WE boarded Suito, Yanagawa’s sightseeing train, the outside of each railcar painted with elegant murals. Assuming she was more familiar with the service, I asked Tsukushi, “Do we not need a reservation or to pay an express fare? Is it more expensive because it’s geared toward sightseeing?”
“All good,” she replied with a grin. “We really lucked out by catching this train. I can’t think of a better way to be welcomed to Yanagawa.”
I’d never ridden the Nishitetsu Tenjin Ōmuta Line. After all, I’d been born and raised in the Higashi Ward. As the train accelerated, the sight of the city blurring past captivated me. The transfer from Dazaifu to Futsukaichi Station was as far south as I’d ever traveled; everything beyond was uncharted territory.
By express train, we would reach the castle city of Yanagawa, erstwhile seat of the Tachibana clan, in forty-five minutes. Centuries after their rule, some of the buildings they’d owned remained in the picturesque region.
“Come to think of it, Mount Tachibana is visible from my home in Kashii, isn’t it?” I asked. “Is that related to Yanagawa?”
“Still as sharp as ever, aren’t you?” observed Tsukushi.
“Y-You’re making me blush…”
“Long ago, the leaders of Tachibana relocated from Mount Tachibana to Yanagawa for political reasons.”
“Wow,” I said. “You’re pretty knowledgeable about this, huh?” I perused a sightseeing pamphlet I’d picked up at the station. How could I know so little about Fukuoka when I worked for an ayakashi moving service? Embarrassing, much?
“I’ve been interested enough to look at guidebooks before,” I admitted. “But for some reason, I’ve never visited Yanagawa. I’m so glad you invited me out.”
“Hm. I wonder what stopped you.”
The train swaying beneath us, she launched into exposition. “Yanagawa is putting a lot of effort into tourism right now. They’re renovating the station and improving public transportation to make it easier for sightseers to get around. There are a lot of overseas tourists as well. That’s why there are more souvenir shops these days and why the cafés in the station have gotten a lot cuter.”
“You really are knowledgeable about Yanagawa, huh?”
“I lived there a long time ago. I still visit from time to time.”
“Oh, really? I had no idea. Honestly, I’ve hardly ever ridden this far south.”
Just as I glanced out the window, the train passed Futsukaichi Station, which I’d visited earlier that week. In fifteen minutes, we’d reach Kurume. In another fifteen, we’d arrive in Yanagawa.
“Speaking of which, why have I never been?” I wondered aloud, watching the countryside whiz past. “It wouldn’t have been strange for me to visit at least once. After all, I do live in Fukuoka.”
“Perhaps,” Tsukushi mused, “your soul resisted coming here.”
“My soul…?”
“Forget I said anything.” She shrugged, donning her usual smile before showing me her phone screen. “All right, let’s decide where we want to eat eel! Sounds yummy, right?”
“Sure does!”
We debated the merits of various restaurants before meandering on to other topics, reminiscing and discussing other places we wanted to visit in Yanagawa.
I just opened up to her about my love life the other day, I thought as I eyed her sidelong. Is it just my imagination, or are we both avoiding the topic? I want to tell her about my plans to have a serious conversation with Shinozaki. About my plans to confess my feelings to him. As my best friend, she deserves to know first.
The pleasant train ride ended all too soon, interrupting our lively conversation. Stepping out of Yanagawa Station, I noted the weather was perfect for sightseeing.
Tsukushi took the lead, seeming perfectly at home in the city. “The boat ride is this way,” she urged. “It departs from in front of Mihashira Shrine.”
“O-Okay…”
We walked a short distance to the dock, the shrine’s magnificent arched bridge rising before us. As soon as I stepped onto the bridge, what felt like static electricity jolted through my body.
“Huh?”
“What’s wrong?” asked Tsukushi.
“Oh, um… That was weird. I must’ve built up some static electricity on the train.”
“The handrails of this bridge are made from ancient materials.” She smiled at me meaningfully, her hair fluttering in the breeze. “Actually, the materials were repurposed from the castle a long, long time ago.”
“Oh, wow, really?”
“Your soul must be overjoyed that you’ve returned to this land.”
“Wh-What do you mean…?”
“Come on,” she said. “The boatman is waving us over.” Grinning, she clasped my hand and led me briskly to the dock.
I allowed her to do so without the slightest resistance, my mind strangely blank.
