Chapter 3: The Bell that Rings in Gion

1

It’s the end of December. The traditional Japanese name for December is Shiwasu, which means “priests running.” It’s thought to refer to how priests were busy with end-of-year services and New Year’s preparations. Similarly, I was busy this month too.

“It’s already the end of the year? Time flies,” I murmured as I organized the shelves. I first came to this store in March. Spring, summer, and autumn passed. A lot happened, but now it feels like the year went by in the blink of an eye. Spring will probably come just as quickly.

Holmes was organizing the bookshelf. “Come to think of it,” he said, turning around, “You have entrance exams next year, right? Which university do you want to go to?”

“Umm, I’ve been thinking about it, but I still haven’t decided.” It felt like it was still a long way off, but now I realize that I’ll have to start preparing in the spring. I have to decide soon. Since I wasn’t familiar with Kyoto’s universities, nothing seemed to click. “Hmm...”

Holmes chuckled. “What about KyoJo or DamJo—the ones we talked about before?”

“They’re both really popular women’s schools, right? A lot of girls in my class want to go to one of those.”

“What about Kaori?”

“Kaori seems to be aiming for KPU—the school you went to.” Holmes had taken the route of getting into Kyoto Prefectural University and then switching into Kyoto University for grad school.

“KPU, huh? I can imagine that.”

“Yep. I was thinking if I studied a bit harder, I might be able to go for it too.”

“How about trying even harder than that and aiming for Kyoto University? Would you achieve my unsuccessful dream in my place?”

My eyes widened. “Th-That’s impossible.”

Holmes laughed. “There’s still time. You should think over it carefully. Kyoto has many good universities.”

“Okay.” I nodded firmly. University, huh... I really do need to start thinking about it.

Then the door chime rang and the owner burst in, shouting, “Hey, Kiyotaka!”

“Oh, welcome back.” Holmes gave a big smile and bowed. I’d heard that the owner had been in Tokyo for a long time because of work, so he must’ve just gotten back. Judging from Holmes’s smile, he must’ve done a good job there.

“Been a while since I had such a big job. I’m beat.” The owner heaved an exaggerated sigh and plopped himself down on the sofa. I guess he did do a lot of work.

“Get some rest. I’ll make coffee.” Holmes went into the back kitchenette.

I excitedly walked up to the owner and bowed. “Welcome back. Long time no see.”

“You look like you’re doing well, Aoi. Oh right, did you see that writing?” He pointed at the calligraphy on the wall with a gleam in his eyes. It was Taira no Kanemori’s poem, “I hid my love, but not well enough, for others even asked, ‘Art thou pining for something?’”—handwritten by the owner himself.

“Oh, yes. Your penmanship is very nice.”

“Thanks. Great poem, eh?”

“Yes. It’s about a sad, hidden love, right?”

“Uh huh. It’s real nice to watch young’uns hiding their feelings,” he said softly, glancing at me and smiling. His suggestive attitude made my heart beat frantically. What did he mean by those words and that smile? D-Does he think I have a secret crush on Holmes? Is that why he said that? It’s true that I get captivated by Holmes even though I’ve set a boundary for my feelings, and sometimes he makes my heart skip a beat, but that’s because he’s an unfair Kyoto guy. There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s not my fault.

Our relationship is in a good place right now, but if other people start thinking I have a crush on him too, then I wouldn’t be able to bear staying at Kura anymore. I really don’t want that.

“I-I see. I’ve never hidden my feelings, so I wouldn’t know,” I said with a light chuckle, trying to dodge the topic. I couldn’t tell if I did a good job of it, but fortunately Holmes was making coffee, so he couldn’t hear our conversation.

“Oh well. In other news, Aoi, can you come over on New Year’s Eve?”

“New Year’s Eve?”

“Yeah, we’re having a big party,” he said smugly.

As Holmes brought the coffee over, he asked, “A big party? Who decided that, and when?” His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were clearly displeased. He exuded an overpowering, angry aura that sent chills down my spine.

“I-It was me, of course! Who else?!” the owner exclaimed, not making eye contact with Holmes. Maybe he was scared too.

“What a pain... Well, there’s no need for such a complicated plan. Why don’t we go to a hot spring like we usually do? It’s a good way to relieve the fatigue that’s built up over the year. I’ll even make the reservation. How about a place with a view of Mount Fuji? Or do you want to see the sunrise from the top of a mountain?”

“Nope, we’re having a party! This year made me so darn frustrated!”

“Frustrated?” Holmes and I asked in unison.

“Yeah. At my birthday party, I had the same art exhibition and buffet party as I always do, right?”

“Yes...” Holmes replied.

“But that old geezer had a fancy-schmancy ‘authenticity game’ at his! No matter where I went, everyone was talking about how fun it was!”

That “old geezer” was Yanagihara, another appraiser. In autumn, he held a birthday party at his house near Arashiyama and we played an “authenticity game” that everyone enjoyed a lot. Incidentally, it was Ensho who suggested the game to Yanagihara.

“This is revenge! I’m gonna hold a New Year’s party and play a game!”

“An authenticity game...?”

“Heck no. I ain’t copying that old geezer.”

“So...you’re telling me to plan it?” Holmes looked even more displeased.

I unintentionally laughed. It’s rare to see Holmes with that face. I think the only other person who gets to see it is Akihito.

“Nah, I ain’t expecting anything from you. Your head’s full of old knowledge. You’re a clump of ancient wisdom, so even though you’re young, you act like an old man. I’m not gonna get anything new and exciting out of you.” The owner didn’t hold back either.

“Yes, I’m a Kyoto man—or rather, Kyoto guy, after all,” Holmes said smoothly as if unbothered.

“So I asked good ol’ Ueda instead and told him just how frustrated I was.” The owner clenched his fists.

“Ueda is busy with his own matters... You bothered him for something so unimportant?” Holmes looked utterly fed up.

The owner snorted. “What’s the big deal? He’s basically family. He seems like he goes to a lotta parties, so I asked what kind of stuff other people do. Our party game’s gonna be as flashy as it gets.” Still clenching his fists, he looked up at the ceiling with sparkling eyes.

“I’m envious of how you always have the eyes of a young boy,” Holmes said, squinting as if he was looking somewhere far away.

I couldn’t help but laugh again. “It sounds interesting though. What kind of game is it?”

“Not telling. Anyway, I just need it to be better than that old geezer’s party! Kiyotaka, I’ll tell you the details later, so take care of it for me.” The owner raised one hand and fled the store.

After a period of silence, I looked at Holmes and saw that he was face-down on the counter. “Um, are you okay?” I asked.

“With a grandfather like that, can you blame me for acting like an old man?” he murmured quietly.

“Not at all,” I said. “I’m looking forward to it though.”

“If that’s the case, then I guess I can put some effort into the preparations.” He slowly rose from the counter and sighed.

2

Before I knew it, it was December 31st—New Year’s Eve. Kura was open until 5 p.m. today. The plan was to go to the Yagashira estate after closing.

Today was special in that both Holmes and the manager were at the store. Holmes was cleaning the second floor, the manager was organizing the bookshelf by the counter, and I was taking items off the shelves to dust and wipe them. We were in that end-of-year cleaning mode.

The streets outside were busier than ever. Tons of people were walking by, but hardly any of them came inside our store. After cleaning for some time, I stopped for a breather. I heard Holmes’s footsteps coming down the stairs.

“I finished cleaning the second floor,” he said. “I think I should get going, Dad. Do you mind if I bring Aoi?”

“Sure. Thanks for the hard work you put in this year. I hope you can take it easy soon.” The manager smiled as he wiped down the counter.

“Um, where are we going?” I tilted my head, confused.

“I’m leaving first because I have to prepare for the party,” Holmes explained. “You’re free to come along. How about it?”

“O-Oh, okay.” I nodded firmly and hurried to take off my apron, even though I knew he wasn’t going to leave me behind. After changing clothes and gathering our belongings, we bowed to the manager and left the store. As expected, it was very crowded outside.

“This way,” Holmes said, walking south towards Shijo—where there were even more people.

“Um, where are we going?”

“Nishiki Market. But first, since we still have time, would you like to explore this neighborhood?”

“You mean the area around here?”

“Yes. Shinkyogoku Street has what’s called ‘The Eight Temples and Shrines of Shinkyogoku.’”

Shinkyogoku Street is the next street to the east of Teramachi Street. The Teramachi-Sanjo area is made up of several shopping streets intersecting and running parallel to each other. Despite being connected, each street has a unique atmosphere. Also, I get the feeling that the area around Shinkyogoku has the most tourists of them all.

I once said to Holmes without thinking, “The people in Shinkyogoku are young and stylish, right?”

His response was, “Shh, Aoi. You mustn’t say that.” Apparently it was taboo.

“Shinkyogoku Street has eight temples and shrines,” Holmes explained as we walked. There were seven temples—Seigan-ji, Seishin-in, Saiko-ji Tora-yakushi, Tako-yakushido Eifuku-ji, Anyo-ji Sakarenge, Zencho-ji, and Somedono-in—and one shrine, Nishiki Tenmangu. Many of them were entered through narrow paths that you’d normally walk past without noticing, but all of them had historical significance. There was a tradition that involved visiting all eight.

“Since we’re going all the way to Nishiki Market, I thought it’d be nice to visit them on the way, give thanks for the past year, and receive energy for the coming year.”

“Oh, that sounds great!”

“I’m glad to hear that. Let’s start from Seigan-ji Temple then, which is coming up in front of us. This temple is mainly known for its performing arts blessings. Entertainers often come here.”

“Wow!” I happily headed towards the first temple with Holmes. After walking south a bit on Shinkyogoku Street, I saw the “Seigan-ji Temple” sign to our left. It was a very pretty temple that had a white gate accented with vivid red.

“Seigan-ji is also called the origin of rakugo,” Holmes said. Rakugo is a traditional form of comedic storytelling.

“It really is a temple for the performing arts, huh? Akihito should pray here.”

“Indeed.”

We chuckled and passed through the gate into the small temple grounds. We took off our shoes before entering the main building and stepping onto the tatami mats. There was a golden statue of the Amida Nyorai as well as golden lanterns and canopies hanging from the ceiling.

Someone was there. He clapped his hands and his voice echoed through the building as he prayed: “May my current momentum lead to greater fame.” He had brightly-colored hair and his figure looked rather stylish from behind. I recognized this figure.

Holmes and I reflexively froze and exchanged glances.

“Oh right, Aoi. Do you have a stamp book?” Holmes asked, ignoring the familiar figure and bringing up a different subject.

“No, I don’t.”

