Hyouka – The AfterStory

Project Collaboration by Commander Cody & Maria

Zenna Sisters' Rivalry Story Arc

EPISODE 11

"Houtarou-kun, I thought we could enjoy an onsen."

Eru seemed to be quite cheerful about her proposed trip as she brought it up during morning breakfast. It was Sunday; which, for Houtarou and Eru, was day of rest from work. It was only the next day that she brought it up, as Houtarou was hardly so fervent about discussing the details. He observed that Eru dominated the conversation on the subject of honeymoon plans. Maybe the same will be for future trips, Houtarou thought to himself.

"An onsen?" Houtarou asked curiously.

"Hai," said Eru cheerfully. Deep down, though, he was not particular, as long as the honeymoon did not involve long-distance travel. Satoshi would be used to this kind of thing, Houtarou mused.

"You'll like it," Eru tried to assure her blasé husband. "You're probably not as enthusiastic about long-distance travel as Fukube-san is."

"As long as it's close by within the Prefecture," said Houtarou.

"It is," said Eru. "I had in mind visiting the onsen at Saizansou…in Zaizen Village."

"Saizansou…" Houtarou mused.

"Don't you remember, Houtarou-kun? It's the inn of the Zenna family," said Eru. "Maya-chan's relatives. Oh…speaking of that…the renovations of the Seizansou are finished…and are still in use."

Houtarou remembered visiting that place during his freshman year at Kamiyama High. "I see," he mused. At that time, the Seizansou had been undergoing renovations, with the annex still under construction.

"It was the same annex that was the subject of a haunted hanging shadow," said Eru. "If you can recall. Of course," She said with a little laugh, "That hanging shadow turned out to be the hanging yukata of one of the Zenna sisters…as you had discovered."

"Ah…now I remember," said Houtarou. "The yukata belonged to Zenna Rie, but her sister, Kayo wanted to borrow it…as I recall. The yukata got wet, so she left it out to dry."

"And Maya-chan got really scared when she saw that yukata from a distance," Eru recalled, with a mirthful laugh. "She didn't know it was a yukata back then.

"And…well…" she continued, her mood changing to one being more morose, "When you deduced that Rie had a tendency to write her name on her things…it seemed to show that there was much tension between them."

"Hmm…you've got the details right," said Houtarou, listening. He had kept silent about the hanging yukata and the rivalry of the Zenna sisters for the sake of preserving harmony among Mayaka and her relatives. No word of this rivalry, so far as Houtarou could tell, ever went to Mayaka.

"I am certain that the Zenna Kayo and Zenna Rie are much older now, and that they have put all of these unpleasant things behind them," said Eru, feeling worried over the state of affairs between the Zenna sisters. "At least…I hope that is the case."

"I guess we'll see," said Houtarou.

"There's no need to be cynical, you know, Houtarou-kun," Eru admonished her husband.

"Fine, I'll keep an open mind, for your sake," said Houtarou. "However, there could be a possibility that bad habits maintained through childhood will carry away into adulthood."

"Perhaps," Eru agreed, even if she hated to admit this possibility. "I just hope it won't get worse." She was tempted to say that such sentiment applied very well to Houtarou, but she decided to say nothing for now, as she felt a bit preoccupied with the Zenna sisters.

"Anyway, I suppose visiting the Zenna family inn wouldn't be such a bad idea," said Houtarou, who seemed content with letting Eru handle the planning.

"That is good," said Eru. "Maya-chan has made arrangements to visit her relatives."

"Ah." Houtarou had remembered them. The Zenna sisters were little at that time.

Perhaps Satoshi can visit, too, Houtarou assumed. He figured that Satoshi would take the opportunity to be with Mayaka during that time. If Mayaka were taking a vacation, Satoshi would want to take advantage of that. It was a thought that entered Houtarou's subconscious. Besides, there might be some interesting things around Zaizen Village that Satoshi would take the time looking.

"Not much will have changed with the place," said Eru. "Though…the Zenna family will have already finished renovating the inn. And…the Zenna sisters will be a lot older now. They'll be graduating soon, won't they? At least the older one will, I think."

