Tsunagari

Chapter XXXV.

Our first destination was the faraway Village of Bandai. We arrived there by dusk.

The Village of Bandai was very small, but also, very animated. In effect, the streets of the village resembled a funfair all year round. Everywhere the eyes fell, there were street vendors and attractions, with traditional lanterns and colorful light bulbs illuminating each one of the alleys of the village.

All the houses were wooden and they stood closely to one another, and in the middle of the village, was a plaza with a large water fountain. At each street corner, we could catch a different aroma of food, with the scent of candy-floss floating generally in the air.

It was the first time that I was visiting this village and I was mesmerized by its gay atmosphere.

Takara-san dropped us at the doors of the single ryokan of the village, before he parted with us to return to Kokubunji to spend the Golden Week with his family. The ryokan was quite large and one-storied, its entrance door opening directly onto one of the streets on the village.

There was a young woman- clothed in a kimono- standing behind the reception counter when we entered the lobby, and she greeted us with a bow. Tsubasa-sama moved forward to talk to her, together with the boys, while I moved slightly to the side to speak on the phone.

It was Katsura-san who was calling me to ask me how my Kagura dance practice was advancing.

Scratching the back of my head and giggling nervously, I admitted, 'Well, well, the truth is that, I didn't really get the time to practice at all today.'

I had been visiting my mother at the hospital this morning when I had received Shunsui's phone call and I had rushed to his place. After that, I had started to pack up, and we were en route for Bandai.

Bringing myself back together rapidly, though, I told her, in a promise, 'But I should be ready for the funfair on Saturday!'

'Ja, ganbatte kudasai ne!' she said, in a motherly tone, and closing my eyes and smiling, I replied, 'Hai, ganbarimasu!'

After we had hung up, I turned around and saw that Tsubasa-sama was watching me with an expectant look, while the boys were handing over our luggages to a male attendant of the ryokan.

Closing the small distance between us, the blonde woman asked me, 'Ne, ne, Hime, I heard you speaking on the phone about a funfair in Kokubunji. Do you mind my asking you what it's all about?'

I shook my head rapidly in answer to assure her that I really didn't mind, and explained to her how I had met Katsura-san, our preoccupation in regards to the state of the city's local shrine, and what we were planning to do.

'Wah! It's a superb idea!' she exclaimed, with delight. 'It's been such a long time since no one has organized a funfair at the shrine! I'm sure that it will help the situation a whole lot! Say, do you think you could put me in contact with your friend?! I'd really love to bring my help the best way I can!'

My eyes widened at her.

She wants... to help us?

My heart swelled.

Oh, Tsubasa-sama...

I had been feeling so guilty at leaving Katsura-san all alone to organize everything. Tsubasa-sama's help was the most welcomed.

'And say, are you organizing a Kagura dance?' she asked. 'I heard you mention about practicing something!'

Lowering my eyes and squirming with shyness, I nodded once, and informed her, 'I'll be dancing with a friend of mine!'