express it properly.

"Uncle Soujirou..."

　I awkwardly told him,

"That's why, don't call me old man."

　My uncle Sojiro came down the stairs leading to the second floor at the back of the store, a frown on his face.

"Uncle Soujirou!" Koharu turned around and was speechless when she saw him.

　That was the second time today I was left speechless.

　Healthy tanned skin and well-defined, eye-catching features.

　She was so tall that you had to look up at her. She had light, wavy hair that reached her shoulders and was tied in a ponytail at the back. Although she gave off a light impression, she was a bit of an impressive beauty.

　While his looks may be a matter of personal preference, there's no doubt that he's a handsome man who would turn heads if he were walking down the street.

　--Oh, I'm surprised. Uncle Sojiro, even though you're in your thirties, you haven't changed at all.

　On the contrary, I felt like he looked more handsome than before.

　Is this the charm that comes with age?

　Koharu was astonished, but also deeply impressed.

　You can see the eyes of the women in the store light up at the arrival of this handsome man, who is a completely different type from Mioto.

　Sojiro was wearing a white coat, just like a chef at a traditional restaurant.

　Sojiro looked down at the stunned Koharu and pinched her nose.

"What's the matter? You look like you're in a daze."

　I was surprised to see that Uncle Sojiro hasn't changed at all, and...

"Wha-what about that white coat?"

"Oh, I'm making Japanese sweets in this shop right now."

"Japanese sweets?"

"Oh, I trained as a Japanese confectioner in Asakusa, right?"

　"I didn't know that," Koharu replied, hammering in agreement.

"My family runs a store, so I thought I'd put the skills I'd honed in Asakusa to good use here. I'd find it suffocating to work at a general store that's just cute."

　Soujirou looked around the store and shook his shoulders.

　It's certainly not the kind of place he would want.

　As Koharu nodded, Yoshino sighed in exasperation.

"What is it with all this stuff in such a small shop? It's disgusting, and I really don't like it, but she doesn't listen to anything I say and just does whatever she wants. Look, there's a table at the back of the shop, and they've started serving snacks there."

　Yoshino craned her neck and pointed to the back of the store.

　Under the red Japanese umbrellas, there are tables and red benches, creating an eating and drinking space that looks just like a dumpling shop.

"...Cute," Koharu muttered, blurting out exactly what she was thinking, and Yoshino's face wrinkled with delight.

"It's cute, isn't it? I created that space. I thought it would be strange to have Japanese sweets in a general store, but when I tried the sweets this girl made, they were pretty good, and if I'm going to do it, it has to do with the image of the store," Yoshino says with a proud smile.

　Despite all the talk, Sojiro seems to be enjoying the new thing he's started.

"Oh, seriously, why are you being so cynical? Why don't you just be honest and say that you're blown away by my Japanese sweets? This is what I really hate about Kyoto people."

"What are you talking about? You're not from Kyoto either. And I don't remember being blown away by your Japanese sweets. I'd be laughed at by a long-established Japanese sweets maker at Shinise."

"Heh heh. Anyway, Koharu, I've prepared a room for you on the second floor, so come over."

　Soujiro picked up his carry-on bag and said, "This way," and started walking.

"Thank you."

　Once you pass through the Noren curtain behind the counter, you'll immediately come to a wooden staircase.

　The stairs are steep and creak when you go up, but they have a strange stability.

　Once at the top, a long corridor came into view, closed on both sides by sliding doors.

　The house isn't very big, but it has enough rooms that it could even be used as a boarding house.

　Sojiro came to a halt in front of the door at the end of the corridor.

　There was a cute Japanese doorplate with the words "Koharu" hanging on the door.

"This is your room."

　This is the only Western-style room in the house. However, with its old-fashioned flooring and wallpaper reminiscent of the Showa era, it still has a Japanese feel to it.

"...Could this be your uncle's room?"

　I asked quietly, and Soujirou laughed and shook his head.

"Well, I'm more comfortable on tatami mats, so I've been staying in that Japanese-style room since the beginning. But don't worry about that. Anyway, you should open the door to the room."

"--Yes."

　Koharu nodded softly and opened the door.

　It was a very sunny and bright room.

　A single bed, a desk, a Japanese dresser, and a round table on a rug. It was simple, but thanks to Yoshino's love of cute things, it was lovely.

"...It's bright."

"Right? In the summer, it's scorching hot hell, so prepare yourself."

　She smiles and puts her carry-on bag at the side of the room.

　Koharu smiled a little, thinking that Sojiro has always been a kind, caring person who may seem free-spirited.

　Above all, I didn't feel any "two-facedness" at all. I always thought he was the type of person who would just say what he thought, and it was still the same now.

　Uncle Sojiro, nothing has changed.

　--Even though I have changed so much.

　I felt pain and lowered my eyes,

When she heard the voice calling out to her, "Koharu," Koharu's shoulders twitched and she looked up.

"I don't like to keep things bottled up. This is the kind of personality I have, so I got fed up with Kyoto, where people are always trying to keep up appearances, and ran away from town. Because I'm like this, I'll ask you without keeping things bottled up, Koharu... what on earth happened to you?"

　Soujirou looked me in the eye with a serious expression.

「............」

　Suddenly, her soul was touched and her heart was shaken.

　When I first started shutting myself in my room, I was asked the same questions over and over again.

　If you continue to withdraw into yourself without giving any answers, eventually no one will ask you anything, and eventually people will start treating you like a sore thumb.

　I'd been feeling unhappy about being treated like this lately, but when I'm confronted with it so directly like this, I really don't know what to do.

　As Koharu went quiet and looked down, Soujirou narrowed his eyes softly.

"--Sorry. If you don't want to say anything, you don't have to. It's just my nature to ask. But if it becomes too much for you to bear, then just say something. It may not solve anything, but sometimes getting it off your chest can make you feel better. Now then, take your time and organize your belongings."

　Sojiro patted Koharu's head gently and then left the room.

　The door closed quietly with a bang.

「............」

　Koharu stood there for a while.

　--What happened?

　Seriously, these were words I heard almost every day six months ago.

"Koharu, what exactly happened at school?"

"Why did you suddenly stop going to school?"

"Were you bullied at school?"

"Who did something bad to you?"

　My parents asked me questions one after the other. They were concerned about me, but I felt like I was being blamed because I couldn't answer them.

　I cried and screamed, 'Don't ask me anything!' and locked myself in my room.

　That was in the middle of my third year of junior high school. After that, I couldn't go to school.

　Koharu took a deep breath and sat down on the bed.

　I wasn't bullied or in any kind of trouble.

　There was a good reason why I couldn't go.

　But that was never something he could say.

　No matter how much he questioned me, I couldn't answer.

　I stayed in my room because I was afraid to make eye contact with anyone.

　I didn't like the idea of ​​being questioned whenever we met and being told to go to counseling or to the hospital.

　And so, time passed mercilessly, and Koharu was unable to go on to high school.

　When the discussion finally turned to forcing Koharu to go to the hospital, she suddenly received a call from her grandmother Yoshino, who lives in Kyoto.

"Koharu, would you mind helping out at my shop? Things have been really tough since my grandpa passed away. It would be a great help if you could help out."

　--I'm saved, Koharu thought.

　I thought that maybe I could survive in a place where no one knew me except for my family.

　Taking a deep breath, Koharu lay down on the bed.

　The adorable bedspread with a hopping rabbit on it has a faint sweet scent.

　...I was a bit nervous when Uncle Sojiro asked me the question, but I'm glad I took the plunge and came here.

　It's only two and a half hours by Shinkansen from Tokyo, within Japan.

　And yet it feels like I've come to another world.

　Feeling as if the sweet scent was gently embracing her, Koharu gently closed her eyes.

　　　　＊

"Grandma, it seems that Koharu did have some kind of 'effect' after all."

　Sojiro said this as he left Koharu's room, walked down the stairs and entered the shop.

　There were no more customers in the shop, and Yoshino was sewing at the counter.

"...How many times do I have to tell you that? I'm your mother, not your grandma."

　Ignoring Yoshino, who was frowning in displeasure, Soujirou sat down in the chair opposite.

"Well, you're old enough to be called Grandma now, so I guess that's fine. Or should I call you 'Mother'?"

"You idiot."

　Yoshino lightly taps Sojiro on the head with the fan, then picks up the needle again and asks, "Koharu, did you say something?"

"No, I heard it, but I didn't say anything."

"Did you hear about it? You're so insensitive. Your parents kept asking you about it but you didn't tell them, so I don't think you're going to suddenly tell them."

"I know that, but it's weird to know the circumstances and not ask anything."

"Well, that's true."

　Yoshino nodded and then gently raised her head.

"So, what's your take?"

"Well, I think it's probably a Sakurai blood thing. More than anything, it's more like the Sakurai family..."

　When Sojiro had said that, Yoshino dropped her shoulders in exasperation.

"I know that. I'm just talking about what kind of 'symptoms' you have."

"I don't know about that. You'll have to tell me."

