Author Notes: Ever since writing Risa's Song I've been wondering just who it was that taught Rei to play the guitar. Then a portion of Koi Ponds, Koalas, and Playing Dumb answered my question for me.
I hope you like the result. - G
Learning Risa's Song
Naoya Toshihiro had not been an elder priest at Hikawa Shrine for very long when the little girl was first delivered to them. She couldn't have been more than six years old, and the fury emanating from her was shocking. Toshihiro would have to have been an idiot not to see it. He stood next to her in the pouring rain, holding an umbrella over both of their heads, as a uniformed driver unloaded a few suitcases from the trunk of a sleek, silver Mercedes. He followed the girl's angry gaze to the rear window of the car, where a faint silhouette was visible through the tinted glass.
Her eyes narrowed further. Toshihiro shuddered, half-expecting the car's lone occupant to burst into flame.
One last item was removed from the trunk before the driver slammed it shut, and hurriedly opened his own umbrella to shield himself. Toshihiro's interest was piqued by the object. It looked like a guitar case. He glanced down at the girl again. Her chin was trembling.
The driver looked at his watch and hastened to speak with the shrine's head priest, who, like Toshihiro, stood beneath an umbrella, watching the strange procession in silence. He betrayed no sign of attention towards the small child standing between himself and Toshihiro. Rather, he looked somewhat stone-faced. He nodded as the driver spoke quietly, too low for the younger man to hear properly, and with a tip of his cap, the driver dashed back to the car, climbed in, and hurriedly drove off.
"Toshihiro. Would you be so kind as to show Rei-san in? And send forth an apprentice to help with her bags, please." The elder spoke in a tone that brooked no room for questions.
"Yes, Sensei." Toshihiro bowed and offered the child his hand to take. She did not look at him, but reached up to grasp his fingers. He marvelled at how small she was as they ascended the shrine's many steps.
Now that the car and its mysterious occupant had departed, the child's—Rei's—anger seemed to have abated slightly. She did not look around as they entered the shrine, completely uncurious about her surroundings. She stood mutely as Toshihiro closed the umbrella and shook the rainwater from it. As he was about to put it away, he spotted one of the young shrine maidens and handed it to her with the elder's directions about the suitcases.
The girl nodded, staring curiously at Rei a moment before departing.
Toshihiro sighed to himself, wishing that he'd been given some clearer instructions. He had brought the child inside—but he had no idea what he was supposed to do next.
He glanced at Rei again. She was staring straight ahead, down the corridor that led to the shrine's kitchen.
"That's a good idea, Rei-san. I'm rather hungry myself." Toshihiro smiled at the bewildered stare he received.
o~o~o
Rei didn't speak a word while she ate the simple snack Toshihiro had prepared, save for a barely audible word of thanks when the food was placed before her.
Toshihiro was unable to keep from staring at the little girl, intensely curious as to why she was being placed in the shrine's care.
It was not the first time he had seen a child brought to a shrine to be raised—he himself had grown up in a shrine in the Kyoto mountains. His mother had been young when she'd had Toshihiro. Too young. Her parents had forced her to leave her infant son in the care of the priests before whisking her away to North America where people would not know about their daughter's transgression. Toshihiro had never met her.
He sipped at a mug of tea, still watching the girl.
She was a pretty little thing, actually, despite the deep scowl she wore. She obviously came from money, given the car she had been brought in. That only intrigued Toshihiro further. Just who was she?
Rei pushed her empty plate aside and placed her hands in her lap.
"Shall I show you where you'll be sleeping, Rei-san?"
Toshihiro offered his hand again, which Rei took without a word, and let herself be led to the small, private room where her bags had been placed.
o~o~o
"Senator Hino Takashi's daughter?" Toshihiro stared in amazement at the shrine leader. After leaving Rei to her new quarters for the night, he had sought out the elder in his office to learn the child's story. "What reason could he possibly have for abandoning such a beautiful little girl like that?"
"The Senator has just lost his wife, Toshihiro. He feels that he is in no fit state to raise his daughter, especially with the demands his career places on him."
Toshihiro was outraged, suddenly realizing who had been hiding inside of the luxury vehicle earlier. No wonder the child had been glaring at it so furiously. "He's choosing his work over his own daughter? Does he not realize she's grieving too? Yes, he's lost his wife, but he's going to effectively orphan his child right when she's going to need him the most?"
The leader shook his head. "He's not abandoning her entirely. The girl will be taken care of. Her father has opened a bank account for her so that she will not want for the things she needs. She is also registered to attend the TA Girls Academy, so she will receive an excellent education."
"The Catholic school? But, Sensei, this is a Shinto shrine—"
"It doesn't hurt to expand one's horizons, Toshihiro. Your taste in music is hardly befitting of a Shinto priest, but I do not object to your listening to it."
The leader raised an eyebrow, making Toshihiro redden slightly. He had been in trouble more than once during his youth for disturbing the peace of the Kyoto shrine with his love of rock music. Perhaps therein lay the reason why he had been so heartily encouraged to take the Hikawa post when the opportunity arose.
"Fair enough, Sensei. I—I still don't like this, though. She's lost both her mother and her father in such a short time—" he paused, remembering the scene in the rain. "He didn't even say goodbye to her."
The elder sighed and leaned back in his chair. "It's far from an ideal situation, I know. But there's little we can do, save for what the Senator has asked of us." He swivelled towards the window, indicating that the conversation was at an end. Toshihiro stood and bowed. As he turned to leave, the elder spoke again.
"Keep an eye on her, would you, Toshihiro? She's going to need a friend right now."
Toshihiro swallowed, and bowed again. "Yes, Sensei."
After departing from the office, he tiptoed quietly down the corridor that led to Rei's room, and pressed his ear to the door.
His heart nearly broke when he heard the sound of muted sobbing.
o~o~o
Toshihiro had no idea how to approach the grieving child to try and befriend her. Rei had grown even more quiet since her arrival, which had no doubt been exacerbated by her having started school. While the priest had been given the task of seeing her to and from the impressive campus each day, the two never conversed during the short walk. Toshihiro often asked what she had learned, but after receiving countless silent replies, he was nearly ready to give up.
He sighed quietly, waiting again for the small girl to appear amongst the crowd of grey TA uniforms, and frowned, instantly worried when she did not appear. Rei was usually very punctual.
"Excuse me, are you Toshihiro-Sensei?" A young woman who looked like she might be a teacher at the school stood before him, inclining her head respectfully.
"Yes—may I help you with something?"
"Your name is all she would tell us—I'm so glad you were waiting here. Would you mind accompanying me to the headmaster's office, please?" She began walking towards the administration building, indicating that he should come with her.
"I'm sorry, may I ask what this is about?" Toshihiro followed the woman up a set of concrete stairs.
"There's been some trouble with Hino-san, I'm afraid. Some students ganged up on her after—well, there was some kind of incident, and she isn't saying a word about it."
Toshihiro's heart rate quickened with concern. "Is she all right? Is she hurt?"
