Pathway to Japanese Literature

Ryotaro

Ayako

Several other silent figures

Act I

A small mountain station—Waiting room

The midsummer predawn.

The lingering air of a train's recent departure.

Mingling with a few passengers, a couple who appeared to be from the city emerged from the direction of the ticket gate.
They selected a corner, placed their luggage there, wiped their sweat, looked around, and eventually, the woman sat down first, followed by the man.

The other passengers merely passed through the waiting room.

The man wore what appeared to be an off-the-rack white Western suit; the woman a modern, rather well-put-together ensemble.
Their luggage—a clumsily rustic Shingen cloth bag and wicker trunk at odds with their attire, plus a medium-sized suitcase.

Ryotaro must be exhausted.

“I still couldn’t sleep,” Ayako said. “I wonder if there’s somewhere to wash my face…”

“You could wash up at the inn across the way if you eat breakfast… but… it’s still too early,” Ryotaro replied. “Or maybe we could wait for the next light railway and take the six o’clock one?”

“The six o’clock one—what time does it arrive?”

“Seven, eight, nine... Well, nine o'clock.”

“That's still fine, isn't it?”
“It’s a shame the lunch we went to the trouble of buying will go to waste…”

“It’ll make a perfect souvenir.”

“I wonder if there’s such a thing as lunch souvenirs…”
(Pause) “I'll do that.”

“Wait—hold on—I’ll go check if they’re already up.” (Exits)

Ayako (while waiting, rested both arms on the Shingen cloth bag and pressed her forehead against it)

Ryotaro (enters while shaking his head) “No good.”
“It’s no good.”
“They said it’ll take another hour...”
“Then we won’t make the six o’clock one.”

“What time is the next one?”

Ryotaro (looking at the timetable): “After six comes seven-thirty... then nine-thirty...”

Ayako: “Then it’s fine.”
“I’m not hungry yet, and my face doesn’t matter anyway.”
“There’s no one to see me anyway.”

Ryotaro: “There are people who will look.”
“They’ll all look.”
“Why, every single person who passes by will turn around to look at you.”
“Because there’s never been a woman like you in that village since the dawn of time...”

Ayako: “You’re awful...”
“But no one would notice the makeup anyway.”
“This is fine.”

Ryotaro: “But don’t you feel bad?”

Ayako: “It’s fine. Too much trouble.”

Ryotaro: “Then that’s fine.”
“An hour and a half on the light railway, an hour by horse carriage—descending valleys, climbing slopes for twenty minutes, crossing bridges twice, seventeen ladder-like steps, about ten ken from gate to entranceway, twenty paces down the corridor. Only then do we reach the parlor, where the old man and old woman’s greetings—conservatively estimated—will flood us for fifteen solid minutes. Change into proper clothes, take a bath, then claim we didn’t sleep last night to grab some rest. Quite the time-consuming ordeal.”

Ayako: “No matter what they say, we won’t be able to sleep right after arriving.”
“Is your mother kind?”

Ryotaro: “That’s exactly why I keep telling you—Mother listens to whatever I say.”
“She’ll likely treat you the same way.”
“With no girls in our household, they’ll surely find you novel.”
“Let her dote on you.”

Ayako: “It would be nice if your mother were someone I could comfortably let dote on me.”
(Pause) “I’m so sleepy…”
(She collapses onto the Shingen cloth bag again.)

Ryotaro: “Go to sleep. There’s still about thirty minutes left.” (Pause) “The fog is dreadful.”

(Pause)

“Oh—it’s fog,” Ayako said.
“How strange,” she continued. “I’ve been wondering why there was so much of what looked like smoke earlier.”
“It really does come down to the climate, doesn’t it?”

“The climate,” Ryotaro affirmed.
“Two thousand nine hundred shaku above sea level—and we’ll keep climbing from here.”
“You’ve never seen a birch tree before, have you?”
“Then there’s the larch...the Ezomatsu pine...” He paused. “Can you sleep?”

Ayako: “Yeah.”

“Let’s stop talking.”

“It’s fine. I can sleep while listening…”

“Aren’t you the clever one… Did I ever tell you about the chestnut tree…?”

“What?”

“The chestnut tree… The big chestnut tree at the estate.”

“Yeah.”
“Did I tell you?”
“Yeah.”
“What was it I told you again?”

Ayako: “You said it’s the village’s finest chestnut tree...”

Ryotaro: “That thing—it’s truly a sight to behold.”
“A chestnut tree that takes two arm spans to encircle must be rare.”
“When the chestnuts fall, every morning all the women of the household go out to gather them, but there are so many they can’t finish collecting them within just the morning hours.”

Ayako: “......”

Ryotaro: “This autumn, I’ll have them sent to Tokyo.”
“When I’m alone, I don’t even feel like roasting chestnuts to eat...”
“(Pause) But you mustn’t act shocked about the house being dirty.”
“Country houses take pride in being old, you see.”
“They believe the more soot-blackened it is, the greater its value.”
“On the other hand, even when the wind blows, it doesn’t sway unsteadily.”

“How much longer?”

Ryotaro: “Thirty minutes.”

Ayako: “Still thirty minutes? It’s just like earlier.”

“It’s the same.”

“Hasn’t the clock stopped?”

“It hasn’t stopped.”

“……”

“There might be someone coming to meet us at the light railway. Is it my younger brother who’s come, or the old man?”

“Father is still so vigorous?”

“Healthy or not, he wouldn’t take a horse carriage unless it’s urgent.”

“He walks? Even though it’s an hour by horse carriage…?”

“Naturally.
Country folks are just like that.
Even the fields—he tends them himself.”

“Oh….
But doesn’t he employ workers?”

“He does employ them.
The workers labor alongside us too.”

Ayako: “That’s how it is.”

Ryotaro: “That’s just how it is.”

Ayako supposed that must be true.
I want to see Father soon.

Ryotaro: “Whether the old man collapses in shock or you roll your eyes in disbelief—I can’t wait to see which happens first.”

Ayako: “Why?”

Ryotaro: “Because it would be unexpected for both of us, don’t you think? The old man you imagine and the wife my old man imagines—I’ve got a pretty good idea what both of those look like. The degree to which they differ from reality is about the same for both.”

“I wonder…”
“Does Father grow a beard?”

“Hmm… More like hair than what you’d call a proper beard.”
“Why do you ask?”

“Does he part his hair?”
“Or…”

“You mean whether he’s bald?”
“Probably not completely bald yet.”
“Thin though—I’ll give you that.”
“But if you imagine him parting it, you’re dead wrong.”
“Honestly… Let’s drop this foolishness…”
“You’re hopeless.”
“Can’t you picture what an old country farmer looks like…?”

