Chairman Taniguchi walked into the office, first offering a courteous greeting to Governor Yamada.
Then his gaze fell upon Tsushima Kagami, Kobayashi Tomoaki, and Professor Kosaka.
After nodding to Professor Kosaka and Kobayashi Tomoaki by way of greeting, Chairman Taniguchi turned his eyes back to Tsushima Kagami.
"Tsushima-sensei, I'm truly sorry about what happened yesterday."
His very first words were an apology.
"That reporter was invited by our calligraphy exhibition—he's even a staff member of our head office, the Yomiuri Shimbun."
"For something like this to happen, we will most certainly deal with it severely."
With that, he gave a textbook forty-five-degree bow.
Tsushima Kagami stood up and waved a hand.
"You're too polite, Chairman Taniguchi. Your company has already put forward a compensation plan."
"Let's not bring this matter up again."
Chairman Taniguchi was taken aback for a moment, then his expression softened somewhat.
"Tsushima-san truly is a reasonable man."
The group settled back into their seats.
Secretary Kinoshita added another teacup and poured fresh tea.
Governor Yamada got straight to the point.
"Chairman Taniguchi, I've asked you here today because there's something I'd like to discuss."
He gestured toward Tsushima Kagami.
"That piece of Tsushima-kun's, the Raijin Tanka—I'd like it to remain at the Kyoto Museum of Art."
Chairman Taniguchi's expression turned delicate.
He fell silent for a few seconds, then spoke.
"Governor, that piece was written at the Yomiuri Calligraphy Exhibition."
"By convention, the ownership rights of exhibited works…"
"I know."
Governor Yamada cut him off.
"That's exactly why I've asked you here to discuss it."
Chairman Taniguchi gave a wry smile.
"Governor, aren't you putting me in a difficult position?"
He looked toward Tsushima Kagami.
"You must be well aware of the value of Tsushima-sensei's piece."
"A waka in Man'yōgana, brimming with classical sentiment, perfectly in harmony with the waka of the Man'yōshū."
"And already many professors of literature, poetry, and linguistics have obtained photographs of it and begun their research."
"This is no ordinary calligraphy work, nor some modern poem casually scribbled in colloquial speech."
"This is something that, like the Man'yōshū, will be passed down to later generations."
He paused.
"If we simply hand it over just like that, then as chairman, I…"
"I'd have no way to account for it to the members of the calligraphy society who exhibited, or to the head office."
The office went quiet for a few seconds.
It was then that Kobayashi Tomoaki spoke up.
"Chairman Taniguchi, may I say a few words?"
Chairman Taniguchi looked toward him.
Kobayashi Tomoaki was Tsushima Kagami's editor, as well as a veteran of the publishing world, so naturally Chairman Taniguchi knew him.
"Mr. Kobayashi, please, go ahead."
Kobayashi Tomoaki set down his teacup, his tone mild.
"That piece, strictly speaking, is Kagami-kun's personal creation."
"It just so happens that it was written at the calligraphy exhibition—that doesn't mean it automatically belongs to the exhibition."
Hearing this, Tsushima Kagami grew anxious at once. I just kicked the ball away, and now you've passed it right back to me?
Chairman Taniguchi also opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
But Kobayashi Tomoaki gave him no opening.
Smiling, he looked around at everyone and continued.
"Don't misunderstand—we at Shinchōsha have no intention of contesting the ownership of this work."
"Of course, if Kagami-kun insisted on having us publish it, we'd be absolutely delighted to."
He continued, looking at Chairman Taniguchi.
"We hold the reputation and contributions of the Yomiuri Calligraphy Exhibition in the highest respect."
"Kagami-kun himself has said that being invited to take part in the calligraphy exhibition was an honor for him."
He paused.
"So, I've been wondering—is there a way to look after both sides?"
Everyone looked at him.
Kobayashi Tomoaki went on.
