Vol 1 Chapter 1 (2/2)
This fabulously mellow tomato was so luscious it almost seemed to burst There was no comparison between the usual tomato juice and this wonderful fresh fruit flesh A sense of wellbeing spread through his entire body, which hadn't received any fresh vegetables recently
He had never thought that he could experience such a ht noas confident to be able to even reen pepper Raw
”Well, it uess But you see, I liked my work and, as it seems, I had a talent for it I was interested, so I was absorbed in what I was doing and had cli But at the same time, I had also removed myself more and more from the work I actually wanted to do”
The girl was sitting next to the boy and having a hard ti a stomach ache and set about a third tomato
”Thus youon a farm come true under the convenient pretext that your name had been «lost» Uh-huh”
Her choice of words contained a thorny undertone But not out of ill will It waslike sarcasm that she mixed into her words to tease him The director seemed to be aware of this as well and flashed a smile
”Yeah This ues in the company, but every day here is so much fun! Well, but the stuff I learned in school and my experience at work don't really come into any use”
The man smiled wryly
”Why did you come all the way here from Honshu anyway? Wouldn't you have been able to find some cultivated land over there, too?”
”There's no real reason It's not like I planned to work on a field froht I'd drive about a bit for sightseeing, but then I came across this house here At the tieneral store all on her own She let etables, while I gave her a hand on the field”
”How is she doing now?”
”in March this year she vanished”
”I see,” the boy said thoughtfully, while the girl next to hi bite of her third tomato
At this moment
”Oh, director? Do we have guests?”
A female voice had suddenly interrupted
The beautiful voice was clear like an announcer's Its owner stood a sun
At once, the corn grown tall enough for soh it a fe a suit Youbeauty
”you've got a secretary even for farm work?!”
They gave him a fierce clip in his belly Of course, with some restraint
After recovering froony, the director introduced the lady who had joined in the round
”uhm, she is my secretary Since her name has been «lost», she's simply called secretary”
”I am the secretary It is a pleasure to meet you”
The wole
This angle and the position of her hands were proof that she had brought these movements to perfection as a part of her job However, her suit was dirty and her skin, once white, had been browned by the sun She earing a straw hat on top of her long, pretty black hair and holding some fresh-picked corn in both hands A hand toas draped over her shoulders and she wasn't wearing high heels but rubber boots It was a queer contrast
She gave thelances The time to introduce themselves had come
”Err I'm simply the boy My favorite dish at the moment is tomato”
”I'irl My temporary favorite dish is tomato There are plans to shi+ft this to corn very soon”
They bowed together and were requited with the secretary's giggle; a delightful one that would have h brilliantly
In the end, she decided to pause work as well and joined in the chatter It was already 6p a break as the air was pleasantly fresh thanks to the gradually dropping temperature and the water nearby
”Are you on a journey?”
”Yes We dropped everything and went on a journey So it's basically the same as it was for the director, isn't it?”
The secretary giggled again on hearing the girl's confident answer
”Meaning you eloped with your boyfriend?”
””
When she asked this question, confident that she were spot-on, the girl's face froze with an uneasy expression Then, with exactly that expression, she turned a look that contained a strange combination of doubt and expectation to the boy
”Are you my boyfriend?”
She straight-out asked his view on the matter Puzzled over how he should answer her, he put his hand under his chin and pondered
”we never made such an oath I think”
When he had finally ot kicked by her for whatever reason This is what they call unreasonableness
The secretary giggled once ood terms with each other Don't make me jealous!”
After the secretary had said so, the girl stopped her kick assault and proceeded with her tomato
”But doesn't that go for yourself too, secretary? I mean, you accompanied the director when he abandoned his co on his farm Don't you mix quite well in a sense?”
”Oh? But I have not abandoned my work at all?” the secretary said in a wholly stunned-see observers ”You see, my job is to support the director I have not abandoned my work The director is the only one who has”
”H-How can you say that! Sure, you've come here because of me, but I never forced you, did I?”
”None of your excuses! In spite of the fact that I only ca with you due to et some water to wash the radish» How could I ever refuse your orders in my position?”
