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The cicadas sang until first light. I woke up early from my futon in the main room, looking out the sliding glass door. It appeared that the rain water left the yard dampen in soil. A hazy atmosphere that enacted me to do an obligatory yawn. I stood up to see my father, Makoto, already preparing breakfast on the table. We greeted each other while I glanced at the table. Fried fish. I reeled from eating that every single day as a kid. But my father’s miso soup was the best.

“Sorah and Miss Qawasumi should wake up soon.” I stretched my arms, my elbows and legs aching from the trip to Hakone. My breath was calm, and my mind felt clear. Clearer than it was yesterday, I hoped.

“How’s Yodomi doing?”

That name instantly narrowed my pupils. I turned slowly to Makoto. “Big brother?”

“Yes, your older brother. Not the artist.” He paid no attention to my reaction, his focus on bringing plates to the table. “Haven’t heard of him in a while, huh? He went off to do great things.”

My older brother, Kaizenji Yodomi. A polar opposite of me. “Yeah, he’s working for a famous real estate company, so I heard. I haven't heard anything else since he moved out of the apartment.”

What was I tensing up for? I tried to access my feelings. These feelings were perhaps jealousy or anger penting up from within. To be honest, I wanted to forget all about him. I had nothing to say about him.

Sorah walked into the room, wearing my lent white shirt and shorts. He no longer used his crutch, but still had a slight limp. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” I immediately turned to him. “Miss Qawasumi?”

“She’s still sleeping.” He responded in Wawaqi as he took a seat near the table. My father was almost done cooking, so the three of us waited for a couple of minutes. By the time she came out from the guestroom with a bedhead, breakfast had been prepared.

“So, how long do you plan on staying?” Makoto set down a rice bowl close to his face.

“Until the door to their world opens back up,” I explained, “It’s like a gate… I still haven’t figured out how it works yet.”

“I see… I wouldn’t have believed ya if these two weren’t here.” He gestured towards Sorah and Qawasumi eating together. Sorah lifted his head and smiled, while Qawasumi continued eating. “Stay as long as you’d like. I got nothing to do with my pension anyway.”

“Is there any place that Sorah and Miss Qawasumi would like to go to?”

Makoto scratched his rough chin. “Hmm, well there’s Chisuji Falls, Lake Ashi, Hakone Onsen…”

“‘Onsen’?” Sorah copied my father’s pronunciation.

“Hot springs bath,” I translated for him. “Ohn, en, sehn. Would you like to go there?”

“That seems interesting. I would like to try it out.” Sorah’s face lit up with enthusiasm as he balled his fist. He was more expressive than when I first met him. I guessed that he was slowly changing. “Ruri, how about you?”

She stopped as she only ate the rice in her bowl. “Huh? Hot springs? Uh, sure.”

“Then it’s decided.” I snapped my fingers after sipping my miso soup. “After we’re done eating we’re heading straight there. Dad, please lead us.”

“Please lead us.” Sorah bowed his head, and urged Qawasumi to do the same.

After a ten minute commute, we got off the bus and what was before us was the Hakone Yuryo. Green hills popped in the background while wooden fences stood at attention. The chilly morning air brushed through my hair as the four of us walked through the gates. Inside the lobby was a large waiting area accompanied by a small cafeteria, the staff bowing to greet us inside. My father was kind to pay for our admission, given that I had no money to spare.

Various food vendors had their signs up, and in the corner were two lone vending machines for snacks and drinks respectively. We took off our shoes at the entrance.

“In an onsen they’re separated by gender.” I said to Sorah as I spotted Qawasumi nearing the vending machine. Was she still hungry because she only ate rice? “I’ll grab us some towels while my dad shows you the changing room.”

I just made up an excuse to check out what Qawasumi was up to. It seemed Makoto noticed her too, rendezvousing with me at the reception counter.

He sighed as we watched her stare at the sakura mochi displayed vibrantly with a humming glow. “Was my cooking not the greatest?...”

Before we entered the changing room, I told Qawasumi and Sorah about the drapes in front of each entrance. Makoto, Sorah and I went through the men’s, and Qawasumi had to go through the women’s alone. Prior to walking in, I picked up a group of women’s voices also entering Qawasumi’s side. My instincts had a bad feeling. We washed ourselves briefly.

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The hot springs bubbled in steam as my feet touched the smooth rocks of the pathway. My mood instantly turned mellow as I saw the bath before my eyes. Wooden fence surrounded the small complex, and nobody else was here but us. The three of us men wore our towels proudly as I dipped my feet. The water caressed me in warmth as I sank deeper into its embrace. My mouth breathed a sigh, and I rested my back against a rock. Makoto went in after me, followed by Sorah who hesitated before submerging his entire body into the steam.

“This reminds me of the public bathhouses in Waqwaq.” Sorah reached his hand into the sparkling white sky, encapsulated by the forest and the trees. “But it’s much more beautiful here.”

“As expected, Japan.” My father replied all lax in one corner of the bath. “Although, I remember you, Kawari, you loved to try and peek through the—”

“Dad!” I coughed and cleared my throat, trying not to paint the memory in my brain. “I’m all over that now. Sorah, it's the etiquette not to peek… Hey, what’re you doing?”

“Shhh…” He signaled with his hand, pressing his ear against the fence. Across it was the women’s bath. His voice became a whisper. “Come here.”

“What? Don’t do that.”

“Kawari, just put your ear and listen.” He uttered with a beckoning gesture. I soon gave in while my father turned away, scoffing at our young behavior. I didn’t think of Sorah to be that type of guy. Or so I thought. I shouldn’t have assumed.

