Chapter Four
NEW Year’s concluded, and Mom and I returned from Grandma’s. My father and brother had arrived home a week earlier and had been fending for themselves, so the house was in the exact state one would imagine: dreadful. Under the watchful eye of my mother—and the bulging vein on her temple—our first order of business in the bright dawn of the new year was to clean. While sorting through living room clutter, I found myself secretly wishing for a few oatie helpers.
The first days of January sped by, and it wasn’t until the long weekend preceding Coming of Age Day that I had the chance to visit Ayako with souvenirs and New Year’s well-wishes in tow.
Wandering through the quaint, familiar neighborhood with Koro, I noticed that many of the properties had substantial lawns. The zoning laws must have been very different in the past to not require developers to maximize every inch of buildable space. Perhaps that was why so many homes, especially those by the road, had such meticulously tended gardens. They transformed our walk into a delightful journey through lanes adorned with flora. In some gardens, plum blossoms had already bloomed, their scent wafting through the crisp winter air.
“Oh?” Upon reaching Ayako’s house, I spotted a tall man about to unlatch the front gate. He turned at my noise of surprise and greeted me with a striking grin. Ah, there it is, the blinding smile of a modern-day heartthrob.
“Haruka, happy new year,” Takanori said. “Walking Koro?”
“Happy new year. Yes, and I brought some souvenirs as well,” I replied, hoisting a paper bag brimming with local delicacies from Grandma’s area.
He nodded in sudden understanding. “Ah, I thought maybe you were also here to partake in some amazake, but I guess you’re still too young for that, eh?”
“Amazake?” I echoed.
“Ayako serves amazake instead of the more traditional toso for the new year. She makes it from sake lees she gets from a brewer friend of hers. It’s good stuff but quite strong—more so than the normal kind. Not exactly a middle schooler’s drink.” He ruffled my hair and said, “Something for when you’re older, eh?”
Yikes, he was close. His proximity spurred Koro to hide behind me. Huh, I guess Koro’s not good around Takanori. Given how well he’d taken to Ayako and Towada, I’d almost forgotten that he was still a little scaredy-dog.
We entered the yard together, following the paving stones and admiring the budding daffodils on our way to the door. Honestly, I was nervous; I hadn’t seen Towada since Christmas Eve, so I was glad not to be alone.
I was reaching out to ring the doorbell when the door abruptly burst open. Towada came flying out, and I jumped in surprise.
“Hey Takumi, Happy New Year’s,” Takanori crowed. “I’m here for your aunt’s amazake.”
“—new year.” Without stopping to invite us in or even look at us, Towada muttered a barely audible greeting and rushed off with his coat in hand.
“What do you think that’s all about?” Takanori murmured, sounding just as confused as I was.
“I’m…not sure…”
We exchanged concerned glances. Towada’s face had been clouded with an expression of anguish I’d never seen before—one that made my heart ache.
Bewildered, we stared in the direction Towada had vanished until we were jolted back to reality by Ayako’s voice: “Happy new year, you two. Come inside, why don’t you?”
✦ ✦ ✦
THE fragrance of the amazake Takanori had mentioned drifted through the open kitchen and dining room. After eagerly requesting a cup, he seemed to revert to high spirits. He sat cradling his prize in both hands, blowing gently to cool it. Beside him, I grasped my own cup of green tea, an array of traditional snacks laid out before me—I’d come to give her souvenirs and ended up the one treated instead. I’d tried to decline out of politeness, and Ayako, true to form, waved me off with her usual “Nope, I’m not hearing any of it!” So there I was.
“Here you go, dear. To make up for the fact you can’t drink,” Ayako said, setting another plate before me. “I’ll make sure to have some nonalcoholic koji amazake for you next year.”
“Um, thank you! Wow, these are so pretty.”
On the plate was an assortment of delightfully round, light-pink jou-namagashi—traditional desserts of sculpted mochi surrounding sweet bean paste. They were shaped like delicate flowers, fitting for the season. At first glance, they appeared to be plum blossoms, but a closer inspection suggested camellias.
