(Mink and Aoba are walking through the mountains, breathing hard; they’ve been at it for a while)

Mink:

Are you all right?

Aoba:

Eh?

Mink:

We’re going up the mountain. Is it painful?

Aoba:

I’m really fine. We’re walking slowly enough.

Mink:

I see.

Aoba:

Plus, I’ve been shut up inside for a while now so the sunlight and outdoor air feels good.

Mink:

If you’re tired, say so.

Aoba:

Mhm.

(they continue walking)

Aoba:

Hm…?

Mink:

Aoba.

Aoba:

Ah–! Yeah?

Mink:

I told you that I’d speak to you of my past.

Aoba:

Mhm

Mink:

Beyond here is the place where my village once was.

Aoba:

Eh…

Mink:

I’ll talk as we’re going through it.

Aoba:

Mhm…

(they move on)

Mink:

(sighs heavily) These trees…around here they have marks on them, can you see?

Aoba:

Mhm.

Mink:

These are hatchet marks left by mistaken when our huntsmen tried to bring down prey fleeing the forest.

Aoba:

Is that right…

Mink:

We were a small community comprised of about fifty people living here. Just as you saw in your dreams, our lives here were very peaceful.

Aoba:

Ah…

Mink:

We didn’t have a single convenient machine or device. We borrowed only what was truly necessary from nature and made our living. Our food supplies were one and the same. However, I never thought of it as inconvenient. That was just the way things were.

(they move on)

Mink:

The children would often play here. Braiding grass, singing with loud voices. Now…there’s no trace of it left.

Aoba:

Oh…

(they move on)

Mink:

This is where the shaman lived.

Aoba:

Shaman?

Mink:

A person who is closely bound to the realm of nature. The shaman would give us foresight on various things from the realm of nature. Blessed with knowledge, the shaman would save us. For us, the shaman was an indispensable existence.

Aoba:

I see.

Mink:

The incense I burned yesterday and the medicinal tea, my parents learned those recipes from the shaman and then I inherited them. The medicinal recipe that Toue was targeting was one of those as well.

Aoba:

Toue…that’s…the one that manipulates a person’s body odor, right? From boiling medicinal herbs.

Mink:

Yeah. As the ingredients of the medicinal herbs are taken into the body you achieve unification with nature. When this joins with the scent that rushes from your body, you achieve a sense of tranquility. That’s the true purpose of it. It wasn’t intended to manipulate people as Toue said.

Aoba:

Mhm…

Mink:

Let’s move on.

(they do)

Mink:

This is…

Aoba:

Hm?

Mink:

(sighs heavily) …where my home was.

Aoba:

Eh…Mink’s…

Mink:

Yeah.

Aoba:

Hah…Mink’s family…you lived with them?

Mink:

That’s right.

Aoba:

(exhales, nervous) Your family…?

Mink:

My father and mother. I had a younger sister.

Aoba:

Ah. Is…that right? I see.

Mink:

What’s wrong?

Aoba:

No, um…ah…i-it’s nothing.

Mink:

If there’s something on your mind say it.

Aoba:

Ah…y-you weren’t…married, were you?

Mink:

I wasn’t.

Aoba:

I see.

Mink:

Though I had a fiance.

Aoba:

Eh–ah…

Mink:

Though I say fiance, she was a partner decided upon by the shaman’s visions. She was a quiet and good-natured girl. We weren’t particularly close.

Aoba:

Decided upon…were you all right with that?

Mink:

For a small community like ours…ensuring that the blood of our tribe didn’t die out took priority over everything else. There was no one who would speak out against the shaman’s visions.

Aoba:

I see.

Mink:

…it’s nostalgic.

Aoba:

Ah…(he takes a breath) In Mink’s family…was there anyone…who was really good at cooking with an oven?

Mink:

Hm? What do you mean?

Aoba:

You’ve got an oven in the house now, right? But Huracan said that he’s never seen you use it.

(Mink sighs)

Aoba:

I used it without really thinking about it, but I was wondering if it has some kind of memory attached to it?

Mink:

The oven…my mother and little sister used it often. But I didn’t put an oven in the house because I was thinking of that. Rather, I didn’t think about it until you mentioned it.

