Page 1 of A Serving of Hope

Chapter 1

Miso Soup

1

There couldn’t be many people who made it past thirty without ever visiting Kyoto, but Kenichi Yoshizawa was one of them. As he paced briskly north along Karasuma-dori, he found himself mentally comparing the city he knew so well from television and magazines with the one unfolding in front of him.

He’d had opportunities to travel in the past, but his studies had always come first. The idea of indulging in something as leisurely as a sightseeing trip—whether to Kyoto or anywhere else—had never even crossed his mind.

Kenichi had heard all about the city’s scorching summers and freezing winters. What he hadn’t expected was this clammy humidity, arriving before the rainy season had even set in. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his forehead.

Kyoto Tower. Higashi Honganji temple. The names were familiar enough, but seeing them with his own eyes was something else. He felt a strange pang of nostalgia, as though he’d been reunited with an old friend.

From the central exit of Kyoto station, it took him ten minutes to reach a weathered two-story building that matched the description he’d read. This had to be it. He slid the door open and called out, “Hello?”

A young woman in a black sommelier apron turned toward him. “Good afternoon!”

“Is this the Kamogawa Diner?”

“Well, yes,” she replied, eyeing him curiously.

Kenichi smiled with relief. He was in the right place, then. All that research had paid off.

A man dressed in a traditional, loose-fitting samue emerged from the kitchen. “Here to eat?”

“Actually,” said Kenichi, producing his business card, “I was hoping you might be able to track down a dish for me.”

“Ah.” The man passed the card to the young woman. “My daughter handles that side of things.”

“Gardenia Legal Services…Tokyo,” she said, glancing up at him. “Are you a lawyer?”

“Just a clerk at the firm. I’m still studying for the bar—though I know I look a little old for that.”

She gave a small nod. “I’m Koishi Kamogawa, head of the Kamogawa Detective Agency. And this is my dad, Nagare, who runs the restaurant.”

Nagare removed his cap and bowed politely before setting it back on his head. “You must be hungry. If you don’t mind having the set menu, I can bring it out right away.”

Kenichi’s expression brightened. “That’d be wonderful.”

“Anything you’re not so keen on?” Nagare asked.

“Well, I didn’t grow up by the sea, so I’ve never been much of a fan of saltwater fish—mackerel, sardines, that sort of thing. Too oily for me. Otherwise, I’ll eat anything. And I do love my vegetables.”

“Got it. I’ll have something ready in a moment.” Nagare slipped past the noren curtain and into the kitchen.

“So how did you hear about us?” Koishi asked.

“I found you online. I searched for food detectives. A few places came up, but yours seemed the most reliable.”

“Well, how about that…” Koishi grinned as she showed him to a table. “I guess we must be famous. So—you’re a fan of vegetables?”

“My family runs a farm. You could say I was raised on them.” Kenichi sat on one of the folding chairs and glanced around the restaurant.

Koishi’s face lit up. “A farm? Sounds idyllic.”

“It’s probably not quite how you’re picturing it. When I think of home, all I see is my mother scrabbling about in the dirt in her overalls.” He wiped the sweat from his neck with a hand towel.

“Thanks for waiting,” said Nagare, arriving with the food on a silver tray.