Ayako: “Even if you call him an old farmer, he’s not just some ordinary peasant, right?”

Ryotaro: “There’s not much difference.”
“When I used a comb once, they went around telling everyone in the village my son had started acting like a woman.”

Ayako: “No!”

Ryotaro (laughing): “Well, that’s country life for you.”

(Pause) “You should get some sleep while you can.”

Ayako: “I’m not sleepy anymore.”
“I wonder if it’s a bit cold…”

Ryotaro: “What about you?”
“You’ve got your haori ready to take out immediately, right?”
“Mornings and evenings will stay like this from now on…”

Ayako: “It’s strange for summer to be so cool, isn’t it?”

Ryotaro: “If you don’t think it’s summer, that’s fine. After all, bush warblers are singing in the woods out back—at this time of year…”

“That’s what they say. A friend who went to Karuizawa last summer said the same thing.”
“It wouldn’t be that different from Karuizawa, would it?”

“It’s an even better place—no peculiar Westerners roaming about...”

Ayako: “You dislike Westerners, don’t you.”

Ryotaro: “I hate them—those monster-like things… That reminds me—back in my hometown, there was a time when a Westerner came for the first time. That was already twenty years ago, though. In today’s terms, he was on a mountain excursion—being a Westerner and all… Then, it seems a farmer encountered that Westerner in the mountains. That farmer was utterly astonished and came running down the mountain. Then he urgently reported to the villagers—‘There’s a tengu! A tengu!’—which caused quite the uproar. Since there was no youth association back then, strapping young men supposedly set out armed with weapons to slay the demon—though that part seems fabricated. At any rate, they later realized it was just that Westerner. ‘No wonder his nose was so tall,’ everyone said…”

“That’s a lie… Such a story….”
“But… it does sound like something that could happen.”
(With that, she now doubles over laughing.)

Ryotaro: “See? Isn’t it amusing?”
“You—do you like Westerners?”

Ayako: “I neither like nor dislike them.”

Ryotaro: “Then that’s fine.”

Ayako: “What’s so good about that?”

Ryotaro: I’ve somehow forgotten.
Ayako: ….

“Anyway, the chestnut tree’s a proper sight,” Ryotaro said. “If its flowers bloomed, you could spot it from a ri away.”

Ayako: “I wonder if I should eat the bento…”
“There’s no tea.”
“That’s right—there’s no tea.”
“What were we planning to do about this, I wonder….”

Ryotaro: “You weren’t planning on drinking anyway… were you?”
“I’ll manage with water.”
“The water around here is good.”
“Besides, it might even be medicinal.”
“It might contain radium or something…”

Ayako: “In that case, sorry—could you go draw some?”

Ryotaro: “Where?”

Ayako: “Isn’t it obvious? Somewhere around here—aren’t there any empty bottles or something lying around?”

“Alright—if you’re going to be that thorough about it, fetching water will actually be worth the effort.”
“Pray wait.”
(Exits.)

Ayako (opens the bento and begins eating)

In the meantime, a man who appeared to be a hot spring itinerant from the Kansai region arrived to check the train timetable, accompanied by a woman resembling a geisha or an inn maid.
But after a while, they went off somewhere again.

Ryotaro returned carrying a beer bottle.

Ayako touched it with one hand. “Oh, it’s hot,” she said. “You went and got tea?”

“When a man’s spirit stirs,” Ryotaro declared, “fetching tea becomes no trouble at all.” He sat down and began eating the bento. “I’ll eat too. Is this fish safe?”

“How do you drink it?” Ayako asked.

“Figure it out yourself.”

“Like this?” She tried drinking straight from the bottle’s mouth but failed miserably, her lips merely puckering uselessly.

Ryotaro (with feigned innocence): "If you're going to drink it, hand it over here."

Ayako (immediately): "Well, here."

“What? You haven’t drunk any?”
(With practiced ease, he tilted the bottle.)

“Well now—this ruins our carefully arranged gentleman’s journey.”

“Ruined? Don’t be absurd.”

“But what about that dignified act of yours in the train? I could hardly keep from laughing… Pretending to smoke some cigar you never usually touch… Sitting there with your legs crossed like this, figure-eight wrinkles on your forehead, reading Bungei Shunju—it was positively historic, I tell you.”

Ryotaro: “What about you? …Let’s stop this—my face is burning up.”

Ayako: “Oh don’t be silly! What exactly about me is so amusing?”

Ryotaro: “The way you kept checking that watch of yours—how many times was it?…”

Ayako: “The watch? Oh…” (laughing) “But timekeeping goes with train travel like wheels on tracks.”

Ryotaro: “I’m no stationmaster… Though I must say there’s something oddly charming about it.”
“Forsaking a full night’s sleep over some forty-yen wristwatch—that’s dedication.”

“This bento doesn’t taste good…” Ayako frowned slightly, no longer engaging. “Here—let me have some tea…”

Ryotaro mused, “I wonder if you won’t be more surprised than the old man when you see my brother.”

“Why?”
“Because he’s an unsociable fellow.”

“Is that so?”

“He was once honored by the prefecture as a model youth, you know. But then he made a scene right in front of the governor and everyone else, saying he’d return that certificate since it was worthless.”

“But he sounds refreshing.”

“Not that he isn’t refreshing, but he’s like that with everyone, you see. He might casually say anything to someone like you.”

“As long as I understand that, it’s fine.”
“But…”
“He won’t do anything violent.”
“He’s the sort of man you can’t tell whether he’s here or not.”
“There are times when he won’t say a word for ten days straight.”
“Oh...”
“So it’s better if we don’t start any conversations first.”
“If he thinks you’re being bothersome, he won’t respond—to anyone...”
“Even to you...”

Ryotaro (ambiguously): “Yeah.”
(pause) “Naturally, he doesn’t get along well with everyone.”
“Well, that’s a recent development, though.”

Ayako: “By ‘everyone,’ you mean... the family?”

Ryotaro: “More like with the village leaders and such, though.”
“Yet he seems to get along well with the servants.”
“It’s strange, isn’t it?”
“The reputation among the ones he employs is remarkably good.”

“Could it be socialism?”
“He might be.”
(pause) “Though that might not be it either.”

Ayako: “He’s been staying at home all this time, then?”

Ryotaro: “He quit teacher training midway—the school he hated...”
“He seems to read quite a lot of books—where does he even find them?”

Ayako: “But that sort of person is interesting, isn’t he?”
“I like straightforward people.”

“He’s not a fool.”

