Ozoni and Onsens

by S. J. Pajonas

  Ozoni and Onsens: A Daydreamer Detective Novella

  Miso Cozy Mysteries, #2.5

  S. J. Pajonas

  © 2016, S. J. Pajonas (Stephanie J. Pajonas).

  All rights reserved.

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  Cover design by S. J. Pajonas

  Cover illustration @Margarita_87, Depositphotos.com

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  Book design and production, and author photo by S. J. Pajonas (Stephanie J. Pajonas).

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Created with Vellum

  This book is dedicated to tangy, delicious seaweed. Yum.

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  A Note from S. J. Pajonas

  Some Links For You!

  About the Author

  Also in the Miso Cozy Mysteries Series

  Also by S. J. Pajonas

  Author’s Note

  In Japanese, the most common way of showing respect to another person’s social standing is with the use of honorific suffixes that are appended on the end of either first or last names. The most common, -san, means either Mr., Ms., or Mrs.

  When you are addressing someone who is higher in the chain of command than yourself (i.e. your boss or high elected officials deserving of respect) you should use the suffix -sama. When addressing friends or schoolmates, it’s popular to use -chan or -ko for girls (sometimes cutting their first name down to one syllable before appending the suffix) and -chan or -kun for boys. For teachers, -sensei is used.

  It’s important to note that you should never use a suffix on your own name. If you’re introducing yourself, do not call yourself David-san or Smith-san. Just David or David Smith will do.

  The town in this novel, Chikata, is completely fictional, though the area I put it in is not. Saitama prefecture is located to the west of Tokyo, and many of the eastern areas are considered to be suburbs of of the city. Chikata is located farther out west, nearer to the prefectures of Nagano and Gunma.

  Chapter One

  I double checked my bag — an extra sweater, underwear, fuzzy socks, and disposable heating pads for long, cold, romantic walks outside. I was sure I had everything, but I consulted my list one more time, just in case.

  “I know you deserve this vacation, but I wish you’d be here tomorrow morning. We’ve never spent a New Year’s Day apart before,” Mom said, wringing her hands, her forehead scrunched with worry. She wasn’t trying to make me feel guilty, not really. She was just concerned for the future if we didn’t spend the most auspicious day of the year together.

  “I get it, Mom, but Yasa-kun planned this trip. He didn’t even want me involved, wanted to plan the whole thing himself. I think he’s spent so many New Year’s days apart from his family it doesn’t faze him. I’d like to be a little more flexible, if I can.” I set my hand on each stack of clothes in my bag, mentally counting the clothing.

  “You’re right, you’re right. I’ll try not to worry.” But even as she said it, her voice sounded more worried than ever. My mom was superstitious, and we had always spent New Year’s Day together as a family because she believed that would keep us together forever. My brother, his wife, and kids also came to eat ozoni soup and have special box lunches around the kotatsu. Spending the day with my boyfriend was out of the normal.

  Though I promised myself I wouldn’t feel guilty for taking some downtime, my familial duties weighed on me like a sumo wrestler crushing his opponent. Deep down inside, it felt wrong, but I wanted to give it a shot. There wasn’t a better time for Yasahiro to take off work. This was it. After the new year, we had a lot of tasks to do on the tea shop and at Sawayaka. We both needed a vacation.

  I wheeled my bag into the main room of the house, stopping to turn on the space heater, grateful Mom had enough money to be here a few times per week. Though I was living out of Yasahiro’s apartment most days, the majority of my belongings were at the house. Yasahiro dropped me off to pack at seven and said he would be back by eight to get me with coffee and pastries.

  I followed Mom into the kitchen where she was already preparing food for tomorrow. It would be a sparse but tasty meal since Mom was trying to make every yen count. My sister-in-law volunteered to bring sweets, her favorite thing to prepare, and for once Mom hadn’t made a fuss over it. I was sure they’d have a brilliant day, and my heart squeezed knowing I wouldn’t be there.

  You deserve time off, Mei.

  “Will you see Chiyo-san and everyone at the temple tomorrow morning?” I asked, tightening my sweater around my chest.

  “We’ll meet here after sunrise, around seven. Then we’ll all go out to pray at the temple and come back for soup and oranges.” Every New Year’s Day, Mom prepared our family’s ozoni soup for everyone. It was something she knew by heart and could put together at a moment’s notice. My mouth watered, imagining what I would miss, but I’d hear all the stories on January third.

  A car door slam echoed through the front room before the door opened. “I’m back!” Yasahiro called out. “It looks like you’re packed.”

  He entered the kitchen with three cups of coffee in a carrier and a pastry box wrapped with twine. Mom’s face broadened with a smile. She had a soft spot for pastries. Yasahiro knew how to stay on her good side. He was better at it than I was, which would come as no great shock to anyone.

  “So, are you ready for three days worth of relaxation? I’ve been dying to go to this hotel forever, and since my friend became head chef there, I’ve owed him a visit for too long.”

