CH ss - 1.3
Side Story 1, Earth: Yuri – Old Ginza Lady & Fancy Mom
I am Shizuka Yuri.
In my previous life, I was called the White Sage of the East in another world called Maydea.
Clap, clap, clap!!
On the stage, the three coloured curtains in black, young onion green and persimmon orange closed amidst thunderous applause.
After the tea ceremony, I went to the [1] Kabukiza Theatre with my mother and sister to watch [2] <<Kaidan Botan Doro>>.
Along with the <<Yotsuya Kaidan>> and <<Sarayashiki>>, it’s one of Japan’s top three most popular ghost stories. It tells of a female ghost who walks around in wooden clogs making ‘karann~ koronn~’ sounds as she visits her beloved night after night.
Mother has been bringing me to watch Kabuki theatre from a young age. Although I was technically young in this world, I am literally an old soul with the sensibilities of an adult. Therefore, I enjoyed these shows from the bottom of my heart and have a real interest in the intricacies that went into their production.
However, my younger sister, Miyaka, looked quite bored.
Well, it’s not unreasonable for her to be bored when surrounded by older people. Moreover, with the formal speech and old ways of performance, it must be quite difficult for her to understand, let alone enjoy.
“Shizuka-san[5], Father-san would not be home today. Therefore, let’s have our dinner outside, what shall we have?”
“But, I’m wearing a kimono.”
“Oh my, that’s fine. We can just send the clothes for dry cleaning later.”
With a little ‘fufu’ chuckle, mother slipped her arm around mine and… with a karan koron of her geta sandals, she cheerfully clattered ahead, tugging my arm along.
At what age does a son belligerently say to a clinging mother ‘Let goooo…’, I wonder. Well, I don’t quite know the answer to that.
As we walked through the city, the sound of geta sandals ringing against the night air reminded me of the play we saw earlier.
karan~ koron~
My mother, Aoi Yuri, is rather youthful as a woman with a son my age. That’s because she married young.
As far as I could recall, she had always been a neat and tidy woman with a gentle feminine air. As the second daughter of a Chief Priest from a famous temple, she had properly married into a rather prestigious family. Even so, she had remained somewhat playful and informal despite her rather traditional surroundings. An easygoing, somewhat fancy lady born into wealth and married into [3] one with all of the privileges and very few of the responsibilities gave her a uniquely buoyant personality. Which I think is what makes her so charming.
What, do you think I am a normal son?
“Elder brother, I want Italian food.”
“…I-Italian? In a kimono?”
“Well, I’m in a western outfit.”
Miyaka is a 3rd Grader of an Elementary School. A rather precocious child who is trying to grow up too quickly. [3] Perhaps in rebellion against her Japanese roots, she seems to believe that Italian food is more fashionable. Whenever we go out to eat, she always wants Italian or French food.
She has no interest in tea ceremonies, flower arrangements or traditional dance lessons. She prefers trendy music and western clothes. Lately, she had been doing her best to learn the piano.
Well, that’s part of what makes her cute.
“Oh my, but mother prefers Japanese food. How about we go for [4] Yuba?”
“… nooo waayyyy… we’re always eating Japanese food at home. Unless we eat out, I can’t have French or Italian food. Father doesn’t like Western food…”
“… …”
Mother and Sister continue to argue over what to have for dinner from either side of me.
“Well, Shizuka-san, which would you prefer?”
“Brother wants Italian too, right?”
I manage to keep the smile on my face, but I am dripping with cold sweat.
What should I do?
In truth, even though I looked like a 16-year-old schoolboy, having Italian food is rather tough thanks to my mental age. I like Japanese food since they are gentler on the stomach. However, if I say that, my cute little sister will puff up her face and glare at me. So, the words are stuck inside my throat…
Even so, I also cannot betray Mother’s expectations just because I’m worried about making my little sister unhappy.
“Hmm… what should we do…?”
Is there a way to resolve the matter without hurting either one of them?
I am still pondering over this when I spotted an ominous corner on the main street near the station. Rather than ‘spot’, I should say that it is something I cannot overlook.
Magic should not exist in this world, however, this feels like something close to it.
[Old Ginza Lady]
It is obviously a fortune-telling booth, complete with a large crystal on the desk and the signboard. She is currently reading fortunes for a couple.
