Chapter 15.
“These cathayans, whose intellectual capacity does not surpass that of the insects infesting their rice paddies, cling to the pathetic illusion that their numbers will grant them victory. They believe, in their infinite stupidity, that a tide of human flesh can prevail over the divine will of the Emperor and the manifest superiority of the Eiyu. What an absurd and laughable fantasy! Soon, these wretches will learn the true nature of futility. Each of their pitiful attempts at resistance will be crushed with a brutal force that will make them tremble even in their deepest dreams. Every ‘victory’ they claim in their collective delusion will be reversed and transformed into a bloody lesson on their own insignificance. Each defeat, and there will be many, will be a public humiliation, a demonstration of the emptiness of their existence and the weakness of their character.”
“We will reduce them to dust, to a distant and pathetic memory of the insolence they dared to show. Their miserable lives will be trampled under the iron boot of order and discipline, the discipline they can never understand, the order they have always despised. And when the dust of their destruction settles, when the last moans of their laments die out, they will remember the monumental error, the unforgivable sin they committed by daring to challenge the divinity of our Emperor. Their memory will be cursed, their names will be synonymous with shame and weakness.”
“The Empire”
Manifesto
Secretary General of the Sun Party, Ichirou Asa
The bell rang, announcing the end of the Classical Characters class. He, Shinji, and Shiori gathered their things and went out into the hallway, where they encountered a crowd of students huddled around some scrolls hanging on the walls. The paper was thin, almost translucent, with delicately gilded edges that caught and reflected glints of light. The black ink formed precise and elegant characters that seemed to float on the creamy surface of the paper, as if whoever had traced them had barely touched the parchment with the brush.
“What’s going on here?” asked Ritsu, rubbing his eyes. He had dozed off during most of Professor Kayo’s lesson, who insisted on reciting from memory the ancient symbols and their meanings.
“It’s the Tsukimi, stupid,” a voice snapped from the other end of the crowd.
Ritsu made his way through the curious onlookers, pushing and apologizing. “Tsukimi,” he repeated to himself, trying to remember where he knew that word from. He seemed to have heard it once, when he lived in the Outer Walls and watched the fireworks rising above the Inner Walls.
Shinji appeared beside him, with a look of confusion. He took one of the scrolls and read it aloud.
“The Tsukimi is coming! Come and enjoy the beauty of the full moon, music, poetry, and delicious dangos. Date: the fifteenth day of the ninth month. Place: the lake garden. Entry: WITH A PARTNER.”
“What is Tsukimi?” he asked, not understanding anything.
Shiori approached them, with an expression of disbelief. She was the smartest of the three, and the only one who had been born within the Inner Walls.
“How can you not know what Tsukimi is?” she exclaimed; her eyes wide open. The disbelief in her voice wasn’t condescending, but genuine, as if she had just discovered that her friends were unaware of the existence of the sun or rain. “It’s one of the oldest and most beautiful traditions of the year!”
Shinji shrugged and let out a dry laugh, one of those he reserved especially for everything he considered pretentious or unnecessary. Then he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest in a gesture that Ritsu knew too well. It was the posture he adopted when he was about to say something provocative.
“Excuse our ignorance, miss... we, mere plebeians from the Outer Walls, are not aware of the refined traditions of the nobles,” he said, with a sarcastic tone.
Ritsu observed how Shiori’s face transformed, with indignation tinting her cheeks a soft pink hue. The furrowed brow and tension in her jaw revealed that Shinji’s words had hit the mark, as always.
“It’s not a matter of nobility, but of culture,” she replied. “Tsukimi is a festival that celebrates the autumn full moon, when it’s said to be closer and brighter than ever.” Her eyes softened as she spoke, as if she were remembering something precious. “It’s a magical night, full of charm and mystery, where lovers, friends, and artists gather to admire the moon, listen to music, recite poems, and taste dangos, sweet rice dumplings covered in different sauces.”
“I know what a dango is!” Shinji exclaimed, offended. “They’re those tasteless morsels that the rich eat while we starve to death.”
Ritsu ignored him and felt a pang of curiosity. He had never seen the autumn full moon. Nor did he have a partner to go to the Tsukimi with. He wondered what it would be like to attend that festival, and if there would be someone willing to accompany him.
“It must be very beautiful,” he murmured, almost without realizing it.
Shiori smiled at him.