“A fool? That’s not...”
“Then he must dislike people from Tokyo, I suppose?”

“He looks down on city life, you know. Though they say he argues quite logically once provoked.”

“You can’t let your guard down around him. But he won’t outmatch you.”

“I’m no good with logical debates myself. Rural issues? I’ve had my fill.”

Ayako: “You’ve become such a city person through and through.”

Ryotaro: “It’s not quite like that, but I’m undoubtedly one of the so-called ‘uprooted ones.’”

Ryotaro: “As far as that goes, I do understand my brother’s admirable qualities.”

“That must be true.”
“The act of never leaving one’s birthplace—whether good or bad—is beautiful in its own way, isn’t it?”

Ryotaro (staring intently at his wife’s face): “For you of all people to say that—one might think rural traditionalism now sways the entire world.”
“Ah! Should these mountains and rivers possess sentiment, let them rejoice at welcoming me back—I who once left my homeland with grand ambitions, returning now without splendor yet bearing this fair wife!”
“Rumble-clank, rumble-boom goes the train.”

“Ayako: Oh my, oh my…”

Ryotaro (drinks tea with abandon)

A long silence.

“The fog has cleared.”

Ryotaro: “It cleared up.”
(looking at his watch) “Alright, let’s go.”
“It leaves in ten minutes.”

Ayako: “It isn’t far to the light railway, is it?”

Ryotaro: “Just a short walk.”
“It’s right there in sight—can’t you see?”
“An hour on that thing would leave you more worn out than five on a proper train.”
“You’ll be alright?”

“I’m fine.”

Ryotaro: “Are you alright?”
“Well then, stop clinging to that empty lunchbox—I’ll take one.”
(Pointing at the suitcase with his chin, he hoisted the Shingen cloth bag and wicker trunk with both hands)

Ayako (hurriedly throws the empty lunchbox under the chair and stands up)

Ryotaro (while starting to walk): “Traveling is such a peculiar thing, isn’t it? Moving around doesn’t bother me.”

Ayako (also starts walking): “Hey, you, wait a moment.” (turning her back toward her husband) “Is my obi properly arranged?”

“It is.”

The two started walking again.

Act II

The front yard of a farmhouse midway up the mountain

Midday...

At the base of the large chestnut tree, a mat was spread.

Ryotaro sat down on the mat and gazed blankly into the distance.

There, Ayako appeared.

Ayako: “You should rest now.”
“That was quite a long talk, wasn’t it?”

Ryotaro: …

Ayako: “In times like that, I never know where I should be—it’s so difficult. Mother simply won’t let me help with any of the work…”

Ryotaro: “It’s fine since we won’t be staying long, but I wonder if you could become a bit more like ‘one of us’…”

Ayako: “Me?”

“I know you’re trying your best,”
“I know trying won’t make it possible—but couldn’t you just do things without fussing over every little detail?”

Ayako: “What do you mean?”

Ryotaro: “What do I mean...? Take peeling potato skins—it’s exactly like that. First it’s ‘Let me help with that,’ then ‘I wonder if I can peel this properly,’ then ‘What’s this?’ and ‘What’s that?’—you deliberately make yourself into some special case.”

Ayako: “Did Mr. Hojirou say something about me?”

Ryotaro: “Ho hasn’t said a thing about you... Well, you shouldn’t fuss over every little detail like this.”
“Anyway, it’s bound not to work out smoothly—and even if it did work out, it wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Be more carefree… carefree…”
“That way, it’s easier for both of us.”

Ayako: “I’m not being that considerate either, you know. If I try to get used to this sort of life, there must be some way to make it work. But still... I can’t shake this feeling of being a guest.”

Ryotaro: “That’s just how it is. I’m exactly the same way myself. Even if I try thinking of this place as my own home, I can’t bring myself to do anything about it. In fact, I just spoke with Ho about this very matter—at this point, there’s nothing to be done even if he brands me irresponsible.”

Ayako: “Are you saying he called you irresponsible?”

Ryotaro: “Well, that’s likely what he meant.”
“If our family fortunes were thriving—even had I kept pretending not to notice—there’d be no issue.—Seems they’re in desperate straits.”

Ayako...

Ryotaro: "You don't really think you could live in a place like this, do you?"

Ayako: "Depending on circumstances, one can't go around saying such things."

“Are you resolved to that?”
“But people say things would work out if you stayed here.”

Ryotaro: “I don't know about that.”
“Ho’s argument is clear.”
“He says that just working ourselves isn't enough… that we have to exploit others' things…”
“He’s come to think of things that way.”

Ayako: “He’s always thinking about something， isn't he? — Those eyes are truly splendid.”
“The other day， he was reading a book while making straw sandals.”
“When I went there， he looked up and stared this way.”
“The beauty of those eyes was beyond compare—clear and deep， yet without any coldness to them.”

“You're really laying it on thick with the praise.”
“He's surprisingly mellowed out.”
“I thought he'd be rougher around the edges... Yet seems rather gentle toward someone like you.”

Ayako: “Yes, that’s simply his kindness. The way you tell it made me imagine some dramatic tale. But he truly dislikes speaking, doesn’t he? At times he might as well be mute. No matter what I say… he just shakes his head. There’s no vigor to him at all… Just a bit shy, I suppose. Still such a child.”

“Maybe so… But didn’t you say you’d seen something two or three days ago…?”

“That… you… Even if you call him a child, he’s not entirely a child anymore…”
“That much...”
“But seeing that, I truly felt as if I’d witnessed something beautiful.”

“Beautiful?...”
“In other words, you’re the one romanticizing it…”

Ayako: “That doesn’t matter.”
“Somehow… compared to how we are… I felt we had no choice but to enter a completely different kind of world—one entirely unlike our own.”

“It’s not that exaggerated.—When a man turns twenty-three, his love isn’t just fantasy.—He’d get bold enough to pretend watching fish at a deserted riverbank, then call out to some girl who happened by.”
“That’s not all.”
“Didn’t you say he was handing something over?”

“Let’s stop this… such prying…”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
“What struck me as strange was that when seeing such moments, I never got the impression he would blush himself.”
“In other words, it felt completely removed from reality.”
What was that girl’s name, I wonder…
Where could she be from…
“She seemed to be returning from gathering fallen leaves.”

Ryotaro: “That’s getting even more poetic, isn’t it? Quite the pastoral scene, isn’t it?”

Ayako: “That’s right…”
“What’s with that laugh…”
“How disagreeable you are.”

"(Pause) Why don't we walk a bit more around here…"
"Oh right—you'd mentioned something about walking with me, hadn't you?"