"A few minor scrapes and bruises, but she'll recover."
They made their way down a corridor and Toshihiro spotted Rei's small form standing outside the headmaster's office, visibly trembling. He hurried past his guide and knelt before the girl, taking note of her injuries.
"Rei-san?"
Rei blinked and raised her eyes. She looked absolutely petrified. Toshihiro held out his hand to her, which she slowly grasped.
"I'm taking her home. She's in no condition to be interrogated right now."
"But we need to know what happened—"
Toshihiro scoffed and stood upright. "Well, that much is obvious. Her classmates have attacked her, and without valid cause. I trust that they will be punished for their actions?"
"Of course. We have a zero tolerance policy on fighting, which is why we need to know more about what happened—we may need to suspend Hino-san for a few days as well—"
"Then you go right ahead and do that. I doubt she'll want to come back here tomorrow anyway, and I certainly am not going to make her." Toshihiro nodded brusquely at the now spluttering young woman, and led Rei towards the exit, smirking to himself.
It wouldn't be the only incident of its kind, unfortunately, Toshihiro knew. He had been bullied as well by his fellow students as a child, simply because his mother had left him to the Kyoto shrine. Sometimes, he was amazed he had never needed to repeat a year, given the number of occasions he had been suspended for fighting. Perhaps he wouldn't have had to defend himself so often if he hadn't continually pulled pranks against his tormentors, but, he often rationalized, they had started it.
He glanced at Rei. Her uniform was torn in places, and she was covered in dirt and scratches. He sighed. They hadn't even cleaned her up before hauling her in for questioning.
"Hey, Rei-san. D'you like ice cream?"
After a moment, she nodded once.
"I always keep some in the freezer back at the Shrine. What do you say we have some when we get back? I think you've earned a treat."
For the first time since she had arrived at Hikawa, Toshihiro saw the traces of a smile appear on Rei's face.
o~o~o
He hadn't asked Rei what had happened. Toshihiro had the feeling that bombarding Rei with questions would only make her even more uncommunicative, and so had left her largely to her own devices. She returned to school after a few days, even though the academy had decided against suspending her, and as Toshihiro expected, more incidents followed throughout the year.
The circumstances were always the same. Something would provoke Rei's classmates, and the girl would refuse to talk about what had happened, no matter how much her teachers asked her, and then Toshihiro would dare the school to suspend Rei for defending herself. He always kept her home the following day whether his challenge was accepted or not.
The situation was very worrisome though, and Toshihiro was at a loss about what to do to remedy it.
Ice cream could only help so much.
It wasn't until a certain evening, in front of the Shrine's sacred fire, that he would learn the truth.
He sat cross-legged before it, letting the warmth wash over him as he stared into the glowing flames. Here, he hoped he would find some answers to his troubles, or Rei's, rather. Closing his eyes, Toshihiro took a deep breath and began murmuring a prayer for guidance. The heat in the room seemed to increase exponentially. Sweat was beading on his forehead.
A loud gasp tore him from his meditation and his eyes flew open. The fire had somehow grown several times higher than usual, but already it appeared to be resettling back to its normal size. That wasn't what was bothering him, however.
The sight of Rei lying unconscious behind him was.
"Rei! Rei-san! Wake up!" He patted the child's heated cheeks, and wondered if she had a fever as she began to stir. She cast a frightened look at the priest when her eyes opened and immediately burst into tears.
Feeling rather afraid as well, Toshihiro picked up the small girl, amazed at how light she was, and held her close as she wept. He didn't know what else to do.
"I—I don't—und—understand—I—I just—know things—and—th-they w-won't leave m-me alone—" Rei sobbed brokenly against his shoulder. "I—c-can't h-help it, T-Toshihiro-S-Sensei!"
When she had calmed down enough to speak, Toshihiro finally got the whole story.
It had started innocently enough—a simple playground guessing game, which Rei had reluctantly joined, but after failing to give a single wrong answer, the questions had grown harder. The answers became things she could not possibly have known, and yet, she knew them.
After the first incident, she was continually harassed for answers on tests, if there would be a quiz the next day, playground bets...
Her schoolmates did not seem to understand or believe the phrase, "I don't know."
Toshihiro was shocked. Rei was psychic. He turned his gaze back to the fire as she whimpered quietly against him. She was the reason it had changed so suddenly—he was certain.
"Rei—Rei-san? Did you see something in the fire just now?"
He felt her head turn towards the flames. Immediately they flared up again.
"I—I saw—the stars. They were telling me about a princess from the moon."
Toshihiro smiled. He knew that story very well. "You mean Princess Kaguya? That's one of my favourites." He set Rei on her feet. "You know, we're going to tell that story very soon for a festival and I'm supposed to make some pictures for it. Maybe you'd like to help me?"
She nodded quietly, and they left the fire room together. Toshihiro made a mental note to give Rei's school a call the next day—and a piece of his mind while he was at it.
o~o~o
He left Rei to colour in the drawings he had created for the upcoming storytelling and knocked on the shrine leader's office door.
"Ah, Toshihiro. What can I help you with today?" The elder bade him to sit down, which Toshihiro did after bowing respectfully.
"It's about Rei-san, Sensei. I think we should train her as a priestess."
The old priest's eyes widened. "She has expressed an interest in becoming one?"
Toshihiro shook his head. "No, sir. It's just—she—the fire—it—it responded to her presence." He swallowed at the stern gaze he received.
"And what, may I ask, was she doing in the sacred fire room, Toshihiro?"
"I—I was at meditation—I must not have closed the door properly—" In a low voice he explained what he had witnessed and what Rei had told him afterwards.
"She can see without even being before the fire?" The elder shook his head, looking impressed. "Very well, Toshihiro. If she is willing, we will train her. At the very least, we can teach her to understand her ability so it doesn't lead her into more trouble."
"Thank you, Sensei. I'll ask her now." Toshihiro stood up, bowed, and left the office.
As he approached the room where he had left Rei, he stilled his steps at the sound of someone humming quietly. He peered through the open doorway and saw Rei, smiling to herself as she coloured in the pictures and sang a wordless song.
It wasn't a familiar tune, but Toshihiro liked it immediately. It was hauntingly beautiful. Somehow, it made him want to smile and cry at once.
Abruptly the singing stopped. Rei was staring right at him. There was unmistakeable hurt in her gaze as she carefully pushed the drawings aside, got to her feet, and dashed past Toshihiro without a word.
o~o~o
Rei began her training not long afterwards.
Largely, she was left in the hands of the Shrine maidens, who were quick to give up any attempts to befriend the unresponsive girl. She still spoke only when she absolutely had to, and ceased working only when a job was finished or she was told to stop. The Hikawa grounds became completely pristine under Rei's care.
Evidently she put similar efforts into her schoolwork, given the grades she continually came home with, and the unpleasant incidents involving her fellow students were becoming fewer and further between...
Yet, she still seemed so unhappy.
