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. 2 .
“Don’t worry! It’s old but it’s perfectly safe in an earthquake.” The door let out a loud creak as Nishimura pulled it open.
“The opening of Tut’s tomb.” Terra whispered.
“Don’t be rude.” I lightly scolded while chuckling.
We followed Nishimura after she stepped through the door into the entryway. The entry was made up of a cabinet for shoes to the left, a blue-gray tiled floor clearly defining the entry area that was ‘outside’ of the house and the step up into the rest of the house and hardwood floors marking the ‘inside’. Beyond the entry I could see a sliding door to the right, a door and stairs to the left, and a frosted glass door ahead of us.
Five pairs of slippers were paired off, lined up, and faced into the house on the step up. Nishimura slipped her heels off, stepped into one of the pairs of slippers, and turned around bending over to turn her high heels to face towards the exit. I wondered how many times the older woman had done that in her lifetime.
Terra knocked off her tennis shoes jumping up to the step quickly as if the tiles we stood on were lava. Amaya and I followed her lead, slipping our feet into the slippers.
“The door next to the stairs here is the bath and washing machine. Next to the stairs is a closet. Next to that is the toilet. The door on the right is a bedroom. There are two bedrooms on this floor and three upstairs. There is also a toilet on the second floor.”
“Looks bigger on the inside.” Terra commented.
“What is this the TARDIS?” I quipped, making Terra laugh. I caught that Amaya let out a chuckle as well. Nishimura stared at us unimpressed.
“You may use these slippers, buy slippers you like, or not use slippers.” Nishimura continued. “Sometimes the floor of older houses can stab you. I think slippers are a good idea. We want you to not wear your outdoor shoes into the house.”
“Wait…st-stab you?” Terra’s mouth slightly opened trying to process what she just heard.
“Yes. Little small wood breaks off the floor.” Nishimura replied, standing our shoes upright, pairing them together and facing them towards the exit.
“OH! Splinters! Ok we will be careful.
“Splinters?” Nishimura repeated slowly trying to recreate the correct R and L pronunciation.
“The very small piece of wood that we get stuck sometimes in a finger maybe is called a splinter. I think it comes from the verb ‘splinter off’ meaning a small piece broken off.” I explained to the older woman who listened intently to me and nodded in understanding.
“Ayla-san, that was very easy to understand. You’d make a great English teacher.” Nishimura used my first name with the casualness of western culture but strict Japanese tradition kept her from not using the honorific san with it. She smiled. “Now that the shoes are taken care of.” She held her eyes on us for a heartbeat and headed into the next room through the frosted glass door.
Terra gave me a look that I knew was saying, ‘another dig at us, Yeah?’
I smiled and nodded at her then followed Nishimura into the living room.
Walking through the living room door a wall to the left crossed a third of the way across the room separating the kitchen from the living room. Where the wall ended, it opened up to a space filled with a dining table and chairs. The area to the right in the room was filled with a large sofa dividing the dining area from the living room. A slightly smaller sofa, perpendicular to the larger one, was pushed against the wall under a window. A coffee table filled the space within the L shape made by the sofas. Between two windows on the right-hand wall was a television, bigger than I expected, centered for viewing from the sofas or dining room. The use of the furniture succeeded in making the space feel bigger than it was.
“It is a TARDIS!” Terra said, taking in the room.
“The kitchen is there.” Nishimura pointed to the walled off area of the room. The only entry to the kitchen was a doorway with a cherry blossom printed cloth hanging from it.
Nishimura explained how to get hot water by using an electric panel on the wall just outside the kitchen door. My eyes wandered around the living room as she explained there was one just like it in the bath. I then noticed another door in the living room back towards where we entered. “What’s that door?”
“The second bedroom on this floor.” Nishimura answered, walking over to the door to open it. A mattress on a black metal frame, desk, and chair were the only furniture in the room. A new set of sheets, duvet, and a pillow laid on top of the bed waiting for use. On the desk was a key and what appeared to be a WiFi router. “We moved the furniture from the dorm rooms and put them into the bedrooms here. The keys on all the desks are for your rooms. We put locks on all the bedroom doors.”
