Through the night, Tsushima Kagami drifted in dreams.
He stayed in a hazy state, caught somewhere between sleeping and waking.
He hadn't slept soundly, and in his daze he felt someone touching him.
He opened his eyes.
His vision was still blurry, so he rubbed his bleary eyes.
Only then did he make out Mrs. Yukinoshita beside him.
She was bent at the waist, one hand gently tugging the blanket he'd kicked aside, trying to draw it back over him.
Noticing that Tsushima Kagami had opened his eyes, her hand paused.
"Sorry, I woke you."
Mrs. Yukinoshita straightened up, an apologetic smile on her face. "I saw you'd kicked the blanket off and worried you'd catch a chill…"
"It's fine."
Tsushima Kagami braced himself on one arm and sat up, yawning without thinking.
A thin veil of mist clung to the guest-room window.
Along the eastern skyline stretched a faint pale glow, like the belly of a fish.
The alarm clock on the nightstand showed the time.
Six forty-seven in the morning.
"Are you heading back to the company?" Tsushima Kagami asked.
Mrs. Yukinoshita smiled and shook her head.
"I can still keep you two company this morning. Oh, right, I just made red bean soup with mochi. Once I've gotten Shizuku up and you've both washed up, it'll be about ready to eat."
"Or would you like to sleep a little longer?"
Tsushima Kagami had already crawled out from under the blanket, and he folded it neatly and set it aside.
"It's fine. I should be getting up anyway."
Mrs. Yukinoshita watched him fold the blanket, the corners of her mouth lifting.
A satisfied smile spread across her face, touched with a hint of tenderness.
She said nothing, just stood there watching.
Like a mother gazing at a child she was proud of.
Tsushima Kagami felt a little uneasy under her gaze.
After finishing with the blanket, he tugged at the collar of his pajamas.
"Um…"
"Mother, I'll get changed."
"Then I'll go wake Shizuku."
Mrs. Yukinoshita covered her mouth and smiled softly.
Then she stepped out of Tsushima Kagami's room, pulling the door shut behind her.
Once Tsushima Kagami had changed and tidied himself up, he left the room.
He came to the washroom on the first floor.
The washroom door was half open, and the sound of running water came from inside.
He knocked on the doorframe.
"Come in."
Tsushima Kagami pushed the door open and stepped in.
Yukinoshita Shizuku was standing at the basin, facing the mirror.
A toothbrush in hand, a ring of white foam still clinging to the corners of her mouth.
Her hair was a bit tousled.
A few strands stuck up on top of her head, like a cat that had just woken from a nap.
She wore a pale blue set of pajamas, the collar slightly open to reveal a sliver of collarbone.
Catching sight of Tsushima Kagami in the mirror, she mumbled something unintelligible.
But Tsushima Kagami understood.
He smiled and answered, "Morning."
Tsushima Kagami walked to the basin and picked up the other toothbrush.
Same model as Yukinoshita Shizuku's, just a different color.
One pale blue, one pale pink, standing side by side in the same cup.
He squeezed on some toothpaste and started brushing.
The two of them stood shoulder to shoulder at the basin, facing the mirror, their movements oddly in sync.
Brush left, brush right, spit out the foam, rinse.
By the time they'd finished washing up together, Mrs. Yukinoshita had breakfast ready.
On the table sat white rice porridge, pickled radish, tamagoyaki, and miso soup.
Along with a big bowl of steaming red bean soup with mochi.
The red bean soup was a deep, rich, dark red, like the juice from ripe cherries crushed and simmered down.
The surface of the white block-shaped mochi was toasted to a faint golden brown.
Mrs. Yukinoshita sat on the other side of the table, ladling red bean soup into a bowl.
Yukinoshita Shizuku sat beside Tsushima Kagami, a bowl of red bean soup with mochi already set in front of her.
She scooped it up with a small spoon, carrying it to her mouth one little bite at a time.
Tsushima Kagami lifted his own bowl and first took a sip of the soup.
The red bean flavor was rich, sweet without being cloying.
It carried a faint, barely-there saltiness, probably a pinch of salt added to bring out the flavor.
The mochi was so soft that a light bite drew out long, stretching threads.
"Is it good?" Mrs. Yukinoshita asked, watching Tsushima Kagami with a smile.
"Very good."
"Didn't you say you don't like red beans?" Yukinoshita Shizuku suddenly cut in from beside him.
