The hotel had doors.
Hisako stared at them.
They were traditional doors—they fit the grand stone-and-wood traditional building. It looked like a larger version of the Sasaki main family house, but instead of the bamboo curtains, there were real sliding doors along the walkways.
Okumura stood waiting at the main entrance, leaning against one of the solid darkwood doors.
"Enjoying the view?"
An elderly man in a kimono and haori leaned out of the door, putting on a pair of outdoor slippers before joining them on the gravel lot. He had a shaved head and a kind, liver-spotted face.
A familiar face.
Hisako had seen the man before, and she recognized the unique signet ring. "You're Rao-san's mentor, Saitou-san." She bowed deeply.
When she straightened up, he was still bowing. She stooped back into her bow, eyes glancing around.
"Thank you for being Rao-kun's teammate in his exams," Saitou continued. "He spoke very highly of you and Serizawa-san."
"I'm so sorry that he didn't pass," Hisako said. "We all tried—"
He straightened, kimono ruffling. She straightened as well, and the stern look on his face silenced her.
"You all did your best. You wouldn't be Doorkeepers otherwise," he said quietly. "I chose not to allow Rao-kun to pass, and when we debriefed, he agreed with me."
"Ah," Hisako said. "I-I see."
"He's already re-taken the exam and passed," Saitou said with a smile. "The only thing that separates you now is distance. One day, you'll be on the same team again. I hope that day is soon; you were good teammates to him."
Eiji nodded respectfully. "Thank you."
"Let it be known that my trust in you is the reason I haven't sent Amajiki-kun a harshly worded letter about him inviting a civilian," Saitou added, shaking a finger.
"I'll be on my best behavior, sir!" Kohaku chirped.
"Mm. I will give you the tour personally," he declared. "Ai-chan," he called.
Okumura perked up. "Yessir?"
"Please, don't let me take up your time needlessly."
He gestured for them to enter, and they did. Hisako stared at the underside of the roof, eyeing the ancient beamwork and tiles. She caught Eiji doing the same, unoccupied hand reaching out to jingle the rain chain hanging from the entry overhang.
Okumura nodded and left the hotel, the door closing behind her.
How many times could Hisako say a door had closed behind her and not disappeared? She smiled at the thought, amused by her own unease.
The entryway had the same aesthetic, but with some modern touches—light wood flooring and simple pillars that continued into the lobby and down the branching halls. The light was mostly natural, pouring in from the myriad of skylights that offered glimpses of the mountain above.
"Your shoes, please," Saitou said, stepping into his indoor slippers.
Hisako peeled off her boots and shoved them into one of the cubbies—it was a bookshelf of shoes, each a Doorkeeper, each unlocked. She figured theft wasn't an issue, and they were standard-issue anyway.
Their slippers were waiting for them—four pairs neatly arranged. She stepped into one and then onto the main floor next to Saitou. He barely waited for them, shuffling down into the lobby, which was more of a central foyer with staircases and halls to two wings.
A staffer sat at a low desk on a raised platform, but there was no formal reception. They looked up and marked a paper when they passed through.
Saitou went down the eastern northern wing, taking them down a long corridor studded with rooms, each accessible by a single traditional sliding door.
"The rooms are not connected," Saitou explained, "but I've placed you all in neighboring rooms—two and two on both sides of the hall."
"Thank you," Nanae said.
They rounded a corner, and he stopped. "I apologize if the doors make you all uncomfortable."
"No, no," Kohaku blurted. "I'm–I trust you all. I feel safe."
"I'm glad," he said. "The presence of door locks and a curtained window makes some of our guests more comfortable. I hope that too makes you feel safe."
"Thank you," Kohaku said.
"These four are yours," he said. "But before you relax, I'll show you our most-used facilities—the dining hall and the onsen. Everything else, please feel free to ask about and use, but these I'll show you now."
They continued down the hall to a staircase and ascended. On the second floor, there were more rooms, but there was also a balcony on one side connected to a large dining hall. They peered through to see a buffet-style setup, currently being prepped for dinner.
Past that, past a little bar and vending machines with drinks and ice cream, were the baths. There was one for women, one for men, and one for X-gender.
"Oh, this is nice," Kohaku murmured.
"Please use whichever bath you feel most comfortable with," Saitou said. "And the amenities are all free, including the taxi service, should you feel the urge to travel around the sector. The baths are rotated daily, so everyone gets the chance to see each view from the outdoor section of the baths."
"Thank you," Nanae said. "And thank you for the tour."
"Of course. Please, enjoy your stay. You're welcome for as long as you wish." He bowed and turned to leave them.
"Excuse me, Saitou-san," Hisako called.
"Yes?"
"The person staying here—the one who might be dangerous…"
"You may ask."
"Who are they? Should we be cautious?"
"Kimura-san has been staying with us for a long while," Saitou replied, then left.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Hisako turned to Nanae.
"Who's Kimura-san?"
Her lips were pressed tightly together, and her eyes were narrowed in thought. "The gate keys—You're familiar with them by now, I'm sure."
"Yeah."
"The Kimura Clan is the family that operates them. Their hereditary ability is what allows the gate keys to work. All the things we know about Doors, the Kimuras defy. They make the Intelligence Division's heads spin, really."
"So they're unpredictable," Eiji said.
"Yes. And that can make an unstable Kimura dangerous," Nanae replied.
"So they're here to recover like you are?" Kohaku guessed cautiously. "Why is that an issue?"
"The guests here are either recovering from a lack of control or accompanying people who are. This is Saitou's specialty facility," Nanae said. "For those who need the most isolated, curated environment."
"So it's bad they've been here a while, then, huh?" Kohaku sighed.
"If you see anything…"
"Don't worry, Hisako," Kohaku chuckled. "No funny business. Just chill vibes and vacationing."