　Sojiro said, snorting.

"...I can smell plum blossoms. I wonder if the boy from Shimogamo has come," he said, furrowing his brow.

"That's right, I was there just now. I came to get what I made."

"They obviously came to pick up Koharu and 'check' her out. Seriously, they're just trying to judge people's values... What a disgusting bunch."

"It's not about valuing her. It can't be helped. We wanted to 'check' on her too."

　Yoshino stated matter-of-factly, and Soujirou pursed his lips in an annoyed manner, took a candy from the basket in front of the register and put it in his mouth.

"...Well, for now, Koharu needs to get some rest."

"That's right. Now that I think of it, you put a lot of effort into casting a "healing" spell on the room. You're strict with your son, but you're kind to your grandson."

　Soujirou leaned his chin on his hand and gave a nasty smile.

"Well, grandchildren are adorable. And they're not like the sons who call their mothers 'Grandma.'"

　Yoshino cut the thread with her mouth, held the finished pouch in her hand, nodded with satisfaction, and then quickly held out her right hand in front of Sojiro.

"What's with your hands? You want me to massage your tired hands from all that sewing?"

"That's fine, but no. Ten yen."

"Huh?"

"That candy is for sale, it's 10 yen."

"These are Japanese-style lollipops that I made."

"I don't know if you made it, but since it's on display here, it's for sale."

"Geez, you're so greedy."

　While muttering to himself, he took out his wallet and handed over ten yen.

"Thank you very much," Yoshino said, and put the ten yen into the donation box.

　When Soujirou found out that all proceeds from the sale of Japanese-style lollipops would go to the donation box, he chuckled and looked up at the ceiling.

"Well, as Baasan said, right now the most important thing is to soothe Koharu's tired heart."

"That's right. You're not very tactless either."

"Ou"

　Meanwhile, Koharu was fast asleep, unaware of the conversation taking place in the shop on the first floor.

　This was Koharu's first day in Gion, where her grandmother lives.

　Chapter 1: Fragrance sachets and sakura mochi, with a secret.

　　　　one

　A week had passed since Koharu came to Kyoto.

　--Come to think of it, it's been five years.

　As Koharu swept the area in front of the store, she looked up at the sky.

　When they were little, they would come to Kyoto every year to play, but when Koharu entered the upper grades of elementary school, she became busy with studying and club activities, and this was her first visit to Kyoto in five years, except for last year's funeral.

　Coming here once again made me realize that Kyoto is a mysterious city.

　Gion shopping street. Traditional Kyoto townhouses line the streets. On the eaves of the houses are tile dolls that are thought to ward off evil spirits. Ofuda (paper charms) are pasted on the walls as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

　In the evening, under a brilliant orange sky, crows caw as they head back to the mountains.

　Meanwhile, from somewhere, a bell rang out.

　At night, someone walks around town, beating a wooden clapper and calling attention to fire safety.

　Such an emotional scene has a nostalgic feel to it, and is quite moving.

　But why is this the case?

　It feels as if you have entered a different dimension.

　Koharu thought to herself deeply that Kyoto was truly a mysterious city.

　And my grandmother Yoshino also felt that there was something strange about it.

　　　　two

"It's dinner time."

　Mornings in this house start at six o'clock.

　Koharu woke up to Yoshino's voice and sat up with a start.

　The morning sunlight streaming in through the large windows makes this room dazzling every morning.

　I slowly got out of bed and left the room, the smell of freshly baked bread filling the air.

　The first floor is a store, and all of the living areas of this house are concentrated on the second floor.

　The kitchen, living room, and bathroom are all on the second floor.

　Since most of the rooms are Japanese-style, it might be more accurate to call them "living rooms" rather than "living rooms."

　When I looked into the Japanese-style living room, I saw freshly baked bread, fried eggs, salad, and ham lined up on the low table. Sojiro was already seated in front of the table, with the Kyoto Shimbun newspaper in one hand and his eyes glued to the morning news program.

「............」

　Newspapers, television. This is the typical image of an "old man."

　However, it seemed she had already taken a shower, as she smelled faintly of shampoo and looked sexy in her jinbei with her hair casually tied up.

　Every time Koharu sees Sojiro like this and finds him "cool," she feels a complex mix of anger, irritation, and frustration.

"Hey, Koharu."

"...Good morning, Uncle Soujirou."

　I nodded in a low voice as usual,

"So stop calling me 'old man'."

　Sojiro crossed his arms, looking unamused.

"Well then, what should I call him?" I continued in my mind.

"Hmm, that's true. I think in Asakusa they called me 'Mune-sama'. I guess there's no other way, so you can call me Koharu too. I give my permission."

　Koharu gave him a cold look as Sojiro said that without any shame.

"Oh, what's this, was I too dazzling?"

　I wanted to shout out, "No, I was pulling it!" but I couldn't find the words to express it.

"Speaking your feelings directly" was something that Koharu had previously been able to do naturally, but now it was difficult for her to do so. Whenever she wanted to say something, she would first check it out in her head before it would come out.

"I've held back for a week, but I've reached my limit. I really can't stand old men, absolutely."

　Koharu gave a wry smile as Sojiro raised his hands and said something that sounded like a slogan for an anti-drug campaign.

　He certainly doesn't look like an "old man" at all, so it's no wonder he doesn't want to be called that.

"...Well, then, I'll call you Soujirou-san."

"Hmm, well, it's a bit bland, but I guess there's nothing I can do about it."

　While Sojiro and Koharu were talking about this,

"Saying stupid things again."

　Yoshino came in from the kitchen with an astonished look on her face and placed the dressing on the low table.

"Come on, Koharu, eat up."

　Koharu nodded as Sojiro put down his newspaper and sat back down.

"I'll enjoy having this"

　Everyone clasps their hands and brings the bread to their mouths.

　When Koharu thinks of Kyoto, she has the image of "Japanese food first and foremost," but in reality, this is not the case. The proportion of people eating bread for breakfast is very high. Apparently, Kyoto people love bread and coffee, and they are the number one consumers of both in the country.

"Morning coffee is delicious after all."

　Sojiro held the ceramic cup in his hand and narrowed his eyes, enjoying the delicious taste.

　He usually doesn't eat breakfast, just coffee.

　He apparently has his own rule that being hungry makes his senses more alert and allows him to make better tasting sweets.

"That's true. Morning coffee is something special."

　Yoshino also felt the same way, squinting her eyes happily as she held the cup in her hand.

　The appearance was so similar that Koharu couldn't help but smile.

"What is it, Niconico? Did something interesting happen?"

　When Yoshino looked at her gently, Koharu hurriedly looked away.

"Um, well... they look alike."

　Koharu muttered shyly, and Yoshino agreed, "That's right."

"Well, Soujirou looks like me. Souichi looked just like Shigeru."

"Soichi" is Koharu's father, and "Shige" is her grandfather who passed away last year.

"--- Shige-san, that was really sudden..."

　As if speaking that name had reminded her of her late husband, Yoshino's eyes welled up with tears and she looked down.

"Grandma..."

　A solemn atmosphere enveloped the place.

　My grandfather Shigeru's death was truly sudden.

　He had been in good health until the previous night, but by morning he had fallen into an eternal sleep, as if he had fallen into a deep dream.

　The mourners at the funeral were saddened by Shigeru's death, but when they saw his peaceful expression,

I remember everyone saying, "Mr. Shige was truly a happy man until the very end." However, Yoshino was not like the others.

　It seems that Yoshino, who had suddenly lost her beloved husband, was shocked and cried for a while. Seeing Yoshino like that, Sojiro decided to go back home.

"Hey, it's been a year since grandpa died, so don't keep whining about it forever."

"I'm not whining at all, and I shouldn't call my father 'Grandpa'," she said, trying to act tough.

"Geez, she's not cute at all."

"I don't want you to think I'm cute."

　Seeing the two of them interacting like that, Koharu's cheeks relaxed again.

　All things considered, they are a close mother and daughter couple.

　My grandparents, Yoshino and Shigeru, were so close that we still mourn their death, but they were originally in an arranged marriage.

　However, Koharu had also heard that it was partly a love marriage.

　What this means is that Yoshino was apparently known as a beautiful girl when she was young, and since her family was a fairly well-known family, she received a ton of arranged marriage proposals.

　Among the many favorable offers she received, Yoshino only saw Shigeru's photo.

"I'm going to marry this person! I don't want anyone else," he said, deciding without even looking at her background.

　In other words, it must have been love at first sight.

　Shigeru is the man who seduced the famous beautiful girl with just a photo. However, Shigeru's appearance is quite ordinary, and if I had to describe him, I would say he looks kind.

　It's hard to imagine that she has the kind of looks that would make a popular beautiful girl fall in love with her at first sight, but people's tastes vary greatly, so it's hard to say for sure.

　Koharu's father, Soichi, looks a lot like Shigeru and has a very ordinary, kind-looking appearance.

　And it turns out that Sojiro's good looks are something he inherited from his mother.

