Calm Days, Gentle Waves

"Hmm, it's that time of the year again, huh? Sometimes, time goes by without you knowing it..."

As she passed him by, Helena heard Kido mumbling to himself. Before that, he was looking at the calendar, which showed that August had begun.

He hadn't told her if something was coming up, and she'd usually hold back and wait. But this time, she could not resist asking away, having been getting comfortable doing so.

"What is it, Kido-san?"

His gaze lingered on the calendar for a while before Kido finally answered.

"Oh, nothing much; I just remembered it's almost time for Obon..."

"Ah, I see. It's August, after all," Helena nodded; having done her share of cultural learning, she was well aware of what Obon was.

She knew why Kido looked wistful when he talked about it. She knew, without a doubt, it must be from the regret of not being able to come home and tend to his family's grave—the war that raged years before had made it impossible.

"Now that the war is over...you can go home, Kido-san," Kido heard Helena speaking. As he looked at her, now standing by his side, he saw the understanding smile on her face.

"Of course. I don't want to let my parents down now. Besides, my aunt will need help cleaning graves and all. And one more thing, we are going; I will not go alone. It's about time, after all."

"Oh," Helena hummed her response. "Time for what, exactly?" She asked after a pause. She could already guess the answer, but she wanted to ask and hear it from Kido himself.

"It's time to introduce you to my family, of course. My aunt must have been getting antsy after I told her I got married in my last letter. I bet she didn't see that one coming; I didn't tell her to whom, though. I wanted to surprise her," Kido replied with a sly grin, which soon turned into a hearty laugh. He was pleased, Helena noted, as he mentioned the marriage.

For the most part, she managed to remain composed.

Even then, Helena knew she was blushing, and her heart was racing when she heard that very word, despite being aware they were not married in the traditional sense.

But she didn't mind it now; she wouldn't mind it in the future, either.

After all, they're happy.

***

A little over a week later, after an uneventful journey, they arrived at Shimoda Port. As she got off the ship, the only one making a landing then, Helena realized she hadn't been at sea for quite some time.

Walking the pier, she could hear the cries of seagulls. They circled the skies above, looking for food amidst the sweltering heat. That sight and a glimpse at the distant waters brought her back to the time when she was a full-fledged KANSEN.

It was a time when the seas were nothing but battlefields, where she and her comrades risked life and limb—when they were seen as nothing but weapons.

While that thought began to slip into her mind, Helena felt Kido tapping on her shoulder, intending to pass her a hat to protect her head from the almost punishing heat. When he did, Helena saw the glint from the ring on his finger and her own as the sunlight fell on them.

Looking at them, she remembered how easy it was to let go of such painful memories—the excess baggage she did not need for the rest of her life's journey.

Beaming, she reached for his hand before he had the chance to back away, wrapping her fingers around it and holding it tight.

The action took Kido by surprise. Yet—as if he understood the meaning behind it—he stayed silent and smiled back.

As they were about to leave the port area, Helena took one last glance at the sea.

It was calm.

Her heart was light as a feather.

***

The town was quiet, particularly compared to the hustle and bustle of the Imperial Capital, and the streets were nearly devoid of people and automobiles. Helena believed she could count the number of people they had passed by on their way if she wanted to.

The chilling silence did not last long.

When they had traveled further into town, they were welcomed by a chorus of screeching noise—the sound of the cicadas hiding among the trees and the blooming hydrangeas, littering the streets with the husks they shed.

Cicadas weren't quite as musically inclined as crickets, and the sound they were making was not as pleasant. Yet Helena held some kind of appreciation for it. After all, no other sound meshes quite as well with sunlight streaming through the trees that formed a dappled shade on the ground.

It was the kind of scenery people must have found pleasant as well since they had a specific word for it.

'Komorebi'

When she first learned of the word, she felt that somehow, there was a sense of longing hidden within it.

In that way, she thought it was the appropriate backdrop for someone returning to their hometown after a long yearning—like the man beside her.

She wondered if he thought of the same thing.

