Chapter 120: The Kondo Family (Long Chapter)
The hometown of Kondo Yuika and Sakurai Kaiko was tucked away deep within the mountains of Kimitsu City, a place called Itomori Town. (Originally, this was located deep in the mountain forests of Hida City, Gifu Prefecture, but the author has taken some liberties here).
Without a doubt, Itomori was the definition of remote. It was serviced by a single electric train line. Reaching it required scaling a massive mountain and piercing through a dense valley forest. Without a map, a train ticket, or a seasoned guide who knew the winding turns, finding the place was a tall order.
It was, quite simply, beautiful.
On the internet, the town enjoyed a modest bit of fame. A few photos floated around here and there. While it couldn't compete with major tourist traps, it was a hidden gem of the region.
Actually, it was probably better off than those tourist spots. It lacked that sense of excessive "damage" brought on by swarms of travelers. Itomori Town had managed to preserve its own unique traditions and atmosphere.
After turning off the expressway, the car spent another twenty minutes driving directly into a thick, lush forest. Sunlight filtered down through the gaps in the canopy, dappling the ground.
The concrete road was buried under a carpet of fallen leaves. Along the shoulder, massive trees—girthy enough to require two adults to link arms around them—stood like ancient sentinels.
The shifting play of light and shadow had a massive effect on the temperature. The moment they entered the forest, the air turned cool and crisp, a world away from the heat outside.
A gentle breeze drifted past Sakurai Kaiko and brushed against Akishin.
Akishin was currently in the middle of giving Soichi a crash course in basic financial literacy—despite appearances, the kid was a diligent student, purely because he wanted to get better at making money later. As that breeze, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and decaying forest vegetation, touched his skin, Akishin's words trailed off. He glanced out the car window and froze for a second, mesmerized.
Soichi, who had been listening intently from the backseat, looked confused. "Chishima-sensei, what's wrong?" Why the sudden silence? Was a 'circuit breaker' that complicated?
Akishin snapped back to reality, easing his foot off the gas to slow the car down. He shook his head and offered a small smile. "It's nothing. I just haven't seen a forest in a while, so I got a bit sentimental."
City dwellers pine for the nature and quiet of the countryside, while country folk admire the bustle and convenience of the city. The first group only sees the silence and the greenery, ignoring the poverty, the bugs, and the mud.
The second group only sees the city lights, ignoring the grueling labor behind the glitter, the exorbitant expenses, and a lifestyle where you're just another cog in the machine.
In the end, humans are creatures shaped by desire. They only admire what they don't have.
Even if they long for the other side, each has a life they can't simply abandon. Eventually, everyone returns to their own daily routine.
The daily routine is the only true reality.
Soichi piped up with a look of wonder, "Chishima-sensei, you're one of those ungrateful types too!"
Akishin found that choice of words strange. "Why do you say that?" He wasn't angry, even if the phrasing was a bit blunt; he was just curious about the logic. How did he end up being "ungrateful"?
Soichi caught a sharp glare from Kaiko, who had turned around to look at him, and he instinctively pulled his head back. Still, he stuck to his guns. "Because I read this quote once. It said that traveling is just going from a place you're bored of to a place someone else is bored of... It's like people who usually eat plenty of meat and fish but keep staring at the pickled greens in someone else's bowl."
"..."
Akishin went silent for a moment before letting out a laugh. "Hahaha, you've got a point. Put that way, it does feel a bit ungrateful...
But listen, Soichi, you're using the word wrong. Humans naturally crave what they don't have. Traveling is just a way to satisfy that craving, not being ungrateful!
Besides, if you go around saying stuff like that to people, you're liable to get punched."
"I'm not scared. I'm actually pretty good at fighting."
"Oh, really? In that case, care to go a round with Sensei?"
"Sure! When—wait, Sensei, you're a Kendo champion!"
"That's right. But I can only use a sword; I'm completely hopeless at physical brawling. Don't tell me the 'great fighter' Soichi-kun is actually scared?"
"...Actually, yeah, I am. I'm not fighting Chishima-sensei."
"..."
This kid was definitely a bit weird.
Shouldn't the script go like this: he gets baited into a fight, loses miserably, then uses that defeat as motivation to study harder so he can surpass his teacher, only to return years later and get taken down with a single slap?
Don't ask why; the answer is that 'cheat' users can do whatever they want.
"Why not?" Akishin finally asked.
"Sensei, do you think I'm stupid? Not good at physical fighting? Heh. Knowing you can't win but fighting anyway is just being an idiot. I'm not scared of your average thug, but facing a Kendo champion... I haven't reached that level of recklessness yet."
"..."
