kscans

Chapter 24 - The Banquet

"When the rainy season ends, I think I will try returning to Kyo." Shion’s sudden declaration, made with a look of firm resolve, made Saneyuki and Kiku’s eyes go wide. The three of them had been chatting and eating sweets in a room in the Tower.

"Is something worrying you?" Saneyuki asked, concerned. Shion shook her head, looking embarrassed.

"Nana said it might be a good time to find out…"

"Find out what?" Kiku asked. Shion’s cheeks flushed.

"Shintaro-sama’s feelings. According to Nana, it seems that Shintaro-sama has been looking at me lately."

"Oh! Isn’t that great? That man is pretty dense, or maybe he’s just spaced out when he’s not holding a sword. He’s a really unusually hard man to figure out. So? Why does that lead to you going back to Kyo?"

"She said that if he gets intimidated after seeing my home, it would be better to part ways before my feelings grow any deeper." As she spoke, Shion’s expression twisted with sadness. Kiku smiled gently at her.

"I think it’s already too late for that. But you’ve made a good decision. Do your best." Tears welled at the corners of Shion’s eyes, but she smiled and tilted her head.

"Yes. I’ll do my best."

*

Nine days later, the man in question, Shintaro, was down with a fever. It was from being out in the rain for too long the day before. When his disciples mentioned he hadn’t come to the dojo, Saneyuki went to check on him and found him in that state. Saneyuki quickly called a doctor, who told him to take his medicine and rest.

"So even a man like you can catch a cold."

"...What do you take me for?"

"Oh, nothing. Ahem. Anyway, get well soon. I need you to attend the wedding, and there’s also the matter with Shion-sama." Shintaro shifted the ice pack on his head and frowned.

"What about her?"

"We can’t very well let her go back to Kyo alone, can we? I want you to escort her."

"What about Sahei-dono?"

"He has other business."

"I see. Alright. I’ll do it."

"Are you sure? The wedding is the day after tomorrow."

"Don’t worry."

Saneyuki was suspicious of his unusually prompt reply, but his doubts were cleared up the next day when Shintaro had made a full recovery.

"Are you some kind of monster?"

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"You had a fever so high you could have gotten pneumonia. Normally, that would take at least three days to get over."

"I’m just a little tougher than most people."

"A little? You’re a lot tougher. But I’m glad. I’m relieved. Are you heading to the dojo now?"

"Yeah."

"Then let’s go together."

"...Are you all set for tomorrow?"

"There’s almost nothing for me to do."

"I see."

And so, the two days of their usual idle chatter passed in a flash. The wedding the next day was a simple affair, attended only by those close to them, and was conducted with solemnity. But the happy faces of Saneyuki and Nana left a warm impression on Shintaro’s heart. A whirlwind of emotions swirled within him. He thought of Mana. He lamented that he was not by Shion’s side. There was joy in celebrating the couple’s union, and a loneliness in feeling the passage of time. He was struck by a sense of impatience, wondering if he was truly the only one who wasn’t changing.

Later that evening, at the reception, the ceremony had ended safely, and the second and third after-parties had dragged on until it was nearly the hour of the ox. Most of the guests had left, and those who remained were all dead drunk and fast asleep. Amidst the slumbering bodies, two men were still awake, enjoying a late-night drink. They were Saneyuki and Shintaro.

"You can really hold your liquor," Saneyuki said, pouring sake for Shintaro.

"You’re one to talk. More importantly, shouldn’t you be heading back to your room soon?"

"What of it? Nana is tired too. It’s better to let her rest peacefully."

"But still…"

"Just because it’s our first night doesn’t mean we have to do anything. The night comes every day, after all." Shintaro fell silent. He was somewhat taken aback by how Saneyuki was a man who said exactly what he thought.

"If Nana-dono is fine with it, then I suppose it’s alright," Shintaro finally managed to say, trying to be considerate. Saneyuki just smirked and took another gulp of sake.

"We’ve already done what there is to do. It’s a bit late for that now." Shintaro buried his head in his hands, shocked by the difference in their values. Saneyuki watched him with an amused expression.

"Is the drink getting to you?"

"No…"

"Shintaro-dono. When it comes to a woman you like, it’s best to just go for it and risk getting shot down. If you hesitate, some other man will snatch her away."

"She’s already been snatched away."

"Hahaha! If you can answer like that, then you’ll be fine!"

"Hmph." Shintaro poured sake into his empty cup and downed it in one go.