Tsushima Kagami shot a glance at Yukinoshita Shizuku, who loved to blow his cover the moment they got home.
Then he laughed easily. "Can anything Mother makes compare to what's sold outside?"
Mrs. Yukinoshita was charmed into laughter by his flattery.
"Then eat plenty. There's more in the pot."
"I'll finish it clean!"
Playing the good child in front of Mother, huh.
Yukinoshita Shizuku muttered off to the side.
Mrs. Yukinoshita nodded with a satisfied smile.
Then she turned to Yukinoshita Shizuku, her face going stern. "No talking while eating, no talking before sleep. Have you forgotten how I taught you?"
Yukinoshita Shizuku hurriedly stopped her muttering.
She went back to chewing slowly, one small bite at a time, minding the manners she'd once been taught.
But her eyes were full of the word "favoritism."
Under the table, she swung a foot toward Tsushima Kagami and stomped down.
As if he'd seen it coming all along, Tsushima Kagami quickly tucked his foot to the side.
Just as Yukinoshita Shizuku was about to press her attack, another long leg nudged her shin lightly beneath the table.
Yukinoshita Shizuku quickly drew her leg back.
She glanced at her mother's reproachful eyes.
Only then did she settle down.
Tsushima Kagami sat there eating his stretchy mochi, smiling wider than ever.
After breakfast, Mrs. Yukinoshita and Yukinoshita Shizuku went back to their rooms to change into kimono.
Soon the three of them planned to visit Chiba Shrine in the city, for the New Year's Hatsumode.
Tsushima Kagami stood alone at the counter tidying the dishes, while Yukino, after being fed her cat food, curled up beside him and dozed off again.
Once he'd finished cleaning up, Tsushima Kagami settled onto the sofa with Yukino in his arms, watching TV.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed.
Then footsteps came down the stairwell in the hall.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Tsushima Kagami looked up, and froze.
Yukinoshita Shizuku stood at the foot of the stairs, wearing a furisode kimono of black with gold patterns.
The black wasn't a flat, lifeless ink-black, but carried the particular sheen of silk.
The gold patterns spread from the shoulders all the way down to the hem.
They were designs of phoenixes and peonies.
Her hair had been pinned up, baring the pale nape of her neck.
A golden hairpin was set in her bun.
A few tiny pearls dangled from the tip of the pin, swaying gently with her movements.
Her face wore light makeup.
Her lips were touched with a faint lipstick, close to the pale pink of cherry blossoms.
She stood there like a kimono beauty who'd stepped straight out of an old ukiyo-e print. A little less childish, a little less green. A little more mature, a little more alluring.
"What is it?"
Yukinoshita Shizuku's tone was flat, her gaze unruffled.
But Tsushima Kagami could see the tips of her ears had gone faintly red.
"Nothing."
"Just thinking it looks pretty nice."
"What do you mean, 'pretty nice'?" Yukinoshita Shizuku frowned. "That sounds so half-hearted."
Tsushima Kagami revised his wording.
"My goodness, if it isn't Lady Yukinoshita!"
"No matter the style, any outfit only serves to set off your beauty and grace."
"Your smile is truly lovely, like a flower in spring…"
"Hahaha."
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Isn't that a little over the top?"
Yukinoshita Shizuku clutched her stomach, laughing at Tsushima Kagami's flamboyant praise and dramatics.
But the corners of her mouth curved up in a satisfied, smug little smile.
"Where's Mother?" Tsushima Kagami asked.
"Still changing."
No sooner had she said it than footsteps sounded in the hallway again.
Mrs. Yukinoshita came slowly down the stairs as well.
She wore a deep purple homongi.
The pattern was a soft spray of wisteria blossoms.
They cascaded diagonally down from the shoulder, like a waterfall of flowers.
It only made Mrs. Yukinoshita look all the more elegant and refined.
Her hair was pinned up too, a silver hairpin set in her bun.
The pin's head was a small plum blossom, playing off the wisteria on her robe.
She walked up to the two of them.
"How do I look?"
"So pretty. Mom, you look so pretty."
Yukinoshita Shizuku clapped her hands in praise.
Mrs. Yukinoshita nodded with a gentle smile.
For once, a trace of bashful shyness showed on her face.
"Kagami, what do you think?"
At this Yukinoshita Shizuku turned to Tsushima Kagami beside her.
Mrs. Yukinoshita looked over at him too, smiling.
