Chapter 12: Completely accepted
After conversing with Suoh, Kanon returned home in a state of confusion. The next morning, Kanon woke up feeling different than usual. She tried moving her limbs, standing up straight, even attempting to fly, and everything seemed normal. So what was this strange feeling?
Kanon went about her morning routine, attending school and working at the library, all the while feeling as if her body wasn't following her mind's commands, as if her soul and physical self were not in sync. Kanon felt like she was sitting there, watching herself go through the motions of daily life. It was an incredibly bizarre sensation, yet also terrifying. Kanon feared that if she sat there, even for a moment of distraction or a brief nap, her body would wander off and her soul would be lost, disappearing forever. This thought filled her with panic because she was already a stranger to this world, and if she vanished, would she be able to return to her old world or would she be completely erased?
Kanon recalled stories she had read before about world within mirrors and shadow beings. If you weren't careful, the person in the mirror could replace you, or if you left your shadow behind for too long, it would grow stronger and take over your body, while you became the shadow. Lost in these thoughts, Kanon felt her body stand up, preparing to leave. Leave? But she still wanted to sit there and meditate. Hastily, Kanon also stood up and chased after her own body. However, in her haste, she bumped into someone or something, became dizzy, and faded away. Before her eyes closed completely, Kanon could still see her body walking away, growing distant, and disappearing.
It seems like a very long time later, Kanon opened her eyes and regained consciousness. The first thing that hit her was a dazzling and gloomy light, followed by a gentle and excited voice exclaiming:
"Finally, you're awake, Hanazaki-sensei!"
Kanon sat up, shaking her head to clear her mind, then turned to look at the person who spoke. It was an incredibly cute girl with smooth, long black hair and big, lively gray-brown eyes that always sparkled. The girl smiled mischievously at Kanon and continued:
"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Ohkawa Mako, a first-year student in the Social Studies class, and a fan of your outstanding detective stories."
As she said that, the girl's eyes grew wider and brighter, and she moved closer to Kanon. She grabbed Kanon's hands tightly and stared at her with an eager expression:
"Please give me your autograph! And by the way, could you reveal a little bit about the next detective story? I'm extremely, extremely curious to know."
Kanon swallowed nervously. Oh my, this was really 'out of the frying pan into the fire' situation. Ohkawa Mako, those who had read manga or watched anime knew about the eccentricity of this character even though she was extremely loving and doting towards her younger sister.
Kanon really didn't want to make an enemy out of someone like Mako, so she nodded vigorously:
"Of course, Ohkawa-san, I can sign wherever you like. On a magazine? A glossy postcard? Or the best quality paper?"
True to her quirky nature, Mako's lively eyes sparkled like headlights in the evening as she exclaimed:
"Oh please sign on my collar, hair tie, sleeve, and sock. I will wear this uniform as it is, hang it up at night, and gaze at it day and night."
"So, should I sign on all the white parts of your uniform?"
"Ah, I just noticed, this uniform should indeed be changed to white, only those parts you mentioned should be changed to black. Next time, I will write a petition to the Elementary Student Council about this issue. So..."
At this point, Mako rummaged through her bag for a while and pulled out a large correction pen, presenting it to Kanon:
"Please sign on the front and back of my uniform, remember to add 'I love Mako' as well."
After turning the super serious Clamp school uniform into a graffiti wall masterpiece, Mako was ecstatic and gleeful. She grabbed her bag, hugged Kanon tightly, then disregarded her idol on the infirmary bed. She sang and danced her way out of the infirmary, leaving Kanon feeling quite bewildered.
"Are you okay?"
As Kanon struggled to get out of bed and realized her body was back to normal, she heard a calm and gentle voice. She looked up to see the beautiful blue-haired doctor she had met when she first entered the school.
"Thank you, doctor. I'm fine now, I can go back to class," Kanon said.
"I think you should go home instead," the doctor replied.
"I'm really fine now."