"Ryotaro stands out, you see."

Ayako: (Sighing) It's suffocating.

Ryotaro: “It’s stifling, but there’s no helping it.”
“There’s no need to forcibly battle against the surrounding sentiments.”

“Even though you were the one who told me earlier to be more composed…”

Ryotaro: “So you should just live more calmly rooted to this land. No need to put on city airs…”

Ayako: “What strange things you say. I just… I don’t understand anymore. I thought you were someone who better understood people’s feelings. It’s completely absurd—the things you’ve been saying lately… What should we do? If this continues, wouldn’t we both grow bored? Aren’t you just directing all your dissatisfaction at me?”

Ryotaro: I see...
There might be such a place.
I was wrong.
It’s no good... living like this...
My mind grows completely dull.
My senses grow dull.
My spirit loses its vitality.
I don’t think country life is necessarily bad in itself, but it becomes a problem when it stops being my own life.
“You look pale today.
Aren’t you feeling well?”

“If you’ve noticed what you just said yourself, then I can feel relieved.”
“But please do take care.”
“It’s bearable if it’s only while we’re here. But when I imagine you staying like this forever, I feel like crying.”
“(Pause) Now that you mention it, you don’t look well today either.”
“That must be because your worries grew after our earlier conversation.”
“(Pause) But surely Mr. Hojirou doesn’t think so ill of you—not that much…”

“As for Ryutaru—can’t claim he holds favorable thoughts either.”

“This is troubling,” Ayako said.
“I’m not particularly troubled,” Ryotaro replied.
“The more I try to understand him,
the less he bothers to understand me.”
“That’s just how younger brothers are.”

“What if I tried talking to him properly…”

Ryotaro: “Talk? What exactly would you talk about?”

Ayako: “Your feelings or something…”

Ryotaro: “There's no point in talking about my feelings. It’s not like I’m trying to get him to do anything…”

Ayako: “But if there's a misunderstanding...”

Ryotaro: “You find it unpleasant, you mean? However, that too, I think, is a matter of timing. No matter what I say now, it’s no use. That I used the family’s money to go off to the city, get an education, neglect my hometown, and end up in some trivial job—that’s what sticks in his craw. Then when you consider how much he’s actually served our hometown or done meaningful work…” (Shakes head) “No good—my mind’s gone completely dull. But no matter what he says, he isn’t a child. Indeed, there’s something dangerously unpredictable about him. Not only what I mentioned earlier—I myself can’t help feeling somehow threatened by him.”

Ayako: “That’s your own resentment talking.”

Ryotaro: “How would you know that? —No—what I mean is, I'm not saying that guy has some sort of scheme or anything. It seems to stem from something more fateful—a relationship between the two of us that can’t be altered. I can’t express it clearly, though.”
(Pause) “It wasn’t like that before. When we were little—if anything, we were brothers who got along well.”
(Looking up at the sky) “We used to play here often, under this chestnut tree... One day, we decided to play school, so I became the teacher. Of course, I naturally assumed that the older one would become the teacher, but then he suddenly declares, 'If Brother’s the teacher, then I’ll be the principal!' So our school play came to an end… Next came playing soldiers.”
“Back then, when the Matsumoto regiment or some such came to the village for military exercises, us kids would play soldiers all the time—so I declared I’d be the sergeant. Must sound ridiculous, but see, the soldier who stayed at our house was a sergeant.”
“Then he—who knows why he got that idea—suddenly declared, 'I'm the scout!' and dashed off somewhere, not returning until evening. This had even me stumped. He never truly regarded his older brother as an older brother.”

“More than that—his imagination had been more developed than yours, you realize.”

“Imagination, you see.”
“Yeah, there certainly was that aspect to him.”
“(Pause) But I feel nostalgic under this chestnut tree.”
(Looking up at the sky again) “Compared to five or six years ago—perhaps it’s my imagination—the density of its foliage has grown even more imposing.”
“You wouldn’t find a chestnut tree like this near Tokyo.”
“After all, it’s the largest in this village.”
“When a tree reaches this size, it somehow acquires a spiritual grandeur—or rather, an inviolable dignity.”
“It’s downright mystical.”
“Moreover, with various memories becoming intertwined and the traditional notion of family added to them, I feel as though some great force is bearing down on my current life.”
“Depending on how you think about it, it’s unsettling.”

“You’ve become entirely different from when you were in Tokyo, haven’t you?”

“In what way…?”

“You’ve started brooding over things so strangely,” said Ayako. “You weren’t like this before…”

Ryotaro forced cheerfulness into his voice. “It’s merely the difference between voicing half-formed thoughts and articulating fully considered ones. Without fresh stimulation, I keep circling the same ideas.” He made a vague gesture. “First thinking this way, then that way—nothing’s more absurd than torturing the same thoughts with the same mind.” A pause stretched between them before he added abruptly, “Speaking of which, I must go to Nagano tonight on business.”

His wife’s face fell. “It’ll be lonely here alone—but you’ll keep watch over the house?”

“What kind of errand…”
“Can’t I come?”

Ryotaro: “It’s a middle school class reunion.”
“There’s no real need for me to attend, but since people who help with family affairs will be coming, I thought I’d just make an appearance.”
“Even if it runs late, I’ll come back without staying over.”
“I’ll take the last train and be home by tomorrow noon…”

Ayako: “I see… Well, there’s nothing to be done then.”
“So you’ll be leaving soon?”

Ryotaro: “I’ve already sent someone to fetch the carriage.”
“(Pause) Should I wear Western clothes?”

Ayako: “Either would do…”
“If it’s white, it needs to be washed.”
“You’ve been wearing it as is.”
“How on earth do you handle laundry for that sort of thing—oh right, I meant to ask…”

“Then I’ll wear Japanese clothes.”

“But you’ll need a hakama, won’t you?”

“Don’t need it.”
“No need!”
“(Pause) Then get it ready.”
(Stands up)

(Lowering her voice slightly) “Last evening Mother said—you see—Mr. Hojirou has no wearable summer kimonos left...”
“So she asked if we could give him one of yours—even an old one would do.”

“Then give him one—what’s the issue?”

Ayako: “Well, you see... We have two yukata, but as for summer kimonos—I only brought one each for everyday wear and formal occasions.”
“What should I do…”

Ryotaro: “You should give him the formal wear.”

Ayako: “But... you’re the one who...”

Ryotaro: “Enough already—just do it.”
Ryotaro: “Today—well, it’s a bit hot—but I’ll wear the other Western suit.”

Ayako: “Will you go through with that?”

Ryotaro: “There’s nothing else to be done but proceed this way.”

