The first year of the Showa Era
Downtown Tokyo.
My name is Izanagi Kanai, 24 years old, I work at a restaurant owned by my family. This restaurant is inherited from our great grandfather. Father is the 3rd generation. Actually, my older brother was supposed to take over this restaurant, but he ran away from home 5 years ago because of an argument with father.
My brother really likes calligraphy. He wanted to become a calligraphy artist, as well as calligraphy teacher. But, my father opposed him because he wanted him to continue the restaurant business, because of that, my brother ran away. Father cuts the connection with him, saying that he wasn't his son anymore.
I knew my father was very angry, but he was also very sad. On the other hand, I cheered my brother on, knowing that he stood by what he believed in.
Brother married 2 years ago with the girl in the town where he lives now. They already have 2 sons and works as a calligraphy teacher. He also opened a private class at his house. He lives his life happily.
I think that's a dilemma for father. He may hope that one day my brother will go home and regretting his actions, but on the other hand, my father may also be happy because my brother is living a good life, so he doesn't need to worry about him.
Therefore, now, I'm the only one who can manage this restaurant. Different from brother, I really like cooking. It's nice to cooking something, think about the ingredients, and creating new recipes. I always experiment alone.
Lately, Father and Mother aren't in good health. And now they are starting to worry about me. About what I want to do in the future with our restaurant or when I will get married. Parents always feel worried no matter how old their children are. They always have their own worries.
Of course, I want to get married. But, I doubt I will find a woman who likes me. Father and mother seemed to have given up on arranging a marriage for me.
The girls thought I was boring.
It can't be helped, I tried to do what they wanted, but they still complained. Women are always unpredictable. What they say is always not the same as what they want. And hope I understand what they want.
Come on, I'm not a psychic. How can I read someone's mind? Maybe because the girl I met was a girl from a rich family, they were very selfish. I can't handle them.
If only I met a woman who was not selfish, independent, honest, and sincerity.
People maybe think that I'm naive. You will never find a woman like that.
Forget about that.
A few days ago, my father bought a flower vase from a traveling merchant who happened to stop by our restaurant.
My father really likes antiques. He bought various kinds of objects. But, accidentally, two days ago he dropped the flower vase he had just bought. The flower vase is cracked on several sides.
Strangely, after the incident, every night my father heard a man's painful scream. Either my father only dreamed, but the sound was hearing every night. After searching for a sound source, my father said that the sound came from the vase. Who believed that? My father might be exhausted.
He then told me to throw away this flower vase. But, for some reason, I feel unable to throw it away.
My steps then stopped when I saw a sign, No. 49 Gen'ei antique stores.
"Oh, there's an antique shop here. I don't know I've seen it before," I stepped up to the antique shop, held the handle of the door and opened it slowly,
Cling !!
"Welcome to our shop, dear customer, what can I do for you?"
Cold air immediately pierced my entire body. My body shivered for a while. The shop is quite dark, only a little light enters from outside. I saw a young girl sitting with many books on the table.
"Do you want to buy something or sell something?" She smiled at me.
I was silent for a moment. I grew up in this town, but I never knew this girl.
"Sir?" She looked at me confusedly.
I flinched, feeling embarrassed by looking at her, "That ... ah ... I brought a vase," I took out the vase and put it slowly on the table. I'm afraid it will break into pieces.
"Oh My ... what happened?" The girl was surprised when she saw the flower vase.
I sighed, of course, I understand why she could be surprised, "My father accidentally dropped it," I felt awkward, "He then told me to throw it away,"
The girl fell silent, then took the vase, "This must hurt so much," she murmured.
"Eh?" I'm a little surprised.
"The old stories say that antiques have souls. That's why people always keep their antiques very well. Some antiques can even bring a curse if they haven't cared," the girl said, still staring at the white vase with white cherry blossoms carvings.
I gasped, "I..it's that so?" I felt my heart beat fast, "What should I do? Will my father be okay?"
The girl then turned her gaze to me, "I will buy this flower vase from you. How much will you sell it?" She smiled.