“It is,” she affirmed. “I always attended with my cousins before coming here. It was one of the most anticipated nights of the year. I wish I could experience it again.”
“Garbage,” Shinji spat, crumpling the scroll with contempt. “I don’t believe any of what you’re saying. It just seems like one of those ridiculous customs of the nobles, which they do to believe they’re better than us. What do they know about the moon, if they live locked up in their mansions, surrounded by luxuries and servants?”
Shiori shot him a furious look. Her eyes shone like two pieces of burning coal.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about, Shinji,” she responded with a sharp voice. “Tsukimi is not a simple custom, it’s a millennial tradition!”
“Oh, come on, don’t be so dramatic,” he replied, with a malicious smile that twisted his lips. “If you’re so eager to go, I’m sure you won’t have a problem. After all, you’re a spoiled girl and...”
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He didn’t finish the sentence. She delivered a sharp blow to his cheek, with such force that it resonated throughout the hallway. Shinji was stunned, bringing his hand to his face. His skin was red and swollen.
Ritsu was startled.
He couldn’t believe what he had just seen.
Shiori had lost her nerves and had hit Shinji.
It was something that had never happened before.
All the other aspirants had stopped looking at the scrolls and had fallen silent, watching the scene in amazement.
Shiori had a red face and tears about to come out of her eyes. Her expression was a mixture of rage and shame. Without saying a word, she ran out of the hallway, pushing Shinji on the way.
Shinji staggered and fell to the ground. He got up with difficulty, still stunned by the blow. He looked at Shiori, who was moving away down the hallway, and frowned.
“What’s wrong with her?” he asked, with a hoarse voice. “Is she crazy or what?”
“I don’t know,” he said, shrugging. “Girls are weird.”
***
They headed towards the next classroom and, as they passed a group of girls who were enthusiastically whispering about their new kimonos, they talked a bit more about the festival on the way.
“It seems that Tsukimi will be in a few weeks, right?” Ritsu commented, trying to make his voice sound casual while his fingers unconsciously played with the worn edge of his sleeve.
Shinji gave him a playful tap on the head.
“Well, that thing has really captivated you, huh?” he mocked. “I’m not surprised, friend. After all, you’ve spent the last few months immersed in dusty books and practicing in the gardens. A break would do you good.”
Ritsu remained silent for a moment. Since he had entered the Imperial Military Academy, he hadn’t had many opportunities to have fun or relax. Life there was hard and demanding, and Professor Oda’s classes were especially exhausting.
A little escape would be welcome.
“Well... yes, the truth is that it has aroused some curiosity in me,” he finally admitted.
Shinji gave him a friendly elbow to the ribs.
“And can I know the reason for this sudden interest?” he inquired with a mischievous smile. “Don’t tell me our dear Ritsu is thinking of putting on a nice kimono to impress someone special.”
Ritsu looked away, uncomfortable.
“Well... haven’t you noticed that lately you look at girls... differently?” he asked, carefully choosing his words.
Shinji’s eyes widened.
“Oh, I see where you’re going. That thing my grandmother called ‘the awakening’ is happening to you.”
Ritsu frowned, puzzled. He had a vague idea of what adults did when they thought no one was watching. Sometimes, when his old master drank too much sake, his words became slippery and suggestive, full of insinuations that made Ritsu feel as if his skin was too small to contain all the heat they generated. But he had never paid much attention to those things.
He knew what they were, but not what they felt like.
It was like the difference between studying the movements of a kata and executing it for the first time: the knowledge was there, but the sensations were completely new and unexplored.
“And you?” he asked timidly. “Has it happened to you yet?”
Shinji’s face, usually so confident and carefree, turned an intense red that rivaled the sun. For a moment, he seemed to struggle with himself, as if the words he wanted to say were at war with those he should say.
“Well... in one of my ‘incursions’ into the girls’ dormitories... let’s say I saw more than appropriate,” he admitted. “It was quite violent and embarrassing, but at the same time... I couldn’t look away.”
Ritsu thought about the girls he had seen that morning during training. He thought about how the sun made some of their hair shine, and how the sound of their laughter seemed to make the air vibrate in a strange way.
“It’s as if suddenly everything was different, isn’t it?” he murmured, more to himself than to Shinji. “As if the world had changed while we were sleeping, and now everything had a new meaning.”
Shinji nodded slowly.