It was already afternoon. Houtarou and Eru hardly needed to do much planning other than making sure they would be back after at least two days. For the duration of the trip they would dress light, but allow for the likelihood of cool weather. So they both packed their traveling clothes according to the predictions of the weather, however likely such predictions could be. While Houtarou wore light clothing, Eru decided to go with something that suited her dainty feminine tastes: a loose-flowing dress with a cardigan over her.

Houtarou and Eru left the house, walking all the way to a bus station. They rode in silence for the rest of the trip, letting all the scenery sink in. For them, the honeymoon was not just some kind of adventure; it was a break from the daily routine of work, which they would have to enter again after they soaked in as much of the natural beauty the world had to offer, and the company of friends.

After stepping off the bus at Zaizen Village, from the small town, they took a long hike up the road leading to the Zenna house.

"Haru," she said. "The springtime." "Yakata!" she uttered, finding herself overwhelmed by its natural beauty.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Eru asked him, hoping to coax a sensible answer out of him.

Houtarou decided to take Eru's advice on marveling the cherry blossoms. "It is," he said in simple words. Eru smiled, knowing there was still something in Houtarou that influenced him to draw toward beautiful things in life.

They walked up the pavement. "It's been a long time since I saw this place," said Houtarou.

"Hai," said Eru. "You must not have traveled a lot, though."

"I was too busy with my studies at university," said Houtarou.

Eru gave Houtarou a smile that seemed to indicate that she hardly believed what she thought was a mere excuse. "Houtarou-kun, I'm pretty sure that you had plenty of free time at University; perhaps even more than at High School," she said. "You probably think that way because you hardly keep track of how much time you spend."

"That's…now, Eru," Houtarou protested, stammering. "I look at my watch."

"And I'll bet you probably waited for the rest of the day to pass by when you had little else to do," added Eru.

Houtarou could hardly brush off Eru's words. It was a habit of his that he had since high school.

"I was beginning to take a fancy for you," said Eru, using the word suki in the context of romantic attraction. "That's why I wanted you to succeed. That's why my father and I got involved with preparing you for the workforce.

Houtarou gave a smile; subtle yet one that conveyed a deeper appreciation of the Chitanda family's efforts on his behalf. It was not long before he and his wife arrived at the doorstep. A woman opened the door.

"Ah," said the woman. "You must be Oreki Houtarou-san and Oreki Eru-san."

Two girls emerged from the doorway.

"Zenna Kayo-san and Zenna Rie-san," Eru observed, rather joyfully.

The girls were now young maidens, but some things would remain consistent. Rie had always been the older, bespectacled sister who manifested such a lively disposition. From Houtarou's recollections, she would come close to being the genki girl of the family. Kayo was the reserved younger sister.

Eru was right. They look older now, Houtarou observed.

Eru confirmed his thoughts out loud, in her cheerful way. "My, my, you girls are young ladies now," she said, observing that the girls had now reached almost her height. "Are both of you still in high school?"

Zenna Rie shook her head, with a modest smile. "Iie, I'm at university now," she replied. "My first year. I turned twenty last year."

Eru turned to the younger sister, bending over a little to face her directly. "What about you, Zenna Kayo-san?" she sweetly inquired.

"I'm almost finishing high school," Kayo answered, in a bashful way. She was about two years younger than her older sister. "I'm a second-year."

"So desu ne," said Eru with a radiant smile. "It has been a long time since we visited this place with Ibara-san. Speaking of which…she told us she planned to visit here."

"Hai," said Rie.

"Shall we all step inside?" asked the mother.

"Hai," Eru agreed.

Houtarou and Eru stepped inside.

"Maya-chan," Mrs. Zenna-san called. "We have visitors. Oreki Houtarou-san and Oreki Eru-san."

Mayaka, in her dress slacks and light sweater, was occupied with reading manga in the lounge. She seemed to arrive earlier than expected.

"Eru-chan?" Mayaka called.

"Maya-chan!" Eru exclaimed.

Both the young women embraced each other.

"I heard you and Oreki-san got married yesterday," said the mother.

"Hai," said Eru.

"How was it?"

"It was grand!" said Eru.

"I'm sure it was," said the mother with joy.

"My family decided to have it in the Shinto tradition," said Eru. "Maya-chan was one of the miko."

The mother gasped. "Really?" she asked with great joy. "Oh…it must have been such an honor! You must tell me all about it, I am sure."