“Oh my, I know that person. I do believe I’d seen her on TV. Apparently, she is rather good.”
“Well then, let’s have our fortune read and find out where we should have our dinner tonight.”
“Eeehhhhh~~? Are you serious?” Miyaka looks taken aback, but I am indeed very serious.
In fact, after thinking about it, she looks intrigued too. Well, well, let’s have a look and see what passes as divination in this world.
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“What should we have for dinner tonight?”
My question must be relatively light for her line of business.
The Old Ginza Lady is an old woman with a large wart on her forehead, a pointy nose and very wide, [1] almost protruding eyes that looked perpetually alarmed. She stares at me for a moment before taking my hand. After looking at my palm, she stares at my face for a long time.
“… hmm?”
[1] Her technique at least appears to be authentic.
My main goal is to resolve the dinner issue [1] with the help of some lady in possession of some wit and clever sleight of hand. To think that I would encounter the real thing here. Somehow, it made me want to observe this woman a little bit closer.
From either side of me, Mother and Miyaka are watching our interactions with excited eyes.
“…you there… your name…?”
“Hm… it’s… Shizuka Yuri.”
“… …”
The old lady groans to herself in a low voice as she stares intently into her crystal. As though she was staring at some kind of projection, it is honestly a little bit shady.
“… you sir, are under a curse… the shadow of death is upon you. I saw it the moment you arrived.”
“…eh?”
Eeeeehhhhhh????
Is it normal for fortune-tellers here to immediately declare something like that?!
“Oh no!!” Mother, who completely believe this person’s words, was immediately flustered. With a hand on her cheek, she flutters around a little, unsure of what to do. As for Miyaka, she blinked curiously, asking ‘Shadow of what?’.
“Even so, there is no need to fear. It is a mere precursor for your new life. You are… a person of many talents, but stifled in many ways, unable to make the most of your skills… I can see that behind you… are the spirits of a woman and a child…”
karan~ koron~
The sound rang continuously in my ear. It is the sound of geta sandals ringing against the stone pavements. I look behind me suddenly.
However, there are only OLs (office ladies) on their way home from work and men in suits clinging to each other moving from one drinking party to another.
“A-are you saying that Shizuka-san will be killed by those spirits?” Mother is really worried now. “This… isn’t this exactly like the Peony Lantern play we saw earlier?”
“No, no~ the spirits that follow the young man are not evil spirits. They are more like a memory or an obsession the soul has… causes and affects influence each other and karma is something that goes around and comes around. Therefore, I do not know if their existences are good or bad. Whether they will take you down to the underworld or protect you, all depends on how you perceive them. Well… it’s best to take more care at any rate.”
“… …”
You tell me to ‘take more care’ but what exactly am I supposed to do?
The Old Ginza Lady, this old fortune-teller, remained silent on the most important part.
“Um, then, Old Ginza Lady-san, do you believe in ‘past life’?”
“… …”
It is only a simple question, why are you looking at me like that?
After a long while of staring, the old fortune-teller lady points at her signboard that says [Old Ginza Lady]. Then, at the much smaller words below those, [Past Life Divination].
“If that is the case, what do you think of my past life?”
“… …”
The old lady is staring intently at her crystal again.
“… you were an onmyouji [6]…”
“… heh?” my voice came out strange.
As for Mother, her reaction was ‘That’s… kind of wonderful’, a cheerful and optimistic answer [3] as a privileged second daughter of a chief priest. As for Miyaka, she looks like she was getting tired of our conversation and is now studying the amethyst crystals at the corner of the fortune-telling table with some interest.
“Behind you, were not only the spirits of the woman and the child. There are many monsters as well. A parade of a hundred demons! A Hyakki Yako [7]! A great Onmyouji who suppressed monsters, turning them into creatures that serve you instead! An Onmyouji served by a hundred Shikigami [7]!”
“…?!”
Th-this old lady…
I had come to this stall thinking that this old lady must be running some kind a clever con job, but after hearing this, I am convinced that this old lady’s powers are, regrettably, real. I grab hold of the old lady’s hands without thinking. I never thought that I would meet someone in this world with such strange powers.
An onmyouji?
Certainly, the powers of the White Sage are similar to those associated with the Japanese ‘onmyouji’, with a rather Westernised spin to it.
