The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida by Clarissa Goenawan

Author:Clarissa Goenawan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Soho Press
Published: 2020-01-23T21:44:58+00:00

13

Field

of

Roses

The morning came faster in Kitsuyama than in Tokyo. No one needed an alarm clock. In the early hours, roosters woke the village.

Opening her eyes, Chie forgot where she was for a moment. The light bulb and paper shade were unfamiliar. Ah, that’s right, I’m in Miss Sugi’s clinic. Chie got up and yawned. The warm sun crept through the windows and filled the tatami room. She folded up her futon and pushed it back into the cabinet. Opening her bag, she took out a change of clothes and a towel.

Ryusei was already dressed when Chie came out of her room. He was pressing his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose. His eyes looked bloodshot.

“You didn’t sleep well?” she asked.

“I did, but not for long. I’m just not used to this place yet,” he said. “I’ll see you later.”

“Uh-huh.”

Stepping into the corridor, Chie took a good look at her surroundings. All the windows had already been opened. The wooden flooring was no longer cold. If anything, it felt warm on her bare feet. She looked out and saw a group of birds chirping and hunting for food among the grass patches. Some of the villagers, including children, were heading out. A few carried farming tools while others herded their cattle.

“Good morning,” Miss Sugi said, coming out of one of the rooms. The sleeves of her mauve kimono were tied up with a tasuki. “Did you have a good rest?”

“Yes.” It occurred to Chie that she should have woken up earlier to help out. “I’m sorry, I’ll be ready soon.”

“Take your time. You must be tired from yesterday’s journey, and it’s only your first day.”

Chie excused herself and went to the bathroom. She caught her reflection in the mirror. Her long permed hair was a mess, all clumped together. How could she not have noticed yesterday? She laughed. Look at what you’ve become after a single day of hiking.

Except it hadn’t been just a hike, more like a pilgrimage.

She took her clothes off and turned the tap on. Cold mountain water poured out. Chie closed her eyes and thought of Miwako Sumida. They had been so young and carefree, lying atop that water tank and staring at clouds. Those days felt so far away now, almost like she’d imagined them.

Chie reached for the soap and worked it into a lather.

If, at some point back then, she’d told Miwako that she knew about her identity as MK, would it have changed anything? Miwako would probably have been embarrassed that her cover was blown, and that Chie knew she was writing such strange stories.

No, Miwako wouldn’t have reacted that way. She would have turned red. Not out of embarrassment, but anger. She would have seen it as an intrusion into her personal life, and wondered if that was why she and Chie had become friends. Yes, that was more like it. But after her anger subsided, would they still have been all right? If so, would she have opened up

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