I can't sleep. It's too quiet.
Normally, I love to sleep to the sound of nature, the sound of the leaves against the windy night, the sound of water drops on the gravel stones. In the Bamboo house I sleep just fine even though here I can hear the soft sound of the strong chilly wind. It doesn't soothe me to sleep. The shadows of the trees and the branches peeking through the window make my heart drop every time I see.
"Wooooo."
Fuck. The strong wind blows past my room again.
"I can't sleep at all…"
I tell myself softly.
It's the second night I should be able to fall asleep at least just a couple of hours before sunrise.
Drinking some tea or just a glass of warm milk might help calm me a little bit.
Then I decided to get out of bed and go to the kitchen. I step out of the room, and the hallway is dark like the first night I came here. The strong wind is gone. I can't hear it anymore, possibly because of the thick wall. I try my best to remember the way to the kitchen in the middle of the dark.
"..."
I try not to shift my eyes around but rather look straight and find the big dome door that directly goes through the kitchen without a door blocking the way.
Hmm Hmm Hmmm..
I hum in my head while walking, and then my eyes glance at the right side. I see some natural light from outside shining through the room, and I finally find it.
I walk inside the kitchen, and I notice something behind the cabinet.
Is someone there?
I step behind the counters and look at the body giving me the back, trying to find something in the cabinet. It's a woman with long black hair and a long white rope.
"..."
She glances at me while still facing that cabinet.
"I'm sorry, I came here to have a cup of tea."
"..."
The woman doesn't say anything, and she's back to do her things. And seconds later, she turns around to me with the teapot and two cups. She puts them down on the counters in front of me.
"Thank you, ma'am."
I tell her and look up to see her face. She's very beautiful, with pale skin, black hair, and one eyelid, but I can still see her eyes in black. She looks familiar.
Then she pushes the hot cop to me. I pick up and smell the scent.
"Peppermint..."
I say it out.
"It's my favorite."
She speaks up.
"You can't sleep as well?"
I ask.
"I can't sleep for a long time."
She tells me.
"..."
"Have you tried chamomile? The passion flower also might help."
I suggest instead of asking the reason.
"I used to have a lot of flowers and herbs around the house to pick up...but it's no more. And there's only peppermint in the cabinet."
She explains.
"You must know a lot about tea?"
I ask.
"More like flowers and herbs."
She answers me the way I answer Mr. Yamazaki.
"..."
"You're Jodai's friend?"
She asks.
"Yes, you can say that."
"It's nice... I haven't seen him for a long time."
"You must be very happy. Mr. Yamazaki seems very happy as well…Jodai too."
"Jodai? I barely doubt that."
"..He sleeps so well. He must feel like home.. he's home, hehe."
"..."
"And he will leave eventually..."
She says.
"..."
"I hope he will stay... but I wish him to leave."
She tells her mind.
"..?"
I am so confused.
"He seems happy, looks very happy and well fed…."
She continues.
"Hm.. He's bigger than before, even if there was something inconvenient, but he has been eating well these past few days. On the mountain, he ate a lot...hehe. I am relieved, to be honest. I am very worried because he faces a lot of trouble and risks his life for me...I really don't want him to waste his life.. that's why I express and tell him every day, every single situation when we're apart. I cherish our time together…I don't want to regret anything with him."
"Heh...hehe, I think he won't waste his life if it comes to you."
"..."
I smile.
"I'm glad...that he found you...and has you in his life... Can I ask you to do me a favor?"
"..?"
I tilt my head a little.
"Don't leave him. Wherever you go, take him with you..."
She tells me and holds my hands.
Her hands are cold.
"Can you please enlighten me a little more..."
"This place is full of darkness.. dark memories. I'm glad that you brought him home. After everything is done, take him with you. I want him to live his life whatever he wants. I don't want him to stay here and lead him to death..."
"But…every path is leading to death,.. my path as well. I don't want to lie to you..."
I tell her the truth.
"At least he enjoys it."
"..."
"Please, don't leave him here."
"I promise."
"..."
She smiles.
"Won't you miss him?"
"Yes, always...at least I could see his face once again..."
She smiles happily, but I feel her sorrow in her eyes.
I didn't ask her who she was, but her face looked familiar. I've seen her before in the big golden frame. I wasn't sure if it was her or not, but after the conversation, I felt that it was her, Mrs. Yamazaki. Jodai has the same smile as her. Her hair looked so soft, like Jodai's, thick and black.
And all the questions that have popped up in my head, I don't have the courage enough to ask her, Mr.Yamazaki, or even Jodai about their family. Why I haven't seen her during the day before. And what is the dark memory that she would like Jodai to leave? And why no one's talking about her or even bringing her up in the conversation.
Should I just let my curiosity be? It's their family, and it's not my business to be involved. If they want me to know, they'll tell me eventually.
Every family surely has their own story. Just like mine, like everyone else.
The next morning.
I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on my door. I am relieved that I got up and realized that I could have fallen asleep last night, even if it was just two or three hours.
I'm getting ready, wearing the black yukata that Jodai gave me last night, covering my light blue camisole with cream pants. I brush my hair and am not used to brushing the shortened length beside my cheeks.
No black left...
"Zephyra..."
Jodai calls me behind the door.
"Yes, I'm ready."
I tell him, walk toward the door, and open it.
"Hi."
I greet him.
"Good morning, Zephyra."
"..."
I smile.
"There's someone who would like to meet you."
He tells me
"Hm?"
I can't think of anyone here, and I just follow Jodai, who is walking by his side.
"How was your sleep last night?"