"You look beautiful."
"It's as if Mother has draped time itself over her shoulders."
"A maiden's clarity and a mature woman's composure have never been at odds in you, but are two faces of the very same beauty."
"When you smile, you're the cherry blossoms of spring; when you're still, you're the camellia of autumn."
"Kagami. You really are…"
Mrs. Yukinoshita covered her mouth to keep her composure.
But her brows and eyes had curved into thin crescents.
Even her shoulders shook as she fought back her laughter.
Off to the side, Yukinoshita Shizuku pouted.
What blatant favoritism.
How could it be so different from the way he described her?
Are you into older women, or do you just have a mother complex?
Mrs. Yukinoshita finally managed to press down her laughter.
She looked at the two of them and said, "Let's go, then."
On the first day of the New Year, Chiba Shrine was packed.
From the entrance of the approach path, the crowd merged into a slow-flowing river.
People wore all sorts of New Year's finery.
Along the gray flagstone path, they inched slowly toward the main hall.
The air held a blend of the smoky scent of incense sticks, the aroma of grilled skewers, the sweetness of amazake, and the crisp chill unique to a winter morning.
These smells wove together into an atmosphere that belonged only to the New Year's Hatsumode.
Tsushima Kagami walked between Yukinoshita Shizuku and Mrs. Yukinoshita, carried forward by the press of the crowd.
The three of them waited in line for about twenty minutes before finally reaching the front of the main hall.
The main hall was a very old wooden structure.
Its chief deity was Hokushin Myoken Sonjo-O.
The roof was irimoya-zukuri, and a few clumps of moss grew on the gray-black tiles, giving it a real sense of age.
A thick shimenawa hung before the hall, its white paper streamers fluttering lightly in the wind.
It was Tsushima Kagami's group's turn.
Tsushima Kagami stepped up to the saisen box, fished a 5-yen coin from his pocket, and tossed it in.
"5 yen" is read as "go-en" in Japanese.
It sounds exactly the same as the Japanese word for fate or connection, "go-en."
Tossing in 5 yen symbolizes forming a bond with the gods and Buddhas.
It's also a prayer for good connections in studies, work, marriage, and every other area of life.
Beyond that, there are amounts like 15, 25, 45, on up to 115 yen.
But 10 yen alone is considered taboo.
Because in Japanese, "10 yen" can be read as "to-o-en."
It sounds like "toen," which carries the meaning of a distant, estranged bond.
The coin landed in the wooden box with a clear, pleasant ring.
The three of them straightened up and bowed deeply twice.
They pressed their palms together before their chests, the right hand slightly lower than the left, and clapped twice.
After clapping, they joined their palms again and bowed deeply once more.
Then they prayed in silence.
He closed his eyes.
What should he wish for?
Many thoughts flickered through his mind.
In the end, he chose the simplest one.
That everyone might stay safe and healthy.
He opened his eyes and bowed once more.
By then Yukinoshita Shizuku and Mrs. Yukinoshita had finished their worship as well.
The three walked back along the approach path and began strolling through the shrine grounds.
A long line stretched before the omamori stall, mostly parents with children and young couples.
Tsushima Kagami stood at the end of the line, waiting a while before it was finally his turn.
The window displayed all kinds of omamori.
Each was wrapped in silk, embroidered with a different pattern.
Tsushima Kagami looked for a good while, then finally picked out four at once.
One red "prayer for health" omamori.
Two white "success in studies" omamori.
And one gold "safety in the home" omamori.
"Why buy so many?" Yukinoshita Shizuku leaned in for a look.
Tsushima Kagami just smiled without answering her.
Instead, he turned and handed the "prayer for health" omamori to Mrs. Yukinoshita.
"Mother, this one's for you."
"Then I'll accept it."
Mrs. Yukinoshita tucked the omamori into her shingen-bukuro.
Then he turned to Yukinoshita Shizuku and handed her the "safety in the home" charm. "This one's for you."
"Why is mine this one?"
"To keep us all safe, of course."
"Why don't I get the health one like Mother?"
"Because you're healthy enough already."
"And the other two?"
"Those are for Akane and Sonoko."
"After all, they've got exams coming up."
Tsushima Kagami had thoroughly cut off any further questions from Yukinoshita Shizuku.
Earlier, Sayuri along with Kosaka Akane and Machida Sonoko had all said they'd come to Chiba to ring in the New Year together.