"Yes, Soujiro, someone asked me to reserve twenty Sakura Sakura Mochi for them. Make a lot for today."

　Yoshino's voice brought Koharu, who had been in a daze, back to her senses.

　When Koharu noticed, Yoshino had already finished her breakfast, and Koharu hurriedly put a piece of bread into her mouth.

"Yup. Twenty! As expected, my 'Sakuramochi' are really popular."

"Well, it's quite a novelty."

"Geez, you're not being honest. Tell them my sakura mochi is delicious."

　Although Yoshino looked annoyed, Soujiro's sakura mochi was a real hit.

　Perhaps because they only make a limited amount per day, they always sell out in a flash. Because of this, Koharu has not yet tasted his sakura mochi.

"...I'd like to try it too."

　Originally, I had no particular interest in Japanese sweets, so I didn't really care, but if it was that popular, I began to feel like I wanted to try it.

"Okay, then, I'll reserve it for you. My sakura mochi is special, or should I say, it has a "secret" inside, so look forward to it."

"A secret entry?"

"You'll have to wait and see," said Soujiro, standing up and grinning.

"You're evil in many ways."

"It's full of originality."

　Soujirou tied his hair up tightly, wrapped a hand towel around his head, and headed to the kitchen.

　I washed my hands and disinfected them. It seemed like I was going to start work right away.

　Sojiro always starts working before seven o'clock, after finishing his morning coffee.

　Originally, Sakuraan was a Japanese general store, so naturally it did not have a kitchen.

　Therefore, Sojiro obtained official permission from the health center and other authorities and used the second-floor kitchen as his kitchen.

　Although he usually has a light-hearted demeanor, the way he gets to work gives off the air of a "craftsman."

　Koharu thinks that it looks simply cool.

　Watching Sojiro switch into artisan mode, Koharu thought to herself that she should get ready too. She cleared away the dishes and returned to her room, where she changed into the azuki bean-colored work uniform of Sakuraan that Yoshino had prepared for her, and tightly fastened the apron around her waist.

　　　　three

"Koharu, please open that cardboard box and put out the items."

　As soon as Yoshino saw Koharu come down to the shop on the first floor, she pointed with a gentle smile to a corner of the store, where cardboard boxes filled with unopened products were piled up.

　This arrived after closing last night.

　Koharu nodded and began opening the package.

　The box was filled with a variety of adorable Japanese goods,

"Wow, it's really cute," Koharu said, her eyes shining.

　Hair ornaments, wallets with clasps, handkerchiefs, folding fans, bath mats, incense holders, crepe dolls. They are lined up on the shelves. There are also origami cranes and confetti-shaped earrings.

"Origami crane earrings..."

"It's popular with foreigners."

　Certainly, foreigners would be happy with this.

　In this way, Koharu always has a little fun while putting out the merchandise.

　Just touching the adorable Japanese goods made me feel relaxed.

"...Actually, I thought that all the products here were made by your grandmother alone. I've actually seen her making Japanese goods before. But it turns out she actually buys them from vendors."

　Koharu said this as if talking to herself, smiling and saying that she had misunderstood, and Yoshino looked up in disappointment and said, "Oh."

"But the things I made are still there."

"Huh?"

"That's my craft corner."

　Yoshino pointed to a corner at the back next to the cash register.

　In one corner, there are a variety of products lined up, including chirimen drawstring pouches with small bells attached, hairpins, embroidered tenugui towels, hand mirrors, and purse purses.

　Because they were handmade by my grandmother, they are more expensive than products purchased from a dealer.

　Koharu had wondered for a moment why the products here were a little more expensive, but she finally understood why: they were handmade.

　None of them are inferior to the products purchased from dealers.

　On the contrary, the items Yoshino made seemed to have been made with more love and care, and they exuded kindness and warmth.

　When I pick up a crepe drawstring bag with small bells on it, they ring out.

　A faint sweet scent was emanating from the bag.

"...What is this?" he asked in a low voice.

"That's a 'sachet'."

"Is a 'scented sachet' the same kind as a 'fragrant sachet'?"

"That's right. They're sometimes called 'sachet' and sometimes called 'fragrant bags', but they're the same thing. They come in all different shapes."

　Wow, I thought to myself, so I picked up one of my grandmother's sachets and gave it a sniff.

　An elegant, sweet fragrance. It's somehow nostalgic and soothing.

"A lovely smell..."

"That's white sandalwood."

　When she thought of sandalwood, she imagined the smell of dressers and fans, but it actually had such a wonderful scent, Koharu sniffed it again.

"That's a nice, refined scent, isn't it? My blend is great."

"It's amazing that they even blend the contents of the scented sachets."

　Koharu told her this sincerely, and Yoshino narrowed her eyes proudly.

"Thank you. I made the work clothes you're wearing."

"This too?" Koharu put her hand to her chest and looked at the work clothes she was wearing.

　Looking at the collar and sleeve cuffs, I could tell they were well made and I had no doubt that they were the kind of things sold in stores.

"Wow...amazing..."

"Well, there are a lot of people of our generation who can do this. Back in the day, we had to make everything ourselves."

　"That's right," Koharu agreed.

　Yoshino's generation was full of what we would now call "charismatic housewives."

　Come to think of it, my mother is not even very good at using a sewing machine.

　As she thought this, the faces of her parents flashed through Koharu's mind.

"Hey, why did you stop going to school? You were such a bright and energetic girl. You always said that school was fun."

"What on earth happened? If you don't tell us, we won't know anything."

　Those words were repeated over and over again.

　I knew very well that you were worried about me.

　Still, since I couldn't give a reason, being questioned about the same thing over and over again felt like torture.

　Yeah, school was fun.

　When I close my eyes, the vivid image comes back to me. The sound of the school bell ringing. The bell signaling the start of class.

　My classmates seemed to be in a bit of a hurry as they sat down at their desks.

　The sound of chalk on the blackboard and the feel of the hard chairs.

　I was just an ordinary junior high school girl.

"Hey, Koharu, have you decided on your career path?"

"Yeah, after talking with my parents and teachers, I decided to try my hand at getting into a private high school attached to a university."

"I remember that only ten students from our school were accepted to the affiliated T High School, right? That's amazing, Koharu has good grades."

"That's not true," he said humbly, but he was also proud of himself.

　I was only fifteen years old, but I thought my life was going smoothly.

　Being an only child, my parents spent a lot of money on my education, so I did fairly well in school and had many friends.

　My father was a bit difficult and my mother was nervous, but they got along well, and although my family wasn't particularly wealthy, they both worked, so they seemed to have the means.

　I considered myself very happy and blessed.

　But all of that suddenly changed, as if the glass he was holding had dropped to the floor.

　I have changed.

　At first, I told myself, "It's just your imagination. It's not like that," and tried my best to live a normal life.

　But, the limit was soon reached.

　Eventually, I couldn't even leave my room.

　I think that was probably a little different from what is commonly referred to as "hikikomori."

　As long as I didn't have to face anyone, I could go outside.

　I was just afraid to meet someone who knew me.

"Why? Why?"

　My mother's voice was crying and banging on the door.

"This is happening because you're not home," my father blames my mother.

　I knew that my family was falling apart because of me.

　But there was nothing I could do.

　My parents hated being "different."

　I had seen the negative reaction my parents had towards people who were unorthodox, so I just couldn't bring myself to say anything.

　I knew that if I told them, they wouldn't believe me, and I would get looks of disgust. I was sure they would take me to the hospital.

"Enough already! I hate that about you and Mom, the way you always blame others! I don't want to talk to you or see your faces!"

　From the doorway between us, I cried out, tears escaping from the depths of my throat.

　The place fell silent.

　Since then, my parents haven't said anything to me.

　What did they look like at that time?

　--Even though they were so worried about me and cared about me, I blamed it all on my parents and yelled at them while crying.

　I can't forget the silence at that time.

　Just as Koharu looked down in pain,

"Koharu, could you please sweep up the area in front of the store?" I looked up when I heard Yoshino's voice.

"Uh, yeah."

　I quickly exit the store.

　When she opened the sliding door, the morning sun was so dazzling that Koharu couldn't help but squint her eyes.

　The weather is nice today.

　When I was at home, I didn't want to see anyone or be blamed, so I stayed in my room all the time and lived a life that didn't seem to have any morning or night.

　Because of this, I feel strongly about the importance of basking in the morning sunlight.

　I could also hear the cute chirping of sparrows.

　The eaves of the Kyoto townhouses lined up in a row all still have their shutters tightly closed.

　Gion, which is usually bustling and lively, was deserted and quiet in the morning, enveloped in a dignified atmosphere.

　Morning and night are like two different worlds.

　Okay, let's do our best today too.

　Koharu stretched her body, picked up a bamboo broom that was leaning against the wall, and began quickly collecting fallen leaves and trash from in front of the store.

　　　　Four

　--By the way, this is what a day in the life of the Japanese goods store "Sakuraan" was like.

　六時起床。

　From 7:30, I clean the house and the store and put out the goods.