"You can't listen to this kind of natural noise anymore in Tokyo, huh? What a shame. Growing up here, I could hear them just about every day...nowadays, just once a year..." Kido spoke, recalling a part of his childhood. They ended up stopping to listen to the distinct sound as it intensified.

"Of course not, with all the activities in it," Helena said amidst the noise, and Kido laughed.

"Well, as the old saying goes, 'fires and fights are the flowers of Edo.' People of Tokyo are not ones to take things easy," he replied, remembering they would have to leave soon. Not without regret, but he reminded himself he would have plenty of opportunities to listen to them again later. And besides, the noise was starting to overwhelm his auditory senses.

Not that he would hate it. The noise, in reality, was a mating call. It was essential for the cicadas' continuous existence, after all.

Helena responded with a laugh as well, albeit softer. "I'm glad they didn't rub off on you, Kido-san," she stated, "though sometimes I do feel you're...how should I put this...too easygoing."

"What, you want me to change? Like, into some all-work, go-home-once-a-week guy getting his first wrinkles by age forty? Sure, we can arrange that," Kido challenged in jest, putting on a stone-like face for good measure.

The entirety of his pretense crumbled as soon as the sound of giggling resonated like music in his ears.

Somehow, he could hear it well amidst all the noise.

"If you do, I will not be happy about it...you don't want that, do you...?" Helena said between giggles, which she covered with the sleeve of her garment. Her laughter stopped soon after, yet when she uncovered her mouth, a content smile remained, along with a slight tint of pink on her cheeks.

Instead of replying right away—she didn't appear to mind anyway—Kido looked back at Helena.

He reminded himself that the happy girl with the melodious laugh before him was the brooding person he first met years ago, about to cry alone in an isolated corner, reeling under the pressure of conflict.

But those days were long past, he assured himself.

She has remained strong ever since.

There were, of course, occasional moments of vulnerability; even the strongest was not invincible.

She got over them rather quickly, nonetheless.

She had always been stronger than she thought she was.

It was all thanks to her friends, he remembered her saying. "And especially you," a voice inside his head helpfully added; it reminded him she did say that, singling him out. As the thought crossed his mind, he looked away, for some reason feeling embarrassed about the whole thing.

"Of course, I won't let you be unhappy," Kido finally said, drawing a breath to recollect his thoughts and looking back at Helena, "not after what you went through," he added under his breath.

Despite the hat shading her face, the rosy hue on Helena's cheeks was vivid enough to be seen, now no longer faint.

"I know," she whispered her answer. "I know."

***

"So I haven't asked you this, but are you nervous? Meeting my aunt and all," Kido spoke as they entered the neighborhood, which, in many ways, was livelier than the streets they had walked before. Hearing this, Helena turned her attention from the surroundings back at him.

"A little, but I trust what you've said about her, Kido-san."

"Ah, yeah; she's, well, a bit awkward and odd but actually very nice..." Kido let out a somewhat off-sounding laugh and waved at several women, some elderly, some young, congregating together as they kept watch over a group of bug-hunting children. They waved back at him and even smiled at Helena.

And though she was surprised, Helena did not hesitate to reciprocate.

A few paces later, they stood in front of a modest but well-tended house. Kido heaved a relieved sigh as he looked around the lawn. The Oshima cherry trees, the beds of hydrangeas, even the grass—they were as he remembered them when he first left for Tokyo.

"Didn't change at all; she's conservative like that, yeah," he said, turning to face the door and drawing a deep breath.

"Auntie!" He bellowed as loud as he could, almost causing the unsuspecting Helena, in the middle of admiring some of the flowers, to jump.

She had a mind to chide him about it but held back as they heard a clattering of steps coming from within and the sound of something being knocked over, landing with a thud instead of breaking apart.

Before long, the front door slid open, revealing an astounded-looking woman. Her surprise did not last long; upon seeing Kido, she immediately sprang forward, drawing him into a tight embrace before he could say anything. Even then, Kido offered no resistance and returned the gesture.

"You're finally home, Tomoya," the woman finally spoke, addressing Kido by his given name. Helena noted that this was the first time she heard someone call him that—In part out of respect and out of habit, even she would only call him by his surname.

