The Witch of Shirakawa-cho Shopping Street, Kyoto [13]

13 Fate seems to be decided by chance

I visited the shop and handed the review, along with the book, to my mentor.

"Thank you very much. The first page is a summary, and the second and third pages are, well, my detailed thoughts. I didn't write it perfectly, but I wrote down my honest feelings."

"Good work, thank you. Can I really have this review?"

"Yes, I made a copy for myself."

"Heh, is that so? I'm looking forward to it. I'll savor it thoroughly."

"No, really, it's not a proper review at all."

"Misaki-chan, did I ever tell you to write a proper review?"

"...No, you didn't."

"Exactly. I'm not asking you to write promotional copy to sell books; I just wanted to know what you, Misaki-chan, felt. Being able to read your honest feelings is the thing that makes me happiest of all."

"...Yes. It's not perfect, but that's who I am right now. Um, please enjoy it."

"Ahahaha, thank you. I will enjoy it. Now then, shall we go?"

My mentor's recent favorite is soft-serve ice cream.
While eating a vanilla and matcha swirl, we walk through the shopping street together as usual.

You have to eat soft-serve ice cream in a hurry because of the heat, or it will melt right away.

Suddenly, I hear a metallic 'shaa-shaa' sound. The sound of Mr. Iwama's sharpening isn't too harsh; it's light, almost like a musical performance.

In the distance, I hear the chicken shop owner calling out to the children, "Welcome back! How was school today?"

The sound of people talking, the roar of car engines, the chirping of cicadas, sweat dripping from my forehead, the stifling heat rising from the pavement.

The sight of shops that closed years ago, their shutters covered in dust.
And the conversation of local grandmothers saying, "...I heard they're closing that place soon too," "There's no one to take over, is there? It's going to be lonely," "It really is..."

A feeling I can't quite describe—nostalgia and sadness pressing on my chest at the same time.

My mentor spoke up.

"There's only one month left. How are you feeling now?"

"These two months flew by. Thank you. Honestly, I'm enjoying my life right now. But I also feel anxious that I need to seriously decide what to do for my next job."

"I see. While you think about that, do your best on the final assignment, too. The time we're spending like this right now is unique and precious."

"Unique..."

"Yes. You know how people say time doesn't return once it's gone. I don't know if time really flows and passes by, or if it returns to the future, but I think it's like a path you can only walk once and never again. So, let's savor it carefully."

I don't know if time really flows and passes by, or if it returns to the future. No, I really don't understand what she's talking about.

But I do know that time and this moment are important.

I feel like I want to stay like this forever.

But there is only one month left.

"Yes, I will savor it carefully and thoroughly. By the way, what is the final assignment?"

"Hehehehe, I've thought of something super special, fitting to mark the final day."

My mentor gave me that signature, villainous smirk.
It's a little scary.

"Special... that sounds a bit scary."

"Challenging something scary is, in a way, the same as jumping into an adventure, isn't it? It's fine. Isn't it lucky to be able to have an adventure so easily?"

"An adventure..."

"Yes, yes, try it out with the feeling of a hero."

The shopping district arcade ended, and after walking for a while longer, I arrived at the Shirakawa River.

I sat down on the only bench there.

The sun was beating down intensely.

"Misaki-chan, I'll take just one question. It's hot, so keep it brief."

"A question... oh, then, I'd like to ask. Why did you take me on as your apprentice? Why are you doing so much for me for free?"

My master stared at the river's flow in silence for a while, then suddenly turned her face toward me.

"Misaki-chan, do you believe in fate?"

Her voice and eyes were quiet, yet powerful.
Because it was so sudden, I couldn't answer well.

"Um, ah, well, I suppose so. ...Well, in a way..."

"Yes, that. In a way. I also, in a way, made you my apprentice."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

I ended up raising my voice.

"So, there's no clear reason. It's not like I wanted an apprentice. That day, I met you, we talked, and I held your hand. I just suddenly thought: it might be interesting if I took this girl as my apprentice and spent some time with her."

"For a reason like that...? Does that really happen?"

Did you suddenly make me your apprentice just because of a feeling?
Even though there's no benefit for you?
Why?

I was completely confused. Without caring about my reaction, my master continued.

"I don't know about other people, but sometimes, that happens to me. A strong, conviction-like emotion that is born in that moment. And, the vision of the future I feel. I saw the scene of Misaki-chan and me here, together, at the Shirakawa River."

"What! Is that a psychic ability?"

"It's nothing as grand as that. I just feel that it will probably turn out that way. So, well, it's not about logic. Sometimes things like that just happen. Remember that."

"Not about logic, and sometimes things like that just happen... It's been a long time since I've been this surprised by your words, Master."

"You were surprised? Ahahaha, that's good."

"Why is that good?"

“You’re surprised because it’s an encounter with the unknown. Misaki-chan, you’ve learned something new about the world again. I’m happy I could help with that.”

My mentor said this with a smile, but it wasn’t her usual innocent grin, nor was it her mischievous look. It was a look I had never seen before—a little sad, as if she were looking at something far away through me.

I instinctively grabbed my mentor’s hand.
I felt as if she were about to be taken somewhere far away.

I felt as if the sound of the cicadas and the murmuring of the Shirakawa River had stopped for a moment.
For a while, we stared at each other in silence.

Then, my mentor gave me her usual mischievous grin.

“Let’s head back now. Even for someone who loves summer like me, it’s getting a bit too hot.”

The sounds and sensations suddenly rushed back.
I gently let go of the hand I had been holding.

“Yes, I think I’m about to get heatstroke too.”

Saying that, the two of us headed back to the shop.

I can’t put it into words clearly, but I think I learned something very important today.

And I felt on my own skin how the seasons change like this.
That something is always changing little by little, whether we notice it or not.

~To be continued~

Thank you for reading (^-^)

The illustrations used are AI-generated.

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[About this story]

A woman in her 20s, nursing the pain of a broken heart, finds a sign that says “Witch Available” in a retro shopping street, and the story begins to unfold. It is a “laid-back, sports-spirit-style sisterhood” story where she completes various tasks given by a self-proclaimed witch and interacts with the unique shopkeepers of the shopping street, gradually healing and growing.

[Recommended for people like this]

🟢 Feeling tired every day and want to detox your heart

🟢 Want a slightly meddlesome older mentor to give you a push

This work is a coming-of-age story for the protagonist, and at the same time, it is a personal 'experiment in spontaneously supporting a real, beloved place through a story without being asked.' After you experience the nostalgic shopping street and local community, please go shopping at a shopping street near your own home 👍

⏩️ I used a certain shopping street in Higashiyama, Kyoto as a model, but the content is completely fictional. It has no relation to any real-life stores or entities. Thank you for your understanding.

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