　At 8:30, we put out the Japanese sweets made by Sojiro and prepared to open the store.

　九時、開店──。

　What surprised Koharu was that more customers came to buy Sojiro's Japanese sweets than she expected.

　The clientele is mainly elderly, and it seems to have started out with Yoshino's friends who live around Gion, and then spread by word of mouth.

　Sojiro is a craftsman and works confined to the second floor, so he is not a salesman.

　By the way, when Sojiro was working, if he called the kitchen the "kitchen," he would get mad and say, "This is the kitchen now!", so he refrained from calling the kitchen the "kitchen" while making Japanese sweets.

　In reality, it is not a kitchen or a kitchenette, but rather the word "kitchen" which fits perfectly.

　The only time Sojiro comes down to the first floor is to carry the finished Japanese sweets.

　Japanese sweets are displayed in a small showcase inside the store.

　It was mainly Koharu's job to sell them.

　There aren't many varieties of Japanese sweets.

　Currently, the "spring lineup" is on offer, with pale pink fresh sweets topped with ganzan and three-colored dango.

　And then──

"Come and buy some Sakura Sakuramochi before they're gone"

"Four sakura mochi, please."

　As expected, the most popular item is the sakura mochi. Today, too, customers are arriving one after another.

"Oh, thank you."

　Koharu awkwardly answers the questions, but still carefully places the items into a paper bag with a cherry blossom pattern.

"Yes, I'd like some Japanese-style macarons too, please."

　Sojiro also makes a sweet called "Japanese-style macarons" using matcha, wasanbon, white sesame seeds, and black sesame seeds, which are quite popular.

"...Honestly, the things she makes are evil."

　Yoshino shrugged, but she also seemed a little pleased at the positive reviews.

　During busy seasons, customers keep coming in until closing time at 6pm.

　One day it seems like the store is busy all day, and then, strangely enough, like the tide going out, the store suddenly becomes quiet.

　The silence was so eerie that it was almost like a lie, and it left me feeling drained.

　Today, too, the number of customers suddenly dried up in the afternoon, and while she was taking a breather, as if on cue, an elderly woman who seemed to be an acquaintance of Yoshino's arrived.

"Hello, Yoshino-san. Could you please write me some fire protection?"

　A woman in a traditional Japanese kimono came through the noren curtain with a gentle smile on her face.

　He's probably of the same generation as Yoshino.

"Hello, Yayoi-san. If you want to protect yourself from fire, you should ask Atago-san to teach you how to do it."

　Her name is apparently Yayoi.

"Atago-san is good too, but I can't go there easily, so I think it's safe to ask Yoshino-san."

　Yayoi quickly sat down on a round stool in front of the cash register.

"Saying that again is such a good thing."

　Yoshino smiled happily, put on the glasses she was wearing around her neck, and took out a box containing an inkstone and brushes from a drawer.

"But why the sudden mention of 'fire protection' again?"

"Well, I had a dream last night that my house was on fire. It scared me."

"It's okay to dream about a fire. Good things will happen soon, and it suggests that your problems will be solved."

"Well, I'm happy. But I'd like you to write it down."

"Thank you. Please wait a moment."

　Saying that, he picked up the box and the paper and went down to a Japanese-style room at the back of the store.

「............？」

　Come to think of it, just the other day a customer came in and said, 'Yoshino, please write something for me.'

　What on earth is this, and what does "Atago-san" mean?

　Koharu twisted her head as she arranged the items.

"It's done."

　Yoshino returned from the back room with an envelope with a cherry blossom pattern on it.

　It looks like there's a note inside the envelope.

"Now you can relax," Yayoi said, handing Yoshino a white envelope.

　Apparently there's a thank you in there.

"Thank you very much for coming."

"Well, I'll be back soon. Thank you."

　Yayoi left the store, carefully holding the cherry blossom-patterned envelope in her hands.

　The store was quiet again.

　The background music of the koto, which is usually not audible, is quietly playing.

"Hey, Grandma, sometimes customers come and ask me to write something for them..."

　What do you usually write? As Koharu was about to continue, she turned around.

"Sorry, Koharu. It looks like there are more fallen leaves piling up, do you want me to sweep up the area in front of the store?"

　Yoshino frowned apologetically and looked outside the store.

"Ah, okay," Koharu said, turning her attention to the front of the store.

　There weren't as many fallen leaves as Yoshino said.

　Still, Koharu does as she is told, goes outside the store and picks up the bamboo broom.

　...Maybe it's just my imagination.

　Somehow, I feel like Grandma just avoided my question.

　I've been here for a week now and there are a few things that I find strange.

　There are customers who come and ask me to write something for them, like now, and customers who expand the layout of their house and ask me to take a look. There have even been customers who bring Yoshino along to see the house they will be living in.

　Whenever I try to ask her about it, Yoshino always changes the subject.

　Why don't you want to be asked?

　Thinking about it, the image of my parents' faces, who had asked me so many times, "Why?" flashed across my mind, and I felt bitter.

　...... Yeah. Everyone has things they don't really want to talk about.

　Me too - no, I am the one.

　If grandma doesn't want to talk, then I'll stop listening.

　I nodded and took the bamboo broom and began sweeping up the fallen leaves.

　After making sure that a certain amount had been collected, I bent down with a dustpan in my hand,

"Hello," a man's voice said behind me.

　"Hello" is said with a unique intonation that is only found in Kyoto.

　──Who?

　I turned around in confusion and saw Mioto, whom I had met in this very shop just a week ago, smiling gently at me.

　I was surprised at its existence, but I was even more surprised this time to see that it was dressed in a haori and hakama.

"R-Rioto-san."

　Koharu hurriedly stood up and bowed deeply.

"You look well. Have you gotten used to the store?"

　Mioto spoke in a relaxed tone and smiled.

"No, no," I thought to myself, "I can't say I'm used to it yet."

　She certainly has a beautiful face. Not only is she a lovely person, she also tries to make eye contact with me, so I might not be very good with her.

　Koharu looked away awkwardly and shifted her gaze to the kimono he was wearing.

　A light-coloured crested haori and hakama.

　Do men in Kyoto usually wear kimonos like this?

　No, no, that's not the case.

"...Um, what's that outfit?" Was she attending a wedding?

　I asked, my eyes still on the kimono, and he chuckled and shook his head.

"Oh, I'm on my way home from attending a tea ceremony in Gion today in place of my father. It's not allowed to wear a kimono at a tea ceremony, so it's a bit ostentatious."

"Ah, no, not at all."

　It suits you very well, Koharu added in her mind.

　Kyoto boys are truly different, attending a tea party in place of their father.

　Above all, how good does Japanese clothing look on her?

"...Do you often attend tea parties?"

"Sometimes. My dad is a busy man, so I'm a carefree college student who has to take his place."

"You're a university student, aren't you?"

"That's right. Being 19 and in your second year of college is the most carefree time, right?"

　Unsure how to respond, Koharu gave an ambiguous smile.

"Um, so, Mioto-san, did you come to see your grandmother?"

"That's right. I had some business at the store, but today is the 15th, so I thought I'd go and visit Gion Shrine."

"Gion-san...?"

"It's about Yasaka-san."

Needless to say, "Yasaka-san" refers to Yasaka Shrine.

　People in Kyoto tend to call shrines "Mr. XX."

　Actually, it's not just limited to shrines, there may be places that add "san" to anything.

　Koharu remembered that the other day, Yoshino had seen a dog rolling around on the ground and said, "The dog is sleeping."

I thought that "○○ shiteharu" was basically polite language, but it can also be used for dogs and cats, so it seems that it is no longer limited to polite language.

　...Yasaka Shrine, huh? Come to think of it, she had a lot of luggage on the day she came to Kyoto so she had been meaning to go and pray there sometime, but she hadn't yet, Koharu thought, shrugging.

"If you don't mind, Koharu-chan, why don't you come with us?"

　As he continued, Koharu looked up as if she had been shocked.

"Um, well, I still have to help out at the store..." she whispered.

　The store is usually open until six in the evening, and it's just after two now.

　And I just took a break.

"That's fine, I'll ask Yoshino-san."

"Huh?"

　Ignoring Koharu's confusion, Mioto, without any hesitation, popped his head out from between the curtains.

"Yoshino-san, Koharu-chan, can I borrow it? Gion-san will be back."

　Seeing Mioto like that, Yoshino narrowed her eyes happily and nodded.

"Yes. Koharu has been working hard and helping me with my work and I haven't had much time to play with her so I took her along."

"Thank you. Well, Koharu-chan, let's go," he said, and started walking.

"Um, well, I'm wearing a work uniform and an apron..."

"I don't mind. There are people of all kinds of outfits in Kyoto, so don't worry about it. And you're cute, too."

　Koharu's cheeks flushed when she heard him say that so casually.

　　　　five

It takes less than ten minutes to walk from Sakuraan to Yasaka Shrine.

　A weekday afternoon in mid-April.

　There weren't many people walking around Gion Shopping Street.