Mayaka felt a surge of joy over her role being acknowledged by her best friend.

"I insisted on playing the part," said Mayaka, eager to elaborate on the ceremonial details of the wedding. "I was one of the miko to administer rice wine to Eru and give the wedding band to her…to put on Oreki's finger."

"My, oh my," said Mother Zenna, fascinated at her niece being given this great honor.

"And Juumonji Kaho-san performed the ritual dance."

"Kaho-san?" asked Mother Zenna curiously.

"Hai," said Mayaka. We had connections with the Juumonji family. They made favorable arrangements for their wedding…after Oreki solved the case of the poison plots Eru-chan and her family, and in the midst of doing so…uncovered a plot to sabotage the Shrine."

"Shrine?" asked Mother Zenna incredulously.

"Hai," said Mayaka right away. "Arekusu Shrine."

"You seem surprisingly happy about giving credit for my problem-solving," said Houtarou.

Mayaka made a thoughtful face. "Well…I was grateful for it. Besides…the Chitanda family fortune was at stake. The whole thing was frightening."

It dawned on Mother Zenna that she was neglecting the inn's guests. "We'll talk more about it, Maya-chan. It's not often I hear about an elaborate Shinto wedding here. But for now…our guests." She turned to Houtarou and Eru. "Gomen nasai, Oreki-san," she said to Houtarou. "We can start settling things in order."

"We'll be there in a moment," said Houtarou.

"Right," said Mother Zenna. She went to her office to prepare papers.

Houtarou turned to Mayaka. "Ibara-san…where's Satoshi?"

Mayaka's mood became one of disappointment, which seemed to puzzle Houtarou at this time. Feeling downcast, Mayaka slumped over her shoulders before plunging into the sofa.

I take it's not the right time, thought Houtarou. Although Satoshi would have enjoyed the place. In fact…I seem to recall that he admonished me greatly for not using the onsen more often. That was back in my high school days…

Mayaka's behavior prompted Eru's concern, but settling payment with the inn took priority for this time.

"What's with her?" Houtarou asked.

"I know," said Eru in worry.

"We'll have to deal with it later," said Houtarou.

"Oh…right," said Eru.

Houtarou and Eru went to the office of Mother Zenna. There they made arrangements for payment.

"I thought that Houtarou would find a place like this ideal for our honeymoon," said Eru.

"It would be a bit of a strange choice," said the mother. "Considering that many couples would prefer to go someplace they could never afford…if they had little children. But I'll admit…perhaps after a stressful week…the natural hot spring is the place to seek physical relief."

Eru glanced back and Mayaka. She seemed occupied with reading manga, but it seemed like she had some kind of disappointment. She felt compelled to talk with her friend.

"Houtarou-kun, can you handle the rest?" asked Eru.

Houtarou made a nod.

"Ano…chotto matte kudasai," said Mother Zenna. "We need your signature on the agreement of payment."

"Oh, right," said Eru, almost absent-mindedly. Eru wrote down her signature; her surname in Kanji and Hiragana and her given name in Hiragana letters.

"I'll speak to Mayaka," said Eru. "Houtarou-kun, let me know if something else is needed from me."

"Right," said Houtarou

Eru left the office and went to Mayaka as Houtarou pulled out some yen bills out of his wallet.

"Maya-chan, nande desu ka?" asked Eru with great concern to her friend. "You seem a bit down these days."

"Ano…it's just…I was hoping Fuku-chan would come," Mayaka lamented.

"I was thinking the same thing," said Eru. "What's with him?"

"He was scheduled for a business trip up north in Tokyo. He expects to be there for three days. He only told me today."

"Only today?" asked Eru, surprised that Satoshi would announce a major trip at the last minute. "That's…"

"It was the way he delivered them," Mayaka was grumbling. "How could he have not told me earlier? What seems to be going on with him?"

"Perhaps he left for Toyko on such short notice," said Eru. "Or that…maybe he seemed conflicted."

Mrs. Zenna-san was processing some kind of transaction. While that was happening, Houtarou was observing both Eru and Mayaka. He could almost observe that Mayaka seemed a bit gloomy.