Aoba:

O-oh…

Mink:

Perhaps somewhere in my heart I remembered it.

Aoba:

I told you about how I met the old lady who recognized your hair decoration a little while ago, right?

Mink:

Yeah.

Aoba:

That old lady said this, that Mink was a gentle person who looked out for the people around him.

(Mink inhales)

Aoba:

That sort of thing showed through in the crafts you made, so they were popular in her town. Right now…somehow…I really feel like I can see that.

Mink:

…is that right?

Aoba:

Mhm.

Mink:

There’s one more place I’d like to take you. It’s a little bit of a walk from here, all right?

Aoba:

Yeah.

Mink:

Then, let’s go.

(they go)

~interlude~

Aoba:

This isn’t…

Mink:

Where my tribe rests.

Aoba:

Ah…huh? This…? A pipe…this is the one you were always holding.

Mink:

That’s right. It’s an item that was ritually passed down from generation to generation within my tribe.

Aoba:

Why…did you take me here? I’m really glad that you took me here. But for you…isn’t this someplace precious?

Mink:

That’s why. When I decided to speak to you about my past, I decided that I’d take you here as well.

Aoba:

Ah…

Mink:

You said that in your recurring dream that someone was calling out to you, didn’t you?

Aoba:

Mhm.

Mink:

When I heard that, I realized that the origin of your strange illness must be me.

Aoba:

Eh? What do you mean?

Mink:

Release from the past. To move forward without being bound by the past. My friends and family have already made their journey. Were they the ones saying that?

Aoba:

Eh?

(Mink sighs)

Aoba:

Can that…happen?

Mink:

I don’t have positive proof. But, since I decided that I would tell you everything you recovered, didn’t you?

Aoba:

That’s certainly true but…

Mink:

I think that chain of events served as a warning to me. In all honesty, I had been hesitating to bring you to the site of my village.

Aoba:

Does that mean…you really…didn’t want me stepping into it?

Mink:

You’re wrong. It’s because I didn’t understand it myself.

Aoba:

Huh?

Mink:

For myself, I didn’t know if I could really move forward in this life. Even as I was moving forward, it seemed that my heart was still living in the past. Because of that, I couldn’t come to a decision.

Aoba:

Ah…

Mink:

I have no intention of forgetting my past. My memories until now remain with me. From now until forever. However, when you said that you wanted to know my past, suddenly, my doubts surfaced. Was my heart truly living within the present enough to speak with you? I could only find that answer in myself. That’s why I needed some time. Time to face my past. To face my own heart.

Aoba:

Did you…find your answer?

Mink:

Rather than find it, I decided on it. While you were having recurring dreams and getting sicker, I had to realize that I couldn’t treat this as only my problem. That I’m no longer alone.

Aoba:

Mink…

Mink:

The people who called out to you in your dream were surely…trying to convey that message to me. Whether that was my family or friends…I don’t know who it was. For argument’s sake, even if that hadn’t happened, you were worried over me, weren’t you?

Aoba:

Ah…no. That’s not it. I wasn’t worried. I was…afraid myself.

Mink:

Yourself?

Aoba:

Mhm…while I felt like I wanted to know more about the past, about you…honestly…I was afraid to ask you directly. For Mink…I could make out how important your homeland and friends were, how important your family was, even without asking. But…there was also the Mink I didn’t know. That’s…when you talk about something really precious to you, what kind of face you would make…when I thought of that I was really afraid.

Mink:

…what do you mean?

Aoba:

Ah, well…that’s because…this might be really blunt and terrible and completely inevitable thought and it’s pretty childish…in other words…I’ve gotten frustrated. I…for Mink, it seems like I can’t become what’s most important to you.

(Mink inhales)

Aoba:

Ah, I’m not saying to put me above your homeland. It’s definitely not that. I…it’s not like I have that kind of confidence in myself anyway. I’m not really anxious…it’s more…sad.

Mink:

Why?

Aoba:

Because…no matter what there’s no chance for me. It’s not like I can win against the past that means so much to you. (he takes a breath) Ah…talking about it like winning or losing is really bad, huh? Like this…I feel kind of hesitant. That’s why, really…it’s nothing more than my private…childish…feelings that I can’t stop. (he sighs) I’m sorry…for just rambling about myself.

