Kusamakura said his goodbyes before leaving that place. His heart ached. It rampaged in his chest. It felt like it would burst right out.
—There was nothing there.
Kusamakura walked at a speed that was almost running. He felt the weight in his sleeve of the mirror that reflected the undeniable truth of his existence.
—My face wasn’t there&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;!
His breathing was violently out of control. He tried to steady his breathe, but was unable to. Kusamakura covered his mouth as he ran off with no particular destination.
Shunshou next to him in the mirror was an exact reflection. In other words, the image of himself beside Shunshou was also real. Falling forward onto the pebbles, Kusamakura finally stopped. He gasped for breath as he grabbed the mirror in his sleeve with trembling fingers, and pulled it out once again. A faceless man was reflecting back at him. His straight, black hair was tied up, flowing to one side. Since he brushed it every morning with a comb he had found, it was well kept. Kusamakura sighed as he put the hair that had slipped out of place behind his ear. Lips emerged from his smooth skin. When he closed his mouth, he was able to make it disappear. He wasn’t aware of it until now, so he was shocked he looked this way.