January 1, 1992.
Tokyo, Bunkyo Ward, Hongo.
The first rays of the New Year's morning light crossed the pine branches in the courtyard and fell upon the eaves of the Saionji Main Residence.
The residence, which had been lively late into the night, had already regained its customary quiet by this time.
The courtyard was covered with a thin layer of frost, the kadomatsu on both sides of the entrance were still neatly arranged, and a few servants were making the final cleanings along the corridor.
At 8:00 AM, in the dining room of the main house, the four members of the Saionji family had gathered one after another.
"Happy New Year, Father."
Satsuki was wearing a light-colored kimono and politely bowed to Shuichi, who was sitting at the head of the table.
"Happy New Year!"
Shuichi accepted his daughter's greetings with a chuckle and then beckoned to her.
"Come over and sit down quickly. Today's ozoni was prepared by the kitchen early in the morning; if we don't eat it soon, it will get cold."
"Father, please don't be in such a rush."
Satsuki gave him an amused look, then turned to her uncle and aunt beside them, sending them New Year's blessings.
Kenjiro hurriedly responded, while Shino appeared much more composed. After gently thanking Satsuki, she even specifically complimented Satsuki's kimono for the day.
"Thank you, Aunt."
Satsuki looked down at her sleeves and spun around in a small circle in a good mood.
"This was only delivered two days ago, and I think it looks very nice too."
As they were talking, Fujita had already brought out the prepared toso with the help of the servants.
According to the long-standing custom of the Saionji House, people must drink toso first thing on New Year's morning before enjoying the New Year's osechi ryori.
Shuichi picked up his lacquer cup and motioned to his younger brother.
"Kenjiro, this is your first time spending the New Year at home since you came back. Make sure to eat a bit more later."
"I know, Big Brother."
Kenjiro had just taken the wine cup, and upon hearing these words, he couldn't help but feel emotional.
"Come to think of it, it really has been many years since I spent the New Year in this house."
Over the past six years, every New Year's Day, he and Shino had mostly spent it in that cramped apartment in Minami-Senju.
At that time, their incomes were not very affluent. Although they tried to prepare some decent dishes for the New Year, compared to the meticulously arranged osechi table before them, it was still far inferior.
Now, sitting at this familiar dining table once again, looking at his elder brother and niece, he still felt somewhat unreal inside.
"Then you must make up for it properly this year."
Shuichi said, preparing to pour more wine for his younger brother.
Naturally, Kenjiro wouldn't refuse and even proactively extended his cup.
As a result, a slender hand gently reached over from the side and moved his wine cup back a bit.
"Honey, we still have to go to the shrine later."
Shino reminded him in a gentle tone.
"You already drank quite a bit last night, so drink a little less today."
Kenjiro's movement stopped.
He looked up at his wife, then at his elder brother who was holding the wine pitcher, looking somewhat awkward.
"I didn't drink that much yesterday either..."
"Yeah, you didn't drink much."
Shino nodded seriously.
"Then who was it that insisted on standing in the hallway after coming back last night to tell me all about the Kyoto branch family split from back then, talking for almost half an hour?"
"Wasn't that because we hadn't seen each other in a long time..."
Kenjiro wanted to explain further, but Shuichi had already put the wine pitcher back.
"Haha, it seems you really have grown up quite a bit over the years."
He patted his younger brother's shoulder with deep emotion.
"Back then, no one could ever persuade you."
Kenjiro felt a wave of helplessness upon hearing this.
"Big Brother, are you praising me or mocking me?"
Satsuki sat to the side, lowering her head to drink her ozoni, while the amusement in her eyes could simply not be hidden.
The dining room quickly became lively.
Black beans, kazunoko, red and white kamaboko, and kurikinton were neatly arranged in lacquer boxes, and the steaming ozoni emitted a faint broth aroma.
Shuichi was in high spirits, occasionally introducing a few newly added dishes for the year to his younger brother, even though Kenjiro actually knew what they were long ago.
Shino quietly accompanied her husband by his side, occasionally picking out some of his favorite foods for him.
Looking at the scene before her, Satsuki felt that the beginning of this year's New Year wasn't too bad after all.
At least it was much more relaxing than last New Year's Day, when she was still worrying about a pile of matters at the company.
However...
She took a small bite of the kurikinton and suddenly thought of something.
It seemed there really were quite a lot of things that happened last year.
Hopefully, this year will go a little more smoothly.
...
After breakfast, the four of them returned to their respective rooms to adjust their attire, preparing to head to the nearby Nezu Shrine.
According to the old custom of the Saionji House, every New Year's Day they would visit a shrine for hatsumode to pray to the deities for peace and smoothness in the new year.
However, in the past, Satsuki would occasionally be absent for various reasons, but this year she unexpectedly took the initiative to propose going with her father.
When she finished tidying up and walked out of the entrance, several black sedans were already parked in front of the door.
Fujita Tsuyoshi was standing by the car, confirming arrangements with the personnel responsible for today's accompanying security.
"Eldest Miss, the shrine side has prepared everything. We will enter from the side entrance, and the official worship area has also been coordinated in advance."