"Yeah. It's been a while, huh?"

Helena found the scene both heartwarming and somewhat amusing, particularly as the woman, despite letting Kido go, began to fuss over him, completely unaware of her presence. She used the opportunity to rehearse how she would introduce herself.

"And this is...?"

Helena's train of thought went to a sudden halt when she noticed the woman staring at her, one hand slowly moving over her mouth. But as she did, she quickly removed it, revealing a shaky smile underneath.

Helena had expected Kido's aunt to be someone older, but now, after she looked closer, the woman was surprisingly younger than she thought—not even forty, she guessed. She looked meek and weary, but not to the extent it would make her older than she really was.

"This is my wife, whom I mentioned in the letter," Kido, who had moved behind Helena unnoticed, spoke for her before she had the chance to do so. He put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a light pat as he did. "Her name is Helena. Helena, this is my aunt, Nagai Sumire."

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Nagai-san," Helena added, having collected herself. She followed it with the saikeirei, a very deep bowing, and a display of the highest degree of respect.

While Kido thought the gesture was a little excessive, he noticed his aunt seemed to be, at least, a little touched.

"...Oh...I see...ah, likewise," the woman awkwardly bowed back before straightening herself up. "So...you are...He...Rena?"

Helena flashed a small smile as she did the same and now saw the woman eye to eye. Pretty much everyone she came to know in the Empire, it seemed, would always have difficulty pronouncing her name the first time. After a while, most managed, though.

For those who didn't, she'd usually tell them the same thing.

"Just Rena is fine, Nagai-san."

***

As the three entered the house, a batch of cucumbers and eggplants, along with a large number of chopsticks sprawled on the dining table, caught Kido's attention, and his face brightened noticeably.

"Ah, are those..."

"Yes, they are for Shouryou-uma. I put them there for you," Sumire replied with an amused smile before turning to Helena.

"I'm sorry about, you know, my lack of manners earlier," she said, shifting her look between the direction of what Helena presumed was the kitchen and the KANSEN. "Um, well, I'll show the rooms for you two later. I'm in the middle of preparing for tomorrow right now."

"Let me help you then," Helena promptly offered, only for Sumire to refuse.

"Thank you, but you are a guest, Rena-san, so that won't be necessary. Ah...please, excuse me."

She soon disappeared from sight without further word, nimbly slipping through the doors.

Helena, noticing Kido beckoning her from his seat, joined him on the table, sitting opposite him. He was sticking pieces of chopsticks into a cucumber to form two pairs of legs and setting it down when he was done. When he was satisfied, he turned to Helena.

"...So, that's my aunt. What do you think about her...?"

Helena gave out a soft sigh. It might be intentional, it might not be, but the woman's manner of speaking was peculiar. She will not deny the woman was polite, but underneath it all, there was something else.

"Leave me alone."

That was really what the woman was desperate to say.

"...A little...guarded," Helena replied cautiously after a while.

"I know," Kido nodded. "She's always like that."

"It's also because I'm a KANSEN, isn't it?"

"I can't say...But I'm not surprised if that's the case. Does that...trouble you...?"

As she absently took an eggplant and began sticking pieces of chopsticks on its underside as Kido did earlier, Helena shook her head.

"...That I'm a KANSEN is not something I can change," she answered while examining her handiwork before placing it down beside the cucumber. A cucumber horse, as she recalled—a vehicle for the ancestors' spirits, allowing them a speedy entry to the world of the living. Hers was an eggplant cow for them to return to the realm of the dead in leisure.

"...You don't have to anyway," Kido concluded, staring at both the horse and the cow. Quite the curious pairing when stripped of the underlying meaning.

Allowing himself a short laugh at the thought, Kido then took another piece of cucumber. He handed it to Helena before taking another.

"...Still, I hope I could get her to warm up to me," Helena said as she made short work of the vegetable and set it down just as Kido did.

"Once she realizes how earnest you are, she will."

***

When Helena woke up the next day, she was greeted by an eager, smiling face. As the clock nearby showed, it was only thirty past six, yet Kido was already fully dressed, wearing a light-colored kimono and a plain hakama. Family traditions, as he explained the day before when she saw him looking over a row of nearly identical garments.

