Record of Lodging Disasters - Departure: Chapter 2, Episode 6 (1)

The Sansosai (Mountain Noise Festival) is a traditional event that has been held in Kono since ancient times. It takes place every year during the Obon period in August.

Many folktales have been passed down in the town of Kono, featuring humans, mountain animals, yokai, and tsukumogami that live all over the town.

It is said that the Sansosai originated from one of these folktales featuring tsukumogami. Let me introduce that folktale.

***

During the Obon season, when the spirits of ancestors return from the other world, the tsukumogami living in each house and shrine are said to go to the mountains.

They gather in the Mountain God's garden to drink sake and eat delicious food. Because of this, the mountain becomes noisy.

During the festival, humans must not enter the mountain. If a human were to accidentally enter the Mountain God's garden, the garden would be defiled, and even the tsukumogami would be defiled and unable to return to town.

***


Nakamori read aloud from a tourist pamphlet while walking up the gentle, uphill approach to Tsukumo Shrine, which is located near the trailhead of Mount Tsukumo. Kaori's voice slipped into the gap created when he stopped.

"They say that when the night kagura ends, paths of the gods that are usually closed are opened. Miyo-san used to perform a dance called the 'Path-Opening Dance,' and it was truly wonderful. After Miyo-san passed away, it was taken over by the local children, but compared to Miyo-san's dance... well, I shouldn't say things like that."

Kaori held her index finger to her lips and smiled slightly.

"It seems Miyo-san changed the choreography from the ritual dance she performed alone. Honestly, I wonder if she didn't like performing the dance as an event... but that's just my imagination."

Kaori made an 'X' shape with her index fingers in front of her mouth. Nakamori closed the tourist pamphlet and nodded. Behind them, Mikage deliberately recalled the image of her grandmother dancing in a hazy way. If she remembered it too clearly, she might start crying.

The approach turned into a steep stone staircase. Lanterns lined both sides, and many insects were flying toward the light. The sound of small wings flowed into her ears more than she expected, and even more than that sound, the unique local dialect was stimulating Mikage's ears. Even though it should have been a familiar sound, it sounded like a foreign language.

"It feels kind of strange, doesn't it? It's Japan, but it feels like a different country."

Feeling as if Nakamori had seen through her heart, Mikage consciously pretended to be zero.

After climbing the stone steps, there was a gravel-covered shrine precinct. Cedar trees stood in a row, surrounding the precinct.

The night kagura stage set up in front of the shrine building was about the size of six tatami mats. Facing the stage, which was softly illuminated by lanterns, the spectators formed a neat line, eagerly awaiting the start of the performance.

The people in the front rows were sitting on leisure sheets or outdoor chairs, and from about the fifth row back, there was an atmosphere of people standing, with many young people operating their smartphones. Mikage, along with Kaori and Nakamori, stood near the center of the very back row.

Mikage was wearing a casquette cap, knowing there was no sunlight. She pulled it down low to hide her red hair and her face, which didn't look Japanese. If she ran into a classmate and they asked her where she was now, what she was doing, or why she had returned to Kono, she would be at a loss for an answer.

She spotted a few faces that resembled classmates, but they didn't seem to notice her. She let out a sigh of relief. After finishing the exhale, she felt a gaze and turned her face. Ahead of the gaze was Takamaru. Behind him was Kuon. The two stood a head taller than the crowd. Ignoring the gazes directed at them, the two approached Mikage and the others.

"You guys set up pretty far back... Here, take some. There's all sorts of stuff in here."

Takamaru opened the cooler box held in his sturdy right arm, revealing his white teeth. In his left hand, he held an open can of beer.

"Don't you want to watch from the front? We're big so it's fine, but... Kaori-ojousan, take Shin-chan further to the front. She came all the way from Tokyo, after all. If you ask, someone will probably clear a seat for you, right?"
"That's true."
"You're not denying the second half, are you?"
"I'm affirming it in the sense that everyone is kind."
"Oh, I see. Well then, here."

With a laugh in his tone, Takamaru handed a bottle of oolong tea to Kaori.

"The driver is obviously non-alcoholic, but isn't it cheating to drink alcohol first?"
"I'm just so thirsty... You're a better driver than me, Ojousan. It's frustrating, but I'll yield to you."

Kaori gave a bitter smile, thinking that he had a way with words.

Mikage reached for a bottle of barley tea, feeling dumbfounded by Takamaru's self-serving humility. However, she was stopped by Takamaru.

"You're having this. It's Kuon's choice."