Fair enough. Kids these days weren't simple at all. Quite a contrast to how we used to be—watching a delinquent movie and immediately thinking we were the next big hero. How naive.
Feeling a bit helpless, Akishin played his ace card. "Then, Soichi, do you want to see the big city? Want to see Tokyo Tower? Want to go to Disneyland? You could even visit Senso-ji Temple..."
"Of course I do."
Soichi's eyes sparkled. The furthest he'd ever been was the hospital in Kimitsu City when his grandmother fell ill this time, and even then, he hadn't seen any sights. As for things like Tokyo Tower or Disneyland... who wouldn't long for a wider world?
—Deep down, he was still just a kid!
"Then you're ungrateful too!"
The corners of Akishin's mouth curled up. He usually took things quite seriously, but teasing Soichi, who tried so hard to act like an adult, was honestly too much fun.
Kondo Soichi: "..."
...
The car continued its slow crawl. Akishin resumed his financial education for Soichi.
After driving through the woods for over twenty minutes and cresting a mountain peak, the sunlight broke through with a dazzling intensity, chasing away the forest's gloom.
A landscape resembling a hidden paradise—a literal Xanadu—unfolded before them.
There was a massive circular lake where the water and the sky merged into a single hue. The sunlight reflecting off the surface made the lake look like a gemstone embedded in the earth.
Houses stood in overlapping patterns, mostly wooden structures, and a red Torii gate could be seen faintly in the distance...
Akishin finally understood the feeling Tao Yuanming described when he wrote about walking along a riverbank for a few hundred paces only for the view to suddenly open up wide.
He was feeling exactly that right now.
"Sensei, isn't it beautiful? Most people who come here for the first time make that same face. Even though our hometown is small, it has everything it needs..."
Soichi leaned against the back of the seat, excitedly introducing his hometown to Akishin with a sense of pride. "Actually, the view from here isn't even the best. I think you have to go to the top of that dome-shaped mountain to really see it. From there, you can look out over the whole town..."
Akishin could hear the sincerity in his voice, paired with the innocent smile a kid his age was supposed to have. This boy was truly proud of where he came from and wanted to share it with his teacher.
"Look, over there is Itomori High School. Onee-chan was originally going to go there, but then the call from Sobu High came... and over there, that's our local Miyamizu Shrine. It has thousands of years of history, though it burned down a few hundred years ago..."
The car rolled over the concrete road. Everywhere they passed, Soichi had a story to tell. Akishin listened quietly, occasionally asking a question.
Itomori Town had a strong Showa-era charm, and the scenery was even more pleasant than he'd expected. The town felt connected to the outside world, yet it clung tightly to its own culture.
Before long, the car entered a more crowded area, which seemed to be the town's commercial hub. Calling it a "hub" was a stretch—it was just about a dozen buildings lining a single central road, with shops on either side selling daily necessities.
Based on certain details—the banners, the trash cans along the street, the sparse farmland—Akishin could tell the town was trying to develop a tourism industry.
The car came to a stop in front of an Izakaya. The building was slightly weathered, with moss growing on the blue roof tiles.
The Sakurai couple got out of the car first, followed by Yuika and Shizuka helping Keiko down. Akishin parked the car and then brought Kaiko and Soichi out.
The Izakaya before them didn't have a flashy sign. There was just the word 'Izakaya' written in black ink on a small piece of red paper. An outsider walking by might not even notice the little shop.
Kaiko's house was on the other side of town. While the older generation got along famously, the younger generation—Yuika's father's age—didn't communicate much. However, Yuika and Kaiko had become best friends who shared everything.
It was this friendship that had brought the two families back together.
Shizuka crossed her small arms and walked up beside Akishin, looking through a gap between the buildings at the great lake below with a soft smile. "This place really is gorgeous."
She was clearly captivated by the view too. With the sun shining so brightly, the world looked like it had been run through a heavy filter, giving it a dreamlike quality.
When the sun set later, it would surely be even more stunning.
Akishin nodded. "It really is." He took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out to take Shizuka's wrist as they walked toward the Izakaya.
—To clear away someone else's worries, first remove the possibilities within yourself. This was purely to be helpful, not because he particularly wanted to hold Shizuka's hand.
Right, definitely that. (Serious face)
Shizuka hadn't expected Akishin to suddenly grab her. Even if it was just her wrist, her face flushed red. She didn't pull away; instead, she followed him into the Izakaya with a shy, lingering smile.
Actually... holding hands... might be okay too~
Sakurai Seiji watched as Akishin pulled Shizuka into the Izakaya, which hadn't been open for two weeks, greeted by a somewhat panicked Yuika.
