Flower Spelling - Chapter 39
Chapter 39 – Meeting and Parting
Several days had passed since the injury, and a scab had begun to form on the wound. Sogetsu was still in slight pain whenever she moved her body, but having grown tired of lying in bed, she forced herself to get up. Sitting on the veranda, she basked in the sunshine for the first time in a while, squinting like a cat.
The kitten trotted over and pounced on Sogetsu’s lap, whereupon she dexterously folded her legs and curled up.
“Kohagi, it’s been a long time.”
When Kohagi tried to enter the room, Tokoro was adamant that no cat should be allowed in the hospital room. Kohagi, who had habitually slept under Sogetsu’s covers, was in a particularly foul mood after losing her bed. While stroking her fluffy fur, she murmured, “I’m sorry.” Kohagi’s eyes narrowed in contentment. In the warmth of the sun, Sogetsu’s vision gradually began to drift.
“Well, you look like a big cat when you do that.”
Upon raising her face, she locked her gaze with that of a man in monk’s robes, who was regarding her in a peculiar manner.
“Is your injury better now?”
“Yes, it wasn’t much of a wound to begin with.”
When she made a slight comment that it was regrettable that she was unable to have the sutra recited by the priest, she was promptly smacked on the head.
… Huh?
Blinking her eyes, she suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.
I think this exchange has happened before…
The memories that emerged were as hazy as dreams and as fleeting as the moment they arose.
Takasugi didn’t seem to register Sogetsu’s confusion as he settled down next to her, patting Kohagi on the head.
“That’s right, Mr. Takasugi.”
Dispelling the lingering memory, Sogetsu mentioned the name of a temple and asked if he recognized it.
“Nope, never heard of it. Is something wrong with… that temple?”
“Actually, before departing from Edo, Ms. Ohatsu had requested me to do something for her.”
Sogetsu recounted to him that the day after tomorrow was the anniversary of Ohatsu’s mother’s passing and that she promised to visit her grave on her behalf.
“So I heard that the temple was near the Gojo Bridge, but I couldn’t find out its exact location.”
“Hang on a minute.”
Takasugi had brought a map for them to refer to and it turned out that it was situated within a cluster of temples and shrines. Although it was a bit tricky to reach, with the map they could manage to get there without getting lost.
?
Two days later.
Sogetsu headed for the temple with Takasugi, who had offered to accompany her. The combination of a monk and a woman of a peculiar age may be unusual, and there were some who cast glances at them, but taking note of Takasugi’s nonchalant demeanor, Sogetsu too concluded to disregard such attention.
Finding the temple proved to be relatively easy. The main hall was half-buried in a small precinct with green trees and a cemetery in the rear.
Hearing that besides Ohatsu, she had no other relatives, she was concerned that the tomb might be in a state of neglect, but the monk of the temple had tended it, and the tomb was neatly cleaned.
After paying her respects, she was on her way back when a woman approached her at the cemetery. She seemed to be in her mid-twenties. Judging from her round topknot and elegant kimono, and the presence of her attendant maids, she certainly belonged to a merchant house.
“Excuse me, but are you related to Oginoya?”
Oginoya was the name of the shop operated by Ohatsu’s parents. Sogetsu exchanged glances with Takasugi before saying.
“No, we did not know the late Oginoya directly. We only came here to fill in for their daughter, Ohatsu??”
No sooner had Sogetsu mentioned Ohatsu’s name than the woman’s complexion shifted.
“Ohatsu!? You know Ohatsu? Where is she now… Is she doing well?”
“E-Eh, she is fine. But you are…?”
“??Ah.”
The woman flushed as if she had come to her senses, apologized for her impoliteness and introduced herself again as Kinu, the landlady of Miyoshiya, a haberdashery shop nearby.
“Ohatsu and I used to live close to each other and we were very good childhood friends. If you don’t mind, I would like to hear her story. It would be no good standing around talking, my shop is just around the corner, so please drop in.”
Half-heartedly, they were taken to one of the numerous merchant houses, both large and small, that lined the street.
Once past the dark navy blue curtain with the name “Miyoshiya” etched on it, the eye is struck by the brightly colored combs, hairpins, cosmetics, and other daily necessities. After a quick greeting to the head clerk, they were ushered into the inner tatami room with a view of the garden via the veranda.
“… I see, so she is happily married now…”
After explaining the whole story, Okinu muttered to herself and released a breath in a huff.
“Thank you. I am so relieved to hear that. I have been wondering about Ohatsu for a long time.”