　Among them all, Mioto, clad in a light ink-colored kimono, stood out very much and attracted the attention of everyone passing by.

"-- I guess people think I'm just a 'tourist excited about Kyoto'."

　He said this in a relaxed tone, the corners of his mouth turning up in an amused tone.

　It's as if the laid-back tone of a Maimai geisha had been transformed into that of a man, giving it an elegant and refined feel.

　As Koharu stared at him, he met her gaze and asked, "Hmm?", then quickly looked away.

"Is there some kind of event going on at Yasaka Shrine today?"

　Earlier he said "Today is the 15th," so maybe there's some kind of special event going on today, the 15th.

"It's not an event. The 1st and 15th are special days."

"A special day?"

"It's good to visit the shrine on the first of each month, called 'Osakuchi mai', but the 15th is also good. Those are the days when the shrine gains power. So, if you're going to visit the shrine, I recommend the 1st and the 15th."

"I didn't know."

　It was the first time I had heard the term "Osakubi Mairi."

"It's kind of amazing."

"It's nothing amazing."

"...No, as expected of a Kyoto boy."

　When Koharu blurted this out without thinking, he gave a small chuckle.

"Recently, it seems that some people have started calling Kyoto men 'Kyoto boys'. But you're also a 'Kyoto boy', aren't you, Sojiro?"

"--Soujirou-san, you're a Kyoto boy?"

　All I can picture is him sometimes wearing a white chef's lab coat or a jinbei (traditional Japanese jinbei) and smiling boldly.

"No, Soujirou-san, you've become like an Edokko now," Koharu told him with a straight face.

"That's true," Mioto said, holding the fan to his mouth and chuckling.

　Its appearance is so elegant that it is captivating to behold.

　If you walk east along the Gion shopping arcade along Shijo Street, you will find Yasaka Shrine at the end of the street.

　The gate that can be seen from here is apparently called "Nishirouroumon."

　The huge, colorful tower gate, based on vermilion, was very beautiful.

"Yasaka Shrine is truly magnificent."

"That's true. It's a symbolic shrine of Kyoto. It's the guardian deity for Koharu-chan's place."

"Yes, but I haven't been there yet. It's been a week..."

　When I said this quietly while looking down, Mioto smiled softly.

"It's only been a week, so it's fine since I came all the way here. Come to think of it, it's been a while since I last visited Gion Shrine. I come to this area quite often, though."

　I start climbing the stairs, looking up at the Nishi-romon Gate.

　Koharu found it a little funny that Yasaka Shrine was being called "Gion-san," then she looked up in surprise.

"...Um, Mioto-san, do you know what "Atago-san" is?"

"Atago-san? I know it. Atago-san is a shrine in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto."

　"It was the name of the shrine," Koharu agreed.

"What kind of shrine is that?"

　Koharu asked in such a quiet voice that she wondered if she could be heard properly, and Mioto looked up at the sky and said, "I see."

"It is generally known as a shrine with miraculous powers for fire prevention."

"Fire prevention..."

"Are you interested in Atago-san?"

"Well, my grandmother and the customer were talking about Atago-san..."

"Oh, Yoshino-san, did you ask for a fire repellent?"

　While surprised that Mioto figured it out right away, he nodded.

　Why does my grandmother write fire prevention signs?

　As I furrowed my brows in confusion, Mioto suddenly opened his eyes wide.

"Oh, Koharu-chan, you don't know anything?"

"Huh?"

"Why don't you know why Yoshino-san would ask you to do something like that?"

"Y-Yes. Do you know, Mioto-san?"

"Well, I know."

　With that, Mioto shut his mouth, and Koharu was unable to press the matter any further and just lowered her eyes.

　There are so many things I actually want to ask, but I'm too tight-lipped right now.

　Koharu would never have been able to think of doing something like this a while ago. She could no longer say what she was thinking, and even when she tried to speak after thinking it through, she was quickly at a loss for words. Even though she could speak, she could only speak in a small voice, and she hated herself for it, grimacing bitterly.

　Keeping my mouth shut for some reason, I climbed the stairs and made my way through the temple grounds.

　There are many stalls lined up on both sides of the stone steps, reminiscent of a festival.

　"It feels kind of nostalgic," Koharu thought with a smile.

　It's been a while since I've been to Yasaka Shrine. I used to come here every time I visited my grandmother's house during summer and winter vacations.

　With takoyaki, cotton candy, yakisoba, and candy apples, it was always as lively as a festival, and I remember it being a lot of fun as a child.

　Eventually, the main shrine comes into view at the back of the temple grounds.

　Three large book-shaped bells were lined up at regular intervals.

　Coming here for the first time in a while, I am reminded once again how large a shrine it really is.

　After putting coins into the offering box, two people line up and ring the bell, bow twice, clap twice,

"--It's been a long time. I'm sorry for the late greeting. I look forward to working with you from now on."

　Koharu said this to herself, just as she had done when she visited Tatsumi Daimyojin Shrine, and then she gave a final bow.

"I'm glad I was able to visit before three o'clock."

　Mioto said with a smile as he took out a pocket watch from his obi.

"Well, let's go back to the store."

"Yes," I nodded and left the main hall.

　As I walked through the temple grounds, down the stone steps again, and through the Gion shopping district, a pleasant fragrance like plum blossoms wafted from Mioto's body as he walked next to me.

　...Come to think of it, when we first met I thought you had a faint, nice scent.

　This is definitely a plum scent, right?

　Koharu narrowed her eyes and snorted, causing Mioto to stop in his tracks.

"What's that? Does it smell delicious? Want me to buy it for you?"

"No, no, it smells like plums."

　When I said that, he nodded and said,

"I have a secret," she said with a mischievous smile, then, "This is it," she reached into the opening of her sleeve and quickly pulled out a drawstring bag.

　It is a very small, light purple drawstring bag made from crepe, with a small bell attached.

　--This cute drawstring bag looks familiar...

"Is this a scented sachet made by your grandmother?"

"That's right. It's Yoshino's scented sachet. It comes in a variety of scents, but this one has a lovely plum scent."

　Mioto held the scented bag in his fingertips and handed it to him, saying, "Here you go," and Koharu gently brought it close to her nose.

　It has a soft, sweet, and elegant plum scent.

　This was indeed a scented sachet that my grandmother had made.

"I recommend Yoshino's scented sachets. Not only do they smell great, but they also contain a secret."

　Once again, he slips the scented sachet into his sleeve.

　At that moment, a small tinkling sound was heard.

"A secret entry?"

"That's something to enjoy for yourself."

"Ah, yes," Koharu nodded, thinking she might buy one too.

　Perhaps it was because of Mioto's mysterious aura, or the faint scent of plum blossoms.

　Koharu felt herself being wrapped softly in something and her heart soften just a little.

　Rather than "opening one's heart," it might be more appropriate to say that one is "paralyzed by an aphrodisiac."

"Um, Mioto-san, you know about your grandmother's mysterious circumstances, right?"

　I was now able to smoothly ask the things that I had been unable to ask earlier.

"...That's right, Yoshino-san, just like the scented sachet, you have a little 'secret'."

　——Secret.

　Feeling her heart beating a little, Koharu met his gaze.

"C-can you tell me?"

"--That's right. Well then, here are the terms of exchange."

"Huh?"

"If you tell me Koharu's 'secret', I'll tell you Yoshino's secret."

　As Mioto said that with a grin, my heart skipped a beat, making an unpleasant noise.

　...Mioto knows that I can't go to school anymore.

　And that he hasn't told anyone why he can't go to school.

　That's probably true.

　I'm a girl who just turned 16 and should be attending high school.

　If you suddenly heard that someone was going to come from Tokyo to Kyoto to help out at their grandmother's store, it would probably be natural to be curious and ask a few questions.

　But even I have circumstances I don't want people to get involved in.

　"Conditions in exchange" as if to tease me out of curiosity.

　I can't believe someone would say something so traumatizing to me like that.

　...I feel stupid for getting a little excited and thinking that Mioto is wonderful.

　At that moment, Koharu clenched her fists and glared at Mioto.

"Sorry," he muttered quietly.

"Huh?"

"I didn't mean to make fun of you, Koharu-chan. We are close friends, but we had never had any contact until now, and I thought that if someone like me could just say something like that casually, it would make things easier for you. I'm really sorry."

　I was at a loss for words when I saw how truly apologetic he was.

　The rising anger quickly subsided.

　This was because Koharu could tell that Mioto truly thought that she had done something bad.

"Ah, no."

"Now that I think about it, it might not be something I should be saying about Yoshino-san. If you want to know, it might be better to ask Yoshino-san."

"......yes"

　I don't want to tell anyone my own secret, but I want to know other people's...how selfish of me is that, Koharu thought, feeling bitter.

　A silence suddenly came over me.

　As I was walking west along the Gion shopping street feeling a little depressed, I noticed a young woman standing nearby with her hands over her mouth, looking unwell.

　He was probably a tourist. A woman who seemed to be his friend was rubbing his back with a worried look on her face.