He asks.
"Better."
I can't lie, but I don't want him to worry.
"..."
He looks at me.
We're walking halfway to the direction where the maple tree is located, and I pause myself.
"..."
Don't tell me...is he...here!?
"Zephyra...what is it?"
He asks and bends down his body to look at my face.
"It's not him."
He answers my thoughts. I look up at Jodai's face. And I grab his two fingers, and then he leads me inside the room.
"They're here."
Mr. Yamazaki announces.
We walk into the open room, and Mr. Yamazaki raises his palm to tell me where I should sit. I walk past our guest, who has a big body posture and is wearing a black yukata, black like his hair. I sit on the mat politely, and my eyes glance at his big body, which is wearing a dark green shirt with black pants inside the yukata.
"..."
And I pause my sight at his face, the face covered by the mask, a black mask that, when the light shines on or he moves his face, reflects the green color.
I'm trying to calm my reaction after looking right through his mask. And then Jodai sits next to me.
"You must be a little startled, aren't you? He's very secretive, so.. please don't mind the mask...Don't be scared either."
Mr. Yamazaki.
"I'm not scared Mr. Yamazaki. And good morning, sir."
"..."
He says nothing back.
"He's your swordsmith I told you about."
Mr. Yamazaki.
"I see...Nice to meet you finally."
I tell him.
"..."
He doesn't say anything again.
What's up with this man?
I look right through his mask and try to see his eyes through those eye holes.
"He's here to do the measurement and talk about...what kind of sword you want."
"Yes, and he will speak, right? Because if not, how can I know that we're on the same page."
I frankly say it while looking at the man with the mask.
"Yes, he will speak… right?"
Mr. Yamazaki tells me with a bit of a shocked face after hearing me and softens his voice, asking the man beside him.
"...Yes."
Finally, that man speaks, his calm and mature low tone resembling a traditional drum in his throat.
"Then I'll be going and let the two of you discuss. Son, come with me."
Mr. Yamazaki.
"What about Jodai? he needs a sword as well."
I ask.
"Jodai will have the sword made by his own swordsmith."
Mr. Yamazaki tells me.
I glance at Jodai.
Jodai doesn't want to get up and leave me here with this man.
"Didn't you normally get the sword from him?"
I ask Jodai.
"Once."
He answers.
"Why is that? He's not good?"
I ask.
"!!!"
Mr. Yamazaki is shocked.
"Hahahahaha."
And the man in the mask laughs it out.
"I'm good, all right."
The masked man answers himself.
"The one that broke, was it from him?"
I frankly ask Jodai again.
"No, Zephyra."
"Are you alright? Why do you seem mad?"
Jodai puts his face closer to my face and whispers in my ears.
I raise my left hand to cover his ear.
"Do you know this man? Can I trust him, and is he really good? I want him to make a sword for you too...I..."
I'm whispering to him, and they are watching us. Then I pull my face out to look at Jodai's eyes.
"..."
He holds my left hand gently.
"Don't worry, he's very great. My father trusts in him."
He tells me beside my ear.
"...Do you?"
I ask softly. He glances at the man.
"Yes..."
"Alright."
I surrender.
"Look at you two love birds."
Mr. Yamazaki teases us.
"Hmpt."
And I can hear a sound from the masked man secretly in his throat.
I really don't like this guy.
"If Mr. Yamazaki trusts in your ability, then I will, too."
I tell him.
"Oh Yes, I ensure that this man can make a pretty damn good sword."
"Then Mr. Yamazaki, you should let him make a sword for your son as well..."
"!!"
"Er...then let's talk about Jodai later. Son, come out now."
Then Yamazaki stands up and glares at Jodai to follow him, but Jodai seems not to follow
his father's order, and his hand is still holding mine.
"Jodai..."
He uses a growl kind of tone.
"Zephyra, if you..."
Jodai is about to tell me.
"It's okay, Jodai, follow your father."
I interrupt his sentences.
"Yes, Zephyra."
"Take your time, Mr. Swordsman, and you too, young lady."
Mr. Yamazaki tells him.
"Thank you, Mr. Yamazaki."
And they leave us.
"Should we begin?"
I ask.
"..."
"The stones are yours?"
He asks.
"Yes."
"You found yourself."
"With a little help, but yes."
"Cracking the rock open, too?"
"That was all my doing."
"..."
"With a sword, I heard."
He continues throwing the questions at me.
"Yes."
"Why do you want a sword?"
"...to live."
"..."
"That would be the first reason that came up if I was the old me. If you want me to be honest with you, I want my own first sword. I don't want a sword from someone else or as a gift. I want a sword that is made for my own purpose. And it will be my first and last one...I want it to be a part of me and die along with me.. or at least when it serves its purpose."
"And what is it?...the sword's purpose."
He asks.
"To protect and to purge.."
"...That will be the longest ride of your life."
"That's why I want a sword that cannot be broken..."
"Hmpt."
He makes the sound in his throat again.
"So, do you still want to make me a sword after knowing the reason?"
"What a big purpose on your little shoulders...How old are you?"
"Is this question a part of making the sword?"
I am curious.
"...yes."
"18."
"Life must have been treating you the hard way..."
"You couldn't imagine."
"..."
He stands up, showing his big, tall body.
"One of the two last questions before we begin."
Finally.
"Yes."
I answer.
"Are you two a couple?"
"...ha?"
"With Aka's son?"
"No."
"Hmpt...Good, then let's go."
"Go where?"
I ask and stand up, facing him.
"To make a sword."
"Where?"
I repeat.
"My place."
"What..?!!"