In the end, of course, they'd chosen to spend it with family instead.
They'd even asked Tsushima Kagami to get them two study charms when he made his New Year's visit.
Tsushima Kagami had told them they could just get the same charms themselves when they visited a shrine with their families.
But both said they planned to sleep in that morning and weren't going.
Besides, they claimed charms they got themselves weren't as effective as ones from someone else.
Yukinoshita Shizuku put her charm away as well.
The three of them wandered over to the ema rack.
It was a huge wooden board wall, hung densely with row upon row of ema.
Every ema bore a wish, a story.
Tsushima Kagami bought one ema.
Picking up the brush, he thought for a moment, then wrote a line on it.
A wish in Japanese: "I pray for everyone's health and peace."
That everyone might be healthy and safe.
He hung the ema on the wall and stepped back.
He watched it sway gently in the wind.
It really was a fine thing, getting to spend one whole New Year living the simple life.
Yukinoshita Shizuku stood beside him, finished writing hers, and hung it up.
Then she stepped back to Tsushima Kagami's side.
"What did you write?" Tsushima Kagami tried to lean over for a look.
Yukinoshita Shizuku flipped the ema over.
"I'm not telling you."
Mrs. Yukinoshita wrote one too, hanging it beside her daughter's.
Coming out from the ema rack, the three of them walked back along the approach path toward the exit.
There were even more stalls along the road than when they'd come in.
Grilled squid, candied apples, goldfish scooping, mask sellers.
A ring of people crowded before every stall.
Steam and the buzz of voices mingled together, warming the cold winter air by a few degrees.
Tsushima Kagami's gaze was drawn to one stall.
It was a shooting stall, called "shateki" in Japanese, the shooting gallery.
A row of wooden shelves was set up on the stall, laden with all sorts of prizes.
There were plush dolls, plastic toys, keychains, painted cups.
On the very top shelf sat a large ramen-bowl figurine.
A steaming bowl of ramen was painted on the white bowl.
A round, plump cat sprawled on the rim, its expression utterly content.
As if to say, "Yummy, yummy."
"Ten more shots."
Both Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku heard a familiar voice.
Only then did they notice the person standing at the stall, holding a cork gun and taking aim at that ramen-bowl figurine, was none other than Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Today she hadn't dressed in a kimono like most people.
Instead she wore a navy down jacket, jeans below, her hair tied carelessly behind her head.
She looked completely different from how she appeared at school.
She narrowed her eyes, aimed, and squeezed the trigger.
Bang.
The cork shot out and struck the edge of the ramen bowl.
The bowl wobbled, but didn't fall.
"Argh!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a frustrated sigh.
She set the gun down and pulled out another coin to hand the stall owner.
"One more time."
The stall owner was a man in his fifties, his skin deeply tanned, several deep wrinkles fanning from the corners of his eyes when he smiled.
He took the coin and said with a grin, "Miss, that bowl's pretty hard to knock down."
"How about trying one of the smaller ones down below?"
"No!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka's tone was firm, her eyes locked on that bowl figurine.
"I want that one!"
She raised the gun again, aimed, and pulled the trigger.
Bang.
This time it hit the body of the bowl.
The bowl wobbled again, harder than before.
But it still stood steady on the shelf, as if mocking her.
"What the heck is this!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka scowled.
"Manager!"
"Is this thing bolted down?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka accused the owner of being a swindler right in front of everyone.
The owner hurriedly waved his hands.
"No, no."
"Absolutely not, it might just be a technique issue."
"What did you say?"
From the look on Hiratsuka Shizuka's face, she seemed about ready to climb over and grab the owner by the collar.
"Let me give it a try."
Hearing the familiar voice, Hiratsuka Shizuka turned her head in surprise.
"Kagami?"
Her angry expression instantly melted into a bright smile.
Then her gaze fell on Yukinoshita Shizuku and Mrs. Yukinoshita beside him.
"Shizuku and Auntie, you two came too."
Hiratsuka Shizuka bowed slightly.
Yukinoshita Shizuku and Mrs. Yukinoshita returned the greeting.
Tsushima Kagami fished a coin from his pocket and handed it to the stall owner.
The owner took the coin and passed him a cork gun.
The gun was wooden, very light.
A cork was plugged into the muzzle, its small round head poking out.
Tsushima Kagami raised the gun and took aim at the ramen-bowl figurine.
