MONAS | Tone 1 | Phrase 4: The Rainbow of the Thirteen Buddhas

[Tone 1. Shiga: The Sea of Niho] 〜 This muddy vesture of decay 〜

Glancing at Kaho as she appeared in the lobby, Kai raised a single eyebrow.

“Right. Are you seriously intending to do fieldwork in that get-up?”

Having spent the night mulling over Shakespeare’s words from the previous evening and barely slept a wink, Kaho couldn’t help but sigh at his all-too-typical—or rather, utterly tactless—opening remark.

“Well, isn’t that a charming greeting. We’re on a pilgrimage to Chikubu Island today. Turning up to pay our respects to Benzaiten in a tracksuit would be a bit rude, wouldn’t it?”

Kai was in his usual shooting attire. Seeing that the only difference was his base layer having changed to grey, Kaho felt a sudden pang of embarrassment at her own hasty assumption, having read entirely too much into his intentions.

“Mine isn’t a tracksuit, it’s combat gear. But whatever. As a subject, you’ll make for a picturesque shot.” “Honestly, you always have to add one word too many!”

This morning, Kaho was adorned in an Ōmi-chijimi—a traditional crêpe fabric associated with the Ōmi region—featuring a delicate ombré of celadon and pale wisteria. Around her waist, she wore a kaki-e obi, upon which a biwa lute was painted in exquisite shades of ink against an unbleached natural background—a masterful reproduction of an ink-wash painting by Keigetsu Kikuchi. An antique silver obi-dome (sash clip) threaded through a slender sanbu-himo cord, intricately crafted with a motif of fresh green maple leaves bobbing upon the waves, added a subtle breath of coolness to her ensemble.

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