Fifty Words for Rain(64)

She heard voices in the dining room and threw open the doors, all dignity forgotten.

“Oniichan!”

Akira was there, just as she’d expected. He looked tired but content, with the hint of laugh lines around his mouth. He greeted her with a warm smile, but there was something in it that warned her not to speak.

He was not alone. Two strangers stood beside him.

The boy looked to be about Akira’s age but stood a few inches taller. He was white but tan, with the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen. His hair was . . .

Like spun gold.

She blinked at him, as one might blink after staring too long at a bright light.

Her eyes moved to the girl. She was a blur of red, from her high-heeled shoes to her lipstick. She had skin the color of cream, gray eyes with flecks of gold, and silver-blonde hair.

She was the most beautiful person Nori had ever seen.

“Sister,” Akira said, “as you can see, we have guests.”

Nori flushed with shame. Here she was, with the snow still melting in her uncombed hair and the dirt still on her knees. She had never seen white people before.

Akira repeated it in English. She grasped for the words he had taught her.

“Welcome,” she managed.

Akira nodded. Apparently that was all he required of her.

“This is William Stafford,” he continued, gesturing to the boy. “And this is his cousin Alice Stafford.”

The girl smiled at her.

William laughed. “She’s just as you said. Little kitten.”

Nori bowed her head.

“They will be staying with us for a while. I take it you will be a gracious host.”

“Hai, Oniichan.”

“Speak English whenever you can.”

“Yes.”

Akira sighed. “Good. Ayame-san!”

Ayame appeared like the morning mist, without a sound. “Yes?”

Of course she spoke English.

“Please see our guests to the spare bedrooms. We’ve all had a long trip.”

“Of course. Please, follow me.”

The foreigners followed Ayame out, with only the girl pausing to cast one last curious glance over her shoulder.

Once their footsteps could be heard on the stairs, Nori turned to face her brother. She did not have the energy to yell. And she knew better than to try and undo what had already been done.

“Why?”

Akira slid his gaze to the side. He looked uncomfortable.

“Will is my friend,” he said. “I met him at the competition. He’s a brilliant pianist. He’s from London and can’t go back for a while, so I made an offer for him to stay here with us. He understands things, I don’t have to explain—”

“And the girl?” Nori whispered, trying and failing to keep the suspicion from her voice. “What is she to you?”

“She’s his cousin. She’s sixteen.”

“I asked what she was to you.”

“She’s a child,” Akira scoffed. “And a fool. Don’t insult me.”

“She’s beautiful.”

Akira wrinkled his nose. “I don’t favor blondes. Where is this coming from?”

She was a little mollified. “It’s just . . . Paris is the city of love. I thought you might have . . .”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Who told you that?”

Mother.

“Nobody. I’m sorry.”

Akira gestured for her to come closer, and she did. As he placed his hand on the top of her head, she felt the ache inside her vanish.

“I won’t be traveling again for the rest of the year,” he promised her. “I have to finish school. So it’s not as if I’m leaving you alone with them. And I think you will like them. It will be nice for you to have a girl around, won’t it?”

Nori nibbled her lower lip. “Maybe.” She didn’t see what a European girl who looked like she belonged on a movie screen would want to do with her. “I will be gracious to them.”

“We will fill the house with music,” he said gently, tweaking one of her curls. He smirked. “And I will be considerably less grumpy.”

“If it makes you happy, I am happy.”

He kissed her forehead. “You look a fright. Go clean up for dinner.”

“Did you bring me a new dress?”

“I brought you two. Now, go on.”

Thank you for coming back.

She bowed her head and did as she was told.



* * *





Just as Akira had promised, the foreigners were pleasant company, though she really only saw them at meals.

The girl, Alice, had finally learned to take her shoes off in the house, and she walked around shamelessly barefoot, no socks in sight, her brightly painted toes on display. She wasn’t in the house much during the day.

Will was more subtle. He was constantly at Akira’s side, and even though Nori felt a twinge of jealousy, she had to admit that they made a well-matched pair. They spoke too rapidly for her to understand at times, but there was always laughter between them. They spent most of the day barricaded in the music room.

And Nori spent most of her day just outside with her ear pressed against the door, listening.

It really was miraculous.