Kanon didn't want to leave school halfway through for a seemingly trivial reason like fainting. But the doctor just looked at her with amusement before saying:
"What I meant was, even if you go back to class, there won't be anyone there."
At that moment, Kanon looked up at the clock and felt like fainting again—it was already 5 o'clock in the afternoon?
"So it's time to go home, ha ha ha ha! I really didn't realize I had been here for so long!" she exclaimed.
"Are you sure you're okay?" the doctor asked.
"So according to the doctor, what's wrong with me?" Kanon dodged the question. She felt a bit strange but dismissed it as her imagination running wild.
"Your body is completely normal..." the beautiful doctor said, pausing and then gazing deeply into Kanon's eyes, making her feel like her innermost thoughts were being laid bare. It was only when Kanon became flustered under that gaze that the doctor continued:
"But fainting for that long is indeed very rare. During the fainting spell, did you feel anything unusual? Like having nightmares? Seeing things that have happened or will happen? Or feeling like... your soul was leaving your body?"
Kanon was startled and blinked in surprise as she looked at the beautiful doctor. A gentle breeze blew in from the window, causing her light blue bangs to flutter. That smile, those sad eyes that seemed to know everything that was happening, even the strands of hair floating in the air, gave Kanon a sense of déjà vu, as if she had seen this scene somewhere before.
Without waiting for Kanon to respond, the doctor, who clearly had no intention of making things difficult for her, walked back and sat down at the desk in the adjacent room. She picked up a medical notebook and handed it to Kanon, saying:
"You've been thoroughly checked while you were unconscious, and you're perfectly healthy. Just take care of yourself, get proper rest, eat well, and avoid staying up late studying. Come back for regular check-ups every month from now on... Your body is yours, starting now, so take care of it."
Kanon, bewildered, asked, "Starting now?"
She didn't understand at all.
"Yes, starting now," the beautiful doctor replied with a mysterious smile that Kanon couldn't fathom, and then ushered her out of the room. Kanon, feeling lost, took the medical notebook and walked back to the classroom to get her bag before heading home. But as she reached the hallway leading to the classrooms, a strong intuition urged her to go somewhere else. Her feet seemed to move on their own, leading her to stop in front of a classroom. She looked up and realized it wasn't her classroom. It was 6Z, Nokoru's class.
When Kanon reached out to open the classroom door, she caught a glimpse of a figure passing by the window frames. Someone was inside the classroom. Kanon quickly sat down under a window and peeked inside. A tall girl was leaning over to place something in someone's desk drawer. After making sure no one was watching, she looked around and quietly maneuvered through the rows of desks, exiting through the back door. Kanon swiftly hid in a shadowy corner next to the classroom, waiting for the girl to leave before gently opening the door and approaching the desk she had seen earlier. She cautiously reached into the drawer and pulled out a letter, which contained the same content as the blackmail letters she had received recently. Kanon was shocked, this was an unbelievable surprise. She scanned the room, the dim light mixed with a hint of sunset glow, and identified this spot as belonging to the arrogant Midoriko, as she remembered the layout with Nokoru's desk above hers.
There was a time when Kanon had to pass through the classroom due to unforeseen circumstances and witnessed Nokoru being surrounded by girls asking about the Detective Team, only to be scolded by Midoriko for being noisy and disturbing others' studies. Despite Midoriko's arrogance, she was right to point out others' faults, leaving Nokoru speechless. Kanon almost applauded her at that moment. However, Kanon noticed something strange: despite the similarity in content, this letter didn't evoke the same felling as the previous blackmail letters she had received. Kanon had never been concerned about the threats in those letters, which is why she had dismissed them. Moreover, Seiji hadn't helped her deal with them, indicating they weren't a serious matter. But the emotions stirred by the letter in her hand were chaotic, blending envy, resentment, and a hint of hatred. Who could have sent this to Midoriko?
"Oh, it's you, Kanon-chan."
