Vol 6 Chapter 5 (1/2)
The Long Holiday[edit]
1[edit]
Fro was off
I opened my eyes and turned to look at the clock next to my pillow The display showed 7:00, and next to it was an indicator reading Sunday
I felt none of the light-headed grogginess that usually accohtest bit of drowsiness re back to sleep I slowly struggled to roll over face-down in my bed and then did as essentially a pushup to raise myself up
The strange thing hat happened when I let downlight seeping through the crack in the curtains, I started to mutter to myself in disbelief
”I feel good”
Both in body and in spirit, absolutely nothing was amiss
That's not to say I was used to constantly being in some kind of bad bodily condition In that sense, rather than saying I was in good condition, it'd probably be more appropriate to say that, today, I felt perfectly full of energy So ht even need to do soy reserves back to normal levels Moments like these didn't come often
I went to the kitchen and peered into the refrigerator We had bacon, maitake mushrooms, and e pieces I put a slice of bread into the toaster and then beat sos in a small bowl As I did so, I haphazardly added some processed cheese, milk, and a little bit later, some curry powder to the mix Of the two burners, I used one to fry the bacon s Shoot I didn't have enough room to heat the water up, so my coffee would have to wait
I broughton the toast, it was fluffy as I stuffed it intodown the stairs My parents are both away on a business trip, so it had to be my older sister The sound of footsteps continued towards the kitchen
”Wow, there's breakfast!”
She has a lot of energy this
”Did you make this, Houtarou?”
”Who knows? For all we know it lar”
”It's still hot, too He ive me any of that sass”
Without responding, I took a bit of the bacon dish and put it on top of the toast My sister started talking again
”Can I have some?”
My mouth was full, so I simply nodded There's no way she'd see it all the way from the kitchen, but she'd still take so Besides, I h for her portion as well
”Hey, it's actually not bad!” she said She sure didn't waste any ti rude
”Get yourself a plate”
”What's with this taste? Did you put so in this?”
She probably had a bite of the eggs The jar of curry poas left on the kitchen counter, and I had enough faith in her that she’d figure it out herself, so I continued to eat without saying a word Sure enough
”Oh, this, huh?” she asked ”It's not like it's anything complicated, but it's still pretty above and beyond you What going on, Houtarou? Did anything happen?”
Sharp as always I too
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k a sip of ood”
Just as I ile, dubious ”What?”
After getting out of bed and eating breakfast, I did so and laundry I scrubbed the bathtub and then boiled so
I went into my room, planted myself on top ofout the ith its curtains pulled back, the sky looked perfect Due to a recent stationary front, rain had continued to fall and fall these past days This kind of sunshi+ne was the first in a long time
”I guess I'll go outside”
I changed into a pair of pants with deep pockets and stuck a small paperback book into one of them I put on a polo shi+rt and looked outside once more A smile had formed on my face before I realized
”Wouldn't want to waste this perfectly good weather”
To think that I, Houtarou Oreki, of all people, would groilling to spend a sunny day inside If Satoshi+ heardover to check me for a fever I picked le thousand yen note and stuffed it into my other pocket
Although I left the house, it wasn't like I had any specific plans in h I do want to decide on a destination
”So, where's a good place to go?”
I thought of going to a bookstore, but due to various reasons, I was short on cash this month Besides, the paperback in hout the day
That meant that I should probably look for a place where I could read I thought about going so the season when the bugs start co next to the water at this time Also, the bank is out in the open, so I'd be easily seen by passersby I wasn't generally concerned about being stared at by others and have some tolerance with it, but even that tolerance has a limit
There was a shrine for Hachiood for sitting on as well How about that? Feeling good about that option, I started to walk towards its direction, but so held ood today; I felt like h away
”Then, how about this?”
