[Chiyogami]

"Tomorrow, we're all going to do origami. I have plenty of origami paper here. Of course, you're welcome to bring your favorite paper from home, too."

The teacher said that. I'm really good at origami, so I'm very excited. I'll bring some pretty paper tomorrow. I wonder if everyone will be happy if I fold cranes and give them to everyone.

"I'm home. Grandma, we're doing origami tomorrow, so can you give me some paper?"

"You're all doing origami? In that case, take everything in that box."

I got a lot.

♢

"Alright, let's do some origami. Fold it however you like. If you don't know how, ask your friends or the teacher."

"Okay!"

I take out the paper I brought. I'll line up the corners and make a crisp crane.

"What's that? That paper is cute!"

"I'll give you some, you can have whichever you like."

"Thanks!"

"Wow! I want that one! It has a pattern!"

"Sure!"

I'm glad I brought so much. Everyone is smiling at me.

"Oh, Chiyogami is popular, isn't it?"

So this is called Chiyogami. The teacher is smiling at me too. I'm happy.

♢

It's time to go home. I wonder what I should do when I get home.

"Hey, why don't we do a Christmas gift exchange next week?!"

That sounds fun!

"Okay!"

"Okay!"

"I'm in!"

"Yeah!"

A gift exchange with the four friends I walk home with! I can't wait!

♢

"Grandma, we're doing a gift exchange for Christmas. Everyone brings one gift, and we draw lots to see whose we get. It has to be under 2,000 yen!"

"Well then, we'll have to get ready. Let's go buy one together tomorrow or the day after."

"Yeah! Definitely!"

♢

"This one is good!"

"Is that the one you want?"

"This is definitely the one! They'll be so happy with it."

"In that case, that's a good choice."

"Grandma, thank you!"

"I'm glad you found something you like. I hope they'll be happy with it."

"Yeah!"

♢

The gift exchange is starting now!

Just like everyone else, I close my eyes and pick a slip of paper from the cup.

"Wow!"

"Ah!"

"Oh!"

"Here!"

Everyone is handing the paper bag with the gift to the person whose name they drew.

♢

"Thank you!"

"Wow, yay!"

Everyone is happy to receive their gifts. Now, it's my turn to give mine!

"Here, this is for you! Look!"

"Thank you!"

They must be so happy.

"..."

Huh?

Why aren't they saying anything? They must be surprised. I'll try smiling at them.

"...What is this? It's lame."

Huh? What did you just say?
Why are you making that face?

"...I don't want this!"

Huh? Why? You like this, right?
They must be teasing me.

I'll try smiling even more.

...?
They won't smile back.
Even though I'm smiling so much.
Why does everyone look so disgusted?

I look at everyone and smile again.
Hey, you're happy, right?

"This looks like something for old people!"

...Why? The pattern on this paper is Chiyogami. You like it, right? I gave you some the other day, remember? You smiled at me then.
It's a small container, so you can use it right away, you know?
Hey, did you really look at it? It's a small container with your favorite pattern, isn't it? It's pretty, right?

...Hey, is being like an old person a bad thing?

"...Let's just go home."

You're going home?

I keep smiling, but tears are welling up in my eyes. My mouth feels like it's going to turn into a frown, but I have to keep it smiling.

They'll surely say thank you for the gift soon, so I'll keep smiling until then.

That's right, isn't it? I brought it here with such care.

"..."


They didn't even look at me; they just left the gift behind and went home.

♢

"I'm home."

"Welcome back. How was the gift exchange?"

"It was fun!"

I smile, but the tears are still coming. My mouth starts to turn into a frown.

"Oh, that bag. Didn't you give it to them?"

"They said they already had the same one! They said they liked it! So we decided to have matching ones!"

"..."

Why are you making such a sad face, Grandma...

♢

It feels like everyone doesn't want to talk to me anymore.
Even when I smile, they don't smile back.
Why is that?

Even though everyone is right here, it feels like they aren't.

"Hey."

"..."

Do they hate it when I talk to them?
Without making a sound, I tilt my head. My eyes filled with tears. I have to make a face that says I don't understand. Because maybe they don't hate it.



...Everyone went over there...



♢

"Thank you very much."

"I'll come again."

"We look forward to seeing you again."

Three haori jackets were sold.
They'll go well with slim denim. Nice. They also match the stiletto mules.

"Manager!"

Who is it this time?

"Hello!"

Oh, the person who came last week.

"What are you looking for this time?"

"A drawstring bag! I wanted a dark green one."

"There are a few on the shelf to the right."

"I'll take a look! I love this shop, it's so stylish. I love Japanese patterns!"

"I'm so happy to hear that. Thank you."

This small shop, which mainly sells recycled kimonos, is reasonably priced and has many regular customers.
There's also some Taisho-era romantic interior decor.

I watch the customer happily looking at the products.

I smile from the bottom of my heart.

The customer notices and smiles back at me.

I wonder if these people ever folded cranes with Chiyogami when they were children?
If they had received a small box with the same pattern as Chiyogami, would they have smiled back at me...

♢

I believe there is someone somewhere right now who is being made to feel sad every day.

Whether you are still a child or an adult,

"The world is vast, and you are in a small place. The vast world is made up of many small places gathered together. So, there is definitely a different place very close to you."
I want you to know that.

If you are a child, I want you to talk to an adult.

Please gather a little courage and try saying,
"I am very sad and hurt every day where I am now. I want to try going to a different place."
If you are a child and your parents are the ones making you sad every single day, you don't have to talk to your parents.

♢

You don't have to force yourself to forgive the person who made you sad.

You don't have to do anything.
You don't have to forgive them no matter how old you get if they haven't apologized, and you don't have to forgive them even if they do.
Because emotional wounds are hard to see, there are many people who don't try to understand how much they have hurt others. It's unfortunate, but it's true.

There is no doubt that a different place exists.

-May your journey be blessed-