What was handed to Mikage was a citrus-flavored carbonated drink. Takamaru grinned, showing no sign of saying anything more. It was incomprehensible. Realizing she had no choice, Mikage hid behind Kaori.

Takamaru placed a can of beer in Nakamori's right hand and again raised the corners of his mouth in a grin. Nakamori looked surprised for a moment and bowed apologetically to Kaori. Kaori smiled and said, "Let's go," then looked at Mikage.

"We'll go watch from the front."

She waved her hand slightly and headed to the front row. Nakamori followed her back like a baby bird.

Kaori and Nakamori. Having lost her two safe zones, Mikage felt nervous about staying in this spot. Her feet felt unsteady.

Keeping her body facing the stage, she moved only her eyeballs to check on Takamaru and Kuon. Takamaru was standing with the space of one adult between them. Kuon was next to him. She couldn't see clearly, but both of them seemed to be looking at the stage.

The muscles around her eyes felt like they were going to cramp, so Mikage closed them. After forcibly moisturizing her eyeballs inside her eyelids, she opened them wide. A faint laugh collided with that gesture. She reflexively turned her gaze. Takamaru's profile. A clear, knowing smirk.

"...What is it?"
"No... I just thought it was funny."

Swallowing the words, "It's not funny at all," Mikage exhaled through her nose.

The person she had wanted to meet was standing in a position where she could tap his shoulder if she reached out. Why did he tell Kuon about her existence? What was the connection between her and the body discovered on Mount Tsukumo? Who was that body?

If she could, she would have wanted to throw questions at him as soon as they met. But without being able to do that, Mikage was here. It wasn't that she didn't have time. She just didn't have the courage. She wasn't ready to know the truth yet.

--When... when will you make up your mind?


The simmering impatience with herself affected Mikage's heartbeat. While being conscious of Takamaru's profile with his stubble, Mikage was searching for the first words to say.

Takamaru was looking at the stage with a calm expression. There was no sign of him opening his mouth. Of course, neither was Kuon.

Leaving the three of them standing in silence, the surroundings became increasingly lively. Mikage cast her gaze toward Kaori and Nakamori, who had moved to the front row. Their profiles were beaming as they faced each other, perhaps chatting. Neither of them seemed to have any reason to look back.

"Hey."

What struck Mikage's heart was Takamaru's heavy voice.

"It's been night for a while now. How long are you going to keep wearing that?"
"...This is fine."

Mikage touched her casquette lightly and lowered the brim slightly.

"Why did you come with this guy? You could have just refused. He's pretty hard to get along with, right? His mouth is foul, his attitude is big, and he eats a ton of food. Well, I eat a lot too, though."

Turning his face toward Mikage, Takamaru laughed softly.

"I didn't come with him because I wanted to... Um, can I ask you something too?"
"Sure, ask anything. I'll answer as far as I know."
"...Why did you tell that person about me?"
"That person... I knew it. I thought it would be something like that."

Nodding, Takamaru tilted his can of beer to his mouth. He made a gulping sound and let out an exaggerated sigh. He looked completely at ease.

"That's not an answer."
"Well, wait a second."

Saying that, Takamaru smiled.

Something had been resolved for Takamaru, while questions and irritation remained for her. The dissatisfaction with that unfair relationship pushed Mikage hard.

"I can't laugh about this. I really have so many things I want to ask. There are so many things I don't understand, and the beginning of it all was your... ah, well... I can't really talk about it here, like, I don't want anyone to hear..."

The couple in the front row turned around, and Mikage lowered the volume of her voice. The couple was looking back and forth between Mikage and Takamaru's faces.

"Ah... sorry, sorry about that, we were being too loud. It's nothing, it's fine, we're not fighting. See, we're very good friends."

Moving his body next to Mikage, Takamaru bowed to the couple with a smile. Mikage also bowed slightly and put on the best fake smile she could muster.

When they made a subtle smile in response to the two, the couple turned their gaze back to the front. Confirming that, Takamaru glanced at Mikage. Mikage quietly brushed off the gaze that had collided for a moment.

Takamaru let out a sigh at an exquisite volume, whether it could be heard or not. He began to speak in a low voice, at a volume that only reached Mikage.

"Well then, I think I'll go to a place where there are no people to smoke, to smoke. Yes, I have to smoke... Oh, that's right. There was a bench in the parking lot. A bench that looks like two people could sit on... Well, let's go."
"...I'll go too. To smoke."

Mikage followed Takamaru's back as he began to move slowly.