Haruto only returned back to his uncle's house when it had already turned completely dark.
On his way back the street lights were his only light to see the way.
Then he quietly entered the inner courtyard a voice suddenly called out to him.
„So your finally back. What about returning soon?", Maya, who stood at the entrance door, asked him with a strict look on her face.
Haruto lowered his head and apologized.
He hadn't planned to stay outside so long, but while he was at the beach darkness had fallen befor he noticed it.
Maya looked at him and then sighed.
„I've told your uncle that you are with Kazuya for a while. For now, come to the kitchen with me. You look as if you need someone to talk to and a cup of tea to warm up.", she said.
She completely saw through me, Haruto thought and after nodding, he followed her to the kitchen, which was located in the left wing of the mansion.
The servants quarters also were in the same wing.
The kitchen was big, but somehow right now no one was here.
A look at the clock showed Haruto that it was four p.m. so it was still not time to prepare dinner.
Because of that the cook was taking a break and no one else had a reason to be at the kitchen either.
Maya told Haruto to sit down at the table on the left side of the room and took out two cups from a shelf.
Then she filled the water heater and turned it on.
Afterwards she took out two teabags and put them in the cups.
At last, Maya started rummaging through some shelfs.
Not long after she came two the table with two cups of steaming green tea and a plate full of self-baked biscuits.
She sat down across from Haruto and said: „Tell me, what is pressing on your heart?"
Haruto took his tea and looked at her for a moment.
Again, he wanted to tell her everything, but he knew he couldn't do that.
Instead he started slowly drinking his hot tea, to avoid answering.
Maya understood right away that he didn't want to talk and just silently sat across from him, both of them eating biscuits and drinking tea.
Everything happening and his own incomprehensible feelings still pressed down on Haruto but as he just at there with the person, he, through countless lifes,had come to trust the most, calmed down.
The turmoil in his heart subsided and vanished into the darkness again.
Then he decided to at least tell her some of the truth.
„I will be spending the holidays here, since my mother is busy. But because of that Yoko and Taro are angry at me and I also don't want to be a burden to uncle Daikaku and his family anymore.", he muttered.
He thought that Maya might not even have heard it but he had underestimated her hearing ability.
„You know, you aren't a burden. To no one here. The twins only got angry at you since they don't know how to vent theier frustration over theier parents breaking theier promise else. So don't take it to heart to much. Still, if you feel like being a burden, how about coming here and spending time with me like this sometimes? I would be really happy to have someone with me at teatime and I'm sure Kazuya would also be happy about you joining us.", she said with a soft smile.
Haruto knew that she meant her words as she said them, even if they might have sound like mockery if someone else had told them to him.
He looked at her and just replied with a faint smile and silence.
The both of them had finished the tea and the biscuits by now and Haruto stood up to go back to his room.
But befor he could stand up Maya reached out to him and patted his head.
Haruto's body froze and he just sat there stiff and silent, as she patted his head and said: „You're a good child, you know? There is nothing you need to apologize for and no reason for you to feel like a burden."
The both of them just stood still like that for a moment, then Maya pulled back her hand, gave him a smile and started washing the dishes.
Haruto stood up and left the kitchen.
He went back to his room and just layed down on the floor once he arrived there.
Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep right away.
…
Two days passed by in the blink of an eye and it was already the 31. of December.
Haruto knew, that his uncles family and everyone else would go to visit the big shrine on the island on midnight, befor his uncle told him about it at breakfast.
Maya and Hina had prepared traditional clothes for the children, theier husbands and for themselves.
Maya and Sumire, the only maid who had stayed behind, since she was Mayas second daughter, while all others had returned home for new year, had cooked the new years meal together with the cook Chiaki, who was Sumires husband.
In the evening, they ate the new years meal together with Daikaku, Hina, Taro, Yoko and Haruto.
They had cooked a lot of traditional dishes and all of them had a lot of fun talking.
Soon, midnight kept approaching and then the last few minutes started they counted down the seconds till it was midnight.
Then, they wished each other a happy new year and stood up to change into their kimonos and get ready for the first shrine visit of the year.
Everyone helped the other put on theier kimonos.
Yokos was violet with a pattern of butterflies, Hinas pink with a pattern of chrysanthemums, Mayas dark lilac with a pattern of camellia and Sumires turquoise with a pattern of roses.
The kimonos of the men there less decorated, just being in simple colors.
Daikaku was dark green, Taros light green, Kazuyas dark brown, Chiakis turquoise, matching his wife's, and Harutos dark blue.
Then all of them there ready they went outside and got into their cars.