"For instance, this piece could be donated to the Kyoto Museum of Art, where it would normally be kept here in Kyoto."
"But each year, when the Yomiuri Calligraphy Exhibition holds its touring exhibition, the Kyoto Museum of Art could lend it out for display."
"That way, audiences all over the country could see it."
He looked toward Chairman Taniguchi.
"This way, the piece stays in Kyoto, but the Yomiuri Calligraphy Exhibition loses nothing."
"And each year at exhibition time, you'd have one more highlight to draw in the crowds."
"I think this counts as something of a win-win solution."
At this point, Professor Kosaka—who was not skilled at dealing with businessmen and politicians—also spoke up in agreement.
Tsushima Kagami, for his part, figured that as long as it didn't all fall on his shoulders, it was fine.
Chairman Taniguchi was stunned after hearing all this.
He thought it over for a long while, then looked toward Governor Yamada.
Governor Yamada knit his brows in thought, his fingers tapping ceaselessly against the tea table beside him.
At last his brows relaxed; he nodded, a smile on his face.
"Mr. Kobayashi's proposal—I think it's workable."
Chairman Taniguchi looked again toward Tsushima Kagami.
Tsushima Kagami nodded as well.
"I have no objections."
Chairman Taniguchi let out a sigh, then said with a smile.
"All right—but we'll have to sign a formal agreement."
"To prevent any unpleasantness over the loans down the line."
At this, Governor Yamada showed no displeasure whatsoever, smiling as warmly as a spring breeze.
"That goes without saying."
The conversation that followed took on a far more relaxed atmosphere.
Governor Yamada had some local Kyoto specialties brought in.
There were matcha sweets, small Nishijin-ori handkerchiefs, Kiyomizu-yaki teacups, and so on.
These, he said, were gifts for Tsushima Kagami and his party.
Chairman Taniguchi, too, expressed his apologies.
He said that once they were back in Tokyo, he would host Tsushima Kagami properly to make amends.
Tsushima Kagami went along with it all, but his mind was on other things.
These great figures were normally so lofty and far above everyone.
Yet today, they sat together, arguing for ages over a single piece of his calligraphy—or rather, over a single waka.
Was this piece really that important?
Perhaps in this parallel world, so sorely lacking in literary masters and great classics, the works he reproduced through plagiarism carried far greater influence than he had imagined?
"Tsushima-kun."
Governor Yamada's voice pulled him back to reality.
Tsushima Kagami raised his head.
Governor Yamada was looking at him, a certain gravity in his eyes.
"There's one more thing I'd like to discuss with you."
Tsushima Kagami nodded.
"Please go ahead, Governor Yamada."
Governor Yamada mused for a moment, then spoke.
"I'd like to confer upon you the title of Honorary Citizen of Kyoto."
The office went quiet for a second.
Kobayashi Tomoaki's eyes lit up.
A look of surprise appeared on Professor Kosaka's face.
Chairman Taniguchi was startled for a moment too, then nodded as if it were only natural.
Tsushima Kagami looked at Governor Yamada, at a loss for a moment as to how to respond.
Honorary Citizen was not a legal status but a symbolic honor, meant to recognize individuals who had made outstanding contributions to a city's culture, society, international exchange, and the like.
For instance, an Honorary Citizen of Kyoto would have made remarkable contributions to Kyoto's fields of culture, scholarship, art, and so on.
Through their activities, they would have elevated Kyoto's international reputation and influence.
They would have a deep connection with Kyoto and have long shown concern for its development.
In reality, the Honorary Citizens of Kyoto include such cultural giants as the writer Inoue Yasushi, the painter Higashiyama Kaii, and the tea master Sen Genshitsu.
In truth, the criteria for conferring the title were highly subjective.
Sometimes they were even rather abstract.
For instance, there was even an Honorary Citizen of Kasukabe—Nohara Shinnosuke.
Tsushima Kagami had never imagined that a single waka he'd casually written could earn him the title of Honorary Citizen.