“Today you’re wearing the better one—what if we handle it tomorrow…? Even if we just postpone it by a day…”

“That’s no good. Take it out and give it to him at once…”

“Mother really does dote on Mr. Hojirou, doesn’t she?”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not loved.”

“No, I think it’s rather odd. I hate being ordered to do such things. When would he ever wear a kimono? He doesn’t, does he? Mother saw me opening the trunk and suddenly made that request… I see right through it. Old people are such a nuisance.”

Ryotaro: “Hey.”

Ayako: “Yes...”
“I’m sorry...”

“(Pause) Ah, that must be the carriage.”
“It’s kicking up so much dust…”

The two departed.

The stage remained empty for a time.

Hojirou, slightly looking downward, hoisted a hoe onto his shoulder and advanced with deliberate steps.
He wore old navy blue trousers with gaiters, a single shirt on top, bareheaded with his hair grown long.
He stopped for a moment and looked around.
He resumed walking.
At the base of the chestnut tree, he threw down the hoe, placed both hands on his hips, and for a moment narrowed his eyes to gaze into the distance.
He suddenly looked up at the sky as if pondering something.
He sighed.
Heavily, he sat down on the mat.
He took out a small book, flipped through its pages, but without continuing to read, set it down and sighed again.
He shook his head vehemently.
He leaned his head against the tree trunk.

Act III

Same as the previous scene.

Moonlit night.

A drum sounded in the distance.

Ayako is crouching under the chestnut tree.

Ryotaro appeared.

“Where have you been wandering... until this late hour...”
“Everyone was worried.”

Ryotaro: “No need to worry.”
“It’s not like I’d go killing myself.”

Ayako: “That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“You always jump to that...”
“(Pause) Didn’t you meet Mr. Hojirou on the way?”

Ryotaro: “Wasn’t Ho just here?”
“Am I off?”
“No—didn’t see him.”
“With this moonlight, no chance of losing my way—wandered past the waterwheel clear to the suspension bridge.”
“Headache’s gone.”

Ayako: “Well, that’s good then.”
“I thought you’d gone off somewhere again...”
“Whenever you go for a walk, you always say that when you leave, and yet...”

Ryotaro: “I’d meant to just take a short stroll around here, but ended up getting pulled along further.”

Ayako: “...”

Ryotaro: “The moonlight, you see...”
“Moonlight has a way of pulling people endlessly onward.”
“It’s strange, really.”
“It’s like being drawn in—or rather, I wasn’t walking myself. The air surrounding me seemed to flow while enveloping my body.”

“It’s already late,” said Ayako. “What time do you think it is? Let’s rest now.”

“Now listen,” Ryotaro responded. “Standing here, it must look dark under this chestnut tree... The leaves are so thick—that’s why this spot alone sits in shadow. But when viewed from afar—see where the road bends over there—from that angle, this very place appears faintly yet strangely aglow. Does moonlight filtering through leaves still turn blue? Blue, yet with a dampened sort of radiance. In that light, your figure stood out clearly as you crouched there. There seemed to be someone else present too, though I couldn’t make them out properly. Most likely your shadow... Or perhaps the branches’ shadows...” He looked up at the overhanging boughs. “Yes—this branch... You see? Staying here like this makes me lose all sense of place.”

After a pause, he continued: “Uncanny tree, this chestnut... More mysterious by night. It scarcely feels like standing beneath a tree at all—more like something pressing down.” His hand drifted to his chest. “These past few days especially... I’ve come to think it’s contemplating something. Plotting some action.”

"When people come here, the leaves strangely droop down."
"And pile heavy things atop their heads."
"Then somehow, their bodies grow numb."
"Their breath catches."
"They can no longer stand still."
(Pause) "There—my legs are trembling already."
"There—" (placing a hand on his heart) "It's so... here..." As he spoke, he slumped to sit.

Ayako (stood frozen, dumbstruck.
Regaining herself) "Your mind is truly exhausted."
"It's called neurasthenia—shouldn't you let a doctor examine you...?"

“I’m fine.” (Pause) “And yet my feet keep turning this way.”
“It’s not just that.”
“I have business with the old man.”
“The old man often works here.”
“I think I’ll read quietly—this is the quietest place.”
“I want someone to talk to.”
“If you come here, there’s always someone.”
“Especially if one wants to be near you—they need only come here. You seem to have no other favored spot besides this.”

Ayako: “That isn’t true, but…”

“It’s not a bad thing, so it’s alright.”
“But I’m through with staying under this tree.”
“After today, I won’t come here anymore. (Pause) Why are you standing there…?”
“Come closer to me.”
“No one’s watching.”
“Well, this flat patch here will do.”

Ayako (sits down as instructed)

“You must be wanting to return to Tokyo soon.”
“Or rather, you might have already grown sick of this place long ago.”
“You’ve really put up with a lot, haven’t you?”

Ayako: “Why would you say such a thing?”
“I haven’t grown tired of it in the slightest.”
“It’s just that…”

Ryotaro: “Just…?”

“It’s just that… you’re always so gloomy…”

Ryotaro: “I see. Then I’ll try to be more cheerful. What did you do this morning?”

Ayako: “Today, I finished reading the newspapers that had piled up.”

Ryotaro: “Was there anything interesting?”

Ayako: "You did look through them, didn’t you?"

Ryotaro: "Just the jokes."
"And the comics…"
"'Dabu and Dofu,' you know—the supplement to the Jiji. That’s a masterpiece."

Ayako: "Is that so?"
"I don’t look at them."

“I didn’t look at them.”

“There’s no discussing this if you haven’t seen those…”

“What kind of story is it?”

“What kind of story… There are all sorts.”
“And then, there are some truly excellent jokes too.”
“Lately there’s one that really struck me—a man has a woman sit beside him and drives his car along.”
“The guy’s gripping the steering wheel with one hand and holding the woman with the other.”
“So the policeman warned him, ‘Hey, hey! You’ve got to keep both hands on it!’”
“Then he said, ‘I don’t know which way the car will go.’”

Ayako (stares blankly)

Ryotaro: Don't you get it?

Ayako (finally understanding) Ah, right…
“That’s amusing.”

Ryotaro: “That’s an amusingly unamused way to find something amusing.”
“Well then, how about this one?”
(Pause) “Hey—are you listening?”