"Hey, are you okay? Want me to go back to the hotel? Should I go get him?"

　In response, she silently nodded with her hand over her mouth.

"............"I wonder if it's okay?

　Koharu nervously followed them with her eyes as they turned north from Shijo Street, and Mioto, walking next to her, gently shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh no! I got so many! But I guess I got what I deserved."

　Mioto sighed in relief.

"Huh?"

"...Koharu-chan, there are lots of cats over there."

　As if to change the subject, Mioto turned his gaze to several cats relaxing in the flowerbed.

"Oh, cute."

"Koharu-chan, do you like cats?"

"Yes," I added silently, not just to cats, but any small animal.

"I live near Shimogamo Shrine, and there are a lot of cats around the shrine, and they come to my garden a lot."

"What, you just came in without permission?"

"That's right. They're all so cute. If you like, why don't you come over to my place sometime?"

　When Mioto looked into her face and said that, Koharu's heart leapt.

"Um, well," I said, quickly turning my face away.

"Hey, Shimogamo-no-bou, what are you doing?"

　I saw Sojiro standing in front of the store.

"Ah, Soujirou. Hello."

　Mioto smiled and raised the corners of his mouth.

"That's not a 'hello'! Don't go and seduce my daughter without permission!"

　Koharu was shocked when Sojiro crossed his arms and spoke threateningly.

"You mean temptation, Soujirou-san?"

"Koharu, you're the same! Don't try and drag someone into your house just because of a mere cat, that's too cheap for you!"

"T-t ...

　Normally Koharu would never blurt out what she was thinking, but perhaps because she was so shaken and confused, she had no time to think and a voice came out of her mouth in a way that even surprised herself.

　Soujirou exclaimed, shrugging his shoulders and pointing at Mioto.

"Listen, to you, Mioto is just Grandma's younger brother's grandson. That means he's practically a stranger!"

"Eh? What?"

"Listen carefully, Koharu! You are my brother's daughter! In other words, in short, you are my daughter! Listen to your father!"

"Second cousins ​​are strangers, and uncle and niece are abbreviated to parent and child. Soujirou, that's rude. You're rounding up too much."

　Mioto hides her mouth with a fan and laughs.

　The appearance was so elegant that Koharu couldn't help but stare at it in admiration.

"Koharu, why are you staring at this guy?! Listen, don't be fooled by his appearance, he's dangerous so don't go near him!"

　Koharu was confused by Sojiro's complete anger.

"Um... why is it dangerous?"

"--" Soujirou seemed to be stuck for words, and then,

"...You don't need to know about that," he said in a low voice.

　"I don't understand," said Koharu, tilting her head in confusion, and Mioto nodded in agreement.

"I honestly don't understand."

"Hey, shut up! And besides that, don't try and seduce Koharu with your charms!"

"I'm not trying to seduce you. Please don't make her wary."

　Mioto folded his fan with a bang and gave me a cold look.

"Besides, you know what to do with yourself. You seduced my sister, didn't you?"

"Ah!" Soujirou suddenly stopped speaking and looked away.

"Eh, Soujirou-san is seducing Mioto-san's sister?"

　His sister must be a very beautiful woman. She can't be left out.

"That's right. My sister had a crush on Sojiro and followed him to Tokyo."

"Who cares about that?! He was the one who was yearning for Tokyo and left his hometown on his own!"

"So, you lived together then? That's disgusting, honestly."

　Mioto crossed his arms and sighed.

"Oh, that guy just ended up coming to stay with us! We're relatives, so I just let him stay with us until he got his life in Tokyo under control. We're just roommates!"

"Relatives? To you, my sister is your mother's younger brother's granddaughter, so she's practically a stranger. Two grown-ups living together under the same roof."

　Mioto gave a cold sneer and a sharp look in his eyes.

"Look, Koharu, this guy from Kyoto is a mean guy! Don't let him fool you!"

　Sojiro turned around quickly and placed his hands on Koharu's shoulders.

"Th-Soujirou-san..."

　Feeling a headache, Koharu puts her hand to her forehead.

"So, Koharu, do you know why Soujiro came to Tokyo in the first place?"

　When Mioto said this as if he had just remembered, Koharu was confused and asked, "Eh?"

"That was... I think he said, 'I was fed up with Kyoto always trying to keep up appearances, so I ran away.'"

"That may be the case, but Soujirou-san, ah..."

　Just as Mioto was about to say that, Soujirou grabbed him by the forehead with force, as if he were holding a basketball.

"Okay, Mioto, don't say that."

　With a smile on his face, he puts strength into his fingers.

"--No way, you have to use your iron claws seriously."

　Mioto shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'm scared, I'm scared."

"You know what, you should just hurry back to Shimogamo. Don't try and seduce my daughter with your strange charms, you poisonous flower."

　Sojiro grabbed Koharu by the shoulders, pulled her close and made a gesture of waving her away with his hand.

"Oh, come on, Soujiro..."

　Koharu was flustered by this terrible treatment and her eyes wandered, but Miohito himself didn't seem to notice at all and had a smile on his face.

"Well, that's a pretty big thing to say, but I have business at the store."

"What is it? Do you need help from grandma again?"

"No, I've asked Soujirou to put some Sakura Mochi on hold for me."

　Soujirou stopped moving suddenly.

"...The one grandma said she reserved the twenty for us, was that you?"

"Yes. Soujirou's sakura mochi is said to be really delicious, and everyone says they want to try it."

　Mioto has a carefree smile on his face,

"Well, well, I guess there's no other way."

　Sojiro crossed his arms proudly and nodded in agreement.

　...Munejiro, you're so selfish.

　Koharu frowned and took a deep breath.

　　　　six

"Then, that will be twenty sakura mochi."

　Koharu handed Mioto the paper bag containing 20 sakura mochi that she had set aside for him.

　Perhaps because Sojiro had surprised her and she had uttered a loud voice once, she was able to speak more easily than before.

"Thank you."

　Mioto narrowed his well-shaped eyes like an arch as he accepted the paper bag.

　Even though I had been saying some rude things to him, he didn't show the slightest sign of annoyance and just bought me twenty sakura mochi with a smile. What a nice guy.

　Koharu's heart warmed as she thought this, but on the other hand, this person...she looked at Sojiro standing next to her.

"Thank you. The sun is about to set, so hurry back to Izumi River, Kamo-san."

　As Sojiro waved goodbye, Koharu called out, "See you later."

"You've been so rude since earlier. And why is Mioto-san the sucker?"

　Upon hearing that, not only Soujirou but also Mioto opened their eyes in surprise.

　This time Koharu was surprised by the two of them.

"I-Is there something weird?"

"...But, do you not know Grandma's maiden name, Koharu?"

"Your grandmother's maiden name?"

　My grandmother's name is Sakurai Yoshino.

　That's her married name, of course.

　Koharu now realized that she never knew her grandmother's maiden name.

"Oh, come to think of it, I didn't know your grandmother's maiden name."

"Koharu, my name is Kamo Mioto. And Yoshino-san's original name was Kamo Yoshino," Mioto said, placing his hand on his chest.

"...Ah, so you call Mioto 'Kamo-san'."

　I mentioned the family name, not the duck bird.

"But Soujiro-san used a reference to the duck. He said, 'Izumikawa is waiting.'"

"What's Izumikawa?"

"It's the name of the stream that runs through the grounds of Shimogamo Shrine."

"...I see."

　Since Kamo-san lives in Shimogamo, he said, "Go back to Izumikawa."

　Koharu was impressed for a moment by how cleverly he said it, but then she gave a wry smile.

"Thank you so much. Koharu-chan, I'll come and see you next time when your noisy 'Dad' isn't around," Mioto said, raising one hand and laughing.

"Y-yes, goodbye."

　He quickly exits the store.

　Even after he had disappeared, the faint scent of plum blossoms lingered in the air.

　As expected, she is a refined and wonderful person.

　When I feel like I can't help but feel enchanted,

"...Koharu, sprinkle salt."

　Koharu sighed as Sojiro muttered something.

"Soujirou-san, why do you dislike Mioto-san so much?"

"I don't dislike you or anything. Listen, Koharu, whoever you fall in love with is up to you, and I have no intention of interfering with you. But that guy is a no-go, absolutely not."

"Oh, nothing like that...love or anything. Besides, I'm fine with love now."

　Soujirou frowned and said, "Hmm?"

"Maybe you had a boyfriend?"

　Hearing the unexpected question, Koharu gave a wry smile.

"...I don't have a boyfriend."

　There was just someone I thought was nice. I think that could be called "love."

　But it was over quickly.

　Because I couldn't go to school.

　......Kudou Kudo, who was also on the committee.

　He was bright and refreshing, and many people, not just me, admired him.

"I heard Sakurai is also applying to T High School?"

"You too, Kudou-kun?"

"Yeah, I managed to make it into the ten people group. Let's do our best together."

『Uh, yeah!』

　I had qualified to take the entrance exam for my school of choice, and had gotten a little closer to the person I had always looked up to, so I was excited about my bright future - until that day, which suddenly happened...

