"Is it you, Ieyasu?"
The person greeting Ieyasu and Asahi was an old man wearing a fur coat and a fur hat covering his ears. He was the Village Chief.
"Gramps!!"
Ieyasu shouted, running forward to embrace him. The Chief was the person closest to the three of them—he was the one who had raised Ieyasu, Tatsumi, and Sayo. It was for his sake and the villagers that they had been determined to go to the Capital and make their fortune.
But life had been too cruel to them. Seeing the Chief, Ieyasu truly wanted to burst into tears and pour out all the accumulated grievances. But he didn't. The Chief was old; Ieyasu feared that if the old man heard Sayo was dead, he might fall ill from grief.
So, no matter how much it hurt, Ieyasu forced a joyful expression, though he held the Chief very tightly.
"You brat, you've only been gone a while and you're already homesick? How are you supposed to make it in the Capital like this?"
"Oh, Gramps, this is Mr. Asahi, a friend from the Capital."
Ieyasu released the Chief and introduced Asahi. Asahi smiled warmly and waved. Although the Chief was old, he was a good judge of character; he recognized immediately that Asahi was a good person and welcomed him warmly.
"Oh, a gentleman from the Capital. Ieyasu, it's not right to leave a guest standing out in the cold. Come inside."
"Thank you, I'll be in your care."
The three went into the Chief's house. Unlike the brick architecture of the city, this house was built entirely of large logs fitted together, with a large fireplace in the living room. Most houses in the area were built this way. The villagers weren't afraid of strangers; they were hospitable and kind. Growing up in such an environment explained why Ieyasu, Sayo, and Tatsumi were such well-mannered children.
"You two talk. I'll head upstairs to rest," Ieyasu said.
In the living room, only Asahi and the Chief remained. Their conversation centered around the three children the old man loved.
"Ay ya, they are truly lucky to have met someone like you, Mr. Asahi."
"I'm the lucky one, sir. All three of them are very capable. Especially Tatsumi—he's left the nest and is starting to walk his own path."
"Haha, Tatsumi? That boy... honestly, I only hope the three of them stay healthy. He pushes himself too hard sometimes." The Chief sighed. "Initially, I didn't want them to go. I'm just an uneducated old man, but I suspected the Capital might not be the paradise they imagined. They must have suffered quite a bit."
"I don't need them to bring back money. I just want the three of them to return so I can see their faces one last time before I go."
The Chief talked a lot, perhaps out of loneliness. Asahi didn't find it annoying; he listened and conversed patiently.
Ieyasu stood hidden near the stairs leading to the second floor. Every word the old man said made him clench his fists. Tears streamed down his face, but he didn't dare make a sound, choking back his sobs. He wanted to run out and apologize to him—apologize for his failure, and for the fact that Sayo was gone forever. They would never be a trio again.
After a while, the conversation turned somber. The Chief seemed to age further as he asked Asahi:
"Mr. Asahi, Ieyasu is hiding something from me, isn't he? I raised him; he's good at hiding it, but he can't fool these old eyes. Forgive me, but if he has done anything wrong, please forgive him. He's still young."
"Don't say that, Chief. Ieyasu is a fine young man. There was simply an accident that affected his health, so I sent him back home to recover. Once he's well, he can return to the Capital to continue his work."
"Mr. Asahi, you are such a generous benefactor... I... I don't know how to thank you."
"Haha, don't call me a big boss. I'm just someone who recently found a footing."
Asahi noticed the old man exhale a small sigh of relief. He then changed the subject.
"By the way, there's this..."
He pulled out the chest of money and opened it. The Chief's eyes were momentarily dazzled by the glint of the coins. But in his eyes, there was no greed—only confusion and worry.
"Mr. Asahi... this is too much..."
"Ah! It's not much at all. Ieyasu explained the situation here. Consider this his salary and a bonus for his hard work. I'm very much looking forward to him returning to work once he's better."
The Chief smiled kindly. He understood that Asahi was simply trying to help the village without making him feel the weight of charity. Being uneducated didn't mean he was unwise; no employer paid like this. Since Asahi didn't want to make it an issue, the Chief didn't press further. But from that moment on, Asahi was the hero of the village.
Asahi stepped out of the Chief's house, with the old man following behind. The villagers noticed him; to people living in this cold, isolated hill, someone from the Capital like Asahi was like a superstar. A curious child ran up to him, looking up with innocent eyes.
A woman moved to pull her child back, but Asahi shook his head, signaling it was fine. He ruffled the boy's hair and pulled a piece of candy from his pocket. These were common and cheap in the Capital, but to a child here, it was a treasure. The child took it with both hands, bowed in thanks, and ran back to his mother.
As Asahi walked away from the village, he turned back. The Village Chief and the villagers were waving to him. He raised his hand in farewell, his figure gradually fading into the falling snow until he vanished from sight.
"Chief, who was he?" a villager asked.
"Our benefactor," the old man replied.
…
Late that night, the Chief went upstairs to Ieyasu's bedside. Perhaps because the long journey had exhausted his recovering body, or because this was the place where his soul felt safest, Ieyasu was sleeping deeply. He didn't notice the Chief standing nearby.
The Chief gently opened Ieyasu's clenched hand and saw the familiar hair tie that Sayo had worn when she left the village. He seemed to realize the truth at that moment, and he wept in silence.
In a permanent parting, perhaps the most painful part is reserved for those left behind.