"I'm just disappointed," said Mayaka. "Honestly…I feel jealous about you…"

"Maya-chan, please don't despair," said Eru, putting her arm around Mayaka. "If something is up, just let us know."

Houtarou approached the two ladies. "We have a room," he said to Eru, showing her the key. "It's upstairs, on the annex. Room Seven. The one already renovated."

"The annex?" asked Mayaka curiously. "Room Seven?!"

"Hai," said Eru.

"Well…I guess we're past haunted ghosts this time," said Mayaka. "I think I remember how creepy it was to see some haunted ghost hanging across the distance. I also thought that room was cursed."

I hope not, thought Houtarou.

"Daijoubou, Maya-chan," Eru assured her friend. "We'll have a peaceful sleep. Anyway…I have to get our rooms ready. I'll check on you in a little while."

Mayaka made a nod before focusing back on her manga reading to take her mind off things.

Houtarou and Eru took a stairway leading to the second floor of the.

"Something seemed to be going on with Ibara-san," said Houtarou. "Do you think…it's the haunted memories of the hanging shadow?"

Eru shook her head. "Not so much that," she answered. "She was hoping…rather…that Fukube-san would show up. But he didn't. He had a business trip in Tokyo."

"I had no idea," said Houtarou. "You'd think he would have told me. How long does Satoshi expect to stay in Tokyo?"

"Three days, from what Maya-chan told me," said Eru.

"That's pretty major," Houtarou mused. "A trip like that…"

Saying nothing else for now, Houtarou unlocked the door of Room Seven and opened it. The interior of the bedroom was spacious, illuminated by warm incandescent light from a ceiling lamp. Tatami mats lay spread out, with meticulous neatness, across the polished hardwood floor. A kotatsu stood at the center, with two low chairs flanking the kotatsu. A futon stood at the back of the room, behind the kotatsu. There was a complimentary flat-screen television at the left-hand side of the room, and the niche was bathed in the same light as that of the entire room. TO the left of the television was a closet with sliding doors.

"Ano…Houtarou-kun…do you think we'll end up being cursed?" asked Eru.

"I hope not," said Houtarou. "We're both sane people, anyway."

"If we don't die already…perhaps we'll end up getting caught in the middle of some troubling family dilemma," Eru muttered.

"That would probably be the lesser of two evils compared to being afflicted with illnesses," said Houtarou.

"Do you think we should ask for another room from Zenna-san?" asked Eru.

"Iie," said Houtarou sharply. "It's too much trouble. I suppose, however, that at the first sign of trouble…we'll consider a change of rooms."

Eru felt a bit assured that at least Houtarou considered a Plan B if any sort of mysterious affliction befell her and her husband. She settled her suitcase on the wide bed.

Eru had an urge to maintain the topic, because even she was beginning to feel downtrodden over Mayaka's situation. "Anyway, there were some places of interest in Zaizen Village we can visit," she said, clapping her hands joyfully. It was her way of brightening what would have been an unhappy day for Mayaka. "We'll bring Maya-chan along."

Houtarou heaved an audible sigh. "Right now?"

Eru's face reflected something thoughtful as she moved her suitcase into the closet. "Well…I was hoping we could cheer up Maya-chan a little…"

"Well…I was hoping we could use the onsen…"

Eru smiled rather mischievously at him. "You? A long time ago, you were never so enthusiastic about using one…"

Houtarou remembered that back in his high school years he was hardly enthusiastic about using an onsen. But he held back from insisting, because he then had a yearning for the physical relief that the onsen would offer. In short, he needed something novel in his mundane life. He would give in a little, but if it was not too much trouble, at least for him. But perhaps Eru's suggestion wouldn't wouldn't be too much to handle…

"How long does it take to walk from the Zenna Inn to Zaizen Village?" asked Houtarou.

"Well…I'm guessing…about a thirty-minute walk," said Eru, who was hesitant to say the details.

Houtarou sighed audibly. With that kind of time, they would have lost about two hours. And he and Eru had to take a look walk from the bus station to the Zenna house.

"Eru…are you sure we can't postpone the visit for tomorrow?"

Eru seemed to look downcast. She seemed to think that he was mostly thinking about himself too much. "Houtarou-kun…you don't understand; Maya-chan is…well, she doesn't seem to be in the best of spirits."