I turned on h itoverly preoccupied with shrines, I probably ended up wanting to go Arekusu only because I considered Hachiman's shrine first
I started to walk At first, I felt I bit cold with only a polo shi+rt on, but I quickly began to war the road I nor unfaht've been a natural wind tunnel as, although I was surrounded by fences on both sides, I still felt a cool breeze blow up against er stripes and a somewhat pissed-off expression
”Hey,” I said, raising a hand in greeting Perhaps startled, however, the cat immediately ran away That was bad of me
I continued to slowly stroll on and neared a bridge Because of the rain yesterday, the river had risen considerably I stoppedwaters
”Early-summer rains
Add to and ever hasten,
Mogami River”[2]
Well, this wasn't the Mogami River, and yesterday's weather conditions weren't really early-summer rains either Maybe I'd be able to think up a more suitable haiku if I was ive what you don't have Satoshi+ would've probably been able to coood one Or maybe this was more up Chitanda's alley
I passed by in front of a takoyaki shop A sweet aroh I'd already eaten breakfast, so I had a one thousand yen note withI could buy The terip If I were to buy soed to endure the urge by the skin ofup as I walked away
After I walked for around ten minutes, I noticed that the nuh I've never left this town in ht me to such unknown areas What an econoht too poorly ofthis untrodden route with a certain degree of confidence Go over here and then there, and then if I turn somewhere around here
I entered an open area That was splendidly done, if I do say sothe very Arekusu Shrine itself
”Now then” I otten about that The shrine was on the side of a hill What that rounds, I'd have to continue up the long flight of stairs leading up to it It didn't e condition leadingthat I hesitated for a moment, and then—
”Oh well, I guess it's fine”
—I then proceeded
I walked up and up, counting each step along the way Not before long, I noticed overgrown cedar trees starting to line both sides of the path The teently started to fall As I passed thirty steps, I lost count Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, a whole bunch I'd never given ht to what kind of job I wanted in the future, but I'ht not be the best match for me
My breathing quickened I'd have a difficult ti my book now, too Should I just sit on the steps and start reading here? No, no I'm already er I continued to cli forward as I did
I must've done more than a hundred steps—not that I counted, of course I finally made it to the top and took a deep breath My eyes fell on a s a basin of water for cere I wanted to drink a mouthful, but I doubt the water was intended to be used that way I looked around for a vending ured, there weren't any in sight
My eyes andering around the area when I locked eyes with someone who had just left the shrine's administration office She had on a casual T-shi+rt and shorts, looking as if she hadn't even left her house for the day She wore glasses with s
”Ah!”
It was Kaho Juuuess she technically hadn't left her house for the day, considering she lived here as well It looked like she had also realized it was me and sloalked over
”Welcome”
She placed her hands in front of her body, palms-down, and lowered her head politely Norreeted like this, but I re for the same trick in the past
”Thanks,” I replied, at any rate She pouted back, probably unsatisfied with my calm reaction, but quickly smiled
”Did you come to pay the shrine a visit?”
”Not really, but actually, I guess I could do that too”
”You're weird”
”I' a walk”
I guess it was a bit difficult to say that the shrine was any old location for me to someone who actually lived there
Juumonji turned around to face the direction of the administration office she came out from
”Eru's here”
”What?”
”Eru's here”
Sounds like soa would invent[3] Eru's here
Wait Eru's here?!
”Wha why?”
She snickered back ”She's just here to hang out You can also come in if you'd like I'll make you some tea”
”No, it's okay I'm just—”
”It’s not like you’re unrelated to e’re currently talking about, you know”
Me? What could it be about?
”I won't force you,” she continued, ”but you knohat they say 'Even chance s are preordained'”
”Is that a Buddhist saying?”
”It's a principle that goes beyond the boundaries of religion”
”I don't know”
”Still, I have to say Actually, never mind I think I'd rather you see it for yourself Come now”
Before I realized it, I was already being escorted into the shrine's administration office
I don't think I put up ht
In one section of the office was a six tata screen door was like the rest in the building, but upon entering, I could see it was a bedroos There was a cabinet and an alarazines, a small teapot, and in the center of it all, a low table She probably had more stuff at her house, but it looked like this area was put aside for Juumonji to occupy
Not to mention
”H-huh? Oreki-san Why are you”
Chitanda was there, flustered She looked around, frantically running her hands through her hair, and then, as if it suddenly dawned on her, she reached out and started gathering together everything on the low table Juuhter in her voice
”You don't really have to hide it, you know”
”A-ah, yes I see Now that you mention it, you do have a point”
She pointed her face doards, probably trying to pull herself together a little, and then finally sat properly back up
”Good afternoon, Oreki-san Fancyyou here”
”Yeah I was surprised”
”But you kneas here, right?”
What the heck was she talking about?
”Oh, really?” asked Juumonji, as she turned to look at me I shook my head
”I said it though, didn't I?” interjected Chitanda ”I said that I promised Kaho-san that I'd visit her on Sunday”
”When and to who like that?”
