Like Sands Through The Hourglass

Another summer came and went and came again, and Kyoko couldn't wait to see Corn for the summer like he promised. The last week of school was almost irritating, despite Kyoko being a very astute and exemplary student. She's never late to class, always did her homework on time, never fail at being the top of the class in reading, writing or arithmetic. Okay, maybe not so much arithmetic, Kyoko thought. But, still to Kyoko making 89 means higher than average, right. So, it's not so bad.

A letter mysteriously arrived at the post office a week before the school ended. It was simply addressed to Kyoko. Being an old fashion post office in a village that the time had forgotten, the letter had arrived in Kyoko's hand via a runner boy that the Post Master had bribed into working for him, with hot lunch and pocket money for candies. Sho tried to take the letter from Kyoko, but she was too fast. Between the finely honed reflex and her super keen instinct, there was no way that Sho would be able to snatch the missive from her hands.

Kyoko ran off to the part of the inn that is designated for private residency. She sat down on the porch facing the koi garden, and started to read:

Dear Kyoko,

I hope that with this letter, I find you well. My father and I are coming back to Kyoto again in a week. I can't wait to see you. I hope that the weird uncle that likes to play dress up had deliver this letter to you safely. He said it'll be just like playing a fairy godfather. I don't think I'll ever understand grown ups at all. I hope to meet you at the sea cave again.

Yours,

Corn

When Kyoko finished reading the letter, she gently folded it back to the way it was. All the while, chuckling about the weird uncle Corn mentioned in his letter. She opened the shoji door that separated her bedroom from the communal porch and the koi garden beyond that. She went to her closet that holds small worldly belongings of hers. She found the object that she was looking for, a shoe box that holds the brand new shoes that the Okami had gotten for her earlier that day. She carefully took the red and white sneakers out of the box and places the letter inside. She then hid the box between the sweaters and the futon beddings.

Kyoko looked out the window at the beautiful cloudless sky, and the slight breeze that gently waft through the air from the sea. Kyoko sense no impending storm that always fills her with fear. It's going to be a wonderful day, she mused to herself, as she packed her usual things together for exploring the shorelines. She headed out the door, as soon as she was done. Okami smiled at her as she passed by.

"Be safe." Okami said as she waved Kyoko goodbye, "Isn't she just an adorable child. She'll make a good wife, one day." as Fuwa-taisho grunted in a non-committal way.

Kyoko arrived at her sanctuary, a little out of breathe. She leaned on her knees in the act of catching her breathe.

"Kyoko!" called out a very familiar voice.

She started to feel very excited, because her very good friend, Corn was already here. She turned expectantly towards Corn.

"Good Afternoon, Corn." she smiled sweetly at her very first real friend.

Kuon was taken aback by the smiling girl. At that moment, Kuon felt a pang in his chest. It was like something had punched him in his heart. What is this tightening in his chest, Kuon had thought.

But, the feeling passed after a few second and he forgot all about it, as he faced Kyoko with an answering smile, "Good Afternoon, Kyoko."

"Please! Call me Kyoko-chan." said the little girl. "We are good friends. Are we not?" She continued, "As my good friend, you must call me Kyoko-chan."

"Alright, Kyoko-chan." answered Kuon, with a grin from ear to ear, "That's what I'll call you."

Kuon and Kyoko spent the idyllic afternoon building a sand castle, as Kuon had brought stuffs for making sandcastle. Kyoko shared the snacks packed by Okami for her, as doting and as mother crazy as Okami is, she always pack more than Kyoko could eat by herself. While sharing their lunch, Kuon and Kyoko regaled each others with the stories from when they were apart. Kyoko told Kuon about the happenings at her school and Kuon regaled her with stories of stars, and places that he has gotten to see through his mother's work like the Madison Square Garden in New York, Milan, The Arch of Champion in Paris, and the Parthenon in Greece.

A cleansing breeze carrying the sweet scent of the ocean to the two young friends, Kyoko could hear the ocean beckoning to her.

