"Man, that cathedral really is something else."

  The owner said, clearly still in tourist mode.

  Walking behind him, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d just seen.

  It was Omochi. Not the kind you eat—the white stray cat that claims the school grounds as its territory.

  I saw it teetering toward the entrance of the cave.

  And then—

  the moment it passed through, it fell.

  At least, that’s how it looked to me.

  It was too dark for the lamplight to reach, so maybe I just imagined it.

  I wanted to run over and check, but for some reason, my legs wouldn’t move.

  “Aki-kun?”

  Tsurubami’s clear, gentle voice brought me back to myself.

  “Did you see something?”

  He looked at me with concern. Even the owner, who had already started walking ahead, turned around.

  “What? What? Should we go in after all?”

  That glint of curiosity had returned to his eyes.

  “…I thought I saw Omochi.”

  “Omochi? What’s that?”

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  The owner asked, but Tsurubami crouched down and looked around without waiting for an answer.

  “Omochi, come on out.”

  He’s always kind to animals.

  “Sorry… looks like it ran off somewhere. Let’s go. my brother and Mr. White are probably worried.”

  ??

  The owner ran up the slope toward the cathedral’s door with his arms spread wide, practically dancing.

  He might be younger than my dad, but he looks around forty.

  Even middle schoolers don’t get that excited anymore.

  “Please be quiet in the cathedral.”

  Tsurubami now looked more like a chaperone teacher.

  Even though I’d only been absent for three days with headaches, the cold air inside the cathedral felt nostalgic—yet the nighttime version of it felt like an entirely different building.

  —Oh no. I’m getting excited too.

  Trying not to let Tsurubami notice, I spoke carefully.

  “I missed hearing your pipe organ. I’m really glad you’re back.”

  Tsurubami smiled slightly, just with the corner of his face.

  What I really wanted to say was: I was sad I couldn’t see you play.

  That side profile, those fingers, the way your legs move with each pedal press—I wanted to see it all again.

  “It’s amazing in here.”

  The owner—honestly—has very limited vocabulary.

  He kept looking up at the cathedral ceiling and repeating “amazing” like a mantra.

  “Is this concrete?”

  He started touching one of the nearby pillars.

  “This cathedral is made of wood,”

  Tsurubami replied, clearly annoyed.

  Because the outer walls are covered in metal, people often mistake it for a modern structure.

  But the actual building is wooden.

  And the gray interior only adds to the confusion.

  The gray color isn’t paint—it’s from a rare species of naturally gray wood.

  Using it for buildings is now banned due to its scarcity.

  “Whoa, really? That’s amazing.”

  “…”

  Tsurubami looked like he’d given up on explaining, and I started looking for my brother and Mr. White.

  The moonlight shining through the cross-shaped window above the altar and the owner’s flashlight weren’t nearly enough to illuminate the entire cathedral.

  I slowly made my way toward the long rows of wooden benches.

  “Brother? Mr. White?”

  I called out softly.

  “Aki-kun… look.”

  Tsurubami pointed toward the center seats.

  I squinted in the dim light.

  There—on the floor—Mr. White sat with my brother lying motionless, cradled in his lap.