"Will you buy it?" I asked doubtfully, "But, the flower vase has been damaged,"
"Don't worry about that. Besides, this flower vase is supposed to be here," the girl smiled.
I thought for a moment, "I will give this flower vase to you for free. After all, this flower vase will be thrown away. I can't possibly ask for money from the object I will throw away,"
"There is no object that has no value even though it is broken," the girl said.
I chest is hurting and feel awkward, "My...my father said that he heard a groan from inside this vase every night, so he told me to throw it away," I felt stupid telling her.
"But you decided not to throw it away?" the girl said, "That's really nice of you,"
"N..not really," I feel embarrassed to hear her praised me, "Uhm ... I guess, can you recommend an antique here for me?" I asked while looking at the antiques in the shop.
The girl smiled, "Antiques choose their owner. Is there something that catches your eye?" She asked.
I looked around and shook my head, "There are so many things here, I don't know which one to choose,"
"That means, there isn't a single thing here that is destined for you," she said, "Not being able to decide something means you don't know what you want in your life,"
I turned my eyes to the girl and stared blankly at her. Thought about what she said.
She might be right. Actually, I myself don't know what I want. Every day I just followed the path and do what my father says.
"I just think, as long as I do the right thing every day, everything will be fine," I felt embarrassed, I laughed, feeling stupid, "I don't know what I want to do," I sighed.
"Uhm ... that's how it is,"
"My brother has been successful by choosing his own path. When I visited him and saw how happy he was with his family, I felt jealous. Even though they didn't live luxuriously, they seemed very happy," I smiled, remember how happy my brother and his wife.
"If you don't know where you want to go, it doesn't matter which path you will take," the girl said while opening one of the books in front of her, "The book said that," she smiled.
I looked at the girl with a lot of questions. She seemed to know what she had to say.
"Your brother found someone who could support him, that's why he could live his life happily. If you have someone you love with you, it doesn't matter which path you will take, you will be fine as long as you're together,"
Ah! She's right.
"You ... may be right," I sighed, "I wondered if I would also be able to live like that," I murmured and looked at the girl, "Okay, I have to go back now, " I took a deep breath, "I will give the flower vase to you then, "
"Thank you, ah, Sir, can I asked for help?" The girl asked.
I looked at her, "Yes? Of course, if I can,"
"Oh, can I asked you to give this handicraft to someone?" The girl took out white handicrafts with red roses embroidery, "Please give this handicraft to someone named Chisato who works at the Rose cafe. She left it in this store before,"
"Oh, of course," I took the handicrafts.
"Thank you very much," the girl said.
"No problem," I nodded, "Then, excuse me," I bowed my head, turned my body around and stepped out of the shop.
"Thank you for your patronage,"
I heard the girl's voice from a distance when the shop door was closed. The afternoon sun was a little dazzling my eyes. I sighed, then walked to the Rose cafe to give the handicrafts to someone named Chisato.
Cafe, huh? I never visited that place, but many of my friends went there. They said that the girls there were very beautiful. Why they are still able to play around.
I then arrived in front of the cafe. I took the handkerchief from the pocket of my jacket when the door suddenly opened. A woman is standing there. We stared for a moment.
"Oh, that's my handkerchief,"
***
Aki put the flower in both vases when Ume and Yuu appeared from inside the vase.
"Thank you for today's flowers, Akihime-sama," Ume said happily.
"Don't worry about that. How are you doing, Yuu?" Aki asked.
"I feel better, thank you, I feel like I was reborn, there's not a slight flaw," Yuu looked very excited.
"How should we repay your kindness?" Ume looked at Aki, so did Yuu who nodded his head.
Aki smiled while looking at them, "Just make sure that you make the flowers that I put looked more beautiful,"
Umi and Yuu looked at each other with a relieved smile.
"I wonder what happened to the young men and women who help us. Are they destined to be together?" Ume asked.
Aki sat in a chair and pick up a book, "Don't worry about that, they will be fine," she smiled.
"Eh?" Ume looked confused.
Aki smiled, "You know, how sometimes you meet someone and everything changes, just like that," Aki chuckled.
***
Tale 3
End