  I ate half my chocolate croissant and sipped my coffee in one go. “I’m definitely ready for relaxation. I feel like I’ve been running at a hundred kilometers per hour for months on end. This trip is needed indeed.”

  I glanced at Mom who was enjoying her pastry, and I was relieved to see her nod her head. “You’ve been working hard, Mei-chan. I hope you both enjoy your trip. I’ll say extra prayers for you at the temple tomorrow.” This was probably the best Mom could do under these circumstances. I would take all the extra prayers I could get.

  Yasahiro looked between the two of us before clearing his throat and grabbing his coffee. “Shall we get on the road? I don’t know how much traffic we’ll hit on the way to Hakone.”

  We grabbed my bag, and saying goodbye to Mom at the front door, we hugged and bowed goodbye. Yasahiro hefted my bag into the trunk, and I waited for him in the car, watching Mom through the front windshield. She looked smaller and older when I was away from her, and my breath caught in my throat.

  Yasahiro slid in and turned up the heat, waving to Mom as he pulled out of the driveway. “Your mom seems worried. Is everything okay?”

  “She’s fine. Just concerned about spending New Year’s Day apart. I told her not to be so superstitious, that we’d be fine.”

  “I see. Let’s bring something back for her and call her tomorrow.”

  I turned in my seat to look at the house as we approached the road. Mom was still there, watching us go. I waved my hand for one last goodbye, but I couldn’t be sure she saw me.

  You need a break, Mei.

  I just needed to say it a few more times to believe it.

  Chapter Two


  I was on vacation.

  I needed to let that sink in for a moment. I hadn’t been on vacation in, well, over five years, and boy did I deserve it. When I had graduated from college, Mom took me to Sapporo and Hokkaido for five days. We’d traveled there in April and the land was still covered by a meter’s worth of snow. It was a beautiful trip, but it wasn’t much of a vacation. It was my same life moved to a different part of the country, with Mom and her food and every bit of emotional baggage we treasured. And I was a summer girl. I really loved the summer. I would’ve preferred to have gone to Okinawa, but Mom wanted to go to Sapporo, and she was paying, not me.

  But this wasn’t a trip with my mom. I was going on vacation with Yasahiro. Nothing could beat a romantic getaway with a brand-new boyfriend even if the weather was bristling cold. It would only be three days — New Year’s Eve today, New Year’s Day tomorrow, and then drive home on January 2nd — but I would make them count.

  Yasahiro slowed the car as he pulled off the highway and into Hakone. Hakone was a town to the south of Mount Fuji and well-known for being a hot springs resort. The French architecture of the town rolled along the hills, and steam gushed from the stacks on top of buildings housing hot springs. The late morning light bounced off the melted snow and blinded me, and my heart buzzed with excitement. Hakone was a closer drive than Beppu (another popular hot spring resort town), and Yasahiro had ties here, so it made the perfect holiday spot.

  “Oh wow,” he said, leaning forward over the dashboard to look out the windshield. “This place hasn’t changed much in ten years.”

  “Is that how long it’s been since you were here last?” I pulled my phone out of my bag and checked the map. “I came here with friends when I was in college. We only stayed a day and night but we had a great time.” Thinking back on my trip, I remembered how Akiko diligently researched the onsens. She’d called five different hotels before finding one that would suit us, and everyone had been so kind. It’d been a stark contrast to the trips of my youth when I was recovering from my burn scars.

  “You’re suddenly very quiet,” Yasahiro said, turning down a side street. He glanced over at me, and I could feel his concern across the car. “What’s wrong?”

  I turned off my phone and chucked it into my bag. “Nothing. Just reminiscing.”

  He looked to the side at me, but I looked out the window. We were only a few blocks from our hotel, and maybe, if I prayed enough, things would go well. I had forgotten to vet the hotels Yasahiro showed me before coming here. I thought, for once, I’d let a boyfriend handle the plans instead of me micromanaging every little thing. There were days when I felt like a whole, unscarred person, especially when I was in love and someone else loved me back, despite my flaws. I felt normal, even though I looked far from it.

  Change the subject.

  I took a deep breath and let it all out, my favorite way to release tension without looking like I needed it. I had made it through another stressful murder investigation, my second one in as many months, while Yasahiro was in Paris, and we had just spent several days apart, him working hard at the restaurant and me helping Mom defrost things at home. We’d all moved out of the house — me, Mom, and Mimoji-chan — during the severe cold of early December, and even though the outlook was for frigid days in January, Mom had finally received paychecks and could afford heat. The temperatures had warmed up, and she was able to defrost the pipes. She told me not to move home until spring, though, and I suspected she was looking out for my relationship with Yasahiro. She also didn’t want to see our courtship come to a grinding halt so quickly.

  The imposing and formal front of the inn loomed over us as we drove up the driveway, and my hands shook. But if I could handle two murder investigations and a freezing winter, I could handle whatever would come next.

  “So, tell me. Why didn’t we stay at your friend’s hotel?” I asked, as he pulled the car in front and turned into the parking lot.