Houtarou raised a brow. Mayaka could be passionate about something. For him to hear about Mayaka being gloomy and depressed, well, unusual. Not that she manifested such behavior at the time when Satoshi broke the Valentine's Day chocolate back in high school, and Houtarou had to intervene in that sorry affair. That event was such a long time ago.

"Well…I suppose we're not in the mood, either," said Eru.

"Daijoubou," said Houtarou. "We'll take Mayaka along when we visit Zaizen Village tomorrow. We…it wouldn't help Mayaka if we didn't show some spirit."

Eru sighed. "I guess…"

"Besides…I'm sweating a little," said Houtarou. "And to have a bath…would be a relief."

Eru giggled, as her husband, who had little enthusiasm for the onsen, now had the urge to relieve himself. "Shall I see you at the mixed bath, then?" she asked.

"Um…sure," said Houtarou. He had not been to a mixed bath before. If he was not married, it would have been socially awkward.

"I'll see you then," said Eru. "Meanwhile, I'll be downstairs, cheering up Maya-chan."

Mayaka wanted to take a mental break from reading manga. She spotted a large photo album on the coffee furnishing.

To cheer herself up, she opened the book. When she lifted the very cover, there was a separate photograph tucked inside.

Mayaka looked to see what the photograph contained. It was a photograph of a porcelain statue of a Geisha girl in the middle of dancing.

She heard Mother Zenna approaching. She tucked the photograph inside the album and positioned it exactly as it lay.

"Are you all right, Ibara-san?" Mother Zenna inquired her niece.

"Hai," said Mayaka, trying to hide her own feelings.

"Would you like some tea?" Mother Zenna asked her niece, offering some tea on a metal tray.

"Please," said Mayaka. "And…would it be all right if I could look at this photograph album?"

Mother Zenna looked at the album. Seeing there was little harm in letting her niece get a glimpse of the photograph, she said, "All right."

So Mother Zenna went to make tea for her guest. Mayaka opened the album and took a look at the separate photograph, as the picture was the one thing that occupied her mind. She beheld the statue. That statue, elaborately molded and painted in very fine detail, manifested a lifelike appearance. The Geisha Girl was clothed in a scarlet red

Mayaka looked up, about to ask her aunt about this mysterious statue. Instead, she saw Eru emerging from the stairway.

"Maya-chan, daijoubou?" asked Eru.

"Hai," said Eru.

"I was talking with Houtarou-kun, and we think that the local park in Zaizen Village would be fun to visit. Would you like to come?"

"Ano…" Mayaka tried to enter the conversation. Taken in by the statue, she wanted to inquire her aunt about this statue's fascinating story.

"Come on, Maya-chan," Eru tried to coax her. "Maybe a visit to Zaizen Village can help take your mind off Fukube-san. We plan to do it tomorrow."

Mayaka signed. "I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea," she said. "Ano, Eru-chan, chotto matte. Why tomorrow? There's still some daylight left."

"Well…Houtarou-kun and I were planning to use the onsen this evening."

"Sou desu ne," said Mayaka. The whole thing seemed to make her jealous all the more. "Well…that's what you came here for," said Mayaka, resigning herself to Eru's decision. "Daijoubou desu."

Mayaka tried to put on a cheerful face to relieve her friend; but Eru, being a little perceptive, seemed to notice it was a mask; Mayaka seemed a little depressed inside.

Something, however, caught Eru's attention. Her eyes shifted shifted to the stray photograph across the album. Her eyes widened and twitched, overcome with awe over the photograph of the porcelain statue. "Is that…a Geisha girl?" asked Eru with great excitement.

Mayaka looked at the picture that she brushed off before; surprised that Eru stumbled upon something that was right under Mayaka's nose. "Why…yes," she said.

"Is it porcelain?" asked Eru.

"It appears so," said Mayaka.

"Watashi…kininarimasu!" Eru exclaimed.

Mother Zenna arrived with the tea. "Here's your tea," she offered to her guests.

"Ah…arigato gozaimasu," said Mayaka in a formal manner.

It began to dawn on Mother Zenna that Eru was here. "Oh…Oreki-san, I did not bring an extra cup. Would you like one?"

"Ah…hai," said Eru. "Oh…Zenna-san, this is beautiful. What is it?"