He narrowed his eyes.
In his field of vision, he could sense where the bowl's center of gravity lay, at what angle its support points sat, and just how much force it would take to send it tumbling off the shelf.
This was the effect of the [American Traditional Martial Arts] skill he'd gained earlier.
That skill he'd always thought was useless had, unexpectedly, found its use today.
He adjusted his angle and aimed at a specific point at the base of the bowl.
That point was where the bowl's center of gravity rested; hit it, and the bowl would lose its balance. He squeezed the trigger.
Bang. The cork shot out and, at a tricky, almost impossible angle, struck that point at the bowl's base.
The bowl wobbled.
Then it bounced up off the shelf.
It flipped once in midair and landed steadily on the ground right in front of Tsushima Kagami.
The onlookers gathered around went quiet for a moment.
The stall owner's smile froze on his face.
Hiratsuka Shizuka stood off to the side, her mouth open in a perfect O.
Once she came to her senses, she shouted.
"Yesss!"
Then she kept clapping and bouncing around beside Tsushima Kagami.
The earlier irritation between her brows had vanished without a trace.
From a fierce-eyed delinquent, she'd turned into a starry-eyed fangirl.
Tsushima Kagami took the bowl figurine that the owner had picked up off the ground.
The owner handed it over with a heartbroken look, on the verge of tears.
As Tsushima Kagami took it, he noticed the owner's hand was still gripping the bowl figurine tightly.
It's just one figurine, and you've already fleeced this much money out of Hiratsuka Shizuka.
You've long since made your money back.
And you're still putting on this act? Was it really worth it?
Hand it over already!
Tsushima Kagami gave a firm tug.
In the end he still managed to wrench it free.
Then he handed it to Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Here you go."
Hiratsuka Shizuka snatched the bowl figurine and hugged it to her chest.
She pressed it tight against her cheek.
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome."
Tsushima Kagami saw there were still plenty of people wanting to play.
So he led Yukinoshita Shizuku and the others away.
"Let's talk while we walk."
"Mm."
Hiratsuka Shizuka nodded.
Hugging the figurine, she followed the three of them off.
Only the manager from before was left standing there, silently weeping.
"Mister, I'll take ten tries."
"Mister?"
A young boy beside him held out some change.
But the owner didn't stir.
"I heard this manager's been running this stall here for ten years."
"Nobody's ever won that figurine off him."
"You could say it was like family to him."
said a customer nearby who seemed to know the owner well.
"So doesn't that mean his family just got won away by someone else?" another passerby chimed in.
"Hey, don't say such things."
The customer glanced at the owner, who was still staring hard after Tsushima Kagami's departing group, and made a shushing gesture.
"Let him have his moment of peace."
With that, the others tactfully scattered as well.
The group carried on their stroll.
"Miss Hiratsuka, where's your mother?" Mrs. Yukinoshita suddenly asked.
"Should we go say hello?"
"Thank you, Auntie."
"But that's all right."
"They didn't come."
When she finished, Hiratsuka Shizuka hugged the bowl figurine a little tighter.
"So, Koharu, you came alone?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka nodded.
"My mom and dad went back to the company to work first thing this morning."
She let out a sigh.
"I was home alone with nothing to do, so I figured I'd come out and look around."
"I never expected to run into all of you here."
As Hiratsuka Shizuka said this, her gloomy face brightened again.
"Then would you like to join us?"
Yukinoshita Shizuku came up from behind and stood beside Tsushima Kagami.
Hiratsuka Shizuka glanced at her, then at Mrs. Yukinoshita behind her.
She hesitated.
"Would I be intruding?"
"Not at all."
Mrs. Yukinoshita's voice came from behind.
"It's been a while since things were this lively."
In the past, Mrs. Yukinoshita and Yukinoshita's father had been just like Hiratsuka Shizuka's parents.
They'd rarely spent holidays with Yukinoshita Shizuku.
They'd even often missed her birthdays.
By the time she understood how much family mattered, her husband was already gone.
And she still had no time for Shizuku, because now she had to shoulder the family's finances.
Day and night she stayed at the company, leaving Shizuku home all alone.
Thankfully, Kagami proved himself.
Thanks to him, the company had smoothly gotten back on track.
And so today she finally had time to take the two of them out for the New Year.
So Mrs. Yukinoshita could understand exactly how Hiratsuka Shizuka felt right now.
