He did not lament past misfortune, nor did he flaunt what he had achieved. He overcame difficulties with a composed smile and properly treasured the happiness he obtained afterward. Jinya considered Yoshihiko to be among the few people who had true strength.
“Sorry to make you go through the trouble of making us tea,” Jinya said.
“Not at all. I wanted to chat with you, anyway. It’s been too long.”
“Ah. Here to chew me out as well, eh?”
The folds on Yoshihiko’s face multiplied as he smiled. “Ah ha ha, no, no.”
“You’re not? I caused you a great deal of worry, so I’ll happily accept whatever you have to say.”
“Oh, I never worried. I may not have known when, but I always knew you would come back. Your home is here, after all.” Yoshihiko’s words were so carefree, and that made them all the more striking. He’d had complete faith in Jinya this whole time. The fact that he could say so without a hint of shame was admirable. Jinya felt he had caught a glimpse of why Izuchi respected this man enough to call him “Yoshihiko-senpai.”
“Damn…”
“Ha ha. Was I wrong?”
“No, it’s as you say. You’re so right that I have no choice but to show my respect to you, my master, as a member of ‘Yoshihiko’s Demon Quartet.’”
Yoshihiko recalled that old joke of Izuchi’s and smiled as his face became all wrinkles. “Now that brings back memories.”
Jinya would never age as a demon, but if he had the choice, he wanted to become a man who could smile like Yoshihiko did.
Jinya said, “While I have you, there’s something I’d like to ask for.”
“Oh, sure. Name it.”
“Just like that? You haven’t even heard what I want yet.”
“Oh, please. I know you wouldn’t ask for anything impossible.”
Jinya couldn’t help but feel a bit bashful when he heard that, but his request was nothing lavish. He only asked for a few maps.
He took out the small bottle in his pocket and fiddled with it in his hand. It was filled with star sand. The ephemeral dream was long gone, but there was still something left undone. Before he woke up completely, he needed to settle one last matter.
Several days later, Jinya started working at Koyomiza again. Most of his tasks only involved cleaning and odd jobs, so he wasn’t kept particularly busy. In fact, he was busier in the moments between work when others like Jingo and Kimiko came to take up his time.
“Jiiya, Jiiya.”
The one who came to see him the most was Ryuuna. After he returned, she could often be seen following behind him wherever he went. Even though he was only stepping outside to sweep the theater’s entrance now, she followed behind him like a duckling. Seeing her like this reminded him of the way she used to be back when he was still a gardener for the Akase family. She must have missed him terribly in the twenty-three years he’d been absent.
He felt a mixture of joy and guilt as he patted her head. She gave a heartfelt smile, a sight that made returning worth it on its own.
“Sorry it took me so long to come back,” he said.
“It’s okay. I protected everyone while you were gone.”
“I see.”
“So pat my head more.”
During the war, Jinya and Izuchi had temporarily left Koyomiza to avoid the drafts, not because they were afraid to fight but because they did not believe demons had a place meddling in the conflicts of humans. It was a fact of life that fortune came and went. Jinya knew their inaction could cause Japan to lose the war and fall to ruin, and that there might have been honor in taking up the sword to fight. But even so, he believed it was not their place, and Izuchi agreed. Whether the result was victory or defeat, it had to be brought about by human hands.
It would have been a problem if young, able-bodied men stayed around the Toudou home while avoiding the draft, though. That was why Jinya and Izuchi lived as vagabonds for much of the early Showa years.
As he left, Ryuuna had said, “I’ll protect everyone while you’re gone. So don’t worry, Jiiya.” Koyomiza had become a place dear to her too. After that, every time he left for an extended period, she would protect the place in his stead.
She’d done the same this time as well, making sure no harm befell Koyomiza in his absence. Of course, now that he was back, she wanted him to dote on her as a reward for all her efforts.
“Ah, Jii-chan.”
Just as Jinya finished most of the sweeping, he heard Jingo call out to him. He was the theater manager now, in charge of assigning others their duties, among other things. In his hands were two maps which Yoshihiko must have quickly sent for.
“Jingo. Are those the maps I requested?”
“Yeah, my old man asked me to give them to you. This here is an up-to-date map of Tokyo, and this here’s a map of East Mukojima. You also said you wanted a route map of the city trams, but they got rid of them a while ago.”
The city trams were gradually shut down from Showa 38 to Showa 47, a duration for which Jinya had been sealed away.
Jinya couldn’t hide his surprise at the news. Many things changed from Meiji to Taisho, and it was the same way from Taisho to Showa. The advance of modern science was frighteningly fast—but so was the rate at which things were rendered obsolete. He just couldn’t get used to that fact no matter how hard he tried, and he felt sorrowful for what time had left behind.
“I see… No wonder I didn’t see any trams around.”
“Twenty years will change any city,” Jingo said. “Not that Koyomiza has changed one bit this whole time.”
Koyomiza’s lack of change was not just something they strived for, but a point of pride as well. Having properly inherited that way of thinking, Jingo beamed. Though his words were meant jokingly, he was proud of his home.
“So, what are the maps for, anyway?” he asked.
“I was thinking of going to the Dove District again.” Jinya felt Jingo grab his shoulders almost the exact instant the words left his mouth. Ryuuna clung to his waist from behind as well. The two didn’t want him to go, considering what had happened last time.
“Jiiya, no,” Ryuuna said. Her eyes were moist, tears ready to fall at any moment.
“Nee-chan’s right. You mustn’t go.” Jingo’s expression was a mixture of worry and anger.
They were both afraid he might not return again.
“It’ll be all right. I’ll be back before you know it,” Jinya said.
“You said that last time.” Ryuuna glared up at him. Her cuteness meant she was far from threatening, but he couldn’t bring himself to shake her off, so it ended up being a fairly effective move.
Nomari and Heikichi, Kimiko and Yoshihiko. Jinya was always soft when it came to children, but he was particularly weak when Ryuuna was involved, perhaps because they’d spent so much time together. But in this particular case, he could not do what she wanted.
“I promise I’ll be back before the day is over,” he said.
“But…”
“Please, Ryuuna. I have to go.” He meant it. His feelings were sincere.
Knowing how stubborn he was, Ryuuna reluctantly released her hold on him. Seeing her do that, Jingo begrudgingly did the same.
“You promised. So come back,” Ryuuna said.
“I will. Want to pinky promise?”
“Mm.”
Piiinky promise, whoever lies must swallow a thousand needles, pinky promised.
A promise that is sworn must be kept. That much was common sense to anyone, and it was also why he had to return to the Dove District one more time.
“I’m sorry for making you worry too, Jingo,” Jinya apologized.
“I won’t stop you if Ryuuna-neechan won’t. But I at least want to hear why you’re going,” Jingo said with a frown.
Jinya grinned slightly and said, “Because I broke a promise, I guess?”