A familiar voice shattered Kanon's thoughts. She looked towards the front door to see Nokoru standing there, bathed in the twilight glow, half of his face obscured, revealing the other half, which was handsome with a slight smirk, indicating the confident of the famous student council president.
"So, you've figured it out too?" Nokoru said.
Kanon sighed and replied teasingly, "Why do you assume that I wrote this letter and yet think I discovered it?"
Nokoru chuckled, "Ha ha, if you were the culprit, either you wouldn't be so composed, or I would be certain that Kanon couldn't pull off such things, as you often say, 'send shivers down one's spine,' right? I meant about the content of the letter."
"You truly are extraordinary, Kaichou."
"You praise me too much. Shall we shake hands for our first official collaboration then?"
"I haven't agreed to anything yet," Kanon retorted.
"But you haven't refused either," Nokoru countered.
Kanon surrendered, conceding defeat to Nokoru's charm and feeling his genuine concern for her. Concern? Sensing it clearly? Kanon found it strange, she had never felt this way before, not even towards Mrs. Hanazaki, her mother. So why now?
"Are you okay?" Nokoru asked with worry, noticing Kanon's slightly pale face and unsteady stance. Kanon weakly replied, holding her head, "I'm fine!"
"I heard you fainted today. I think you should go back and rest. Let the remaining members of the Detective Team handle these matters," Nokoru suggested.
"I said I'm fine!" Kanon insisted.
"The school security police force, Duklyon, is here to ensure the safety of Clamp School!"
Before Kanon could explain further, she was swiftly whisked away by the three oddly dressed individuals resembling superheroes, and when she turned back, she only saw Nokoru waving a handkerchief.
In the end, Kanon was escorted back home by the three eccentric individuals in a car, where they performed a bizarre hand and foot dance before speeding off. What a strange day it had been!
Kanon entered the house, and instead of her usual routine of heading straight to her room for changing clothes, she went in search of Mrs. Hanazaki. She wanted to know how she felt seeing her mother now. However, she searched the entire house but couldn't find her anywhere - not in the bathroom, living room, or kitchen. Standing in the kitchen, pondering where her mother could be, Kanon caught a glimpse through the window of the small garden behind the house. Her mother was sitting at a tea table in the garden, conversing with a middle-aged man.
Approaching the window, Kanon strained to listen to their conversation, feeling an intuition that she shouldn't meet them at this moment. The man was dignified, dressed in traditional outfit with a white kimono top and black hakama commonly worn for temple staff. His face bore the seriousness of a politician, yet his eyes were warm. Kanon sensed that this man was involved in spiritual matters. Although she couldn't hear their words clearly due to a wall and the garden separating them, the stern expression on Mrs. Hanazaki's face indicated the gravity of the conversation, even a hint of unpleasantness.
Suddenly anxious, Kanon had never seen her mother like this before. Mrs. Hanazaki was always carefree, doing things her way and never appearing sad - that was her mother. The solemn expression on her face now felt unfamiliar.
Just as Kanon was about to open the door to go outside and see what was happening, the man stood up, bowed to Mrs. Hanazaki as if to leave, and turned towards the garden's back door, calling someone in. When Kanon saw the two individuals, she gasped - weren't they her missing reluctant bodyguards, Ichikawa Seiji and Setsu?
The two boys stood respectfully, bowing to Mrs. Hanazaki before following the man out through the garden's back door. Why didn't they use the front door? Kanon had countless questions swirling in her mind at this moment, but the only one that surfaced was unrelated. Kanon glanced at her mother's bewildered figure through the window and then opened the door forcefully, speaking loudly:
"Mom, where are you? I'm so hungry, is there anything to eat?"
Mrs. Hanazaki startled and turned around, seeing her daughter's perplexed expression. She tried to push aside all worries and forced a hesitant smile, saying:
"Oh, yes, let me prepare something for you, dear."
"And why are you out here, mom?"
Kanon pretended to ask as if she didn't know what was happening.
"Oh, nothing! Just finished tidying up the house, and I wanted to come outside to relax and have a cup of tea."