Mother Zenna looked at the picture. "This special heirloom was known as the Dancing Geisha Girl," she said. "The Dancing Geisha Girl stayed in the Zenna family for two generations. It belonged to the great-grandmother of my mother, who was a Geisha girl herself. The statue was given to her…by a suitor who eventually married her.

"There was so much value in it," said Mother Zenna. "Much sentimental value; it almost felt priceless. Rie-chan was to inherit that heirloom. But…it was not to be."

"Doushite?" asked Mayaka curiously, to satisfy the curiosity of Eru and Houtarou. Mayaka says she had seen this heirloom on occasion.

Houtarou saw what was going on, but he was bereft of crucial information about the Geisha Girl.

"Is that…?" Houtarou began.

"It's a statue of a dancing Geisha Girl!" Eru said to him in excitement.

Houtarou studied the statue further. The Geisha Girl had her ebony black hair tied up into an elegant bun. Houtarou could remember this similar style done with Eru when he had participated in the Living Doll Procession back in his first year in high school. Over the bun was a crown of cherry blossoms, the sakura.

The Geisha Girl was clad in a bright-red kimono with embroidered patterns of white sakurasou, those flowers that resembled cherry blossoms. The kimono was a separate artifact that the Geisha Girl wore; an article of clothing put on the statue; the way a girl dressed a doll with clothes.

The Geisha Girl carried a flowered fan in her right hand. Her arms were outstretched, her body slightly arched, her eyes reaching to the heavens. The statue was made in such a way that the Geisha Girl remained in the middle of a graceful dance.

Eru was accustomed to seeing these kinds of traditional clothing, but never could she lose appreciation for such beauty. "It's…kawaii!" she exclaimed, stunned, completely at a loss for words describing the exquisiteness of this statue. "So graceful!" she adds.

"Hai," Mayaka agreed. "Whoever made this statue had shown…exceptional skill. It's as if the Geisha Girl herself was real…and a camera captured this moment and suspended it in eternity."

"Ano…how old is this statue?" asked Houtarou.

"We had this statue in our family for…two generations," said Mother Zenna. "Unfortunately, this precious heirloom was broken."

"But…why?" asked Eru, shocked. "How could that happen?"

"It dropped on the floor," said the mother.

"That sucks," Mayaka lamented bitterly.

"Ano…would you know who dropped it?" Houtarou inquired Mother Zenna.

"Well…I was cleaning the statue," said Mother Zenna. "And then…I carelessly dropped it. Such a shame. Anyway, I'll go get Eru some tea," she finished, before turning to Houtarou, having it dawn on her that he was in the room when he was not in the room before. "Oh…Oreki-san, would you like some tea, too?"

Suddenly the bell rang.

"Hai," Houtarou said simply.

"I'll be with you in a moment," Mother Zenna assured him before answering the door.

Houtarou observed the exchange. A young man was at the door. He seemed to be saying something about Rie.

"Please…come in," said Mother Zenna.

The young man stepped into the room. He was an introverted man…

"Rie," Mother Zenna called. "Awatsuki Tsuurichi-san is here."

Houtarou observed Kayo from a distance. Kayo came into the waiting room.

Awatsuki Tsuurichi was about the same age as was finishing his third year in the same high school that Rie had attended and Kayo was still attending, and was considering vocational school after that. In the social rank, Tsuurichi was Kayo's upperclassman, so even though Kayo always addressed him on a first-name basis, she still addressed the young man with the honorific senpai.

Kayo makes a light smile. Out of curiosity, Houtarou observed the younger Zenna sister. By the looks of it, her smile seemed to be but a mask.

But what could such a mask hide? Houtarou wondered.

As Houtarou observed, Tsuurichi and Kayo looked at each other for a moment. Rie, in her energetic spirit, broke his focus. Rie and the young man seemed to be enjoying each other's company. In a flirty manner, Rie put her arms around the young man.

Houtarou thought Rie could be a clingy girl sometimes. Rie, being the genki girl of the Zenna family, seemed to be more outgoing than her younger sister, Kayo. Around Tsuurichi, Rie acted in way that Houtarou perceived as frivolous, which, to him, meant acting in a jumpy manner; constantly invading the young man's personal space. Not even Eru was that frivolous, and Eru could be intrusive to Houtarou's personal space.