“You can have this one,” he said, offering me a brand-new notebook for collecting seal stamps. It was pink—one of the items sold at Kura.

“W-Wow, thank you!”

“Oh hey, it’s Holmes and Aoi!” The person who’d been praying—Akihito—turned around and looked at us starry-eyed.

Holmes hesitated before giving up and saying quietly, “Long time no see, Akihito. What a coincidence running into you here.”

“I was actually on my way to your shop when someone gave me a brochure about the eight temples and shrines of Shinkyogoku. Since there was one for showbiz, I just had to come.” He enthusiastically put his arm around Holmes’s shoulder as usual.

“You don’t have to do that every time you see me. We’re going to pray now, so shoo.” Holmes brushed Akihito’s hand away as if it were a bit of dust and kneeled in front of the Buddha. I hurriedly knelt next to him and put my hands together. Since this place was mainly for performing arts blessings, it didn’t seem to have much to do with me. Instead, I prayed that I could develop some kind of special skill.

After praying, Holmes looked up and said, “All right, on to the next one.”

We left Seigan-ji Temple, but not without Akihito chasing after us. “Hey, wait for me, Holmes!”

“You’re going to Kura, right? That’s in the other direction.” Holmes pointed towards Teramachi-Sanjo.

“Yeah, but that was because I wanted to see you. I got invited to the Yagashira family’s New Year party.”

Holmes stopped in his tracks and turned around. “You were invited too?”

“Yeah, the owner called me the other day,” Akihito said with a proud look on his face.

“Aren’t you busy with work these days? Do you have time for this?”

“I was filming in Osaka yesterday and I’ve got a job in Kyoto right at the beginning of the new year, so it works out perfectly.”

“I see. Well, thank you for attending. The party is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., so please go to the Yagashira residence around then. We’ll be awaiting your arrival.” Holmes bowed, then immediately turned on his heels and started walking.

“Hey, wait! Where’re you going?” Akihito grabbed Holmes’s arm.

“I’m buying things for the party and visiting the eight temples and shrines with Aoi while I’m at it.”

“I’ll come too!”

“You don’t have to come with us every time.”

“Hey now, you never know—I might be able to suggest this for my TV show.”

“Have you considered going by yourself?” Holmes spat out coldly.

“Wh-What...?” Akihito looked sad, like an abandoned puppy. I felt a bit bad for him.

“U-Um, Holmes, why don’t we all go together? The more the merrier, right?” I asked.

Akihito’s face lit up. “You’re a real angel, Aoi.”

Holmes sighed listlessly. “Yes, the more the merrier. All right.”

So, the three of us began our tour of the eight temples and shrines of Shinkyogoku. A little south of Seigan-ji Temple was another small entrance on the left side. This one led to Seishin-in Temple.

“This temple is significant because Shikibu Izumi was its first head priest,” Holmes explained as usual. Shikibu Izumi was considered the greatest female poet of the Heian period.

Akihito stopped in front of a wheel-shaped stone at the entrance with a sutra carved into it. What’s that? I wondered, craning my neck to see. I saw a sign that said “Suzunari Wheel—Please spin while praying.”

“This is called a prayer wheel,” Holmes explained. “The axle is Shikibu Izumi’s old lantern pole, and the pedestal was hers too. It’s said that if you rotate it once, you’ll gain the blessing of reading the sutra once.” Holmes placed his hand on the stone wheel and spun it. The sound of a chiming bell rang out.

“Ooh, lemme try.” Akihito pushed Holmes aside and stood in front of the wheel. He spun it with his left hand while holding up his right hand and chanting, “May I achieve success, may I achieve success, may I achieve success.”

“He’s serious about this, huh...?” I was kind of impressed.

“Yes, but if he’s so enthusiastic about his wish that he’d push other people out of the way, I think he’ll run into many difficulties in life,” Holmes said with a grin.

Akihito stiffened and his face went pale. I couldn’t help but smile at how straightforward he was.

A wooden sign saying “Impart knowledge, impart love” hung by the gate.

“This temple is mainly for knowledge and love, huh?” I remarked. “Those seem like complete opposites though.”

“Yes, Shikibu Izumi is known for her wisdom and her vast experience with love. She had relationships with over ten men, and that’s only the ones we know of.”

We entered the temple grounds. Over ten men, back in those days...? I was shocked.

“Is ten really that many?” Akihito tilted his head.

“Considering the era, yes.”

“Oh. What’s your count, Aoi?” Akihito peered at me with a grin.

“Huh?” I blushed.

Without missing a beat, Holmes grabbed Akihito by the chin and said, “Was it this mouth that said those disrespectful words?” Still smiling, he tightened his grip.

“Owww! I’m sorry!”

“Ugh, I can’t believe you. Sorry about that, Aoi.” Holmes let go and wiped his hand with his handkerchief.

“I-It’s okay. I’ve gotten used to Akihito’s sexual harassment.”

“D-Don’t call it that, Aoi!”

Holmes frowned. “I don’t think you should get used to that.”

I laughed and said, “You’re right.”

“Shall we move on to the next place?”

We continued on to Saiko-ji Tora-yakushi, Tako-yakushido, Anyo-ji, and Zencho-ji. Saiko-ji Tora-yakushi specialized in good fortune, warding off evil, and sound health. The tiger-themed charms and ornaments were adorable. Tako-yakushido was for healing illnesses and eliminating misfortune. “Tako” means “octopus,” and true to its name, they had an octopus sculpture that you could pet to have your bad luck sucked away. Anyo-ji was for sound health, family prosperity, and the fulfillment of prayers. Zencho-ji was for sound health, long life, and apparently, clear skin.

We reached Nishiki Tenmangu where the god of academics, Tenjin—the deification of Sugawara no Michizane—was enshrined. As expected, it was even more crowded, especially because Nishiki Market was just to the right. Since I was going to be taking entrance exams next year, I prayed for higher grades.

Next, we headed to Somedono-in.

“This is the last one,” Holmes said. “It’s said to bestow the blessing of children.”

It seemed irrelevant since our group consisted of a high schooler and two single men, but we still stood in a row and prayed.

“Dang, these eight temples and shrines have it all, huh?” Akihito said as we left the temple. “Performing arts, love, good luck, prayers, warding off evil, clear skin, academics, and even children.”

“They do.” I nodded in agreement. The eight temples and shrines of Shinkyogoku... Even though I’ve walked through this area countless times, I never even noticed that there were temples here. I felt really fulfilled after visiting all of them. It felt like I’d done quite a lot of sightseeing today.

“Now for the battlefield,” Holmes declared.

“Huh?” Akihito and I looked at him.

“It’s Nishiki Market on New Year’s Eve, after all.”

I looked towards the market. He was right—it was packed full of people.

“The crowds here are not to be underestimated, Aoi. Please be careful not to get separated,” he said, placing his hands on my shoulders. He then looked to Akihito and said, “Akihito, if you lose sight of us, just leave. We’ll meet again in the evening anyway.” He waved.

“Hey, what’s with this difference in treatment?!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Also, you’re not trying to lose me, are you?”

“Your intuition is good, if nothing else.”

“Wait, you are?!”

“I’m kidding,” Holmes said nonchalantly. I’m sure he was at least half serious... “However, this really is a battlefield, so please be very careful. We can only walk single file, so make sure to stay right behind me, Aoi.” He entered the crowded, narrow path.

Enthusiastic shouts of “Come on in!” whizzed around us. Nishiki Market was made up of all sorts of stores, not just fishmongers. Shoes, pickled vegetables, liquor, meat, rice cakes, fruits and vegetables, sushi, dried foods, coin purses, flowers, pottery, patterned scarves, traditional thronged sandals—even stores specializing in sesame, dried sardines, or spice blends. It’s really fun to see all of the different shops...but now’s not the time for that! It’s so crowded! It felt like we were pushing through a jam-packed train.

“It’s me, Kiyotaka!” Holmes shouted in front of a shop specializing in rolled omelets, startling me in the process.

“Coming right up, dear!” responded the older woman working there. “Thanks for all your patronage. Say hi to Seiji for me, okay?” She handed him a plastic bag that seemed to have been prepared in advance. Holmes swiftly handed over exact change from his coin purse and continued onward.

“Hello, it’s Kiyotaka!” he shouted at the next stop. It was a tofu shop, and he was buying wheat gluten. Next came tofu fritters, light brown miso, round rice cakes, mackerel sushi, sliced dried herring wrapped in seaweed, red Kintoki carrots, Kujo leeks, duck meat...

Then he looked up and said, “This way, Aoi.” I thought he’d entered a pottery store, but he was actually climbing the stairs next to it.

“Hey, where’re you going?!” Akihito was struggling to make his way through the crowd to catch up with us.

There was a slightly old-fashioned cafe at the top of the stairs. There were quite a few people inside, but it wasn’t full.

“I didn’t know there was a cafe above Nishiki Market,” I said, surprised.

Holmes chuckled and sat down at a counter seat by the window. “You can look down on Nishiki Market from here.”

I put my hands on the counter and looked out the window. “W-Wow!” A black wave of people was making its way through the cramped shopping street below.

“Dang, this is incredible,” Akihito said excitedly.

“It feels strange that these seats are empty even though it’s so crowded down there,” I remarked.

“Most of the people coming to Nishiki on New Year’s Eve are tourists, so they don’t have time to look up,” Holmes explained.

“Uh, I lived in Kyoto for a long time, and I still didn’t know there was a cafe up here,” Akihito responded.

The three of us sat in a row at the counter. As usual, Holmes and Akihito ordered coffee, and I asked for café au lait. Soon after, our drinks arrived—as well as two cakes.

I tilted my head. “Huh? Did we order cake?”

“Oh, I added those afterwards,” Holmes said. “They’re for you and Akihito.” He smiled gently while holding his coffee cup.

“Wait, me too?” Akihito looked bewildered.

Holmes nodded. “You tend to be clingier around me when you’re tired. Please eat something sweet to cure your fatigue.”

“Holmes...” Akihito’s eyes watered up as if he were moved.

But from another perspective, Holmes was saying, “Eat something sweet to cure your fatigue so that you won’t bother me anymore.”

Akihito happily ate his cake. “Despite everything you say, you really are a nice guy, Holmes.”

Well, he might be right about that. Holmes is harsh on him, but I do think he’s nice despite what he says.

I took a bite of the cake and felt the tiredness from being tossed around in the crowds vanish into thin air. It really was tough being down there. Holmes is amazing for being able to buy things so efficiently in that rush.

Looking at Nishiki Market from above felt really fresh and somewhat mysterious. Holmes had taught me yet another of Kyoto’s great locations.

