[R18] Izayoi Renka

十六夜恋歌

Izayoi Renka
[16 Nights Love Songs]

BULLET page

 Warning: One volume has a rape scene.

About: The Tokugawa shogunate is failing, and the Edo era is ending. In between it all, four love stories are only beginning, with the four seasons as their themes.

Spring - Ichinose Sakuya (CV: Sakurai Masato)

MC and Sakuya first met when both were very young. He joined a kendo dojo to train as a samurai when he was supposed to go to school with her, and asked MC to help him keep the knowledge from his father. Some time passed, Sakuya became a much more reliable young man and competent with the sword. But he also realized he could do a lot more for the country outside the safety of his hometown. He bid his final goodbye to MC to leave for Kyo while under the cherry blossom tree so that at least the moment of their separation would be a beautiful memory. Sakuya became one of the armed vigilantes(?) that was trying to keep the peace as the nation goes into unrest while the shogunate was failing. Years passed, he happened to witness some thugs who were robbing some civilians, with one of them to be none other than MC herself. He saved her and wondered why she was anywhere near someplace so unsafe, and she told him she has no choice. She took him to where she was living and saw for himself how terrible of a place she had to live. She told him after her father died, everything else came crashing down. She had to forget about school and do everything necessary just to live. Sakuya then said that he regretted every single day since he said goodbye to her and never stopped thinking about her. Their story ended with them together under the moonlight and the sakura tree, reminiscing old memories. Though the wars had not ended, they were glad to have found each other during this chaotic times.

Summer - Amane (CV: Margarine Tengu)

MC's adopted older brother is somewhat of an important person (which I can't really get the details if it was ever explained why he's important), and he hired Amane, whom he picked up when his entire family was murdered, as his assassin. MC was adopted almost with the same circumstances as well. Amane is very cold and rough with MC, yet she still tries to get nearer with him, regardless of how many times he told her he is not interested. She insists he is a good man despite Amane kept telling her that he is not; he is a person who is only capable of taking other's life, not someone who can love or be loved. Amane forced himself on her one day to prove his point (and her not resisting at all just to prove hers??? IDK I don't quite understand her motive), yet both Amane and the MC would not give up to convince the each other of their own opinions. Later, there was a opposition to MC's brother and a lot of people surrounded their house to murder the brother. Amane fought hard, disregarding how tired or wounded he already is. MC tried to stop him from killing himself but he told her he worth nothing in life except as an assassin. When peace will come after the fall of Tokugawa shogunate, there might not be a reason for someone like him to exist anymore. She told him that she loved him and really needed him to live. She later told him that her brother wished the same for him as well in a letter he left. Amane finally accepted her feelings and told her that he loved her just as much.

Autumn - Kyougamine Ren (CV: Hirai Tatsuya)

Ren is a doctor for a small village who is very passionate with his work, to the point that he sometimes disregard his own health and domestic chores in order to take care of others. MC came to his clinic one autumn saying she wanted to be of his help. She told him that she had a brother before but he died of an illness not long ago, so MC decided to help Ren to make sure no one would die the same way. MC's gentle and very hardworking as well, she easily became the favorite of Ren's patients. When Ren had to be away for a house call, she would assume his work in his clinic he had in his home. One day there was a summon from the capital for all doctors who had served under the government to assist in an outbreak there. Ren is one of them, and with a heavy heart, he placed all his belongings and his work as a doctor to MC before making his trip. He told her that he might not return at all, if the rumors of the outbreak is true, it is almost certainly fatal once contracted. MC told him in tears that she will wait for him, no matter how long it may take. She wanted to tell him that she loved him but Ren refused to hear it, for it will make his departure much harder than it already is. He left her that autumn and for many autumns to come, MC waits for his return. She even had nightmares of him dead and his ghost told her to stop hoping. Ren finally returned one autumn day after so many years and they poured their hearts for one another. The both of them spent the remaining of their lives together as lovers.

Winter - Yasaka Chiyohiko (CV: Domon Atsushi)

Chiyohiko is one of the patriot who would do everything he could for the sake of the country while the Edo era is ending. He paid a night with a prostitute called Ayano but not for sleeping with her, but instead to gather intel. I actually had the hardest time to understand his story the most because I think his has a lot to do with the actual political unrest at the time? There's a lot of reference to the Bakumatsu that I'm not familiar with like certain wars and other incidents. The very little about the story I can understand is this; Chiyohiko would come to Ayano many nights to talk and to drink sake together, and he always leave before midnight. Eventually he had to leave town because of a certain incident, but there's already mutual affections between them then. He finally bid his goodbye one winter after they spent a night together for the first time. He asked for Ayano's real name, and promised that he will return again for her. The epilogue has him fulfilling his promise after some years had passed, and now living together/married with MC.

Final say: Aside from the Summer volume which I just find the 'romance'... unnaturally forceful, I think the rest of them have great short stories. I don't know much about the Bakumatsu to understand how exactly is the political environment during that time though, and some volumes really have a great significant of the unrest. From this series alone, it felt like a very chaotic scene. My favorite of the four is undecided between Spring and Autumn. I kid you not, I cried for the MC in Autumn when she got nightmares of Ren never ever coming back. Poor baby.