Okinu and Ohatsu grew up close to each other, like sisters, since they lived close to each other and were the same age. However, when Ohatsu’s parents succumbed to illness one after the other, Ohatsu, having no other relatives, was sold. They were only thirteen years old at the time.
“But Ohatsu insisted that she was unwilling to sell herself in Kyo, her birthplace…”
“So that’s why she went to Edo.”
“Yeah. Since then, I haven’t heard from her at all… Therefore, I am truly pleased to know that she is doing well.”
Okinu tenderly brushed aside the tears from the corners of her eyes. Then.
“Mom.”
A boy of roughly four or five years old popped up.
“Come on, Tasuke, you can’t do that. We have guests here.”
“No, I don’t mind. I was just thinking I should go and have a little fun.”
“Isn’t he cute? Is that your child?”
“Oh, yes. His name is Tasuke. Come on, Tasuke, why don’t you say hello to the guests?”
“Welcum. Good day to you.”
His lisp, which he must have acquired from witnessing the adults around him, was quite adorable. Sogetsu and Takasugi left the shop after waving goodbye to the child, who was eyeing Takasugi’s monk’s figure with curiosity.
Just as they approached the Gojo Bridge, Sogetsu halted, struck by a sudden flash of memory.
“… Oh, by the way, this is where Benkei and Yoshitsune first encountered each other. The story goes on about how Yoshitsune dodged Benkei’s attack with a fluttering dance, and finally forced him to surrender.”
“Fluttering, I suppose, but it’s not here that they met. It was at Kiyomizu-dera.”
“Eh!? Is that so?”
“Yes, that’s what it says in ‘The Chronicle of Yoshitsune‘. Although its authenticity is uncertain since it was written hundreds of years later.”
“What a disappointment.”
In Sogetsu’s mind, there was a stereotypical image of Yoshitsune standing on the parapet, something she had seen in picture books as a child. Yet being told otherwise now made her feel as if she had been conned.
As the two remained gazing at the surface of the river, Takasugi abruptly announced that he had something to say.
“To tell you the truth, I have decided to return to Choshu.”
“Huh…?”
Looking up in astonishment, Takasugi’s face was obscured by his stubborn gaze on the water.
“In order to bring me back, Hori came to me. Initially, I wondered who would listen to me…”
Hori Shingoro was by no means a talkative man. However, each word he spoke held a certain weight.
“Let’s return, Takasugi. Let’s return to Choshu.”
??Return.
The words, nothing more and nothing less than a hundred words, penetrated into Takasugi’s troubled heart.
He had been a desperate man who did not like the way things were going, and he didn’t like anything around him.
Suddenly he felt nostalgic for home.
The peaceful castle town of Hagi, with white Namako wall.
The castle that he had stepped through the gate so many times with pride within his heart.
Days at the Shokasonjuku where he shared his ambitions.
The faces of his mother and wife that he left behind at home.
Realizing it, he was nodding his head in agreement.
“I shall spend the next ten years reading and biding my time, as I had originally planned.”
“I… see.”
Feigning not to be affected by the cold wind that swept through her chest, Sogetsu tried to be cheerful in her words.
“It’s good. You have been running all your life, so it is good to stop and slow down once in a while… but I am sure that in less than ten years, Mr. Takasugi’s part will come.”
After all, the major task of creating Kiheitai awaited him. Takasugi smiled slightly as she stated it confidently.
“You say it as if you already know what will happen.”
With these words, she realized she had misspoken.
“…”
The time to confide in him was now. They may never see each other again. The truth is, I am from the future.
However, the lips of Sogetsu did not budge as if they were frozen.
“What’s with that face you are making?”
His voice was unexpectedly gentle, and she couldn’t bear to lower her eyes.
“… I am sorry.”
“What?”
“… The truth about me, I can’t say it.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Just as Ohatsu didn’t want to talk about her past, there must be something you don’t want to reveal. That’s what the landlady of Tatsumi Residence told me. It is unwise to ask a woman about her past.” Takasugi laughed and lifted himself up from the ledge. “Oh, yes, I almost forgot.”
From his pocket, he presented her with a lump wrapped in layers of cloth. The weight was heavy as she accepted it. It was a weight she recognized.
This is??
“… Pistol?”
“It’s a parting gift. If anything happens to you again, use it to protect yourself.”
The face she glanced up at was Takasugi’s, wearing his typical fearless expression.
“Thank you very much. Have a safe trip, Mr. Takasugi. Goodbye….”
She smiled broadly as if to congratulate Takasugi on his departure.
But she didn’t know if she was smiling well.