He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. His serious expression softened slightly, and the wary look in his eyes almost entirely vanished.
Soichi flashed a wide grin and ran into the Izakaya, nudging his older sister aside so he could take over hosting Akishin and Shizuka.
"Chishima-sensei, tonight I'm taking you to Miyamizu Shrine. There's a festival tonight, so it'll be a blast. Mitsuha-nee and Yotsuha will be performing the Kagura dance, and there'll be plenty of uncles selling snacks..."
"Sounds good. I'm looking forward to it." Akishin nodded with a smile, then looked at Soichi with a puzzled expression. "Why the sudden burst of enthusiasm?"
Did Japanese kids nowadays really think that far ahead?
He also glanced at Shizuka. They were still joined at the hand... er, he was still holding her.
Letting Akishin hold her hand for no reason made her feel a bit bold. She felt like she'd used up a lifetime's worth of courage just for that photo they took last time!
Soichi shifted awkwardly and gave a bashful laugh. "Hehehe, isn't this just a way to thank Chishima-sensei? You're the great benefactor who's letting me and Onee-chan stay in school..."
"That's more like it. Gratitude is a fine virtue." Akishin smiled broadly, reaching out to pat Soichi on the head.
Young man, your acting skills still need a bit of work!
...
The Kondo family Izakaya was about a third larger than Chishimaya. It had fifty percent more tables and... it looked much better.
Honestly, it wasn't that the Kondo Izakaya was exceptionally fancy; it was just that Chishimaya was that bad... well, maybe not "bad," but everything there was ancient. How many decades had those tables and chairs been in use?
Akishin had only replaced the electronics; everything else stayed the same. At first glance, it looked pretty dilapidated. If the food weren't so good, people might not even walk in.
But after a while, it developed its own retro vibe. The regulars actually preferred Chishimaya that way—though since it hadn't opened for nearly two weeks, some of those regulars were getting pretty cranky...
For example, Yukinoshita Ryuichi had gone out of his way to call and ask if Chishimaya was closing for good.
Others had tracked down Mrs. Mitsuryou to demand an explanation...
A large, colorful menu hung on the wall for customers to see, and there were small hand-held menus as well—far more modern than the wooden slats at Chishimaya.
And the prices...
They weren't even a third of what things cost at Chishimaya.
Looking at the prices, Akishin's only thought was: so cheap~
They sold Teishoku sets here too, but those were rare. The main draw was the Seishu and the drinking snacks.
The clientele here was basically just locals who all knew each other—after a long day's work, they'd grab a couple of friends, head to a familiar shop, order a bottle of Seishu and two plates of snacks, talk big, and call it a good day.
Aside from the Kondo family, who usually worked the shop, a neighbor auntie worked part-time here for 500 yen an hour.
...
Akishin and Shizuka sat in the living area, sipping tea brewed by Soichi while chatting about Itomori Town.
Word of Keiko's return had spread, and neighbors who knew her dropped by to check in, making the Izakaya lively for a moment.
Before long, the guests departed. Yuika came in carrying food and said, "Chishima-sensei, it's time for lunch!"
"Right!"
Akishin stood up to take the tray from Yuika. The standout item on the tray was a crispy fried fish. A tangy aroma wafted through the room, the fish garnished with slices of white scallion.
Whoever cooked this definitely had some skills.
There was also a plate of snacks, a bowl of miso soup, a bowl of rice, and a generous piece of tonkatsu.
This was the typical Japanese style of eating—individual portions for everyone.
The hotel arranged for the Kendo tournament had been the same way.
Usually, the standard was fish, meat, vegetables, soup, and rice to hit the healthy diet marks.
Akishin's way of eating—where everyone shared from the middle of the table—was an outlier.
But it wasn't a strict rule.
Some people cared deeply and even found sharing unhygienic, but most Japanese people didn't mind and acted normally. Even with Sukiyaki, everyone ate from the same pot!!
At the very least, the people Akishin was with right now didn't seem to care.
Yuika left after setting down the tray to go fetch the rest.
Next, Kaiko bounced in, carrying two trays at once. They were quite heavy. Yuika had carried one to be safe, but Kaiko went for the double.
The Sakurai couple had done the cooking. Yuika and Kaiko had helped out, while Keiko had gone to Yuika's grandmother's room for a chat.
Yuika's grandmother was in her sixties; about half her hair had turned white, but she still looked full of energy. She had been seen briefly in the shop earlier.
A few minutes later, nine portions of food were laid out on the low table in the living area. The Kondo and Sakurai families filed in, and the once-quiet room became bustling.
Everyone took their seats, raised their chopsticks in unison with a chorus of 'Itadakimasu,' and began digging into their late lunch.
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