Akihito scarfed down his cake, gulped down his coffee, and let out a deep breath. “The coffee was pretty good, but I still like yours more,” he mumbled, staring at his cup.

“I’m honored to hear that,” Holmes said, seeming pleased. “I’ll make some for you later.”

I looked down at my cup. I always get café au lait. Holmes’s café au lait is really good, but everyone always praises his coffee, so I want to be able to drink it black, I thought to myself as I gazed down at the never-ending flood of people at Nishiki Market.

3

We somehow escaped from the jam-packed market and went to the underground parking garage in Oike where the company car was parked. We got in and headed to the Yagashira estate, which was close to the Philosopher’s Walk. It’d been a while since I’d last been there. The Western-style stone manor never failed to impress.

Even though it was the middle of winter, the front doors were wide open. Many people were coming and going.

“Um, are the guests already here?” I asked, surprised.

Holmes shook his head. “No, those are my grandfather’s hired hands. Yoshie is giving them instructions.”

Upon closer inspection, all of the people were wearing aprons. They were probably cleaners and caterers.

“Come in,” Holmes said.

We followed him inside and saw Yoshie directing the staff. “Right, put Mucha up in the main hall. Move that long table closer to the wall.”

The staff did as they were told. The walls were decorated with Mucha lithographs. There was a large wall clock next to the door—or so I thought, but it was actually a music box. By the bay window was an antique globe and tin model cars labeled “Porsche A.G.,” “Lamborghini,” “Volkswagen,” “Volvo 240,” and “Mini Cooper.” The hall felt more creative than it did last time.

“Thanks for your hard work, Yoshie,” Holmes said, walking up to her. “I’ll help you.”

“Oh!” Yoshie turned around. “You’re back already? Welcome, Aoi and Aki. Kiyotaka, I’m fine here, so please entertain Aoi and Aki. You should get some rest too, since you’re always so busy.” She patted Holmes on the back.

They really do look like parent and child, despite how young Yoshie looks.

Akihito smiled sweetly at her and said, “Heya, Yoshie. You’re looking as pretty as ever.”

“Thank you, Aki,” she said with a giggle. “I never miss your TV show. You’re working so hard!”

“Aww, that’s so nice of you.”

Suddenly, a worker shouted, “Excuse me! Where does this go?”

Yoshie turned around. “Put it in that corner.” She then said to us, “Can you three go to the second-floor living room? You’ll just get in the way here.” She shooed us away with her hands, smiling mischievously. She really is a wonderful person.

“Aoi, Akihito, this way.” Holmes led us to the end of the first floor. There was a staircase there with a shoe rack. We put on slippers and went up. Come to think of it, this is my first time going into the living area of the Yagashira residence.

The stairs led to an open space with a large TV, a European sofa and chest of drawers, and decorative plants. A chandelier hung from the ceiling. The walls were adorned with large paintings. There were also vases, jars, and water jugs all over the place. This seemed to be the living room.

“Huh, it’s like a suite at a foreign hotel,” Akihito said.

We looked around curiously. I could tell that all of the art was highly valuable, so I was too scared to approach any of it. Trying to avoid the expensive things, I stood close to the wall and noticed that the bay window overlooked the Philosopher’s Walk.

“Wow, it’s the Philosopher’s Walk!” I exclaimed, pressing my hands against the glass.

Akihito quickly walked over to see and nodded. “This is amazing.”

“It really is.”

As we stared outside, impressed, the scent of coffee tickled my nose.

“Here you go,” Holmes said. He’d prepared coffee and a café au lait before I’d even realized he was gone. Oh shoot. I was going to say, “From now on, I’ll drink coffee too.” But as always, Holmes’s café au lait was the most delicious ever.

“Ahh, Holmes’s coffee is so damn good,” Akihito said as he drank.

I felt determined to ask for coffee next time as I drank my café au lait.

“The party will be starting in an hour, so feel free to watch TV until then. We have recordings of Akihito’s shows too. Shall I play them?” He picked up the remote and grinned.

“Um, I want to see your room,” I said, leaning forward a bit.

Holmes’s eyebrows twitched. “My...room?” He seemed reluctant.

“What’s the problem here? Is it full of porn mags?” Akihito’s eyes lit up in amusement.

“No, there’s nothing like that. It’s just that I didn’t expect to have guests in my room, so I haven’t cleaned it.” Holmes smiled awkwardly.

It’s true that I didn’t go to Holmes’s room the last time I was here. Actually, I didn’t even enter the living area, so I assumed it’d be the same this time. We wouldn’t have come this far if it weren’t for Yoshie. But considering it’s Holmes, his room must be sparkling clean. There must be another reason why he doesn’t want to let us in.

“Umm, we can save it for next time then. Let’s watch Akihito’s show.” I nodded and picked up the remote.

“No, it’s fine. I just feel bad because it’s messy.” Holmes stood up and started walking. Akihito and I followed him into the hallway. The air felt chilly, perhaps because of the stone walls.

“You really don’t have any porn mags?” Akihito asked eagerly.

“I don’t.”

“For real?”

“Yes. I don’t buy those things in print form. It’s all digital,” Holmes said smoothly. Akihito and I were taken aback.

“Oh, so it’s all on your tablet,” said Akihito, dumbfounded.

“Yes. It’s password-protected, so it’s quite safe, if you know what I mean.”

“Yeah. You can carry around a lot of data with you, huh? I’d expect no less.”

“I’d rather you didn’t expect this.”

My face stiffened at their sudden guy talk. “Umm...”

“Sorry,” Holmes said. “This is just between us.” He held his index finger in front of his mouth, and I couldn’t help but blush. It was kind of frustrating how he made my heart skip a beat after a conversation like that. “It’s all your fault, Akihito. How could you make me say that in front of a lady?”

“Wait, that was my fault?”

Holmes’s room was at the end of the hallway. It had an old-fashioned dark brown wooden door with a brass doorknob, fitting for a Western-style mansion. I’m sure it’s going to be clean and gorgeous. I nervously watched the door open with a click, and I gaped when I saw what was inside. Holmes was right... It really was messy. Well, to be precise, it was mountains of books. There were piles of papers on the desk. Thick books that seemed like art magazines and textbooks were stacked high on the floor and nightstand. Everything might’ve been clean, but with all of these books strewn around, the room seemed incredibly disorganized.

“Holy crap, it really is messy.”

“I told you it wasn’t ready for visitors.” Holmes was unashamed.

“B-But why is everything scattered around like this? The store and the living room are so clean!” I asked, genuinely confused.

“The store is for business, and the living room and kitchen are shared spaces. This room is a place where I won’t inconvenience anyone. The books pile up because there are a lot of materials I want to read. I study them at my desk, then move to the bed and fall asleep while reading. When I wake up, the books I want to read are within arm’s reach. It makes logical sense, right? My special skill is looking at stacks of books and quickly locating the one I want.” Holmes swiftly picked a book out of the mountain and said, “See?” He looked at us confidently.

Um, Holmes...

“It’s messy, but nothing is dusty,” he continued. “My room at the other place is much cleaner. Since this house has a lot of resources, I end up getting absorbed in reading everything. I clean up in advance if I’m going to have guests over.”

Um, Holmes...

“Oh, have you finally become disillusioned?” Holmes peered at my face, seeming concerned about my lack of response.

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “No, it’s fun how you’re always surprising me. And I’m kind of relieved that you have this side of you, considering that you always seem perfect.” The sparkling clean store, the neatly organized shelves... He always seems tidy, but that’s all on the outside. His own room is a mess and it doesn’t bother him. It was unexpected and yet still very much like him.

“Do you want me to help you clean up?” I asked.

“No, it’s fine. This way is more convenient for me,” he answered immediately. I laughed again.

“Man, what’re you reading so much of? Are they all books about art?” Akihito looked around the room and sighed.

“Yes, art and history. Lately I’ve been enjoying reading sales catalogs from the Taisho period.”

“Sales catalogues?” Akihito and I stared at him blankly.

Holmes nodded, put on his white gloves, and took an old booklet from a shelf.

“That one was in an actual bookshelf, huh? You even put on gloves,” Akihito commented.

“Yes, because this book is very valuable.”

“What kind of book is it?” I peered at the booklet but couldn’t read the brush writing.

“The first bubble economy of the Taisho period created a lot of new wealth. The people who came into money were so prosperous that there’s a story about how they would light one-yen bills—the equivalent of ten thousand yen today—on fire to light up dark restaurant entrances.”

“Whoa, they set money on fire?!”

“I don’t know how much of that is true, but it’s an example of how thriving the era was. During that time, all of the upstarts collected antique art. However, frequent scares made the bubble burst, and they created sales lists for selling their antique collections. These are the catalogues I’m talking about. They’re great references, and the books themselves have quite a lot of value as antiques. Reading them is so fun that I lose track of time.” He smiled, gently closed the book, and put it back on the shelf.

Akihito and I couldn’t understand the feeling, so we looked at each other with strained faces.

“By the way, my grandfather has sales catalogues from the Tokugawa family and other feudal lords. Those are a worthwhile read too.”

“The Tokugawa family? That’s impressive,” I said.

“Yes. Ever since the Meiji period, feudal lords would sell their antiques. Also, there was a period when valuable works of art circulating in the city would make it all the way to the West. At that time, Takashi Masuda—said to be the foster parent of Mitsui and Company—played a central role in buying them back and preventing further outflow. It was truly amazing,” Holmes explained passionately.

“T-Takashi Masuda, the foster parent of Mitsui and Company, huh...” I didn’t know that.

“Merchants are incredible. It was merchants who supported the country throughout the long Edo period. They say that the wealthy ones like the Mitsui family and the Ito family loaned the equivalent of almost twenty billion yen today to the shogunate. The shogunate ruled by means of the merchants’ power, meaning that this country was originally based on them. Would you like to look at some materials from that time? I have them right here.” Holmes took a book out of the pile.

“Wait, stop!” Akihito interrupted. “It’s almost five, so we need to go downstairs!”

“You’re right,” Holmes said, looking at the clock. “Let’s go then.” He put the book back on top of the stack.

We left the room, and I stared absentmindedly at Holmes’s back as I walked behind him. Akihito was next to me. He glanced at me and whispered in my ear, “Man, wouldn’t it be tough to have a weirdo like him for a boyfriend?”

My cheeks felt hot. “I-I wouldn’t know.”

“What do you think about it, Aoi?”

“Wh-What?” I looked down so that he wouldn’t notice my blushing. “I-I think he’s amazing, but...no matter how I feel, someone with such a high sense of beauty isn’t going to choose me, so it’s like I’ve drawn a line that I’m not going to cross...” I mumbled.

Akihito’s eyes snapped open. “Uh, I was asking what you thought about his weirdness...”