“I’m listening.”
“(Pause) But aren’t you yourself forcing amusement?”
“Today…”
“If you’re feeling unwell, perhaps you should go back inside…?”
“It’s getting rather chilly.”
“You might catch another cold…”

Ryotaro: “Just a bit longer, okay? It’ll be fine.”
“Let me talk a bit more.”
“If it isn’t interesting, you can stay silent and think about something else.”
“There’s a saying that the instinct to speak fears not even death.”
“If I were told to stay silent and sleep like this, I would choose death without hesitation.”
“Well then, um—what was it—you probably thought my house was a bit more… something, didn’t you?”
“When you hear this, you probably won’t know how to respond.”
“Well then, let me rephrase.”
“If I were to say why I brought you to this house—well, it’s certainly not because I wanted to show you this ramshackle place, nor was it to parade you before the old man and old woman and put on some grand display of filial piety.”
“I don’t know what you think about this, but as I said before we left—what with the old man getting on in years, and my younger brother having neither interest nor hope in securing the family’s livelihood—I realized I had to come back once and do what needed doing until the old man dies.”
“So, when I returned, it was already too late.”
“The few mountains and fields we had are mostly about to be transferred to others.”
“At that time—didn’t you feel some sense of disappointment?”

Ayako: ……

“This chestnut tree too—before long, someone might come and cut it down.”
“I feel that sort of day will come.”

“The things you’re worrying about—I can’t make sense of them at all.”
“No matter what becomes of your family’s property—if it means nothing to you, then it means nothing to me either.”
“Are you truly tormenting yourself over such things?”

Ryotaro: “Then that’s fine.”
“Well then, I’ve nothing more to say.”

(Clutching his head and writhing faintly) I think I'll go back to Tokyo after all.
That feels truer.
Trivial though it may be, once I start researching those things, I do feel like continuing.
Come to think of it—there really are many bats around here.
See? They were in the kitchen just last evening too.
They've found nests here now.

Ayako: “So you’ve been walking through the woods every day for that…? Your father was laughing. He said when you were a child, you weren’t like that… Oh really—keeping silent…”

Ryotaro: (drawn in by his wife’s unexpectedly cheerful tone) “If I tell you, you’ll just start pestering me again. When I was a child—I mean back when I was young—the old man was never home. Grandfather stayed here working the fields while he’d cut timber, load carts and haul it all to town. That was when the Hagiwara family was at its peak prosperity.” He leaned forward slightly. “Has the old man been grumbling to you about something?”

“No, nothing in particular….”
“But Father is quite amusing, isn’t he?”
“He sometimes does things that make people laugh, doesn’t he?”

“What kind of thing…?”

"It’s too absurd—stop it."
"Just go ahead and say it."

“Since I came back... Let’s drop it—it’s a trivial matter...”

“Instead of wasting time saying such things, why don’t you just spit it out?”
“Is this because you came back…?”

“They say all the men in the village have started preening themselves…”

“That’s absurd….”
“Look at that.”

A long silence.

Ryotaro: “Would I say such a thing? You said it because that’s what you think! Confess!”

Ayako: “Fine, then…”

Ryotaro: “You needn’t get angry.” (Pause) “The drums had been sounding for some time now. It’s probably festival rehearsal.”

A long silence.

Act IV

Same as the previous scene.

Morning—a fog settles.

Suddenly, clamorous voices were heard.
Amidst them, Ryotaro's anger-filled shout rose above the rest, grating on the ear.
Finally, a single shout—"You idiot!"—then all fell silent.

Ayako appeared embracing Ryotaro while looking back over her shoulder, still barefoot.
She laid Ryotaro down at the base of the chestnut tree, stroked back his hair, and peered into his face.

Ryotaro had closed his eyes and was breathing laboriously—Ayako’s expression neared despair.

Ayako: “Please hold on.”
“You’re not in pain?”
“Are you all right?”
“Shall I cool your head?”
“Wait here...”
(Rose and scanned the area) “Someone! Come quickly!”
(When no answer came, she sprinted toward the main house.)

A slightly prolonged interval.

Ryotaro: (Slightly opens his eyes and touches his hand to his forehead.)
then strokes his throat)

Ayako (bringing a basin filled with water): "Right away…" (As she says this, she efficiently wrings out the hand towel and presses it to his forehead) "Oh no—you—doing such a thing…" (Collapses weeping against her husband’s chest)

Ryotaro: (With relative clarity) Go check on Hojirou.

Ayako: No, he’s all right….

Ryotaro: I didn't cause him any injuries, did I?

“No, he’s all right…”
“But that was dangerous for both of you… (Pause) It’s your fault for saying such things…”
“Go ahead and give me a more serious injury then… That would really…”
“Why did you act so violently again…?”
“No—no…”

“That was rather brutish of me.”
(Pause) “Go fetch Hojirou.”

“I can’t leave yet.”
“Let’s postpone that.”
(Touching his forehead) “Does this hurt…?”
“You’re not feeling ill anymore…?”

“I’m fine…”
“Just felt momentarily unsteady earlier.”

“That’s true—with something that thick...”
“But where it landed was lucky.”

(With a bitter smile) “He got a clean hit in, I suppose.”
“Though I was completely absorbed...”

“Yours didn’t connect so badly.”
“But right then—he blocked it with his hand...”

“You observed closely.”

“Not exactly...”
“It was too dangerous to intervene...”
“And those watchers—they were truly watching.”

Ryotaro: “They’re people who want to handle things themselves. They consider it wasteful to intervene in others’ affairs.”
(Suddenly sat up) “I’m fine now.”
(Having said that, a dizzy spell hit him, and he involuntarily grabbed his wife’s shoulder.)

Ayako: “Careful! So please stay still, okay? Just a little longer…”
(Gently laid Ryotaro down) “How awful—they don’t even come to check on you… To think they’d just let things stay messed up like this…”

Ryotaro: "What about the old man...?"

Ayako: "He must be over there, I imagine."

“Because it wouldn’t do for Mother to worry—go tell her it’s nothing now.”

“It’s only natural she should come from over there.”

“She can’t come because of appearances before outsiders.”
“Go take care of that.”
“Then go apologize to Hojirou too—tell him I was wrong—to settle things down.”

“I—no—that errand…”

“Hey—don’t say such things…”
“For those guys who’ve come over there, it’s better to handle it that way.”
“I can’t bring myself to leave this house after quarreling with my brother.”
“Especially—I don’t want the relatives pointing fingers at me.”
“It’ll cause trouble later—I’ll just swallow my pride and back down now.”
“I’m such a fool.”

“In that case, you have far too little of what one might call a sense of self.”
“Since it’s come to this, there’s a logic to it…”

“Even having him around—that’s no good.”
“Hojirou said that to me—‘A farmer’s child should farm.’”
“If I were to get angry about it in earnest, I’d be the one at fault.”

