Chapter Text
My poor back ached, but I set the last of the new hanten onto the top shelf, nearest the street. While far too flashy for my sensible tastes, the bold sunflower pattern was certain to be the season’s biggest hit. Ako and Kimi brushed up shoulder to shoulder chatting about them when the shipment came in. Some of the attention was certainly about the strange supplier. That woman’s smile unnerved me, even if she was nothing but cordial. I’d like to think in my decades I knew near everyone, but I sure failed to recognize that green hair. Yet with hanten as beautiful and finely woven as what she offered, only a fool would bite the hand that feeds them by asking too much.
With the fresh stock ready, I opened up the shop and shuffled over to the hibachi. A few more coals got it going proper again, and within a few minutes I had a fresh pot of tea ready atop it. Rubbing some dearly needed warmth back into my own hands, the little broken bell rattled over the door.
“Welcome dear customer. First of the day! Can I offer you some tea?” Still needing to beat off the frost from my fingers, I snuck in an excuse to keep them holding something hot. I spun around, painting a fresh smile on my face. “-Oh, err...” A smile that faltered seeing the odd woman slamming the door closed.
“S-s-something wr-o-ong with my-my face, old man?” All that shivering tampered down the scowl she laid at me. Little wonder she tucked her arms in tight to her chest; who in their right mind wears detached sleeves at that time of year? Brown icicles hung from her hair tubes. I had to make a point not to gawk at the same happening to the snot from her nose.
At least I could salvage the awkward introduction as a result. “Why, it is just you look absolutely frozen to the core! Here, take the first cup.” I shoved it at her. I feared the tea would spill from how her frost-cloaked fingers shook in some unseen earthquake, but as soon as she managed to grasp it a relieved sigh cracked her cold demeanor.
“Thank you.” Even in gratitude, she was curt.
I immediately poured another cup to act as my hand warmer. And for a few delicate sips. “You have come to the right place, priestess. Being out in this weather dressed like that.” That skirt worn to threadbare, and I could even see a bit of her midriff below her short shirt. Either she should have grown out of that red and white uniform, or she was doing it on purpose.
Her brows tightened near instantly. “Something wrong with my look?” Really, she defended that style? Must have been on purpose.
“Well, you just need some layers.” I scuttled around her, to the front of the shop. “Why, look at this brand new coat. Doesn’t just looking at these big summer flowers make you feel warmer already?”
Her head tilted. Her eyes followed the hanten from collar to hem. She envisioned herself in it. Barely open ten minutes and I already nailed my first sale. By lunch I could shove my sold out stock in Eisuke’s jealous face. Thinks he knows the youth better just because his hair has less greys. Ha!
“Oh, uh, about this.” Her eyes fell all the way down to the price tag.
A bit of shock curled her lips. Ah yes, a bit too much on the surface. But you always leave room to haggle. “Well, with you being such a vital part of the village, just your presence leaves much worth. And I would be remiss if I let such a pretty lady as yourself freeze the instant you left my shop. I am sure we can-”
“That’s right!” She cut in, an altogether concerning grin spiking up both sides of her mouth. “I can bless your shop with one o’ these!” She plucked out a short, starched paper from her absurd sleeves. “You’ll be sure to get all the business, I guarantee it.”
My eyes followed the obscure red symbols scrawled on the talisman. I ain’t the best reader, but even my clouded eyes could make out enough of that hogwash. “Err, sorry, miss, but that won’t be feeding my family. Or even myself. A bit of paper won’t due, especially one that seems to be-” I squinted, “-more suited to destroying youkai than makin’ sales.”
She swiftly pulled the paper away. “H-how dare you doubt the genuine blessing of the Hakurei!” Seeing my stern face hold fast, her shoulders drooped. “B-but perhaps there is something... more suited to this much?” From her a sleeve she rattled out a few loose coins. I thought she’d fish some more out from her other sleeve, but she had nothing more to slam on the counter.
I glanced from her meager savings up to the shivering shrine maiden. I saw it in her wide eyes, and shaking knees. In the self-sewn stitches in her skirt and the hands saved from frostbite only by the tea. She’d been to every other shop, probably, and no one could offer her anything.
I sighed. I would find my first sale elsewhere, but I was not letting that poor soul freeze entirely. No matter what Eisuke claims, I am not that much a miser. “One moment.” Forlornly, I stepped away from the hibachi. As soon as my back turned, I heard her lean closer to it. She needed it more than me.
From the dusty back closet I fetched out some old mittens my son left behind and stacked them on the crate I dragged out. “Here, first let’s keep the frostbite away.” I tossed the gloves at her. Even with one hand on the teacup, she snatched both out of the air with speed impossible for one so frozen stiff. I blinked, then cracked open the crate. “An’ I got a whole lot of these a few years back.” I set one of the incredibly bland brown scarves. Itchy too, and sold nary a one. “Why don’t you take one and-”
And she had already thrown it around her neck. “Oh. Oh! Wow, this... great!” Her head sunk into it with the bliss of a good, hot bath. “Yeah, I’ll take it for sure. Thanks, old man!”
“Happy to help such a pillar of the community.” I talked her up a bit, and her spirits soared all the higher. “Really, I shouldn’t be taking your money.”
And before I could blink the coins vanished from the counter back into the depths of her sleeves. “Oh, that’s perfect. I’ll just set this charm on your window. You’ll be thankin’ me next we meet, for sure!”
I was certain I would not be. Either seeing her soon nor having much to thank for. Still, I smiled and waved as she clattered out the door. No sooner than I washed her cup than the bell clattered again. I recognized the giggling chatter at once. “Ako, Kimi.” I rubbed my hands together, this time in anticipation rather than warmth. “I am happy to report the hanten you keenly spotted are ready for sale.”
Ako glanced towards the front display, but just as quickly snapped away.
“Look, there are more!” Kimi pointed frantically at the hibachi. She darted over to it- no no, to the still open crate adjacent. “Oh, yes this is it!”
She wrapped one of those cheap, heavy things around her neck while my jaw struggled to not freeze to the floor. “Uhhh, are you sure-”
“Oh, I am getting two!” Ako dove in to grab a handful. “How much, Hattori?”
I scraped myself together enough to blunder out some price tag. They both paid in earnest and near skipped out the store right into Mrs. Handa. “Oh, they were right. She did fetch it here!” She giggled into a sleeve decorated in snowflakes. “I’ll be taking one before they are out, Hattori.”
“Out? I have more then enough.” I folded one up for her.
“Let us hope so, for your sake.” She thumbed over her shoulder, and my unbelieving eyes saw a curious line forming to peek back at me. And the scarves.
I rubbed my fingers in the cheap, scratchy material. No one wanted any of them. No one should want any of them. I looked up again, towards the window. In the corner that little talisman stuck, with a corner already starting to peel. I surreptitiously walked Mrs. Handa out of the store, and then made sure to smooth that little paper firm to the glass. With a warm smile I offered the crowd to wait inside the store where it was warmer. And, apparently, luckier.
I’d have to thank that damn shrine maiden after all.