"Good morning," he bade her a brief yet enthusiastic greeting while running a hand over her disheveled hair up to her ever-persistent cowlick, liking the feeling of it. The act prompted a startled yelp from her, though she did nothing to stop him otherwise.

As it was more of a display of affection than something practical, the action unsurprisingly failed to set the straying locks straight, though it did not bother any of them one bit.

"Some bedhead you have here."

"...Yes, but it's nothing new," Helena responded and did some stretches before getting up from the futon. She woke up feeling more refreshed than usual, most likely because they went to bed earlier last night. After a quick search of her bag, she found a comb and went to untangle her hair.

"Auntie went ahead of us, so as soon as you are ready, we will catch up with her. Take your time to get ready; I'll wait for you outside," Kido told Helena. After she acknowledged the remark with a nod, he went out of the room.

The room they occupied had only sparse furnishings and apparently belonged to Kido's late parents. Sumire had insisted that they use it, reasoning it was the only one spacious enough for two to sleep in comfort.

When she was done with her hair—save for the cowlick, which immediately sprung up again—she went to change into a hemp kimono. And after she was satisfied with her appearance, Helena wasted no time heading outside.

As she walked out the door, she found Kido waiting for her with an old-looking bicycle—most likely manufactured before the war—by his side, a cloth bag hanging by the handle. Apart from random patches of rust on its jet-black coating, it appeared to be in good condition.

"Good thing we kept this thing around, so we don't have to walk all the way to the cemetery. And besides, riding in the morning feels great, you know?"

Helena laughed. "I wouldn't know. I can't ride a bicycle," she admitted.

"Even if you can, there's only one bicycle here. You can come along for the ride in the back of this big ol' boy."

"Are...you sure...?" Helena cast an incredulous look at the contraption. It seemed big enough for two, yet that wasn't enough to ease her concern. With human-powered vehicles, keeping balance with the added weight of another adult was difficult, or so she heard.

"I had plenty of practice," Kido replied, aware of the concern. "Even back then, I'd carry Auntie from place to place. And you know what? I'm sure she weighs more than you do."

Helena frowned at the jest—as good-natured as it was, she found it rather rude—but her expression soon softened.

"That wasn't very nice."

"I know. But it did convince you, did it not?"

"I've to admit it did."

As Helena found out later when they were cruising through the streets—now significantly busier than yesterday—Kido wasn't bragging. He maintained his balance with little trouble, even with her sitting sideways in the back, clinging onto his waist as tightly as she could like he told her to.

The caress of the morning breeze dispelled the remaining traces of reservations she had, and, basking in the comfort of the moment, she silently wished that the peaceful feeling would not go away too soon.

Much to her regret, the ride to the temple cemetery was shorter than Helena had expected. Still, she left it unsaid as she followed Kido through the stone pathway, past the many graves left and right, until they reached the one where his parents' ashes were laid to rest.

There, Sumire was already waiting for them; by her feet was a pail filled with water, a clean rag hanging over its rim, and a ladle placed inside. She also carried a basket full of offerings.

She offered the pair a hasty smile, and turning to Kido, she asked, "You don't forget to bring it, don't you?"

"Definitely not; they are all here," he replied, showing the woman the cloth bag. Sumire nodded in approval as she hoisted the pail up.

"Well then, I will clean the graves, and then we can proceed with the offerings..."

Before Sumire could even begin to move, a hand—rough and calloused, not unlike hers— gently caught her by the wrist. When she turned to the owner, she found Helena smiling at her.

"Please let me do it," Helena said to the woman, who, at that moment, was already looking at her nephew, her mouth opening and closing—yet no words came out.

Seeing the look Kido gave her in response, Sumire knew right away that trying to refuse would be a losing battle. Though her reluctance did not go away entirely, she ended up giving Helena the pail, watching her moving away towards the grave; as she passed by Kido, both gave each other a silent nod.

"This is another one of your ideas, wasn't it, Tomoya?" Kido heard his aunt speaking as he went to her side. At a distance, Helena was meticulously pouring water over the tombstone, little by little.

