JSWGAS Chapter 32

32.

The wind stopped, and the snow ceased.

After passing through mountains buffeted by heavy snow, cold rain, and howling winds, the train pulled into a station in Hyōgo Prefecture like a battle-scarred warrior. With a hiss of steam, the doors slowly opened, and the unfamiliar city greeted him with silent solemnity in the chilly breeze.

He stepped off the train first, pulling his suitcase behind him, then turned back to take the bags from his mother’s hands. “Where are Grandpa and Grandma waiting for us?”

Unlike Kokonoe Taka’s unfamiliarity, Tsurumi Sumiko looked at the surrounding scenery as if she were in another world. “At the tram platform outside the station exit,” she answered. “You can see it as soon as you go out this way.”

Along the way, she uncharacteristically tugged at her son’s sleeve. “I know this place,” she said, looking at the ticket window. “My grandma—my grandma’s friend—used to work here.” She seemed eager to go see if the person inside the window was someone she recognized.

Kokonoe Taka obediently followed her. “Excuse me,” Tsurumi Sumiko said, craning her neck to peer into the window.

“What is it?” a gentle, soft voice asked. The person who appeared wasn’t the upright, taciturn uncle she expected, but an unfamiliar young woman. Tsurumi Sumiko couldn’t hide her disappointment. “Sorry—I just wanted to ask, what time is it?” Her excuse wasn’t very good, but fortunately, no one seemed to mind.

The young woman glanced down. “4:13 PM, ma’am.” They had been on the train for nearly six hours.

“Thank you.”

After thanking her, they resumed their walk towards the exit.

Tsurumi Sumiko said apologetically, “I guess it’s been over ten years. It’s not strange that the person changed.” Even as she said this, she couldn’t quite let it go.

“Maybe we can visit sometime,” Kokonoe Taka suggested. “We’re in Hyōgo Prefecture now. If that gentleman hasn’t moved, we should still be able to find him.”

Tsurumi Sumiko exclaimed, “That’s right!” Her steps became lighter.

Kokonoe Taka let his mother pull him along as she recounted how she used to run all over the neighborhood as a child, and how her parents made her learn musical instruments to cultivate her temperament. Her face was full of nostalgia and joy, and the gloom that had surrounded her seemed to disappear the moment she stepped onto this land.

They dawdled for quite some time before finally reaching the outside. Mr. Tsurumi and Mrs. Tsurumi were waiting for them under an umbrella at the tram platform, easily visible.

Tsurumi Sumiko hooked her arm through Kokonoe Taka’s. “Dad! Mom!” Her mother opened her arms to embrace them. Mr. Tsurumi slowly walked over and awkwardly hugged them all together, the four of them huddled in a group, their warm breaths turning into white mist in the air.

Once they were in the car, the atmosphere became more relaxed. “You must be tired from the journey. When we get home, Grandma will make you something delicious,” Mrs. Tsurumi said. “Or do you want to play outside?” She turned to Mr. Tsurumi in the driver’s seat. “I remember there are two kids about Ā Yīng’s age living down the street, the Miyas, right?”

Mr. Tsurumi corrected her with meticulous precision. “Those twins are two months older than him.”

Mrs. Tsurumi took it as a confirmation. “Grandma still needs to tidy up the house, so if you’re bored, you can have someone to play with—”

Mr. Tsurumi added, “Those two boys…” He sounded a little helpless. “They can be quite rowdy.”

As the car slowly drove into the street, the light snow had stopped. A lane had been cleared on the road, but the sidewalk was still covered in a thin layer of snow and broken ice. Tsurumi Sumiko started listing dishes, recommending her mother’s perfect cooking to her son, while Mr. Tsurumi impassively requested that his wife not deprive him of his right to eat tricolor dango.

Mrs. Tsurumi immediately flared up, complaining to her daughter that Mr. Tsurumi was getting more and more fond of sweets as he got older. When he was younger, he still cared about his image and would only eat a little bit, or sneakily eat it himself. Now, he needed tricolor dango, daifuku, or yokan with every meal, three times a day. It was so justifiable that it made you want to hit him. During his physical examination a while ago, the old man, who was already halfway into his coffin, was even found to have a cavity.

Tsurumi Sumiko laughed for a while, saying that there was another late-stage sweets addict in the car, so they were going to have a headache for a while. Even as she said this, she laughed heartily. Kokonoe Taka awkwardly avoided the adults’ gazes, thinking that “sweets are justice” was definitely a universal truth.

Mr. Tsurumi drove slowly, occasionally interjecting with complaints about his wife’s cooking not always being to his taste. The old couple simply bickered, each firing off a quick retort. Tsurumi Sumiko, never one to miss a good show, would occasionally chime in, making the two of them sound more like they were flirting.

The adults laughed and reminisced, chatting happily, while Kokonoe Taka was relieved to sit back and not join the conversation, simply turning his head to look out the tinted car window.

Outside the window were unfamiliar streets. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two small shadows in the rearview mirror, growing larger and larger, running quickly. Just as the car moved forward a few dozen meters, the two figures disappeared from the mirror. Looking up, he happened to witness a chase.