“But he didn’t have to put it that way…”

“That’s precisely it.”
“I see right through him.”
“Insulting me is a means to stoke his own convictions.”
“That’s the sort of logic you’d expect from his ilk.”
At that moment, somehow, I didn’t feel like I was facing my brother.
It felt more like confronting a professional rival.
No—stranger still… he even seemed like some demon menacing my very existence.

There was a long silence.

“You’re not getting worked up again, are you?”

“I may look this way, but I’m actually timid.”
(Tries to sit up again) “I should be fine now.”

Ayako: (Pressing him down) For mercy's sake—stay lying down a little longer.

Ryotaro: (Laughing) But you see, this place isn't made for sleeping.
(Shaking his head) I'm fine.
"Hey, I'm fine."
"Then let me lean a little."
(Sitting up halfway and leaning toward his wife) Strange business, all this...

Ayako: "I... I can't stand it here anymore..."
"What a different life this is."
"If we were alone together, any suffering would be worth enduring."
"I feel there's only one path..."

“So I’m going back to Tokyo.”
“I’ll go back tomorrow or something.”
(Suddenly pricking up his ears) “It’s getting loud over there again.”
“What’s happening? Go take a look.”
(Pause) “That must be Hojirou’s voice.”
“What are they saying?”
“Who is that... that voice...?”
“That’s the old man. This is bad.”
“Go check quickly.”

Ayako (leaves her husband and heads toward the back with cautious steps)

A long time.—During this interval, Ryotaro quietly stood up, supporting himself against the chestnut tree and stretching his neck as he listened intently to the commotion inside.

Once again, clamorous shouts could be heard.
When they subsided after a spell, this time an elderly woman’s weeping voice—wailing and pleading—became audible, as clear as if held in one’s hand.

Ayako returned stealthily, concealing her footsteps.

“What is it?”

“Mr. Hojirou is with Father again...”
“What did he say...?”

"I don't fully understand," Ayako said, "but Father was in a terrible rage—'Get out this instant! You're the one who...' going on like that."
"Mr. Hojirou, for his part, wore this strange sarcastic smile while saying something like 'Of course, such-and-such and such-and-such can't coexist,' so he can't stay in this house—and was briskly trying to put on his gaiters."
"And Mother was there crying and trying to stop him..."

Ryotaro (listening intently, attempting to calm her) murmured, "There, there..."

Act V

Same as Act I.

Late at night—

Ayako was sitting.
In front of her, Ryotaro was pacing back and forth.

A somewhat long interval.

Ayako: “You... why don’t you sit down...”
“Somehow I feel restless—time still seems to crawl by.”

A pause.

Ryotaro: “It’s grown quiet.”
“The rain’s stopped too.”

Ayako: “I truly thought there’d be an even fiercer storm...”

“You’re quite brave in those moments, aren’t you? Every time the thunder roared, your eyes would change color, but the fact that you didn’t cling to anyone while saying ‘Ah!’ or whatever—that does show the true marks of a stalwart woman.”

Ayako: “Please don’t flatter me.”

Ryotaro: “I’m not flattering you, but like this, I can’t feel satisfied. I’d worked myself up into this heroic state of mind—ready to say ‘Rest assured, I’ll support you no matter how you act’ with tears in my eyes—but even that attempt fell flat.”

Ayako: “You’re mocking me.”

“Lately, I seem to have these kinds of urges.”
“You’re saying I’m too headstrong, aren’t you.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

A long silence.

Ayako: "When we arrive tomorrow morning, I'll wash my hair right away."

Ryotaro: "Are you thinking about such things?"
(Pause) "Ho will definitely come to Tokyo."

Ayako...

Ryotaro: "When I mention Ho, you make that face—but he's still my only brother."
"Though he left home like that... When I think where he might be now, what he's doing... it darkens my mood."
"Even leaving the same house—when you've got another foundation like we do—that's different altogether."
(A pause.

(Suddenly turning toward the window) “Who’s there? Standing there…”

Ayako (startled, looks in that direction)

“Oh… It’s just a utility pole…”

A long silence.

“You’ve truly lost your mind,” said Ayako.

“I’m certainly losing it,” Ryotaro admitted. “I thought the problem lay beneath that chestnut tree, but this station is no better either.” He pressed his palms against his temples. “Ah… My vision’s swimming.”

“Stay quiet like that,” Ayako urged. “Don’t speak.”
“This happens because you keep spouting nonsense.”
“You twist trivial matters into something strange—that’s why things go wrong.”

Ryotaro: “You’re right about that.”
“You’re supposed to know everything.”
“Let’s return to Tokyo soon.”

Ayako: “Yes, let’s go back.”

A pause.

“Why must this thing called the countryside be made—everything made—so gloomy?”
“The mountains are gloomy.”
“The forest is gloomy.”
“The valley is gloomy.”
“Houses, trees, grass, animals, people—all gloomy.”
“Not just gloomy.”
“Steeped in poison.”
“Am I the only one who feels this…?”

“Only you.”
“It’s simply that your feelings have transferred to me.”

“So they’ve transferred to you too.”
“Then—didn’t you find that house gloomy from the start?”

“I didn’t find it gloomy.”
“Then what did you think?”
“Nothing particular...”
“That chestnut tree’s the same.”

Ayako: “The chestnut tree again...”

Ryotaro: “That’s right; it seems fine.”
(Pause)
“But...”
“That’s right; it seems fine.”

A long silence.

Ayako: “Tokyo must still be hot, I suppose.”

Ryotaro: “It must be hot there, right?”
(Pause) “Why do you keep looking toward such dark places?”
“Is someone there?”

Ayako (imploringly): “You...”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Ryotaro. He stood up and began pacing around the area again. “The old man says I don’t need to come back until I’m dead. What do you think that means? He didn’t speak much to you, did he.”

“Yes,” Ayako replied.

“Still, they were impressed by you—you’re very perceptive, you know. Though if country people are impressed, that’s about the extent of it.” He paused. “Mother never treated you like a human being. No, really—at the very least, she never thought of you as just an ordinary person. She did nothing but bow. She’s a strange old woman too. She’s forgotten how to laugh, you see.”

“Really...”

“Since old times, people in that village would list off various local specialties as ‘the village’s finest such-and-such,’ gossiping about each one whenever something came up.”
“They’d say things like where’s the richest person in the village or who’s the oldest resident—and even us children memorized those rankings.”
“Quite a ridiculous custom.”
“As for me—though I was just a child—I used to sneak into the garden of that house to catch glimpses of Miss Ohatsu, who they called the village’s most beautiful woman back then.”
“Of course, I never went alone.”
(Pause) “They don’t seem to care about such things anymore these days.”
“The world’s grown larger.”
(Pause) “When they called it the village’s finest chestnut tree—well, that used to be quite a point of pride.”
“Why are you laughing?”
“So I’m telling you—it’s not even worth boasting about now.”
(Pause) “You must’ve been disappointed seeing my family home this time.”