*

He wasn’t drinking himself into a stupor because it was a celebration. It was because he had convinced himself he was suffering from a broken heart, and he was drinking his sorrows away. Now then. The first thing Shintaro saw when he woke up was a sky with patches of blue. The rainy season wasn’t over yet, so it was likely just a brief spell of clear weather. Even so, the sky felt awfully close. Wondering about this, Shintaro sat up. A moderately strong wind, and an empty landscape. What his hands touched was a roof tile.

"...On the roof?" Thinking this, he peeked over the edge and was shocked to see the ground was far below, and everything looked tiny. Shintaro had passed out drunk on the very top of the Tower. What’s more, he had no memory of how he had gotten up there, or for what reason. Well, he could imagine how, but it was a situation he’d rather not imagine. With a heavy heart, Shintaro let out a deep sigh and stood up. Fortunately, it shouldn’t have been a time of day when there were any witnesses. If there were, it would only be Saneyuki, he thought. Then, he reasoned, The cylindrical Tower has eaves at regular intervals. It’s obvious I used them to reach this roof. I can use them to get down, too. But it will take time, and that increases the chance of being seen. And so, Shintaro decided to just jump down normally, completely unaware that far below, Saneyuki was staring up at him in a daze.

Just as someone on the ground can’t be seen from the top of the Tower, Shintaro’s figure couldn’t be seen from below. The protruding roof created a blind spot. But Saneyuki, who had witnessed Shintaro ascending like a coiling dragon, knew he was up there even if he couldn’t see him, and he was far from calm. The sight of the newlywed Saneyuki staring up at the Tower, pale as a ghost, naturally drew the attention of those around him. When they learned that Shintaro was at the top, they were astounded.

"H-how did he get up to a place like that? No, more importantly, we need to rescue him… Should we get a ladder from the top floor room?"

"My apologies. It may have been while we were drinking, but I went too far." Saneyuki bowed his head in sincere apology. The Tower official frantically shook his head.

"Please don’t say such things. I don’t know what you said, but…"

"Ugh." Saneyuki choked. What he had said was a joke. But a drunken Shintaro had taken it as a challenge. So you’re not going to dance like a dragon anymore? You have a cowardly streak, after all. You’re like that with everything, which is why you can’t even hold onto a woman. It was an insult he would never say, or even think of, when sober. Sake truly was the devil’s water, Saneyuki lamented. After downing his drink, Shintaro had stood up without a word and left the room. Realizing he had said something terrible, Saneyuki immediately went after him.

"I’m sorry! Wait. I didn’t mean it. Come back." But the other man was drunk too. His voice didn’t seem to reach him at all.

And that brought them to the present. Saneyuki had been staring up at the Tower all night, worried. He had thought that Shintaro might have climbed up but couldn’t get down. He had seen him scale terrifyingly high cliffs and land with an unbelievable sense of balance, but the height of the Tower was in a different league. He had thought it would be impossible even for Shintaro. But—a great cry went up from those around him. At some point, all the Tower officials had gathered and were pointing up, dumbfounded. No way, Saneyuki thought, and looked up at the sky.

Shintaro was descending toward the ground, performing slow, continuous somersaults. He was in his haori and hakama from the celebration, and the sight of him falling, catching the air resistance and wind, was as beautiful as a dancing crane, as superhuman as a phoenix. It was no surprise that those waiting below were shocked, but Shintaro, as he descended, was shocked too. There were about a hundred people clustered directly beneath him.

"Move!" Shintaro yelled at the top of his lungs. Sensing the danger, everyone scattered like spiders.

The spot where Shintaro landed was gouged out in a circle from the impact. If anyone had been hit, they would not have survived. After a massive cloud of dust settled, the sight of Shintaro standing there as if nothing had happened did little to mask the terrifying reality. Sure enough, everyone’s legs gave out, and they foamed at the mouth.

"You… you absolute…" Saneyuki’s dumbfounded face was incredibly tense. Shintaro could only offer a wry smile.

"You could have at least cleared the area."

"Wh-!? I was worried you wouldn’t be able to get down!"

"I don’t climb places I can’t get down from." Since Shintaro said it so calmly, Saneyuki pressed his temple.

"—I have a headache."

"Me too. It’s a hangover."

"No, that’s not what I mean… Oh, whatever." A deep sigh escaped between the two of them. It seemed it would be wise for both of them to lay off the sake for a while.