Toshihiro reclined beneath a tree near the shrine's lively koi pond, idly strumming the battered old guitar he had bought when he was a boy, and thought about how he might be of more help to Rei.
She had been at the Shrine for nearly two years now, and the only change he could see in her from the day she had arrived was a minor increase in her height.
He sighed, and unconsciously began to pluck out the mysterious song he had once caught Rei singing. He hadn't been able to forget the simple, beautiful melody, and had spent a number of nights trying to sound it out, which was made all the more difficult by having only heard a small part of it. It was unlikely he would catch her singing it again, given that her training was making her all but impossible to sneak up on.
A chorus of screams startled him from his musings.
"Toshihiro-Sensei! Toshihiro-Sensei!" Two teenaged apprentices dashed towards the priest, looking horrified.
"Rei-san! She was climbing—"
"We told her to come down—"
"She fell—she's not moving—"
"She's bleeding—"
"—think her arm's broken—"
Toshihiro leapt to his feet and followed the girls to an old tree that grew close to the shrine roof.
His heart nearly stopped at the sight of Rei lying crumpled on the ground with blood seeping from what was without a doubt, a broken arm.
"Mariko-san—go to the head's office and have him call for an ambulance. Sumika-san—fetch a blanket. We need to keep Rei-san warm or she could go into shock. Hurry, both of you!"
The girls didn't bother to bow or nod their heads before they ran to carry out Toshihiro's instructions. They understood the situation was too urgent for formalities.
Tentatively, the priest rested his hand on Rei's forehead. She was very pale. Her lips moved slightly, mumbling something.
Toshihiro leaned in closer to see if he could make out what she was saying.
"M-Ma—Mama."
Tears were leaking from her closed eyes.
o~o~o
"How is she, Sensei?" Toshihiro ceased his pacing in the corridor outside Rei's quarters. Her arm had been placed into a cast after the sizeable cut that adorned it had been properly cleaned. She had a bump on her head as well, but wasn't showing any signs of a concussion. She hadn't uttered a single sound while she'd been at the hospital, except for a soft whimper when the doctor had first examined her injuries.
The shrine leader slid Rei's door shut and shook his head. "Physically, she's going to be fine. But she's refusing to tell me why she was climbing that tree. I suspect she was trying to get onto the roof. We'll have to trim back the branches, I suppose, so she won't be tempted to try again."
Toshihiro nodded. "I don't think she's in any fit state to climb anything for awhile, Sensei. At least it's summer, so she won't miss any school."
"Yes. You know, perhaps you might try talking to her, Toshihiro. She seems to like you."
"She does?" Rei had barely spoken to him since he had caught her singing, save to ask him if he might allow her to walk to school unsupervised, since she was nearly nine, after all. Reluctantly, he had given his assent, though he still occasionally tailed her just to make sure she was safe.
"I think she's still awake." The elder walked off before Toshihiro could protest.
With a sigh, the priest raised his hand and knocked on Rei's door before sliding it slowly open.
"Rei-san?"
He flicked on a light to see Rei sitting ramrod straight on her futon, trying to hide something beneath her blankets. The guitar case that he had not seen since the day of her arrival lay open on the floor. Toshihiro pretended not to notice either as he knelt and sat down.
"Why were you climbing that tree, Rei-san?" he asked quietly, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. She might have been hurt far worse—or killed. He had become rather fond of the quiet little girl. It made his heart ache to think what could have happened.
"I—I was taking food to the b-birds on the roof. They—don't have a m-mother anymore either."
Toshihiro blinked in surprise. "So this isn't the first time you've climbed the tree then."
Rei shook her head, avoiding his eyes. "I only slipped because—because of the song." She clutched the guitar-shaped lump of blankets. "I thought M-Mama had come back." Sniffling quietly, she wiped her uninjured arm across her cheeks.
A wave of guilt washed over Toshihiro. Rei had heard him playing. It was his fault she had fallen.
"I'm sorry, Rei-san. It's very beautiful music. But I won't play it again if you don't want me to."
After a moment, Rei shook her head and carefully pulled back the blankets to uncover the guitar.
"C-could you teach me to play too, Toshihiro-Sensei? I want to learn Mama's song."
Toshihiro smiled and gingerly took hold of the guitar. It was in much better shape than his battered old acoustic, but had clearly been well-loved by its previous owner. A small nameplate had been affixed to the side of it, which read Risa.
"You'll have to teach me the rest of the song first, Rei-san. But not tonight. You've had a busy day and need some rest. Okay?"
Rei nodded, and watched as Toshihiro laid the instrument back inside the case. After bidding the little girl goodnight, he made his way towards the shrine's doors and stepped beyond them into the moonlit grounds.
He soon found the tree that Rei had fallen from hours before, and stood contemplating it briefly before hauling himself into the low-hanging branches and beginning to climb.
"I must be insane," he grumbled to himself. He stepped onto the tiled roof and clambered towards the apex, where a strange lump sat, emanating shrill cheeping noises.
In the moon's pale light, Toshihiro could see two young ravens occupying the nest, opening their beaks expectantly at his appearance.
He chuckled at the sight, wondering just how long Rei had been looking after the young birds, and gathered the bundle into his arms.
Climbing down was significantly more difficult, but Toshihiro got to the ground unscathed, and headed quietly towards the shrine's kitchen to see if he could figure out what ravens liked to eat.
o~o~o
Rei was rather dismayed to learn that she was too small to properly hold the guitar in order to play it when she sought out Toshihiro in the Shrine grounds for a lesson. Her hands were not quite big enough to form any chords either. She'd had her cast removed the previous day, and there was a faint, pink scar near her elbow that the impact had left. She scowled at her two ravens as they hopped around nearby, their caws sounding not unlike laughter.
Toshihiro flung a handful of breadcrumbs at the birds to shut them up. Rei had spent much of her summer raising them, with the result that they followed her around like a pair of feathered dogs. She had given them the unusual names of Phobos and Deimos, and when Toshihiro had asked her about the strange choice, Rei merely shrugged and said those were the names the birds had chosen.
He regarded Rei's disappointed scowl, wondering what he might do to appease her. It would not be enough to simply say she would have to wait until she was older, nor did he want to suggest that she buy a smaller instrument to learn on. He had the feeling that she wanted to learn to play the guitar she already owned. Toshihiro smiled as an idea came to him.
"Rei-san. Here." He held out his hands for the guitar and indicated that she should sit right in front of him. He placed his fingers on the frets, and held out a red plastic pick for Rei to take. "Go ahead. Just run it up and down the strings. Watch my other hand, see what it's doing."
As the notes of a popular American song emanated from the guitar, Rei's face broke into an enormous grin, the first one Toshihiro had ever seen on her.
o~o~o
When Rei was twelve years old, Toshihiro suggested, at the prompting of the shrine leader, that she play something for her father when he visited next. She had gotten very good at the guitar once she was big enough to properly play it, and knew a number of different melodies. More often than not she could be found in her room, quietly playing what she referred to as her mother's song.
