Chapter 14: 3.1

It was in the bathroom after returning from the Hanabishi residence that Suzuko noticed the mark.

On the ankle of her left foot, there was a purplish-red diamond-shaped mark. It wasn’t a bruise made from bumping into something. It was as if it had been there since birth, and it resembled the Hanabishi crest’s pattern.

Suzuko recalled the slight pain she had felt during the ceremony.

――Was it from then?

Stroking the mark with her fingertips, Suzuko considered asking Takafuyu about it next time.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing, how awful!” Asako said.

“That’s right, I’ve never heard of a wedding ceremony completed before the exchange of gifts,” Yukiko was also angry.

This was after the formal exchange of engagement gifts had taken place at the Takigawa residence. Takafuyu and the matchmaker had already left. Incidentally, Suzuko’s father had already gone off to somewhere. It was good that he was at least present for the exchange ceremony.

“The Hanabishi family is a Shinto family, so they’re special,” Suzuko soothed them both.

“Also, are you truly already moving to the Hanabishi house?”

“Even though the reception is going to be in autumn!”

Her half-sisters, who had planned to slowly prepare her trousseau, grumbled. Suzuko and Takafuyu were going on a trip tomorrow, after which they would live at the Hanabishi estate together.

“Father just gave his consent without asking us!”

Takafuyu was indeed very meticulous. He had reported to Suzuko’s father and asked him for his approval. If it was her father, he would have given his approval with a quick, careless reply of “Yes.” That was the kind of person he was.

However, it seemed that the persuasion of her half-sisters hadn’t been included in Takafuyu’s consideration. Perhaps it was because they were already married. Normally, there wouldn’t have been any need for them to come even today.

“That is how things are done in the Hanabishi family.”

That was the only way she could make them agree to it.

“You two, that’s enough. It can’t be helped, it’s already decided. Even if she gets married, it doesn’t mean that you won’t get to see her again.”

Chizu intervened. “But—” her half-sisters tried to say, but they kept silent for the time being. The only person who could silence them was their mother, Chizu.

“Anyway, we need to hurry and prepare Suzu-chan’s trousseau,” Chizu said. “Since we were planning to have everything ready by autumn.”

“Yes, we first have to prepare the summer clothes. Suzu-chan, it’d be a problem if you don’t have anything to wear over there.”

When a woman married, she didn’t take any of her old clothes with her to her new family, but left everything at her parents’ home. Only items that were newly ordered were brought into the house of her in-laws as her trousseau. The clothes left at her parents’ house would be given to the people who had taken care of her and the maidservants. This was the custom.

Suzuko felt that the kimonos given to her after she was taken in by the Takigawa family were so luxurious that she felt as if she was borrowing them, but when she thought that she would no longer be wearing them anymore, she felt somewhat sad. If even Suzuko felt that way, how much sadder would she feel if she had always been a sheltered young lady? Or would such a person not be attached to kimonos? Suzuko didn’t know.

“You’re already getting married now, Suzu-chan…”

Yukiko said in a somber tone. Asako also looked sad. Suzuko laughed a little.

“Even after I’m married, you can still come and visit me whenever you like.”

Both Yukiko and Asako shook their heads.

“It’s not like that. Well, it might be, but that’s not what we’re sad about. Isn’t that so, Asa-chan?”

“Yes, it’s a matter of feelings. Suzu-chan is getting married. And we can’t come here to see you any more. We have nothing to look forward to.”

“Then, why don’t you devote yourselves to finding brides for Yoshitada Onii-chan and Yoshimi Onii-chan?”

When she suggested that, Yukiko and Asako looked at each other.

“Oh, that’s a splendid idea.”

“Let’s do it.”

Suzuko let out a sigh. It was a weekday, and both Yoshitada and Yoshimi were at work. If they had been there, they would have scowled and said, “That’s none of your business.”

“But, Suzu-chan, if you don’t like it over there, you can always come back,” Yukiko said and took her hand.

“That’s right, even nobles get divorced. There’s no need to be hesitant.” Asako also placed her hand on top of theirs.

“You two, Suzu-chan’s not married yet, so don’t talk about such ill-omened things,” Chizu said. “But, it is as they say. There are things you won’t understand until you get married, so if you don’t like it, you’re always welcome to come back home.”

“No matter what Mother says, I’m sure she’ll be the one who misses you most.”