Shizuku had probably worn that same expression, felt that same way, back then.
Hearing Mrs. Yukinoshita say so, Hiratsuka Shizuka smiled happily.
"Then I'll shamelessly tag along with all of you."
The four of them continued down the approach path.
Hiratsuka Shizuka carried that ramen-bowl figurine, walking beside Tsushima Kagami.
Her mood looked much better than before.
As she walked she chatted with Mrs. Yukinoshita, and the two hit it off well.
Laughter drifted back from up ahead now and then.
Yukinoshita Shizuku walked on Tsushima Kagami's other side.
She quietly listened to the conversation ahead, tossing in a word or two here and there.
The four of them wandered until nearly noon before finally leaving the shrine.
The crowd at the entrance to the approach path had thinned out a little from the morning.
"Time to head back."
Mrs. Yukinoshita glanced at the time.
"I still have a meeting this afternoon."
Everyone looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Then I'll head back too."
There was a trace of reluctance in Hiratsuka Shizuka's eyes.
Mrs. Yukinoshita glanced at her.
"Miss Hiratsuka, if you're free, would you like to come over to the house?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka's eyes lit up.
"Is that really okay?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka looked to Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku.
Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku smiled together.
"Of course."
"Then I'll be intruding again."
By the time they got back to the Yukinoshita house, it was past noon.
Mrs. Yukinoshita changed back into her business suit in her room.
She gave a few hurried instructions, then drove off to the company.
That left the three of them in the entryway.
"So…"
Hiratsuka Shizuka broke the silence first.
"What do we do now?"
"I'll go change out of my kimono too," Yukinoshita Shizuku said.
"I'll help you."
Hiratsuka Shizuka followed after her.
The two of them disappeared up the stairs.
Tsushima Kagami walked alone into the living room.
Yukino hopped down from the sofa, trotted over, and rubbed against his feet.
Then she jumped back onto the sofa and curled into a ball.
He sat down on the sofa, leaned against a cushion, and closed his eyes.
He'd gotten up too early that morning, then spent the whole morning out.
Now he was a little drowsy.
"Kagami."
Yukinoshita Shizuku's voice pulled him back from that half-asleep haze.
He opened his eyes.
He saw Yukinoshita Shizuku had changed back into her usual clothes.
A pale gray sweater and dark trousers.
Her hair was down too, loose over her shoulders.
The tips still held a slight curl from where they'd been pinned up in the kimono bun.
"Grooowl."
Just then Hiratsuka Shizuka rubbed her stomach and said sheepishly.
"Ahaha."
"I totally forgot I ran out this morning without eating anything."
"Um… is there anything to eat?"
"I'll get lunch started now," Yukinoshita Shizuku said.
Tsushima Kagami nodded as well.
"I'll go heat up the red bean soup with mochi."
"We'll have something warm to tide us over in no time."
Tsushima Kagami stood up and took the leftover red bean soup and mochi from the morning out of the fridge.
He poured the red bean soup into a pot and heated it slowly over low flame.
He put the mochi in the oven, and soon a faint sizzling came from inside.
"Smells great."
Hiratsuka Shizuka came over beside him, looking at the red bean soup in the pot and the mochi just pulled out, toasted a faint gold.
Tsushima Kagami put the mochi in a bowl, ladled red bean soup over it, and handed it to her.
Hiratsuka Shizuka took the bowl, feeling its warmth in her palms.
She looked down at the golden, square-toasted mochi in the bowl, and suddenly smiled.
"What is it?" Tsushima Kagami asked.
"Nothing."
She shook her head.
"It's just… it's been so long since I had red bean soup with mochi at New Year's with family."
She scooped a spoonful and brought it to her mouth.
The sweetness of the red beans spread across her tongue.
Then she picked up a piece of the soft, chewy mochi.
She took a bite, as if eating cheese.
The mochi stretched into one long thread.
"Hot, hot, hot!"
"Ohhoho!"
Just like eating ramen, Hiratsuka Shizuka started slurping it up hard, with loud slurps.
Her expression was pure bliss.
"Is it really that good?" Yukinoshita Shizuku asked Tsushima Kagami curiously from beside them.
"Maybe eating it that way has a certain punch to it?"
"You want to try it too?" Tsushima Kagami said uncertainly, glancing at Hiratsuka Shizuka slurping up the stretchy mochi.
"No way!"
Yukinoshita Shizuku refused flatly.
____
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