"Mm, thank you for your hard work."
Satsuki nodded, then glanced at the security vehicles parked behind.
"Don't make it too exaggerated today; I'm just accompanying Father and the others to worship."
"Understood."
Fujita Tsuyoshi bowed slightly in response.
However, naturally he would not omit a single preparation that needed to be made.
After all, only half a year had passed since the attack last June; even if the Eldest Miss wanted to go out low-key, the security side would never dare to truly relax.
The motorcade slowly drove out of the main residence.
The journey from Hongo to Nezu Shrine was not long, but there were already quite a few pedestrians on the streets on the early morning of New Year's Day.
Most of the shops along the street were not yet open, with shimekazari hanging for the New Year in front of their doors, and a few households still displaying newly replaced kadomatsu at their entrances.
Occasionally, young women in kimonos could be seen walking together in groups, with men beside them carrying small bags containing omamori. There were also parents bringing their children, walking while instructing them on the rules to observe during the upcoming worship.
The closer they got to Nezu Shrine, the more pedestrians there were.
The vermilion romon appeared exceptionally vibrant under the winter sunlight, New Year's decorations hung on both sides of the sando, and the air drifted with the mixed scent of burning incense and charcoal fire.
The crowd waiting in line for worship extended all the way from in front of the haiden.
Some people held newly purchased hamaya in their hands, while others were studying the omikuji they drew this year. Several children wearing new clothes ran back and forth near the crowd, and after being called back by their parents, they obediently returned to the line.
In the distance around Otome Inari, rows of vermilion torii gates stretched continuously along the path, and worshippers occasionally walked out from inside, carrying small paper bags containing omamori in their hands.
After getting out of the car, Satsuki first looked around her surroundings.
"It really is lively."
"Well, it's New Year's Day."
Shuichi adjusted his haori and looked toward the direction of the shrine.
"When I was young, I used to come here every year. Later, as there were more things to do at the company, I rarely managed to come on New Year's Day."
Kenjiro stood by the side, feeling somewhat emotional upon hearing this.
"I remember when I was little, Big Brother even brought me here to buy an omamori."
"Did that happen?"
"Of course it did."
Kenjiro said, glancing at his elder brother again.
"You even said at the time that the omamori could bless me to pass my exams and insisted that I keep it on me at all times."
Shuichi thought for a long time, finally vaguely remembering the matter.
"And later?"
"Later, I still didn't do well on my exams."
"Then it seems you didn't study hard enough."
"..."
Listening to the conversation between the two brothers, the corners of Satsuki's mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.
Right at this moment, an elderly voice suddenly came from the side.
"Oh my, isn't this Young Master Shuichi?"
The few of them looked toward the source of the voice.
An elderly woman with graying hair was standing beside the sando, holding a little girl by the hand. The old woman looked at Shuichi closely for a few moments, and a pleasantly surprised expression gradually appeared on her face.
"It really is you!"
Shuichi also recognized the other person.
"Aunt Sasaki?"
"Oh my, you still remember me!"
The old woman happily walked closer by a few steps, her gaze falling once again upon Kenjiro beside him.
"Could this be... Young Master Kenjiro?"
"It's me."
Kenjiro hurriedly bowed slightly.
"Long time no see, Aunt Sasaki."
When the old woman was young, her family used to run a rice shop that supplied the Saionji Main Residence. Although she had long stopped doing business, she had always lived near Nezu.
Looking at the pair of middle-aged brothers before her, she couldn't help but express some emotion.
"The two of you were only this tall back then, and in the blink of an eye you've both grown up so much."
As she spoke, she noticed Satsuki by Shuichi's side again.
"Oh my, this must be Miss Satsuki, right?"
Satsuki bowed slightly.
"Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year, Happy New Year."
The old woman looked at her, her eyes filled with emotion.
"I often see you on TV lately. Every time the name Saionji appears in the news, my grandson calls me over to watch, saying this is that Saionji House that used to live in Hongo."
Satsuki chuckled slightly upon hearing this.
"You flatter me."
"Not at all!"
The old woman hurriedly waved her hands.
"Now that the Saionji House is so prosperous, we elderly folks living nearby are happy to see it."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the old woman took her granddaughter and continued on to worship.
Satsuki watched her leave before turning her head to look at her father.
"Father knows so many people."
"After all, I've lived here for decades."
Shuichi shook his head with a smile.
"Back then around Hongo, even more people knew your grandfather. Every time I went out to buy things, I would run into acquaintances every few steps."
He looked up toward the romon of the shrine, a hint of nostalgia appearing in his expression.
"Come to think of it, our family's interactions with Nezu Shrine have also been going on for many years."
The four of them continued walking inward.
For today's hatsumode, the security personnel of the Saionji House had already coordinated with the shrine in advance. However, according to Satsuki's wishes, today's arrangements were to be kept as low-key as possible; aside from a few plainclothes security personnel on the perimeter, no particularly conspicuous array was put on display.
The shrine side also knew long ago that they would come.
A Shinto priest was waiting at the agreed-upon entrance, and seeing that the four of them had arrived, he stepped forward and bowed slightly in greeting.