"I bet he'd like to hear you play—" He halted at the dark shadow that crossed Rei's features.
"If he wanted to hear me play so badly, he would never have left me here with Mama's guitar in the first place, Sensei." She slammed the notebook she had been scribbling in with a frustrated growl, and pushed her chair back from her desk.
"Um, d-difficult homework tonight, Rei?" The girl had recently asked Toshihiro to drop the honorific he addressed her with, remarking that after six years of living under the same roof, they were hardly mere acquaintances. She had not made the request of anyone else residing at Hikawa, however.
"Sure." Rei didn't look at him. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I just—I hate him sometimes."
"That's an awfully strong word to use about your father, Rei." Toshihiro knelt beside her, trying to get her to meet his eyes. He immediately regretted the action when he saw how much venom was in her gaze.
"I don't think it's strong enough." Abruptly she got to her feet and grabbed her jacket.
"Where're you going, Rei? It's getting late."
"Just—down to the pier. The water makes me feel better. Is that all right, Toshihiro-Sensei?"
She gave him a look that said she was leaving whether he approved or not.
"Be back before dark."
With a terse nod, she disappeared from sight.
Toshihiro sighed and gazed around the immaculate room before his eyes fell upon Rei's notebook. Feeling slightly guilty, and fearing what would happen if Rei came back and caught him at it, he flipped the book open.
A number of pages were scribbled on and torn. Random words littered the pages that remained, some scattered, others in neat lists of rhymes and syllables. Poetry? He glanced up, contemplating further, and spotted Rei's guitar resting nearby.
Lyrics.
She was trying to write lyrics.
o~o~o
Rei rarely practiced her guitar away from the privacy of her room when she grew older. She was careful to wait until evening came on and all of the shrine's visitors had long gone. Even then she didn't play it very often. In fairness, she would soon be starting high school level courses and was likely very busy, especially given how many duties she had at the shrine as well. She had taken over the annual festival storytelling projects, and much to Toshihiro's surprise, had invited some of the Shrine's younger visitors to help her colour in the pictures she had created.
Children seemed to gravitate toward the young shrine maiden, which Toshihiro found a bit strange at first, given how her peers had treated her in the past. Adults seemed to like Rei as well, finding her to be polite and respectful during conversation.
It was people of her own age she seemed to have the issues with.
Not once, in the ten years she had lived at Hikawa, had she brought a friend home with her. She always came straight away from school and settled into her homework and chores, occasionally pausing to meditate by the fire, or to bring a treat to her faithful ravens. She didn't radiate the unhappiness he had noticed so often during her childhood, but there was still a feeling of intense loneliness about her.
Toshihiro was kneeling in one of the shrine's many gardens one warm afternoon, attempting to extract a stubborn cluster of weeds when he heard the sounds of laughter.
Curious, he got to his feet, wincing at the stiffness in his legs, and peered around the corner of the main building.
An amazing sight greeted him.
Rei was talking with not one, but four other girls of her own age, and looking happier than he'd ever seen her. From the way she interacted with them, it looked as though they had been the closest of friends for ages, and yet this was the first Toshihiro had seen or even heard of any of them. He felt his eyes widen.
How on earth had he missed this?
One of the girls in particular seemed to have the strongest hold on Rei's attention, a rather beautiful one at that, he noticed. She was vaguely familiar to the priest, though he couldn't quite place her. Perhaps she had visited the shrine in the past?
After several minutes, the group appeared to be leaving—save for Rei and the familiar stranger. They waved cheerily as the other three, one tall, one pigtailed, and one in glasses, turned and departed.
The two girls were suddenly contemplating each other in silence, both looking quite uncertain for some reason.
Hesitantly, Rei brought her hand to the other girl's shoulder and said something in a low voice. The girl nodded once and suddenly pulled Rei into what looked like a bone-crushing hug. Rei was quick to return the embrace, squeezing her eyes shut and clearly trying not to weep.
Toshihiro pulled himself away from the scene, suddenly unsure of what he was seeing, but feeling as though he had just witnessed a very private moment.
Taking a deep breath, he dove back into the garden and continued to wrestle with the weeds.
o~o~o
Not long before Rei had turned nineteen—a fact that still amazed Toshihiro—the young priestess had requested a transfer to a shrine in the Kyoto mountains, hoping the quiet atmosphere would help her to better discipline her unusual abilities. The shrine's elderly leader had acquiesced, with the condition that the move be a temporary one, much to Toshihiro's relief. It would have taken an army to replace Rei if she left permanently—not to mention how much Toshihiro missed the quiet young woman after she was gone.
Hikawa Shrine was strangely quiet during her lengthy absence.
It seemed that no matter how skilled Rei grew at anything, she always wanted to better herself. Toshihiro had never thought that she seemed terribly competitive as a girl, and yet, he reflected, every challenge that came her way she would eventually surpass with flying colours. She had graduated from high school second in her class—he had overheard her telling one of her friends that she could have finished first, but that she didn't want to have to make any "stupid speeches" at the graduation ceremony.
He smirked at the memory as he swept the shrine's steps and was startled by the sound of fluttering wings and a loud cawing noise.
The two ravens had hardly made a peep since Rei departed for Kyoto. Toshihiro had seen to it that they were well fed, but they had never taken to the older man quite the way they responded to...
"Rei!" Toshihiro smiled delightedly at the young woman's unexpected appearance on the Shrine steps. "What a wonderful surprise! How are you?—Oh, my—what's happened to your arm?" He couldn't keep the concern out of his voice at the sight of a large bandage covering Rei's forearm.
"It's nothing, Sensei. I haven't been climbing any trees if that's what you're thinking." Her eyes sparkled mischievously as one of her ravens landed on her shoulder. The bird nuzzled her hair briefly before flying off with a delighted squawk. "I've been back in the city for a wedding—my friend Tsukino Usagi was married yesterday. You remember her, right?"
Toshihiro laughed, thinking of Rei's exuberant friend. "I don't think I could forget her if I tried. Why don't you come inside for a bit? I was going to make some tea when I finished with the steps, but they can wait, I think."
Rei nodded and followed the priest towards the shrine's main building.
When they had settled themselves at the kitchen table with a pot of tea and a tray of biscuits, Toshihiro was overcome with a strange sense of déjà vu as he listened to Rei talking about what she had been learning at the Kyoto shrine. She had not been nearly so talkative the first time she had been in the small kitchen.
"The headmaster there remembers you, Sensei—I didn't realize you had grown up at the same Shrine I've been studying at."
"Hiroto-Sensei is still in charge there? I was sure he would have retired long ago!" Toshihiro was amazed. The shrine leader had been an old man when he himself was still a young boy.
Rei smirked over the brim of her teacup. "He says he was ready to, but then you transferred here. Suddenly he had more energy than he knew what to do with. Just—what exactly did you do to him, Sensei?"