Did this mean that from now on he'd be a Tokyoite in Tokyo and a Kyotoite in Kyoto?
At this point Governor Yamada continued.
"You wrote that waka here."
"This waka, and your bond with Kyoto, were thus formed."
"Perhaps this is what Buddhists call karmic affinity."
"However…"
Everyone listened to Governor Yamada's words, never expecting the conversation to take another turn.
Governor Yamada went on with a smile.
"Personally, I very much support Tsushima-kun receiving this well-deserved honor."
"But the approval process isn't decided by me alone."
Having said this, his eyes held a touch of expectation, and a touch of… entreaty?
"If Tsushima-kun, as the Master of Dassai-ya, could write some works related to Kyoto, that would be even better."
"That way, there shouldn't be any resistance."
At this point, everyone suddenly understood.
So this Governor of Kyoto Prefecture wanted to trade the status of Honorary Citizen of Kyoto in exchange for Tsushima Kagami penning an influential piece of promotional writing for Kyoto.
Tsushima Kagami understood as well—it wasn't only about that waka after all.
What was really being eyed was his title as a renowned pure-literature author whose star was currently on the rise.
As for the Honorary Citizen business—you could call it useful, or you could call it useless.
Still, since he was destined to walk the road of an author—even a literary master—these honors were indispensable too.
Tsushima Kagami fell silent for a few seconds.
Then he smiled.
"Governor Yamada, the way you put it."
"It's as if I'm already some great author."
"I'm only seventeen. I still have a long road ahead."
"Whether I can write anything worthwhile in the future, who can say."
Governor Yamada laughed as well.
"It's precisely because at your age you've accomplished what many a genius could not."
"That I believe all the more that you, Tsushima-kun, can do it!"
Tsushima Kagami looked at him for a few seconds.
In the end, he nodded as well.
"All right, I accept."
Governor Yamada's face lit up with delight.
"Our hospitality this time has been lacking."
"Whenever you come to Kyoto from now on, Kagami-kun, do be sure to let us know."
Governor Yamada had even shifted from calling him "Tsushima-kun" directly to his given name.
"We'll be certain to arrange the most comfortable environment for you to gather inspiration and create."
"Kagami-kun will always be a friend of Kyoto!"
By the time they walked out of the Kyoto Prefectural Office Building, it was already five in the afternoon.
The setting sun slanted to the west, dyeing the entire building golden.
Outside the gate, the group of reporters who had been tailing them from the hotel earlier were already waiting there.
But Tsushima Kagami and his party gave them no opening—Tsushima Kagami and the others got straight into a car from the main building and drove back to the hotel through a side gate.
Just as the reporters realized they had been caught off guard.
Tsushima Kagami and his two companions, along with Shizuku and the two teachers who had stayed at the hotel, as well as the colleagues who had come together with Kobayashi Tomoaki, had long since packed up their belongings.
Once Tsushima Kagami and the others had parked in the hotel parking lot, everyone boarded the business van arranged by the Kyoto Prefectural Office and headed straight for the station.
They had bought their return Shinkansen tickets for that evening early on.
"Tired?"
In the car, Yukinoshita Shizuku handed over a bottle of water.
Tsushima Kagami took it and drank a mouthful.
"I'm all right."
He turned his head to look out the window at the passing scenery.
Yukinoshita Shizuku quietly kneaded his shoulders for him.
Outside, the streets of Kyoto spread out silently in the setting sun.
Those ancient temples, those quiet alleys, those passersby in kimono hurrying past.
In the sunset, the five-story pagoda of Tō-ji stood quietly.
Everything was just as it had been a thousand years ago.
The car drove on.
Past the Kamogawa River, past Gion, past those places he had never been to yet somehow felt familiar.
The thousand-year-old ancient capital gazed silently upon this young man in the setting sun.
Just as it had gazed upon countless others.
____
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