“Wh-What?” That’s what he was asking about? This is too embarrassing!

“Well, I get what you’re saying. At first I thought Holmes might see you in a special way, but it seems like he actually sees you as someone who experienced the same heartbreak as him. Besides, he’s nice to everyone.”

“I knew it.”

“So like, what do you think about his weirdness?” he asked again.

I smiled wryly. Holmes is definitely eccentric, but I like listening to his stories. It’s kind of like... “I’ve gotten used to it already.”

“Huh. Come to think of it, so have I.”

We both laughed.

4

We returned to the first floor hall. It looked like the party preparations were complete. Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes were laid out on long tables covered with white tablecloths. Waiters in white clothes were overseeing them. It was a hotel-style buffet again this time.

The owner was wearing a kimono as usual, while Yoshie wore a simple dress. Familiar faces like Ueda and Mieko were chatting happily. I didn’t see the manager yet. He was probably coming after the store closed.

The owner blatantly frowned when he saw Holmes. “What’s with that getup, Kiyotaka? Can you put on a tux or something?”

Holmes was wearing a simple shirt and jeans. “It’s fine,” he said nonchalantly. “It’s just a New Year’s house party.”

“That’s a cute two-piece dress, Aoi,” said Yoshie. “I forgot to mention it earlier. It looks really good on you.”

“Thank you,” I said, feeling embarrassed. I’d worn it today with the party in mind, so I was glad to be complimented by someone with good fashion taste.

“It ain’t fine,” the owner said to Holmes. “Your job is to bring the guests champagne, so at least wear something more professional! Heck, go put on what you wore at Ueda’s cafe.”

“Fine, fine.” Holmes shrugged. He turned to us and said, “Sorry, I’ll be right back. Please make yourselves at home.”

“Oh, okay.”

He left the party hall to go back to his room. Akihito and I looked around.

“That’s Mucha, right?” Akihito asked, pointing to the lithographs on the wall. I followed his eyes and saw four long vertical panels.

“Right.” I nodded. “They’re lovely.” I walked up to them. The four paintings were probably of the same female model, but each showed different expressions.

“I heard that Yoshie has the same ones in her house,” came a voice from behind me. I turned around in surprise and saw Yoneyama smiling weakly. He was a lanky, androgynous man with his long hair tied back in a ponytail. He used to be a counterfeiter, but he washed his hands of the business after the owner exposed him, and now he works at an art gallery while creating his own paintings.

“Long time no see, Yoneyama.”

“’Sup, Yoneyama!”

“Long time no see, Aoi and Aki. We last met at Yanagihara’s party, right?” Apparently Yoneyama and Akihito had grown quite close, to be speaking so casually to each other.

“Yoshie has the same ones?” Akihito asked. “Which one’s the fake, then? Wait no, these are prints, right?”

Yoneyama nodded. “Yes, they’re lithographs. These depict the four times of day—dawn, daytime, evening, and night,” he said, looking at the panels.

I see. The first one had a soft frame decorated with flowers and seemed to represent getting up in the morning. The daytime one had a bright, energetic facial expression. In the evening, the woman was resting her chin in her hand, immersed in thought while gazing at the sunset. And then at night, she went to sleep. All of the paintings had a soft, delicate beauty. They were wonderful.

“Oh hey, the titles are written underneath.”

The four times of day: Morning Awakening, Brightness of Day, Evening Reverie, and Night’s Rest.

“Yoshie loves Mucha,” Yoneyama said earnestly. “Mr. Yagashira gave these lithographs to her as a way of saying, ‘I’m thinking of you at all times.’ Then Yoshie gave him the same ones and said, ‘Always think of me.’”

So that’s why Yoshie has the same ones. They gave each other the same heartfelt lithographs... That’s so romantic. I stared absentmindedly at the panels.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” came Holmes’s voice from behind me. I turned around and saw that he’d changed into a white shirt, a black vest, and black pants, just as the owner had requested. The style he wore at the cafe really looked good on him.

5

Later, the manager arrived. Several of the owner’s friends, including Yanagihara the appraiser and Hanamura the flower arrangement teacher, came as well. There were also people from the art industry. All of them radiated influence. They must be amazing people. It felt like a party hosted by a politician. Holmes and I might’ve been the only ones who were younger than Akihito, who was twenty-five.

“Thanks for inviting us!”

I looked in the direction of the familiar voice and blinked. “What?! Kisuke Ichikata and Rei Asamiya?!” It was the kabuki actor and the famous actress that Holmes befriended during the Kaomise incident. I didn’t expect them to come to the Yagashira family’s party, though!

It wasn’t just me who was surprised by these high-class guests—everyone in the hall started murmuring.

Akihito’s jaw dropped too. “Why’s Kisuke here?”

“My grandfather told me to ‘invite some flashy guests,’ so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. They both readily accepted the invitation.” Holmes walked up to them and said, “Welcome. Thank you very much for coming today.” He bowed deeply.

Kisuke shook his head, smiled, and said, “I was happy you invited me. Thank you.” He was wearing a black suit that really fit him. At a glance, his injured leg seemed to have healed.

“I’m happy to be here too, Holmes.” Rei was wearing a simple black dress. She had a bright smile on her face, and as always, she was stunningly beautiful.

“Now that our special guests are here, it’s time for another toast,” the owner said. “Thanks for this year, and cheers to the next!” He raised his glass and everyone shouted, “Cheers!”

“Phew, I’m glad his speech was short this time.” Akihito easily said what everyone was thinking but didn’t say out loud, startling us.

“Yes, I mentioned to him beforehand that Yanagihara’s short speech was well received,” Holmes added smoothly, making me laugh.

The guests picked up their plates and began piling them with food. Tender Wagyu beef and chicken of the finest quality, terrine, fresh shrimp and salad, crab gratin, a wide assortment of sashimi, roast beef, and pork—everything looked delicious. The beverages offered were beer, wine, champagne, Japanese rice wine—and several types of non-alcoholic drinks, which I appreciated.

After everyone had their fill and the festivities calmed down, the owner went to the middle of the hall and cleared his throat. “Now that your stomachs have settled down, I think it’s time to play a little game.”

“Oh!” Everyone looked at him.

“It’s game time! I’ve been waiting for this!” Akihito shouted, clenching his fists.

“Oh? What kind of game?” Yanagihara rubbed his hands together in a “show me what you’ve got” way.

The owner immediately beckoned at Holmes. “Kiyotaka, explain it to them.” Apparently he didn’t want to deal with explaining the details himself.

Holmes seemed unimpressed as he walked over to the owner and stood next to him. “Well then, allow me to explain. The game Seiji Yagashira will be hosting is a treasure-hunting game.”

“Treasure hunting!” Everyone’s eyes lit up.

“We’re going to hand out a riddle that I created. Your task is to solve the riddle and find the hidden key to the treasure. Whoever wins will receive that pure gold key and a present from my grandfather.”

“Oooh!” everyone exclaimed.

“It’s a treasure hunt!”

“A pure gold key and a gift from the owner?!”

“Now this is worth trying for.”

The hall quickly filled with chatter. Holmes took a brown envelope out of a drawer. Presumably the riddle was in there.

I walked up to him and asked quietly, “Holmes, is this the game that Ueda suggested?”

Holmes smiled wryly and nodded. “Yes. Despite everything my grandfather said, it ended up being a simple, straightforward game.”

I giggled. Holmes took a bundle of papers out of the envelope and handed one to everyone. The paper was faded as if it were an old treasure map. The riddle was composed of five lines written in ink. I anxiously read them:

In Munch’s sight

The maiden’s time of embrace

The small country’s people whisper that I spin around

The key you search for does not travel

It merely waits for you there

Um, what? I thought.

“By the way, I had to make Kiyotaka rewrite this a bunch of times,” the owner said. “The stuff he comes up with is too hard, so it took a while to get it to a solvable level.” He laughed heartily.

Holmes tilted his head. “Isn’t this a bit too easy?”

N-No way! This text says where the treasure is, right? I can’t make heads or tails out of it. I looked at the riddle again.

The manager chuckled. “Everyone looks confused, Kiyotaka.”

Right, it wasn’t just me. Everyone was standing stock still, looking at the riddle.

“H-Hey, Holmes, I don’t get it!” Akihito shouted without looking up from his paper. Kisuke and Rei nodded in agreement.

“Let’s see... The treasure is hidden somewhere on the first floor. There are also hints scattered around this floor that will help you solve the riddle. Please look for them. You can also team up with others. We may provide extra hints depending on how people are progressing.” Holmes smiled.

The guests exchanged glances with each other.

“Kisuke, let’s work together,” Rei said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

“This makes no sense to me, Ueda. Let’s team up. I don’t want to lose,” Mieko insisted.

Ueda laughed and replied, “You’re really motivated, huh?”

Other people were walking around and talking to each other too.

Akihito came up to us and said, “Aoi, Yoneyama, let’s team up!”

Yoneyama shook his head apologetically. “Sorry, I’m on the organizing side. Kiyotaka asked me to be a monitor, so I already know the answer.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I don’t think the riddle is too hard to be solved. Do your best, guys.”

We stared at him in surprise. “It’s not too hard?”

“Umm, instead of reading the whole thing and being overwhelmed, I think you should try solving it one line at a time.”

Akihito and I looked at the riddle again. The first line was “In Munch’s sight.”

“Munch means that Munch, right?” Akihito opened his mouth wide and put both hands on his cheeks, mimicking Munch’s The Scream.

“I-I think so,” I said. “You didn’t have to imitate it...”

“Who cares? This is basically a challenge from the Holmes of Teramachi-Sanjo! I, Akihito Kajiwara—also known as the Shunsaku Kudo of Shijo-Karasuma—will solve this mystery!” He pointed his finger at Holmes.

“Shunsaku Kudo?” I tilted my head.

“It’s the name of the detective in an old TV series called Tantei Monogatari,” Holmes answered cheerfully. “He was played by Yusaku Matsuda.”

“Can you at least try to play along?!” Akihito exclaimed. We all burst out laughing, but a moment later, the other participants were back to discussing the riddle in their groups.

“This way, Aoi!” Akihito shouted, running out of the hall.

“H-Huh?” I chased after him, confused. Since Holmes said there were hints scattered around this floor, maybe Akihito noticed something conspicuous. Despite how careless he seems, he might actually be good at rising to the occasion. I was impressed by how he didn’t hesitate to go for it, but for some reason, he ran all the way to the end of the floor, took off his shoes, and continued upstairs.

Startled, I followed him. “Wait, are you going upstairs, Akihito?” I called. “He said that the hints and the treasure were all on the first floor.”