Toshihiro burst out laughing. "Ah, what didn't I do, Rei? Anytime I wasn't attracting trouble, I was causing it." Still chuckling, he took another sip of tea. "Will you be returning to us soon? Some of our visitors have been asking about you."
The young woman looked rather surprised by the statement. "Actually, I—I've already put in my request to return. I'll be back at Hikawa in a couple of weeks."
"I'm very glad to hear that. It hasn't been quite the same without you around."
Rei ducked her head, embarrassed. "Thank you, Sensei. I knew I missed it here—I just didn't realize how much until I came to visit today."
"You know, I was surprised that you didn't take your guitar with you when you left, Rei." Toshihiro thought of the case tucked in the back corner of Rei's closet and felt a pang of sadness. He hadn't heard Rei playing it for quite some time.
"I went to Kyoto to study, Toshihiro-Sensei—not to write songs." A faint note of bitterness entered her voice. She suddenly looked very much like her younger self. "I—didn't want any distractions."
Shifting in his seat, Toshihiro tried to think of a safer topic for discussion. "How is your other friend doing? The singer? I hear she won an award recently."
He failed to miss the colour creeping into Rei's cheeks at the mention of the pop idol.
"M-Minako's fine, Sensei. I think she's been doing some recording in Europe these days."
She was obviously trying to keep her tone casual, as though she and her friend were not all that close—yet Rei had referred to her without using an honorific of any kind.
Toshihiro raised his mug to his lips so Rei couldn't seen him grinning. He had long ago learned the identity of the girl he had once seen embracing Rei in the shrine's courtyard. The two women were obviously very close indeed, for all Rei tried to hide the fact.
"When do you head back to Kyoto, Rei?"
"Tomorrow morning. Um—is it all right if I stay here tonight?" She pushed aside her empty teacup.
"Of course, Rei. Your room is just as you left it—albeit a bit dusty. Why don't you go ahead and get settled in? I can have one of the apprentices draw you a bath if you'd like. I need to go and finish with the steps."
"That would be nice, Sensei. Thank you." She stood from the table and bowed before disappearing down the hallway.
Hours later, after night had fallen, Toshihiro tiptoed towards Rei's room and put his ear to the door—he smiled when he heard the faint sound of guitar strings playing a familiar song, and silently retreated back to his own quarters.
o~o~o
He was still not used to the small room being labelled as Toshihiro-Sensei's office.
Hikawa Shrine's former leader had decided he was ready to retire to the quiet of the countryside, and had named the very surprised younger man as his successor. Nervously, Toshihiro had accepted the post, unsure if he was ready for such a huge responsibility, but settled slowly into the new role with a great deal of help from Rei.
She was as hard a worker as ever, and Toshihiro wondered occasionally if perhaps the role of leader should have been given to the young woman instead. After all, she had been a resident of Hikawa for nearly as long as Toshihiro. But when he jokingly made the suggestion to her, she had simply smirked and told him there was nothing wrong with being second in command.
Toshihiro leaned back in the chair he was sitting in, ignoring the stack of paperwork he had to complete.
Rei had been acting quite unusual lately.
Recently, she had spent a good part of the morning sound asleep before arriving in the shrine's small kitchen wearing a very different smile than the one she usually wore. Stranger still, he had caught her sitting in front of the shrine's television set more than once in the space of a few days, and for the first time in years, he'd had to remind her that she had chores to do.
A soft knock pulled him out of his reverie.
"Come in," he called, and smiled in greeting at the young priest who slid open the door. "Ah, Kumada-san! What can I do for you this morning?" Toshihiro gestured at the chair facing his desk, indicating that his visitor should sit down.
Kumada Yuuichiro bowed, making his scruffy dark hair fall into his eyes, and hurriedly sat. His face was quite red. In fact, he looked rather embarrassed.
"I—Sensei—last night—I—I saw something that I—I shouldn't have—but—" He fiddled with his hands before gripping the chair's armrest. "R-Rei-san—she—she was—I—" Yuuichiro reddened even further.
Rei.
Toshihiro fought the urge to laugh. No wonder the man could hardly speak. He had been completely smitten by the beautiful young woman the moment he had set eyes on her, despite Rei's less than friendly attitude towards him.
He sighed as Yuuichiro continued to sputter incoherently.
"Just tell me what you saw already, Kumada-san."
"How could I have been so stupid? I had no idea she was like that—" The younger man buried his face in his hands and groaned dejectedly. "To see her in—in—that person's arms—"
Toshihiro sat up. "You saw Rei in someone's arms?" he demanded. "A lover's arms?"
Yuuichiro groaned again, and raised his eyes to Toshihiro's. "Last night, Sensei. I was up late at meditation and when I left the fire room I thought—I heard something coming from the kitchen. So—so I went to investigate—there was someone with Rei-san—"
Toshihiro fought to keep his expression neutral as the lovesick young priest told the shrine leader what he had seen.
It had all looked very innocent—Rei cleaning her visitor's injured leg, murmuring comforting words as she did, before carefully placing a bandage across the small cut.
"But then—then—they were—they were—kissing, Sensei! And it was no kiss of friendship."
Toshihiro could hardly believe what he was hearing. Rei had never shown a single modicum of interest in men. He wondered sometimes if she might possibly be a—
"Does Rei know you witnessed this?"
Yuuichiro shook his head. "They disappeared into her bedroom before—"
"WHAT?" Toshihiro leapt to his feet. "She took a man into her bedroom?"
Yuuichiro gulped visibly and shook his head again. "N-not a man, Sensei. A—w-woman. D-did—did I not m-mention that part?"
Toshihiro blinked and slowly lowered himself back into his seat. "A woman," he said thoughtfully. A not entirely unexpected idea came into his head. "What did she look like?"
"Like she was enjoying it, Sensei," Yuuichiro said matter-of-factly.
Toshihiro snorted. "No doubt, Kumada-san. Her appearance, I meant. Did you recognize the woman?"
Yuuichiro scratched his shaggy head. "She was familiar, but I couldn't quite place her. Very beautiful though." His eyes grew rather dreamy—what could be seen of them through the unruly mop of hair, anyway.
"Not a word of this to anyone, Kumada-san," Toshihiro said in a low voice. "If I find you have spoken of our conversation to a single soul, I will have you set on fire and tossed into Mount Fuji. Understood?"
"Y-yes, Sensei." Yuuichiro had been at Hikawa long enough to know when its leader was making a joke. This was not one of those occasions. He stood and excused himself with a bow, nearly sprinting from the office when he left.
Toshihiro leaned back in his chair again and exhaled a long breath. He had a sneaking suspicion that he already knew the identity of the young woman Yuuichiro had seen with Rei the previous night. If he was right—
He smiled to himself, delighted for the young woman that had been in his care for so long.
If he was right, Rei and her best friend had fallen in love.
o~o~o
As time passed, Toshihiro became even more certain that his suspicions were correct. The young woman, Minako, appeared at the Shrine with increasing regularity—always clad in a ball cap and sunglasses to hide her famous identity—then Rei would appear from nowhere, greet her visitor politely, and the two would vanish from sight.
