The mood over sushi dinner felt a little off—at least to some people. To others, it felt just right.
All in all, few people thought things felt right, and quite a few thought they didn't.
Fujino wasn't in a hurry about the house. He didn't mind waiting. With Ooka Momiji helping him, things had already become much easier. If he'd handled it himself, he would probably have had to wait even longer.
Fujino wasn't anxious, but Ooka Momiji certainly seemed to be.
After dinner, everyone sat around digesting their meal. Ooka Momiji sidled up to Fujino with a smile. "Speaking of which, shouldn't we redecorate the house?"
"I suppose so. There isn't much we need to buy, but the courtyard does feel a little bare."
"Mm, that really is a problem. A traditional Japanese-style house without a garden is like a flower arrangement with nothing but the vase, or the Kamo River without fireflies. It just feels wrong..."
"What do you think of the garden at my house? Should we model it after that?"
"Though, now that I think about it, this courtyard probably couldn't fit our garden..."
"Mm, we'll scale it down a little. A waterfall, artificial lake, and bridge are out, but we need at least the basics: a dry landscape garden, ornamental stones, bamboo fencing, and seasonal plants. A little pond and koi are essential too, and we'll have to lay some lawn."
"Fujino, which season do you like?"
"Never mind. We need something for all four seasons. We should plant more red maples..."
Ooka Momiji went on and on, celebrating before anything was settled. She talked about redecorating the house and courtyard, offering advice drawn from her old Kyoto aristocratic family's tastes on what would suit a Japanese-style home best.
She sounded just like a wife