Kouβs childhood isnβt all that extraordinary, but the boy named Sousuke Mitsuba makes it feel electrifying.
Kou meets him in May, months before he turns eight. He lives ten minutes away from the grand manor of the Minamotos, so Kou spends the days of late spring walking over a sunlit bridge to see him. He isnβt of the noblesse as Kou or his brother are, but his mother has some particular status that could, in the future, compare to that. Kou doesnβt really care about that anyways, though; heβs more concerned with who Mitsuba is than what his parents spend their days talking about. So, no matter what they think of it, Kou starts to skip over a sunlit bridge to see Mitsuba, and spends afternoons under cherry blossom leaves talking to him until sundown.
Kou likes him. A lot. Itβs odd, because he never sees anyone visit Mitsuba like he does, and Mitsuba never talks about anyone else in a good way. Maybe Mitsuba is rude and kind of a brat (or really a brat,) but two weeks into May and theyβve forged a bond closer than words can explain. So, despite the way that Mitsuba rags on him for being a βsuper-lame, wannabe hero,β Kouβs pretty sure he can recognize when Mitsuba means what he says. Because Mitsuba talks about his mother in a fond, but faint tone, and about Kou in a huffy but tolerating tone, but everyone else is the same: and Kou can hear some kind of wanting in his voice when he mentions a classmate or neighbor, but itβs too distant, too estranged from whatever image Kou develops of them in his mind. And Kouβ
Well, Kouβs never heard Mitsuba hate anyone, so βneutralβ ends up being βnot quite a good wayβ instead.
The point is that everyone probably thinks itβs odd that Kouβs close friends with a huffy kid a few minutes away from his home, but he doesnβt really care about that point. Heβs satisfied enough as is just being there, liking his conversations with him and continuing to talk to him as the seasons change; thatβs more important than anything else about him. With that priority guiding their talks, Kou ends up knowing the boy more and moreβand Mitsuba does, too, Kouβs regular openness aside.
But of course things come to an endβor, well, no. Kouβs being a little dramatic, there. Things go on pause, even if Kou doesnβt want them to. Because when July comes, the count will take his wife and two sons to a villa far southeast of here for two monthsβand will return once the sunlight wanes and the next school year should begin. So, on the last day of June, with most his things packed up, Kou sprints over the sunlit bridge, and drags Mitsuba to the mound under the cherry blossom leaves.
βIβm leaving,β he blurts out, because itβs the first thing he can think of. Mitsubaβs silent, the typical βHuuh?β already painted on his face; then, heβs staring at him, eyebrows furrowed and arms crossed tighter than ever.
βHuuh?β Oh, sheesh, heβs far too on cue. βWhat do you mean youβre leaving?β
βI mean Iβm going!β Kou sputters, because he doesnβt understand how he can clear it up any better. βMy dadβs taking us to the country for the rest of the summer. I wonβt be back.β
βUntil the end of summer!β he groans. βThat doesnβt mean youβre leaving forever. Sheesh, canβt the super-lame hella-dramatic wannabe hero tell the difference?β
βOf course hβof course I can! I justβ¦ wanted to tell you. You know, so I donβt just look like I up and left you.β
And that is how their friendship begins.
When the Minamotos travel back to the flower city,Β Kou doesnβt forget him. And Mitsuba doesnβt forget him, either. Despite the circumstances, they end up being close friendsβor, at least, Kou would like to say that.
Kouβs childhood isnβt all that extraordinary, but the boy named Sousuke Mitsuba makes it feel electrifying.
Sousuke Mitsuba lives ten minutes away from the Minamotos, at least if Kou walks quickly. Heβs thisβthis ridiculous kid, and he takes up a lot of Kouβs free time when he visits. Itβs okay, though! Kou doesnβt have anything else to do, anyways, since heβs seven turning eight, so they become friends faster than lightning can hit the ground and run for it.
At first, their friendship seems like itβll be slow-going. But one day, when their moms let them, they walk past this great, towering building. Though it casts a long shadow over their heads, itβs hard not to see the fine details in the architecture. Carvings twirl around the pillars like veins, deep enough to trace with their fingers. Statues sit next to and on top of the marble, with angels and crows dipped in gold and silver.
The first time that they see it, Mitsubaβs eyes dazzle like gems. Kouβs heard rhinestones are a type of gem and he wants to call them that. Teru-nii would tell him that a better-fitting description would be something like rhodonite or rhodolite, though, even if βrow-dough-something-ightβ doesnβt begin to describe the sight. Mitsubaβs eyes are incomparably great and sparkling; the number of shapes of pink and magenta and gold and blue are so endless, heβd need a million more people to help count it on their hands. And, Kouβ¦
Well, he doesnβt have the same reaction. Still, he recognizes this building: itβs the famous opera house of the flower capital. And, of all the people to know it bestβ¦
βOh! My parents know this place really well!β Kou grins, taking hold of Mitsubaβs hand. βAnd Iβve been here a ton! Thereβs always a lot of singing!β
βItβs an opera house, isnβt it?β Mitsuba turns towards him, still frozen in place. Kou nods, and Mitsuba adds, βOf course thereβs singing! Thatβs obviously how the shows here work.β
He sounds kinda rude when he says this, and Kou should care, but heβs too dizzy from the way Mitsubaβs eyes still shine towards him and they talk to each other so much that heβs already used to it. So he nods, and he says, βI didnβt know that!β and even though Mitsuba is about to kick him in the ankles because he should know it, he laughs it off and tugs him through the gaping doors. They run through the open hallways, laughing and yelling until Kouβs mom finds them and sighs and pulls them back out of the opera house because of all places they definitely shouldnβt have been making a scene in there.
Still, though, itβs the most fun that Kouβs ever had in a while: so fun that his body still shakes with sparks of lightning when they board a tight, stuffy carriage. Mitsuba fusses next to him the entire time, so Kou just talks and talks to him, and even if he gets called annoying and lame half the time heβs not at all exhausted when the trip ends.
They donβt talk about itβwell, not until the next day, of course, because Mitsuba doesnβt have anyone else to talk to. Itβs the first thing Mitsuba talks about when he runs over the bridge to meet him, and itβs the most confident Kouβs ever heard him.
βIβll be the best singer there!β he smirks, pointing in whichever way the opera house is supposed to be. βNobodyβll be able to resist someone as cute as me!β
βReally?!β Kou gasps, leaning towards him. βWell, thenβI wanna watch your first show! Iβll invite everyone to it so they know how cool you are!β
βHaah? You? How are you going to do something like that? Donβt tell meββ Mitsuba leans away, and Kou leans further until he gets pushed away. βAre you in one of those creepy book clubs that summons fairies and phantoms? Is that who youβre gonna invite, huh?β
βNo way!β Kou throws up his arms, and points to all the other buildings he can see. βIβm gonna invite everyone in the whole city! Iβm gonna make sure everyone hears you and knows how good of a singer you are as soon as you finish singing! And Iβll get mom and dad to help, and Iβll get Teru-nii to help, too, so I wonβt let you down!β
So, in the summertime, they run across the bridge on the river and sing duets from the Camellia Opera House. Theyβre kids, so theyβre dumb and off-key and sometimes they come close to losing their voice, but they never do. In winter, they take those songs indoors, where Kouβs mom set up this huge piano and they play one half of the keys, singing and singing until their throats dry up.