“You didn’t notice it, Aoi?”

“Huh?”

“When we went into Holmes’s room earlier, he hid something behind his back that was on the chest of drawers. He did it in a really natural way that ordinary people wouldn’t notice.”

“I-I didn’t realize.” But if it was in a way that ordinary people wouldn’t notice... “I’m impressed that you saw it then, Akihito.”

Akihito stopped in his tracks. “I’ve been on a lot of variety shows lately with famous magicians like Masamune, so I’ve had a lot of opportunities to observe their special techniques. The way Holmes moved earlier was really similar to how magicians move, which caught my interest.”

“I see.” So the way Holmes moved to hide that thing was the same as a magician.

“I thought for sure he was hiding a picture of his ex or something, so I didn’t say anything, but...”

I frowned, unable to believe what he was saying.

“...when I thought about it, I realized that he’s not the kind of guy who’d put up a picture of his ex. I think he probably left the answer sheet to the riddle there. That’s what he was hiding!”

“I-I see...”

“If we can find that, the riddle’s as good as solved! The treasure’s ours!” He pumped his fist.

The Shunsaku Kudo of Shijo-Karasuma uses cheap tactics...

“C’mon, Aoi!” He ran towards Holmes’s room.

If it really is a rough draft of the riddle that gives away the answer, I don’t think I’d like to win that way. But I don’t think Holmes would make something like that. I get the feeling that he was hiding something else. What was it, then? Something in his defenseless room that he didn’t think anyone else would enter... I’m curious, but I couldn’t possibly peek.

Not caring that I’d stopped following him, Akihito opened the door to Holmes’s room. The unlocked room was pitch black inside. Turning on the light revealed the mess that we saw before. Akihito went inside, careful not to step on the piles of books and documents. He looked on top of the chest and said quietly, “I think it was somewhere around here.” He put his hand on a light blue booklet.

My heart beat faster and faster until I couldn’t take it anymore, and I burst into the room to grab his arm. “I-I don’t think we should look at what he was hiding!” The force resulted in the booklet falling onto the ground, together with the thing that was hidden underneath it. “Oh no!”

“Crap!” Akihito quickly stooped over to pick up the booklet, revealing what Holmes had been hiding. Our eyes widened the moment we saw it.

It was a folding fan painted with autumn leaves. The words “I win” were written on it. I recalled what Holmes had said before: “This fan was originally mine. He wrote ‘I win’ all over it.”

“H-Hey, is this...?” Akihito looked at me in shock.

I nodded. Yes...this is Ensho’s fan. Holmes’s second encounter with Ensho was at Genko-an Temple. There, Ensho had thrust a folding fan at him, and he caught it and snapped it into two. The broken fan had been fully repaired. I didn’t notice the autumn leaves design back then...

Holmes wouldn’t have put this folding fan on display for the sake of reminding him of his determination to not lose to Ensho. If that were the case, he wouldn’t have hidden it from us.

Holmes couldn’t throw it away. He must’ve tried to many times, but he still couldn’t do it. I’m sure it was because he sensed artistic value in the letters and autumn leaves that Ensho painted. He sensed value in the work of the person he least wanted to acknowledge.

Ensho’s folding fan had been displayed on top of the chest of drawers. When I thought about how Holmes must’ve felt when he hid it from us, and his inner conflict of not being able to throw it away, my chest hurt.

Akihito and I silently put the fan and booklet back where they were and let out a deep breath. Then we heard quiet footsteps and Holmes appeared at the door. Startled, we whirled around.

“What do you think you’re doing, going into someone’s room without permission?”

“S-Sorry!” I hurriedly bowed.

Holmes shook his head. “I don’t mind if it’s you, Aoi. Akihito must’ve dragged you here, right? So, what were you doing here, Akihito?”

“Oh, sorry. I thought there might be a rough draft of the riddle or something,” Akihito answered shamelessly. Since it was the truth, it sounded very authentic.

“Why am I not surprised? However, there is no such thing here. I know that Detective Shunsaku Kudo will use any means at his disposal, but I did say that all of the hints were on the first floor.” Holmes sighed, exasperated.

“S-Sorry.” Akihito slumped his shoulders.

“Let’s return now.” Holmes swung the door open.

We nodded and left the room.

Back on the first floor, people were walking around mumbling to themselves and opening the art books that were neatly laid out on the table.

“Let’s follow Yoneyama’s advice and solve it one line at a time,” I said. “First, ‘In Munch’s sight.’ What is Munch looking at...?” I picked up a book about paintings from the resources that were provided. Kura had this book too—it was a pretty interesting one about the hidden stories behind paintings. I flipped through the book, thinking there might be a story behind Munch’s The Scream. I found the page right away and focused on the text:

Edvard Munch

The Scream

Many people mistakenly believe that the person in this painting is screaming, but this is not true. He is actually covering his ears. In that case, what is he hearing that’s making him cover his ears? Munch wrote the following diary entry about a real experience that he had:

“I was walking on a road with two friends, and the sun was setting. Suddenly, the sky turned blood red. I stopped, feeling extremely tired, and leaned on the fence. It was as if blood and tongues of fire were hanging over the blue-black fjord. My friends continued walking, but I stood there trembling with anxiety. It was then that I heard an infinite scream piercing through nature.”

So, The Scream depicts a man covering his ears upon sensing nature’s loud scream.

I exchanged looks with Akihito. In other words, Munch was looking at the sunset!

“W-Wait, does that mean there’s something on the west side of this house?” Akihito looked around the room.

“N-No, that’s not it. Remember the four paintings they put up for this party—Mucha’s?” I was referring to the series of lithographs that depicted four times of day.

“O-Oh, the evening painting!”

I nodded and went back towards the party hall. But, well...figuring out this much must’ve been easy, because all of the guests were already standing in front of the Evening Reverie lithograph with their slips of paper. They had puzzled looks on their faces.

The next line was...“The maiden’s time of embrace.”

Everyone was staring at the painting and mumbling to themselves.

“Maiden’s embrace, huh?”

“What’s that mean?”

“Is there a secret behind that painting?”

I looked at Evening Reverie too. The woman was resting her chin on her right hand. It seemed like she was gazing out the window, possibly at the sunset sky, or possibly at nothing... The word “reverie” was a perfect fit. It felt like she was daydreaming about something on a quiet evening. There must be a hint in here.

While everyone was gulping and straining their eyes to find the clue, Akihito was staring at the riddle and frowning. “Hey, Aoi,” he said.

“Yes?”

“When it says ‘time of embrace,’ does that mean duration?” He pointed at the word “time.”

“What?” Exasperated, I stopped what I was doing. “Why would you think that? It’s obviously...” Wait, I’d automatically assumed that it was referring to time of day, but that’s not necessarily the case. It could very well be “duration,” like Akihito said. What did Holmes mean by “time”? Is that the key to this riddle?

“The maiden’s time of embrace”

First of all, what is the maiden embracing?

...A reverie. Is there something that represents a time of reverie?

“What would a time of reverie be?” I murmured to myself.

Rei, who was nearby, widened her eyes at me. “Could it be Debussy?”

I looked up at her, surprised. “Debussy?”

“Yes—the length of Debussy’s Rêverie!”

Everyone gasped and pulled out their smartphones at once.

“Oops, I said that too loudly.” Rei slumped her shoulders. Well, it was also my fault for talking out loud without thinking.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Holmes chuckle as he watched us.

“Aoi, it says that Debussy’s Rêverie is about four minutes long,” Akihito whispered to me, holding his phone. I’m glad he’s being discreet, but...everyone here already figured that out.

Assuming that the maiden’s time of embrace is “four minutes”... Well, I don’t know what that means either, but let’s look at the third line.

“The small country’s people whisper that I spin around”

At a glance, I still didn’t know what it meant.

“Hey, what’s something that spins around?” Akihito whispered in my ear.

“Something that spins around...” Right, I’m sure it’s just referring to something that spins. Is there anything on the first floor that spins? I looked around the party hall.

“Oh!” Akihito said quietly. He grabbed my hand and pulled me along. “I figured it out, Aoi. It’s that,” he whispered closely into my ear.

Holmes walked up to us and forcefully grabbed Akihito’s shoulder. “Akihito, don’t you think you’re overly close to Aoi?”

“O-Ow! Wh-What else am I supposed to do? We can’t let anyone else hear our discussions.”

“To me, it looks like you’re using that as an excuse to be more intimate than necessary. Your sexual harassment is quite troubling.”

“Wh-What? Dude, it’s not like that. Where’d you even get that idea from?”

“If that’s the case, then all right. My apologies. Please enjoy the rest of the game.” Holmes let go of Akihito’s shoulder and bowed.

“The heck is with him?” Akihito said to me. “Does he think he’s your guardian?” He clicked his tongue. Then, while warily keeping an eye on Holmes, he leaned in to whisper, “Anyway, don’t you think that wall clock is fishy?”

“Wall clock?” I followed his eyes and saw the antique decoration that looked like a wall clock at first glance. “Oh, that’s not a clock. I think it’s something like a music box.” The moment I said that, I widened my eyes. Behind the glass door was a large disc above some small dolls and animals. Th-This is it!

Akihito and I exchanged looks and nodded at each other. We ran to the music box before anyone else noticed.

“Uhh, how do you spin this thing?” Akihito peered around the large music box, which was about as tall as he was.

“I’ll start it for you,” Holmes said. He quickly walked over and activated it. When the disc began spinning, the clear, high-pitched tones echoed through the hall—much louder than I’d expected. Everyone quickly turned to look at us. The dolls below the disc were rotating like a merry-go-round.

“It’s so pretty,” I murmured. “I’ve heard this song somewhere before.”

Holmes nodded lightly. “It’s called Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. This disc-playing music box was built by the Polyphon company in the nineteenth century. It’s made out of oak and walnut veneer. The dancing ceramic dolls haven’t been seen anywhere else, so they were likely specially commissioned by a wealthy person. This is another one of my grandfather’s treasures.”

The music lasted about two minutes. Nothing happened. Akihito and I exchanged glances again.

“U-Um, Holmes, can we inspect this music box?” I asked.

“Yes, as long as you’re gentle with it. Don’t pull on anything too hard.”

Having gained permission, we opened the glass door with a clack. The disc looked like a compass. I noticed a small box in the middle of the dolls that had been circling around and gasped—as did the other guests who’d gathered behind us. They stared at the music box, holding their breaths.

“A-Are you ready?” Akihito asked. I nodded firmly. It was a navy blue velvet box, the kind you’d expect to see a ring in. Akihito picked it up and gently opened it.

Inside...was not a golden key.

