Momo Arashima Breaks the Mirror of the Sun by Misa Sugiura

Author:Misa Sugiura [Sugiura, Misa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2024-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

I’m, Uh, Edamame

The next morning, we donned our sunglasses and hats and were walking out the door when Obaa-chan shuffled up and thrust a handful of pink paper tickets at me. “Tickets for the midwinter cherry blossom ceremony,” she said. “I’ve been so many times, I don’t need to see it. But you should go!”

“Midwinter cherry blossom ceremony?” I repeated, puzzled.

“Oh, yes, dear, it’s beautiful. All the cherry trees in the royal park spring into bloom, all at once, in honor of the new year. It’s one of the highlights of the week!”

I took them and thanked her, even though we’d probably be too busy to go. It was a bummer; she seemed so eager for us to have a good time.

Half an hour later, we reached a little tai-yaki shop tucked away on a side street near the palace. We picked a table, ordered a pile of the hot, fragrant pastries in the shape of fish, and sat down to wait for Kabo and Nobu, who had agreed to trade identities with Danny and Ryleigh for two days in exchange for the VIP concert tickets.

“Man, I hope these kids like Middle Lands music.” Danny jiggled his knee and crammed an entire chocolate-filled tai-yaki into his mouth.

“What if they don’t? Do you think they’ll show up?” I couldn’t help worrying, as usual.

“Even if they don’t like Middle Lands music, who wouldn’t want to trade two days of work for two days of freedom on a holiday?” said Ryleigh. “We’ve made them an offer they can’t refuse. They’ll show up.”

We waited for hours, and I was about to suggest that we give up when two kids wearing traditional servants’ kimonos wandered into the shop…followed by a third kid we hadn’t invited.

Kabo, Nobu, and the third kid sat down. “This is Jun,” said Nobu. “She’s my little sister.”

When I put two tickets on the table, Nobu shook his head. “We were promised three tickets,” he insisted.

“You’re lying. We offered you and Kabo one ticket each to trade places with me and Danny. That’s two tickets,” said Ryleigh.

“Well, now we want three.” Nobu crossed his arms, and Kabo and Jun did the same.

“Two.” Ryleigh crossed her arms. “That’s all we have,” she lied.

“We’re not doing this unless we get three, so I guess it’s off, then,” said Nobu. He and the two girls turned to go.

“Ryleigh!” I said between gritted teeth, but she refused to budge.

“They’ll come back,” she muttered. “Watch.”

But they kept going, going, going, and finally Ryleigh shouted, “All right, all right, three!”

Nobu turned around with a broad grin splashed across his face. We left the café and ducked into an alley to make the exchange.

Nobu, Kabo, and Jun took their servant passes—little golden tablets on silk lanyards—from around their necks. Instantly, their palace staff uniforms disappeared and two girls and a boy dressed in street clothes—jeans, T-shirts, and in Nobu’s case, a super-emo black button-down shirt—stood before us. We gave them our VIP tickets, and seconds later, Danny and Ryleigh were dressed as a kitchen servant and a stablehand from the Palace of the Sun.

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