  Yasahiro laughed. “I had two choices. We could either stay at Yoshitomo, which my friends own, or come here. I have another friend here who’s the head chef. Since Yoshitomo was booked, I chose this place. Plus I haven’t seen Henri in a long time.”

  Yasahiro parked in one of the guest parking spots and turned off the car. “Besides, this is supposed to be one of the better onsens in town.”

  Remember, Mei, you’re on vacation.

  Even if I was apprehensive about being around new people, I could still relax and have a good time. Besides, these were Yasahiro’s friends. He’d met plenty of my friends, and it was time for me to do the same for him.

  The inn’s proprietress met us at the door, bowing and bidding us welcome in a winter kimono. We took off our shoes and left them in the front hall, stepping into the house slippers lined up along the entrance, and a bellhop led us to our room. As I had suspected, Yasahiro had smoothed everything out ahead of time.

  The bellhop began a tour of our room while the proprietress set out tea. She knelt at a lovely, dark wood, low table in the center of the room, laid out with snacks, a teapot and cups, and travel brochures about the local sights. I sat with her, and she poured tea.

  “Suga-san, I’m honored you would choose my inn for a vacation. I’ve heard many amazing things about your restaurant from Henri-san and researched it online. It’s nice to see people reviving traditional values, especially in our food.”

  Yasahiro glanced at me, and I could tell he was trying not to roll his eyes. He enjoyed the compliments, but he wanted to be an everyday guy. He was the type of person who struggled with his success, never really believing it. So, compliments like this made him uncomfortable, even if they were genuine.

  “Thank you so much for having us on such short notice. I realize your inn is crowded during the holiday season. I’m glad you had a room left for us.”

  I sipped tea to cover up my smile. Yasahiro was good at all the pleasantries.

  “We were lucky to have a cancellation, and I know you’re great friends with Henri-san. We’re happy to have you.” The woman topped up our tea mugs and stood up. “I invite you both to enjoy the public baths before lunch. Later, while you eat this evening, we will prepare the bath in your private bathroom for you. I’ll return in a moment with your yukata robes.” She bowed as she left the room.

  “Mmmm, I’m looking forward to a soak before and after dinner,” Yasahiro said, raising his eyebrows at me. Our relationship was new enough for me to warm with a blush, knowing what was ahead tonight. We had slept together a dozen times in the past couple of weeks, but it hadn’t lost the excitement of a brand-new relationship, with many things to learn about each other.

  “Shall we go for a soak and then a walk in the gardens?” He leaned forward to look out at the snow-covered grounds.

  “I think I’ve had enough of snow for now. We must come back in the spring when it’s warmer, and we can enjoy a green garden. Let’s have a soak and then go shopping after lunch instead.” New Year’s gifts needed to be purchased!

  The door opened with a soft knock. The proprietress had returned, her duties not yet complete.

  “I have fresh yukata for you to wear, and I’ve confirmed you’re set for lunch in an hour and dinner at 18:00.” She bowed and left again without another word. I liked her. She was kind and polite but unassuming. This was the way I wanted to be when I finally opened my tea shop. After the new year, Yasahiro and I would start our business plans and renovations of his downstairs retail space for my new elderly meeting center and tea shop. Plus, it would be a bento box outpost for Sawayaka, Yasahiro’s restaurant.

  “Good.” Yasahiro rose from his seat and handed me a robe. “Let’s get dressed in these and go. My back aches from being in the car for so long.” He leaned in and kissed my neck. “I can’t wait to get in bed with you later,” he whispered in my ear, and my heart raced. I was already looking forward to it.

  Chapter Three

  I walked into the ladies’ dressing room and headed towards the
back corner without a care in the world. This would be the start of a great vacation, and I would do it soaking in a nice, hot bath. I found an unoccupied wooden locker, tucked away in the corner, the perfect place for me to hide until I was ready. I sat on the bench and looked into the elegantly furnished and sparkling clean washroom. I couldn’t wait to get in there. I took a deep breath and disrobed, placing the yukata in the locker and turning my back to it. The rest of the locker room was empty. Maybe I’d get lucky and there’d be no one around?

  Nope. I definitely couldn’t be that lucky.

  When would I understand that I was an inherently unlucky person?

  I grabbed a fresh washcloth at the entrance to the washroom. Several women in a group were already sitting and washing up before going into the baths. They seemed to know each other, laughing and telling jokes while slapping each other on the shoulders and calling to other people outside.

  There was no place for me to go except for the station nearest the door, and no one noticed me coming in, so I sat and got to work. This was always my favorite part of bathing at Kumi’s bathhouse. I loved to scrub up until my skin was pink, then soak in the hot water until I was a lump. Thinking about Kumi, I wished she and Goro had come with us. We talked about making this a double date, me and Yasahiro, Kumi and Goro. But Goro couldn’t get away from work. Oh well. I had wanted to spend the holiday alone with Yasahiro, anyway.