<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko woke early the next morning, still vaguely unhappy about the previous evening.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>It was a nice date,</em> she told herself. <em>The food was excellent, and wasn’t interrupted by monsters. Akira was fun to talk to. I enjoyed it.</em></p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">It was all true, and Akira had been a perfect gentleman, bringing her back to the shrine and bidding her good night. Without even a little kiss.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko sighed, and shook her head. Maybe Akira wasn’t thinking about her like that. She headed for the shower, and her thoughts turned to whether there would be as many people for the ceremonies this morning.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">This time, Akiko was already changed when Kazumi came into her room.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Sorry! Full of ujiko again,â€ she said apologetically, before sliding the door shut and turning on Akiko with a grin. “So, how was the hot date?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It was fine,â€ Akiko said, determined not to let anything show.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh dear,â€ Kazumi responded, looking down as she started undressing. “That bad.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It wasn’t bad!â€ Akiko protested. “We had a lovely dinner and a very pleasant conversation.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“As bad as <em>that?â€</em> Kazumi asked, her face stricken.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, shut up!â€ Akiko shouted, and Kazumi suddenly looked very contrite, bowing a quick apology.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I’m sorry,â€ she said, as she started getting dressed.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko waited in silence until Kazumi had finished changing, and then stood.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It’s OK,â€ she said. “Let’s go and see how many people are here today.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">It looked like it was almost as many people as there had been the previous day, although it wasn’t all the same people. They were still all dressed very formally, and today there was even a man in a kimono; not Mr Fujimura, though, for which Akiko was grateful.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The ceremony passed without incident. Tamao did not appear, although several people were clearly looking for him, and Akiko had to wonder how much attendance would drop off when it became clear that the kami was not going to appear every day. Still, it was nice while it lasted. As people left, handing over their offerings, Akiko reflected that there was at least one very concrete benefit.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No Mr Takenaka?â€ Kazumi asked quietly, when they were clearing up afterwards. Akiko felt herself blush.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“He said he had to go to a site today, but would come tomorrow.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh. Well, that’s OK then.â€ Kazumi actually did sound relieved, and Akiko shot her a suspicious look, but she was gathering the implements and not looking at Akiko at all.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Shiraishi was talking to Noriko as the two miko took everything into the office, and Akiko caught something about kimono as they passed. When they came back out of the office, Shiraishi called them over.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Ms Yamanaka has repeated her offer to teach us about kimono. I think it’s a good idea, but what do you think?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Sounds good to me!â€ Kazumi blurted out. “Do I get to wear one of those kimonos with the enormous sleeves and furry collars?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Noriko smiled.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“The collars are really just for the adulthood ceremony, but the long sleeves are for unmarried women, so you should both, er, all wear them.â€ She blushed a little at her slip. “But that’s just for formal occasions; they get a bit inconvenient in daily life. What do you think, Ms Tanahata?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I’d be very grateful,â€ Akiko replied, bowing slightly. It was true, it did seem more appropriate, somehow. She wasn’t sure that the feeling was rational, but there it was.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Ah! I’d better get changed,â€ Kazumi suddenly said. “Oh, Revd Shiraishi, could I leave my school stuff here tomorrow? I don’t have time to do any homework at home after the evening ceremonies anyway…â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Er, OK…â€ Shiraishi said, and Kazumi immediately darted into the house, grinning.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Thanks!â€</p>