Fateless

A frustrated sigh escaped Asuna’s lips as she dragged her unenthusiastic daughter down the hallway and then through the bamboo sliding doors. Hana made a defiant effort to dig her heels in, but it resulted in very little resistance against the smooth wooden flooring along with her mother’s persistent grip on her arm.

Feeling despondent, Hana made an indecent groan which resulted in Asuna scolding her with sharp hisses in her tone. Her anger was further confirmed as Asuna rattled and slammed the door shut aggressively behind her.

Having heard the loud commotion, the other young ladies and their caretakers briefly looked up from applying their last-minute touch-ups. Asuna’s demeanour instantly shifted, a wide smile crept across her lips and she bowed politely, addressing the many eyes that had fallen upon her.

The matchmaking candidates sharing the room were all dressed to impress. Each of them was lathered in heavy makeup, had hair exquisitely styled with accessories, and wore layers of elegant fabric. Most of them presented themselves in traditional, but very detailed kimonos. But two of the participating ladies donned formal ballgown-style dresses that were equally as intricate.

The room was filled with light-hearted chatter. But the atmosphere was a strange mix of emotions. Some people appeared to be excited, others anxious, and -like Hana- there were some with glum expressions.

Asuna shoved her daughter onto a vacant cushion, ignoring the unhappy scowl on her face. Hana sourly rubbed at her arm, which was feeling relief from her mother’s vice-like hold having been removed. She resisted the tempting urge to literally run away from this terrible idea she’d been forced into.

Asuna began to inspect the fabric of Hana’s red and white, florally printed kimono- an old garment that had once belonged to her grandmother. Once satisfied, she then moved on to Hana’s hair to adjust the hairpin that was holding back her short-layered bob.

A young girl seated in front of Hana peered over her poised shoulder to offer her a quick sympathetic smile. Her own assistant was also focused on her hair, gently brushing through the very long strands that were bejewelled with cherry blossom-shaped hair clips.

Hana tried to dissociate herself from her mother’s fussing and the discrete gazes of the other attendees. She turned her attention to the view of the yard which was visible from the large rooms’ open opposing sliding doors.

Between light coatings of fallen white snow, revealed a beautifully maintained garden. Although now dormant for winter, the shrubbery was trained back into perfect shapes. Detailed pebble pathways intertwined around garden beds that were currently concealing much of their potential beauty due to frost. Located at the edge of a more isolated part of the Nikko mountains, The Hirano property was sure to look even more impressive when nature bloomed within the warmer months.

Within the garden, a bright red bridge transitioned into a small pergola that sat atop a partially frozen pond; It acted as a functional centrepiece of the outdoor area. This pergola did not just provide a view of the villa grounds’ yard however, but also a shrine which was situated uphill a small distance away and accessible by a stone staircase.

Said rocky stairs were lined with lanterns and trailed out from the shrine in two directions. One side travelled close to the main road, while the other headed towards and depleted into the forest.

The shrine building was traditionally decorated in multiple garlands, but still showed its age against the wood and stone that shaped it. A low traffic of warmly dressed people consistently flowed through the wide doorways. Shine maidens could be seen busily clearing away snow from walkways and preparing the structure for the welcoming of the new year.

Beyond the shrine, the mountains highlighted outwards, a thick forest grew on cliffs and sharp inclines, heading high into the sky. The dense vegetation was hazy shades of brown and green, and snow piled thick at the higher peaks.

There was no doubt that the view of the untouched wilderness that was the Nikko mountains was a breathtaking sight. But for Hana, it was nothing like the scenery back home in Tokyo; that of familiarity and comfort, where Hana’s friends and family were.

Here was desolate compared to Tokyo’s crowds. It was far colder and quieter too, being hidden away from the usual main attractions of the Nikko area.

Hana also felt strange being here. Not simply because she felt out of place, but it was as if the little town withheld an odd atmosphere. The air felt stifling and a persistent flutter lingered in her chest. It heightened her nerves and had her feeling restless.

Uncomfortable, Hana attempted to loosen some of the layered attire around her neck. Only to have her mother slap her hand back down.

“Enough Hana!” Asuna snapped.

“Mother, please,” Hana interjected miserably. “Why must I be here? I will miss the New Year’s festival!”

“-Hush!” Asuna silenced her while interpreting the action by snapping her fingers and thumb together. “You are not missing it; you will celebrate here. You were accepted to attend this matchmaking event, and the stakes- rather, the honour is high should you be chosen.”

Hana pouted. She had been very much looking forward to celebrating New Year’s, and the celebrations that came with it. As the year 1999 was set to click over to 2000, it was hyped to be the best festival yet and she had made plans to attend the festivities, which included a countdown concert and firework display, with her friends. The thought of potentially being married off to a total stranger instead was daunting.

“But no one is ever chosen!” Hana argued. Only to be quickly silenced by her mother’s unimpressed glare.

In all honesty, Hana had not even heard of the Hirano family until her mother came home one day proudly gloating she had signed her daughter up for the matchmaking event.

Mortified, and worried her mother may have been scammed, or perhaps traded Hana for a goat; Hana had done some digging to discover it was legit. Or so the rumours stated. But it was considered a very old family tradition, and while still practiced; the attendance numbers nowadays were far sparser.

Hana’s vague research results concluded that every five years women of age were able to sign up for the matchmaking event. It acted as an opportunity to showcase potential consorts for the current head of the house. Should he take a liking to any of the women presented, the family of the chosen consort was promised great riches. But it seemed most women, or families that enrolled their daughters, were aware the plausibility of actually being selected was very slim.

If anyone had been yet chosen, the villa had kept hush about it. Instead, it was used as a status event that gained favour with the Hirano family. They appeared to keep themselves isolated, but in fact, had a long history of wealth and assets behind them. In the shadows of New Year’s celebrations, it was treated as a week-long holiday for eligible women.

As someone who came from an unexciting middle-class family, Hana did not understand her mother’s insistence on her attending such an event. But it hadn’t been the first time the spontaneous woman had dragged Hana into one of her strange ideas.

The room fell silent once again as the doors rattled open once more. A petite woman, neatly dressed in a formal business suit, entered the room. She bowed politely before she addressed the faces regarding her.

“I’d like to welcome you all to the Hirano Family residence. It’s lovely to see some familiar faces again this year, along with some new ones. My name is Tomi and I have been serving the Hirano family as a representative for many years. I will also be overseeing the Lustrum Week.”

The smile Tomi stopped to give did not look genuine in the slightest.

“If the contestants will follow me, we will present them before Master Hirano. Afterwards, they will join their companions again for dinner. As per the tradition, we have prepared a great feast.”

Hana did not have to look at her mother. She just instinctively knew she was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Tomi stepped out of the sitting room, onto the exposed balcony, and then down a short stairway. She gestured for the ladies to follow her and then continued on at a slow pace.

Asuna continued to inspect Hana’s appearance as the girls gathered themselves to line up and follow Tomi to the next location. Surely she had fixed all she could by now, but Hana knew better than to question her. Instead, she asked; “Mother, what does lustrum mean?”

But her question remained unanswered as she joined the back of the queue. The parading beautiful contestants leaving their guardians behind them.