“Sorry, this isn’t it. Better luck next time☆”

It was Holmes’s “wrong answer” card. The message felt mildly irritating for some reason.

Akihito and I were both lost for words. Behind us, the guests all burst out laughing.

Kisuke put his hand on Akihito’s shoulder and said, “Sorry, Akihito. I figured it out.”

“Huh?”

“I know what ‘The small country’s people whisper that I spin around’ means. If it’s on the first floor...then it has to be this.” Kisuke walked so confidently across the hall that it was hard to believe he’d injured his leg a month ago. He placed his hand on the globe near the bay window. “I believe it’s referring to this.”

The design of the antique globe was completely different from the one my family had at home. It was sepia-colored and the country names were written in English. It looked like a stylish, retro decoration rather than a teaching tool.

“Oh!” everyone exclaimed.

Rei clapped her hands, her eyes gleaming. “You’re right! The countries on this little globe are very small, and it spins!”

I nodded in agreement. It really could be the right answer. Darn. It makes so much sense now that they’ve said it, but I hadn’t thought of it at all.

“I’ve actually seen a similar one at a friend’s house before. This globe isn’t just a globe—it’s a container. Watch this...” Kisuke opened up the globe with a pop.

“Ohhh!” Everyone—including me—was surprised. The globe really was a container, even though it wasn’t obvious at first glance. The inside seemed to be lined with gold leaf. It was like a secret compartment.

Kisuke took a small red box out of the globe.

“Damn, we lost to Kisuke?!” Akihito clenched his fists and ground his teeth in frustration.

“Sorry, Akihito, the treasure’s mine.” Kisuke smiled proudly and opened the box. Inside was...

“Nope, not here. Too bad for you♪”

Another “wrong answer” card from Holmes. This one felt even more annoying than the last one.

“What...?” Kisuke stood stock still. His gloating face instantly went pale. I felt bad, but I couldn’t help but laugh with everyone else.

Everyone’s eyes naturally turned to Holmes as we laughed. We all looked at him as if asking for help.

Holmes chuckled, picked up his riddle, and held it in front of us. “There’s no need to overcomplicate it. Please think about the direct meaning of the words. And make sure to read all the way to the end.”

Everyone looked at their papers again. I quietly read the riddle aloud: “In Munch’s sight, the maiden’s time of embrace, the small country’s people whisper that I spin around. The key you search for does not travel—it merely waits for you there.”

The first line was “In Munch’s sight.” We thought it referred to evening—Mucha’s lithograph Evening Reverie.

The second line was “The maiden’s time of embrace.” We assumed it referred to the length of Rêverie—four minutes.

The next lines said, “The small country’s people whisper that I spin around. The key you search for does not travel—it merely waits for you there.” We still didn’t know what it meant. Holmes said, “There’s no need to overcomplicate it. Please think about the direct meaning of the words.”

The small country’s people... What is the small country? The smallest country in the world is...the Vatican. I gasped and looked up. That has to be it. In other words, the people in the Vatican whisper that “I spin around.” I spin around...?

“Hahaha!” came a voice out of nowhere. “Sorry I’m late. I figured it out.”

I felt like I’d heard that voice somewhere before. We all looked towards it, confused. Standing there was a person who clearly looked like a young Buddhist priest with his ink black kimono and shaved head. He had a bold smirk on his face.

“E-Ensho?” I goggled at him. In the corner of my eye, I saw that Holmes had the same surprised expression as me, and Akihito had gone pale. Everyone else looked confused since they didn’t know who he was. Why is Ensho here? Seeing his amused smile put me in a cold sweat.

Ensho sneered at us and laughed. “Don’t make that face. I didn’t sneak in here—I got proper permission from Mr. Yagashira. Went and asked if I could join in on the fun when I heard about the party. This auntie over here let me in just now too.” He looked at Yoshie.

Yoshie slumped her shoulders and crossed her arms at being called “this auntie.” The owner had a slightly amused smile on his face but didn’t say anything.

“Now what brings you here?” Holmes asked in a chilly Kyoto accent. The icy aura he now gave off was the complete opposite of his demeanor just moments ago. I felt the peaceful party hall quickly growing colder.

“More importantly, lemme continue the treasure hunt.” Ensho continued to grin as he walked towards the bay window where the tin model cars were lined up. He picked up a specific one without hesitation, opened the door, and reached inside with his long fingers. “Bingo.” He smirked, holding a golden key.

“Ohhh!” The crowd roared.

“Wait, but why was it in that car?” Rei asked, tilting her head while clapping her hands.

Ensho grinned. “‘The small country’s people whisper that I spin around.’ The small country is the Vatican. The Holy See’s official language is Latin, and ‘I spin around’ refers to ‘volvo’—the Latin word for ‘I roll.’ Then if you take the length of Rêverie and convert it to seconds...”

“Oh!” the men shouted.

“Volvo 240!”

“So it was the Volvo 240!”

I knew nothing about Latin or cars, but I’d seen the label “Volvo 240” on one of the model cars. So those labels were clues all along. The key was inside the car, hence why the text mentioned traveling and waiting for us.

“I got my hopes up for your puzzle, Mr. Holmes,” Ensho said. “But it was too easy. What a letdown.”

“My apologies. If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve prepared one tailored for you. Anyway, you’re quite a cute child, coming in late and grabbing the best part for yourself.”

“Thanks.”

They looked each other in the eye and chuckled.

Rei was a bit distressed as she watched them from afar. “D-Do they not get along? Even though they’re both smiling, it’s terrifying.”

“Th-This goes beyond ‘not getting along,’ Rei,” Akihito whispered to her. He knew the situation between them well, so his expression was stiff.

“Well, it’s true that I was late,” Ensho said. “I’ll give the key to the young lady.” He placed the gold key on the table in front of me and turned to face Holmes. “Now, now, no need to be on edge. It’s a party! I’ve brought my own entertainment for us too.”

“Entertainment...?” Holmes asked.

“Uh huh.” Ensho nodded and picked up a large bag that had been left against the wall. He took out two wooden boxes, two hanging scrolls, a hammer, and a very thin knife, and laid them out. “This is an authenticity game between you and me, Mr. Holmes.” He stared straight at Holmes.

“Very well.” Holmes nodded with a stare that was just as sharp. Everyone in the hall gulped. “So what are the hammer and knife for? Might I employ these to beat your head in?”

“Now that’s scary—I don’t doubt you would, though. Instead, if you think something’s a fake, I want you to use these to break it immediately.”

“That’s a good idea. Being able to destroy it will keep the stress at bay.”

“Right?”

They looked at each other and smiled in the same way. The calm yet tense atmosphere rendered everyone else speechless. We watched them intently.

Ensho first picked up the two wooden boxes and took out the tea bowls that were inside. He placed them in the center of the table. The two black half-cylindrical tea bowls looked identical at first glance.

“Are those raku tea bowls?” Yoneyama murmured.

They did look like raku tea bowls. Holmes had taught me about them before. Raku ware dates back to the Momoyama period. In the sixteenth century, the founding father of the Raku family, Chojiro, produced them based on the three-colored pottery from China’s Ming dynasty. They were made to the liking of Sen no Rikyu, a Japanese tea master. Since they were handcrafted, they are valued for their thickness and slight deformations.

“Figure out which one’s real and smash the fake, will you?” Ensho grinned and handed Holmes the hammer.

Holmes silently took it and stared at the two tea bowls.

“Damn, they look exactly the same,” mumbled Ueda, who was standing behind me. Sadly, my eyes couldn’t tell the difference either. They probably look different to Holmes and the owner, right?

Holmes’s expression remained cold as he brought the hammer down on the one on the right without hesitation. The tea bowl broke cleanly in half. So the one on the right was the fake! Everyone gasped. Then, Holmes brought the hammer down on the left tea bowl as well.

“Unfortunately, both of them are fake,” he said. “It appears that you tried to imitate the style of Keinyu from the eleventh generation of the Raku family. You got close, but not all the way there. Keinyu was highly skilled and cultured—the tea bowls he created showed dignity and grace. I didn’t sense any of that from these.” He pointed at the broken tea bowls and smiled.

“Darn, I thought you’d fall for it if there were two.”

“I got my hopes up for your counterfeits, but it was too easy. What a letdown,” Holmes said, parroting what Ensho had said earlier.

Ensho narrowed his eyes in amusement. “As determined as ever, I see. How ’bout this one, then?” He picked up one of the hanging scrolls and unrolled it. It was a two-character calligraphy along with the writer’s name. I couldn’t read what the intense, twisting characters said.

“H-Hey, what does that say?” Akihito asked quietly to no one in particular.

The manager answered softly, “The characters mean ‘purity and impurity,’ and the writer’s name is Tesshu Yamaoka.”

“Tesshu Yamaoka?”

“Yes, he was a shogunate retainer from the Bakumatsu period until the Meiji period, as well as a royal official and a thinker,” the manager answered smoothly. As a history novelist, he certainly was knowledgeable. Impressed, I looked back at the calligraphy.

Holmes sighed and crossed his arms. “Purity and impurity? Another unpleasant word choice from you, I see.”

Akihito tilted his head as if asking, “What does he mean by that?”

The manager explained quietly again, “There’s a saying that goes, ‘an ocean drinks both clear and muddy water’—the sea refuses no rivers. It means to be broadminded and accept both good and evil without discriminating.” Everyone nodded in understanding.

Holmes sighed lightly and picked up the knife. “They’re well written, but your nature shows through here and here,” he said, pointing at the characters with the knife before slicing the scroll apart. Apparently this one was a fake too.

“Gee, are they all fake?” Akihito said in a disappointed tone.

Ensho chuckled. “Be patient. There’s only one more to go.” He picked up the last hanging scroll and slowly opened it. It was an ukiyo-e of a kabuki actor holding the hilt of a sword. The moment I set eyes on it, it felt like an electric current ran through my body. Is it because I’m an amateur...? The painting’s intensity made me hold my breath.

“Sharaku!” Ueda exclaimed from behind me. He likes ukiyo-e, so he must’ve recognized it.

“Y-Yes, this is Omezo Ichikawa,” Kisuke continued, nodding. Apparently that was the name of the person in the painting. As a kabuki actor, Kisuke must’ve recognized it too.

“Yep, here we’ve got a hand-painted Sharaku ukiyo-e.” Ensho grinned confidently at Holmes.

Holmes stared at the hanging scroll with a serious expression. Behind us, the owner was watching him with crossed arms. His face was expressionless—I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

A hand-painted Sharaku ukiyo-e... I recalled what Holmes had said before:

“Hand-painted ukiyo-e are one of a kind—they aren’t prints. They would be incredibly valuable nowadays.

