(50 Power Stone Bonus)
Chapter 157: Veneration
The Obon Festival had arrived. A light drizzle had fallen throughout the morning, leaving the atmosphere somber and overcast, and it wasn't until midday that the sun finally decided to make a reappearance.
The number of pedestrians on the streets had thinned out considerably. Half of the eateries along Konishi Street had already shuttered their doors, as many people had headed back to their hometowns. Just yesterday afternoon, Yuika, Kaiko, and the others had made their way back to Itomori.
Speaking of Itomori, the town had been devastated by a meteorite strike. More than half of it had been wiped out, and a massive new crater now sat beside Lake Itomori—a scar that wouldn't heal for hundreds of years.
The government had ultimately decided that Itomori wasn't worth the cost of repair, choosing instead to build a new residential district for the displaced residents on the outskirts of a small neighboring town.
Despite the natural disaster, the Itomori cemetery had been spared due to its high elevation. And so, Yuika and Kaiko had to return there to pay their respects to the relatives they had lost.
At ten o'clock, Yuika sent over two photos. One was a shot of her and Kaiko, with Soichi's smiling head peeking into the edge of the frame.
The background showed a densely packed cemetery under a bright, sunlit sky; you could see other people wandering through the rows of graves, performing their own ancestral rites.
The second photo featured her alongside Kaiko, Mitsuha, and Yotsuha.
It seemed it wasn't raining where they were.
Even though they were in the same prefecture, the weather on both sides was worlds apart.
Two days ago, Mrs. Miyako had also returned, picking up Hotaru to take her home.
Once the rain let up, Akishin changed into simpler clothes. Together with Shizuka, he grabbed the necessary tools and fresh flowers and began the walk toward the cemetery.
Cemeteries in Japanese cities aren't usually consolidated into one giant plot. Instead, they're scattered about, tucked away within residential areas like small parks; you might stumble upon one just by taking a casual stroll.
Ten minutes later, they arrived.
Not long after Akishin had first arrived in this world, he had scouted out the exact location of the graves belonging to the original host's parents. He had even come here once before to pay his respects.
The cemetery was situated near the sea. Just beyond its borders was a high cliff overlooking Tokyo Bay. It was a scenic spot where the sound of waves crashing against the shore echoed softly, and a sea breeze constantly drifted through the grounds.
Reaching the entrance, Akishin first offered a brief bow to the small Buddhist shrine stationed at the gate. It was a way of informing the guardian deity of the cemetery that they were visiting. He then produced a white envelope and slipped it into the shrine's offering box. Inside was the grave-keeping fee—this particular cemetery was owned by a temple.
The status of Buddhist temples in Japan is incredibly high; they don't pay taxes and enjoy permanent land ownership rights.
Eventually, Akishin came to a stop in front of three headstones standing side by side. Two of them bore names and photographs, while the third remained blank.
Staring at the three stones, Akishin fell silent for a moment. He set down the tools and flowers, taking them out one by one.
First, he used a small trowel to clear the weeds around the three graves. Then, he fetched a small bucket of clean water from the side of the entrance shrine and began wiping down the headstones with a cloth.
Throughout the process, Shizuka simply watched. This kind of labor was a family privilege.
"Are these Chishima-kun's parents? Your mother was very beautiful... It's no wonder Chishima-kun is so handsome himself," Shizuka praised softly.
Akishin looked at the two photos and nodded. "Thank you."
It was a thank-you on behalf of the body's original owner.
The original Akishin's mother was indeed beautiful—a classic Showa-era beauty with a heart-shaped face, wearing a kimono with her hair pinned up in a bun. Her expression was calm and natural; she wouldn't have looked out of place even standing next to Mrs. Miyako. The father, on the other hand, had been a traditional Japanese izakaya chef. He looked quite ordinary—thin, tall, and wearing a slightly awkward expression.
Their names were Chishima Ryoko and Chishima Sadahisa. The people in the photos looked so young...