"Ah, no, it wasn't my idea. It was hers," Kido answered, glancing at Helena kneeling before the tomb to scrub the stone, leaving no corner untouched as she did. Even after she was done, she went to clean it all over again.

"But why would she do that...?"

"Well..." There was a significant pause as Kido turned to look at Helena again, seeing her collecting fallen leaves scattered among the tomb. The sun had been shining earlier than he'd expected that day, and the air had gotten progressively hotter.

But Helena was unperturbed, too focused on her self-imposed task.

"...She's a good person; that's why she wants to help. She doesn't want you to do all the work."

Looking back at Sumire, Kido saw her growing restless, as though she was struggling to find something to say while he waited patiently for her answer. Though, when she said something, at last, he was disappointed.

"...Is that...why you...keep her...?"

"That's a cruel question; she doesn't belong to anyone. She's her own person," Kido refrained from raising his voice; though the thought did cross his mind briefly, he certainly did not want to yell at his only relative. After all, she seemed to realize her mistake and quickly apologized.

"No, that's not what I meant to say, Tomoya. Forgive me...It's just..."

"I understand what you are thinking; she's not like us, I know that. But..." Holding the woman's free hand, Kido looked her straight in the eyes, even though he knew such an act would be considered impolite. "But it doesn't matter to me."

"I just want to make sure you're happy, and..."

"I am happy; she makes me happy."

Kido did not expect it, but Sumire did not speak any further after that. For a moment, she did look at him intently as if trying to determine the extent of the remark.

Still holding the woman's hand, Kido looked at Helena for the third time; she seemed to have noticed, for she waved lightly at him. He took that as a sign she was done with her work.

"Ah, Helena's finished with cleaning...it's about time to give offerings, auntie," Kido told Sumire, removing his hand from hers. She didn't move and lowered her head instead.

"You go; I'll wait until you're done," she said.

"...And why is that?"

"Aren't you angry at me? For all the things I've said?"

Sighing, Kido took the woman's hand once more, forcing her to look up.

"Drop it. I'm not. And besides, even if I am, I won't be mad for long. You are family. Now, let's go before they get too restless."

She made no further resistance as Kido pulled her along.

***

Helena watched as Kido placed a sakaki branch before the tombstone before pouring sake into a cup near it. Sumire was behind him, waiting.

"Drink up, Dad," he said with a chuckle. Afterward, he took a can of Sakuma Drops from the cloth bag and put it down as well. "And here's your favorite candy, mom."

Just as Helena wished there was something else she could do other than stand there awkwardly, Kido beckoned for her to come closer.

"So...well, how should I say this..." he began, "Oh yeah, I have, at last, found someone. I know it wasn't fair of me because the two of you have long passed, and we can't talk it over—perhaps you might not even approve of my choice if you do have the chance to meet her. I'm sorry about that. I know I've never been a good son."

Briefly looking at Kido, Helena thought he was unusually solemn; whether he realized it or not, she felt the hand holding hers tighten up.

"But then again...I've never forgotten the most important thing you two taught me... 'when you finally find what you've been looking for in your life, hold on to it.' And I have found what I'm looking for, and she's here, standing before you. Her name is Helena. And, though it's impudent of me to ask—and I'm really, really sorry for that—will you...accept her?"

A rare gust of wind caused the leaves on the nearby trees to rustle. Kido smiled at the occurrence and murmured a hushed thank you. Remembering that people of the Empire were often fond of reading into things, Helena thought that maybe he had earned his parent's blessings after all.

"Perhaps...you want to say something to them too?"

Helena wasn't prepared for that but could not bring herself to say no. So she faced the tomb and bowed, keeping her head down afterward as a gesture of respect—and also because she wanted to try and hide the fact she was blushing heavily.

"Ah...um, so, I'm Helena," she said, feeling rather foolish though she wasn't about to back away now. "And...Truthfully, I don't know what to say...but somehow, I feel I want to thank you both. So...thank you for this person who cares for me in ways nobody else ever did—even though I might not deserve it..."

