I had no idea what they were laughing about. As I tilted my head in confusion, Holmes regained his composure and slowly looked me in the eye.
“Aoi, this store doesn’t purchase from minors. You’ll need to be accompanied by a legal guardian or have formal authorization.”
I felt all the tension leave my shoulders. I was disappointed, but relieved at the same time. It was like being a criminal that got caught before committing an actual crime.
“However, appraisals are allowed. Would you show me what you brought? It might be something valuable, if it’s coming from you,” he said with a grin.
“Huh?” I stared at him. What does he mean by that?
“I’ll make coffee. Would you like some?”
“Ah, yes, please. Do you have milk and sugar?”
“I’ll make café au lait, then. Please take a seat on the sofa.”
I watched him merrily make his way to the back of the store as I gingerly sat down on the sofa in the cafe area.
Mieko leaned over and asked, “Where are you from, dear? Tokyo?”
I shook my head in response. “No, I’m from Omiya in Saitama.”
“Was it a job transfer?”
“Yes. My grandfather passed away two years ago, so my family wanted to move in with my grandmother to keep her company. My father’s transfer request finally went through, and we moved here last summer.”
“Are you used to living here yet?”
“...Yes.” I nodded, and at the same moment, the scent of coffee drifted our way. I looked up and saw Holmes carrying a tray.
“Here you are. Our store always provides complimentary beverages for our customers. It’s something I like to do,” Holmes said, placing a porcelain cup in front of me. My eyes lit up at the delicious-looking café au lait.
“It was hot last summer when you moved here, no?” Holmes asked, sitting down across from me.
“It was, but it’s the same in Saitama. I was surprised by how cold the winter is here, though.” I gently picked up the cup and brought it to my lips. Even though it was March, the temperature difference was extreme. The coffee’s warmth seeped through my shivery body.
“Indeed, Kyoto’s winter is dangerous. Chills you to the bone,” quipped Mieko.
“Uh huh, it was a real shock coming over from Osaka.”
I guess Ueda is from Osaka.
Holmes nodded and said, “Shimogamo is to the north, so it must be even colder there.”
Come to think of it, Holmes was speaking in standard Japanese. Where is he from?
“Oh, I’ve always lived in Kyoto. I’m sure it’s hard to tell since I speak formally.”
I almost spit out my coffee in surprise at his response to my inner thoughts. J-Just how perceptive is this guy?!
“Oh Holmes, when will you stop that? You’re scaring poor Aoi, right?”
“Y-Yeah. Is he always like this?”
“No, I usually take care to keep my thoughts to myself. I wonder why today is different,” Holmes pondered, tilting his head.
Then, he really is this perceptive all the time. Is that what it takes to be able to appraise antiques?
“Aoi, could you show me what you brought?” Holmes asked, seemingly having pulled himself back together. I agreed and handed over the paper bag. As Ueda and Mieko eagerly looked over, I felt like I wanted to run away.
“Lessee!”
“There’s two things!”
“Ah, hanging scrolls.” With his hands clad in white gloves, Holmes carefully picked up a scroll. He gently unrolled it, and his eyes opened wide in amazement. The scroll bore a striking painting of Bodhidharma. The dark, inky lines and intense eyes left quite the impression.
“It’s a Zen painting by Ekaku Hakuin. Now this is a surprise—it’s genuine.” Though his voice was calm, I could tell he was excited from the gleam in his eyes.
Mieko gleefully piped up, “Never heard of Ekaku Hakuin, but I’ve seen this painting somewhere before. This here’s the real thing, then?”
Holmes nodded and continued, “Ekaku Hakuin was a Zen priest in the mid Edo period. He is regarded as the reviver of the Rinzai school.”
“The reviver of...what?”
“Rinzai is one of the sects of Zen Buddhism. In short, he was a major player in the revival of a declining Zen school.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Hakuin preached Zen teachings in an easy-to-understand way and was named the father of the revival. He was so renowned that it was even said, ‘Suruga Province has two things too great for it: Mount Fuji and Hakuin of Hara,’ comparing his greatness to the likes of Mount Fuji.” Holmes looked back down at the hanging scroll. “This really is a surprise. A Bodhidharma in good condition—a stunning one at that.”
Ueda interjected, “Hey Holmes, how much for this one?”
“...Hmm.” Holmes narrowed his eyes. “In the realm of two point five million yen, I’d say.”
“T-Two point five million?” my voice squeaked. It’s worth that much? It was a hundred times more than what I’d been hoping for. My heart raced at the unexpected revelation. I couldn’t believe that I casually put such a treasure into a paper bag and brought it here.
“Let’s take a look at the other one.” Holmes eagerly reached into the paper bag, ignoring my state of shock.
“Oh, I think that one is by the same person. It’s not Bodhidharma, though.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Holmes said. He unraveled the scroll and came to a sudden stop.
“Oh, this one’s a baby. Cute, eh?” remarked Ueda.
“Huh, so Hakuin drew this kind of thing too?” said Mieko.
In contrast to the two excited customers, Holmes stared wide-eyed at the painting in still silence. His face seemed somewhat pale.
“What’s up, Holmes?” asked Ueda.
“Ah, it’s nothing. I...have seen a Hakuin painting of an infant before, but this one is new to me.” His hands were trembling as he held the scroll.
“Is it really that great?”
Holmes paused before answering, “Yes. I...don’t think I can put a price on it,” he murmured quietly.
“Huh?” I was bewildered. He couldn’t put a price on it?
Holmes looked up at me and asked, “Aoi, who does this hanging scroll belong to?”
“It’s...my late grandfather’s. He was an avid collector of antiques.”
“I see. This is a completely unrelated question, but are you so in need of money that you’d sell your grandfather’s belongings?” He looked me straight in the eye, but his tone of voice was gentle and caring. I cast my eyes down, unable to meet his gaze.
I hesitated before saying, “It’s for the bullet train fare. I really need to go back to Saitama.”
“Oh yes, spring vacation is coming up,” said Mieko. “You must want to see your friends, right? But, wouldn’t it be better to ask your mom?”
Holmes quickly put his finger in front of his mouth, signaling her to be quiet. Mieko hastily shut her mouth and shrugged.
“Did something happen?” said Holmes.
I hung my head and bit my lip at his concerned question. After a moment, I tried to speak up, and burst into tears. “L-Last month, my boyfriend said he wanted to break up.” I spoke as though spitting out the words. Mieko and Ueda had meek expressions on their faces. “A-At first, I accepted it. We couldn’t see each other much because we were so far apart, so it was only natural that his feelings would fade away...even though it was unbearable for me...”
We’d been dating since middle school, and we went to the same high school, too. I thought we’d be together forever, but then I had to move to Kyoto...
When I left, he told me, “Nowadays we have the internet to connect us, so a long-distance relationship isn’t a problem. I promise I’ll go to a university in Kyoto.” Despite that, our conversations gradually became more and more intermittent. Finally, he told me, “Sorry, I can’t do this anymore,” and broke up with me. I had a feeling it would happen. It was painful, but I accepted it...and I even felt sorry because it was my family’s circumstances that led to it. And yet...