“My grandmother used to say it’s like when flowers bloom in spring,” he said, and for once, there was no mockery in his voice. “You can’t make them bloom before their time, but when the moment comes... it just happens.”
Ritsu sighed in relief.
“Well, that means I’m not crazy.”
Shinji looked at him curiously.
“And what does that have to do with Tsukimi?”
Ritsu blushed.
“Well... it’s just that when Shiori explained to us what it was, I thought about... you know, going with a girl to see the moon. Maybe holding her hand, or hugging her, or...” he broke off, embarrassed.
Shinji let out a laugh.
“Well, well! So, you like Shiori, huh? I didn’t expect that from you, Ritsu. I thought you were only interested in books.”
Ritsu shook his head.
“No, it’s not Shiori. It’s just that... she was the one who mentioned it. It could be any girl. Well, not any girl, but...” he got tangled up in his own words.
Shinji patted him on the back.
“Relax, friend. You don’t have to explain yourself. I’ve thought about those things too. Sometimes I dream about being alone with Yuki, the black-haired girl who sits in the front row. She’s so pretty and sweet...”
Ritsu looked at him with surprise. Yuki always hung out with the other girls, but was rarely heard speaking. She was like a silent shadow.
“Yuki? Really?” he couldn’t help but ask. “But she’s so... so...”
“So what?” Shinji challenged him, frowning.
“So... quiet,” he murmured cautiously. “And shy. She never talks to anyone. She seems a bit... boring.”
Shinji frowned.
“Don’t say that. She’s very intelligent and kind. And she has beautiful eyes. Besides, I like that she’s quiet. That way she doesn’t bother me with nonsense.”
Ritsu shrugged.
“Well, I guess everyone has their tastes. But tell me, have you ever talked to her?”
Shinji lowered his gaze.
“No, not yet. But I’m thinking about doing it. Now that you mention it, Tsukimi doesn’t sound so silly... maybe I’ll invite her to go to Tsukimi with me.”
Ritsu elbowed him.
“That’s good. But don’t expect too much.”
Shinji blushed.
“And you, do you have anyone in mind?”
Ritsu became thoughtful.
He hadn’t spoken to a single girl other than Shiori.
At that moment, a flash of memory crossed his mind like a fleeting lightning bolt. The girl he had seen the first time they had gone to Shiori’s dormitory. But he didn’t even know her name.
“Well... the truth is no,” he lied, not wanting to be more embarrassed. “There’s no one who particularly catches my attention. They all seem the same to me. Maybe it’s because I haven’t talked much with them. Only with Shiori, and because she’s our friend.”
Shinji looked at him with compassion.
“Poor Ritsu. You’re too shy. You should be more sociable, go out more, have fun. That way you’d meet more girls, and maybe you’d find the one who makes you feel butterflies in your stomach.”
Ritsu laughed.
“Butterflies in the stomach? Where did you get that expression from?”
Shinji shrugged.
“I don’t know. I read it in a book. I think it was a love novel. My grandmother lent it to me a while ago.”
Ritsu looked at him with disbelief.
“Your grandmother lent you a love novel? And you read it?”
Shinji nodded.
“Yes, what’s wrong with that? It was a very nice story. It was very romantic.”
Ritsu mocked.
“Romantic? Or cheesy?”
Shinji gave him a slap.
“Don’t be rude. You don’t know how to appreciate good literature. Besides, it helped me learn some things about girls. Things they don’t teach you at the academy.”
Ritsu was intrigued.
“What things?”
Shinji leaned close to his ear and whispered something.
Ritsu was left open-mouthed.
“Really? Girls do that?”
Shinji nodded with a mischievous smile.
“Yes, they do. And much more. If you want to know, you’ll have to read the book.”
Ritsu bit his lip.
“Well... maybe I’ll take a look. But don’t tell anyone, okay?”
Shinji winked at him.
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
Ritsu smiled.
“Yes, we’re friends. The best friends.”
Shinji hugged him.
“That’s what I like to hear. And now, let’s go into the classroom. I don’t want Professor Oda to scold us for being late.”
Ritsu nodded.
“Let’s go.”
They entered the classroom, where their classmates and Professor Oda were waiting for them. They sat at their respective desks and took out their scrolls. But while the professor began to speak, his mind was elsewhere. In a place where the moon shone in all its splendor, and where a girl was waiting for him with a smile.