Deeply, she inhaled and exhaled, already feeling somewhat lighter, but she wasn't done yet.

"...And... Rest assured...Though I cannot do much, I will do my best to care for him from here on and hereafter. I promise."

There was another gust of wind, and Helena noticed Kido had let go of her hand. She glanced upward, seeing him wiping his eyes, his lips forming a broad smile.

"Thank you," she whispered.

***

The day after the grave visit, Helena and Kido were left with little to do until the sunset—when the festivities would have started. Thus, they ended up taking a trip to visit various places.

While Helena was content with merely tagging along, many of them caught her attention. After all, the town had a significant history with the United States. It was one of its first footholds in the East. From the arrival of Commodore Perry's black ships to the signing of the treaty that ended centuries of isolation and opened the Empire to the world, the marks of these momentous events were scattered here and there.

"So, notice anything different about how Auntie acts around you?" Kido asked as he and Helena traveled around the town after a stop at Ryosen-Ji.

"Hmm, I guess so. On our way to the temple gate, she did smile at me, and it's different...like, there's more warmth to it, I think," Helena replied as she recalled what happened yesterday. Furthermore, Sumire looked more comfortable with her when they talked earlier that day, even if only for a brief exchange of morning greetings. She no longer refused her offer to help with the housework as well.

"In any case, it's a start. Auntie is far from stubborn," Kido said, making a slight turn to avoid something Helena couldn't see before noticing something that made him pull over.

"Um, what is it...?" Helena inquired while she observed the area. It was close to the seaside and had various inns and hot springs.

"Ah...this is where Auntie works. Want to come and visit for a bit...? If she's not busy, that is..." Kido replied, though he was somewhat doubtful that his aunt would be anything but busy, judging from how the place was teeming with people. If he had to guess, it was probably because of the celebrations later on. He could see the scaffold for the Bon dance already standing in place while several heavyset adults hoisted instruments to be put up there.

Helena shook her head. "If she's busy, I could help."

***

When they stepped inside one of the inns—one of the smaller ones, though far from the smallest—Helena found out that Kido was familiar with the place. As soon as they entered and removed their footwear, Kido went straight behind the counter and into the kitchen without so much of a second thought or fear of repercussions.

Out of politeness, Helena decided to wait there in the front, though she soon regretted the decision when she saw that all eyes were upon her; while she understood why it still made her uneasy. Surprisingly, they stopped staring rather quickly and resumed what they were doing as if nothing had happened.

Now a little more relaxed, she looked around the main hall that seemed to double as a communal dining area. A few smaller tables and chairs were arranged neatly around one long table, and in front of the counter, there were several stools. All of them were occupied, which was not unexpected, considering the hours.

There's a certain laid-back air about the place, despite the loud conversations the patrons were having and the racket caused by the never-ending stream of people trampling on the wooden floor as they come and go.

But as far as she could tell, there were no signs of the proprietor. While Helena mulled about it, Kido's head popped out from the kitchen door, telling her to come over.

***

She had never seen a kitchen so hectic before.

On one side, there's a middle-aged man—the proprietor, as Kido revealed to her—who somehow was able to divide his attention between various dishes on the stove and ingredients on the table while at the same time grumbling about his workers being absent at the most important of times.

On the other side was Sumire, who was just as busy but was silent throughout.

"Okay, old man, Helena here agreed to help you two," Kido said, gaining the man's attention. He turned to look at the girl without pausing what he was doing—slicing daikon—and his face summarily lit up.

"Ah...a KANSEN? Haven't seen one in ages. Do you want to help? While I usually would not want to trouble anyone, it seems today I'd have to. Kappogi is over there in the drawers," he told her, now already looking back at the vegetable, just in time to stop himself from overcutting them. "As for what you can do, go ask Sumire-chan about it. Tomoya, go make yourself useful and man that counter, will you?"

"Yeah, old man, I got it. See you guys," Kido shrugged and left before anyone could put forth a response.

Though she was a little bewildered that the man accepted her help right away, Helena hastily put on the kappogi and the tenugui she found in the mentioned drawer before going over to Sumire. The woman passed her a remorseful look.

