The first story from the 4 seasons of K series, starring the Silver clan. The original j.a.panese text is kindly provided by .
Beans and Prayers by Raikaku Rei
“Let us celebrate Setsubun,” Ichigen said with a smile on his face.
It was February - Kuro’s first February since he was taken in and came under tutelage of Miwa Ichigen.
Ichigen loved watching seasons change one another and always looked forward to it, subsequently treasuring seasons-related traditions and celebrations. And Kuroh found that trait, among Ichigen’s others, simply wonderful. To Kuroh, the man was his savior, as well as his mentor in life, and the boy strove to observe every aspect of Ichigen’s everyday life and learn from it.
So Kuroh gave a big nod at the suggestion. “Yes, Ichigen-sama!”
“Alright, then I will play the demon.”
Kuroh was eager, but when those calm serene words came out of Ichigen’s mouth, his bearing immediately changed. “No, Ichigen-sama! I cannot bear the thought of you playing the demon! And I will absolutely cannot allow anyone to throw beans at you! Please let me be the demon!” Kuroh shouted pa.s.sionately, and Ichigen c.o.c.ked his head to the side, making a troubled face.
Yukari, Ichigen’s other disciple and Kuroh’s senior, sitting on the porch with one knee up tending to his nails, intoned without raising his head, “Wouldn’t it get us in trouble though if grownups see a child being hit with beans?”
At Yukari’s words, Kuroh felt their truth dawn on him. How awful it was that he almost caused Ichigen-sama to lose his standing and people’s respect because of him!
“These days, in ordinary households it’s customary for the father to play the demon.”
“But having to throw beans at you, Ichigen-san, I… I just can’t…!”
Watching frantic Kuroh who looked on the verge of dropping to his knees in despair at any moment, Ichigen’s face took on an even more troubled expression as he shifted his gaze to Yukari. “Yukari…”
“No, thank you,” Yukari cut off resolutely, still not lifting his head.
Ichigen gave a little wry smile and stroked Kuroh’s head. “Then we will throw beans but without a demon.”
At Ichigen’s proposal, Kuroh tilted his head to the side. “Can you even throw beans when there is no demon?”
“A real demon…?” Kuroh looked at the man in puzzlement, and Ichigen nodded with a smile.
“Cannot be seen…”
To Kuroh, a demon was a scary monster with red or blue skin, with horns on its head and toting a club. But Ichigen was saying that that shape was just an image to make understanding demons easier.
“That is right. Demons are negativity and maliciousness, something like bad air that you cannot see. So at Setsubun, by scattering beans, you cleanse that bad air and pray for happiness and health.”
Before being taking in by Ichigen, Kuroh was akin bad air himself. Having done one too many bad things, he even considered himself the source of evil. Maybe he really should play the demon…
But just as Kuroh thought this, Yukari snorted lightly. “If we could cleanse maliciousness just by scattering beans, no one would have any troubles. The only way to clear dark clouds is through your own will and power.”
Kuroh looked at the senior disciple with wide eyes. He still couldn’t figure him out, but sometimes the man did say things that were eye-opening to Kuroh.
Ichigen smiled a broad smile. “It is like Yukari says. However, prayer is a manifestation of a person’s will, and something that translates into power.”
Yukari was silent for a few moments, looking like he was pondering Ichigen’s words, then smiled back at his mentor. “I can’t deny that.” Getting up, he added, “Well then, let’s throw some beans, shall we?”
“We shall celebrate Setsubun,” Kuroh declared, a hand on his hip.
Shiro looked at the calendar. “Now that you mentioned, today is the 3rd of February, huh,” he noted. “Setsubun is a strange celebration where you’re supposed to chase the person wearing a demon’s mask and throw beans at them, then face a certain direction and eat futomaki rolls in silence, right?”
“Well, in the past, it was celebrated on a larger scale, I heard. The Lieutenant once said that preparing for his family’s ceremony was no walk in the park.”
“Yeah, now that I think about it, indeed. So we’re going to do it the normal style, yes? With beans? And with ehomaki?”
Kuroh produced a box of parched beans he had prepared beforehand and placed it on the tea table. “Here’s the beans.”
And this was where he realized something: the loudest person out of the three of them was currently completely silent, curling up on the floor pillow. From her breathing, Kuroh knew that she wasn’t sleeping.
