Today was the day. There was nothing left to wait for, the mission was clear and concise, escort Pacho to the Ikemoto homeland.
Pacho and his men were already at the mansion, preparing everything for the journey. But before I joined them, there was one thing I needed to take care of.
Shogi village was the center of luxury. From food to clothing and accessories, I wasn't sure I would come across another place like this on the road ahead. It was best to pick up a few small things my pocket could afford—souvenirs for Hachiro and Nana.
As always, the market side of the village was alive with noise. Carts and cargo rolled along the main streets while pedestrians trailed along the sides. Grocers shouted loudly about their goods. Some people ignored them and kept walking, others stopped, interested, and started bargaining. That was another thing about this place—bargaining was a skill everyone mastered, young or old, big or small.
I wandered through, minding my own business, looking for anything that might make a good gift. There were plenty of options, yet it felt like something was still missing.
A man at one stall hissed in my direction. At first I pretended it wasn't for me—there were people everywhere. He hissed again and pointed me out from the crowd.
"Hey, Mr. Samurai! Come over!"
I turned and took a few steps until I stood in front of his shop. He dealt in women's clothing materials and accessories: hairpins, earrings, necklaces, bangles. I shifted my eyes from the goods to the man himself. If I had to use one word to describe him, it would be flashy.
"You look lost, Mr. Samurai. Tell me—what are you looking for?"
"You have no idea what I'm looking for, yet you can tell I'm lost."
"Your face, Mr. Samurai. You have the face of a stray kitten."
"What is that supposed to mean?" If he could read that I was lost just from my expression, fine, but what did a stray cat have to do with me? In what way did I look like a cat, talk less of a stray one?
"We see that kind of face every day. In fact, half the people who passed me today had the same look. But I called you over because you're special. There's something special about you."
"Hm. You don't say? How many 'special persons' have you used that line on today?"
"What do you mean?" His face filled with mock surprise, as if he had no idea what I was talking about.
"Just forget it." I waved him off and turned my attention to his goods. "I'm looking for something for a friend." My eyes moved over a collection of beads made from jade stones, pebbles, and cowries.
"This friend of yours—she must be special to you."
"All friends are special," I corrected him. He didn't seem bothered.
"What are you searching for? Necklace, hairpin, bangles?"
"Necklace," I said quickly.
He hopped off his chair and came closer, pulling out several necklaces. "Is she a heavy wearer or a light one?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You must know if she wears big necklaces or small ones." He said it casually, but my mind drifted somewhere else, something I hadn't considered before.
It had been seven years since I last saw Nana or Hachiro, let alone heard from them. On what grounds could I assume they were still the same people I remembered? Life had changed for everyone. Pacho kept reminding me how much I had changed. Maybe it was the same for them. And then there was Ms. Ayuma's death, that must have hit them hard, especially Nana, who had seen her as a mother.
"Bring the light ones," I told him, hoping for the best.
He laid out necklaces in different bead styles and colors. Among them, one caught my eye instantly. It was made of jade, with a delicate cherry blossom design worked into the beads. I reached for it and examined it closely. It was beautiful.
"How much for this one?" I asked.
"That one? Not much. Just one hundred gold coins."
"What?!"
"It's a friendly price, Mr. Samurai. The girl you're giving this to—she's worth more than that, isn't she?"
"That kind of mind game won't work on me, sir." Calling it a 'friendly price' when it cost far more than my entire accomodation here. "Take ten coins." I said
"Deal!" He rolled the necklace into a small wooden box and handed it over. As I paid, I couldn't help wondering what the hell had just happened.