His aunt smiled, then suddenly looked up at the sky and exclaimed, “Oh!” Rintaro followed her gaze and opened his eyes slightly.
“It’s snowing,” she said.
Fluffy white snowflakes fluttered down around them. There was no sunshine, but the glittering flakes made everything seem bright. Passersby stopped to look up at the sky.
“I love it when it snows. It’s so exciting.”
Rintaro’s aunt always spoke spontaneously like this. She turned to Rintaro, her voice high and girlish.
“I’ll buy you a cake tonight, Rin-chan.”
“A cake? Why?”
“Well, it’s Christmas Eve, isn’t it?”
Rintaro was genuinely surprised. Ever since his grandfather had passed away, he had lost track of the calendar. He looked around at the street and realized that the trees and the eaves of houses were decked out in colored lights. It was as if all the people and the houses they lived in were excitedly preparing for Christmas, while Rintaro and Natsuki Books alone were opting out.
“Or were you planning to spend the evening with that lovely girlfriend of yours?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“I’m just teasing.”
Rintaro’s aunt revved up the engine.
“See you later!” With one more cheerful laugh, she drove away.
Rintaro looked up and down the street. Delivery bikes were passing groups of high school students on their way to morning club activities. He didn’t associate any particular feelings or memories with Christmas Eve, but he did feel emotional as he realized that this would be the last time to enjoy this particular scenery. Even the falling snow seemed to be meaningful. He stood for a while and took it all in.
Only ten days had passed since his grandfather’s death—a short period of time, and yet it felt long to Rintaro because of all the strange events that had happened to him since. And of all those events, the thing that had stuck in his mind was the way the tabby cat had smiled at him right before it left for good.
It was three days ago that he’d last seen those fluffy tiger stripes. Since then the days had flown by as he prepared for the move. The cat had not shown up again, and the back wall of the bookshop had remained just as it always was.
Sayo had dropped by each day, both on her way to and from school, to drink a cup of tea with Rintaro, and to discuss the Stendhal novel she was currently reading. But he reckoned she was probably more curious about the cat’s whereabouts. And of course, Rintaro himself would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious himself.
But time is merciless in its passing.
This was something that Rintaro understood all too well. No matter how sad, how painful, how nonsensical a thing might happen, time refused to stand still and wait for him. Somehow he had just drifted along until here he was today.
Eventually Rintaro composed himself and headed back into the bookshop. He started to put away the tea things, but then suddenly stopped in his tracks.
The back of the bookshop was bathed once again in the bluish light. And right there, with its back to the light, sat a large tabby cat.
“It’s been a while, Mr. Proprietor.”
Rintaro’s shock eventually gave way to a wry smile.
“It’s only been three days.”
“Really? Has it?”
“Am I supposed to welcome you back?”
“No need to stand on ceremony.”
The cat turned its jade eyes from the bluish light.
“I need your help.”