Sumire and Chiaki took one together with Maya and Kazuya, while Daikaku, Hina, Yoko, Taro and Haruto entered the other one.
Then they drove along the main road leading to the neighboring village.
But halfway they stopped ,after turning left and driving for about two minutes, and parked the car.
A lot of other cars had also been parked already there and the people there going upwards the long stone stairs towards the biggest shrine on the island that stood on top of the small mountain.
Haruto followed the other upwards.
While walking up the stairs they passed through countless red Toris which were reaching over the stairs, from one side to the other.
Then they finally were at the top Haruto stopped for a moment and just looked at the magnificent shrine.
It was very big.
Here, the god Susanoo was worshipped.
Since quiet a lot of people on the island still lifed as fishermen, they asked him for a quiet sea and pleaded him not to send storms and instead lead the fishes to them.
Haruto snapped out of viewing the shrine and hurried to follow the ritual of praying.
First, he washed his hands at the water well next to the shrine with the wooden ladle, which was a sacred object, then he went there and prayed.
He clapped his hands two times bowed once and clapped them again.
Please let me break out of this endless circle of regression, he prayed silently.
But he knew that it was useless.
He had prayed exactly the same prayer since his five life and it had never worked.
Afterwards he went and drew a lot at the small shrine store.
He opened it and read it.
Big luck, was written on it.
With a smile he put it inside the hidden pocket of his kimono.
Next to him his cousin was complaining about having drawn bad luck.
Hina sended him off to bind the lot at the place for it.
This way, it should be possible to avoid the bad luck, so people believed.
Yoko stood next to Haruto and turned to face him.
„I'm sorry.", she said, „It was wrong of both me and Taro to vent our anger at you even thought you also don't have any fault at this whole situation."
Haruto was a bit puzzled, but then he nodded.
„Thanks for apologizing.", he said.
A smile bloomed on Yokos face and she nodded.
Then, Taro also returned, Yoko lightly hit him in the side.
„You ahould also apologize.", she reminded him.
Taro looked at her, then at Haruto and then forced out an apology.
„I know I was wrong" he said, „You know, I'm just a big idiot, so don't mind me saying stuff like that. In the future, just ignore it."
Again Haruto nodded, and now a smile also appeared on his face.
Even thought he didn't know the reason himself, but he was really happy that his cousins had apologized to him.
In that moment someone called out to them and they turned around to face the person.
Behind them, Naomi, wearing a beautiful red and yellow kimono with a pattern of peonies on it was running towards them.
She had tied her hair up with a hairpin decorated with golden leaves and small red peonies at the end of it.
She smiled brightly and once she reached them, she greeted them happily.
"I'm so glad to see you.", she said,"You know, even thought it's been just a few days I missed you already."
"Don't tell me you were bored without us by your side", Yoko teased her with a smile.
"Yes.", Naomi answered straight away. „"Oh, don't get me wrong. Having my parents with me and spending time with them is wonderful as well. But I just like it when we play together and then I'm alone I just don't have any ideas what to play. Moreover my parents do need to take care of some other matters as well and they also want some time for themselves.", she added quickly.
"Don't worry, we understand. But still, your as honest and straightforward as ever.", Yoko answerd.
Taro nodded but Haruto could feel him glancing towards him.
I'm sure he is thinking about me intruding on theier family time again, Haruto thought to himself.
"That's right, How about we all meet up tomorrow afternoon at our place and play some games together?", Yoko said while clasping her hands together.
Taro agreed: "With you there all four of us can play games."
All four of us?, Haruto wondered, then he saw the three of them looking at him.
Do they want my opinion?, he asked himself, I really can't understand them.
One moment they dislike me and want me to disappear the next they naturally include me in theier group.
I just can't keep up with them.
Is it because my mental age is a lot more then theier that they seem like they are from a different planet to me?
Those thoughts shot through his mind but in the end he still nodded his agreement after seeing theier expecting and sparkeling eyes.
The smile on Naomi's face got even brighter and Yoko and Taro were also smiling brightly now.
Haruto shook his head in wonder but in the end he decided to think about it another time, since theier parents were calling them.
They wanted to go home after having prayed and chatted with other people of the island.
In that moment something small and cold landed on Harutos nose.
"Snow!", Naomi exclaimed happily.
Then Haruto looked up, white flakes were falling from the sky.
It reminded him of the afternoon at the beach not long ago, but then he lowered his head infront of him was the light that was used to make the shrine shine and lots of people standing and walking and talking infront of him.
A small smile hushed over his face unnoticed by everyone.
Yeah, this time the snow didn't feel as cold as befor and Haruto hurried forward, to catch up with the rest of the group.