The River Kami Asked Before Taking My Hand novel · Chapter 24 of 24
Chapter 24: Two Cups of Barley Tea Again
The priest wrote the new line in the shrine hall on Sunday morning, in front of anyone who wanted to watch.
Half the village did.
They knelt on the cold boards in their coats, with children in their laps. Akari's mother sat in the front row with her cooler between her knees.
Nagi knelt beside the low table and did not need to be asked to be seen.
The old register lay open under a lamp.
Gen'ichi dipped his brush, and his hand shook.
"I will write it slowly," he said. "I will write it once, and correctly."
He drew the two characters beside the last keeper's name.
The first was the character for friend.
The second was the right one, the one that had been rubbed grey in the old book.
Now it was dark and clean, and nothing like the character for wife.
"Companion of the river," he read aloud.
His voice cracked on the last word.
"Tomoe Shirakawa. Companion."
He laid the brush down and bowed his head to the boards.
Nobody clapped.
It was not that kind of room.
But the old woman from the shop door began to hum under her breath, a rice-planting song. Someone took it up, and a child at the back joined in half a beat behind.
Nagi sat very upright, with her hands folded.
Akari saw a single tear fall and darken the blue cord.
"Thank you," Nagi said to the priest, quietly. "That is the right word. She would be pleased."
"I have one more line to add," Gen'ichi said, and looked at Akari.
"What is it?"
"I would write your name under hers. It is an honour. It would not be a promise."
He paused.
"Every line in the register must be true on the day it is written. So I will date it, and not write forever."
Akari looked at Nagi.
Nagi's eyes were bright, and she gave a tiny nod.
"Yes," Akari said. "Write it. And write today's date."
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