There was something about those eyes. Something haunting. Something that made Genma feel empty and used up, like he'd vomited himself dry, wept himself into raw-throated silence.
And yet...
She was beautiful. Stunningly beautiful. She made him feel calm and relaxed. Made him think of a windswept hilltop in midwinter, with a row of silent jizo statues and the golden orange rays of the setting sun. Serene.
"Do I... Do I know her?" Genma asked. He picked up the glass of tea and tasted it. Sweet as a fresh-picked peach and refreshing as a cold mountain stream in midsummer. "Is she.... Is she real?"