I leaned in and pressed my ear against the wooden barrier. I was under the impression that Qawasumi would be alone there until giggling voices echoed from the shower area. Now I understood why Sorah was so serious about it. They were the group that we bumped into yesterday looking for my father’s house. The women badmouthed Qawasumi after leaving, so I deduced that he worried for Qawasumi’s wellbeing. Not the right place and time though…

We could only discern what was happening with sound. Auditory processing wasn’t my strength, and only the most lustful could truly understand what occurred behind these fences. My guilt overshadowed me as I wondered what I was even doing. But Sorah’s earnest face kept me from leaving. Splashes of water signaled that they had entered the bath. Unless the women acknowledged Qawasumi’s existence, then we weren’t sure if she was even there in the first place. Schrödinger’s Hot Spring?

“Ugh, you again?” said one of them, which successfully broke the quantum thought experiment. It meant that Qawasumi was there alone.

“Ruri…” Sorah mumbled inaudibly. I silently applauded his purity in not taking this the wrong way. We continued to listen. More plapping of water sounded. The full gang entered.

“What country you even from?” Another one layed a question. From what I knew Qawasumi even didn’t understand the language. I hoped that this wouldn’t sprawl into a catfight. I was aware of Qawasumi’s usual personality, her anger issues were off the charts. If she were to punch one of them then this would spell bad news for us…

“...Waqwa… France.”

Sorah and I’s jaws dropped at her answer. How did she understand the question? She’d refused to learn Japanese when Sorah attempted to urge her to. She was only fluent in Wawaqi, the national language of Waqwaq.

“Ah, France? Wait, you’re French?”

“France? So you speak French?”

“Bonjour!”

“B… Bonjour...” Qawasumi replied with a quiver of her nervous voice, using the French phrase the woman used. Sorah and I exchanged puzzled glances, not expecting this turn of events.

Inside the men’s bath, we couldn’t see Qawasumi's expression, but it seemed that they played along and maintained a rather friendly atmosphere. The women from the other side of the fence were amused, not realizing that Qawasumi was merely speaking random French words from them.

“Oui, oui, baguette!” one of the women playfully chimed in, trying to join the fun. Qawasumi, not being able to communicate with words, just timidly repeated them as they asked her various questions. Her improv skills were put on full display.

It was a peculiar sight, but if it helped her avoid any conflicts, then it was a win. I turned to Sorah, who’d been silent this entire time. “So, what do you think?”

“That Ruri… Is talking to others?...” He clasped his mouth closed with his hands, as he beamed from ear to ear. “That Ruri… is making conversation? I’m so glad, I’m so proud of her…”

I quickly moved Sorah away from the fence as I patted his back. Our eavesdropping adventure had come to an end. We went back to enjoying the hot springs, our minds still processing the amusing situation we had just witnessed. Sorah continued to sniffle, for he had apparently witnessed for the first time what Qawasumi couldn’t do her entire life until now.

She was talking to people except for him and us, on her own. Something Sorah could only hope to wish for, a simple wish for her to socialize.

After some time, we all left the baths and gathered back at the entrance. Qawasumi looked satisfied, her face slightly flushed from the hot water.

“Did everything go okay in there?” I pretended I hadn’t heard anything.

“Eh? Yes… It was fine, I think.” she twirled her hair as she clutched her cloak. I noticed Qawasumi and Sorah exchanging glances, and it seemed they had some sort of unspoken understanding. His radiant smile was brighter than any I’d seen. As if he was a proud father seeing his daughter finally growing up.

“Uh, Miss Qawasumi, was it?” Makoto stepped forward as Qawasumi stepped backward. He held something in his hand as he extended his arm outwards. “This is what you wanted?” In his hands was the sakura mochi she’d been eyeing earlier. She did not reply, but her mouth did open in surprise. “Kawari, can you translate my words for me in her language?” I nodded, as he began to speak. “I’m sorry if I frightened you. As Kawari’s father, my appearance is quite disheveled and grungy, so I oughta apologize for scaring you. I assume that’s why… My wife left me. Because I turned into a bum. Kawari oughta be better than me for sure, so I’m confident in him for being there for you and Mister Sorah here. Erm… I’m running out of words to say, hah.”

She listened intently, and I translated each word with care.

When Makoto finished speaking, Qawasumi hesitated for a moment, her expression a mix of emotions. Then, with a small smile, she replied in Japanese, her voice gentle and shy. "I… thank you."

Makoto's eyes softened, and he smiled warmly at her as she took the mochi from his hand. "You're welcome. It's nice to see Kawari make new friends, especially ones as special as you and Sorah."

Even though I was far from knowing why Qawasumi Ruri behaved the way she did, her fears and wants, her likes and dislikes, with every new development I felt closer to understanding. Sorah was aware of her nature, yet treated her without judgement. That was why he asked of me back in Itogutshi to watch her. To understand was to spend more time with her. That was all.

One of her fears, was the fear of older men.

Sorah, who had been observing the exchange, walked over to Qawasumi and gently placed his hand on the back. "I'm glad you're okay," he said in a soft voice, still beaming with pride. "You did great there, talking to those ladies. I'm really proud of you, Ruri."

She covered her face with her cloak. “Really?...”

As the cicadas once again filled the afternoon with their song, we found comfort in the symphony of our shared experiences. My journey of understanding was far from over. I almost felt that the threats we had would disappear into thin air, wondering whether the door to the other world would even open back up again. But I was already wondering too soon.