Blossoms all scattered,In the house of books, alone,Only I remain
Chapter 51
After World War II ended, we nobility were swept away by the ensuing changes. The country had to accept significant transformations due to political intervention by the Allied Powers. My youth intertwined with the turbulent currents of those times.
"The postwar period too is over,"
was the story of that era.
When I learned that Dazai Osamu had committed suicide, I remember lamenting,
"Oh, I won't be able to read any more of his books."
The only reason I could attend university was the prestige of that era. It was a time of rapid economic growth, when the "Sun Tribe" walked the streets. The literature department I belonged to was significantly influenced by that atmosphere. Female writers were emerging in earnest, and I became captivated by the stories woven one after another.
In those stories, the authors' thoughts, cries, and lives were conveyed through the text. For the first time, I realized I was a bird in a cage. A friend once said, "Hey, Takamiya-san. Let's enjoy the short summer." She later married into a zaibatsu family upon graduation.
Our blue blood was recognized as a new prestige by the zaibatsu and emerging companies developing alongside the rapid economic growth. As the conflict in Indo-China intensified, threatening to involve not just the US but also our country, I received a marriage proposal. Although it reminded me of Ozaki Kōyō's "The Golden Demon," I had no Kan'ichi. For the Takamiya Count family, which had nothing to be proud of except its blood, rejecting this proposal was not an option.
The family I married into was a newly emerging zaibatsu in the countryside. I was warmly welcomed, but unfortunately, I couldn't have children with my husband. His mistress, who bore his child, chilled our marital relationship. Thinking of his mistress as Naomi from Tanizaki Jun'ichirō's "A Fool's Love" was my way of consoling myself back then.
The inevitable breakup between me, who couldn't transform from a literature girl to a wife, and my husband, who fell for a woman like Naomi, led to our divorce. In an era when divorce was still considered a family disgrace, and for the Takamiya Count family, which had no value other than its blood, my return meant the end of support from my husband's family. The decline of the Takamiya Count family was inevitable. My father drowned in alcohol until he died, while my mother maintained the nobility's pride as best she could until the end of her life by selling off household items.
All I had left were my books. I was too pure to live like Harumi in Kikuchi Kan's "The Woman of the Pearl," and I knew too much of the world to live like the dancing girl in Kawabata Yasunari's "The Dancing Girl of Izu." Having lost everything but myself, I was driven to work.
"Because of your request, as the Madonna and an intellectual woman of the university, I'll arrange a position for you, out of respect for our camaraderie," said a friend.
Around the time Yukio Mishima committed seppuku and Naoya Shiga and Yasunari Kawabata also passed away, I secured a job at a publishing company. The literary world still retained the scent of an upper-class salon, and I used my connections to get the job.
This job was a calling for me. As the wave of women's advancement in society became decisive, I rode the tide. Promoted by the publishing company where I was employed, I became one of the flagbearers of women's social advancement. Even noble daughters can work, I proved.
"Are you becoming the librarian at Teito Gakushukan Academy?" a friend asked. Around the time the Vietnam War was ending in a defeat for the West, I was scouted to become the librarian at Teito Gakushukan Academy. Although I had the qualifications, but the suddenness of the offer raised doubts. Politicians and patrons around the literary world, and journalists, advised me that my role had ended.
"There were people who didn't want to make you the second Yosano Akiko," they said. The Cold War was still ongoing, yet we were becoming richer and more decadent. From Shiba Ryotaro to Murakami Ryu to Akagawa Jiro, the times changed.
And so, I found my final abode in the central library of Teito Gakushukan Academy. Deliberately left behind by the era, I spent tranquil days dealing with books in the library. However, the longer I worked, the more students came to admire me. Some even returned to the academy as teachers or librarians after becoming adults. As a result of behaving as an adult and senior, I found myself being called "Sensei."
I don't have the talent to guide people like Toson Shimazaki or Soseki Natsume . Nor did I question society like Miyamoto Yuriko. I simply continued my life with books. The nickname that eventually stuck with me was "The Witch of the Library." I still remember the wry smile I had when I realized I had escaped the witch hunts by becoming the director of the central library at Teito Gakushukan Academy.
That could be considered the culmination of my life as Takamiya Haruka.
Human emotions are abrupt and difficult to understand. When it reached my ears, something inside me stirred.