She pursed her lips, ”Hmph!” and pushed the full corn basket upon the director ”Thanks to that I have gotten coo prepare sorilled corn in the meantime, director”
”O-Okay”
After forcing this giant amount of corn upon the director - alood pace in order tothe boy and girl behind alone by the well
Neither the director nor the secretary had shown any signs of wonderment when they didn't tell them their names
The corn field rustled in the gentle wind Behind it, they could see the slowly setting sun at the horizon
”Boy?”
”Mh her a look
”The director's color is very weak, isn't it?”
”Yeah”
His hair had turned coe was approximately somewhere between late thirties to e would normally be nearly impossible, but that only applies to normal people
It was the same for his skin In comparison, the secretary had probably done equally or less work than he, but she was suntanned However, his skin was pigment-poor, almost like an albino's
”Isn't it hot today?”
”Well, it's already August”
The sound of the secretary's hurrying steps cut into their pointless conversation
She put a tray on the stone bench and, along with a refreshi+ng sound, filled their cups with tea It could be expected that she, as a secretary, kne to prepare delicious tea, but sadly it should be rather difficult to make full use of these skills for barley tea
However, the served barley tea had been cooled with fresh spring water and was so chilly that the surface of their cups fogged
The girl eo, as if this was the etiquette in this land
However, the sight of her gulping down the tea wasn't exactly ”elegant”
”Ah, right!”
The two girls turned their gazes to the boy
”What's the matter, boy?”
”Ah, it's not like it's urgent right now, but I was thinking about replenishi+ng our reserves if the water isn't limited”
”Ah, I see”
Asking gazes focused on the secretary
”Yes I think it is fine! This well see after all”
”Yay! Fresh water ahoy!”
As the water is that clear, it shouldn't be necessary to boil it up Mh in that case, we ought to throay the water from yesterday's rest area and fill with fresh It feels kind of like a waste since ent through the trouble of disinfecting it, but that can't be helped
”Alright, I'll go and fill our bottles up then”
”Eh? Wait, I'll help you”
”I'm fine, no worries in return, you can save me some corn!”
The boy thrust his finger before her, lending weight to his words, after which the girl sat down again
The secretary watched his back while he was getting the water, fanning hiful look andand make him your boyfriend!”
The girl spat out a mouthful of barley tea Mainly from her mouth But wasn't there also some that came out of her nose?
The secretary s her back
”Is it really so out of school and then starting a journey on a bike - what else other than a couple should this be?”
”W-Who knows? I mean, aren't there irls apart fros?”
Her voice was hoarse because some tea had entered her wind-pipe
”For instance, the relationshi+p between a director and a secretary?”
The secretary giggled, but the girl averted her gaze uncomfortably
”But you followed the director here although you aren't a couple, right?”
”Yes Because I am his secretary”
”so you have no special feelings for him?”
”Well as things stand, not in particular?”
”Which means you're merely superior and employee?”
”Yes After all, he had always addressedmy surname or no nain with?” she said and added a little quieter ”The truth will reh”
The unconcerned voice of the secretary and her airl
However, she could very irl didn't intend to put her thoughts into words, but by looking into her eyes she also realized that secretary didn't seek her understanding anyway
”And still you don'this work on the field?”
”Yes Because I have decided to stay”
”On this farm?”
”No With him”
Her confident s will
For soirl became wholeheartedly e up to the ears although it wasn't about herself
Unable to endure, she averted her eyes and looked in another direction
”until death parts you?”
”Of course”
The girl heard a soainst the impulse to scratch her head
”You have my support”
The secretary was a little surprised at this sudden and indirect yell, but then she replied with a bea smile, ”Thank you”
It was not an artificial smile like she used to use at work, nor was it an expression of comfort It was the first wholehearted smile she showed them since they had met
Just, it was a pity that neither the girl, who had her look turned away, nor the boy, who had gone to fetch their water, and not even the director, as grilling the corn, could see it
”Oi! I didn't kno much we'd need, so I just made lots of them!”
