Seventh Moon

Rebirth

  My life began on a cold winter day in the fifth year of Tenpou. It was a difficult time, as almost the whole country is suffering temperature drops leading to a decline in crops. Our family survived, which is to be expected of a top artisan family. Serving Wagashi or other sweets has become an important aspect in tea ceremonies, and with my father producing one of the most beautiful Wagashi our family hardly had to deal with securing the ingredients he needed – the aristocrats made sure they'd get the sweets they love so much.

My childhood was full of happy days. My father, while strict, made sure me and my brothers were cared for and provided for. Mother is loving and took great care of us. However, being the only daughter in four children, my role is understandably different. I am never to be the heir, and father wouldn't teach me everything there is to know about our craft. Rather, mother is to teach me how to be a proper woman – to be someone's wife.

I can't say I have a problem with that. It is to be expected of me as a woman in that era. When I turned fourteen, the wedding proposals began. My father was ecstatic at the amount we received. He decided I was the prettiest girl in our village, and that the offers would only get better. In a way, he was right. I was almost fifteen when a mysterious stranger arrived in our village. People back then were naturally suspicious of new faces however, this man brought along riches from the west we've only heard about. With his charm and riches, he won over the influential people in our community, my father included.

It didn't take long for father to accept a proposal from him. Why he decided to marry me, I'll never know for I never met the man before our wedding. All I knew before it was that his name was Kibutsuji Muzan.

"Yukiko! It's here!" mother called excitedly, rushing to my room. She slid open my door, chest heaving, and her usually impeccable hair in slight disarray. "Come, come!" She beckoned me, grabbing my wrist and almost dragging me to the hall. What I saw waiting for me took my breath away.

"They're finally done with your Kimono!" It was a beautifully made iro-uchikake with patterns of flowers, a flowing river, and cranes. A tsunokakushi with a modest number of flowers now resting on my mother's arms. "These are beautiful, mother," I whispered, dreamily caressing the hanging silk before me. "Isn't it too extravagant?"

"What's the problem if it's extravagant? Kibutsuji-san knows you deserve the best." Mother then proceeded to put the tsunokakushi on me, giving me a closer look at her face. She looked like she was ready to cry. I think she really was about to cry, then.

"Ah! Nee-chan, is that what you'll be wearing?" My youngest brother, Yusuke, asked as he walked towards us face splattered with mud. "Oh dear, don't touch your sister's kimono! You'll get mud on it!"

"Ehh?" Yusuke complained as if mother wasn't making much sense. Perhaps to a ten-year-old like him it really doesn't make much sense. "Fine. I don't want to touch it anyway. Nee-chan, come play with us! Yuichii-nii and Yori-nii are hiding. I'm supposed to find them, but with you joining you're it. Okay?" I was about to say yes when mother firmly told Yusuke no. "She can't play that with you boys anymore! The wedding is tomorrow. Call your brothers in, it's almost time to eat."

"Mother, I'm sure it's fine for me to play with them. It is the last time, after all." I didn't bother hiding my sadness. Despite growing up knowing that I'd be married off and would have to live my family, I can't help the creeping sadness within me. A hand tenderly cupped my cheek, urging me to look in my mother's eyes. "I know you'll miss your brother's very much, but preparing for a wedding takes more than a day! After eating, you'll need to take a bath. We have to wash your hair and start fixing it up. The hairdressers will be by this afternoon."