There’s a whole mess of bamboo shoot rice in a tupperware that’s so big, that I’m wondering where she even got it.
Yes, there’s a lot of it, and it’s good too. I’ll also have it tomorrow morning. It’s actually so much that I have to ask if I can really take it all.
“…I got carried away and dug up too much…”
She says while looking away. Well, that’s fine then. But why bamboo shoot rice? If she had too much, why not boil or… Actually, nevermind. I didn’t make it, so I’m not going to say anything.
I go back to my mountain before it gets dark. How did the grass grow so much after just half a day of not seeing it? But I pull out the weeds in the field.
“…Maybe I should contact Aikawa too.”
Maybe I should at least get information about strange men coming here. But I should also leave out that it has to do with Katsuragi.
“Please tell me if any strangers go into the mountains. It’s the golden week after all.”
“Understood.”
After hesitating, I contacted him on Line. And he responded right away. Well, it’s getting dark, and we really don’t have much to do once the sun goes down. It really makes us feel small and powerless in the darkness.
“What went wrong…”
I think back to the fuss that happened before I came here.
I worked for a local company for three years, and never really spent money, so I had some savings. And so, I proposed to my girlfriend, leading to our marriage.
I thought I would get married and lead a normal life. Who would’ve thought she’d leave in the lead up to our marriage.
I sigh, and Yuma snuggles up to me.
“Thanks Yuma.”
It’s only been three months since I received that shock. I’ve been too busy with life on the mountain, so I haven’t really thought about it, but hearing about Katsuragi brought it back.
“Ah… Even though I can’t look after someone else…”
I’m so busy with myself. The bamboo shoot rice is good though.
◇ ◇ ◇
The next day, just as I’m leaving, I send a message to Katsuragi via Line.
I still have bamboo shoot rice. There’s actually more than I thought, especially bamboo shoots.
It’s only when I get to pops’ place that I remember that I’m supposed to have bamboo shoots there too. But there are probably also other vegetables.
I get on the mini truck with Yuma while thinking about that. Pochi and Tama won’t come, because they don’t care about mountain vegetables. Well, I guess they can just have them on their own.
But on the way there, I stop by the general store to see if I can learn anything.
“It’s the golden week, so have any strangers been around here?”
“Yes, not many though. There was a family with kids too.”
“What kind of people who don’t have family here come by?”
“This time of the year, people going hiking or picking mountain vegetables.
“They come all the way out here?”
“Right? There’s nothing here or anything.”
I get some pork rib from the freezer for pops. I don’t know if this is a good thing to bring as a gift, but it’s either this or rice crackers.
When I get there, I see that Katsuragi isn’t here yet.
“Oh my… You didn’t have to! The bamboo shoots and vegetables are from your mountain anyway.”
She says, looking happy.
“I can’t cook them well, so I’m thankful for it anyway.”
I honestly don’t even know which mountain vegetables I can eat.
“Welcome to you too, Yuma. Want some vegetables?”
She brings a basket with vegetable scraps and parts of meat that would be thrown away. And Yuma digs in.
“Oh and Miya is coming too, right? I don’t have anything for that big lizard.”
“She probably has that in mind. And it can probably go days without eating anyway.”
I’ve heard that carnivorous reptilians go days without eating after having their fill. That’s just what I heard, so I don’t really know if it’s true.
“That’s fine then.”
I can hear the sound of a vehicle, so I go out. It sounds like Katsuragi is here.
“Sorry for coming so suddenly…”
“It’s fine, don’t worry.”
“Hum, if you want…”
Katsuragi brought mountain vegetables. Apparently she picks them herself.
“Oh my, that’s perfect. We ate the ones that spoil quickly yesterday. We’ll make tempura.”
Which means that the plan for today really was to have bamboo shoots. I’ve been saved by Katsuragi’s consideration.
Her dragon is here today too, moving slowly to the backyard. It probably wants to hang out in the shade again.
“Ou ou, here he is!”
I hear footsteps, and see pops coming out from the back.
“Ah, here.”
I hand him two plastic bottles I take from a bag.
“Oh, you sure catch a lot.”
“Eek!?”
Katsuragi is surprised when she sees what’s inside them. I guess most people would be startled if someone suddenly took out pit vipers.
“Ah, sorry.”
“N-no…”
Pops chuckles, and takes the bottles with him.
Then, Katsuragi goes to the kitchen to help out, and I go grab stuff like beer with pops. Not only is the house big, but it has a storehouse with a freezer. That’s where we get the beer.
“We have a lot. Do you want to take some?”
There are a few boxes near the freezer. I think at least three or four have beer.
“No no, you’ll drink them, right?”
“No kiddin’!”
He starts cackling as he takes as many as he can carry, and we sit down by the table, where the food is already served.
“Cheers to the blessings of the mountain and Shouhei’s spring!”
“Pops? I get the blessings, but what do you mean my spring?”
I feel like there’s a misunderstanding going on here.
We have stuff like soaked wild vegetables, boiled bamboo shoots, tempura of things like tara shoots, and sashimi. I want to cheer too, but I’m curious about what he said.
“I figured that’s what was going on, since you brought her.”
What’s going on exactly?
“Dear, that’s enough!”
She says while smacking his head with a newspaper.
“Ouch!”
“Quiet! Sorry Shou, I’ll give him a good talking to later.”
“No, it’s fine. Thanks.”
Pops is a good person, but he tends to think about things too broadly. I guess that has to do with the lack of entertainment too. He sees a man and a woman, and immediately thinks it’s that.
Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to ask Katsuragi to come. I’m giving pops’ wife trouble too
I eat some of everything. When I was a kid I didn’t like bitter things, but now I think they’re tasty. I guess that’s my taste buds growing up.
“Thank you for asking me to come today.”
Before dark, Katsuragi thanks me when I give her the tupperware back.
“No, thank you. It was very good.”
We both bow and say goodbye. Apparently the dragon and Yuma just hung out in the backyard.
This year there’s a substitute national holiday, so the golden week ends tomorrow. I hope nothing happens before it does.
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