Chapter One
Katsumi
“Yes! I’ll take it!” I prattled off my address to my dealer, then ended the call.
“Did you get the lace you wanted?” My sister Hiromi sat on my floor cushions, her legs casually resting against the floor-to-ceiling window. Her focused gaze didn’t waver from the book she read. I wiggled excitedly and crawled over to show her the delicate lace I had ordered from my favorite antique shop in all of Japan. I always joked they were my dealers because their material bins were my favorite addiction.
“I did! I think I’m going to use it for that dress I sketched the other day.”
My fingers itched to grab my sketch pad and continue drawing the elegant floor-length dress with the new lace weaved in the bodice. However, my sister wasn’t just here to read.
“Ok, what’s the deal, Romi?” I sat beside her and propped a mint green pillow behind my back. She sighed and set the book down.
“Takeo hasn’t talked to Father yet about marriage. I know he wants to, I want to, but we need Father’s approval first.”
I nodded, knowing completely how our family operated. My older sister and I were the pride and joy of the Sakura line. The great Kano Sakura, head of Sakura Industries in Osaka, was a modernized businessman but liked to keep his home traditional. Our mother was a slave to our youth. She stayed home to take care of us and ensured we had the best education our fortune could buy, while our father remained head of the house. All marriage proposals had to go through him. If he didn’t approve, then it didn’t matter what you wanted. I knew this because he’d mentioned it many times as we reached dating age. Whoever thought to claim a Sakura woman would need to meet his high standards.
“I think he’s scared, not that he would admit it. He’s been working with Father for years, becoming quite irreplaceable in the business. But what if that isn’t enough?” My sister’s brown eyes stared into mine; her lip quivered slightly.
“It’s gonna be okay. Maybe I can whisper a little nudge in Father’s ear.” Sometimes it seemed like I had magical powers over our father. Typically, the firstborn was the favorite, but I was sick as a newborn for a few months. My guess is because I needed more care, it bumped me up to favorite status. That, and our mother wasn’t able to bear any more children. Since I was the last, he doted on me a little more than Romi.
“Yes, use your powers for good and not just to get this old studio.” She laughed, and I grasped her hand lightly. I looked around my place with a sense of pride. This old traditional Japanese house had fallen apart ages ago. No one paid it any mind since it was out of sight on the property, but even as a kid I would find my way here without thinking. I wish I knew the complete history of this place, but alas, my family didn’t know much beyond the fact ancient people used it at one time. I had it rebuilt with my first gala dress commission and turned it into a beautiful, yet simple, studio home. I tried to incorporate much of the surrounding natural materials as I could, and the result was breathtaking. My father didn’t want me to live here. However, I pouted my lip and flashed my chocolate-brown eyes and he relented. Technically I was only a ten-minute leisurely walk to the main house. It wasn’t like I deserted him and went to another country. My sister still lived with them, as per tradition of an unmarried woman. But my artist brain craved being away from the constant people coming in and out, the fancy décor, and my mother’s constant nagging. After my sister and I spent a summer internship in America two years ago, she swore we were heathens now. I love my family, truly, but I needed to have the breathing room where I could just be me.
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Father praises Takeo constantly. Although, I don’t know what he does in the business, I know Father thinks highly of him. Oh, I can’t wait to design your wedding dress.” I sighed, thinking of a beautiful white kimono with red ribbon on the trim, maybe some peach flowers along the train. Of course, she would have a modern party dress to dance in later . . . something that brightened her chestnut-brown eyes. Then my mind drifted toward a dress that would accentuate my features as well. We were similar in looks with a slim frame that reached to about five foot two for me and one inch shorter for her. I had long black hair with a hint of a wave in the front, while my sister loved to rock her pin-straight, dark-brown hair with bangs. I detested bangs, so I gladly left that trend for her to follow alone.
“I actually feel better knowing you’ll try to talk to him.”