　Suddenly, memories of the past came back to her and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. Just as she bowed her head and closed her eyes tightly, an elderly woman came rushing in.

"Hey, Yoshino-san, are you there?"

　It was Yayoi, who had come earlier to ask for a fire protection talisman.

　Yoshino, who had been sitting at the cash register and watching the interaction between the three young women with a sense of amusement, immediately stood up when she noticed Yayoi's unusual behavior.

"What happened?"

"There were tourists crouching there. Look, it's this way."

　Yayoi beckoned over to a tourist who was squatting on the road.

　The person was a woman he had seen while walking with Mioto through Gion shopping district.

　Age: probably early twenties.

　His face was paler than it was back then, and he looked like he was about to vomit at any moment.

　The woman stepped into the store and dropped to her knees on the floor.

　The friends who were with me are nowhere to be seen.

　She said she was going to call him, so I wonder if she went to call him?

　While Koharu was feeling suspicious,

"Oh, that's terrible. Where did you go?"

　Yoshino frowned and stepped closer.

"But he just looked like he was in pain and didn't tell me anything."

"Are you OK? Can you breathe?"

　I stroke her back as she crouches there.

　She looked very distressed and her eyes were teary.

"For now, I'll take care of him. Soujirou, carry him to the back room of the store."

　Soujirou immediately nodded and said, "Yes."

"Excuse me, excuse me."

　Sojiro picked her up and carried her to a Japanese-style room at the back of the store.

"Yayoi-san, I'm sorry, but could you please put away the Noren curtain?"

　Yoshino spoke quickly and immediately headed for the Japanese-style room in the back. "Got it," Yayoi replied, pushing the curtain away with a surprisingly skilled look.

"Koharu, have you brought the glasses of water and sake?"

　Yoshino called out from the back room.

"Y-Yes."

　Without really understanding what was going on, Koharu prepared some water and sake in glasses.

　When I stepped into the back room, I found her in the center of the six-tatami Japanese-style room, her hands on the tatami mat, panting and looking like she was in pain.

"This is possessed."

　Yayoi asked timidly, "Are you possessed?" Koharu was startled.

"Hmm, that's not quite right. It feels like I'm being held captive, but what is this? If you don't tell me, I don't know. Hey, where were you and what did you do? Did you suddenly disappear?"

　Yoshino asked gently while rubbing her back, and with trembling hands she pulled out a tourist map from her bag and pointed to 'Yasui Konpira Shrine.'

"Konpira Shrine in Yasui..."

Koharu also knew about Yasui Konpira Shrine.

　The shrine is known for cutting off bad relationships and creating good ones.

　There is a tunnel-shaped stone with a hole in the middle called the "Monument for Making and Cutting Entries."

　It is said that if you pass through the hole in the center from the front to the back, you will be able to sever ties with your former partner, and if you pass through it again from the other side, you will be able to find a new partner. It is said to be extremely effective for those who have bad relationships they want to cut off, and many people come from far away just to pray.

"...If you go there, you won't end up here."

　As Yoshino tilted her head in confusion, Soujirou annoyedly pushed his hair back.

"Well, whatever it is, why don't you just exorcise it?"

　Sojiro immediately clapped his hands together, and Yoshino looked up vigorously.

"That's no good, Soujiro! Even if it makes you feel better, it's only temporary. If you don't understand the situation properly, things will get worse later on. This is like an illness, you can't just prescribe medicine the next day."

　Yoshino snapped, and Soujirou shrugged.

"...Hey, can you talk a little bit?"

　Yoshino asked gently again, and she looked up tremblingly.

　His mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out.

"It's really terrible. But the strange thing is, when I'm like this, I don't feel like I'm possessed by anything big, it's really strange."

　Although she had no idea what was going on, Koharu did know that she wanted to know the "why" she had become like this.

　Once you know the cause, you may want to take appropriate measures.

"That's enough. Let's just make him comfortable for now."

　Just as Sojiro was about to step forward, Koharu clenched her fists.

"Oh, you see..."

　Yoshino and Soujiro turned to look at Koharu as she quietly opened her mouth.

　My heart was pounding, wondering if it was okay for me to say something like that.

"I wonder if maybe this person hugged the 'Enkiri Monument' at Konpira Shrine in Yasui as a memento?"

　The room was silent.

　Everyone just stared at Koharu in shock.

"Well, well..." I shook my head in a panic to correct myself and say that it was just a thought, but she nodded deeply.

"Really?! You hugged that thing? Come on, you shouldn't hug that thing."

"...Yeah, I wouldn't hug you even if you asked me to."

　Yayoi and Soujirou said, with bitter looks on their faces.

　The Yasui Konpira Shrine's "Monument for Cutting Bad Relationships and Making Good Relationships," which is dedicated to cutting bad relationships and creating good ones, has countless white signs pasted on it.

　When Koharu first saw the monument, she was so taken aback for a moment.

　A stone strong enough to cut off ties with people.

　Honestly, I can't imagine hugging it, let alone crawling through it.

"---If you hug that thing, of course you're going to get it. And, although it's not possessed by anything big, the symptoms are pretty severe. Your back hurts."

"Yoshino-san, so, are you possessed after all?"

"No, it's not like I was possessed or anything like that. I think I received the 'negative thoughts' that had been building up there. And then the acupuncture points got clogged."

　Yoshino said, brushing her shoulders and back with her hands.

"I see. Even simple dust can become harmful and cause illness if inhaled in large quantities."

"That's true. But once you understand the situation, it's easy. Just clean up the accumulated dust."

　Yoshino sat upright in front of her and clasped her hands together.

"Yoshino-san, is there anything I can help you with?" Yayoi leaned forward, her eyes shining.

"Well, there's some incense on the shelf, so can you light it?"

"Got it."

　Yayoi says as she lights the incense.

"Also, Koharu, there are five white packages in the drawer, please take them out."

"Y-Yes."

　Koharu did as she was told, took a white package from the drawer and handed it over.

"Here it is. Hey, what's this, Grandma?"

"It's coarse salt."

　Yoshino had her lie on her back and placed the white packet containing coarse salt on her nape, then between her armpits, then over her stomach, and under her waist, skillfully working her way up.

　He sat upright in front of her again and clasped his hands together so hard that it made a loud slap.

"Listen, right now you've taken on the negative thoughts of many people, and they've even clogged your pores. I'm going to exorcise them now, but you too need to have an image in your mind of exorcising and ridding yourself of the bad things. It's like imagining a dog draining the water after a shampoo. Have a strong image in your mind of vigorously brushing off the bad things that have accumulated on your body."

　Yoshino spoke gently and firmly, and she nodded with tears in her eyes.

"Well then," Yoshino breathed.

"--Heaven is purified, the earth is purified, the inside and outside are purified, and the six senses are purified--Heaven is purified by purifying the seven days of the month, the nine days of the month, and the twenty-eight constellations of the heavens. Earth is purified by purifying the thirty-six gods of the earth. Purifying the inside and outside is purified by purifying the three great gods of the household. Purifying the six senses is purified by purifying the body and the impurities of the eight hundred and ten thousand gods. The eight ears of the little deer are raised to listen to this and it is said that they will eat it--"

　Koharu had no idea what he was talking about.

　Yoshino chanted something like a spell and then clapped her hands again.

　--A deep silence fell over the room.

"Okay, take a deep breath and then exhale."

　Following Yoshino's instructions, she took a deep breath and exhaled with a whoosh.

"Yes, sit up."

　I raised her torso, took her head in my hands, slowly rotated her clockwise, and finally shook her shoulders and back one more time.

"Yeah, it's good. I don't think you'll suddenly feel refreshed and comfortable, but it will get rid of the bad things that were stuck to you. You'll feel better little by little."

　Yoshino smiled brightly.

　With tears in her eyes, she let out a big sigh.

"--Th-Thank you."

　When she finally found her voice, everyone was relieved and placed their hands on their chests.

"I feel so much better now. Until just now, my throat and chest were tight, I couldn't speak, it was hard to breathe, and the center of my back felt so heavy it hurt...But now it all seems so false. Oh, thank you."

"Well, that's good. Today, put coarse salt and sake in the bath. Just one glass of each will be fine. Don't ever go hugging something like that just for fun."

"Y-Yes. Umm, the fee for the exorcism is..."

"It's nothing special, so it's fine. Continue enjoying Kyoto."

"But, that's..."

　After suddenly popping in and having them make his stay comfortable, he probably feels bad about leaving without doing anything.

　She lowered her eyes apologetically.

　Yayoi, who had been watching her, spoke up.

"Well, you should buy one of these 'scented bags'. I highly recommend it."

"Huh?" She looked at Yayoi in confusion.

"The scented bags that Yoshino-san, famous as the 'Priest of Gion,' made himself are extremely effective at warding off evil spirits."

　Yayoi said with a big smile.

　--A shrine priest in Gion?

　Koharu blinked, unable to believe her ears.