“It’ll be like she’s living alone in this mansion from now on.”

Her half-sisters laughed. Chizu laughed silently and stroked Suzuko’s head. The warmth of the three’s hands suddenly made Suzuko’s eyes hot, and she became flustered. At that moment, she wondered if there was any other girl who was as blessed as she was.

A rural landscape flowed past the car window. The wide and continuous rice paddies were filled with water and reflected the blue sky of early summer. The wind making ripples on the surface of the water as it passed over the paddies one after the other was a sight more beautiful than any scenic spot. The mountains in the distance were so green that their vitality seemed to reach them.

“It’s a wonderful view, isn’t it?”

Finding it funny that Takafuyu said that so proudly, Suzuko smiled faintly and nodded. “Yes.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“You speak as if you were the one who created it.”

Takafuyu laughed. He seemed to be in a good mood.

They were on a train from Shinbashi to Zushi.

After the Tokaido Line extended its route to Kouzu in 1887, the Shonan area became a popular day-trip destination for Tokyoites, and with the Yokosuka Line opening two years later, Zushi became easier to reach as well. Hayama was near Zushi. Hayama was a seaside resort area where the vacation homes of the imperial family and nobility, not to mention the Hayama Imperial Villa, were located. It wasn’t until the Meiji era that Shonan became popular as a sea bathing resort, and in the first place, the name “Shonan” wasn’t coined for the whole area until after the opening of the railroad.

The Hanabishi family had a villa in Hayama, and it was early June, and Suzuko was heading there with Takafuyu. They would be staying there for about a week.

After the exchange of gifts, the two of them entered the family register. Suzuko and Takafuyu still weren’t living together yet, but they were already a married couple on the register. After the trip to Hayama, Suzuko was to go to the Hanabishi residence straight away.

When inviting her on the trip, Takafuyu told her that he “wanted to introduce her to his adoptive parents.” He told her that they had retired from work and were living a retired life, managing the villa in Hayama.

“Are you sure that I don’t have to go to Awaji?”

“There is nothing like a great and distinguished family’s return to its estate. But you will go in July. There will be a ritual there.”

“A ritual…so you also do the work of a priest as well.”

“Well, that’s all I do. The rest of the rituals are left to others. Our shrine originally only held this July ritual. The rest were uniformly prescribed by the government. Originally, rituals differed from shrine to shrine.”

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Suzuko understood that the government’s policy seemed to be that Shinto wasn’t a religion, but a ritual, and the standardization of rituals was a way of trying to fit them into a pattern.

“You have a house in Yokohama as well, don’t you? What about that one?”

“I do, but since I’m mainly in Tokyo now, I hardly use it. The company is based in Yokohama, so even after I took over the family business, I mainly worked in Yokohama, but as a rule, nobility are required to live in Tokyo. Well, I tried to comply with that rule at least. We planned on having a branch office in Tokyo from the start.”

“A branch office?”

“We have the manufacturing plant in Awaji and the company in Yokohama for the advantage of distribution, but it was more convenient to have a base in Tokyo as well. So, I have been going back and forth between the head office in Yokohama and the branch office in Tokyo.”

She felt restless just listening to him.

“You’ve taken one whole week off, I see.”

Takafuyu laughed. “Even I need to have a vacation as well. I’m a newlywed. I’ve told everyone at the company that this is my honeymoon.”

Honeymoon trips had been around for a long time, but they hadn’t penetrated the masses to any great extent. In 1883, the adoptive heir of Marquis Inoue took a trip to Atami, and since then, it had spread to the lower classes. Atami and Shonan were the destinations of many. The railroad system was probably a major factor in their popularity.

Takafuyu moved from the seat across from Suzuko to sit next to her. Even first-class cars were crowded with tourists in the summer, but during the rainy season, there were only a few people here and there.

It was now June, and Suzuko had already finished changing her clothing for the season. She was wearing a pale indigo unlined kimono with a pattern of white lilies, a dyed unbleached obi with a matching lily pattern, and a pale-indigo blue silk gauze haori embroidered with a swirling pattern. Her obi clasp was an engraved lily, and her haori cord was a chain of crystals that looked like water droplets. Her neckpiece was a matching white silk gauze embroidered with silver threads in a running water pattern. The air of the combination of lilies and dewdrops brought to mind the mornings of early summer.