"That's fine. Because of such things, I feel like my life is floating in the air. If I stand in the same place as Du Zichun, will I be able to speak up? Honestly, I don't know,"
I thought. From where I stood, I could only hear her voice. The wind blew, and a flurry of petals stole my view.
"Keika-in is Keika-in. If it's the Keika-in I know, she'll definitely speak up. She'll say, 'Being a hermit is boring.'"
"Pfft. What’s that?"
Even after the two people who had been talking left, the name Keika-in continued to linger in my ears. I think about it now. That was when I decided to become a teacher. To properly guide her, who said she might become a hermit, as a human being.
"Good morning! Takamiya-sensei!"
"Good morning."
**bows**
One such spring day, I passed by three radiant girls with school bags.
"Good morning. Kasugano-san. Keika-in-san. Kaihouin-san."
They bowed to my greeting and ran towards their school. Their figures were nostalgic and dazzling.
"Blossoms all scattered,
In the house of books, alone,
Only I remain."
I composed a haiku for the first time in a while. Seeing the poem disappear into the sky along with the spring breeze, I returned to my castle alone.
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Authors Note
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Now that I think about it, both "joint library" and "central library" are being used interchangeably, so let's standardize them as "central."
【The postwar too ended】
From the 1956 Economic White Paper.
【Sun Tribe】
The collective name for the youth who admired Ishihara Shintaro's "Season of the Sun."
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Translator Note
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Their name name that are probably unknown to you all and if went ahead and tried to give explanation of every thing it will break the flow of reading way tooo much . So will be giving a lot ng explanation of every characters/person here ....
1. Dazai Osamu: Renowned Japanese novelist, best known for "No Longer Human" and "The Setting Sun." His works often explore themes of depression and alienation.
2. Ozaki Kōyō: Japanese author known for "The Golden Demon," a tragic love story featuring Kan'ichi and his unrequited love for a woman named Omiya.
3. Kan'ichi: Main character in Ozaki Kōyō's "The Golden Demon." His love for Omiya leads to his personal and financial ruin.
4. Naomi: Central character in Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's "A Fool's Love." She is a modern, Westernized woman who captivates and manipulates the protagonist, Joji.
5. Harumi: Key character in Kan Kikuchi's "The Woman of the Pearl." She is a symbol of beauty and mystery, central to the story's romantic and tragic elements.
6. The Dancing Girl of Izu: A novella by Yasunari Kawabata about a young student who falls in love with a traveling dancer in the Izu Peninsula, highlighting transient beauty and fleeting love.
7. Sun Tribe: A post-war Japanese youth culture movement characterized by rebelliousness and hedonism, often depicted in literature and films of the 1950s.
8. Mishima Yukio: Prolific Japanese writer, known for works like "Confessions of a Mask" and "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion." His life ended in a dramatic ritual suicide.
9. Shiga Naoya: A prominent writer in Japanese literature, known for his autobiographical style. His notable works include "At Kinosaki" and "A Dark Night’s Passing."
10. Yasunari Kawabata: Nobel Prize-winning author known for his poetic and delicate prose. His famous works include "Snow Country," "Thousand Cranes," and "The Master of Go."
11. Yosano Akiko: Influential poet, feminist, and social reformer, famous for her tanka poetry collection "Midaregami" (Tangled Hair).
12. Shiba Ryotaro: Historian and novelist known for his historical novels such as "Ryoma ga Yuku" and "The Last Shogun," which depict Japan's transition to modernity.
13. Murakami Ryu: Contemporary writer known for "Almost Transparent Blue," a novel about disaffected youth in Japan, and "Coin Locker Babies."
14. Akagawa Jiro: Popular Japanese author known for his mystery, horror, and thriller novels, including the "Detective Murders" series and "The Red Handkerchief."
15. Toson Shimazaki: Major figure in Japanese naturalism, best known for "The Broken Commandment" and "Before the Dawn," which depict the struggles of individuals against societal norms.
16. Soseki Natsume: Renowned Meiji-era novelist, famous for "I Am a Cat," "Kokoro," and "Botchan," often exploring themes of individualism and modernization.
17. Yuriko Miyamoto: Japanese writer and feminist, known for her novels and essays that critique social injustices and advocate for women's rights.
18. Du Zichun: A character from Chinese literature, specifically in "Du Zichun" by Pu Songling. He is a scholar who undergoes various trials to achieve immortality.
~~~End~~~