“Then, what do you think is good for dinner tonight?”
“… …”
With a smile on her face, the old lady squeezed my hands back. Without looking at her crystal, she answered casually, “Russian Cuisine.”
What an excellent answer.
Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~
To be honest, eating Russian food while dressed in a formal kimono outfit is rather surreal.
Even though the place we ended up going to is one of the moderately priced Russian Cuisine restaurants on the upper floors of the train station.
The borscht, piroshki, casserole and a little pot of out-of-season cheese fondue were all delicious. Both Mother and Miyaka appeared satisfied by this choice, so I believe that this is the right answer? Even though our little group sticks out a little in our formal outfits.
“Shizuka-san, Shizuka-san, do you have memories of your previous life?”
“… …”
I nearly spat out the piece of borscht in my mouth at Mother’s sudden question.
“Eh…? W-what…?”
“Didn’t the old fortune-teller say it just now? That you were an… onmyouji in your past life?”
“No, no, no, I’m sure she’s just saying something for the sake of it… Although, I must say she sure knows how to spin a good atmosphere. I don’t… recall anything like a previous life.”
A little agitated, I swallowed the entire content of my glass in one go.
Miyaki is currently absorbed in breaking bread over a pot of cheese sauce.
“That’s right… well, I don’t wish to believe that Shizuka-san has the shadow of death either…”
The words are a little ominous, but Mother’s tone is still quite carefree.
As for myself, I cannot think of a single thing or person in this world who would want me dead. In short, I cannot imagine how I would die in this [3] peaceful, magicless place. It is completely different from my previous world where I desperately survive hand-in-hand with death.
“… …”
A curse…
For a moment, bits and pieces of my previous life trickle into my mind.
Hair as bright as fresh young leaves, eyes like deep mossy pools…
The fortune-teller who called herself The Old Ginza Lady struck a lot of points, even if they were just guesses.
If the things she saw were true, then… the woman and the child who follow me around must be remnants of my memories.
An obsession with the past life.
Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~
“… Mother, do you believe in past lives…?”
After dinner, as we are enjoying some Russian tea with jam, I ask her this question.
Mother tilts her head to one side. Her long lashes flicker and she narrows her eyes. “When I was little… I used to believe that I was the reincarnation of a European princess.”
“… …”
The inside of Mother’s head is a flower garden [10]. I had thought so before, but I am completely convinced of it today. I never thought I’d hear this from a lady in her forties.
“W-why is that?”
“That’s probably because I wanted to be one~”
“Y-yes?”
“There’s a term called ‘Cycle of Reincarnation’, right? Where the soul goes through several lifetimes. As a temple daughter, I often heard stories like that from my father.”
Here, I thought she was going to talk about something light and absurd, but it looks like Mother is being serious.
“When I was much younger, I hated the old-fashion and formal atmosphere of the temple. Therefore, I secretly longed for fairy tales and fell in love with Western clothes and their fancy desserts. I loved Western music too and listened to them behind Father’s back. Later, I even got hooked on the Beatles… Well, since I liked foreign things so much, I thought I must have been a European person in my past life. Naturally, if possible, it’s best to be someone like a gorgeous princess in a castle.”
“… so, it is something you wanted it to be…”
“Indeed, for me, it’s something I wanted it to be,” the smile on Mother’s face is a little mischievous. “After all, if my soul reincarnates through several lifetimes, surely it’s possible for me to be a European princess, right? … in fact, Shizuka-san, surely you must be a prince from a foreign country? You have the right kind of air for it.”
“… haha.”
Was the last bit a joke, or do you really mean it?
Seeing Mother’s eyes sparkling with interest, Miyaka also says, “I want to be a princess too!!” Although, I can’t be sure whether she really understands what we were talking about.
“On the other hand, sometimes, I also like to think about who I’d like to be reborn as,” says Mother as she wipes Miyaka’s mouth, removing the smudge left by the chocolate cake with her handkerchief.
“… …”
Whenever I drink Russian tea, the sudden sweetness of the jam in my mouth is always startling, before it is mellowed out by the dark, bitter tea.
As I go through this ordinary life, now and then, the nostalgic scent Maydea would suddenly overwhelm my senses.