”I told Mayaka-san after school on Friday”
Why would she assuht as I was about to ask her this myself, she seized away the initiative
”Weren't you sitting right next to her?”
My memory was a bit hazy, but I feel like I did visit the clubroo next to Ibara then Even still
”I didn't hear it”
My denial wasn't very strong, so I had the sinking feeling that it sounded more and more like I had eavesdropped on their conversation and then purposely gone to the place where Chitanda had plans I said it once more, this time with conviction
”I heard absolutely nothing”
Chitanda readily nodded ”I understand You were reading at the time, Oreki-san”
Juumonji let out an unconvinced hum from the side I was a little worried she didn't believe me
She then brought out a floor cushi+on for reen tea As she did that, Chitanda started to rearrange the things she had previously tried to hide back on top of the low table
”I came to look at these”
They were photos—photos of the living doll festival that had taken place back in April, near Chitanda's house
”It really is too e”
She started to hide theain
In the living doll festival, Chitanda played one of those dolls and wore an intricate twelve-layered kimono At her request, I played the umbrella bearer Satoshi+ had taken pictures of the festival and showed them to me as well The photos currently on the table, however, were different ones
I was also embarrassed and wanted to hide them as fast as possible My eyes wandered to a certain photo Behind the doll-dressed Chitanda, whose gaze seeant composure, walkedexpression on! Mywide open and my eyes looked dull and unfocused
I subconsciously averted aze
”That's one cruel picture”
”Ah, this one?” Chitanda pulled the photo in question closer to her ”It certainly isn't the best shot”
Juumonji placed her cup of tea on the low table and started to talk as she sat on the cushi+on ”You were yawning, huh Whaton your part”
”More like nightmarish”
That face of uess the photo had captured alike that in Satoshi+'s pictures, so it's clear I wasn'tthat expression the entire time At least, that's what I wanted to believe
”Sorry I dragged you in here like this, but I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this picture I figured that if you weren't here, it'd be like laughing at you behind your back, and that left a bad taste in my mouth”
I got where she was co on laughing at it fro person
”By the way, this picture of Eru over here's pretty terrible, too”
”Kaho-san! That's off-limits!”
The two of the as they discussed the photos, and I quietly sat between theh Juumonji was the one who invitedspot In other words, I desperately wanted out, though my parched throat did appreciate the tea
I tried to wait for a lull in the conversation that I could use to say oodbyes, but it was near-i this, I reached the botton that I had to go, but as I thought this, Juumonji suddenly looked at the clock
”It's already this late? You should probably get going soon, Eru”
Chitanda smiled ”Yes, I know Have you finished with your errands?”
”Oh,” said Juu to do it but saw Oreki-kun and got distracted”
I wasn't sure what they were talking about, but it sounded like it was htly, and she lowered her head
”I'm really sorry I wonder if I can still make it”
”What happened?” I asked
To that, Chitanda responded, ”Today, I was planning on showing Kaho-san these pictures and then helping her with so after”
Juumonji explained the rest ”I was also asked byI left because there wasn't ot surprised when I saw you and ended up forgetting about it”
She was surprised? Not an ounce of it showed on her face
”If that's the case, I'll take care of the preparations,” Chitanda said ”You go on ahead, Kaho-san”
”Are you sure?”
”Yes It's not the first time I've done it”
”You're a lifesaver” As Juuether in prayer towards Chitanda ”Namu”[4]
”That's Buddhist, isn't it?” I said before realizing it Juumonji opened her eyes
”It's a principle that goes beyond the boundaries of religion Though, what'll you do now, Oreki-kun? I don't mind if you stay here”
”No, I think I'll excuse myself Thanks for the tea”
”Really? Well, you're welcome”
As I was about to stand up, I suddenly thought of so
”By the hat are you going to help her with?”
Chitanda gestured with both ar some kind of dance
”Cleaning!”
I guess she was i movement Juumonji added on to that
”We have a h, it doesn't really have to be cleaned today”
”It's alright I had intended on co here to do it today anyways”
So essentially, one person was going to be doing a two- job I wish I hadn't heard
As I did hear, there was no getting around it I only had one option available to me
”I'll help out”
At first surprised, Chitanda immediately said that I didn't need to After that, however, she didn't reject my offer any further
2[edit]
Inari's shrine was located off to the side fro, narrow trail
Now that I think about it, there was a banner fluttering in the corner of the shrine's grounds, reading ”High Ranking Shrine” I had no idea why it wasn't closer to the path
”This doesn'tlike this attract worshi+ppers?”