"Ah, sorry that you have to do this, even though you already helped with the house," she apologized.

"Ah, it's not a problem. I love to help."

"You...you really are kind. Anyway, I assume you are familiar with Western dishes? Somehow, more people than usual want them today."

Helena glanced at the heap of ingredients that had not been touched, all very familiar to her. She nodded.

"Yes, please leave it to me."

***

The need for urgency died down with the passage of time, and things gradually became more at ease. A few hours certainly had passed, though there were no clocks there for confirmation.

"Alright, we're done at last," The man declared as he set his knife down and turned around. "And especially thanks to you, young lady. Your help is invaluable."

"Um, ah, really? I didn't do much, though..." Helena, who's still unused to being praised by strangers, blushed slightly. The man's grin became even wider when he saw that, and then he laughed with a booming voice.

"Wahaha, don't be so modest. Anyway, as Kido said before, I'm the owner of this place; just call me Gen. Ah, why don't you two soak in the hot spring and refresh yourselves before the festival? Sumire-chan, show her the way, can you...?"

"...Hot spring?"

"Well, yes. I'm sure you'll find it enjoyable, especially because you have never been to one before. I can tell," Gen replied. Perhaps it was because he's the owner, but Helena noted a great pride in how he spoke of it.

"Oh, that's a good idea. I'm sure this girl will like it," Sumire chimed in.

"Well...if you say so...thank you for your kindness, Gen-san."

Having said that, Helena allowed Sumire to lead the way.

***

The bath occupied almost the entirety of the topmost floor. A strange, peaceful feeling seeping through the wood and stone left Helena in a slight daze as she proceeded to soak herself in the water, a small towel resting on top of her head. A little while later, Sumire joined her after washing up—sitting closer than Helena had expected.

"So, how is it?" she asked, though it took a moment for Helena to gather herself and answer.

"...It feels great. I can feel my exhaustion going away..."

"Yes, that's what hot springs are for," the older woman smiled. The smile vanished the moment she laid her eyes on the scar just below Helena's neck. And though she couldn't see them, she was sure that it wasn't the only one.

"Is something wrong, Nagai-san? Helena questioned, having seen the change in her expression.

"...You've gone through so much, haven't you...?" she began. It wasn't really a question.

Helena traced the scar with her fingers in one continuous, dainty motion, correctly suspecting she was referring to it. She hadn't talked much about the matter because only a few people knew, and even fewer wanted to bring it up.

Still, it's not like she's been trying to hide it.

"We were KANSENs. Weapons to wage battles—and some were worse than the others."

As Helena said that, there was a vacant look on her countenance. Thinking she somehow had opened an old wound, Sumire was about to apologize for it; the words were stuck in her throat the moment she saw Her smiling as she continued speaking.

"Well, at least that's what I used to think. There was this one battle during the war—when it had ended, I was left alone, badly wounded. The others already left as they were ordered to, fearing a Siren's counterattack. At that time, I truly believed I would die."

At this point, she stopped to cast a meaningful look at the other woman.

"...But Kido-san...he went against orders and returned to look for me even though it may land him in trouble. So, when I finally came to, on the ship under his command, he was the first person I saw. I could never forget how overjoyed he looked...

And at that very moment, I finally started to understand what he's been telling me many times before—that I'm more than just a KANSEN, more than just a weapon. I'm a person."

Sumire observed Helena running her fingers across the scar once again with an air of fond reminiscing. Despite the story she had just shared, the movement was as light and unburdened as before.

"You really...love him, don't you...?"

The relieved sigh, followed by the question, gave Helena pause, and she turned to look at the asker. She found Sumire looking back at her with a warm, youth-like smile she had never seen before.

Without even the slightest bit of hesitation, she answered.

"I do. I really do. Always."

The other woman laughed. How could she be so blind before?

Now, she really must admit that, in many ways, her nephew had been right all along.

"Nagai-san?" a concerned Helena, who did not expect such a reaction from her, called out. She laughed some more before replying.

"No, no. Don't call me that. You are family."

