I rang the altar bell. Ding.
Silence returned, though now the sound of my father's footsteps in the entryway seemed abnormally loud, especially to Tachyon's sensitive ears. Kosuke and I closed our eyes tight, lost in prayer. I don't know what Kosuke was thinking, but we stayed like that for a long time.
Tachyon, predictably, grew bored. She opened her eyes and watched us. From her position, she could only see my back, but she had a clear view of Kosuke. They really were brothers; the resemblance was striking, especially in the shape of the nose and mouth. She was busy looking for other similarities when Kosuke opened his eyes. Tachyon quickly looked away, feigning composure.
I was still praying. Tachyon noted that from the back, I looked larger than she usually perceived me. I was usually just "her Trainer," someone she could push around, but seeing me here, my bony shoulders pulling at the fabric of my shirt, I looked like a grown man.
Finally, I opened my eyes. I extinguished the incense by placing the small metal cap over the tips and turned around. Kosuke was already gone, back at his game. Only Tachyon remained.
"Right. Tachyon, let me introduce you properly. This is my mother, Mika Tagami. I guess it's hard to pray to someone when you don't even know their name. Sorry about that."
I'd noticed the annoyed look she'd had earlier. Tachyon felt a twinge of guilt. "Mika... I see," she murmured.
"Come on, back to the kotatsu," I said, my voice brighter. The heavy mood seemed to have passed. I put the family photos back on the shelf, paused for a second to look at the empty frame again, and then sat back down next to her.
"I wonder if it'll snow tomorrow?"
It was a question for no one in particular, but Tachyon, who had opened her book, answered anyway.
"Who knows? It doesn't feel like the kind of cold that sticks."
Outside, the snow continued to fall, silent and thick. It fell behind the drawn curtains all through the evening. But Tachyon was right; the snow would stop before dawn. The sun would rise, trying its best to warm the backs of people struggling through the bitter morning.
Dinner arrived at six, which sparked a minor dispute over the bathing order. Kosuke, as usual, had the most unhinged suggestion.
"Why don't Keiichi and Tachyon just go in together? Problem solved."
"Are you insane?" I snapped.
"Indeed. Seek a neurosurgeon immediately," Tachyon added.
The issue was whether Tachyon should go first or last. Kosuke's suggestion was clearly just a jab, but he said it with such a straight face that it actually managed to throw us both off.
My father let out a tired chuckle and looked at Kosuke. "I think you've got the wrong idea, son. Ms. Agnes is here because she's interested in our family—for some reason. She's not 'dating' your deadbeat brother. If she were, I think he would have said something."
I glared at being called a deadbeat, but my father ignored me. Kosuke looked a bit sheepish. "S-Sorry, Tachyon."
Tachyon gave a small, dignified nod of forgiveness.
"Still," Kosuke continued, "how is it at Tracen? Is it like the dramas? Are there people actually dating their Trainers?"
"I've heard rumors," I replied vaguely. "But most people keep that kind of thing hidden."
"So, like... do you know anyone? Any of your friends?"
I gave a noncommittal nod. Kosuke got excited, his voice rising. "Man! Being a Trainer at Tracen sounds like the life! Maybe I should have become a Trainer instead of going to college."
"Speaking of which," I cut in, "where are you planning to work?"
The excitement drained out of Kosuke's face instantly. "I don't know yet. I don't really have a 'vision' for the future."