<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko held up the length of white cloth, looking at it.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It’s just a piece of cloth.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, yes.â€ Noriko sounded slightly amused. “That’s how loincloths are made, you know.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Kazumi, unsurprisingly, was already getting undressed.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I looked up how to put them on,â€ she said. “There are pages on the internet. Actually, there are quite a lot of pages, with pictures, but most of them weren’t… ah… aimed at women.â€ She grinned, and Akiko rolled her eyes. “Anyway,â€ she continued, “I’ve been practising. Should be no problem.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“And I’ve learned how to do them,â€ Noriko added. “It’s not that hard.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“But if you don’t do it right, <em>they fall off!â€</em> Kazumi giggled as she finished, and Akiko glared at her.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Stop that! We’ll do them properly.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Excuse me, is this where we change… Oh.â€ Akiko looked round, to see a mother and daughter standing just inside the entrance. She remembered them from the purification a few days earlier.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Ah, yes. Yes, please come in.â€ She glanced round, and saw that Kazumi had just started taking her underwear off. <em>She does wear underwear, then,</em> she thought, quickly followed by <em>Oh, for goodness sake woman!</em> “Um,â€ she turned back to the two women, “if you take your clothes off we’ll help you with the loincloths.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Mm.â€ Both of them looked a little embarrassed, although it was the mother who spoke. “I don’t know why I let my husband talk me into this.â€ She took a deep breath. “OK. Let’s get changed. You’re still OK for this?â€ This to her daughter, who nodded.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Unlike my brother, who is a chicken.â€ She suddenly grinned. “Actually, I think it’ll be fun. People will be looking at the mikoshi, not us, right?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well…â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Right, right,â€ Akiko quickly burst in, before Kazumi could say something to frighten them off. Any help would be good. She glared at the girl, who was now standing there naked as she began to wrap the cloth around between her legs, but Kazumi just grinned back. She looked back, and saw the mother’s mouth twitch in a half-smile.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Excuse me…â€ Another voice, this time from just outside. Akiko hurried over to see who it was, and was quite surprised to see the Tanakas’ grandmother.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Yes?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“My daughter-in-law is being useless and refusing to help, but do you think I could help carry the mikoshi?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Er…â€ Akiko desperately tried to think of a tactful way to put the question, but before she could, Kazumi came running up, loincloth fixed but no coat on.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Show us your muscles!â€ she said, flexing her arms. The old woman looked shocked for a moment, and then grinned.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I’ve been feeling much better recently.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Well, the more the merrier.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Kazumi, get back and put your happi on!â€ Akiko scolded her, and then turned back to the Mrs Tanaka. “As she said, we’d be glad of your help.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Akiko, get your clothes off!â€ Akiko turned back, to see that Noriko was already changed, and she and Kazumi were fixing loincloths for the other two women. Kazumi was grinning at her, and Akiko shook her head.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“You get on with that loincloth!â€ She was right, though, and Akiko reached for the belt of her hakama.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Excuse me…â€ Another woman’s voice from outside. Surprised, but suddenly much more confident about the event, Akiko turned back to see who it was.</p>