(Mink hugs him)

Mink:

Don’t apologize. I’m at fault as well for making you feel that way. That’s also why this sort of thing happened. As for our feelings, I’m the same as you.

Aoba:

Ah…?

Mink:

What is it that I am now? Even now I can’t hold my confidence with certainty. However, it’s as I said before. Right now I’m not alone. I have you.

Aoba:

Ah…

Mink:

That by itself…is one bit of proof that I am who I am now. Because you’re here, I can be as I am. I can be certain that I’m living. If I think of it that way, there’s no need to hesitate to speak to you of my past.

Aoba:

Mink…

Mink:

The past is what it is. It’s always there, without fading. Also, my family and friends will be unchanging in presence of the gods. Once I’ve accepted this truth, I can say that I’ve began my second journey toward death. That’s why…Aoba.

Aoba:

Yes?

Mink:

I need you. From now on, stay at my side.

Aoba:

(sobs) Mhm.

M: Are you alright? You just recovered; is this too tiring for you?

A: I’m totally fine. You’re taking it slow for me too, after all.

M: I see.

A: Plus I’ve been cooped up at home too much lately. It’s nice to breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun.

M: Just let me know if you’re tired.

A: I will.

M: Aoba.

A: Yes?

M: I said I’d tell you about my past.

A: Yeah…

M: Right up this path is where my village used to be. I’ll tell you more along the way.

M: Can you see the mark on this tree?

A: Yeah.

M: This was made by a huntsman who accidentally cut the tree trying trying to catch an escaped prey.

A: I see.

M: We were a small tribe made up of about 50 people who lived here. As you saw in your dream, life here was peaceful. We had absolutely no convenient tools or machines. We survived by getting only what we needed from nature, including our food. But none of us ever found it troublesome, because that was just the way things were.

M: The kids used to play here. They would weave grass while singing at the top of their voices. But there’s nothing left now…

A: Oh…

M: The Shaman used to live here.

A: Shaman?

M: Someone who has a deep connection with nature. The shaman could predict the future through the works of nature. He blessed us with his wisdom and helped us all. We couldn’t have lived without him.

A: I see.

M: Just like that medicinal drink I brewed for you? The recipe was taught to my parents by the Shaman, which they later then passed down to me. Even the recipe for the drug Toue was after was one of them.

A: Toue… That’s the one that controls the body using scents right? By infusing herbs?

M: Yeah. By continuously absorbing the components of the herb, it removes your sense of oneness with nature. And together with the smells emitted by the body, one can attain calm and peace. Or rather, that was its original use. It’s nothing like how Toue wanted to use it for controlling people.

M: …

A: …?

M: …This was where my house used to be.

A: Your house…?

M: Yeah.

A: Did you… live here with your family? 

M: I did.

A: In your family…?

M: My father and mother. I had a younger sister.

A: Oh.. I see.

M: What’s wrong?

A: Oh, no… it’s nothing.

M: If there’s something you want to say, say it.

A: Were you… ever… m-married?

M: I was never married.

A: Ohh…

M: But I had a fiancee.

A: EH?!

M: Even if I called it a fiancee, it was more like this girl who was chosen to be my wife through divine revelation by the Shaman. She was a nice and sweet girl, but it’s not like we were close. 

A: Chosen for you? And you were alright with that, Mink?

M: In a tribe as small as ours, continuing the bloodline was of utmost importance. No one would complain about something decided by the Shaman.

A: I see…

M: I miss it…

A: Mink, in your family… did… anyone use the oven a lot?

M: Hm? What do you mean?

A: There’s an oven in your house, right? But Rurakhan said he has never seen you using it before, so… I was just using it freely… but I was wondering if it meant something special to you.

M: My… mother and my sister used to bake with the oven a lot. But I did not consciously install it in the current house because of that. In fact, I only realized it now after you mentioned it. I guess somewhere deep down inside I still remembered.

A: A while back, I mentioned I met an old lady who knew about your hair accessories right?

M: Yeah.