The sounds coming through the car window were muffled.

“Dog Yū!” the one in the back shouted. “You pig! That’s my thick broiled fish!”

The one in the front, with something still in his mouth, shouted without turning his head, “Finders keepers!” His speech was slurred, with a Kansai accent.

The one in the back continued to berate him. “Didn’t Mom give you money when you left?! Did you eat it all with that dog mouth of yours?!” The resentment in his voice was so tragic and furious that he wanted nothing more than to ignore the slippery road and pounce on the other person.

The one in the front replied smugly, “I used it to buy a new volleyball—” Compared to the one chasing him, he was running faster, not caring about whether the road was slippery. But before he could finish speaking, he stumbled. The broken ice on the sidewalk seemed unable to bear this person’s absurdity and shattered completely with a “whoosh.” The one in front lost his footing, his body twisting and turning uncontrollably, his arms flailing to find his balance, not forgetting to stuff the last bite of food he was holding into his mouth—

“Bang!”

As expected, he fell flat on his face.

Since it was winter, they were generally wearing thick clothes. The young man fell hard, but didn’t seem to feel any pain, and quickly propped himself up with his hands, trying to get up. The one in the back caught up, kicking the person who had just stood up back down. “Eat dirt, you dog!” the one in the back roared, pouncing on top of him, pinning his back down, and reaching out to punch him.

This amusing chase came to an end here. Kokonoe Taka thought it was funny and simply continued to watch the two figures in the rearview mirror.

The one in front naturally wouldn’t let him succeed, immediately struggling. Because of their position, his face was pressed into the pure white snow. Even at a disadvantage, he couldn’t suppress his arrogant spirit. “I already ate it all!” His tone was triumphant, as if he was the one with the advantage. “You’re too slow, Pig Osamu!”

The one on top of him became enraged, cursing a few slurs that were hard to hear. The two of them immediately started wrestling together, shouting and cursing. The car drove some distance, and they could still faintly hear it. “What’s that noise?” Mrs. Tsurumi asked, hearing fragments of the commotion.

Kokonoe Taka had enjoyed the show. Seeing the two intertwined figures getting farther and farther away, he answered his grandmother casually, “Two wild dogs fighting over food.”

That wasn’t exactly wrong, he thought. Tsurumi Sumiko gave him a scolding glance. This mother knew that her son sometimes revealed a mischievous side, and knew that the truth wasn’t like this, but she couldn’t find any evidence and couldn’t do anything about it.

Mrs. Tsurumi didn’t know about her grandson’s little quirks and half-believed him. “Although it’s not snowing today, it’s still cold,” she said, remembering something. “Wear something thick. The snow outside our house hasn’t been cleared yet, so be careful not to slip.”

Kokonoe Taka agreed and put the fun he had just watched behind him.

After another ten minutes, the car finally struggled to reach the street entrance. The snow near the Tsurumi’s house hadn’t been cleared, and the wheels sank in halfway, making it difficult to move forward. They had to get out of the car and walk. The family living at the entrance of the street saw their difficulty. A graceful lady, wearing an apron, opened the door and said enthusiastically, “Mr. Tsurumi! Are you just getting back from running errands?”

“What’s wrong?”

“The car can’t get through,” Mr. Tsurumi called out loudly.

The woman glanced over. “Why don’t you park in front of my house first? It won’t be a problem. Later, we can ask someone to help clear the snow and then drive it back.”

“Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?”

“No trouble at all. Just park there.”

She lived at the entrance of the street, and the snow in front of her house had been cleared, so parking there temporarily wouldn’t block the road. Mr. Tsurumi thanked her repeatedly, parked the car, and took the luggage out of the trunk. Mrs. Tsurumi took advantage of this time to exchange pleasantries with her. “I’m really sorry to take up space in front of your house.”

“What’s the matter with that?” The woman smiled and looked at Tsurumi Sumiko. “This is…”

“This is my daughter,” Mrs. Tsurumi said proudly. “And my grandson. They’re here to spend the New Year with us.”

“Oh, finally, I get to meet you.” The woman said to Sumiko, “Mrs. Tsurumi often talks about how beautiful and capable her daughter is. This is the first time I’ve met you.” Tsurumi Sumiko quickly waved her hand, saying that you’re beautiful and enthusiastic too, I’m far from you.

Kokonoe Taka and his grandfather took the luggage and waited at the door for the ladies who found each other late. Mr. Tsurumi stood beside him for a moment, staring at the snow in the distance. “Did it snow a lot in Miyagi?”

“Quite a bit,” Kokonoe Taka replied.

Mr. Tsurumi gave a dry “Oh.”

The atmosphere was really awkward. Both of them felt a little strange, so they could only silently stare at the snow, one of them staring blankly and one lost in thought. The wind was cold, and Kokonoe Taka reached into his pocket, accidentally feeling a few stragglers among the candies he had received on his birthday.