“Neko?”
“I won’t celebrate,” she answered back, voice hard.
Kuroh stared at her in wonder.
Neko didn’t hold back when expressing her emotions, so it was unusual for her to sulk like that without coming forth and saying clearly what her problem was. Kuroh was perfectly aware that this was no time to press forward blindly without listening to Neko’s reasons first, so he came to her side and sat down on his knees.
“What’s wrong, Neko?”
“Why? Are you not feeling well?”
“No, that’s not it.”
That left Kuroh more perplexed than before, and he turned to Shiro for help.
Shiro’s eyes softened as he called out to Neko who lay with her back to him. “You don’t want to have to throw beans, Neko?”
“…” This silence was all the confirmation they needed.
Kuroh reached out and petted Neko’s head. Just like with a real cat, he combed through her hair, lightly stirring it out of place.
Neko rolled, changing her position to face Kuroh and Shiro. The expression she wore on her face was sulkish, but her eyes were tinged with real sadness.
“I don’t like to be hit with beans.”
“I’m not a demon.”
The realization hit Kuroh. “Someone threw beans at you, didn’t they?”
Neko drew her knees up and hugged them with both arms, curling up on herself even more and bodily rocking. Lips pursed, she explained with whining tone. “Earlier, some boys shouted "The demon out!” and threw heas of beans at me. …Even though I’m not a demon.“
Kuroh clenched his fists in anger. Neko must have walked around, making those around her see her as a cat through the use of her perception manipulation ability. You could always find rotten brats who bullied small animals anywhere. Kuroh gritted his teeth wishing he was there at the time to catch the brats and give them a good scolding.
"And what did you do after that, Neko?” Shiro asked mildly, and Neko snorted roughly.
“They called me a demon, so I showed a really scary demon!”
…So the brats got what they had coming even without Kuroh stepping in and giving them a scolding.
Shiro chuckled and stroked Neko’s head. “You’re so strong, Neko. But I’d like you to realize that Setsubun itself is not to blame just because those children happened to do a bad thing.”
“But…” Neko mumbled, eyes tearful.
It looked like the prank hurt her quite deeply, Kuroh sensed. Neko was a brash girl, but as fate would have it, she had to wander all alone as a kitten for so long. A lot of things must have happened to her during that period. A lot of hurtful things, like bullying and cruel treatment, that left lasting scars on her heart. Perhaps, she was reminded of them all too vividly.
“Neko, listen. Actually, the ritual of throwing beans at demons to drive them out is no child’s play. Demons are nothing more than the shape to make understanding maliciousness that’s like invisible bad air, easier. Scattering beans is a ritual where you cleanse that maliciousness and pray for happiness and health.”
“In other words, you’re supposed to pray when scattering beans. Bad things might happen, but you should wish for the three of us to weather them and for lots of good things to happen, see? Because when you pray, your prayer can really translate into strength.”
Kuroh’s eyes widened slightly.
…A prayer that would translate into strength. Ichigen-sama said something along these lines as well.
For the next while, Neko simply silently gazed at Shiro. Kuroh watched and waited for her reply with batted breath.
“Lots of good things. For the three of us,” Neko repeated and suddenly broke into a broad smile, nodding. “I get it!” Neko sprang up from her disheartened curling position and pumped her fists in the air. “We decided to do it, so let’s do it~!”
“Good grief, what a bewildering girl,” Kuroh smiled a lopsided smile and lifted the box with the beans. “Well then, take your beans.”
Each of the three grabbing a handful of beans, they chanted in unison, “Demons out! Good fortune in!”
When they were done scattering beans, Kuroh counted the number of beans equal to Neko’s age and handed them over to her.
“You want me to eat this?”
“Hmmm,” Neko elongated without much interest and wolfed down her beans. The face she made then informed the other two that she found their taste neither good nor bad.
“Do I have to eat them, too…?” Shiro looked Kuroh’s way, perplexity written all over his face.
“Hey, hey, Kurosuke, I’d rather have the other food we’re supposed to eat! The futomaki that you mentioned earlier!”
“Yay~!”
While Kuroh and Neko clamored excitedly, Shiro, feeling like an ascetic monk in training, kept counting the beans to match the number of his years, with no end in sight.