TJTPBFB 07

Chapter 7

“Grandmother’s Presence”

“No… please don’t apologize. It was probably my grandmother’s own wish,” Ruri said quietly.

Even as she said it, though, she couldn’t help but think—if only she had known of her grandmother’s existence, she would have wanted to meet her, to talk with her at least once.

Seeing the faint loneliness in Ruri’s smile, Godai continued gently,

“For someone in her nineties, she would have spent her childhood during the war. And the years after that weren’t easy either. Maybe that’s why she didn’t like to talk about the past too much.”

“Yes… that might be true,” Ruri murmured.

“Oh—but you know,” Godai said, recalling something, “Ms. Ellis told me once that she first met your grandfather in a bamboo grove. Maybe that’s why she loved this house so much…

My parents seemed to know about her son, too. Given the times back then, perhaps she had to send him away to work, or maybe there was some special reason they couldn’t live together.”

As Ruri looked around the house, she tried to imagine the life her grandmother had led.

It must have been a life lived with care and order.
Everything was neatly arranged, tidy and peaceful.
A soft smile crossed Ruri’s face. So different from me, she thought.

“Now then,” said Godai, taking something from her bag, “I’ll give you the house keys. If it makes you more comfortable, you can change the locks later.”

“Thank you. But I heard you and my grandmother were like mother and daughter,” Ruri said after a pause. “I live alone, too… so if it’s alright, I’d like to leave a spare key with you.”

At that, Godai smiled warmly.

“I live alone as well. I’ll keep it safe—as if it were my own daughter’s house,” she said, accepting the spare key.

Three days later, on her day off, Ruri returned.

If she were to rent a monthly parking spot near her company, half of her apartment rent would be gone.
Then there was car maintenance, gasoline, taxes…

Which is cheaper, really? she wondered.

Her savings were almost nonexistent, barely enough to get by.
What should I do…?

She entered the house and sat down in the small four-and-a-half tatami mat Japanese-style room connected to the living and dining area.

When she lay down, the faint scent of rush grass filled her nose.

What was Grandmother thinking?
What did she want me to do with this house?

As she pondered, her eyelids grew heavy—and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

When she woke, the sun was already high past noon.

Then—she felt it.
A presence.

Ruri bolted upright in alarm.

A burglar!?

The presence moved behind her, circling slowly… then stopped in front of the small alcove where a Buddhist altar stood.

G-Grandmother?

Ruri froze.

Before her stood a dignified woman, radiant and elegant—
wearing what looked like a gown from a medieval film.

She resembled Ruri’s father so closely that there was no doubt—this must be her grandmother.
Yet she appeared young, far younger than she should have been.

The woman turned toward Ruri, slowly raising one arm, as if pointing toward something unseen.

Oddly enough, Ruri felt no fear.
She could only gaze, mesmerized, at her grandmother’s youthful form.

Just before fading away, the woman placed her hand gently atop Ruri’s head… and smiled—a soft, loving smile.

For a long moment, Ruri sat there, dazed and motionless.
Then, realizing what had happened, she jumped to her feet and began searching the room for her grandmother’s figure.