<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Kazumi’s suggestion distracted Akiko for most of the following day. About mid-morning, when she found herself standing in the precincts, broom in hand, staring vacantly into space, she made herself face facts.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">She liked the idea.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">It was direct, it took control, and it would, surely, work. After all, Akira was interested in her. At least, he had been before, and Kazumi didn’t think anything had changed. So, it was a good idea. She just needed to decide to do it.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Before she could quite summon up the courage to go to call Akira, she saw someone entering the shrine. She didn’t recognise him, but he was looking around as if expecting to see something remarkable; not an unusual situation these days. He spotted her, and bowed in greeting. She bowed in return, and hurried over.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Welcome to Tamao Shrine,â€ she said. “How can we help you?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I am Tanaka, from Mainichi Shinbun.â€ He was holding out his business card, the newspaper’s logo clear on the top. “I was wondering if you’d be willing to talk to me.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You need to talk to the chief priest of the shrine, Revd Shiraishi,â€ Akiko countered, desperate to buy time. “If you would come with me, I will see whether she is available.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“He’s following up the rumours,â€ Shiraishi said with a sigh when Akiko explained it. “I suppose it was inevitable.â€ She looked at Akiko. “Could you manage moral support?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“He’s a journalist, not a police officer,â€ Akiko said.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I know, I know,â€ Shiraishi replied. “But this isn’t like the pool. I… Let’s have him interview both of us.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The journalist had no objection to that, and actually looked quite pleased, which worried Akiko a little. His first questions were entirely general and innocuous; he asked about the shrine, the fire, the wild festival, and the appearance of the pool. He had obviously done his homework, and Akiko could feel herself bracing for the next questions.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I hear you held a small festival a few days ago,â€ he said, at last.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes, we did,â€ Shiraishi said, the caution clear in her voice.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“There are a number of rumours about that festival. Would you care to comment on them?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Rumours?â€ Shiraishi was obviously playing for time.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“People are saying that the kami appeared, in the form of a snake of fire, and swallowed the miko.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Shiraishi opened her mouth, and then shut it sharply. Akiko also caught herself just before blurting out a denial.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“This is the shrine’s miko,â€ Shiraishi said at last. “You can see that she has not been swallowed by a burning snake.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“The rumours also say that she descended from the sky afterwards, with great white wings.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“And you can see she has no wings,â€ Shiraishi countered.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“So, there is no truth to the rumours, then?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">There was another pause.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Shinto festivals cannot really be explained in words,â€ Shiraishi said at last. “You have to experience them for yourself.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Is that ‘no comment’, then?â€ the journalist asked.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No comment,â€ Shiraishi said. He looked at her, and then at Akiko, before nodding and putting his recorder away.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, off the record, I’ve heard quite a lot of other rumours about that festival.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Festivals can have quite an impact on people,â€ Shiraishi said, nodding in agreement. “Please feel free to attend.â€ She rose, and the journalist was also forced to get back to his feet. He looked a little frustrated as he left the shrine, and Akiko suspected that he would be back.</p>