Kyoko turned to Kuon with a mischievous smile, and asked before shedding all her clothes to reveal a swimsuit underneath, "Want to go for a swim? The water is great today."

Kuon turned and asked, "Sure! But, how did you know if the water is fine?" Kyoko ran towards the surf without turning her head to answer, "Because, the wind just told me."

Kuon paused and decided that Kyoko was just being Kyoko and followed her by shedding his clothes down to his swim trunk. He quickly joined Kyoko in the water very shortly after she dived into the waves. The two children popped in and out of the waves like two playful seal pups. They played tag and eye spy. Random people strolling by could see and hear them playing and laughing. A few people actually smiled despite themselves.

After awhile, Kuon and Kyoko decided to explore under the water. They chased a school of bright orange fishes, and then another school of yellow fishes with blue fins. They saw some devil rays swimming by, and some spotted fish in the kelp beds. There were some playful dolphins, and some seals. They even saw a whale far off in the distance of the deep blue of the murky ocean.

The day started to fade into the night as the sun dipped towards the western sky. Kuon and Kyoko whimsically swimmed back towards the shore.

Kuon asked Kyoko in one of the moment when they came up for air, "Kyoko-chan? What does the people called this area of the ocean?" asked a curious Kuon.

"They call this Tsuruga Strait. Why?" asked Kyoko.*

"Nothing in particular," Kuon said to Kyoko, while committing her answer to his heart.

Kuon with a devilish glint in his eyes, took a dive towards Kyoko and pulled her under the water. Kyoko squealed in surprise and gulped in a lot of sea water with it. Kyoko popped up for a deep breath and took off after Kuon like an angry lion fish, darting after him. Kuon swimmed as fast as his limbs could carry him, knowing the female cloud of fury that is trailing behind him. Kuon couldn't help but laugh, and think that it was really fun to tease Kyoko.

He took a peek while swimming faster and faster to get away. He knew that he had ruffled Kyoko's feathers or fins as would be the circumstances would call it so. He took another dive to hopefully allow the little girl some time for her wounded pride to calm and he spotted something reflecting of the bottom of the ocean. He surfaced with the indignant lion fish Kyoko on top of him.

"I'm mad at you, Corn." screamed an indignant Kyoko.

Kuon put up his arms, to shield his face from the assault of the eight year old girl.

"Kyoko-chan, I'm sorry. I swear I'm really sorry for playing a mean trick like that." Kuon pleaded half-heartedly while fending off Kyoko with effortless ease.

After awhile, Kuon surrendered to Kyoko to appease her deflated ego. Kyoko smiled with triumph that only an eight year girl could.

Kuon said to Kyoko, "Do you want to have one more adventure before we have to go home for the day." Kyoko nodded, "Follow me!" Kuon dived into the water to where he last saw the sparkle, while holding Kyoko's hand.

Kuon pointed at the spot where he last saw the flash. The children dived once more after taking another breath. Kuon reached the spot slightly just after Kyoko and started to look for the object that had made that sparkle. Kuon reached for what could be the object that he saw, and they took off toward the sunlight and air. Kuon and Kyoko broke surface and gulped for air simultaneously. Kuon held up the prize of their treasure hunt. It was a deep ocean blue stone, and with the setting sun reflecting behind it, it is as if it took on the color of the sun. It was a kiseki stone, or water sapphire.** Local legend has it, if a person makes a wish on it, the wish will come true.

Kuon put it in Kyoko's hand and said, "It's my gift to you, whenever you feel sad. This will take your sadness away." Kuon held Kyoko's hands in his, "Let's make a wish. A wish that we'll always be able to see each other," Kyoko nodded in agreement, then, they swimmed happily towards home.

* Tsuruga Strait is an actual location by the city of Tsuruga, in the Kyoto region.

** Kiseki Stone is also known as cordierite, or in the gemological term of iolite. Iolite is a transparent, violet-blue, light blue, blue, rich blue-violet stone. Gem quality iolite varies in color from sapphire blue to blue violet to yellowish gray to light blue as the light angle changes.