“It was said that Sharaku’s original paintings had all been destroyed in a great earthquake, but a family of noble descent who called themselves Shunpoan revealed that they were in possession of them. A renowned appraiser named Professor Rinpu Sasagawa determined that the paintings were genuine, and it was considered the discovery of the century. They would’ve been worth the equivalent of hundreds of millions of yen.

“However, it was later found that they were all counterfeits that had been forged by a certain nefarious group. The professor’s reputation hit rock bottom...”

There weren’t supposed to be any original Sharaku paintings left in the world. The original Sharaku painting on a folding fan that was discovered recently in Greece was considered a miracle. So it shouldn’t be possible for this to be real, but...what’s with this intensity? Is it really possible for a counterfeit to feel like this? An original Sharaku painting had been found somewhere in the world, so you can no longer say for sure that it’s impossible.

Holmes silently stared at the ukiyo-e for some time before gently picking up the knife. We all exchanged glances with each other, holding our breaths. Holmes then strengthened his grip on the knife and slashed the hanging scroll with great force. The two halves floated to the ground.

Ensho snorted. “Too bad. That was real.” He stared at Holmes, his mouth twisting into a smile as if he couldn’t hide his delight.

Holmes’s eyebrow twitched. Everyone put their hands to their mouths, shocked speechless.

“Your knowledge and preconceptions got in the way, eh? The Shunpoan incident was the work of a nefarious group, but there actually was a noble family that had real Sharaku paintings. The trouble came about when some of them wanted to claim them for themselves. There’s a lot of things that happen in the world that never come to light... What you just slashed was a genuine Sharaku original painting,” Ensho said, seeming truly sad. He looked down at the ukiyo-e on the floor and stepped on it. “Well, either way, it’s not like I care.” He twisted his foot, crumpling the ukiyo-e.

Holmes said nothing.

This was real? Ensho said he didn’t care, but even I know how much a mystical original painting by Sharaku would be worth. It would be insane.

Silence took over the hall. Ensho smirked for a second before bursting out into laughter. “Hahaha! It was all a big lie.”

“Wh-What?” Akihito and I asked in unison. Everyone was bewildered.

“This is a real deal counterfeit painted by yours truly. I know what you were thinking just now, Mr. Holmes: ‘Oh no, how could I have cut up a real Sharaku painting?’ The way your face stiffened when I said it was real was glorious. Absolutely adorable.” He laughed and grabbed Holmes by the chin. “You really believed me, right? C’mon, let me hear it from your own mouth.”

Holmes expressionlessly grabbed Ensho’s wrist and twisted it. Ensho gasped and his face contorted in pain. Upon seeing that, Holmes’s face relaxed into a smile and he twisted even harder. “I think it’d be a good idea to break this annoying right hand.”

Ensho clicked his tongue and pushed Holmes away. “Violent as ever, I see. You really were trying to break it, eh?” He rubbed his right arm.

“Of course not. Breaking your arm right here wouldn’t satisfy me. What I actually wanted to do was drag you to the police by that annoying hand.”

“Go ahead and try.” Ensho immediately held out his right hand.

Holmes paused. “Well, I suppose you’d be able to escape. Ideally I’d have you turn yourself in.”

“Ah well, guess we’ll call it a draw this time. I ain’t gonna atone for my crimes ’til I’ve completely bested you. If you kneel on the ground and tell me you’ll quit being an appraiser, then maybe I’ll feel satisfied enough to turn myself in.”

“No, I’m going to completely best you until you give up on making counterfeits and turn yourself in.”

“Big talk for someone who got upset over a Sharaku counterfeit!”

“Oh? Do you really think this was a draw?” Holmes smiled, his eyes narrowing into slits.

Ensho frowned. “What was the clincher, then?” He crossed his arms and stared at Holmes.

Holmes wordlessly pointed at his own ear.

Ensho’s eyes widened. “Haha!” he laughed, before murmuring weakly, “So it was the ear...”

“Out of curiosity, why did you choose Sharaku for this match?”

“Why...?”

“Was it the cry of your heart? Did you want me to hear it? You really are like a young child on the inside. Absolutely adorable,” Holmes said, all smiles.

Ensho stared at him. “You really are”—he grabbed Holmes by the collar—“an annoying lad.”

Everyone went pale with shock, but Holmes seemed unperturbed. He grabbed Ensho’s collar back and said, “You don’t have to act immature just because I’m right.”

They both put more force into their hands as if trying to strangle each other. Everyone else was frozen in place.

My knees were trembling with fear too, but before I knew it, I’d run in between them, shouting, “S-Stop!”

Surprised by my sudden interruption, they let go of each other and looked at me.

“W-We’re in the middle of a party,” I continued. “Cut it out, both of you!”

“Aoi...” Holmes said.

“The authenticity game is over, right? This is the end of that, then. Ensho, please clean up your things!” I shouted, so nervous that I had no idea what I was saying.

The hall fell silent. Everyone stood stock still as if taken aback.

Ensho gaped at me before bursting out into laughter. “Fair enough. The party game’s over, so I gotta clean up. You’re right, little miss.” He chuckled and picked up the hanging scroll from the floor. He then glared at Holmes and said, “Remember this, Mr. Holmes: I hate your guts, to the point where I wanna tear you to shreds. Just you watch—I’ll break you down next time.”

“What a coincidence—I was thinking the same thing.”

The two of them continued to smile at each other, openly expressing their dark inner feelings. The rest of us watched over them, too overwhelmed to say anything.

6

Ensho disappeared after that, leaving the party in an awkward mood. However, Yoshie smiled brightly, clapped her hands, and said, “Now that the game’s over, shall we have dessert?” On cue, various small cakes and desserts were brought in. The party instantly returned to its cheerful atmosphere. There were sofas in the hall, and the staff dimmed the lights a bit and started playing jazz music.

The guests were talking excitedly about what had just happened.

“That match was a real sight to see, huh?”

“Who was that?”

“What was the owner’s prize, anyway?”

“Kiyotaka chose the prize. It’s a Bianchi road bike.”

“Ah, that’s nice. If I’d known the prize would be so good, I wouldn’t have accepted the job of monitor.”

“There’s also a sales catalog from a noble family.”

“I’ll pass on that...”

Everything was back to normal. Suddenly, I noticed that Holmes was nowhere to be found. I looked around the party hall, wondering if he’d gone out to the balcony. I went to the window and looked outside, but was interrupted by Ueda calling out to me from behind.

“Yes?” I turned around.

“Thanks for doing that.”

“Huh?”

“It should’ve been me or Takeshi that stopped ’em, but for some reason, we could only watch. It was a relief that you went in,” he said with a light chuckle.

I shook my head and said, “It was no big deal.” I smiled back at him. “You really are like Holmes’s second dad though, thanking me for that.”

“I guess I am. I don’t got kids of my own, but he’s special.”

“He’s your best friend’s son, after all.”

Ueda sighed. “It’s strange. Even though he’s not my kid, he still feels special ’cause he’s the kid of the woman I loved,” he mumbled as if to himself.

I blinked. “Huh?”

“This is just between you and me. When I was young, I had a crush on Takeshi’s girlfriend.”

I nodded, dumbfounded. I was lost for words at this unexpected story.

“’Tis a bittersweet memory from my bachelor days, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I hid my feelings and congratulated them when they got married. I was shocked when she got pregnant, but when Kiyotaka was born, I cried true tears of happiness. She really left us too soon...”

My chest ached at the sorrow in his eyes. Ueda had hidden feelings for his best friend’s wife... Maybe he felt conflicted because they loved the same woman, and that has something to do with why he’s trying so hard to get the manager to remarry.

“So, Kiyotaka’s special to me.”

He must care about Holmes a lot because of his feelings for Holmes’s mother.

“As you can see, he’s a real oddball, but stay friends with him, all right?” Ueda grinned.

“O-Okay.” I nodded.

While I was absentmindedly watching Ueda walk away, Akihito approached me and said, “Hey, where’d Holmes go?”

“I-I’m not sure. I was about to look for him too.”

“He’s got a moody side to him, so he might be bashing his head against a wall right now.”

“N-No, I don’t think so...”

We left the party hall in search of Holmes. I noticed an open door at the back of the entrance hall and quickly walked over. The lights weren’t on in the room, so it was only lit by moonlight. Holmes was standing at the window.

“S-See, I told you he was moody.” Akihito shivered.

“H-Holmes?” I called out timidly.

Holmes slowly turned around. “Oh, it’s you two. Did something happen?”

“We didn’t see you, so...” I was worried that he might’ve been depressed from what happened during the competition.

“You were worried, right?” He looked down at me with gentle eyes.

I nodded.

“I was reflecting by myself, since you scolded me.”

“I-I didn’t mean to. Sorry, my mind went blank, and I jumped in without thinking.” I hurriedly bowed.

Akihito laughed. “I thought for sure you were gonna say, ‘Get your hands off of Holmes!’ but instead you said, ‘Cut it out, both of you!’”

That was so embarrassing. “B-But both of you were at fault, right?” I asked, shrinking back.

Holmes nodded. “Yes, you’re right. Thank you. It’s because of you that we both calmed down.”

Akihito’s eyes widened. “Both of you?”

“Yes. As much as I hate to admit it, he and I are similar. Just like how two of the same magnetic poles will repel each other, he and I will always overreact when we run into each other. Aoi’s scolding cooled my head a bit.”

They’re completely different, yet similar. Perhaps they’re a pair of opposites, like light and shadow...

“So that got you feeling moody, and you were reflecting on yourself in a dark, moody room? Man, that’s so gloomy.”

“No, I was just admiring the moon while listening for the New Year’s Eve bells.”

“Huh? It’s not that late, is it?” Akihito looked down at his watch.

“Chion-in Temple starts their one-hundred-and-eight rings at 10:30, so it’s already begun. Oh right, would you like to do the first shrine visit of the year now?”

“Right now?”

“It’s a bit of a walk, but I think if we head to the Gion one now, we’ll arrive just in time.”

We nodded eagerly at his suggestion.

“Y-Yes, let’s go!”

“Yeah!”

“By the way, which shrine is ‘the Gion one’?” I asked.

“It’s Yasaka Shrine,” Holmes answered. “It’s in Gion and used to be called Gion Shrine, so many people still call it that.”

“Oh yeah, they do,” Akihito said.

We put on our coats and left the Yagashira house.

“Brr!” The cold air permeated my body. But...

“Let’s go.” Holmes’s refreshing smile made me feel truly relieved.

“Man, I thought you’d be more depressed. Are you faking it?” Akihito asked rudely.

Holmes smiled cheerfully. “No, I feel much better than I did last time.”

