PAGE 1. Peach, Cherry, Honey-preserved Wild Strawberries

“Hello.”

“……Rosette!”

“I told you to call me Rosie. I’m coming in.”

Bright crimson sunlight poured in behind the tall silhouette. Her body, tinged with a radiance like freshly picked apples, was itself like a brilliant sun.

The woman, a full span taller than Asha, glanced over Asha’s shoulder and naturally stepped inside. From knocking on the door to sitting on the reception room couch, there wasn’t a moment of hesitation.

“What brings you here when Aila isn’t around?”

“Hey, do I need your sister to be here to visit?”

The hair falling below her shoulder blades was slightly damp. There was a faint fishy and salty smell, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

“Coming from the sea?”

“Yeah. I was returning from work when I saw you. Are you feeling a bit better?”

“More or less.”

The visitor, who had been whistling a tune used on ships, suddenly thr*st out her clenched fist.

“Here.”

When she opened her hand, a neatly rolled piece of cloth fell out. Opening the carefully folded cloth revealed enough dried leaves to fill Asha’s right hand.

“Tea leaves imported from Delling.”

“Did your father bring them?”

The purple head nodded up and down. Her eyes of the same color swayed like fully bloomed violets.

Rosette’s father, a sailor on a large ship, often brought luxury items from the mainland, and Rosette generously shared them with her friends.

Here, “friend” referred more to Asha’s sister than to Asha herself.

“I’ll enjoy it. Just a moment……”

Asha’s steps faltered briefly. Rosette, who had quickly stood up, supported her thin shoulders and smiled refreshingly.

“Sit down. I’ll do it.”

Her long, stretched mouth corners were indeed charming enough to be envied by all the children in Iota. Healthy lips, even teeth, and smoothly tanned skin.

Asha leaned back loosely on the couch, tilted her head, and closed her eyes. The sound of tea utensils clattering and water boiling resonated nearby.

“Here. Try it.”

When her blue-green eyelashes fluttered open, she saw a slender girl smiling brightly while taking out sugar cubes. Her eyes, curved like summer waves, were lovely enough to make one unconsciously bite their lips.

“Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”

“It’s nothing. You must be bored without Aila. Any news since the wedding?”

“I received a letter saying they arrived. After that…… I’m sure she’s doing well.”

“That sounds disappointing.”

Her sharp nose bridge wrinkled momentarily.

The visitor, who used to come frequently when Aila was around, barely sipped her tea before casually speaking.

“There’s a party in three weeks.”

“Ah, it’s already that time.”

“I’m planning to go with Bash.”

Her throat clogged at the familiar name. After swallowing the now lukewarm tea, Asha bit her lips tightly and looked at the other person.

She could feel her pale cheeks warming slightly from the tea’s steam.

“If you’re up for it, let’s go together.”

“With your partner there?”

“What does it matter, we’re all friends.”

Since when?

Her mouth became slightly raw from suppressing the reflexive rebuttal. With her lips tightly sealed, Asha blinked slowly and shrugged her shoulders.

“If my body is well enough.”

“It will be.”

Rosette asserted with remarkable confidence about a future that even Asha herself couldn’t be certain of. After idly talking about the patterns of shells she had collected today, Rosette downed her tea in one go and stood up.

The dry purple hair still emitted a salty scent.

“Hey, Rosette.”

“Yes?”

“……Thanks for the tea leaves. Come visit, sometimes.”

Small wrinkles formed in the shawl that wrapped from her shoulders to her hips.

Opening the old handle, Rosette curled her lips upward and shrugged her shoulders. Her expression was not visible in the shadowed face.

“If I’m not busy.”

[To Carol

A friend,

An acquaintance,

A visitor came to see me. It’s the first time since Aila’s wedding. If someone doesn’t come to me first, I can’t go looking for them. Unless I’m prepared to collapse for good.

You said there are no people your age in Kasoche? Here there are many. I don’t know about other places since I haven’t been there, but there are more than ten. There would be more on the other side of the island. Other kids go around every corner of the island, so everyone is friends and there’s no one they don’t know.

Not many kids are free enough to visit someone who stays only inside the house. Everyone is busy with their own circumstances.

If I weren’t Aila’s sister, the children wouldn’t even know I existed. Of course, how would they know someone who doesn’t appear at school, let alone village parties?

The kid who visited today is almost the only visitor to our house. Our house isn’t very attractive without hot pies or toys imported from the mainland.

It was different when Aila was here.

There were many kids who would peek over our fence trying to say even one word to Aila. After I fell seriously ill because of that noise, Aila firmly prevented them from doing so. After that, hardly anyone came to the house to pester her.

The kid who visited today is one of the few who received permission to enter from Aila—and from grandfather and me too.

Being the same age as me, she came and went from our house more easily. Though it was actually to see Aila, not me.

I should tell you more about her since I might mention her often.

Her name is Rosette.

She’s the prettiest kid on this island. Originally, Aila was the prettiest person, but when she left for the mainland, she handed over that crown, so to speak.

She was outstanding even among Aila’s followers. Aila was pretty, tall, smart, and good at swimming. Rosette followed Aila around, and Aila adored her.

More than her own sister.

I would have done the same. Rosette is hard not to like. She’s kind enough to visit a picky kid first.

She brought tea leaves imported from the port city and talked about an upcoming party. About the party—if I end up going, I’ll tell you in detail.

From what I’ve heard from grandfather and Aila, it’s boring because it’s always the same people doing the same things. The last time I participated in a party was probably ten years ago.

I don’t remember much except that there were strangely many stars.

Um, you know.

I actually feel a bit suffocated when I’m with her.

I don’t hate her terribly, but why?

You wouldn’t know. I just asked because I felt stifled. You don’t have to answer.

June 15,

Sent by Asha]

[To a friend who seems to be getting busy soon

I picked up my pen to write a reply, but was surprised when another letter immediately followed. If I had been a little late, I too would have sent two replies. Did you perhaps want that?

Today I ate a slowly simmered tomato soup. The dish you said you liked. I thought of it after quite a while. Actually, I don’t particularly like tomatoes. Something red and thick like that, I’m sorry to say, doesn’t give a favorable impression.

Though mashed tomatoes aren’t people, of course.

The kitchen is overseen by Mrs. Margie, who has been here since before I was born. Under her are two cooks. Thanks to them, our family can have warm and abundant meals every day. Mrs. Margie’s bread in particular is excellent, but it’s a shame she doesn’t make it often.

Mrs. Margie says bread can just be bought in bulk from the village. She insists that if she were to always prepare bread for three meals for all those people—our family has seven members including me, or six excluding my second brother who’s in the capital—she would have to knead flour dough from sunrise to sunset.

In the village, there are families with six siblings living together with their great-grandmother. Our family composition isn’t particularly large. Still, I imagine it would be annoying for three people to prepare meals for six people every time.

The fortunate thing is that our family members’ tastes aren’t particularly picky. Mother is always busy, so she stuffs bread and gulps down soup in one breath. That’s why mother’s soup always comes out a bit cold.

My grandfather and grandmother—on my mother’s side—eat well, saying it can’t be compared to the harsh times they lived through, while my father and brothers say, ‘All food is just food.’

Well, so you can imagine how awkward it is for me to express a different opinion in this situation?