Chapter One
WITH a thunderous clatter, the woman’s bicycle toppled to the ground.
There I was, sprawled on the pavement, holding onto Koro’s leash for dear life. Propping myself up, I traced the leash to see Koro panting and grinning next to me as though absolutely nothing was wrong and we’d just had the time of our lives.
“Are you okay?!” the woman asked. I could only nod, my attention glued to the disaster in front of us. Groceries that had once happily sat in her bike basket lay scattered across the asphalt. My eyes narrowed on the poor eggs that hadn’t survived the fall. Ugh, not the eggs…
Still on the ground, I watched as the lady rushed to my side, her face scrunched in worry. “Oh dear, your knee,” she muttered, peering at me. “You’re bleeding. I’m so sorry.”
“N-No, it’s my fault… I wasn’t watching where I was going,” I stuttered.
I’d been on an unusually long walk with my dog Koro, who, for some reason, had been reluctant to return home. Our casual stroll took an abrupt detour when he suddenly bolted like a creature possessed, dragging me straight into a blind turn—and right into the lady and her bike.
“I don’t usually come this way; I didn’t know what to watch out for,” I said. “Um, I’m really sorry about your eggs and everything.”
“Don’t worry about it, dear. I was the one on the bike. I should have been more careful,” she said, waving off my apology.
It was my first foray into that old-timey neighborhood, and I’d meandered along narrow streets barely wide enough to fit a single car. Right before we collided, the lady managed to swerve at the last second, but that wasn’t quite enough to save me from myself. I’d lost my balance and gone down hard on the rough pavement, skinning my knees and palms in the process.
I berated myself internally for choosing to wear shorts that evening as she inspected my wounds, sympathy and concern still present on her face. Amid a flurry of additional apologies, she insisted on treating my injuries. I began to protest, and she brushed past my objections and introduced herself, seemingly trying to allay my suspicion. Her name was Ayako Towada, and she was a stout, older woman roughly my mother’s age.
“I’m Haruka Kitazawa,” I replied before appending another sheepish “sorry.”
“No, no, it’s my fault, dear.”
At that point in our interaction, a peculiar realization dawned on me. Despite my usual hesitance around strangers, I felt none of the unease that typically plagued me in their presence. Ayako felt strangely familiar—as if we’d met before.
In the end, since neither of us had any first aid supplies on hand, I agreed to follow her to her home for treatment. She ushered me past the intersection, and after walking a little further, we encountered a row of waist-high hedges and a wrought iron gate. And then I saw the house.
“Here we are. Told you it was close, didn’t I?”
“It— It’s so cute…” I blurted. Before me was the most picture-perfect house I’d ever seen. With its white walls, gabled roof, bright red door, and a mailbox painted in the most vibrant shade of green, it was like a crayon drawing of a five-year-old’s idea of a dream home come to life. If only it had a big, conspicuous chimney…
A majestic tree stood sentry in the front yard, its sprawling branches just begging to support a swing. Behind it and nestled all around the house in shades of delicate pink were stunning, fall-blooming roses that seemed to stretch affectionately toward the residence.
Ayako cracked a warm smile at my awed expression. “Why, thank you. I understand you might be reluctant to enter a stranger’s house, so let’s take care of you right here on the porch.”
I trailed behind her onto a wooden veranda adjoining the front door. She offered me a seat on a nearby bench, and I dropped into it gratefully. Roses twisted and twined all around me, creating a natural screen that shielded me from the world outside. The setting was oddly soothing.
As Ayako slipped inside to retrieve her first aid kit, I let my gaze wander, taking in the surrounds. The lot across the road gave way to a well-maintained wooded area hemmed in by a sturdy fence—the city must have put the fence there to mark the bounds of the neighborhood. A faint breeze swept through the dense woodland, transporting the alluring fragrance of tea olives. Am I sure I haven’t stepped into a fairy tale? I thought to myself, enchanted.
Patches of rosemary flourished around the deck before blending with a wild, sprawling lawn. White stones and tree branches delineated beds that were crowded with various blooms. The scene reminded me so much of a classic English garden that even the plain old cosmos, flowers I’d seen a million times before, gained an exotic charm. My eyes drew once more to the tree near the center of the yard. It was adorned with golden ornaments that hung like cute little marbles, reminiscent of a Christmas tree.
“Sorry for the wait, dear.”
Ayako’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. She emerged from behind me through a pair of sliding patio doors. The hat she’d worn earlier was gone, offering a view of her natural, black hair. It was styled in loose waves that bobbed just above her shoulders. Her bangs were slightly tousled, probably from the aforementioned hat. As she ran water from an outside tap to clean my wounds, she studied me with concern. “Are you sure you don’t need to call your parents?” she asked. “You scraped yourself up pretty bad. It doesn’t hurt?”
“I-I’m fine!” I hurriedly reassured her. “I trip a lot, so I’m used to it.” Or at least, I had when I was younger. As a middle schooler, skinning my knees was more than a little embarrassing. Nonetheless, I desperately clung to my facade, hoping she would relent.
“You sure?” she pressed, sounding unconvinced. “Okay then…”
After dressing my wounds with a few large adhesive bandages, Ayako packed up her first aid kit and disappeared back into the house. “Hold tight just a moment. I’ll be right back,” she said over her shoulder. She returned seconds later, bearing a tray with a tall glass of iced tea and a plate filled with treats. I’d seen the packaging before—they were from a famous local pâtissier. “At least have something to eat before you go, as a token of my apology.”
“Thank you, but—”
“And what about you, Koro sweetie? Would you like some water?”
Spotting the proffered bowl of water, Koro, who was tethered to the porch railing, obediently readjusted himself, planting his butt firmly on the ground, tail wagging.
Huh? And here I thought you were even more afraid of strangers than I am…
Shaking off my surprise, I watched as Koro lapped thirstily at the bowl. Suddenly, I became keenly aware of my own dry throat. “Um, thanks. I guess I’ll have some,” I conceded. After all, I’d been outside for an hour by then, and to be honest, I was starting to feel a little guilty for continuing to refuse her hospitality.
I took a sip of the ice-cold tea. “Wow, this is good…!” It wasn’t remotely bitter and had that distinctive, refreshing aroma that only restaurant iced tea seemed to possess. To not gulp it all down at once took everything I had.
“Glad you like it,” Ayako said.
My thirst quenched, my brain suddenly kicked back into gear, and I remembered we’d abandoned her bicycle and all her groceries on the street. “Um, is your bike going to be okay?” I asked.
“Oh, yes, don’t worry. This is a cul-de-sac, so only residents come through here. Not many cars either.” She punctuated her sentence with a hearty laugh, which put me a bit more at ease.
She urged me to try the treats, so I carefully unwrapped a small, pink macaron from its packaging. Expecting strawberry, I bit into it only to be greeted with the tart and sweet flavor of raspberry. As she offered me another, pistachio that time, the click of the gate latch caught our attention. Koro’s ears perked up and our heads swiveled in unison toward the sound.
Before we could glimpse who it was, a male voice cut in, “Ayako, isn’t that your bike by the side of the road? I picked up your things, but…” His voice trailed off and his approach halted as I, previously hidden behind the veil of roses, entered his line of sight. He was wearing a black school uniform, glasses perched on his nose, and carrying a slightly torn tote as well as a school bag that was all too familiar.