The man walked over to them with a wide smile. “I’m Uchida Tomo. Are you looking for a place to stay? My family owns a ryokan here.”
“Oh…uh…thank you, Uchida-san, but we are headed to the Night Market,” Hana said.
“The market won’t open until midnight and both of you look like you have not had much sleep. Why don’t you stay at the ryokan while waiting? My wife can cook you a warm meal.”
“We could use some sleep,” Keishin whispered to Hana. “And food.”
Hana pulled her mother’s glasses from her bag and turned to Tomo. She raised a brow and just as quickly yanked it down. She nodded at Tomo and smiled. “Where is your ryokan, Uchida-san?”
—
The simple, well-kept ryokan stood at the foot of the mountain. Compared to its dilapidated neighbors in the village, it looked like a palace.
“Not many people come around to the village anymore,” Tomo said, leading them across a small garden. “My wife will be thrilled to have guests.”
“I have passed by this village a few times on the way to the Night Market. I did not realize that anyone still lived here. I thought that it was abandoned.”
“It is just me and my wife now,” Tomo said. “When the river dried up, everyone else moved on. But this is our home, and we do not wish to live anywhere else.”
A slender woman with a kind face greeted them at the door. “Welcome.”
“This is my wife, Yui,” Tomo said, introducing Hana and Keishin.
“Please, come in.” Yui smiled. “I will show you to your room.”
—
A small plate of daifuku, mochi balls filled with mashed azuki beans mixed with honey, and a bowl ofkarinto,sweet, deep-fried twiglike snacks coated in brown sugar, were arranged next to a freshly brewed pot of green tea on a low table in the middle of the room.
Keishin shot a look at Hana, showing his surprise at finding their refreshments waiting for them.
“The onsen is through here.” Yui walked over to a set of sliding doors across the room and opened them. A steaming outdoor bath, fed by a hot spring and bordered by smooth rocks, was cocooned by an ornamental garden. “We do not have any other guests, and so you have the onsen to yourselves.”
“Thank you,” Hana said. “It looks lovely.”
“Your meal will be served in the dining room after you have enjoyed your bath. I will leave you now so that you can rest, but please do not hesitate to let me know if there is anything else you need.” Yui bowed with a smile as she left, sliding the door behind her.
“For a ryokan in an abandoned town, they seem quite prepared to receive guests. It almost seems like they knew we were coming,” Keishin said, lowering his voice. “Do you think it’s a trap by the Shiikuin?”
“It is not a trap.”
“But don’t you think it’s strange that—”
“They’re ghosts.”
“What?”
“Tomo and his wife are ghosts.” Hana took off her mother’s glasses. “I saw who they really were through these. They have been dead for a very long time.”
“Then what are we still doing here?” Keishin’s eyes flashed.
“You said it yourself. We need rest and a meal.”
“But—”
“They are harmless.”
Keishin looked around the room. “Is any of this even real?”