Moments like these are similar to déjà vu
I have no idea whether reincarnating souls travel in a circle or a straight line, or if they stretch out like the branches of a large tree with parallel worlds of many possibilities. Even so, on this day, at this very moment on the planet called Earth, as I ate Russian food in a city called Ginza, the afterimages of my memories are affecting the ‘present me’ just because I remember them.
However, even if someone doesn’t recall things perfectly, they could still feel the longing for moments and feelings. Likes and dislikes are probably influenced by these unknown memories. In the end, are the feelings generated by past life’s memories real?
If that is the case, then, there is probably no such thing as starting out at zero. That a clean slate is never truly clean.
If we are all born with 0.1% of the sum of our previous memories, would the infants born with such memories be called gifted? Are these memories the gifts of one’s soul?
I, Maki-chan and Tooru-kun all brought 90% of our memories when crossing over into this life…
karan~ koron~
The memories from my previous life, which I could not shake off even now, follow after me.
Certainly, this could be a kind of curse that goes beyond the gift of a soul.
Even so, I cannot help but be comforted by it.
That is why, it’s probably something dangerous, right?
[Gumihou: This Yuri person reflects a lot.]
[1] Kabuki-za theatre – a real theatre in Ginza, Tokyo
[2] Kaidan Botan Douro (Strange Tales of the Peony Lantern) – Also known as Botan Douro (The Peony Lantern)
A famous Japanese ghost story (kaidan means strange or mysterious). The plot involves sex with the dead (Japanese people, wut, lol) and the consequences of loving a ghost.
The Botan Doro story entered Japanese culture in the 17th century through a translation of a book called Jiandeng Xinhua (New Stories Under a Lamplight) by Qu You (Ming Dynasty scholar, circa 1378)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botan_D%C5%8Dr%C5%8D
[3] Aoi Yuri seems to be the type of person who is casually wealthy and a good person.
[4] Yuba = Tofu skin or beancurd skin
There are many ways to eat Yuba. Kyoto, the city of fancy eats in Japan, is the most well-known for Yuba. Part of the charm of soy milk hotpot is fishing out the yuba that forms on the surface of the soup. Although, given that the Yuris are in their kimono, it’s more likely that Mama Yuri is thinking of kaiseki-style Yuba.
https://www.japanesefoodguide.com/what-is-yuba-tofu-skin/
[5] Addressing your own child with ‘-san’. I tried looking this up, but this is only the second time I properly noticed it, the first being Yor Briar addressing her step-daughter ‘Anya-san’. I had thought she was just being overly formal since there is no blood relationship. However, Aoi Yuri did not address her daughter with ‘-san’, only her son, so…
It’s probably an acknowledgement of his individuality and maturity?
Will try and find more information on this.
[6] Onmyouji, the person in charge of divination, and geomorphology in ancient Japan. Something like a ‘shaman’ but has official titles and everything.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onmy%C5%8Dji
[7] Hyakki Yakou – Hyakki Yagyou – Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, refers to a parade of thousands of supernatural creatures (oni and youkai) marching through the streets of Japan at night.
This could be where the idea of 100 Spirits came from, since the actual list did not feature close to 100 spirits.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyakki_Yagy%C5%8D
[8] Shikigami – creatures that serve an onmyouji
Could be conjured beings or small ghosts that an onmyouji gains power over.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikigami
[9] Russian tea with jam – Woah, I can’t believe this is a thing! I supposed it’s similar to the Middle Eastern way of drinking tea with sugar cubes in their mouths.
The tea is left on the stove to boil until dark and bitter, so it makes sense to have something sweet in the mouth when drinking these bitter teas.
https://culinaryteas.com/blogs/news/118471941-sip-your-tea-through-the-jam-draft#:~:text=According%20to%20Russian%20tea%20drinking,buds%20an%20unforgettable%20taste%20experience.
https://hildaskitchenblog.com/recipe/assyrian-sugar-cubes-shakar-de-shlama/#:~:text=In%20the%20Middle%20East%2C%20sugar,in%20good%20health%20and%20peace.
…should I try it?
[10] Flower garden in the brain – is a saying that basically means ‘a happy-go-lucky person’. Suddenly, all the flowery scenes around a Main Character makes sense. Since a ‘happy-go-lucky’ person with flowers in their head is basically looking at life through rose-tinted glasses.
