Hiro Arikawa - The Travelling Cat Chronicles

When her father died, Noriko had said she wouldn’t go on to college, but her sister had insisted that she did, arguing that it was a waste if she didn’t, as she was so bright. After her older sister graduated from high school, she had worked at the local farmer’s co-op, and it seemed she had given a lot of thought to the question of whether Noriko should go to college. Even if their father had still been alive, the family’s financial situation would have made it difficult for both girls to go.

In the spring, when Noriko passed the exam to go and study law, the specialism she had chosen herself, straight after high school, her sister had been transferred from their hometown to Sapporo. Noriko’s college was outside Hokkaido, so this meant that both of them were leaving their hometown. Her older sister had used this opportunity to sell off every piece of farmland and the woodlands her father had owned.

Selling it off piece by piece, her sister had explained, wouldn’t bring in much money. Up until then, they’d been renting the land out to a neighbouring farmer, but the income was minimal. Selling it all as one lot would bring in a fair amount of money, enough to cover Noriko’s tuition fees and living expenses.

At first, they had been reluctant to sell the house they’d grown up in, and had rented it out, but by the time Noriko graduated from college her older sister had let this go as well. Her sister had married and the sale would raise money for Noriko’s remaining tuition fees. It wouldn’t do for her sister’s new family to have to continue supporting her.

Her sister always used to apologize for not having waited to get married until after Noriko had graduated. But Noriko knew how patiently her new brother-in-law had waited to marry her sister. He’d been transferred away from Hokkaido in his job and had proposed to her before he was due to leave.

That was the official reason, but there was another reason her sister couldn’t reveal. The young man’s family was opposed to him marrying this woman who not only had no parents but was supporting her younger sister. His family were well off, and knowing her older sister was struggling financially, they had decided she was after their money.

They’d set up any number of omiai , arranged meetings with other women, trying to get their son to leave her, and truth be told, it had been hard for both of them to resist the pressure.

Noriko was glad her brother-in-law was not the kind of man to buckle under pressure from his family and leave her sister. She was grateful to him for this, and it never crossed her mind to oppose her sister’s marriage.

‘But, sis,’ she argued, ‘can’t we at least keep the old house?’

‘No one wants to rent it any more. And it’s getting really run-down. The person we’re renting to now said if we sell it to him he’ll renovate it, but otherwise they’ll move out.’

‘That’s not a bad offer…’

‘Both of us live outside Hokkaido and we can’t afford the upkeep of an empty house. If we pay for the renovations, we might be able to find a new person to rent it, but financially it’ll be tough. And an empty house wouldn’t survive the winter snows.’

Her sister had never explained the situation to her before, and for the first time Noriko had understood that she had always done her best to provide her with everything she needed.

She had hoped one day to repay her sister for all she’d done for her. But well before she could, her sister and her brother-in-law were gone for ever.

At the very least, she wanted to do her best for the son they’d left behind, Satoru. That was what she had hoped, but, from the very start, she didn’t feel she had managed to keep that particular ball in the air.

And it would all end with her never having done enough for Satoru either.

Sis, I am so very, very sorry.

I don’t think I ever made Satoru happy.

All I do is make him worry over trivial things like this. The email with the title (Laughing) . He joked around, but you could sense the tender concern that was so typical of Satoru.

Ever since she had started looking after him, Satoru had been a reasonable, very perceptive, mature child. But was this really his true nature?

Her sister had always insisted he was a mischievous boy who gave her a lot of trouble, though she’d always smiled when she said this.

And it was true that, while his parents were still alive, Satoru had been pretty naughty. When Noriko went on the occasional visit, she had found him big-hearted and self-assured, as children who know how fiercely they are loved often are. ‘Auntie, Auntie,’ he’d say, clinging to her, and sometimes he’d throw a tantrum or sulk.

A typical child, in other words, yet when he came to live with her he never once acted selfishly. This seemed less because his parents’ death had forced him to mature quickly than because Noriko had compelled him to be that way.

She had no idea how to overcome the distance she’d created between herself and the young Satoru, and she generally relied on him to paper over her sense of estrangement.

I hope he can at least spend these last days free of worry. She truly felt that way, and yet she couldn’t even do a decent job of exchanging a few emails with her nephew.

At least, Noriko thought, as she got up from her short rest on the sofa, at least I can get everything in order here before Satoru arrives. She might be lousy at sorting out the subtleties of other people’s feelings, but even an obstinate, unsociable person like her could buckle down and get the job done when she had to.

It was nearly three o’clock when Satoru finally drove up to the apartment.

‘Sorry, Aunt Noriko, for being so late.’

‘Don’t worry. I get things done faster by myself.’

She’d meant to respond lightly to his apology, but Satoru looked a little embarrassed. Seeing his expression, she realized that, yet again, she’d said the wrong thing.

‘I have no problem at all with us living together. I’m your legal guardian, after all.’ She’d hurriedly added this, but again it was something that would have been better left unsaid. The more she tried to explain herself, the faster her speech became.

‘The only things left unpacked are yours, Satoru. I put the boxes in your room. I’ve pretty much finished putting everything else away, so you don’t need to help with that.’

When she saw Satoru’s face, as he looked at her, blinking in surprise, she realized she’d been firing off one comment after another without giving him a chance to respond.

‘I’m sorry. I’m afraid I’m the same as ever…’

Her shoulders slumped dejectedly, and Satoru suddenly let out a small laugh.

‘I’m glad you haven’t changed, Aunt Noriko. We haven’t lived together for thirteen years and, to be honest, I’ve been feeling a bit nervous about it.’

Satoru then put the bag he had slung across his shoulder on the floor, and with both hands placed the basket carefully beside it.

‘Nana, this is your new home.’

He opened the basket door and a cat leapt right out. The cat had markings shaped like the character for eight on his forehead, and a black hooked tail. Other than that, it was pure white. She had the feeling that the cat Satoru had had years ago, the one they’d had to give away when she took her nephew in, had looked similar.

The cat had its nose to the ground, sniffing tentatively.

‘I’m sorry that taking me has meant taking in Nana as well.’ Satoru frowned. ‘I was hoping to find a place for him before we started living together, but I just couldn’t find a decent new owner. Though a number of people did offer.’

‘It’s quite all right.’

‘But it’s meant you’ve had to move into a new apartment.’