"Y-yes, I will! Thank you!"

"Oh, Yayoi-san, it seems like you're a shill for our store," Yoshino said with a pleasant laugh.

　And so, the girl purchased Yoshino's handmade ''fragrant sachet'', as well as some coarse bath salt and some sake, and left the store with Yayoi, thanking her profusely.

　Outside the store, Koharu found her friends who had been looking for her out of concern, and when they reunited safely, she breathed a sigh of relief.

　　　　seven

　But still...

　Koharu's relief was short-lived, and she was stunned by the shock for a moment.

　Yayoi's words kept running round and round in my head.

　--What are Gion shrine priests?

"Oh, I've been found out..." Soujirou said, placing his hands on his hips and looking up at the ceiling.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped," Yoshino shrugged.

"Wh-what does that mean?"

　Koharu asked quietly, and Yoshino gave her a determined smile.

"The shop is closed for the day, so why don't we go in and have some sakura mochi and chat? Soujirou, can you prepare some?"

"Ou"

　And so Koharu, Sojiro, and Yoshino ended up talking while eating the sakura mochi that Sojiro had made in the dining area under the red umbrella.

　There are two different kinds of sakura mochi lined up on the table.

　One is the familiar sakura mochi, with pink mochi dough wrapped around a crepe-like filling and cherry blossom leaves.

　The other type is sakura mochi, which is also wrapped in a cherry blossom leaf, but has small pink mochi pieces that completely encase the bean paste.

"Listen, Koharu, sakura mochi are different in Kansai and Kanto. The crepe-like ones are Kanto style, and are also called 'chochomeimei teraji mochi.' These grainy ones are Kansai style, and are called 'doumei teraji mochi.'"

　"I'd rather hear the story behind that than hear any trivia about sakura mochi," Koharu said, frowning.

"Okay, just listen first."

　As if he could sense Koharu's feelings, he holds out his hand.

"First, try one bite at a time."

"......Yeah"

　First, I took a bite of Chomeiji Mochi, a Kanto-style crepe.

　The mochi has a crepe-like texture and is filled with sweet bean paste.

　Since I was told to eat one bite at a time, I next picked up some Kansai-style "Domyoji Mochi".

　The mochi had a grainy texture and was very soft, with bean paste inside.

　Koharu wiped the mochi off her fingers with a wet towel and took a sip of the tea her grandmother had made for her.

"---Both are delicious."

"So, this is the sakura mochi I made."

　Soujirou placed another sakura mochi on the table.

　It is round in shape and completely encases the bean paste. The mochi is not lumpy.

　In a nutshell, it has the texture of a Kanto-style crepe that has been tightly rolled up.

"Try it."

　"Yes," I said, picking it up.

　I took one bite and realized it contained "Domyoji-style" grainy mochi.

　In other words, the mochi had two layers. It was like a domyoji mochi wrapped in a thin layer of mochi skin.

　Domyoji's Tsubutsumochi is soft and tasty, but it tends to stick to your hands.

　It is wrapped from the top to make it easier to eat.

　The filling inside is smooth bean paste. And then...

"Oh, it has strawberry strawberries in it," Koharu said, opening her eyes.

"Yeah, and a little bit of cream too."

　Soujiro chuckled.

"Isn't that extremely unorthodox?"

　Yoshino shrugged and took a bite of Sojiro's original sakura mochi.

　It combines Kanto and Kansai styles, and even includes strawberries and fresh cream.

　It has no traditions and is a mix of Japanese and Western styles. It's certainly a very unorthodox approach.

　However...

"Soujirou, this is really delicious."

　Koharu was shouting louder than usual because the food was so delicious, and Soujirou puffed out his chest in satisfaction.

"Right? At first glance, it looks like an ordinary sakura mochi. But there's a secret to it."

"...that's true."

　It was easy to understand why this sakura mochi was so popular, and even though Yoshino said it was "unorthodox," she still ended up eating it.

"Koharu. Granny is with us too."

"Huh?"

"At first glance, she appears to be just an ordinary old lady running a Japanese goods store, but she has a secret."

　Sensing tension in Sojiro's usually serious gaze, he gulped and gasped.

　Yoshino gave a wry smile and slowly began to speak.

"...My family, the Kamo clan, are like that. The Kamo clan are said to be the descendants of the great landlord. A famous one would be Kamo no Tadayuki, who was the master of Abe no Seimei. Furthermore, his descendants are the shrine officials of both Kamikami Kamo no Tadayuki and Shimogamo Shrine."

"So, does that mean your ancestor was a Yin Yang Master?"

"That's true. Well, even though we say that, we're not direct descendants. We're just a few of the descendants who have inherited the Kamo family name."

　That's what Yoshino said.

　Koharu couldn't say anything and just waited for the next words.

"But, perhaps it's something passed down from generation to generation, but sometimes a child with the qualities to be a 'praying man' appears in the Kamo family. I too have had a strong intuition ever since I was a child, and can perform things similar to exorcisms.

It's not something as grand as "Onmyoji" and I don't have a sign out in the open, but when I see someone in trouble I can't just leave them alone and I often end up helping them.

　As I continued doing this, before I knew it, I was being called the 'Prayer Shop of Gion.'"

"...I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me this before?"

　Koharu asked sincerely, and Yoshino lowered her eyes apologetically.

"Soichi had no powers of his own, and couldn't understand at all. He hated the way I was acting, and left home early. And he told me, 'Don't ever tell your wife or kids that I was doing such shady things behind your back.'"

　Yoshino said, then took a deep breath.

　"That's right," Koharu nodded vigorously.

　It was very fatherly of him, someone who hated anything different, invisible, or unreal.

　He always complained that it was all an illusion, an assumption.

　Maybe it's because I grew up in this house.

　Perhaps my father could not bear the idea of ​​his mother performing purification rituals while he was unable to see or understand anything.

"Well, even though I'm called a 'prayer priest' I'm not a huge fan, I just write talismans and perform small purification rituals. I'm basically just an old lady who runs a Japanese goods store. Just like my sakura mochi, it's a bit of a secret," Soujiro said, taking a bite of the sakura mochi he had made.

"So, there's nothing to be scared of."

　Koharu nodded and said, "Yes," as Yoshino looked worried.

"So, when Mioto said that Grandma's scented sachet contained a 'secret', was he referring to its talismanic effect?"

"Koharu, a 'fragrant sachet' is in itself a talisman against evil."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, they say that evil things hate good smells, so they used to carry scented sachets with them, but my sachet actually contains this kind of thing."

　Sojiro said as he took out a scented sachet from his pocket.

"So Soujiro had one too..."

　Sojiro is surprisingly dexterous with his hands, which is surprising given his bold personality.

　With careful fingers, he opened the small drawstring bag, and a tiny transparent ball popped out.

"Is this... a marble?" Koharu picked up the transparent ball and peered inside.

"It's crystal. Granny made this scented sachet, and it contains incense, coarse salt, crystal, and even has a bell attached. It's the ultimate talisman."

"Right, so that's why it's a secret."

"That's right."

　Yoshino then laughed and handed me a pink scented bag.

"I'll give this to you as a present. It smells like cherry blossoms."

"Thank you."

　I took it with both hands and when I put it in my hands, a bell tinkled and at the same time, a soft scent like cherry blossom sakura mochi spread in the air.

"Ah, this somehow clears things up. Living in hiding is just not my style."

"Me too. I know it can't be helped if people find out, but I can't bring myself to say it because of Souichi."

　The two of them slumped their shoulders in relief and brought their teacups to their mouths, and the sight of them looking identical made Koharu chuckle.

"Sorry, Koharu. That's creepy right?"

"N-no. Not at all... I mean, just like these scented sachets and sakura mochi, there's just a little secret to it, right?"

　Yoshino smiled reassuringly at Koharu who smiled back.

"--Now that I think of it, I was surprised when you found out that Koharu had hugged the 'Severance Monument' back then. How did you know?"

　Soujirou asked as if he had just remembered something, and Koharu's shoulders twitched.

"Um, well... I guessed it from watching his mouth movements."

　As she spoke, Koharu's heart was pounding faster and faster.

　If I were to tell him, now might be the time.

　Even though I thought that, my face was tense and I couldn't speak.

"Is that what they call 'lip reading' in spy movies?"

"It wasn't anything so grandiose, it just seemed to me."

　As Koharu spoke awkwardly, looking away, Soujirou uttered a "Hmm" as if he had lost interest, and stood up.

"Well, Koharu did a great job, and we were able to come out and tell everyone that our family also runs fortune tellers, so let's go eat something delicious today."

"Wow, wow, I'm so happy."

　Having changed the subject, Koharu felt relieved and placed her hand on her chest.

　──My grandmother was a "Gion shrine priest."

　Perhaps it had something to do with the mysterious event that had suddenly happened to me.

　Maybe one day we'll be able to talk in this house.

　Like this sachet, I too have a little secret inside.

　Koharu put the scented sachet she had been given into her pocket and clutched it tightly.