A smile that she could not stop—nor want to—began to make its way to Helena's lips, which soon turned into a laugh.

"Of course, Auntie."

***

"Dear, why not join the dance...? You can only do this once a year."

"But, auntie, I've never danced before..."

"Oh, it's easy, you can follow my movements, and frankly, with this many people, no one will notice if you made a mistake anyway...They'd end up doing their own thing most of the time."

Kido overheard the conversation and blinked. That was new, he thought. He was curious about what led them to change how they addressed one another, but he was content to keep the question to himself for now. They were less like strangers and more like family now, and that's what matters most.

Not too far away, he could see old man Gen overseeing the musicians getting ready at the scaffold; the crowd, which included foreigners, had begun to gather around the structure; the dance could start any moment now. He scanned the area, hoping to find some familiar faces, though he couldn't find any. People had been leaving for greener pastures even before the war, and the town had grown increasingly quiet.

"Kido-san...is something wrong...?" From behind him, Helena called out.

"Oh, it's nothing; I'm just thinking...you should really join the dance," Kido remarked as he looked back at the two women. Sumire had already stopped trying to convince Helena to join the dance, though she didn't seem upset over the girl's reluctance.

"...Kido-san, you think so...?"

"Yeah; as she said, you only get to do it once a year. Hey, I promise I won't laugh."

"Um, still..."

Sumire's stifled laugh cut the exchange short; when they both turned to look at her, she had such an amused look as though something funny had occurred; Kido could not really remember when the last time his aunt had that kind of expression.

"...But Tomoya, every year Obon came and went, yet you've never joined any yourself," she exclaimed. Kido swallowed hard, though he managed to keep himself from turning red—there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

"...Well, yeah, that's true; I'm not, ah, too keen on dancing, I guess?"

"Oh, really now...?" Helena appeared beside him without him realizing it, looking just as amused as she eyed him—this time, Kido did turn red. "Well then, how about this? I'll join this dance if you dance too, Kido-san."

Kido thought about it for a while. The musicians were already in place, at the ready. He did not need to ponder for very long.

"Aaah, seriously, this conversation is pointless; alright, let's go to the dance together, the three of us. Seems like it's starting already."

"Yes, it does seem so."

They picked up pace as the taiko beats began to fill the air while the dancers started to move in circles to the tune of a jaunty folk song.

***

The shore was quiet, and the paper lanterns people had left afloat dotted the tranquil waters. Carried by the flow, they drifted away slowly, guiding the ancestors' spirits back to the sky.

"Ah, so, Kido-san, why are we here...?" Helena asked the question she had wanted to ask since Kido made that seemingly unplanned stop on their way back.

"Oh, well, this particular beach is kind of nostalgic to me. And besides, the sky is usually lovely on clear nights such as this. I thought you needed to see it before we returned. Anyway, though, if you are tired, just tell me, and we can go back now."

Helena smiled kindly.

"No, I already told you it's okay."

In the cloudless sky, there was only the moon and countless stars; some were bright, while the others were faint. Helena stared at them in wonder.

"I'm curious if there's going to be a shooting star," she wondered aloud. It didn't sound too implausible, considering the scenery. Kido chuckled at that.

"Shooting star...? Don't tell me you have a wish?"

"Well, what if I am?"

"If you want something, you could just ask me."

"Even if it's something impossible?"

"...You're a sensible person, so I don't think you would actually ask for something impossible."

Helena closed her eyes and undid her hair, letting it free to flow along with the breeze.

"Kido-san...I've found what I'm looking for, remember? Just like you did. It's the light that won't go away even when I close my eyes like this. It is still shining today whenever I go. So…thank you for that. For everything."

When she turned to look at him with eyes misting over, the composure that Kido managed to regain in such a short time swiftly crumbled; before Helena knew it, she found herself being embraced.

"Sorry for such a sudden act," Kido uttered into the girl's ear. "I'm just so happy. For you."

"Don't be sorry," she said as she, too, circled her arms around his waist; a sweet, pleasant feeling washed over her as she did. "I'm happy for you too."

As the two grew silent, only the hum of gentle waves breaking on the shore remained.