<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko went back to the kami tree that night, after Kazumi had gone home, and waited under its branches, leaning against the trunk, her cheek pressed against the bark. The tree was encouraging her to pass through to the forest again, but Akiko wasn’t even tempted. She didn’t want to be naked and alone in that park.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">As she thought that, the tree suggested that she could come back out in the shrine grounds as well, but Akiko shook her head. Not alone.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Kazumi had been right. It was a lot easier to say that it made no difference than to mean it. Akiko had been telling herself that Kazumi hadn’t changed, but she’d been unable to avoid a change in attitude. Knowing that… Knowing what Kazumi had done, Akiko found herself wondering whether she should even be at the shrine.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>Tamao accepted her,</em> Akiko reminded herself, yet again. <em>We all do stupid things when we’re teenagers.</em></p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>Yes, but you were never a prostitute,</em> a voice whispered treacherously at the back of her mind.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>She lied to us, keeping it secret.</em></p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>Yes, and that was a good idea, given how you’ve reacted.</em></p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko stood up and stepped away from the tree, shaking her head. It didn’t look like Yoshiko was coming tonight; the other miko clearly also needed a bit more time to think. And that was probably a good thing; Akiko wasn’t sure she could handle any more major revelations today. She returned to the house, but sleep was a long time in coming.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Despite that, she woke at dawn, and knew immediately that she wouldn’t be able to sleep again. Shiraishi got up soon afterwards, and they were getting ready to perform the morning rituals when Kazumi arrived. She looked really tired, as if she hadn’t slept for several days, and her school uniform looked like she had thrown it on in the dark.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I feel crap,â€ she said, after a moment. “I feel like I lost a week’s sleep in one night. Any chance of a harae?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Shiraishi glanced at Akiko, but Akiko really didn’t want to face Kazumi’s kegare right now, so she just shrugged.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We don’t really need to confirm it now, do we?â€ she asked, and Shiraishi, pursing her lips, shook her head.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I suppose not. OK, let’s get you purified, and then you can help with the morning rituals.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Thanks…â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko watched Kazumi carefully as Shiraishi swung the ohnusa over her, and was sure that she got visibly less tired every time the wand passed. At the end, she looked, well, just a bit tired.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, that’s better,â€ Kazumi said, standing up and stretching. Then she suddenly went very quiet, looking at the ground.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Er,â€ she began, and then paused. “It’s the kegare, isn’t it? That’s what makes me tired and ill?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes,â€ Shiraishi replied. “I’m sure it is.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Then could I stay at the shrine? Please? There’s no kegare here, and I feel so much better. My mother won’t mind; she’s been hassling me to move out and fend for myself anyway. I promise to be no trouble.â€ It all tumbled out at once, as if Kazumi were afraid that, if she paused, it would just give Shiraishi time to refuse.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The priest looked at her for a long moment, while Kazumi stared at her feet.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“All right,â€ she said, finally. “At least until the kegare is purified.â€</p>