Early spring morning. A low-hanging mist dampens the mountain air.
Enveloped in silence, the hot spring inn “Yunoya” stood quietly. Hina scrubbed the baths with a long-handled brush, pushing back the strands of hair clinging to her cheeks before glancing up at the sky. The spring sky was still pale and faintly white, the distant chirping of birds echoing softly from the mountains.
Once finished cleaning, she refilled the baths, adding just a touch of medicinal herb infusion.
This enhanced the natural healing properties of the hot spring.
“Hina-chan, take a break once you’re done, alright?”
“Yes.”
She replied obediently to the male attendant before drying her hands and heading to the kitchen through the back entrance. The steamy kitchen was filled with the mingling scents of miso soup and grilled fish, tickling her nose.
“Hina-chan, perfect timing!”
The landlady spoke as she scooped freshly cooked rice with a wooden paddle. Her son, Keito, sat quietly, eating his meal like a good boy.
Hina, too, was finally having breakfast.
“Sorry to ask, but could you run some errands after you finish? Kaichi’s back is acting up again.”
“Yes, of course.”
She bowed her head immediately—this was a familiar routine.
The landlady handed her a teacup and sighed softly.
“Has it really been four years since you came here…?”
Her voice carried a nostalgic tone.
“At first, you were so thin, I thought a light breeze might carry you away.”
Her gaze was gentle, as if looking somewhere far off.
——Four years ago. After leaving the Saotome household, Hina had been lost, with nowhere to go. Among her mother’s belongings, she found a letter from an old friend and, following the address, traveled by train deep into the mountains of the Kansai region.
Her mother’s old friend—Kawai Tora—was the landlady of Yunoya. The small hot spring inn was run by Tora, her husband Kaichi, and a male attendant. When Hina asked to stay and work, Tora had hesitated at first but took her in without prying too deeply. Hina’s knowledge of medicinal herbs proved useful in preparing therapeutic baths, earning her appreciation from regular guests.
She realized she was pregnant a few months after settling in. When her period didn’t come, she consulted Tora and visited a local doctor. She was two months along. Learning that life had taken root inside her, she felt a complicated mix of joy and faint regret. Around that time, the newspapers announced Keiichiro’s engagement to a wealthy heiress. Seeing that, Hina resolved to raise the child alone.
And so, Keito was born—now three years old. Watching him eat breakfast beside her, rice grains sticking to his cheeks, Hina felt at ease. He was a lively boy, always running through mountain paths, tumbling, and coming home covered in mud. She adored him beyond words. Yet, sometimes, in fleeting moments, she couldn’t help but notice—
The shape of his eyes, the curve of his smile when he laughed—undeniably, he resembled Keiichiro.
(…I’ve already decided to live here with him.)
Even as she told herself this, the memories of the past remained buried deep in her heart, never truly fading.
And yet—
Without warning, that day arrived.
At the market, she ran into him.
“…Hina…?”
The moment he called her name, time seemed to stop.
But she pretended not to hear, gripping Keito’s hand and fleeing like a pursued criminal.
Cold sweat clung to her chest.
(—Why is Master here?)
Hunched over, she tried to make sense of it. Tears welled up, and she quickly wiped them away before Keito noticed. She couldn’t let her young son see her distressed.
“…Mom? What about the shopping?”
Keito’s voice snapped her back to reality. She had completely forgotten about the errands she was supposed to run for Kaichi.
Holding her son’s hand, she cautiously returned to the main street and scanned the area. There was no sign of Keiichiro.
Relieved, she told herself it must have been a mistake and finished shopping before heading back to Yunoya.
After placing the groceries in the kitchen, she kept her promise and gave Keito some dried sweet potato as a snack.
Returning to her duties, she was immediately called by the landlady, who was greeting a guest.
“Ah, Hina-chan! Could you explain the medicinal bath to this guest?”
Hina’s breath caught when she saw the person standing beside the landlady. Her heart pounded violently.
There stood Keiichiro—the man she had thought was just a figment of her imagination moments ago.
Of all places, he had come to their inn.
“He heard about your medicinal baths and traveled all the way from Kanto just to try them. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Y-yes…”
Keiichiro removed his navy-blue coat and turned toward her.
He looked exactly as she remembered—yet his eyes carried a weariness she hadn’t seen before. He explained that an old injury had been bothering him for days, and on his subordinate’s suggestion, he had come to this remote hot spring to recuperate.
“I’ll be staying for a while to recover,” he said.
(Why now…? Why here…?)
No answer came to the questions swirling in her heart.
Only the reality of his presence quietly shook her world.
The landlady, though surprised by the sudden long-term stay, had no reason to refuse such a refined gentleman.
“You’ve come at a good time. The post-snowmelt waters are exceptional, and the medicinal baths are quite effective.”
As the landlady responded warmly, Keiichiro’s gaze settled on Hina.
“…Hina. It’s been a while.”
His voice made her heart leap again.
A strange sensation, like the collapse of time, echoed in her ears.
She had been about to turn away, pretending not to recognize him, but hearing her name froze her in place.
“Oh my. Hina-chan, do you know him?”
At the landlady’s question, Hina nodded faintly, her breath tight.
“…Yes.”
No other words came.
If she spoke, something might spill from the depths of her heart.
Biting her lip, she bowed slightly, desperately steadying her breathing to hide her turmoil.
His hand reached for the guestbook. His fingers, holding the brush, were as elegant as ever, his calligraphy unchanged.
Seeing the name he wrote sent a chill down her spine.
——Saotome Keiichiro.
She noticed the landlady’s expression stiffen slightly before softening, as if she had realized something.
Gently, she patted Hina’s back.
“…We’re honored to have your patronage.”
She smiled—not probing, not questioning—just looking at Hina with warmth that seemed to say, “I understand.”
Hina’s chest ached.
That kindness told her there was no running away.
As a guest, he couldn’t be turned away. As an employee, she had to remain composed.
“Please, right this way.”
Hiding the slight tremble in her hands, Hina took Keiichiro’s luggage and stepped forward. Her heart was in turmoil—but she couldn’t let it show.