I am Shizuka Yuri.
In my previous life, I was called the White Sage of the East in another world called Maydea.
Clap, clap, clap!!
On the stage, the three coloured curtains in black, young onion green and persimmon orange closed amidst thunderous applause.
After the tea ceremony, I went to the [1] Kabukiza Theatre with my mother and sister to watch [2] <<Kaidan Botan Doro>>.
Along with the <<Yotsuya Kaidan>> and <<Sarayashiki>>, it’s one of Japan’s top three most popular ghost stories. It tells of a female ghost who walks around in wooden clogs making ‘karann~ koronn~’ sounds as she visits her beloved night after night.
Mother has been bringing me to watch Kabuki theatre from a young age. Although I was technically young in this world, I am literally an old soul with the sensibilities of an adult. Therefore, I enjoyed these shows from the bottom of my heart and have a real interest in the intricacies that went into their production.
However, my younger sister, Miyaka, looked quite bored.
Well, it’s not unreasonable for her to be bored when surrounded by older people. Moreover, with the formal speech and old ways of performance, it must be quite difficult for her to understand, let alone enjoy.
“Shizuka-san[5], Father-san would not be home today. Therefore, let’s have our dinner outside, what shall we have?”
“But, I’m wearing a kimono.”
“Oh my, that’s fine. We can just send the clothes for dry cleaning later.”
With a little ‘fufu’ chuckle, mother slipped her arm around mine and… with a karan koron of her geta sandals, she cheerfully clattered ahead, tugging my arm along.
At what age does a son belligerently say to a clinging mother ‘Let goooo…’, I wonder. Well, I don’t quite know the answer to that.
As we walked through the city, the sound of geta sandals ringing against the night air reminded me of the play we saw earlier.
karan~ koron~
My mother, Aoi Yuri, is rather youthful as a woman with a son my age. That’s because she married young.
As far as I could recall, she had always been a neat and tidy woman with a gentle feminine air. As the second daughter of a Chief Priest from a famous temple, she had properly married into a rather prestigious family. Even so, she had remained somewhat playful and informal despite her rather traditional surroundings. An easygoing, somewhat fancy lady born into wealth and married into [3] one with all of the privileges and very few of the responsibilities gave her a uniquely buoyant personality. Which I think is what makes her so charming.
What, do you think I am a normal son?
“Elder brother, I want Italian food.”
“…I-Italian? In a kimono?”
“Well, I’m in a western outfit.”
Miyaka is a 3rd Grader of an Elementary School. A rather precocious child who is trying to grow up too quickly. [3] Perhaps in rebellion against her Japanese roots, she seems to believe that Italian food is more fashionable. Whenever we go out to eat, she always wants Italian or French food.
She has no interest in tea ceremonies, flower arrangements or traditional dance lessons. She prefers trendy music and western clothes. Lately, she had been doing her best to learn the piano.
Well, that’s part of what makes her cute.
“Oh my, but mother prefers Japanese food. How about we go for [4] Yuba?”
“… nooo waayyyy… we’re always eating Japanese food at home. Unless we eat out, I can’t have French or Italian food. Father doesn’t like Western food…”
“… …”
Mother and Sister continue to argue over what to have for dinner from either side of me.
“Well, Shizuka-san, which would you prefer?”
“Brother wants Italian too, right?”
I manage to keep the smile on my face, but I am dripping with cold sweat.
What should I do?
In truth, even though I looked like a 16-year-old schoolboy, having Italian food is rather tough thanks to my mental age. I like Japanese food since they are gentler on the stomach. However, if I say that, my cute little sister will puff up her face and glare at me. So, the words are stuck inside my throat…
Even so, I also cannot betray Mother’s expectations just because I’m worried about making my little sister unhappy.
“Hmm… what should we do…?”
Is there a way to resolve the matter without hurting either one of them?
I am still pondering over this when I spotted an ominous corner on the main street near the station. Rather than ‘spot’, I should say that it is something I cannot overlook.
Magic should not exist in this world, however, this feels like something close to it.
[Old Ginza Lady]
It is obviously a fortune-telling booth, complete with a large crystal on the desk and the signboard. She is currently reading fortunes for a couple.