“Not that again...”

“After all, it’s only that chestnut tree, isn’t it? If I were to show you something...”

(Pause)

Ayako: “It’s such a shame to have it cut down completely.”

Ryotaro: “The old man would never agree anyway.”
“Since we’ve got no use for a chestnut tree now anyway, wouldn’t it be better to just pack up quickly from this place and start living more tastefully? (Pause) Come now—let’s talk about something cheerier.”

Ayako: “……”

Ryotaro: “When I return to Tokyo this time, I’ll take out a loan somewhere and build a house.”
“I’ll design it myself.”
“Lately I’ve been thinking about it from home—how should we design the garden?”
“If we plant trees, what kind would be good?”

Ayako: “The crape myrtle tree… I like that one…”

Ryotaro: “Crape myrtle? That’s nice too.”

Ayako: “What about… the chestnut tree?”

“Hey, stop it.”

A long silence.

Ayako: “What’s this? Making such a loud scene isn’t proper.”

Ryotaro: “I might as well say it.
Listen—you’ve been hiding something about me, haven’t you?
What about the chestnut tree?
Why do you bring up such a thing?
What happened under the chestnut tree?
Go ahead and say it.”

Ayako: “What are you saying...?”

Ryotaro: “I won’t say anything.
I’ve been waiting for you to bring it up.
How much have I had to endure until today?
Enough already—let’s settle this here and now.”

“What resolution…?”

Ryotaro was no good.
"When you come at me like that," he said, "I end up losing anyway."
"Never mind. Let's talk about the garden."
"A crape myrtle tree and..."

Ayako: "What? Say it properly."
"It was wrong of me to bring up the chestnut tree."

"There's nothing wrong with it," he countered.
"Just listen to me."
"In the garden—a crape myrtle tree and... I've been thinking of making it Italian-style. What do you think?"

When Ayako sensed something was off—it really was true.
"If that's how it is," she pressed, "why couldn't you have said so sooner?"

“I told you it’s nothing.”
“Or should we spend a bit on landscaping and make a proper Japanese-style garden?”
“We could plant crape myrtles too.”

“Hey, you—won’t you properly address what we were discussing?”
“I can’t bear you thinking that way forever...”

“That’s enough.”
“I was wrong.”
“The house needn’t be so spacious anyway.”

“I’m not—no, trying to trick you or...”
“I won’t listen... (Shakes head)”

Ryotaro: “That's why I'm saying I was wrong, aren't I?”
“I've already got it.”
“I don't care about it at all.”

Ayako: I suppose so.

Ryotaro: “Ah, it really is true.”

Ayako: “Definitely.”

Ryotaro: “It definitely is.
Who gets so worked up over something like that?
It was just a joke...”

Ayako: “Not again...”

Ryotaro: “So why can’t you just accept that...?”
“You’re being so loud.”
(Suddenly, he hurried outside.)
(After a brief interval, he returned.) “It’s cleared up beautifully.”
“The sky’s full of stars...”
“It was morning when we arrived here, wasn’t it?”
“Ah yes—we ate our lunch there, remember?”
“Back then, caught up in that homecoming sentiment, we could hardly wait for the light railway’s schedule.”
“How feelings transform within a single month—such fickle things they are...”
“But do people truly need something called a hometown?”
“What about someone like you?”
“Longing for Tokyo arises less from hometown nostalgia than its nature as a metropolis, I’d wager.”
“The same logic applies to my own yearning for Tokyo.”
“One can’t truly value metropolitan life without having resided there.”
“The truth remains—country living proves more pleasurable in imagination than reality.”

Ayako: “But doesn’t that differ depending on the person?”

“It may depend on the person, but I’ve had more than enough of the countryside.”

“After all, if the home doesn’t become the center…”

Ryotaro: “That’s right. Ultimately, it’s a matter of affection, isn’t it? Parents, siblings—well, you don’t have such things, so it’s fine for you—they might be nothing more than troublesome relationships at times.”

Ayako: “That’s what’s so strange, I…”

Ryotaro: “Even I find it strange. There are times I think this isn’t how it should be, but even so, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Ayako was unfortunate.

“Unfortunate…?”

Ayako: “How unfortunate.”

Ryotaro: “Ah, that’s right…”
“Well—but who can say for sure?”
“After all—it’s not as though familial love alone nurtures humankind.”

“What about marital love…?”

“That’s not something to say out loud.”

“Oh, why…?”

“That’s just how these things are,” said Ryotaro.
(Checking his watch) “They ought to begin selling tickets before long.”
(He moved toward the ticket counter)

Ayako: “It feels autumn-like tonight...”

Ryotaro: ...

Ayako: “It truly feels like autumn.”

Ryotaro: “Feeling sentimental?”

Ayako: Yes, deeply...
Ryotaro: That won't do—you must say what comes next...
Ayako: But there's nothing to say.

Ryotaro: "Well, there's nothing to be done."
(In a declamatory tone)

This day, gazing intently,

The hue of sorrow rests upon my lips.

Though none have dealt me cruel blows,

Why does the heart grieve?

…………………….

Ayako: “What song is that...?”

Ryotaro: “Don’t you know?
An autumn song.
——The autumn wind through verdant trees... it continues like that, but well, leaving that aside—from over there, someone came approaching with a paper lantern.”

Ayako: “We’ll be boarding this train, won’t we?”

Ryotaro: “There are two lanterns.”
“Those departing? Those seeing them off?”

Ayako: “…”

Ryotaro (taking a seat beside Ayako): “This station too—this will be our last look at it for some time.”

Ayako: “When I think of it that way, it still feels somewhat strange.”

Ryotaro: “Is it really that strange?”
(Pause) “But you seem happy.”
“Are you really happy?”
“Is returning to Tokyo really making you that happy?”

Ayako: “Yes, I’m happy.”

Ryotaro: “Don’t you ever want to come here again?”

“I don’t want to come.”

Ryotaro: “No matter what happens?”

“No matter what happens...”
“Then will you never leave my side?”
“I won’t leave.”
“No matter what happens?”
(Ayako nods)

Ryotaro (rises) Very well….

Ayako turned her face away and wiped her tears with her fingertips.

Ryotaro (pacing about): "O village's finest chestnut tree, bear fruit abundantly this year."

――Curtain――