Her voice brought me back to reality and away from the fashion show in my head. I’m glad I could help her. My sister was my best friend. I wouldn’t know how to function without her around. I was the sarcastic and creative one, while she took life a little too seriously. We balanced each other out when our world got too crazy.
“Good.” My stomach rumbled, and I glanced at the clock. “Are you going to head to the house for a gourmet dinner or were you gonna slum it with my rice and yakitori grilled skewers?” Instantly, my mouth watered at the thought of those delicious chicken skewers.
“Is the rice going to be in the shape of a panda?” My dearest sister arched her eyebrow at me. It may seem dumb to many people but making rice creatures was just one way to keep things positive in my life. I mean how could you not smile when you look at that little rice face?
“No.”
“In that case, I’ll stay here. I need a break from Father’s intensity.” She sighed and settled in the cushion again. We didn’t have hard lives. I suffered from a little social anxiety and a need to do something all the time otherwise I felt lazy. Romi held some sort of pressure from Father on her shoulder that I never could figure out. She worked with him as an information security analyst, making sure Sakura Industries was protected from cyberattacks and web hacks. I knew he held her to a higher standard than me, and I tried to make it up to her by being there for her no matter what.
“Perfect. After dinner, I have a surprise for you.” I hopped up and got to work on our food. It wouldn’t take long, thanks to my rice cooker doing most of the work. Romi picked up the book she’d been reading and mindlessly thought of sketches until I sang out, “Dinner is ready!” I carried the plates of food while Romi pushed the sliding doors back to my dining room and sat on the mint-green cushion at my floor table. She laughed when she saw myPokémonrice creations instead of pandas, and I grinned. Despite her teasing, I knew she liked my silly food. It reminded us both of when we were kids and life was simpler. After we finished eating, I grabbed the bowl of mochi ice cream balls from the freezer. They were her favorite, and I made sure to keep the freezer stocked for stressful days.
Suddenly, a long boom echoed outside the window.
“What was that?” I grabbed onto the table, preparing for the earth to shake.
“Father is expanding his operations and wanted another building. Demolition on the side of the mountain started today.” Romi took a bite of the delicious dessert ball without care.
“Great, I’m sure mother is throwing a fit.” I shook my head and understood why Romi wanted to stay over for dinner. My mother didn’t deal with change well, even if she wanted it. These renovations would surely push her toward the nihonshu bottle.
“Wanna stay the night?” I offered but she politely declined. I assumed she wanted to see Takeo before heading to bed. She stayed for another hour and hugged me before walking up the path to the main house. I thought about all the things I needed to do around my studio. After a minute thinking each task over, I decided a bath took precedent over all others. My favorite asset to this building was the small bath area just outside my bedroom. It was a naturally heated hot spring built by the ancient people who had lived here. It had large stones inside where I could sit, and more stones surrounding the water to give it a rectangular shape. I added a few plants for privacy, even though I rarely got visitors besides my sister. I stripped my clothes and walked to the hot spring; little wafts of steam beckoned me like a siren’s song.
“Favorite part of the day.” I sighed as the hot water soothed my muscles and stripped any lingering worries away. I took deep breaths and let my mind wander back into fashion show mode, tuning out the noise of construction machines and trees being cut for needless material expansion.
Chapter Two
Tatsuo
I grumbled as the shaking of my resting place grew violent. Did the earth quake in its growth or did battle rage upon my peaceful village?
The ground shook again, and the noise of a blast echoed around my chamber. Slowly, I opened my eyes to the darkness. While everything in this tomb of a cave looked the same as when I laid down to rest, the subtle decay was apparent. I spent decades living with the Sohei at their temple after years of war. I’d trained and found ways to control my powers for the betterment of the world. I’d worked alongside my ninja brothers to rid Japan of tyranny. Once our temple found peace, I needed to escape the nightmares of the past. As my kind grew weary, we needed rest in a dormant state to regenerate from time to time. The monks were to wake me in a year. I’d gotten plenty of sleep, maybe too much.