As our boat drifted down the canal, sunlight filtered through a green canopy of weeping willows. Eventually we reached our destination: a lovely area lined with white walls, canals, and more willows. Evidently, the spot boasted the best view of the city.
Despite the tranquil weather and beautiful scenery, my heart raced, chest tightening with bittersweet sorrow. I found myself struggling to hold back tears, though the emotion wasn’t unpleasant. Rather, the world appeared radiant to my eyes.
What’s gotten into me?
“Are you okay?” After disembarking, Tsukushi rubbed my back as we headed to the eel restaurant. “We can rest if you’re not feeling well. The food can wait until later too.”
“Don’t worry about me,” I said with a forced smile. “My stomach’s growling up a storm. Just hearing the word eel is making my mouth water!” Somehow, I had to allay her concern. I didn’t want to ruin our day out, especially since I wasn’t feeling particularly ill.
“Seriously, what’s gotten into me?” I asked. “It’s hard to explain, but everything feels overwhelmingly poignant. Something about this place fills me with nostalgia. Maybe castle cities make everyone feel wistful, aha.”
What am I saying? The only location I could possibly be nostalgic for was my neighborhood in Kashii. Even so, the nonsensical words spilled from my mouth.
Tsukushi’s keen, black eyes seemed to penetrate the depths of my soul. “You must be exhausted from walking,” she said.
“You think so?”
“We still have time until our reservation at the restaurant. Let’s go to Ryokan Ohana. The garden is beautiful.”
“Oh, right. You mentioned having tickets, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” she replied. “Ohana is the historic villa of an ancient patriarch.”
Taking my hand once more, she tugged me down a road bustling with other tourists. A row of buildings blending Japanese and Western architecture formed the grand estate. Cold air greeted us as we stepped inside, and we padded across antique floorboards until finally reaching the majestic, Japanese-style main hall.
“Wow…” I sighed.
A marvelous, verdant garden unfolded beyond the hall. Due to the time of day, we practically had the view to ourselves.
After crossing the tatami mats, Tsukushi sat on the long veranda overlooking the garden. Considering her elegant demeanor, I could have mistaken her for a princess. I plopped down next to her, overcome with awe by the sight, my strange mood from earlier completely forgotten.
“I like how peaceful it is here,” she said. “Apparently, the pine trees, stones, and pond were modeled after the Matsushima islands.”
“Oh, the ones in Miyagi Prefecture?” I asked.
“Yes. You know about them?”
“Yeah, um… One of our company’s clients sent us local beer from there the other day.”
The iso-onna of Keya Beach had gone to Miyagi recently for a getaway and gave us the beer as a souvenir.
“I still have two bottles in my fridge at home,” I said. “You should come over and try one sometime.”
Tsukushi laughed softly. “A sleepover with you sounds like a blast.”
“Right? We’ve never had one, seeing as I’ve always lived with my parents. Oh, are you allergic to cats though? We have one that stops by from time to time.”
“Are you keeping it as a pet?”
“I’m not sure if pet is the right word to describe him. He just…sort of settled down at our place.”
“A cat, huh?” For an instant, an austere expression shadowed Tsukushi’s face. “You’re quite the animal magnet, aren’t you? It makes me jealous.”
“J-Jealous?”
“I mean, you’ve never even invited me to your house, and you’re letting other animals live there? You even have its scent on you.”
“Huh?” Without thinking, I sniffed one of my sleeves. “Do I really smell like cat?”
“Good question. Who’s to say?”
People listed themselves as pet owners on secondhand sites, I remembered. After all, most owners didn’t notice the scent of their animals. But I didn’t think Yoru gave off a strong odor, since he bathed every night and vacuumed his shed hair. A dangerous assumption, perhaps.
Tsukushi’s red lips curled into a smile as she watched me sniff myself. “So, Kaede, are you enjoying your new job?” she asked. She stared at me from her seat on the veranda, the floorboards reflecting the wavering light of the pond. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes.
Steeling myself, I met her gaze. “Tsukushi,” I said. “Truth be told, I’m going to…”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to tell my boss how I feel about him. Turns out I have fallen for him.”
“The shady sex pest, you mean?”
“He’s not shady and he’s definitely not a sex pest,” I said. “Either way, I can’t deny my feelings for him any longer.”
“…I see.” Her eyes were still, deep pools.