Chapter 39: – June 27 (Saturday): Early Morning Walk
When you at a different place, even just a short walk would feel different.
Six o'clock in the morning.
I was here on a business trip, and I was taking a walk around the hotel to get in the mood.
On the front side of the hotel, there was a fountain, a convenience store, and a few other stores.
However, the back side of the hotel was lush with trees, and there was a large shrine in the back.
Dressed in my normal clothes, I headed towards the shrine, taking in the early morning atmosphere.
There was a park in front of the shrine, and the morning dew glistened on the grass.
There was a large torii gate1 and a long flight of stone steps leading to the top.
It was a sight not often seen in the city.
As I gazed at the stone steps in a daze, I heard a familiar voice with no enthusiasm.
“Good morning, Onii-San.”
“Hey, Yuika.”
When I looked to the side, I saw Yuika standing there in a T-shirt and denim shorts, wearing light clothes.
“Are you going for a morning walk too?”
“Yes. It's my first time here and I wanted to explore.”
For the locals, it might seem like a trivial matter, but the pleasure of exploring a new place for the first time was completely different from a tour trip.
Especially when you encounter a magnificent shrine like this one.
I guess Yuika also has that kind of curiosity.
After clasping our hands together and bowing, Yuika and I began to climb the stone steps.
“These stone steps. It must be hard for Onii-San.”
“Don't treat me like an old man. I can handle this.”
“I'll give you a shoulder massage when you get tired.”
“You're already treating me like an old man. But thank you.”
I was bothered by Yuika's chuckle, but stiff shoulders were a natural enemy of office workers.
I want everyone in the world to understand that it was not because I had become an old man.
After a while, we climbed up the stone steps and arrived at the precincts where the main shrine was located.
Combined with the fact that it was early in the morning and no one was around, a sense of solemoness filled the area.
It was only a shrine that could give me a sense of dynamism despite its … tranquility.
I stopped Yuika in front of the water fountain.
“Ahh, Yuika. Use this.”
'… Five-yen coin? Did you go to all the trouble to prepare it for the money offering?”
“Yeah. I always pay my respects when I come here.”
“You're really like my grandpa.”
“But don't you think God would be more pleased with a five-yen coin than a ten-yen coin?”
“I think I know what you mean. When I only have a ten-yen coin, I feel sorry for myself.”
“I'm sure the shrine would be more than grateful for the ten thousand bills.”
“Oh, God. Adults are so quick to throw in real life stuff.”
“Haha. Sorry.”
So we went to the main shrine to pay our respects.
Normally, I would make a wish, but I was looking forward to the time of worship, so I didn't have anything in particular to wish for.
The only thing I could dare to think about was my gratitude for being able to stay healthy.
On the way back to the hotel after the prayers, Yuika grabbed my arm as we walked next to each other.
“Hey. What did you ask for?”
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“Nothing really.”
“Wow, selflessness. It's people like that who have deep karma, isn't it? Onii-San is an unconscious man.”
“You'll never find a man more out of touch with his karma than I am.”
“See, you're the unconscious type.”
Yuika snorted as if she understood.
In her mind, I was a very bad person.
In the first place, am I an unconscious type?
Fu~, stop laughing.
Sure, I could be unreliable when it comes to Otomizu, but I was usually a sharp guy.
I'll have to show it to Yuika someday.
“What did you ask for Yuika?”
“Hmm~. Just the usual stuff.”
I looked at Yuika, who was evasive, and kept an eye on her.
It seemed it was time for me to show off my detective instincts.
“Hmm. So you're in love, huh?”
“You smell like an old man.”
“Stop it. You're hurting my feelings.”
“Oh. I'm really depressed.”
We walked for a while, and then we came to the main road.
It was early in the morning, but there were already a lot of cars coming and going, and the tranquility we had felt earlier was gone.
It was only a short walk to the hotel, but we could walk some more.
However, I was with Yuika now.
I felt like it would be wrong to make her walk too much.
Basically, I walk alone, so I didn't know how to pace myself when walking together like this.
As I was pondering what to do, Yuika munied my arm twice.
“By the way, Onii-San. I think it's a good idea to go to a convenience store early in the morning, don't you?”
In the direction of where Yuika pointed, there was a convenience store that we knew well.
That was a national chain.
Wherever you go, you would naturally find them.
Surely, I was not the only one who felt a sense of security at the familiar convenience store.
“It's not like that. A convenience store on the way back from a shrine is not very elegant. But, well, … Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“I'd like a matcha latte.”
“You want me to buy you a drink?
“I'll take it.”
Normally, I'd say, “Why would I …”, but today It was different.
“Okay. I'll buy it for you.”
“What? No complaints?”
“I'd like to try a matcha latte.”
“I was too embarrassed to buy one alone. …”
Afterword–■
The business trip arc has finally reached its climax!
Next time, Otomizu and Sasamiya have a good time at the pub!
Footnotes
Chapter end
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