“Is that internet?” Terra asked, pointing to the unit on the desk.
“Oh yes. You are very lucky. The internet was put in several years ago so there is no need to have construction for it. We just plugged in a new router and signed up for service. The waiting list to have construction can be a few months right now. Many people move and start new lives from April so it’s very busy. The internet is part of your rent like water, gas and power. The university will take care of paying them. It’s ready to use. The password is on a sticker on the internet machine.”
I looked around the room thinking I would have placed the furniture in the same way. The bed, under a small window in the corner, was against the wall connected to the living room. It took me a moment to realize the small window did not open to the living but outside, this part of the house was wider than the living room. The desk was placed in the middle of a large window to the left. There was a door leading to what I assumed was a closet to the right. Across from the door leading from the living room were two sliding doors.
Almost anticipating my next question, Nishimura reached for the handle and slid one of the doors open. “This is the bedroom from before. These two rooms are connected. It’s a Japanese style room with tatami mat flooring.”
The fragrance of grass and straw flowed into the room. Light through rice paper lined shoji screen doors to the left and shoji screen covered windows across from where we stood filled the room with filtered sunlight. The added shadows of trees or plants outside the door and windows made it appear almost like moon light coming into the room. A starter futon pack with a new futon, pillow, duvet, and covers for all of it were left in the corner of the aged light brown tatami floored room. The only wall space not taken up by doors or windows was filled with the same desk and chair as the room before. This time under the desk and chair was a mat laid on top of the tatami to protect it from the weight and movement of the furniture. There was a key sitting on this desk as well.
“This is ‘yukimi’ shoji. It means to ‘see snow’.” Nishimura placed her hand on a slightly thicker stick than the rest of the sticks of wood that made up the shoji frame. This thicker one ran across the doors in the middle. She lifted up on it, raising the lower half of the shoji up and revealing the glass door on the other side of the shoji. “From here you can see the snow on the ground in the garden outside. That’s why it’s called yuki, snow, and mi, see. You can see the snow but keep privacy.”
“I’m sorry for the state of the garden.” Nishimura apologized, sliding the shoji screen door open. The small garden outside the glass doors was overrun with weeds. Most of which stood tall, proud and growing up against the glass of the doors. The weeds had grown their way around what looked to be a large rock that once acted as a step from the house to the ground of the small garden outside. “We will schedule time for members of the local silver center to come and fix the garden.”
“Silver center?” Amaya asked.
“Local group of men and women over 70 who don’t work anymore.”
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“That’s why it’s called silver.” Terra placed her hand on the glass looking at the weeds brushing against it. “I love gardening. If I can, I'd love to help. Isn’t this job too hard for the silver center?”
“I actually love that idea!” I turned to Nishimura. “Could we possibly take care of the garden? It would be nice to do something for the house that will take care of us for the next year.”
Nishimura frowned in thought. “I’ll talk to the owner of the house. There is more to see.” She raised her hand gesturing to return back to the previous bedroom and living room before leading the way. Amaya followed after her.
As I turned and stepped forward to follow, I felt sadness from Terra reach out for me to stop. Terra stood still looking out the glass door. The light of joyful energy that usually filled her eyes was dim as she frowned at the weeds. “Mahina, there are too many of them. The others can’t breathe. They’re suffering.”
“It’ll be ok. We’ll take care of them soon. They’re very lucky you’re here now.” I placed my hand on Terra’s back to comfort her. For as long as I’ve known her, and that was almost most of our lives, she loved flowers and plants. The way she spoke of their feelings it almost seemed as if she could speak to them.
“I’m certainly the right person for the job.” The light slowly returned to Terra’s eyes as she smiled and nodded.
“I’ve been thinking. Since the two bedrooms on the first floor are connected...” I started as Terra and I returned to the living room where the others were. “Terra and I should probably have them. I’ll take the tatami room if that’s ok?” I turned to Terra.
“That’s a great idea!” A touch of relief in Amaya’s voice.
“Perfect. I was worried about that but it’s decided. Terra-san and Ayla-san will use the first floor. I’ll show you around upstairs and Amaya-san can pick her room. The other two girls will arrive sometime tonight and can have what is left over.”