"I want to hit the bath soon," Eiji said. "Shall we unpack, hit the bath, and have dinner together?"
"Sounds like a plan to me," Hisako said.
Kohaku and Nanae nodded.
They walked back to their rooms in peace, then split up to take rooms.
Hisako glanced around her room, noting the lock on the door and the room's traditional style. She pulled the futon from the closet, onto the tatami floor, and set it up before cracking open her bag and pulling out her sleeping clothes.
Sufficiently unpacked in her mind, she wandered.
A yukata, very similar to Okumura's, was hanging by the door. She glanced about, looking for instructions or anything guiding her on what to do.
The knock at her door was her rescue.
She opened it hurriedly. "Kohaku! Thank goodness."
They were wearing a pale blue dragonfly yukata.
Kohaku wandered into her room and examined her yukata, pale gold and decorated with sunflowers. "Don't you want to put it on?"
"Do I?"
"Yeah, go ahead!"
Hisako closed the door and pulled it off the hook. Kohaku turned around to give her privacy.
"What do I keep on?"
"Underwear," Kohaku replied.
"Have you been to an onsen before?"
"Ehh. I did, but I didn't really want to go into the baths."
Hisako nodded quietly in understanding, pulling her clothes off and putting on the yukata. It was a rougher but sturdy fabric. It wasn't heavy, but it didn't feel like it'd slip off if she moved too quickly or trip her up.
"Left over right?" she asked, folding her collar.
"Unless you're getting ready for your funeral."
"Alright," Hisako chuckled.
Without looking, Kohaku handed her the sash, which she casually wrapped and tied around her waist.
"All done, thanks."
Kohaku turned around, a quiet, reserved look on their face. Hisako wasn't used to seeing any such look on their face.
"Are you okay?"
"Would you go with me? Into the X-gender bath?"
"Oh, is that okay?" Hisako asked.
"It's normal enough," Kohaku said. "It's the buddy system."
"Okay, no problem," Hisako replied.
Kohaku smiled and took Hisako by the arm. "You don't want to go to the bath with Sasaki-san?" Their eyes glinted mischievously.
Hisako laughed, catching the attention of the waiting Eiji and Nanae.
"Hush, Kohaku!" she hissed under her breath, still laughing. "Naughty."
Kohaku giggled as they walked down to the bath.
"I'll see you later," Eiji said as they reached the baths.
He ducked into the men's bath, and Hisako turned to Nanae.
"I'm going to go with Kohaku today; you go on without me," Hisako told her.
Nanae paused, then nodded with a soft smile. "Sounds good. See you two soon."
"Enjoy the bath!" Kohaku said.
"You too," she said, and then she was gone too.
"Shall we?" Kohaku asked grandly.
Hisako giggled, and they strode in together.
Just past the curtain, there was another sliding door before a powder room-like area for getting dressed and undressed. There were sinks, stools, a toilet room, and plenty of cubbies for clothes and slippers.
There was no one else in the bath, either out of the early hour or lack of X-gender clientele. They shrugged off their clothes and placed them and their slippers into neighboring cubbies. Hisako hesitated before stripping down all the way.
"You're gonna get into a bath with underwear on?"
She chuckled and shimmied out of them. "No. Just never done this before."
"Neither have I."
Hisako grinned. "Nobody else is here. Wanna jump in?"
"Hey, first we have to wash off."
Kohaku led the way out of the changing room into a humid stone room. Against a large window, there was a steaming bath calling Hisako's name. Next to that, against the interior wall, was a series of squat stalls for cleaning off. This, Hisako was familiar with.
Kohaku passed her a hair tie. "Here, you gotta keep your hair out of the onsen."
She took a stall, and Kohaku took the one next to her, then they both went through their routine before standing and meeting back up at the pool. The sun was beginning to set, casting a fiery glow on the ocean beyond the window.
"There's the outdoor bath," Kohaku said, pointing out a door outside.
Hisako opened it for them, and the cool air washed over them. Kohaku's pace quickened through the door, and Hisako hurried after them, down the steps to the pool.
Kohaku's hand caught hers, and then they were airborne, jumping into the shallow pool together.
Hot water splashed everywhere, steam erupting around them alongside their surprised yelps. They crouched into the water, sinking to their shoulders, laughing loudly. Their giggles seemed to echo across the mountainside. Though too faint to be sure, Hisako swore she heard Eiji laughing as well.
When their laughter calmed down, they were both worn out, finally melting after the day. Hisako floated to the edge, looking at the forest rolling down the mountain below them and the rocky beach at the bottom.
Her eyes followed the bridge to the island, back to the mainland, and the town by the station. The cars were little glowing shapes slithering along distant roads in the shadows of the dying sun. To her, it was a sight meant to be seen from skyscrapers and rooftops.
"I told you so."
Kohaku had joined her at the edge of the pool. They poked curiously at dried mineral deposits from the bath and colorful moss on the damp rocks.
"Told me what?"
"That you'd want more. That games didn't do the world justice."
"They don't do it justice yet," she teased. "But yeah, you were right."
A cool breeze brushed by, and they sank to their ears, wetting the backs of their napes.
"And now you want to go to Hawai'i…" Kohaku chuckled. "You got a taste for it, and now you're insatiable."
"Let's not make up new words," Hisako joked. "I'm totally satiable. Besides, I don't really think it's the places I needed."
Kohaku smiled. "Yeah? I'm glad you've been making more friends."
"Hmm, sometimes I feel like you think you're the mom-friend in this relationship."
"I'm not?"
Kohaku's look of innocence had been practiced to perfection. It'd been so long that, for a moment, Hisako believed it before she remembered.
Hisako was certain the other baths heard her laughter.