They turned around towards the direction of the voice and spotted the director in question bringing a full basket of corn with him
”D-Director! Who on earth is going to eat all that?!”
The secretary's roaring rebuke made the director wince
”But they're still so young I thought they would eat about this much”
”nobody can eat this much bare corn without any side dishes! It seems like we have to , too”
”I-I'm sorry”
”My there is no helping it Please call the boy”
Contrary to their original relationshi+p, it was the director as scolded He walked back the way he had just come from with a confused face
A fragrant smell arose from the basket that had been left here in his place Apparently, the director had kindly prepared two types of corn for the and another that was first dipped in soy sauce
The two girls gulped wordlessly
”I just remembered another reason why I am here”
”Eh?” She turned around to the secretary who had
The secretary continued, still gazing at the stea corn
”I a”
”Hah”
What could be called a light conversation was still azes and concentration were fully arrested by the corn
”The director is very good at it Really”
”It does look that way”
Less than a minute later, they were finally freed frorilled corn
”Ah ouch, ugh”
”That's what you get fro without restraint! It seeht here, so just lie still for a while”
The boy smiled wryly and laid a cushi+on on the veranda for her as a substitute for a pillow
The cause for her sto
At thedown on the veranda at the back of the shop with fans in their hands
”Geez Wasn't it clear that you would get a stomach-ache from that much corn?”
”B-Be quiet already”
Even her abusive re power In the end, she had eaten a whole three cobs of corn So it was certainly not a weak digestive system that was at fault for her stomach-ache
Well, one rilled extra-big corn Corn is said to be best ih of it, either, so he could understand her
However, she had already eaten four cold tomatoes at the time It was natural that even a stomach like hers, which made the boy think it was titan-made at times, would naturally hurt with such a lot of heavy food in it
”Darilled!”
The boy was amazed at her undue complaints but kept quiet because he feared the consequences Therefore, he decided for a slightly more reserved reply
”Well, it was freshly grilled after all It would be fraud if it wasn't tasty”
”Word I guess soh-class stuff like crabs and tuna”
”Indeed”
The boy agreed with a wry sirl would take back that word the very moment when she actually saw some crab or tuna
Incidentally, the boy had controlled himself a little and had only eaten two tomatoes and two ears of corn, which is why he was full but not in a ”critical” state like the girl
Judging only frorier than men
By now, the heat that had torone down quite a bit In the background one could hear the har This rance of summer - the smell of mosquito coil
He suddenly turned his gaze to the garden The thoroughly grooeas, whose season had already ended, and a bunch of the typical flowers of summer behind them
A group ofsun with their widely-spread yellow petals as if to substitute what they symbolized
Further down the garden he could see a plastic greenhouse, which had apparently been repaired by the director Because it was still midsummer, there was only soil inside
But it seereen plants inside a row of neatly ordered planters
”Boy?”
”Mhm?”
The girl suddenly addressed hiot flustered herself
Because they were alone and in the right mood, so she had called his name But there was no topic
Naturally unable to continue the debate on food, she opened and closed her oldfish
”Um err”
”They're strawberries They won't be ready for picking until next year, though But you have to plant them already at this period”
The boy turned his head towards the sudden voice from behind
The girl could just turn over on her side because she was lying down anyway The director showed no signs of noticing the grudge in her eyes
”To tell the truth, I love fruit just asforward to next year!”
It was unclear to the boy and girl whether he loved raising the them, but they didn't ask It was probably both
”Director, how is your stomach?”
”Please don't ask!”
The director sat down next to the boy while holding his painfully growling stomach
Because he had rilled corn, the secretary had forced him to dispose of the left-overs In other words: to eat the re corn
It was obvious that after consuh-fiber corn, the toilet had become his best friend
However, what had surprised him even more was the secretary She had easily eaten up four corncobs and, on top of that, she hadit her dessert
Considering the current state of the girl, he couldn't attribute it to ”woer stoiant land ood sense, of course
”So, did you et rid of the corn in the end?”