The stairs were lit during the day by a skylight in the ceiling above, and at night by a light in the wall. The stairs were slightly steep so as to use the least amount of space to achieve its goal of carrying you to the second floor. The hall at the top was narrow, maybe wide enough for two people to stand side by side, and lined with three doors to bedrooms on one side. The other side had a door to the toilet on this floor, and a mini kitchen made up of a burner and sink on the other.
“This is the biggest bedroom in the house.” Nishimura opened the door immediately across from the top of the stairs. The same furniture and starter bedding from the other rooms were also in this room. There was a door that opened to the shared balcony. A small walk-in closet made perfect use of the awkward spaces left by the stairs running around it. A small little door marked more awkward space that could be used for further storage.
“Not really Harry space if it’s above the stairs and not under, yeah?” Amaya said to herself nodding as she assessed the room.
“Still counts. Cabinet, near the stairs, could house an eleven-year-old boy if needed.” I said looking out the door to the balcony. Two long poles were hanging from the covering awning. “Lots of space to dry clothes.”
Nishimura showed us the other two rooms, both filled with the same furniture. Both had glass doors opening out to the balcony. The only difference between the two was the room in the middle did not have a window in addition to the glass doors. Amaya decided on the room with the Harry space and we returned back down stairs.
Nishimura reviewed how to use the washing machine and bath. She left the folders for the two girls whose flights didn’t get into the airport until later that evening. She instructed us to make sure the girls read and signed the renter’s agreement before going to the international student office in the morning. She gave us recommendations for places to shop, such as Daiso where just about everything was only one hundred yen or one dollar.
We gathered at the entry to thank Nishimura for her help today as she slipped back into her high heels. She reminded us not to be late tomorrow and if we needed anything she’d be in the office until five that evening. With a bow she left. The sound of the door locking as I locked it sounded the start of our freedom.
“So...now what?” I asked, feeling a little overwhelmed by the freedom we now had.
“Shopping?” Terra suggested enthusiastically.
“If you don’t mind. Would it be ok if I made the bed first?” Amaya asked. “I’ve moved a lot and you’re always more tired than you think at the end of the day. It’s nice just to fall into bed instead of having to make it after.”
“That is a great idea. How about we leave in ten minutes or so? It’ll give us a moment to take in our new rooms.”
We all grabbed our suitcases from the entry and split off to go into our rooms. Terra rolled off quickly into the living room not wanting to deal with tatami by going through my room. I paused for a moment, waiting to make sure Amaya was ok with her suitcase on the stairs before lifting my case up into the house. The only non-tatami surface in my room was the floor in the closet. After placing my suitcase there, I retrieved my computer bag and carry on bag from the entryway giving them a temporary home on the desk.
I turned my attention to the bedding. I started simple; reuniting the pillow with its long-lost love, the pillow case. The remaining two covers were a bit harder to pair off than the pillow case. I assumed the larger case was for the duvet as it was bigger than the actual futon I’d be sleeping on. I felt victorious after a struggle as the futon fit into the case perfectly.
“Need help?” Amaya stood at the door to the room seeing me trying to figure out the duvet. “There are strings inside the case to tie to loops on the duvet.”
“Ah!” I let out in excitement seeing the strings and loop. Amaya stepped into the room and sat down grabbing a corner of the duvet and case. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” Amaya tied the aligned corner strings and loop together. I started on my end.
“Get everything set up upstairs? Did you need help with anything?” I asked, wanting to return the favor if I could.
“Yes. I need to get hangers before I can unpack anything.” She glanced around the room. “I don’t see any drawers... There are two plastic set of drawers in my closet. Do you want one of them? I don’t think I’ll use both.”
“Are you sure? That would be great until I can get something ordered for this closet. It’s a Japanese closet so my futon should be stored in there but thankfully someone installed a bar to hang up clothes too. I see lots of hangers in our shopping future.”
“You and Terra are twins, right?” Amaya stated suddenly. I sensed from her the feeling of relief in finally asking but also the regret for having done so.