It was when Rei returned to the Shrine several hours after an especially violent thunderstorm had torn through the city that he knew for sure. The smile she wore was entirely too brilliant for someone who claimed she had waited out the torrential rainfall by herself at a restaurant.
Then, not long afterwards, the young woman had requested a meeting in the shrine leader's office to ask for some time off. It seemed she had been invited awhile back to accompany Minako on a trip to Greece. Toshihiro had given his permission, and fought to control his amusement when Rei all but danced out of his office. She was gone for over a week and returned with sun-kissed skin and looked as though she'd had the time of her life.
He felt a bit sad that Rei had still not told him about her relationship, although, he knew she had good reason not to. Most Shrines would not be willing to embrace someone in Rei's situation, no matter how skilled or brilliant the individual might be. He glowered at the ignorance of some people and decided then and there that Rei would have a place at Hikawa for as long as she wished, no matter who might object.
With that, he stood from his desk and made his way into the grounds, needing to stretch his legs. He had been working at his desk for entirely too long.
"Come on, Reiko—go and get your guitar so we can play together! I can't learn a song after only hearing it once, y'know."
Toshihiro paused at the open doorway when he heard the voice, and spotted Rei and Minako standing at the top of the shrine's steps. The young idol had a guitar case slung across her back and appeared to be pouting.
"I have chores to finish, Minako, you know that. I can't right now." Rei gestured to the broom in her hand. "How about later?"
"I don't have time later! Besides, I don't want to walk all the way back home with this thing. It's heavy. Please, Reiko?"
"So call your driver then—or is he still parked at the foot of the steps?" Rei continued sweeping, but immediately halted when Minako stepped forward and whispered something in her ear. The idol was smirking when she pulled away. Rei's eyes had grown quite wide.
The priest tried not to laugh as he watched the exchange. He could tell from the set of Rei's shoulders that she still didn't want to give in, but she was going to anyway.
"Okay. Come on, Mina. God help you if I get in trouble for leaving my chores unfinished."
They turned and strode towards the shrine, spotting Toshihiro before he could back away from the open door. Rei froze momentarily and bowed when they reached him. Minako did the same. Their cheeks were bright pink.
Smiling, Toshihiro held out his hand for the broom. "Go on, Rei. I'll finish up."
She flushed further and they hurried past, Rei nearly dropping the broom as she relinquished it.
When he was sure they were out of earshot, the priest snorted with laughter.
o~o~o
"Come in," Rei's soft voice answered when Toshihiro knocked on her bedroom door. He was pleased to see that she was playing her guitar again—it had been happening far more often since Minako had appeared at the shrine asking Rei to practice with her. He had been tempted to listen in on their playing, but given the nature of the women's relationship, he feared he might not overhear music but something else entirely.
Toshihiro squared his shoulders, needing to talk about something of a far more serious nature at the moment. He took a breath, never liking it when he had to lecture Rei. Thankfully, those occasions we quite rare.
"Is something the matter, Toshihiro-Sensei?" she asked, looking curious.
He tried to appear stern-faced and the young woman swallowed apprehensively.
"As you may well remember, Rei, last night we had to clean the freezer of its contents because of the rolling blackouts that the city has been implementing—I recall seeing you there in the kitchen at some point, helping the rest of us."
Rei nodded, her cheeks slowly turning red.
"But then you were not there. You had mysteriously vanished. And something else was gone too. I doubt the two events are coincidental." He narrowed his eyes, trying not to snicker at the utter confusion on Rei's face. "My ice cream is missing, Rei, and I want to know what you've done with it."
Rei blinked and began shaking with amusement. She put aside her guitar and got to her feet, bowing apologetically.
"I'm very sorry, Sensei. I'm afraid it has gone to a better place." She straightened, failing to keep her expression neutral. "What can I do to appease you for my transgression?"
Toshihiro tried to make his sigh sound long-suffering. "I fear the only thing that will spare you from my wrath is if you make haste to nearest store and pick up some more. And, furthermore, when you return, you must help me to consume it." He nodded curtly. "I sincerely hope this teaches you a lesson, Rei. Don't forget to buy some cones."
He spun and left Rei's room, grinning when he heard her burst into laughter.
No doubt she had feared he was going to ask her where she'd been all night. She obviously didn't realize he had no need to pose the question.
Anytime Rei disappeared lately, she was more than likely with Aino Minako.
o~o~o
After opening his newspaper, Toshihiro seriously debated finally approaching Rei about her relationship. He had immediately recognized the young priestess, as well as the woman she was kissing in the photos that covered the front page. He ran his hands through his greying hair. What on earth could they possibly have been thinking, doing such a thing in public?
Personally, he was amazed that the press hadn't figured the situation out sooner, but then, they likely did not know the young idol as well as they thought they did. They would have no idea who Rei was, as she enjoyed solitude and anonymity as much as the rest of the world enjoyed breathing—which made him wonder sometimes how she had ended up with someone with so much notoriety. A case of opposites attracting perhaps?
Toshihiro stood from his desk and strode from his office. Perhaps he could help Rei to retain her anonymity for a bit longer.
He called a meeting with the rest of the Hikawa residents and instructed them all to keep their mouths shut, unless Rei spoke directly to them about the situation. Yuuichiro alone had acted unsurprised by the news, although he turned a deep shade of crimson and remained so during the brief gathering.
As Toshihiro expected, Rei did not say a word about the broadcast, perhaps hoping that the other residents of Hikawa watched as little television as she did, and went about her chores with her usual diligence. She was perhaps a bit quieter than normal as she worked, but that may have been due to the separation from her famous lover. Rei had mentioned to Toshihiro in the days just before the broadcast aired, trying to look nonchalant as she did, that Minako was heading on tour around Australia to promote her latest album and would be gone for quite awhile.
Toshihiro was quite tempted to tell Rei to take some time off and join the woman she so obviously missed, but was spared the trouble when Rei knocked on his door several weeks later, looking completely shocked, and asked if she might be able to leave the Shrine for a week to go to Australia.
He had consented, surprised to learn that the airplane ticket had come from Rei's father, and wondered if the two were finally attempting to repair their long-damaged relationship. Toshihiro sincerely hoped so.
When Rei departed the office, grinning much like she had been when he had given his permission for her to travel to Greece, he switched his radio back on, and was about to change the station when he recognized the melody emanating from the small speakers.
Stunned, he turned up the volume and caught the tail end of the slow song, listening closely to the words.
'—Time and space might divide us, but never the love inside us
I'm always here, distant, yet near
I'll find you again, my love...
Together, apart, deep inside of our hearts
I've never left you, my love.'
Toshihiro listened, frozen as the words struck him to the core, and he noticed the damp trails covering his cheeks.
"That was My Love, the latest from Aino Minako's new album, available at all local music stores—"
He switched off the radio and wiped his eyes.