A: That old lady said you cared about the people around you. She said that you were a kind person. And that kindness showed through your handiwork, which is also why it was so popular in her village. Somehow, I think I can understand what she meant now. 

M: I see. There’s still one place left that I want to bring you to. It’s just a short walk from here. Shall we?

A: Yeah.

M: Let’s go.

~~

A: Is this place…

M: This is where my tribe lies.

A: Oh! This pipe… It’s the one you always carry with you.

M: That’s right. It’s a holy item that has been passed down through generations in my tribe. 

A: Why did you bring me here? I’m glad you did, but… it’s a very important place to you, isn’t it?

M: That’s precisely why. When I finally decided I was going to tell you about my past, I also decided I would bring you here. In the reoccurring dream you had, you said you heard voices calling out to you, didn’t you?

A: Yeah.

M: After I heard that, I realized that perhaps your poor health had been caused by me.

A: Eh? What do you mean?

M: ‘Release from the past’… To be ‘unchained from the past’… to ‘move on’… I believe that’s what my family and friends were trying to say.

A: Eh? Is that even possible?

M: There is no guarantee, but after I decided I’d tell you everything, you completely recovered, didn’t you? 

A: Well I guess that’s true.

M: It is possible that your dreams were a warning to me. To be honest, I had been hesitant about telling you about my past all this time.

A: Does that mean that… it’s because… you didn’t want me stepping into this place?

M: No. It was because I was unsure of myself.

A: ?

M: Personally, I wasn’t even sure if I was actually walking down this path (of life) or not. It seemed like I was, but even now my heart may still be stuck in the past. I couldn’t even tell it apart anymore. I have no intention of forgetting about my past. All the memories I’ve made so far will also follow me now and forever. But when you said you wanted to know about my past, I felt an uncertainty: “Is my heart living strongly enough in this life right now? Strong enough to tell you about my past?” I knew that I was the only one who could answer that question. That’s why I asked you for more time. I needed more time… more time to face my past, and to face myself. 

A: Did you find an answer?

M: Rather than ‘find’ one, it was more like I decided on one. After I knew you were constantly ill and had those dreams, I realized that what started out as my own personal problem became something more than that. And that I am no longer alone.

A: Mink…

M: Those pleas you heard from the voices… they were probably words my friends wanted me to hear. I don’t know if they were my family or my friends but… even if this whole thing had never happened, you still would’ve worried yourself sick, wouldn’t you?

A: No, it’s not that. I was afraid for myself. 

M: Yourself?

A: As much as I wanted to know more about your past… I was afraid to hear it from you directly. I didn’t have to ask to know that your family, tribe and past are all extremely important to you… and “that Mink” would be a Mink I didn’t know. When I wondered what kind of expression you’d make if you ever spoke about something as important as your past, I became afraid.

M: What do you mean?

A: Well, it’s nothing really, just a really stupid, pointless and childish feeling I had… well… I guess I was… frustrated? Because like… I’d never become the most important thing to you in your heart… something like that… I mean, I’m not asking you to prioritize me over your homeland, of course! It’s not like that! It’s just that I’m not even confident enough myself… so I was feeling uneasy… and it made me… kind of sad….

M: Why is that?

A: ‘Cause I mean, there’s no way I could ever win. There’s no way I’d ever beat something as important as your past… Ah, I don’t like saying things like winning or beating… It just makes me hesitant I guess… So like yeah, it’s nothing more than stupidity and childishness on my part… I’m sorry I said all those selfish things… 

M: Don’t apologize. I’m also at fault for driving you into such a state. That must have been why something like that happened. I… feel the same way as you do. 

A: Eh?

M: ‘What am I now?’ Even now I don’t have the confidence to answer that question. But like I said just now, I am no longer alone. You’re here with me. Just that alone is prove that I am who I am. It’s because you are here that there is a way for me to be sure I am here. When I finally started thinking this way, I realized there was no reason at all for me to have hesitated telling you about my past.

A: Mink…

M: The past will never disappear. It will always be with me. And my family and friends will still be by God’s side. After I accepted this truth, I realized for the first time that I could firmly say I am now starting on my second journey of Life. That’s why Aoba…

A: Yes?

M: I need you. …Always be by my side.