“Twins?” I asked. “Me and Terra? We aren’t related.”
“Really? You look so much alike!”
“You think so?” I laughed. “Not the first time we’ve heard that. We’ve been friends most of our lives. I guess it’s something like...pets looking like their owners.”
“Are you calling me a pet?” Terra shouted from her room. She slid the door between our rooms open. Her bed was mostly made but it appeared she got as far as I did in trying to figure out the duvet and its case.
Amaya quickly jumped up, leaving me to finish tying in the loops and she helped Terra.
“You’re not saying I’M the pet, are you?” I shot back at Terra pretending to be hurt and angry.
“Thank you.” Terra said to Amaya and she grabbed a corner of the duvet. “Well the pet joins the owner’s life right? You’re the one that moved to Hawaii in third grade. I moved before kindergarten so...” Terra shrugged her shoulders as to say that those were the facts and couldn’t be changed, sucks for you.
“I’m sorry but who spent more time sleeping on my floor than her own bed?” I countered victoriously.
“Mahina...” Terra sulked knowing she had lost.
“Mahina?” Amaya looked up quickly.
“Her nickname. Her mother always called her that so I started calling her that.” Terra shrugged.
“Why Mahina?” Amaya looked towards me.
“My father used to call me his little moonshine. Something to do with the full moon the night I was born. After he died my mom was heartbroken and wanted a new start so we moved to Hawaii. She heard the Hawaiian for moonlight and that’s what she started calling me. To be honest, I think it was a way for her to keep my father with us.” I took a breath to release the sadness I felt building in my chest. I felt a cocktail of anxiety, regret, and sadness coming from Amaya. I looked over at her and smiled. “It was a long long time ago.”
“The pain never goes away though. You only just get used to living with it. I’m sorry.” The emotions from Amaya brushed against me gently, almost apologetically. With the sadness it carried I understood instantly that she too had lost. Though the pain of it was nothing I had ever felt...outside of the dreams that is. Not even from my mother.
“We honor those gone before us by looking towards the light of tomorrow instead of the darkness of the past.” I gave Amaya an understanding smile and nodded. Though it has only been a few hours since I had met her, I felt I knew Amaya’s soul just was well as I knew Terra’s.
“Finished!” Terra declared victoriously zipping up the duvet case.
I turned my attention back to my duvet, finishing tying the last strings to the last loop. I zipped the case up and laid the duvet out over the futon and pillow.
“Shopping time!” Terra declared jumping up from her bed.
“Do we need a shopping list? Don’t want to forget anything.” I took the dream journal I started that morning, a smaller notebook and a pen out of my computer bag. I always carried a dream journal with me just in case I suddenly remembered something.
“Oh right! Don’t want to get back here and forget toilet paper.” Terra walked over, her hand out towards me. I pulled a page from the smaller notebook and handed it to Terra along with a pen.
“She always has a pen and paper on her.” Terra stated seeing Amaya’s look of confusion. Terra returned to her own desk to have something to write on.
I quickly followed up with another piece of paper and pen holding it out to Amaya. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.” Amaya took the paper and joined me at my desk to write a list.
A few moments later we decided that with shared items, like toilet paper or laundry detergent, we’d all buy one each and whenever we ran out, we’d all buy one again. We shared our lists with each other hoping if we hadn’t thought of something one of the others would think of it. Deciding the most important thing we wanted to buy was a key chain for our keys we decided our first stop would be Harajuku.
Terra and I locked our bedroom doors. Amaya already had her shoes on and stood at the door with her purse. I slang my bag around me, slipped the slippers off and stepped off the step of the entry into my shoes.
Terra took the honor of locking the front door behind us as she was the last one out. Amaya and Terra stayed a couple steps behind me letting me lead the way. Just as Nishimura had said once we passed through the shrine, almost hitting our heads as we walked under a bridge connecting the two shrine buildings together on the inside, we saw the road leading down the hill to the station. Even though we would register our residence officially tomorrow at city hall. This was our first step into exploring Tokyo as residents of the city. I felt my excitement was mirrored by Terra and Amaya as we walked pass the small park next to the station’s entrance and down the stairs into the subway.