“Um, excuse me?â€

Akiko and Shiraishi both looked round, to see a young girl in high school uniform approaching from within the shrine. After a moment, Akiko recognised her as the girl who had come a few days before, and needed instructions about everything. Her skirt was still absurdly short.

“Yes?â€ Shiraishi addressed her, stepping forward.

“Er… I think you have, well, some sort of ceremony.â€

“Yes, we have many sorts of ceremony.â€ Shiraishi’s tone was cautious, and uncertain. Akiko was puzzled again. She could have sworn that this girl, and what was her name?, had known nothing about Shinto, but now she was back and asking about ceremonies.

“Ah, yes, of course you do.â€ She was blushing. “I mean, like, a cleansing ceremony? Something to get rid of bad things?â€

Akiko quickly switched her vision over, and looked at the girl again. She did have a lot of kegare, which looked like worms crawling over her body, disappearing under her clothes. But how on earth did she know to ask about a ceremony? Shiraishi glanced across, and Akiko nodded slightly.

“Yes,â€ the priest replied, looking back at the girl. “We have a ceremony called o-harae, which purifies people and places.â€

“That sounds like it!â€ She looked really happy. “I’d like one, please. How much is it?â€

“You should give…â€ The priest stopped. “Five thousand yen or more. You can give as much as you want.â€

“Oh, right. Yeah, that’s OK.â€ She squatted down to rummage through her bag again. Shiraishi glanced down, and then at Akiko, her eyebrows raised. Akiko shrugged, and wondered how to tell Shiraishi about the girl’s previous visit.

“I take it you enjoyed your previous visit to the shrine?â€ Akiko asked, glancing at Shiraishi. The girl looked up, her wallet in her hand, and smiled.

“Oh, you remembered! Yes, well, it was good. So I came back.â€ She opened the wallet and pulled out a five thousand yen note. “Here you are.â€ She thrust it at Shiraishi, who smiled slightly as she took it.

“Thank you. Please come inside to wait for a minute, while we get things ready.â€

When Akiko went to collect her from the waiting room, she was standing up and peering at the hanging scroll.

“You have a lot of neat old stuff, don’t you?â€ Akiko couldn’t help smiling.

“This is a very old shrine.â€

“Wow.â€

“Anyway, please come with me.â€

They had set up the tables and mats near where the shrine building had been, looking towards the iwakura. Akiko gestured to one of the mats.

“Please kneel there.â€

The girl knelt down, shifting quite a bit, obviously not used to it, finally getting settled, and adjusting her skirt so that it covered her underwear. She looked at Akiko and the priest, and nodded.

Akiko watched the kegare as Shiraishi performed the harae. The light burned the worms away quickly, and Akiko could see the girl’s back straighten, as she breathed more deeply. The ceremony finished, and the girl sprang to her feet.

“That was great! Wow! Thanks!â€

Shiraishi was nodding, smiling in a slightly bemused fashion.

“You’re welcome, Ms, er… sorry. I forgot your name,â€ Akiko said.

“Oh. Kazumi. Kazumi Miura.â€

“Kazumi?â€ Shiraishi asked. “Harmonious Beauty?â€

The girl nodded, grinning.

“Or Japanese Beauty,â€ she said. “I like it. Anyway, er, how do I address you?â€

“Revd Shiraishi,â€ Akiko put in, and Shiraishi just nodded, still smiling.

“Well, thanks a bunch, Revd Shiraishi. Must dash!â€

And she did, running down the steps.

“Coming through!â€, they heard from the bottom, and, looking at each other, both Akiko and Shiraishi burst out laughing.

“What was that about?â€ the priest asked. Akiko, shaking her head, couldn’t answer.