Chapter 35

## Courtship

* Color
* Volume

**Courtship** (求愛, *Kyūai*) is the 35th chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

Asirpa finds fox tracks in the snow. She explains to Sugimoto that foxes are called *cironnup* in Ainu and then shows him a special trap for foxes. Sugimoto wonders if foxes taste good, and Asirpa says that they don't and tanukis taste better. She then points at a pair of Ezo owls resting in the hollow of a tree. Sugimoto asks if they taste good to which Asirpa laughs, finding the idea of eating owls ridiculous. She says that in Ainu the Ezo owls are called *kunnerek* (night-crying) *kamuy* or *isosanke* (prey-bestowing) *kamuy*. Their names come from their connection to bear hunting: if you hear an owl's hoot at night and walk in that direction, you're sure to find a bear.

Sugimoto comments that the owls are perched close together so they must have a strong bond. Asirpa says that Ezo owls mate for life and even though they don't change a mate, every year at about this time they engage in courtship calling during the night. She thinks it might be because they're afraid and want to reaffirm that their mate still cares about them. Sugimoto asks what happens if one of them dies. Asirpa replies that then the other one will find another mate, which is only natural, since they want to leave behind as many children as they can. Sugimoto smirks, noting how pragmatic it is. Later, Sugimoto and Asirpa stay in a hunting hut. When Asirpa falls asleep, Sugimoto hears the owls hoot and is overcome with memories.

He then recalls memories of the day he returned back to his village, the same day Toraji and Umeko got married. As he was sitting by the fire, Sugimoto was approached by Toraji. He was surprised that Toraji left Umeko on their first wedding night just to see him. Toraji was furious with Sugimoto's return and attacked him, accusing Sugimoto of coming back just to steal Umeko. Sugimoto easily overpowered Toraji and congratulated him on the wedding. As Toraji tried to beat Sugimoto again, he cried and confessed his feelings of jealousy and envy to Sugimoto. He said that even if Umeko still had feelings for Sugimoto it wouldn't change a thing because he would take better care of her and making the woman he loves happy was all that mattered.

Sugimoto remembers another time, when Toraji was serving with him in the army during the Russo-Japanese war. Toraji, now more confident, confessed to Sugimoto that Umeko's remaining feelings for Sugimoto bothered him a long time. However, he wanted to apologize to Sugimoto for the awful things he said that night. He then told Sugimoto about a conversation they had with Umeko.

After their fight with Sugimoto, Toraji asked Umeko what would she do if Sugimoto came back for her and took her with him. Umeko replied,

Hearing that, Sugimoto smiled and said that it sounded just like her.

In the modern day, Umeko with her mother and son are seen attending a cemetery. While her son is praying at Toraji's grave, Umeko listens to her mother who tells her about the man who is interested in marrying her. She describes him as a wealthy man of 40 years old whose wife and child died so he is looking to remarry to carry on the family name. Umeko doesn't want to discuss it at the cemetery, but her mother insists that such opportunities don't come every day.

Later Asirpa and Sugimoto go check on the fox trap. They discover that Shiraishi fell into the trap trying to get the fish from the pole.

## Character Appearances

* Umeko Kenmochi
* Toraji Kenmochi *(Flashback)*
* Asirpa
* Sugimoto Saichi
* Toratarou Kenmochi
* Shiraishi Yoshitake