“Oh my, I know that person. I do believe I’d seen her on TV. Apparently, she is rather good.”
“Well then, let’s have our fortune read and find out where we should have our dinner tonight.”
“Eeehhhhh~~? Are you serious?” Miyaka looks taken aback, but I am indeed very serious.
In fact, after thinking about it, she looks intrigued too. Well, well, let’s have a look and see what passes as divination in this world.
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“What should we have for dinner tonight?”
My question must be relatively light for her line of business.
The Old Ginza Lady is an old woman with a large wart on her forehead, a pointy nose and very wide, [1] almost protruding eyes that looked perpetually alarmed. She stares at me for a moment before taking my hand. After looking at my palm, she stares at my face for a long time.
“… hmm?”
[1] Her technique at least appears to be authentic.
My main goal is to resolve the dinner issue [1] with the help of some lady in possession of some wit and clever sleight of hand. To think that I would encounter the real thing here. Somehow, it made me want to observe this woman a little bit closer.
From either side of me, Mother and Miyaka are watching our interactions with excited eyes.
“…you there… your name…?”
“Hm… it’s… Shizuka Yuri.”
“… …”
The old lady groans to herself in a low voice as she stares intently into her crystal. As though she was staring at some kind of projection, it is honestly a little bit shady.
“… you sir, are under a curse… the shadow of death is upon you. I saw it the moment you arrived.”
“…eh?”
Eeeeehhhhhh????
Is it normal for fortune-tellers here to immediately declare something like that?!
“Oh no!!” Mother, who completely believe this person’s words, was immediately flustered. With a hand on her cheek, she flutters around a little, unsure of what to do. As for Miyaka, she blinked curiously, asking ‘Shadow of what?’.
“Even so, there is no need to fear. It is a mere precursor for your new life. You are… a person of many talents, but stifled in many ways, unable to make the most of your skills… I can see that behind you… are the spirits of a woman and a child…”
karan~ koron~
The sound rang continuously in my ear. It is the sound of geta sandals ringing against the stone pavements. I look behind me suddenly.
However, there are only OLs (office ladies) on their way home from work and men in suits clinging to each other moving from one drinking party to another.
“A-are you saying that Shizuka-san will be killed by those spirits?” Mother is really worried now. “This… isn’t this exactly like the Peony Lantern play we saw earlier?”
“No, no~ the spirits that follow the young man are not evil spirits. They are more like a memory or an obsession the soul has… causes and affects influence each other and karma is something that goes around and comes around. Therefore, I do not know if their existences are good or bad. Whether they will take you down to the underworld or protect you, all depends on how you perceive them. Well… it’s best to take more care at any rate.”
“… …”
You tell me to ‘take more care’ but what exactly am I supposed to do?
The Old Ginza Lady, this old fortune-teller, remained silent on the most important part.
“Um, then, Old Ginza Lady-san, do you believe in ‘past life’?”
“… …”
It is only a simple question, why are you looking at me like that?
After a long while of staring, the old fortune-teller lady points at her signboard that says [Old Ginza Lady]. Then, at the much smaller words below those, [Past Life Divination].
“If that is the case, what do you think of my past life?”
“… …”
The old lady is staring intently at her crystal again.
“… you were an onmyouji [6]…”
“… heh?” my voice came out strange.
As for Mother, her reaction was ‘That’s… kind of wonderful’, a cheerful and optimistic answer [3] as a privileged second daughter of a chief priest. As for Miyaka, she looks like she was getting tired of our conversation and is now studying the amethyst crystals at the corner of the fortune-telling table with some interest.
“Behind you, were not only the spirits of the woman and the child. There are many monsters as well. A parade of a hundred demons! A Hyakki Yako [7]! A great Onmyouji who suppressed monsters, turning them into creatures that serve you instead! An Onmyouji served by a hundred Shikigami [7]!”
“…?!”
Th-this old lady…
I had come to this stall thinking that this old lady must be running some kind a clever con job, but after hearing this, I am convinced that this old lady’s powers are, regrettably, real. I grab hold of the old lady’s hands without thinking. I never thought that I would meet someone in this world with such strange powers.
An onmyouji?
Certainly, the powers of the White Sage are similar to those associated with the Japanese ‘onmyouji’, with a rather Westernised spin to it.
“Then, what do you think is good for dinner tonight?”