The plastic candy wrappers, wrapped in the warm coat, were actually a little warmer than his fingers. He touched the shape of the candies. “Want a candy?” he asked suddenly.

Mr. Tsurumi heard this and looked back, meeting Kokonoe Taka’s gaze. “…Sure,” he frowned, but finally answered.

He took one of the candies and put it in Mr. Tsurumi’s open palm. The latter fell silent, unwrapped the candy, threw the colorful candy into his mouth, and put the wrapper back into his pocket.

Kokonoe Taka also took out a candy of the same color, unwrapped it, and put it in his mouth.

It was strawberry-flavored.

The tense atmosphere between the two of them finally eased up, and their actions of puffing out their cheeks were strikingly similar.

Kokonoe Taka bit down on the hard candy. “What about this snow?” They couldn’t keep the car parked in front of someone else’s house. He glanced at the house number. The last name ‘Miya’ was engraved in a neat manner.

Mr. Tsurumi replied, “Around this time, the neighbors on this street will voluntarily come out to clear the snow. When we get back, we can clear the road and then drive the car back.”

“I’ll clear our house,” he said immediately, looking up to meet Mr. Tsurumi’s eyes. “Grandpa, didn’t you fall earlier? Aren’t your legs a little weak?”

Mr. Tsurumi: “…Okay.”

Silence fell again.

At this moment, Tsurumi Sumiko, who was talking to Mrs. Miya, turned around and called out, “Taka!” She waved, and Mr. Tsurumi silently took the box from Kokonoe Taka.

Kokonoe Taka had no choice but to walk over and greet her politely. Mrs. Miya was a very enthusiastic person, with a sweet and cheerful mouth. She praised Kokonoe Taka, and then began to disparage her own children. “Those two stinky boys just make trouble for me when they’re at home,” she complained. “So I kicked them both out.”

After a long goodbye, Mrs. Miya enthusiastically said that if they needed help clearing the snow, just tell her. “I’ll let those two brutes in my house go help. It’ll give them something to do.”

When they got home, Tsurumi Sumiko and Mrs. Tsurumi started cleaning up. Mr. Tsurumi was unceremoniously sent to the supermarket by his wife, who then turned gentle and led Kokonoe Taka to his room. “We were in a hurry, so we only roughly arranged it.”

But in reality, the bedroom was decorated in a way that boys would love. The furniture in the entire room was brand new, with various books and comics on the shelves next to the desk, and colorful game cartridges piled up underneath. One of the people involved in arranging the room explained, “If you don’t like it, we’ll go buy more.”

The number of game cartridges made people wonder if the old couple had robbed a store. And next to the cabinet, there were several unopened boxes. The bottom box contained new sports shoes and sportswear for the season, while the top one contained his familiar deep red tennis racket, with a brand new skateboard leaning against it.

Kokonoe Taka looked up blankly, his tone unusually uncertain. “Grandma, this is…?”

Mrs. Tsurumi said softly, “This is a gift from me and your grandfather. We don’t know what you like, and we don’t understand these things, so we just bought a few things.” Tsurumi Sumiko looked like her mother, and her tone was the same gentle tone.

Kokonoe Taka opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Mrs. Tsurumi was constantly watching his reaction. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it? Then, when Grandpa comes back, we’ll let him take you out to buy something else, okay?”

Kokonoe Taka quickly waved his hand. “No! It’s just…” He could see the extent of their effort with just a glance. “Thank you.”

“If you’re not comfortable living here these days, you must tell us,” she said, winking playfully at him. “Don’t feel like you’re bothering us. Your grandfather is just stubborn, but he really wants to live with you.”

She paused for a moment, hesitating. “Do you really want to stay in Japan?”

Kokonoe Taka nodded firmly.

Mrs. Tsurumi looked at her grandson’s face, which was similar to her own father’s, and apologized to him sadly, “I’m sorry, for separating you and Sumiko…” She opened her mouth, but felt that whatever she said would sound like an excuse. In the end, she could only quickly dab at the tears in the corner of her eyes and cheer up. “Then Grandma won’t bother you while you pack your things.”

She pushed the door open and closed it carefully before leaving. Kokonoe Taka stood in the carefully decorated room, dazed for a while, before he began to pack his things.

He didn’t bring much. Most of his belongings had been sent to Tokyo on the first day of his birthday, so he only had a few simple pieces of luggage, which he packed up in less than fifteen minutes. The watch on his wrist showed 5:00 PM, and the sky outside was only slightly dark.

He left the room, went downstairs, and found his mother in the kitchen laughing and talking with his grandmother. Seeing him come out, she asked if he wanted to secretly eat his grandfather’s yokan, and vowed that she would never tell on him.

Kokonoe Taka righteously refused this tempting suggestion, but couldn’t resist being stuffed a pocket full of snacks by his mother and grandmother. He asked his grandmother, “Where’s the shovel? I want to take this opportunity to clear the snow in front of the door.”

They found the shovel in the garage behind the yard. His grandmother watched him weigh the shovel a couple of times, and worriedly told him, “Just shovel a little, don’t work too hard—remember to come back early!”