The March wind blew through the plaza in front of the station, and the still-closed cherry buds huddled tight at the tips of their branches.
“…Can’t reach it.”
Minico strained to reach up toward the high spot on the bulletin board, standing on a stone he’d used as a step. A sheet of paper read “A birthday card for my sister.” In the address line, it said: “Somewhere in the world.”
“Want a hand?”
The voice belonged to Maskman, his white mask pulled up to his chin. He was passing through the plaza earlier than his usual patrol, for no particular reason, today of all days.
“Thanks! But why are you so early today?”
“…I was just walking.”
Maskman lifted Minico easily onto his shoulder and let him gently press the card onto the high spot on the board. His thick hand quietly supported Minico’s small back.
Sonchō sat beneath the weeping cherry tree, nibbling a rice cracker, watching the two of them closely.
“They say there was once a magistrate in this town who walked the plaza disguised as a nameless townsperson .”
He wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular.
“It wasn’t that his disguise was clever — it was that he truly lived at the same eye level as the people of the town. That’s why no one ever noticed. Feh-feh.”
Maskman said nothing. But after setting Minico down on the ground, he suddenly, for no clear reason, straightened his back.
“I wonder if the card will really get there… I did write ‘somewhere in the world.’”
“It’ll get there,” Minico said, smiling. “Even if it never arrives, the feeling you wrote it with is real.”
Maskman only said, “I see,” and walked on to continue his patrol. The edge of his mask had turned just a little red.
Margin note: That night, someone quietly left a small sticky note beside the card on the bulletin board. It read: “Feelings arrive.”
【Today’s Drop】
- Tōyama no Kin-san Day (March 2): The death anniversary of Tōyama Kagemoto, an Edo-period town magistrate said to have disguised himself as a commoner to investigate crimes. Known for the cherry-blossom tattoo on his shoulder, this date commemorates his passing.
- Mini Day: A wordplay anniversary from “3 (mi) 2 (ni),” celebrating small and miniature things.
This is an English translation of “仮面の下の桜色”, part of Tales of Amencho Town (蛙鳴町奇譚).