"But why are there two teacups then, Mom? Do we have guests?"
Kanon probed further with her questions.
"Oh no, no, I was feeling a bit down, so... I decided to have a tea party game by myself."
"Mom, that sounds weird."
Seeing her daughter's suspicious gaze, Mrs. Hanazaki felt uneasy, but after hearing Kanon's next words, she breathed a sigh of relief:
"You can wait for me to come back and join you!"
The mother and daughter laughed as if nothing had happened. Kanon knew clearly that the world around her had changed, a change that went beyond what was depicted in anime, beyond her understanding of Clamp's world. However, it didn't surprise her. She was waiting for everything to unfold, to come slowly, as in the end, doesn't every story have a conclusion?
While Kanon pondered the mysteries of her fate, the strange man led Seiji and Setsu to a car waiting outside. All three of them remained silent, wearing serious and somewhat frightening expressions that made the driver break out in a cold sweat. He turned to them and asked:
"Would you like me to open a window for some fresh air? It seems a bit... stuffy in the car."
The three of them, with equally stern faces, simultaneously replied in a cold tone:
"No need!"
This made the driver reluctantly turn back to driving, avoiding looking at the rearview mirror to steer clear of the intimidating faces behind him. They arrived at a traditional building that spanned hectares. The large wooden door with lion head doorknobs clearly displayed the value and solemnity of the place. Above the door, a sign boldly read: ICHIKAWA.
This was the renowned samurai clan in all of Japan, the Ichikawa. The three of them got out of the car, Seiji stepped forward and knocked on the door handle with a ring as a signal, and shortly after, the doors opened wide, and they entered. Inside, they were greeted by the traditional setting of Japanese ancient villas with stone pathways, bamboo hanging on the sides, wooden winding corridors, bonsai trees in the garden, and a large pond with the sound of bamboo water pipes creating a serene atmosphere. As they walked up the corridor towards the main house, a group of people in kimono and hakama uniforms approached and bowed to them. The man nodded, and one person from the group stepped forward and said:
"Master, Takamura Seishiro and his son are here to see you!"
"I know!"
With that, he quickly led Seiji and Setsu into the main house. The main house was actually a spacious, empty room with tatami mats spread out. In the center of the room, there was a display of ancient Japanese general armor and five samurai swords, with a pair of couplets on the wall behind that read "Strong as a tiger, Fast as the wind" written in a powerful and majestic calligraphy style. Below that, there was a beautifully crafted stone chessboard.
Two tea sets were placed in front of the two Takamuras, including a middle-aged, handsome man with a calm and gentle demeanor, dressed in a traditional kimono, kneeling on a straw mat and enjoying tea. The other person was a boy, none other than Suoh.
"Takamura-sama, what bring you here today?"
The man from the Ichikawa family spoke up.
"Ichikawa-sama is too kind for welcoming us like this."
The man from Takamura family replied with a smile and then both men burst into laughter. After exchanging friendly greetings like that, Ichikawa Hatori finally looked over at the boy next to his friend. Suoh had been standing up for a while, just waiting for the master of Ichikawa family to notice him and bow in greeting.
"Is this the young master of the Takamura family? Quite a dignified demeanor, truly a descendant of you, Seishiro."
Meanwhile, Seiji and Setsu also bowed to the Takamura father and son.
"These two young masters are not inferior at all, why do we need such formalities, Hatori-senpai?"
"Ha ha, just because of a word 'senpai' from you, we have to have a few drinks."
So the two fathers took each other to drink and play chess, while Seiji and Setsu had the task of entertaining and taking Suoh sightseeing. In fact, Suoh had followed his father to the Ichikawa house a few times so he roughly knew the ins and outs of this house. As for touring the entire house, Seiji and Setsu probably couldn't take Suoh everywhere, just leading him to the garden in front of the tea house, discussing martial arts. And another important thing was that they really have nothing to talk about with each other.