Rei's mother's song.
o~o~o
A clamour of voices from outside of the Shrine awoke Toshihiro from a sound sleep. He glanced at the clock, his eyes widening when he saw how early it was.
"Toshihiro-Sensei?" Yuuichiro's voice called, and a knock on the elder's door soon followed. "Sensei, there're a bunch of reporters outside—they want to ask you about Rei-san—"
He came completely awake at that, and hollered to Yuuichiro that he would be right out. Hurriedly, he pulled on his priest's robes, and then followed the younger man to the Shrine's entrance, where the noise was coming from.
"They figured out that Rei-san was the woman with Aino Minako in the airport photos," Yuuichiro said. "I can't get them to go away, even though Rei-san's not even here! I don't know what to do, Sensei! I'm sorry!" He bowed as he walked and nearly stumbled.
"It's fine, Kumada-san, I've been expecting this to happen." He opened the Shrine's main door and was surprised to see the stern, but strained face of Senator Hino Takashi. He was flanked by two bodyguards who seemed to be encouraging the excited group of reporters to depart. Several were attempting to get the Senator's attention. He pointedly ignored them and inclined his head respectfully towards Toshihiro. The priest returned the gesture.
"Good morning, Senator Hino. Won't you please come in? Kumada-san, would you be so good as to bring us a pot of tea?"
Yuuichiro bowed and hurried off as Toshihiro escorted the Senator into his office.
"I presume you know what this is about, Naoya-San?" The Senator got right to the point when they had seated themselves. "No doubt you have seen the images of my daughter that have been appearing around the city—"
"I've known about her relationship with Miss Aino for quite some time, actually—though Rei is unaware of that fact," Toshihiro said. "I suppose she feared what the consequences might be had she shared the information with me."
The Senator narrowed his eyes. "And what might those consequences be, Naoya-san?"
"Non-existent, Senator. Rei has a place here as long as she wishes it—although, I fear with this situation, it might be in her best interest to—to find a new home." Toshihiro swallowed back the wave of sadness that threatened to overwhelm him at the thought.
"I'll speak to her about it when I call her. Perhaps she'll consent to moving back in with me—at least temporarily."
Toshihiro highly doubted that Rei would agree with the idea, but kept his thoughts to himself. Yuuichiro knocked and appeared with a pot of tea and two mugs. Toshihiro thanked the young man, who bowed and quickly departed with a glance at the visiting politician.
He poured two cups of the steaming beverage and handed one to the Senator. "What do we do about the situation outside in the meantime? The shrine certainly can't operate normally with that horde of vultures circling around out there."
"I've taken care of it, Naoya-san. Once we get that group cleared out of here, I'll leave a few plainclothes security officers to keep out cameras and anyone they recognize as a reporter. They'll be familiar with them, as they've done similar work for me in the past."
Toshihiro took a sip of tea, feeling somewhat relieved. "Thank you, Senator. Your assistance is greatly appreciated."
Nodding, the Senator raised his mug to his lips. "It's the least I can do. After all, if I hadn't bought her that plane ticket, this might not have happened. I never even considered that someone might stoop to taking that private information and selling it to the media—you'd think, wouldn't you, that I would have thought of that? Surely my line of work has taught me that much—"
"With all due respect, Senator, if it hadn't happened like this now, it would have happened some other way later." Toshihiro chuckled. "Surely your line of work has taught you that much?"
The Senator scowled at the priest, looking remarkably like Rei as he did. "I see now where my daughter gets her sense of humour." He drained his teacup and pushed it aside. "If you'll excuse me, Naoya-san, I really think I need to speak with Rei."
"Very well, Senator. Thank you again for everything you've done." Toshihiro stood to see him out.
Miraculously, the Senator's security team had managed to remove the crowd of journalists, allowing the shrine to return to its usual peaceful state, much to Toshihiro's relief.
Hino Takashi gave the priest a strange, sad smile.
"I should really be thanking you, Naoya-san—for all you've done for Rei." He bowed and quickly departed without a backwards glance.
o~o~o
Much later that same day, Toshihiro was visited in his office by one of Rei's friends. He wasn't as well acquainted with the young florist, Kino Makoto, as he was with Minako, but she had visited the Shrine a number of times in the past and Toshihiro thought she seemed a very nice young woman.
Apparently, she was there on behalf of Rei, who was worried about what her fate at Hikawa Shrine was to be, now that her relationship was out in the open.
He sighed at the question, remembering his earlier conversation with Rei's father.
"She has a place here for as long as she wants it, Kino-san, but—if this morning was any indication, it might not be safe for her to reside here any longer. Were it not for Kumada-san, those reporters might have come directly into the Shrine, and who knows what could have happened then."
Makoto looked resigned, but relieved. "She's really terrified you were going to boot her from the Shrine altogether, Sensei. I'm glad you're not some stuffy old ignoramus."
Toshihiro snorted into his teacup as Makoto went red. He waved away her attempts to apologize for the remark.
"Honestly, Kino-san, I'm glad I'm not too. It would take all the fun out of life." He sighed and regarded Makoto with a serious stare. "It pains me to have to ask her to leave—but I don't want to see her get hurt. As it is, if she's willing to stay on as a priestess, we'll have to change some of her daily tasks so she isn't harassed by our visitors."
Makoto nodded, smiling slightly. "I understand, Sensei. I'll tell her what you've said—though it'll still be hard for her to hear, I'm sure. Anyone who knows her can see how much she loves this place."
Toshihiro smiled back, even though it was the last thing he felt like doing.
Makoto excused herself from the shrine leader's office to relay his message to Rei. After several minutes, she returned looking almost shame-faced to tell Toshihiro that the young woman had agreed to move out of the Shrine, but wanted to keep working there.
When Makoto departed for home not long afterwards, the priest closed the door to his office and buried his face in his hands, overcome with guilt at the thought of how Rei must be feeling.
o~o~o
"Sensei?" Yuuichiro knocked on the edge of Toshihiro's open door several days later. "Rei-san is back. She'd like to talk with you and the other elders."
"Gather everyone in here please, Kumada-san. You can stay for the meeting as well, if you'd like."
The young priest nodded, trying not to look too eager, and hurried off.
Toshihiro sighed and tried to compose himself. It would not do to get upset in front of the other elders—he feared he might be teased for it later. He nearly laughed at the thought as the other Hikawa elders and Yuuichiro filed into the small office, followed by a very hesitant-looking Rei.
She bowed almost the second she had crossed the threshold, trembling as she did. Guilt washed over Toshihiro again, as it had been doing for much of the time while the young woman had been away.
"Welcome back, Rei. I hope you enjoyed your trip." He smiled as she slowly raised her eyes to meet his. "Now, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"
o~o~o
Toshihiro watched wordlessly from the foot of the Shrine steps as Rei and her friends loaded her possessions into the small car that belonged to Makoto's fiancé. Even though she would be returning to the shrine the very next morning to begin her altered duties, it was still hard to see her leaving after so many years.
He knew he was going to miss seeing her every day.