“Huh?” Akihito and I both blinked in surprise.

“The Sharaku counterfeit was painted astonishingly well. It wasn’t even comparable to the previous items or the Zuiryu calligraphy at Nanzen-ji Temple. He must’ve embodied Sharaku to an incredible extent.”

Akihito and I nodded.

“He also has an exceptional talent for paintings above all else. His Hunt counterfeit was captivating too, and the ukiyo-e painting this time radiated the intensity of a genuine article. To be honest, I faltered for a second. Genuine Sharaku paintings shouldn’t exist, but the work was so compelling that I entertained the possibility that one could’ve been discovered somewhere. It was only for a second, though,” he emphasized. “However, I quickly found a difference.”

“Really?” Akihito asked.

“Yes, because the owner and I went to see the hand-painted folding fan that was found in Greece.”

I leaned in and asked, “Was the difference the ear, like Ensho said?”

Holmes nodded. “Yes, it was.”

“Come to think of it, this isn’t the first time you’ve said something about ears,” Akihito said. “Do you have an ear fetish?”

“No, but Sharaku had a habit of drawing ears with five lines.”

“Ensho didn’t?”

“Ensho used the same five lines, but in his case, I could tell that it was done consciously rather than as a habit.”

“So from the ear, you could tell that it was drawn by Ensho himself?” I asked.

Holmes nodded and said, “Yes.”

Even though Ensho was in a trancelike state, having “become” Sharaku, he put extra effort into the ear, which was one of Sharaku’s characteristic areas. Holmes had picked up on that.

“That said, he was right that I was shaken for a split second when he said it was real. So I don’t see it as a complete victory.” Holmes smiled bitterly.

Akihito burst out laughing. “Yeah, you totally froze up.”

“Yes, that is my only regret.”

In their last clash, Holmes had technically won, but he was frustrated because he was unsatisfied with the way he did so. This time, Ensho declared it a draw, but Holmes believed that he had won. Maybe Ensho’s the one who’s frustrated now.

“But most importantly, I don’t think I could’ve possibly cut it up like that if it were real,” Holmes murmured with a gentle smile.

Akihito tilted his head, apparently not understanding what Holmes meant by that. He put his hands on the back of his head as he walked.

I think I know what Holmes is saying. Holmes judged it to be a counterfeit, and when he picked up the knife, he must’ve left the final decision to his own instincts. If he tried to cut it but stopped at the last second, then that would mean his body and soul recognized it as genuine...but he did manage to cut it. In other words, his body and soul decided that it was fake.

In fact, there was something that Holmes couldn’t cut: the folding fan that Ensho had written on... Emotionally, he wanted to cut it apart and throw it away. But he couldn’t. It was because the painting that Ensho had poured his own soul into without imitating anyone else was art, without a doubt. That’s what I learned from that fan. Those two really are fated to clash...

“You asked him if he chose Sharaku because it was the cry of his heart—what was that about?” I asked quietly.

Holmes smiled awkwardly. Judging from his expression, I could kind of tell that he was embarrassed about that immature outburst.

“Do you remember what I said about Sharaku being a mysterious artist?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Mysterious artist?” Akihito tilted his head.

“He appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared after ten months,” I explained. “His identity was unknown, but the leading theory is that he was a Noh actor, right?”

“Yes, the Noh actor named Jurobei Saito.”

“Noh actors weren’t allowed to have secondary jobs, so he kept it a secret, right?” I asked.

Holmes nodded. “That prohibition was completely different from how it is today. There was no telling what the consequences would’ve been. So, Sharaku hid his identity, gambling with his life in order to paint. Do you know what that means?” He looked at me and Akihito, and we gulped.

“That’s how badly he wanted to paint, right?” I asked.

“Yes, I believe so. He couldn’t hold back his instinct as an artist—the desire to paint. Then, as his paintings became more and more popular in society, it became even more impossible for Jurobei Saito to reveal that he was Sharaku. He enjoyed it at first, but the longer he hid it, the more painful it became. He wanted to declare that he was the one who painted those paintings. I felt an overlap between Sharaku’s hidden feelings and Ensho’s feelings as a counterfeiter who could never go public with his work.”

The painful feelings of wanting to be seen... Judging from Ensho’s outrage, Holmes must’ve struck a nerve when he said that.

“I see,” Akihito said beside me, hands still behind his head. “He should just quit counterfeiting like Yoneyama did, then.”

Holmes chuckled lightly. “Indeed. I understand how he feels, though...” His voice dropped to a murmur for his next words. “He can’t give up just yet.”

7

It was supposed to be a thirty-minute walk from the Philosopher’s Walk to Yasaka Shrine, but since we were talking and laughing about various things, it felt like much less time had passed when I spotted the shrine’s two-storied gate. The illuminated vermilion gate seemed to be floating in the darkness of night. The row of paper lanterns continued to the west, where the Gion shopping district was bustling with people. I noticed this during the Gion Festival too—it was a very Japanese scene, and yet it all felt magical, as though I’d wandered into another world. I stared at it in awe.

Holmes peered into my face. “Are you surprised by how many people there are?”

“This is normal for New Year’s Eve,” Akihito said. “I bet Meiji Shrine’s even worse, right?”

“Y-Yes, I expected it to be crowded since it’s New Year’s Eve. It’s just that this scenery feels strange and magical to me since I grew up in Kanto... I’m glad that these historical sights are still around even though generations have passed. It might be selfish of me, but I want Kyoto to stay as much an old city as possible,” I whispered, gazing at the vermilion gate and the streets of Gion. It feels like a miracle that all of these ancient things are still here today...

“I agree,” Holmes said. “I think that Kyoto allowed Tokyo to be the new capital precisely because it wanted to protect its history.”

Kyoto “allowed” Tokyo to be the new capital? I almost burst out laughing at how typically “Kyoto” that phrasing was. He’s right, though. If Kyoto stayed the capital, it would’ve had to globalize to follow the rest of the world. Skyscrapers would’ve been built; temples and shrines would’ve been pushed to the side... It never would’ve been able to stay the way it is now. Maybe the gods dwelling in the shrines and temples here relinquished the capital in order to protect this land, I thought, influenced by the mystical scenery before my eyes.

I heard the gong of a bell come from far away. It wasn’t the bell at Chion-in Temple.

“That’s Nanzen-ji Temple’s bell,” Holmes explained.

“You can hear theirs from here too, huh?” Akihito asked.

“The faint bells coming from different directions make for a nice atmosphere,” I remarked.

We merged into the crowd of people entering Yasaka Shrine.

“Yasaka Shrine really is popular,” I said. “Look at all of these people!”

“Yes, I usually don’t come here during New Year’s,” Holmes replied.

“Yeah, all of the locals avoid it,” Akihito added.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes, but I think everyone should visit at least once,” Holmes said. “I wanted you to experience the okera mairi, Aoi.” He looked at a lantern in the shrine grounds that was lit with a bonfire. There was an even bigger crowd of people surrounding it. Next to the lantern was a sign that said “Okera Fire.” The people were holding things that looked like ropes and lighting them with the fire.

“What’s okera mairi...?” I asked.

“Okera is a medicinal herb. In this tradition, okera roots are burned and visitors light those good fortune ropes with the fire and bring them home. The flame can be transferred to a candle in a household shrine or used to boil soup. It’s a prayer for good health. Also, even if the flame goes out, the rope becomes a protective charm. Additionally, the ropes are only distributed from 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 5 a.m. on New Year’s Day.”

“W-Wow, I didn’t know there were traditions exclusive to New Year’s Eve.” Lighting ropes on fire seemed dangerous, but upon closer examination, I saw that it was only the tips of the ropes that glowed red—like when you light incense sticks. Many people were rotating the tips so that the flame wouldn’t go out.

“It seems kinda dangerous though,” Akihito said.

“Yes, so please be careful.”

When we finally reached the bell, we gave our offerings and clapped our hands together. I mentally gave thanks for the year. A lot happened, but it was a great year. I’m really thankful...

After giving thanks, we left the line of people. The three of us looked at each other and bowed, saying “Happy new year.”

“Here’s to another year!”

“Well, don’t get too ahead of yourself.”

“C’mon, don’t make that the first thing you say to me this year. By the way, my New Year’s resolution is to work hard in both my public and private life.”

“That’s a good goal for you. What’s yours, Aoi?”

I hesitated at the sudden question. “M-My goal for the year? I haven’t thought about it yet... Oh right, I want to be able to drink coffee black.” I clenched my fists, determined.

Holmes and Akihito exchanged glances and laughed.

“Wait, why’re you laughing?”

“That’s not something you have to declare, right?” Akihito said.

“You’re trying to grow up, right?” Holmes said in a jokingly earnest tone, placing his hand on his chest as if touched.

I blushed. “I-I’m sorry my goal is just to grow up.”

“It’s fine. In that case...” Holmes walked over to where the staff were distributing ropes and came back with three of them. “Let’s get our okera flames and use them to make coffee. My family’s Yasaka apartment is close by.” He handed us the ropes.

“Oh, sure!” I agreed eagerly. “I’ve been wanting to see your Yasaka apartment.”

“Boiling water with the okera fire and using it to drink the first coffee of the new year? That sounds like it’ll bring good luck—and be delicious,” Akihito said.

“Yeah!”

Yasaka Shrine was getting more crowded by the minute. We received our flames and carefully walked through the shrine grounds.

“Let’s leave through the south gate,” Holmes said, leading us to the relatively less crowded entrance. Apparently the flashy vermilion gate that the shrine was known for was the west gate. In contrast, the south one was a simple torii gate made of stone.

“You take the south gate when you’re going to Kiyomizu-dera, right?” Akihito asked, looking up at it.

Holmes nodded. “Yes. The apartment where my father and I live is over there.” He pointed at a nearby building that was on the way to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. It had a modern-looking, dark brown exterior that seemed to be made of brick. Its calm ambiance blended in with the surrounding scenery.

“Huh, it’s not new, but it looks like a nice building,” Akihito remarked. “You can see Yasaka Tower from there, right?”

“Yes, my father is very proud of that. However, inside, it’s just an ordinary three-bedroom apartment.”

We walked to the apartment, rotating the ropes to keep the okera flames alive.

“Oh right, what’s your New Year’s resolution, Holmes?” I asked, realizing that he hadn’t told us yet.

Holmes stopped to think, a distant look in his eyes. “I was pathetic last year, so I want to do better this year,” he said quietly yet firmly.

He must be referring to Ensho. Akihito and I nodded in understanding.

The one-hundred-and-eight bells were still echoing across Gion’s sky. It was a gentle sound, as if they were accepting all of the feelings hidden in this floating world.