<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Akiko! Just in time,â€ Shiraishi called from the office. “Was it…â€ Her voice suddenly dropped, becoming much quieter. “It was clean, wasn’t it?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“All clean. Hardly any kegare at all.â€ Shiraishi smiled, and Akiko could almost see her relax.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It’s good to know for certain. Anyway,â€ she started speaking in a normal voice again, “someone has come for a ceremony; could you get changed and assist, please?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The petitioner was a relatively young man, maybe in his thirties, dressed very smartly, and asking for a prayer for success at work. Akiko hadn’t seen him before, but he looked vaguely familiar; Shiraishi explained that he was the eldest son of the Yamaguchis, and that his mother had been at the festival. He was very polite, but he seemed very nervous, jumping when Akiko appeared in her vestments, and constantly looking around the shrine grounds as they prepared for the ceremony.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Even during the ceremony, he could barely keep still, looking at the pool and iwakura most of the time, but constantly glancing around, over his shoulders, and peering at the woodland. Akiko thought she could guess what the problem was, but wasn’t sure what to do about it.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">After they finished the ceremony and he handed his offering over, he paused awkwardly in front of them, obviously wanting to say something. Shiraishi waited, so Akiko followed suit, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to say anything. In the end, Shiraishi broke the silence.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Did you mother tell you about the festival?â€ she asked.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">His expression instantly changed to one of relief, and he nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Did she really see that?â€ he asked. “The fire, the snake?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I assume so,â€ Shiraishi replied. “We certainly did.â€ She glanced at Akiko for confirmation, and Akiko nodded. The man looked around the shrine again.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I didn’t really think she was seeing things, but… Is that the pool?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes,â€ Shiraishi answered.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“And you’re the miko who rose out of it in a robe of feathers?â€ he asked Akiko, suddenly turning to look at her.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Er… yes.â€ Akiko felt herself blushing. She had rather been the centre of events, she realised.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The man shook his head, before turning to look around the shrine again.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I was rather hoping…â€ he began, before trailing off, sounding embarrassed.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You hoped to see the kami?â€ Akiko asked. He nodded, blushing and not meeting her eyes. “We don’t know when he will appear again, or even if,â€ she continued. “Yesterday was a special occasion.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Mother said something about purifying the area.â€ Akiko nodded, but it was Shiraishi who replied this time.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“That’s right. We cleansed the area of kegare, with the help of the kami.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What does that mean?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Didn’t you feel better this morning?â€ Akiko asked.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, yes, but… the weather, and…â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“That’s what it means,â€ Shiraishi said. “It’s not all about giant snakes, towers of fire, and beautiful women in feathered robes.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">The man blushed again, and Akiko felt herself doing the same.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“No, I suppose not,â€ he said. “But if I keep coming to the shrine…?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Maybe. We really don’t know.â€</p>