Takafuyu was also dressed in early summer attire. He was wearing a cool, pale grayish-blue three-piece suit, a navy-blue tie with a crystal tiepin, and his cufflinks were also crystal. Crystal accessories had been gaining popularity recently.

“How do those gloves feel?”

Suzuko was wearing the lace gloves given to her by Takafuyu. She looked down at her hands, which were folded together in her lap.

“It feels good against my skin,” she answered.

“I’m glad to hear that. Next time, I’ll give you something made of cooler material for the summer.”

Takafuyu took Suzuko’s hand and touched her finger with a very natural motion. “Do you dislike the ring? I’ve never seen you wearing it.”

“I’m a careless person, so I don’t want to bump it into something.”

“Haha, that certainly—ah, pardon me, what I mean is that you are certainly an agile person. When we first met, you were jumping across the table.”

You didn’t have to remember that, she thought as she stared his face. Takafuyu raised his eyes.

“Is there something wrong?”

“No…what will happen to the fragrant wood while we’re in Hayama?”

“Ah, I’ve brought it along. I have Yura carrying the incense burner, fragrant wood, and the tools.”

Yura, Taka, and the servants were in the first-class car. Though it was only a weeklong stay, they had a lot of luggage. In addition to Taka, the Takigawa family sent a maid and manservant with her. Taka would continue to serve Suzuko at the Hanabishi house after her marriage. This was reassuring to Suzuko.

Wondering if she had to smell the incense even at the villa, Suzuko felt a little depressed.

“Then, Awaji no Kimi will also…”

“If she gets hungry, she’ll appear.”

“I see…”

So she won’t come out unless she’s hungry? That makes me somewhat relieved.

Takafuyu made a sorrowful face. He was worried about her. It was because Suzuko had been afraid during the ceremony.

Suzuko looked out the window. Beautiful paddy fields spread out as far as the eye could see. The blue sky reflected there made her eyes sting.

“I’m fine.”

She said and turned back to Takafuyu. If that was Suzuko’s role, then she had to fulfill it. She didn’t want to see Takafuyu’s face filled with anguish, as it had been during the ceremony. If she was scared, he would probably be wracked with guilt. When she thought of that, she felt a strange uneasiness in her heart, and felt gloomy.

“I’m fine,” Suzuko looked straight into Takafuyu’s eyes and repeated.

In front of the Zushi station, there were rickshaws lined up. Drivers were practically tugging at the sleeves of people coming out of the station to encourage them to get into their cars, sometimes gaining customers and sometimes getting driven away as a nuisance. Most of the people seemed to be tourists. For Suzuko and the others, a car from the villa came to pick them up. They got into it and headed for Hayama. The car drove along the coast, and a pleasant sea breeze blew in through the windows. The villa was located at the foot of the mountain, near the sea. “It’s in that area,” Takafuyu pointed to several Western-style houses surrounded by lush green trees. All of them must have been villas of noble families.

“Would you like to go boating in the sea? I’m quite good at rowing.”

“I would prefer not to go into the sea.”

“Do you hate it?”

“No…I can’t swim, so if I fell from the boat…”

“Have you drowned before?”

“Once. At Hyoutan Pond. When I was little.”

At that time, she had thought that she was going to die. Recalling it, Suzuko buried her pale face in her hands. Takafuyu let out a laugh. “Ah, my apologies,” he said when she glared at him. “So even you have a weakness.”

Suzuko was puzzled. “You didn’t think I had one?”

“You seem like the perfect lady.”

From Suzuko’s point of view, Takafuyu seemed like the perfect gentleman.

“If you’re afraid of boats, why don’t we take a walk on the beach? Isshiki Beach is very close by.”

“Ah…”

“Of course, we can also go for a walk in the mountains. Bird watching is also a fine activity.”

That seems more interesting, she thought. Takafuyu smiled. “You look like you like that idea.”

Do my thoughts show on my face that much?

Suzuko was often told that “it’s hard to know what you’re thinking because you don’t show any expression on your face,” so she was surprised.

“The food around here is also delicious. Fruits of the sea and the mountains. Currently, sillago is in season. The horse mackerel and cuttlefish are also delicious—”

Takafuyu looked at Suzuko and grinned.

“When we arrive, shall we have dinner first?”

What kind of face was I making? Suzuko thought as she pressed her hand to her cheek

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