Zenji and Ishibashi were coming down the hill.

It felt almost surreal that a new year had descended upon them and in the early snowy afternoon, Zenji could swear there was a glow all around the little forest, and the tranquility that came upon him was almost unnatural. He felt so tense up at The Red House, and now – cold calmness. The snow was twinkling, and sparks were almost prickling his eyes. Zenji thought that if he reaches out to grab a handful, the snow crystals will cut his fingertips.

“You’re pensive”, Ishibashi san observed.

“I hope that doesn’t offend you, uncle.”

“No, but it is difficult to know what you think of your new task ahead.”

Zenji didn’t rush to reply.

“It’s fine to ponder”, Ishibashi said, his eyes wandering across the forest, where evergreen and snowhite stirred up winter magic. “You have a big task ahead of you that you can’t walk away from now. But you should know that I will be beside you to help, Zenji.

“I’m grateful, uncle.”

“Let us rest for a minute”, Ishibashi asked and cleared up the snow on a big boulder. “I’m not as young as you anymore and I need rest. Although I should be motivated by the mulled rice wine that’s waiting for me at home.”

“I’m thinking of the hot zooni^[1] that Lady Miyasai served us. Very hospitable of her.”

“What did you think of The Red House?”, Ishibashi asked softly.

Zenji watched a gust of wind disrupt the untouched snow blanket on the other side of the path, creating a white wave that sizzled quietly.

“It’s enormous and fancy. It suits its mistress, and she has grand plans for the place.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to navigate your way around it easily?”, asked Ishibashi and cast a side look at Zenji. His nephew was still staring at the snow.

“I do. I think there is a lot to unravel there. And to enjoy…”

The young man was thinking of his first dream of the year. He had dreamt of nothing or at least he couldn’t remember dreaming of anything last night. But after today, he was anticipating his dreams to be wonderful…

A sudden crack of a twig nearby put Zenji on his guard. He turned and looked in the direction where it came from. Ishibashi san was still resting on the boulder but he turned too. He wasn’t as alert as his nephew.

The tree branches trembled and salted some snow. Soft crispy steps could be heard approaching. And another noise that could be mistaken for the whistle of the wind but it wasn’t. A man was whistling and approaching nephew and uncle, brushing through the trees. The men were just waiting, not uttering a word. The snow itself emitted a kind of silence.

Finally, the man closed in and they could see his feet striding lightly through the forest. He brushed aside the last tree branch between him and the path and came face to face with Ishibashi and Zenji. He was young and dressed in a pale red kimono enbroided with golden flowers. His face froze in a sudden surprise and his whistle vanished in the cold air, along with his breath.

“Well, would you look at that! The first people to meet this year, and it turns out to be good ones!”, the man exclaimed and smiled.

He first turned to Ishibashi and with a deep bow said:

“Happy new year, Ishibashi sama.”

“Happy new year to you as well, Taira san,” said Ishibashi with a slight bow.

“And a happy new year to you, Mitsuo kun,” said Zenji, also bowing slightly.

“Haha! Great to see you Zenji san!”, the man laughed loudly and patted Zenji on the arm. “Seeing the teacher on new year’s day must mean that I will learn something new this year.”

“As long as I don’t have to teach you!”, Zenji smiled good-heartedly, “What are you doing in the woods?”

“Why, picking greens^[2] of course! Aren’t you?”, and he showed them a bunch of green herbs he had gathered in the forest.

“No, Taira san,” replied Ishibashi. “And if we were, there are other forest to find them, besides the one leading up to The Red House.”

The jizamurai’s smile made the young man Mitsuo’s lower his eyes and he nervously started kicking the snow around him.

“Is this the way to it? I didn’t realise…”

“Oh come now, Taira san, how many hills are there in this village, notorious for grand houses at their tops! You say you’re happy to see us, and I believe you’re genuine, but I cannot help to think you would have been happier if you caught a glimpse of a certain young lady.”

Mitsuo kept staring at the ground but a playful smile broke on his lips. That surprised Ishibashi. What surprised him even more was that Zenji turned his head away from both of them. Ishibashi caught a glimpse of his cheek that had turned a little pink.

“Ishibashi sama, nothing escapes you as usual!”, Mitsuo yielded. “Yes, I admit it – but I can’t be the only one hoping to cross paths with the mysterious Lady Miyasai!”

“No, indeed not, young man,” said the jizamurai, stood up from the boulder and approached the two youths. “In this case you may be interested to know that we’ve seen her.”

“What, just now??!”, exclaimed Mitsuo in disbelief.

“Oh yes, not too long ago, didn’t we Zenji?”, Ishibashi fixed eyes on his nephew who was still hiding his face.

“Ah, then you are the luckiest men of all Haruido, and perhaps even the world!”, Mitsuo cried. “Ishibashi sama, I beg you to please tell me about her! Is she a beauty as everyone says? I’ve been making enquiries about her, you see. I don’t want to be a bachelour all my life.”

“My dear Taira san, you are aiming at the moon, it seems!”, Ishibashi couldn’t help but laugh. “So you have big aspirations to meet and court Lady Miyasai? But for all you know, you and she may be completely incompatible!”

“Revered Ishibashi sama, compatibility is a myth. I didn’t woe every single girl in Haruido for nothing – I gained the valuable skill to make women feel special in my presence. That is all there is to it.”

Ishibashi laughed again.

“Who would have guessed that you have such high aspirations, my young friend! I like your spirit.”

“But you must tell me all about her and the house! Won’t you do that for me? It’s new year’s after all!”

“Maybe we can exchange information”, Ishibashi said, looking again at Zenji, who hadn’t uttered a word the whole time. “Let’s head down to the village. I can offer some mulled rice wine.”

“And I can offer good company! Tell me, Ishibashi sama, are you fond of card games^[3]?”

The three of them started down to Haruido. While Mitsuo was chattering away, Ishibashi was trying to guess what was on Zenji’s mind. Zenji himself walked on in silence.

*****

NOTES:

[1] A vegetable soup specific to New Year’s celebrations.

[2] One of the oldest Japanese traditions, recorded in the earliest literature. Retains its meaning today, even though the New Year and beginning of spring no longer coincide.

[3] Especially for and popular at New Year’s time; usually refers to the ‘poem cards’ based on the Hyakunin isshu, an anthology of 100 classical tanka poem.