Episode 11. Homa

The next day, I closed the Cofe. I told Hana that we are going to a famous temple in Tokyo for sightseeing. Hana, not knowing what to expect, was excitedly changing into her new clothes, putting on her makeup, and humming a song.

"Going to the temple is like a school trip.'

Hana smiled and fixed her hair.

We got on the train and headed for Monzennakacho. Fukagawa Fudo is the Tokyo branch of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, which has long been known as the "Fudo-sama" of Fukagawa. When we arrived at Monzennakacho, we walked along the shopping street and headed for the main shrine from the approach. The area still retains its old-fashioned Edo atmosphere even after all these years. As Hana and I walked along the approach, I felt as if we were really here for sightseeing, which made me feel a little lighter.

Finally, we arrived at the main shrine. When we went to the reception desk and gave our names, the attendant said

"You have been accepted. Please go straight into the main hall. Monk Abe will be waiting for you inside."

That's all she said. I took off my shoes and went up to the main hall, where I found Monk Abe waiting for us in a black monk's robe.

"Mr. Aizawa, isn't it?　　I've heard about you from Mr. Kobayashi. I've already made preparations. I've already sent away the people."

He smiled and looked at Hana.

"You must be Hana. This is the first time I've done this on a non-human, but let's give it a try.

"Kosuke, what do you mean he is going to try?　What is he going to do?"

Hana asked with a slightly anxious expression.

"Yes, well, you'll find out soon enough at ......."

We were led to the homa-mandala (fire altar) by Monk Abe. The black wood interior was dimly lit, and the smell of incense wafting through the air was somewhat eerie. In the homa-mandala stage, the homa stick to be burned had already been assembled. There was a large drum on the platform, and other monk were waiting.

"What's going on?"

Hana sounded frightened.

"It's all right. Come, sit here."

Monk Abe sat her down on the floor. I sat down next to her. After offering the five grains and incense to *Fudo Myo-o, the shofar goma began.

The goma-gi was lit and the flames rose. To the powerful rhythm of the Japanese drums, Monk Abe began to chant the mantra. I couldn't understand what he was saying, but the exotic mantra and the sound of the drums in my stomach increased the density of the space. It was the first time I'd ever seen such a thing.

"I hate ...... that sound!　　Stop it, stop it, please!"

She was writhing and twitching lightly. I'm not going to lie, I felt horrible. The mantra and drumming continued without stopping. Hana flapped her arms and legs and looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Kosuke-san, please, make it stop!"

"......, I'm sorry, but no. You're not Hana. It's Kyoko. If he doesn't stop you, she'll be taken over by you and live out her life as Kyoko - what if it was the other way around?　　Think about it. You wouldn't want to be forced to live someone else's life, would you?"

I said in a strong and determined voice. Hana looked as if she was about to burst into tears and clung to me.

"But I want to marry you, Kosuke!　　I wanted to get married and have a happy family!　　I wanted to have children, and there were so many things I wanted to do!　　 And then -- oh no, that accident ended my life, ...... ended my dreams -- too much!"

"I'm sorry to hear that, but that doesn't mean it's okay to make someone else unhappy, right?　You must quickly going to heaven, and be reborn again.　And if you remember us, come and see us--we'll be good friends. Even if it was only for a short time, we lived together and shared the same experiences."

Hana fell silent. She stared at the statue of Fudo on the stage in silence. I'm sure she'll be able to understand.

"Kosuke-san, ...... don't forget about me, ......."

"Oh. I won't forget you. I promise."

"Thank you, ......."

Then she got up, kissed me and fell down again. After that, she didn't move a muscle.

All the goma-gi had been burned away, and the drumming and the mantra had ceased. I just sat there in a daze. Abe stood up quietly and walked over to us.

"It's over - you should be okay now, Hana-san?"

He called out to Hana. Suddenly, Hana's eyes widened and she sat up, looking around.

"What the hell am I ...... doing here?"

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Hana's absent-minded face. It's Hana. The original Hana is back.

"Yeah, well, a lot happened while you were unconscious. I'll tell you about it soon. You have to leave now."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you very much, Sir."

"That's good to know. To be honest, I had my doubts about the android's effectiveness, but I'm glad it worked. This is an old temple town with many stores, so why don't you go shopping before you go home?"

"Yes, I suppose so. Well, excuse me."

We then wandered around the shopping district, and this time we did some real sightseeing. Hana was especially excited to see the Edo-style shopping district for the first time.

*Fudo Myo-o(Fudo-sama)

The guardian deity of Buddhism. He burns those who do not follow the teachings of the Buddha with a holy flame to make them follow the teachings.