As I hesitated, reluctant to consume such beautiful creations, something warm and furry climbed into my lap. Oatie! Hi! I glanced down and met its beady little black eyes. I reached to pet it—then stopped, remembering Takanori’s presence. To someone who couldn’t see ayakashi, I would be petting mere air. How strange would that seem? The oatie just gazed at my hovering hand, confused.
I want to, I really do! But I can’t! What do I do?
Ayako, breaking into a tender smile, said, “Go on. He knows; it’s fine.”
I looked up in surprise, and Takanori flashed me an amused grin of his own. “Oh, I’m so envious—to be so loved by Ayako and the little ones alike!”
“Can you see them too?” I asked.
“Sadly no, not exactly,” he answered. “I can only sort of feel their presence. And I’ve been coming to this house since I was a wee lad. How unfair is that?”
“You should be glad you can even feel them,” Ayako remarked. She ferried over another bowl filled with rice crackers before settling down at the dining room table, clutching her own mug of amazake.
“Then, if you don’t mind… Hi, oatie! I’ve missed you!”
Under Ayako and Takanori’s warm regard, I petted the oatie with abandon. Reveling in the soft, silken fur that I’d been deprived of, I lifted it up and nuzzled it against my cheek. Seemingly pleased, the creature wrapped itself around my neck in response.
Takanori’s eyes softened, almost tracing the stream of sparkles emanating from the oatie’s mouth as he observed, “I can tell you two share a very special bond.”
“That one in particular really fancies her,” added Ayako.
Though their commentary was nothing but kind, my self-conscious self couldn’t help but latch onto the fact that the comments were still, well, about me. I wasn’t sure whether I’d ever get used to that feeling without my back prickling in alarm. Busying myself with the oatie’s plush fur, my thoughts drifted back to Towada. I was so curious about what might have happened, yet also accepted that he might never want to tell me.
As though reading my mind, Takanori turned to Ayako and said, “It’s been a while since I saw Takumi. He’s gotten taller, hasn’t he?”
“Yes, I think he has—and will continue to.”
“So, what happened? If you’re willing to share, I’m all ears,” probed Takanori. He asked as casually as if he were family, and I hoped they hadn’t forgotten I was there too. Should I excuse myself or…?
Either oblivious or indifferent to my internal dilemma, Ayako immediately answered, “Sorry about that. We just found out that Akira—that’s Takumi’s father, Haruka—is coming to visit.”
“I see,” murmured Takanori. He bit into a rice cracker with a resounding crunch. “Have I ever told you how much I can’t stand that man?” he said, sounding rather unamused.
“Takanori,” Ayako warned, “don’t be childish.”
Despite being scolded like a younger sibling, he remained defiant. “Who’s childish? Me or the guy who dumped Takumi on you and doesn’t even call?”
“You’re too harsh on him.”
“I’m being harsh? What, you’re just going to ignore all the bad things he said about you? He never even tried to get to know you!”
“It’s true that I was much younger than Kaoru when we married. I’d be worried too if I were in his shoes.”
“‘Worried.’ Yeah, right.”
That…was a lot to process. Clearly Takanori didn’t hold Towada’s father in the highest regard. I’d already gathered from the way Towada spoke about his family that there was some bad blood there, but… I was slightly uncomfortable learning so much about him behind his back.
As I squirmed, squeezing the oatie around my shoulders, Ayako looked at me apologetically. “Sorry, Haruka. I didn’t mean for you to hear all this. Akira isn’t the best at expressing his affection for his son. He and Takumi just don’t see eye to eye, is all.”
She sighed and glanced out the window while Takanori grimaced as though he’d bitten into something bitter. “Don’t see eye to eye, eh? Well, if you say so. By the way, for the Valentine’s Day workshop this year…”
Ayako perked up. “Yes, what do you have in mind?”
With that dramatic change in tone, the prior discussion about Towada and his father was set aside.