"Mr. Saionji, we have been waiting for a long time."
Shuichi nodded slightly.
"Sorry to trouble your shrine again this year."
Afterwards, guided by the Shinto priest, the four of them entered the official worship area through a relatively quiet passageway on one side.
Passing through the corridor, the voices of the worshipping crowd outside gradually faded away.
Preparations had already been made inside the haiden, and several Shinto priests successively completed the rituals of purification and the presentation of norito. Shuichi led his family to bow according to the guidance, and then they successively offered tamagushi.
Once the official ceremonies were over, it was time for everyone to make their prayers.
Satsuki stood beside her father and gently closed her eyes.
The new year...
Originally, she only wanted to simply pray for her family's safety and smooth sailing in all matters.
However, since it was January 1st, it seemed she should also properly sort out her matters for the coming year.
"Hmm... First of all, I hope Father, Uncle, and Aunt are all safe and sound and in good health this year."
She clasped her hands in front of her chest and muttered softly.
"Then here in Tokyo... The Saionji Tower is going to be officially put into use at the beginning of this year. I hope the relocation of the headquarters goes smoothly, and that the equipment underneath doesn't run into any more hitches."
"As for the United States, the industrial park in San Luis Obispo County, California, should start its first-phase construction this year. Hopefully, before the end of the year, at least the first batch of factories and supporting facilities can be delivered."
Satsuki paused for a brief moment.
"And China."
With her eyes closed, her voice was so soft that almost only the person beside her could hear it clearly.
"Shanghai and Guangdong should get very interesting next... The spring breeze of that country is coming soon."
"We can't forget about Russia either. The Soviet Union is already gone; there should be plenty of cheap good things coming up, right? Assets, equipment, and those technologies... Hopefully Grigory and the others can find a bit more."
When she reached this point, she seemed to feel that it was just about enough.
But just as she was ready to finish, another matter popped into her head.
"Ah, right."
Satsuki tilted her head slightly.
"Also, Japan needs to have its own energy."
She nodded seriously, as if reminding herself.
"We have to think of a way to handle this matter too."
Afterwards, she closed her eyes and thought for a bit longer, confirming that she shouldn't have missed any important matters.
"Hmm... That should be about it, right?"
Just as she was preparing to end her prayer, Satsuki suddenly thought of something else.
"Wait, there's one more thing."
She paused slightly.
"Remember to remind me to take a look at London in September."
"Mhm, now it should really be about done."
Satsuki finally nodded in satisfaction and once again respectfully bowed to the deity.
"Well then, please take care of me in the new year as well."
Only then did she open her eyes.
However, Kenjiro, who was standing beside her, was already listening in a daze.
He had also originally closed his eyes, preparing to pray for his family's safety and smooth company operations in the new year.
As a result, right after finishing the first sentence in his heart, he heard his niece talking softly about Tokyo right beside him.
Followed closely by the United States.
Then China, Russia...
Later on, even the entire energy problem of Japan came out!
Kenjiro couldn't help but quietly open his eyes and look at the young girl beside him who had just finished her prayer and looked quite satisfied.
This...
Today is only January 1st!
Does she really have to arrange a whole year's worth of work on the very first day of the New Year?
And among the things she just mentioned, there were quite a few that he couldn't understand at all.
Especially that phrase about the spring breeze in China.
Spring breeze?
What does this mean?
Could Saionji be planning to launch some new business in China this year?
And those technological resources in Russia...
The most inexplicable one was still London at the end.
September?
It's only just January now; why specifically remember September in London? Could it be that something important is going to happen over there?
The more Kenjiro thought about it, the more baffled he felt.
But having gone through things over the past few years, he had long since developed a habit.
It doesn't matter if you don't understand; write it down first.
After all, many of the things Satsuki did back then seemed equally inexplicable to him, but what happened later proved time and time again just how formidable this child really was.
Thinking of this, Kenjiro hurriedly went through the contents he had just heard again in his mind.
Saionji Tower in Tokyo.
The industrial park in California, US.
Shanghai and Guangdong in China, spring breeze.
Russia's assets and technology.
Japan's energy.
And...
London, September.
Mmh, there shouldn't be any omissions.
As for what exactly to prepare to do, he could slowly think about it later.
"Kenjiro?"
Just as he was trying hard to recall, his wife's voice suddenly came from beside him.
Shino gently touched her husband's sleeve.
"It's your turn."
"Huh?"
Kenjiro snapped back to his senses, only to find that his elder brother and Satsuki had both finished their prayers and were quietly waiting for them.
"Oh... Right, right."
He quickly straightened his posture again and closed his eyes.
But those things he was just prepared to pray for, such as smooth company operations and safe work, inexplicably became a bit hard to recall at this moment.
Kenjiro was quiet for a moment, and in the end, he still clasped his hands in front of his chest, making his wish very earnestly.
Shino beside him also had her eyes closed.
Her expression was much calmer than her husband's; after silently reciting her thoughts in her heart, she gently clasped her hands a bit tighter.
A moment later, the couple opened their eyes almost simultaneously.
The two looked at each other and neither spoke.