”I'h I don't think the shrine was built here to gather followers”
I held two broo on a different shoulder Chitanda carried a bucket Inside it were daloves
”Let's go”
The narrow path started up as a small hill and quickly became a set of stairs I felt like if I walked in front, I'd end up constantly poking her with the brooo first instead As we started to cli in particular, and saw that the shrine grounds had already disappeared from view behind the many trees
I had to say it was all so peaceful
Exactly as I thought this, however, I started to beco leaves, chirping birds, my footsteps, Chitanda's footsteps My sie
”I' really strange”
Hearing her hts startled me
”Yeah, well, I had nothing to do today, anyway”
We wordlessly continued our ascent The stairs were much steeper than they had initially appeared to be fro Just as I was beginning to forget ere talking about, she responded
”How unusual”
It had felt like quite the journey from a physical standpoint, but in reality, it had probably only taken abound five or so minutes This part of the ate and a miniature shrine behind it There was a small stone pedestal in front of the shrine, and on it was a sake bottle Although I figured no one would coarette butts lying scattered about
I handed one of the brooms to Chitanda
”What do we do for the cleaning?”
”The priest takes care of the actual shrine itself, so all we do is sweep up the leaves and so on”
”What's with the washcloth?”
”It's to wipe off the bird droppings and other things froh” Chitanda trailed off She did a figure-eight around the guardian fox statue and then shtly at me ”It looks like it's okay All we have to do is wipe the sake bottle”
Why is there even a bottle there in the first place? I'ot about it
”Okay, let's get to it”
Chitanda started to chuckle lightly ”Let's offer our greetings, first”
I see We laid the broouardian fox statue and then stood before Inari, side-by-side I brought ether Namu
If I remembered correctly, Inari blessed coinally a God of agriculture Or maybe it was Satoshi+ that toldto do with either at the ive me in advance for the quick job I' your shrine
”Let's begin, then,” said Chitanda
It looked like she was going to start with the scrubbing Since I had already gone through all the effort of bringing up the heavy brooh ere in the wrong ti nuround for some reason This'd probably be a pretty tedious job
I began to sweep I decided to first clear the area around the torii gate
The rhythround felt inexplicably pleasant to my ears
Now that I think about it, I'd also done so like this again in a place like this, especially after taking the time to enjoy the sunshi+ne?
H stroke
”You seeood mood, Oreki-san”
As she said this, I suddenly realized how loud I was being As one an to heat up In a situation with no salvation like this one, I at least wanted to avoid showing any bewilderment
”Not really,” I ended up responding
Chitanda covered her mouth with her hand as her shoulders started to shake
She finished wiping the sake bottle and then put her gloves on After she put all of the empty cans into the bucket, she then took the broo within advance, but I ended up taking the right side of the shrine whereas she worked on the left
I swept in silence, taking special care towas the same The sounds of our broohtly off
”I was a little surprised,” Chitanda suddenly re up
”About what?”
”That you offered to help”
”Sometimes you just have to clean”
”Is that so?”
I thought for a second
”Well,else to do”
She replied, her voice cheery ”I'm the same before tests I'm not confident at all”
I could hear a bird chirping in the distance
”Oreki-san, aren't you always saying that if so, then you'd rather not do anything about it? That's why I was a bit taken aback I thought for sure you'd go hoht away”
Well, I guess in the end, the cleaning wasn't as laborious as I thought it would be I had nothing to do with it from the start, and I'ood luck and left then and there In fact, normally I would've done just that
I started to speak without stopping my hands
”I' well today”
”What? Are you hurting somewhere?”
”It's not that It's just that—how can I put this—I' like I wanted toyou, I'd probably be taking a jog right now It's good that I' productive”
I glanced up at Chitanda and saw her tilting her head to the left and right in uncertainty Finally, she spoke
”Um, thank you very much”
I' me for
As I continued to move my arms, I started to feel the trickle of sweat There was no ithin the forest Possibly because the earth was dae all too hen my broom brushed over it, and thus the fallen leaves proved to be difficult to move Naturally, I had to putunder the pressure
”Oreki-san”
”Hm?”