Rutger
I hate Ina. Some nights I dream of her looking at me with a snide smile covering her elegant features. It's terrible. It's annoying. And what's more, the area's only new resident in a long time has chosen to live in her dirty Konohana instead of our charming Bluebell. I can't see why anyone would live over in Konohana, anyways. I mean, our cooking is 10 times better! If only Ina would understand, then maybe we could come to an agreement.
I guess you could say that I admire her. She never seems to care about what other people think, yet she is popular. She reminds me of Rose, at a younger age, of course. Rose used to be sweet and carefree, now she simply bores me. I look at her wrinkly face and glazed eyes and it disgusts me. I suppose I could talk Nathan into a divorce, but that would probably be bad for my reputation.
Anyways, back to Ina. Somehow I can't describe how she makes me feel. Like I want to punch her and hug her at the same time. I remember when we were teenagers. She actually lived in Bluebell at the time. I remember sitting with her on the mountain top, her long black hair blowing in the cool breeze. I remember handing her a cup of puer tea, her exclamation of joy when she saw it. It all went wrong the next day.
I remember it just as clearly. I remember her mother's body on the floor, Ina's expression of horror when she saw me kneeling next to her. Her dropping to the floor, my cry for help. I can't say I didn't know why when she and her father, who died the next year, moved to Konohana. I traveled across the mountain to see her the next day, but when I called out to her and saw a burning hatred in her eyes, I knew I would not be forgiven. Eventually I was excused from being the criminal, but in her mind I never was.
We had always had cooking festivals, but they were never much of a real quarrel until Ina and I started entering. It soon became a fight for victory, even long after we had each become mayors of our own towns.
You might ask me why I would hate her back. Let me ask you this. If someone completely hates you for what seems like no reason at all, would you hate them back? I know I would.