An elegant Japanese-style garden stretched before them. Artificial rock formations stood throughout the grounds, while a layer of fine white sand covered the earth. Evergreen trees surrounded the courtyard, adding touches of life to the scenery. Verdant green blended into the white landscape, and whenever a gentle breeze passed through, the swaying leaves rustled softly.
Brightly colored fish could be seen swimming in the distinctive, crystal-clear pond. Whenever a falling leaf landed on the water and sent ripples spreading outward, the fish would swim over to investigate.
Simply gazing upon such a Japanese garden was enough to make one's mood calm and leisurely.
"Sora, please."
Dressed in a simple, plain white kimono, Uehara Etsuki carried a tray and gracefully knelt on the veranda facing the garden. She carefully set the tray down on the floor and placed several cups of freshly prepared tea before them.
Kamiyā Sora wore a long white Gothic dress. Its simple modern design lacked the exaggerated visual impact of traditional Gothic clothing, while compared with Japanese Gothic fashion, its design was even more restrained, resembling an ordinary young girl's dress.
At the moment, she was lazily reclining on the veranda with a soft cushion beneath her. A white laptop had been placed in front of her.
Her gaze occasionally drifted toward the garden.
There, Kamiyā Yuu and Busujima Murasaki each held a bamboo sword. Neither wore protective gear as they demonstrated swordsmanship. Their swings were not particularly fast. Forget trained swordsmen—even an ordinary person would have had plenty of time to react.
However, if an expert in swordsmanship were present and carefully studied their exchange, they would realize that every stroke within this seemingly simple and ordinary demonstration was extraordinarily intricate.
Their exchanges were not merely about finding a way to counter the opponent's attack. Instead, each sword stroke allowed the other person to analyze the intent behind it and respond accordingly, testing their understanding of swordsmanship. It was like an examination in which every single strike represented a new question.
Kamiyā Sora rested her delicate hand on the cushion and lightly propped up her chin. Noticing the steaming tea beside her, she turned slightly toward Uehara Etsuki and said softly, "Thank you, Etsuki."
Today was a day off.
Kamiyā Yuu had accepted Busujima Murasaki's invitation to spend a day at this classical Japanese residence so he could relax and refresh himself.
After learning about it, animation director Gogyo Ruri and 3D director Yūki Chinatsu had also come along to join the fun. They were currently in the living room playing games on a console they had brought with them. Morishita Aoi, meanwhile, was spending her rare day off shopping with her younger sister.
Kamiyā Sora picked up the cup and took a sip.
The tea was mild, beginning with a gentle sweetness on the tongue before revealing its lingering fragrance. It lacked the bitterness of traditional green tea and, with it, some of the spirit of the tea ceremony. However, Kamiyā Sora greatly enjoyed this gentle flavor designed to please the palate.
Uehara Etsuki sat properly on a cushion. Seeing the faint surprise on Kamiyā Sora's face, she smiled.
"How does it taste?"
Kamiyā Sora took another sip, thought for a moment, then asked uncertainly, "Honey?"
"Mm. I added a small spoonful. I thought Sora would probably like it this way."
After explaining, she lifted her own teacup with both hands. While watching the two people practicing swordsmanship in the garden, she asked, "Is watching Kamiyā-kun and Murasaki's swordsmanship match interesting?"
Kamiyā Sora shook her head. "I don't understand swordsmanship."
"I don't understand it very well either."
Uehara Etsuki set her teacup back on the tray. After thinking for a moment, she stood and extended her right hand toward Kamiyā Sora.
"I just thought of something interesting."
Kamiyā Sora looked toward the two people in the garden and hesitated briefly. In the end, she did not refuse Uehara Etsuki's invitation and followed her into a spacious Japanese-style room.
Apart from a folding screen and a full-length mirror, there was no other furniture inside.
Uehara Etsuki slid open a shoji door. Inside the closet were rows of exquisite paper boxes.
Traditional Japanese sliding doors still retained their old-fashioned construction methods. Many people assumed that the white material covering Japanese sliding doors was cloth, but in reality, they were much like the doors and windows of ancient Chinese houses: they were covered with paper. A light poke was enough to make a hole.
Therefore, one should basically expect neither soundproofing nor security from such shoji.
"I remember it being this one."
Uehara Etsuki pulled out one of the boxes. After undoing the silk ribbon tied around it and opening the box, she revealed a neatly folded classical black kimono inside.
"This is it. I bought it when I was in high school, but it never really suited me, so I've kept it stored away all these years."
She unfolded the black kimono and held it in front of Kamiyā Sora, examining the fit while speaking nostalgically.
"Mm, the size is just right. Sora, why don't you try it on?"
Kamiyā Sora owned kimonos herself, but hers were not traditional. Instead, they incorporated Gothic elements, with skirt-like hems decorated with ruffles. They had lost some of the classical cultural atmosphere of traditional kimono, gaining a touch of youthful charm and cuteness.
Such designs were also among the more popular styles of kimono in Japan at present.
"Mm."
Trying on a classical kimono?
Kamiyā Sora was somewhat interested herself, so she nodded in agreement.
Putting on a traditional kimono was no easier than dressing in Chinese hanfu. Someone who knew nothing about the process could easily make a fool of themselves.
After taking off her long white Gothic dress, Kamiyā Sora put on the classical black kimono with Uehara Etsuki's help. It did not take particularly long.
Compared with the light, floating sensation of her Gothic dress, the traditional kimono felt almost like placing restraints over her entire body. Because of the garment's design, she could not move as casually as usual either.
Her twin tails were undone, allowing her long silver hair to cascade down to her slender waist, forming a striking contrast against the black kimono.
Kamiyā Sora normally preferred Gothic-style clothing, but after changing into a traditional kimono, her entire aura transformed dramatically.
Colder. Purer.
She resembled an exquisitely crafted doll that had somehow been granted life and become real, carrying an almost ethereal presence.
Kamiyā Sora stared at herself in the mirror, a trace of surprise, shyness, and unease appearing on her small face.
"Etsuki, how do I look?"
"Mm~ It suits you perfectly. Kamiyā-kun will definitely be shocked when he sees you."
Uehara Etsuki smiled as she arranged Kamiyā Sora's silver hair, then took a black ribbon and used it to secure her long, straight silver locks.
"Oh, right. You can have this kimono, Sora. With my figure now, there's no way I could fit into it anymore."
Kamiyā Sora hesitated, then turned toward Uehara Etsuki and gave her a sweet smile.
"Mm. Thank you, Etsuki."
Kamiyā Sora did not particularly like formal kimono, but she did not mind wearing one occasionally.
Kimono were not cheap in Japan and were considered luxury garments. Less expensive ones could still cost over a hundred thousand yen, while costly examples could reach several million.
As for the outfits frequently seen on female protagonists in anime that looked like kimono, most were actually yukata. Furthermore, because kimono were so expensive, anyone who did not want to wear a yukata to an important occasion or festival could simply rent a kimono instead.
Aside from the price difference, which could easily exceed tenfold, the simplest way to distinguish a yukata from a kimono was actually to look for tabi—the traditional Japanese term for split-toe socks.
Generally speaking, if someone was wearing a kimono-like garment without white tabi, it could be identified as a yukata.
Although the outfit Kamiyā Sora was wearing now was indeed a high-end kimono, she was neither accustomed to nor fond of wearing the matching tabi.