“… …”
With a smile on her face, the old lady squeezed my hands back. Without looking at her crystal, she answered casually, “Russian Cuisine.”
What an excellent answer.
Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~
To be honest, eating Russian food while dressed in a formal kimono outfit is rather surreal.
Even though the place we ended up going to is one of the moderately priced Russian Cuisine restaurants on the upper floors of the train station.
The borscht, piroshki, casserole and a little pot of out-of-season cheese fondue were all delicious. Both Mother and Miyaka appeared satisfied by this choice, so I believe that this is the right answer? Even though our little group sticks out a little in our formal outfits.
“Shizuka-san, Shizuka-san, do you have memories of your previous life?”
“… …”
I nearly spat out the piece of borscht in my mouth at Mother’s sudden question.
“Eh…? W-what…?”
“Didn’t the old fortune-teller say it just now? That you were an… onmyouji in your past life?”
“No, no, no, I’m sure she’s just saying something for the sake of it… Although, I must say she sure knows how to spin a good atmosphere. I don’t… recall anything like a previous life.”
A little agitated, I swallowed the entire content of my glass in one go.
Miyaki is currently absorbed in breaking bread over a pot of cheese sauce.
“That’s right… well, I don’t wish to believe that Shizuka-san has the shadow of death either…”
The words are a little ominous, but Mother’s tone is still quite carefree.
As for myself, I cannot think of a single thing or person in this world who would want me dead. In short, I cannot imagine how I would die in this [3] peaceful, magicless place. It is completely different from my previous world where I desperately survive hand-in-hand with death.
“… …”
A curse…
For a moment, bits and pieces of my previous life trickle into my mind.
Hair as bright as fresh young leaves, eyes like deep mossy pools…
The fortune-teller who called herself The Old Ginza Lady struck a lot of points, even if they were just guesses.
If the things she saw were true, then… the woman and the child who follow me around must be remnants of my memories.
An obsession with the past life.
Please read this at kitchennovel dot com ~
“… Mother, do you believe in past lives…?”
After dinner, as we are enjoying some Russian tea with jam, I ask her this question.
Mother tilts her head to one side. Her long lashes flicker and she narrows her eyes. “When I was little… I used to believe that I was the reincarnation of a European princess.”
“… …”
The inside of Mother’s head is a flower garden [10]. I had thought so before, but I am completely convinced of it today. I never thought I’d hear this from a lady in her forties.
“W-why is that?”
“That’s probably because I wanted to be one~”
“Y-yes?”
“There’s a term called ‘Cycle of Reincarnation’, right? Where the soul goes through several lifetimes. As a temple daughter, I often heard stories like that from my father.”
Here, I thought she was going to talk about something light and absurd, but it looks like Mother is being serious.
“When I was much younger, I hated the old-fashion and formal atmosphere of the temple. Therefore, I secretly longed for fairy tales and fell in love with Western clothes and their fancy desserts. I loved Western music too and listened to them behind Father’s back. Later, I even got hooked on the Beatles… Well, since I liked foreign things so much, I thought I must have been a European person in my past life. Naturally, if possible, it’s best to be someone like a gorgeous princess in a castle.”
“… so, it is something you wanted it to be…”
“Indeed, for me, it’s something I wanted it to be,” the smile on Mother’s face is a little mischievous. “After all, if my soul reincarnates through several lifetimes, surely it’s possible for me to be a European princess, right? … in fact, Shizuka-san, surely you must be a prince from a foreign country? You have the right kind of air for it.”
“… haha.”
Was the last bit a joke, or do you really mean it?
Seeing Mother’s eyes sparkling with interest, Miyaka also says, “I want to be a princess too!!” Although, I can’t be sure whether she really understands what we were talking about.
“On the other hand, sometimes, I also like to think about who I’d like to be reborn as,” says Mother as she wipes Miyaka’s mouth, removing the smudge left by the chocolate cake with her handkerchief.
“… …”
Whenever I drink Russian tea, the sudden sweetness of the jam in my mouth is always startling, before it is mellowed out by the dark, bitter tea.
As I go through this ordinary life, now and then, the nostalgic scent Maydea would suddenly overwhelm my senses.