Rei hadn't said where she was relocating to, but Toshihiro had a feeling she was moving in with a certain singer he had met a few times over the years. He was quite pleased for the couple—but hoped that they would make it a habit to visit him occasionally. Yuuichiro was a kind enough individual, but he lacked the wit and sarcasm that made talking with the two young women so very entertaining.
Toshihiro had had difficulty maintaining his composure when Rei began to cry during the meeting he'd held in his office earlier, as she thanked the shrine elders for everything they had done for her through the years. He wondered still if he might not break down weeping where he stood.
Rei put one last item into the car before closing the trunk, and Toshihiro had to bite down on his trembling bottom lip.
It was her guitar case.
She glanced around surreptitiously before swiping hurriedly at her cheeks. Rei murmured something to her bespectacled friend who had approached—Ami, if Toshihiro recalled correctly—and turned to look back at the Shrine steps, smiling when she noticed Toshihiro standing there. She said something more to Ami and walked towards the priest. She pulled a small, flat box from her jacket.
"I, um, found this when I was away. Something about it made me think of you, Sensei."
Smiling, Toshihiro took the box.
"Nothing for Kumada-san? He'll be jealous." He laughed softly as Rei scowled.
"I don't understand how he still hasn't given up on me," she grumbled. "Especially considering how long he's known about this."
"Well, it's very difficult not to love you, Rei."
The young woman's expression became one of astonishment. Toshihiro could feel his cheeks reddening.
"I—I would have been very lucky indeed if fate had seen fit to bless me with a daughter like you."
"Sensei—" Rei's eyes were swimming. "I think—I think that she was the lucky one."
Before Toshihiro could reply, Rei hastened back to the car, giving him one last smile before the group piled in and drove off.
He already missed her.
After climbing back up the shrine's steps, he travelled down the corridor towards the room that Rei had occupied for nearly sixteen years, and felt his eyes sting when he saw it empty.
As he turned to head to his office, he remembered the package Rei had given to him.
The tears he had been holding in all morning spilled over as he opened the box and removed the gift Rei had chosen.
Dangling from the delicate chain was a tiny silver charm, shaped like a guitar.
Ten Years Later
A few years after Rei had moved out of Hikawa, Nayao Toshihiro had been asked to return and lead the Kyoto shrine he had grown up in after going to pay his respects to the late Hiroto-Sensei, who had passed away quietly in his sleep. He had agreed to take the post, but only after turning the reins of Hikawa Shrine over to a thoroughly stunned young priestess.
Toshihiro had been greatly amused by Rei's shock, especially since she was the only one who was surprised by the appointment. Minako had been heard to remark more than once that for a woman who was clairvoyant, Rei was very adept at missing the obvious. From what Toshihiro heard, Hikawa had been thriving under Rei's leadership, just as he'd expected it would.
He lowered himself slowly to the ground, and reclined against a favoured tree that was much larger than it had been in his youth. He smirked as he picked up his battered old guitar, remembering the reactions of some of the Kyoto residents who had been amazed to see that the instrument was still intact.
Idly, he began to pluck out the notes of a new song he was attempting to learn, closing his eyes as he played.
"So they weren't kidding when they said all I had to do was follow the music to find you," a familiar voice said a few moments later, startling the aging priest. He was surprised by the sight of Rei grinning down at him, and was even more surprised by the sight of the little girl clinging to her hand and gazing timidly at the priest.
"Rei! Well, this is certainly unexpected!" He smiled kindly at the child who was the spitting image of her mother at the same age. Rei's daughter had been hardly more than an infant when Toshihiro had departed from Tokyo. "This can't possibly be Risa."
Rei laughed good-naturedly and sat down across from the priest, pulling her daughter into her lap.
"Minako and I keep telling her to stop growing so fast, but she says she can't help it. I guess we're just going to have to accept it. Yes, Risa, what do you need, my love?"
The girl had been tugging quietly on her mother's sleeve, trying to get her attention. Risa mumbled something and Rei nodded, releasing her hold on the little girl.
"I was showing her the koi pond when we heard your music. Apparently she's not finished looking at the fish yet. And I can see her, don't worry, Sensei," she added when she noticed Toshihiro craning his neck, trying to find where Risa had gone.
He reddened slightly. "Where's Minako? Is she working?"
Rei beamed. "She's here too. We, um—we've had another child, Sensei. A boy. We brought him here to meet you. But he was getting fussy when we arrived, so Minako's seeing to him." She chuckled softly. "I'd forgotten just how isolated it is up here. Although, we were trying to keep the news quiet—still, you know the press, right?"
"I remember all too well, Rei. That's wonderful news! I can't wait to meet him. Congratulations to you both!" Toshihiro was delighted. "Is Risa enjoying having a little brother?"
"She sings to him every night before she goes to bed." Rei glanced almost shyly at the priest. "His name is Toshihiro."
The priest couldn't speak all of a sudden. He turned his attention to plucking the guitar strings to distract himself from the wave of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. He winced when the stiffness in his fingers turned painful.
"Are you all right, Sensei?" Rei asked, sounding concerned.
Toshihiro smirked, flexing his hands. "Oh, I'm fine. Just getting older, I'm afraid. I—can't play as much as I used to anymore."
Rei frowned, looking thoughtful. "May I see the guitar?" Toshihiro passed her the old instrument as Risa reappeared suddenly, giggling with delight.
"Mama! The fish dance here too! Just like you said!" Her eyes lit up as they fell on the guitar. "Are you going to play a song, Mama?"
"I am—but I need your help, Risa. Could you sit in front of me, please?" Rei winked at Toshihiro and gave her daughter the plastic guitar pick. "This is the first song Toshihiro-Sensei taught me how to play, after I taught him your grandmother's song. Just strum up and down the strings—and watch what my other hand is doing."
Risa gasped as the notes rang out loud and clear from the old guitar, before beginning to hum along softly. Apparently she knew the song very well already. Rei eventually joined in, harmonizing beautifully with her daughter.
Toshihiro knew his cheeks were damp when the tune concluded.
With her eyes shining, Rei smiled at the man who had raised her. "Come and meet my son, Sensei."
She helped Toshihiro to his feet and the small group made its way towards the Shrine.
O~O~O
Author notes, part II:
The first song Toshihiro taught Rei how to play is a simplified version of Green Day's Time of Your Life—which in the PGSM timeline would have still been a fairly new song when Rei was 8 or 9 years old... More good luck than good planning on my part.
Also, I had to bring Yuuichiro in. He makes me chuckle so.
And for those wondering about the names I chose, according to my preferred name database, Toshihiro means wise, and Naoya means to mend. I thought those suited him best. Hiroto means large, great, or command. As to Mariko and Sumika—I just filched their names from Girl Friends and Sasameki Koto because I enjoy those mangas ever so much. If you haven't read them, you should remedy that fact post-haste!
Thank you again for reading, and please leave me a review, because since this is a bit different than my other stories, I'm very curious as to what you all thought of it!