”Sorry I left some over”
”My, my Well, such 'a lot' decreased to 'some', so it should be fine”
But while I won't say you deserved it, I don't feel like helping you out, either
Suddenly, ”Director Please come over here for a moment” A voice came from the kitchen
The director got up with a pathetic-sounding ”Heave-ho!” and headed to the kitchen, where he eventually left their sight They could only dimly hear their conversation
”Is there still so to do?”
”No We are mostly done”
”Eh? Why did you call me then?”
”I do not think you would understand, director”
”Hah?”
”Never mind! You talk with me here for a while No objections allowed”
”Hah”
”Let us begin with the weather”
”Hah?”
The boy could virtually see the bewildered face of the director
The lying girl gave the secretary the thumbs up in her mind Well done!
She couldn't waste this extraordinary chance the secretary had provided
”Boy”
”Mh~?” he replied absent-mindedly
”I request your lap as my pillow”
”Eeh?!”
Ignoring any co the wooden veranda towards him like a caterpillar and invaded his lap with her head
She also laid the cushi+on she had used as a pillow before on her stomach to prevent any worse stomach-ache
”Shouldn't the roles normally be reversed?”
”It's fine in enuinely sick”
”So you call the stolutton that has simply eaten too much 'sickness', huh ou-ouch-ouch!?”
She punished his ih Experience the proverb ”Loose lips sink shi+ps” with your very own body!
”Geez this is one hard pillow”
”Please don't ask a man for the impossible!”
But even while saying so, he carefully ainst any bones He felt a pleasant heaviness on his thighs
There was a rather long silence between them then
It was one of those calm moments, which they had al about today'sto the sound of wind chi a veranda with a filled sto they had almost never experienced even in their past
”mnyah this is happiness”
”Yeah So them care so much for us”
”If you want, we can stay here for a few days? We aren't in a hurry after all, and they also said it would be fine”
”There you go again Hoould you answer if I agreed?”
”I would disagree I mean, we are on a journey While it's okay to stay soet our provisions, I don't intend to stay somewhere just for some rest”
”Don't ask me then”
”But it would be unfair if I didn't at least hear out your opinion”
Onethis when the result would stay the same anyway
”Well, I'o”
”I see,” the girl said as if she had co and closed her eyes
In fact, the boy had worked a little by helping the the tiirl had been put out of commission
He did not, however, consider this enough for a night's board and lodging Leaving aside the housework, the director had als about farm work, so it wasn't labor at all
Paying with ion, where the physical distribution has pretty much been cut off,else other than cash that he could give them?
When he searched his pockets for his wallet, a little book fell out of it to the ground
It was a notebook with a green vinyl-cover - the notebook containing his student information
He opened it and, naturally, found his picture and nae
However, his na field
”my picture has faded quite a lot, huh”
The colors of this picture, in which he was scowling gried from weak pastel into nearly monochrome
If it went on like this, it was just a matter of time until it would become entirely white as well
It was a fewcalmly on his lap
While the secretary was changing the soundly sleeping girl into her pajauest-futons from the closet, assisted by the director
Suddenly, the boy recalled so most important
”Director Are there any tools for repairing a motorbike in this house?”
”A ht You came here on a motorcycle Is it broken?”
”Yes For the last five days”
The director made his eyes wide
”my sympathies! Tell me, what do you need?”
”Since I just need to replace some parts, a few simple tools, parts, of course, and some fresh oil should do it”
”Mh there”
With these words the director headed to the garden, followed by the boy
Nighttime The sun had coeneral store in the middle of the meadoas no exception It too was shrouded in the veil of darkness Since naturally there was no electricity, the only light source was one of those antique lanterns Nevertheless, its warh for their eyes that had adjusted to the darkness and lit the rooirl, this softly swaying but brightly shi+ning candle seemed very unique and characteristic for 'this place'
Because it was such a place, there was no traffic noise and hurly-burly like in the city, which they were used to Instead, one could hear the hty mixed chorus perfor impediment to sleep for unaccustomed people
In the boy's case, this a for three months merely for show
However, there were situations that even the boy had trouble dealing with
For instance when he was under i on the futon right next to him
He couldn't i like this, so it probably was one of the secretary's jokes Their two futo