Moments like these are similar to déjà vu
I have no idea whether reincarnating souls travel in a circle or a straight line, or if they stretch out like the branches of a large tree with parallel worlds of many possibilities. Even so, on this day, at this very moment on the planet called Earth, as I ate Russian food in a city called Ginza, the afterimages of my memories are affecting the ‘present me’ just because I remember them.
However, even if someone doesn’t recall things perfectly, they could still feel the longing for moments and feelings. Likes and dislikes are probably influenced by these unknown memories. In the end, are the feelings generated by past life’s memories real?
If that is the case, then, there is probably no such thing as starting out at zero. That a clean slate is never truly clean.
If we are all born with 0.1% of the sum of our previous memories, would the infants born with such memories be called gifted? Are these memories the gifts of one’s soul?
I, Maki-chan and Tooru-kun all brought 90% of our memories when crossing over into this life…
karan~ koron~
The memories from my previous life, which I could not shake off even now, follow after me.
Certainly, this could be a kind of curse that goes beyond the gift of a soul.
Even so, I cannot help but be comforted by it.
That is why, it’s probably something dangerous, right?
[Gumihou: This Yuri person reflects a lot.]
[1] Kabuki-za theatre – a real theatre in Ginza, Tokyo
[2] Kaidan Botan Douro (Strange Tales of the Peony Lantern) – Also known as Botan Douro (The Peony Lantern)
A famous Japanese ghost story (kaidan means strange or mysterious). The plot involves sex with the dead (Japanese people, wut, lol) and the consequences of loving a ghost.
The Botan Doro story entered Japanese culture in the 17th century through a translation of a book called Jiandeng Xinhua (New Stories Under a Lamplight) by Qu You (Ming Dynasty scholar, circa 1378)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botan_D%C5%8Dr%C5%8D
[3] Aoi Yuri seems to be the type of person who is casually wealthy and a good person.
[4] Yuba = Tofu skin or beancurd skin
There are many ways to eat Yuba. Kyoto, the city of fancy eats in Japan, is the most well-known for Yuba. Part of the charm of soy milk hotpot is fishing out the yuba that forms on the surface of the soup. Although, given that the Yuris are in their kimono, it’s more likely that Mama Yuri is thinking of kaiseki-style Yuba.
https://www.japanesefoodguide.com/what-is-yuba-tofu-skin/
[5] Addressing your own child with ‘-san’. I tried looking this up, but this is only the second time I properly noticed it, the first being Yor Briar addressing her step-daughter ‘Anya-san’. I had thought she was just being overly formal since there is no blood relationship. However, Aoi Yuri did not address her daughter with ‘-san’, only her son, so…
It’s probably an acknowledgement of his individuality and maturity?
Will try and find more information on this.
[6] Onmyouji, the person in charge of divination, and geomorphology in ancient Japan. Something like a ‘shaman’ but has official titles and everything.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onmy%C5%8Dji
[7] Hyakki Yakou – Hyakki Yagyou – Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, refers to a parade of thousands of supernatural creatures (oni and youkai) marching through the streets of Japan at night.
This could be where the idea of 100 Spirits came from, since the actual list did not feature close to 100 spirits.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyakki_Yagy%C5%8D
[8] Shikigami – creatures that serve an onmyouji
Could be conjured beings or small ghosts that an onmyouji gains power over.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikigami
[9] Russian tea with jam – Woah, I can’t believe this is a thing! I supposed it’s similar to the Middle Eastern way of drinking tea with sugar cubes in their mouths.
The tea is left on the stove to boil until dark and bitter, so it makes sense to have something sweet in the mouth when drinking these bitter teas.
https://culinaryteas.com/blogs/news/118471941-sip-your-tea-through-the-jam-draft#:~:text=According%20to%20Russian%20tea%20drinking,buds%20an%20unforgettable%20taste%20experience.
https://hildaskitchenblog.com/recipe/assyrian-sugar-cubes-shakar-de-shlama/#:~:text=In%20the%20Middle%20East%2C%20sugar,in%20good%20health%20and%20peace.
…should I try it?
[10] Flower garden in the brain – is a saying that basically means ‘a happy-go-lucky person’. Suddenly, all the flowery scenes around a Main Character makes sense. Since a ‘happy-go-lucky’ person with flowers in their head is basically looking at life through rose-tinted glasses.
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