Meanwhile Kayo felt she was out of place. She left the room and headed upstairs.

Maybe Houtarou was seeing things too deeply. Having a pretty good memory, he tucked his observations into the back of his mind. For now, he would enjoy his vacation days with his wife.

Houtarou made his way to the onsen. There was an area called "Mixed Bath", an area of the onsen intended for both men and women. He remembered that place a little from his first year in High School; with some changes in furnishing. Besides that, not much was changed.

He entered the place. Having taken off his clothes, he threw them into a white clothesbasket and shoved the basket into a snug niche at the bottom of the shelf.

He took a towel and stepped into the shower room. People using an onsen had to shower in order that they remove all manner of sweat and bad odor from their bodies. It was inconsiderate not to use a shower before using an onsen; using an onsen without bathing meant that the onsen would have to be cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis.

Houtarou washed himself all over, scrubbing himself all over of all manner of sweat and odor in the shower stall. When he had finished bathing himself, he donned the towel below his waist.

Reaching the onsen, he put one toe in the water. The temperature was near perfect. He waded in the spring and let the water run its smooth course all over his body.

Houtarou heard someone coming in. It was his wife.

"Eru?" he called, seeing her.

"I'm here," she said rather cheerfully. She seemed to look forward to spending time with him.

"I'll be here in moment," she said, before entering the shower room.

While waiting for his wife, Houtarou reclined at the edge of the natural spring, closed his eyes, and let the warm water relieve his body. With physical relief came mental relief.

For at least one night, if ever, Houtarou would let all anxiety about work assignments drift and ebb away, and if something came up related to work, he would just shove it into the back of his mind. He let the bubbling, gurgling sounds of the water stimulate his ears, and given that no one else was in the onsen, the bubbling water, along with the gentle rush of water being channeled into the natural spring, were the only sounds he would ever hear.

Eru emerged from the shower room, with a towel wrapped around her body, and one wrapped below her waist. She dipped her right foot into the water, and her body registered the water as warm.

It was like a déjà vu from his first time back in his first year at Kamiyama High; the way Eru came later after Houtarou did. It was as if he was seeing a manifestation of his past life, with some differences all in his favor.

Eru took off only the towel around her body, keeping the one at her waist, and submerged herself in the pleasantly warm, inviting bathwater.

Eru breathes a sigh of great relief. The onsen was renowned for its therapeutic treatment of the body, and such treatment even had an effect on the soul in terms of relaxing the mind.

Houtarou was quite surprised to see Eru with nothing covering her, save for the towel wrapped below her waist. She submerged herself until the water covered even her fairly ample and well-proportioned chest. Soon he felt completely drawn to the outward beauty of her well-endowed form, like he could never allow himself to do before, in such an intimate way.

"Houtarou-kun, you're blushing," Eru said to him.

"Huh? Oh…" His cheeks were flushed.

She saw where Houtarou's eyes were training: her chest, fully exposed. But she simply smiled. "Now, don't be anxious, Houtarou-kun" said Eru. "We are married, after all."

She stroked his cheek, and Houtarou became mesmerized by her alluring looks. By her body language, Eru was telling Houtarou in her own way that she deserved to be the woman of fawning attention, in every way. With such great affection, he stroked her ebony black hair, standing out in contrast to her peachy-colored skin.

"So…Eru, how are things with Ibara-san?"

Eru became surprised that Houtarou would bring up this matter, during a honeymoon, no less. Nevertheless, she elaborated the details she heard from her friend in a casual way.

"Well…" Eru began, as she related the story of the Geisha Girl. Houtarou missed out on the story. It was better to receive the information at a time like this, when both he and his wife were in peace of mind and body.

END OF EPISODE

Japanese Naming Convention:

Surname: Given Name:
Zenna Kayo
Zenna Rie

Awatsuki Tsuurichi

Western Naming Convention:

Given Name: Surname:
Kayo Zenna
Rie Zenna

Tsuurichi Awatsuki

Vocabulary Translations from the Japanese Language:

Hai - Yes

Iie - No

Ano... - Umm... (Filler Word)

Seizansou - The family inn in Zaizen Village, owned by the Zenna family