<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">When they turned back to the house, they realised that everyone was waiting at the entrance. Shiraishi broke into a run.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Oh, I’m sorry,â€ she called out. “Please go in and get changed. I’m sorry.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Shiraishi ducked into the office as soon as they were in the house, muttering about the norito and asking to be called, and Akiko followed Kazumi into the changing room. It was only when she was standing in front of her vestments that she realised she didn’t need to be there.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;"><em>Get your mind back to earth, woman,</em> she told herself sternly, and then crouched to collect her vestments together. If they were going to have the meeting in here, it would be a good idea to tidy up a bit.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">When she stood up, she noticed that most of the women hadn’t yet started to get changed. Kazumi was already pulling her vestments on, and Noriko was layering the kimono undergarments on, but just about everyone else was just standing there, looking at their clothes.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Is there a problem?â€ Akiko asked.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“These clothes…â€ Mrs Tanaka replied first, gesturing at the clothes she had taken off. For a moment Akiko worried that they had been cursed or something, but she couldn’t see anything wrong with them.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“What about them?â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“They aren’t… suitable.â€ Another woman, someone Akiko didn’t know so well.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Too casual,â€ Mrs Ito agreed.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“It doesn’t seem very respectful to wear jeans at the shrine,â€ someone else chimed in, and there were murmurs of agreement.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I wish I’d worn a kimono,â€ Mrs Tanaka said. “It’s not like I don’t have enough sleeping in the closet.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Akiko wasn’t sure how to respond. She didn’t think Tamao would mind, but how could she say that tactfully?</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Mrs Ito looked down at herself, and pulled a face.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We can hardly stay dressed like this, though.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">More murmurs of agreement.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“But…â€ Mrs Tanaka still sounded very uncertain.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“We could have a naked meeting!â€ Kazumi suggested brightly.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">There was absolute silence, as everyone turned to look at Kazumi. Akiko could feel herself blushing. The girl was grinning from ear to ear as she fastened the belt on her hakama.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">Fastened the belt. <em>Oh, thank the kami. She’s teasing,</em> Akiko thought, and moments later Mrs Tanaka reached the same conclusion, and burst out laughing, quickly joined by the other women.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Ah… No,â€ she said, when she caught her breath. “No, I don’t think that’s a better solution.â€ She turned to look at her clothes again. “Well…â€ her voice was speculative for a moment, and Akiko couldn’t suppress a giggle. Mrs Tanaka flashed her a smile, and then shook her head. “We’ll just have to be more careful about what we wear in future. These will have to do for today.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I’m sure the kami won’t mind,â€ Akiko said, seizing the opportunity. “You’ve just helped a great deal at the festival. And anyway, I think your attitude matters more than what you are wearing.â€</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“I still wish I was wearing a kimono,â€ someone said, to a lot of nods of agreement.</p>
<p style="margin: 8.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 28.0px; font: 13.0px Optima;">“Next time,â€ Mrs Tanaka said, her voice firm. “Next time we dress properly.â€</p>