Shizuka studied the two photos, then looked back at Akishin. Suddenly, she froze. She glanced back and forth between the photos and the boy standing before her, a strange feeling bubbling up in her chest. Why does it feel like Akishin doesn't look like his parents at all? Is it just an illusion?
She opened her mouth but didn't let a sound escape. Shizuka decided to keep the thought to herself. She must have been mistaken. It wasn't unheard of for a child to look different from their parents. Maybe...
Once the weeding was finished and the stones were wiped clean, Akishin placed the fresh flowers in front of the two occupied graves. He stood before them, pressed his palms together, and offered a short prayer.
When he was done, he packed the tools away and spoke to Shizuka in a low voice. "Let's go. We should head back soon."
"Wait a second. Since I'm already here, I should pay my respects to your aunt and uncle too. It's only polite."
Shizuka smiled and shook her head. She stood between the two headstones, pressed her palms together, closed her eyes, and spoke to them in the silence of her heart.
Half a minute later, Shizuka opened her eyes. She let out a breath as if relieved, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons as she smiled.
Akishin asked, "What did you say to them?"
Shizuka shook her head with a playful grin. "I'm definitely not telling you. Alright, let's head back."
This time, Shizuka took the lead in nudging Akishin to move.
Other visitors were starting to trickle into the cemetery now, most of them having waited for the rain to stop. The quiet grounds were slowly filling with the sounds of life.
As they exited the cemetery, Shizuka stole one last glance back at the two headstones. She had just made a silent promise in her heart.
The two of them returned to Chishimaya. Akishin set up a small altar in front of the family's Buddhist shrine, lighting the lamps and arranging fresh flowers, clean water, and various offerings—cakes, biscuits, fruit, and the like. It was all so the deceased relatives would have a place to stay and food to eat upon their return home. He had already set out the original host's spirit tablet the night before.
If Shizuka had seen that specific tablet, she probably wouldn't have been able to help wondering if Akishin was having some sort of mental breakdown.
During all of this, Shizuka simply sat upright on a cushion nearby, watching intently as Akishin performed the rites with utmost care.
On the altar sat a cucumber with four wooden sticks poked into it for legs—the "Spirit Horse," intended to help the deceased relatives reach home quickly. When it came time to send them back to the afterlife, it would be replaced by a four-legged eggplant, the "Spirit Ox," so they could carry more offerings back with them.
Once everything was in order, Akishin pressed his palms together once more, offered a final bow, and stood up. After Shizuka had also paid her respects, he picked up the Obon lantern he'd bought yesterday and headed downstairs to hang it at the entrance of Chishimaya.
Normally, one would light a welcoming fire, but open flames weren't allowed on Konishi Street, so a lantern served as the substitute.
Shizuka stood beside him, looking a bit confused. "Akishin, aren't the spirit lamps supposed to be lit at night?"
A gentle breeze drifted down Konishi Street. Akishin took a deep breath, looking at the old-fashioned decor inside Chishimaya. He gave a faint smile and shook his head. "There's no need for that anymore. Let's get ready to head to your place. We shouldn't keep your parents waiting."
Shizuka was taken aback. "Akishin, you're not staying the night to be with your relatives?"
Akishin shook his head with a light, airy smile. "No need. They'll be together."
He let out a long sigh and looked up at the sky, his gaze turning distant as if trying to peer into another world entirely...
Shizuka: "???"
She didn't understand, but Akishin didn't give her a chance to ask. He headed straight back into the house, leaving her with no choice but to follow.
Shizuka couldn't shake the feeling that Akishin was acting strange today, though she couldn't quite put her finger on why. In the end, she chalked it up to him missing his late parents, which was bound to put anyone in a somber mood.
She made a mental note to be even kinder to him.
Ten minutes later, Akishin emerged carrying a suitcase. Once Shizuka stepped out, he turned and locked the doors of Chishimaya.
Target: The Hiratsuka household!
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