Chanbara Night - A Second Home 1

Season: Autumn

 

Writer: Nishioka (feat. Akira)

 

Characters: Mao, Hajime, Young inn owner

-

Mao: Haa~... That was a nice soak…♪

 

 

Hajime: The hot spring water felt really nice…♪

 

As expected of free-flowing hot spring water. Just look at my skin. It’s gotten completely smooth. And my legs don’t feel as tired anymore.

 

Mao: They do say people used to heal their injuries in the hot spring in the past, after all. It really felt like an invigorating bath. 

 

Hajime: Ehehe. The only problem is that when it feels so good you often end up spending too long in the bath.

 

Mao: Agreed~. Tori and Kagehira looked like they were about to combust, after all.

 

Hajime: Tori-kun and Kagehira-senpai went back to our room earlier, but I wonder if they’re doing okay? I hope they aren’t still feeling sick.

 

Mao: Ahaha. They’re not children, so they should be fine.

 

Hajime: That’s true. I have this habit of worrying too much- nn?

 

Isn’t that the young master standing by the window down the hallway?

 

Mao: Ah, it is. We should take this opportunity to say hello. I want to give him my thanks for letting us use the bath as well.

 

Hajime: Yes, let’s.

 

Mao: Young master, hello.

 

Hajime: Nice to see you.

 

Young master: Isara-san and Shino-san. Are you on your way back from using the bath? How did you find our hot spring water?

 

Mao: It felt amazing! I feel completely energized!

 

Hajime: Yes! It felt so good that we ended up staying a while.

 

Young master: That’s good to hear. I’ll be sure to tell my employees you were satisfied. They’ll surely feel encouraged.

 

Mao: What are you looking at? Is there something outside the window?

 

Young master: Ah. There isn’t anything in particular… I was just admiring the inn and the surrounding view. I want to be able to remember it in case the day comes when I won't be able to come here anymore. 

 

Ah, excuse me…! Me saying stuff like that would only be making your job more difficult.

 

Please pay no mind to what I just said. Ah, how careless of me. I find myself becoming more sentimental as I grow older.

 

Hajime: Uhm. Wouldn’t it be better if the two of you managed to come to an agreement about the inn rather than leaving the decision to something like a bet?

 

Young master: A bet, huh…

 

Fufu. Betting, is it… That doesn’t sound too bad.

 

Mao: Eh?

 

Young master: No, it just sounded like something my mother would like.

 

Mao: Your mother? If she is your mother… then that would make her this inn’s landlady, wouldn’t it?

 

Hajime: Oh? But when we were introduced to the staff earlier, there was no landlady present, was there?

 

Young master: You’re right. My mother passed away ten years ago. So there is no landlady at this inn.

 

Hajime: So that’s how it is… I’m so sorry, I had no idea…

 

Young master: Ah, don’t be. Don’t worry about it. This isn’t a sad story. She was an outgoing and refreshing person, after all.

 

I was thinking how my mother would probably have thought this whole ordeal was really funny and had a laugh about it. My father would often struggle to keep up with her antics.

 

Mao: She sounds like a lovely person. With that person as your mother, your days must’ve been filled with joy?

 

Young master: They were. This inn was always like a second home to me. 

 

Mao: A home…?

 

Young master: I didn’t use to live here. I often came to the inn after school to spend time here is all.

 

At this inn were my hardworking father, my cheerful mother, the kind-hearted staff and many customers who enjoyed staying here. That’s the kind of environment I grew up in. 

 

Mao: I can imagine.

 

Hajime: Indeed. We have never spent time at an inn like this, but for us idols, we have an important place of belonging in our units…

 

Mao: That’s an irreplaceable place in our lives, like a second home for us.

 

Young master: I see. So you guys also have a place like that. That sounds like a good place to belong.

 

Mao: So I feel like I can understand a little of the loneliness and sadness you might feel if you were to lose that kind of important place. I can only imagine how it must feel.

 

Young master: That amount of support is enough for me. That is why I really want this inn to survive.

 

I was so surprised when my father started saying he wanted to close this inn. This place that not only my father, but my mother also valued above all else…

 

I thought my father would feel the same way as I do…

 

Fufu. It seems I’m becoming too sentimental after all. And I’ve talked for too long.

 

I must return to my work already. Well then, please continue enjoying yourselves.



Navigation:
<Prev chapter | Masterlist | Next chapter>

Chanbara Night - A Second Home 2

Season: Autumn

 

Writer: Nishioka (feat. Akira)

 

Characters: Mao, Tori, Mika, Hajime

 

-

 

Mao: We’re home~

 

Tori: Ah. You’re finally back.

 

Mika: Ya sure took longer than expected. We were startin’ ta worry that the two of ya might’ve passed out in the bath.

 

Tori: We were about to go check on you in a bit.

 

Mao: Sorry about that. We finished our bath, but then we happened to run into the young master on our way back. So we ended up talking for a bit.

 

Mika: With the young master?

 

Hajime: Yup. Before we knew it we had been talking for quite a while. But we got to hear some important information, so it was for the best.

 

Mao: Yeah. So I want to tell the two of you about what we just learned. I think it would be best if all of us knew about this.

 

Tori: Hn? I don’t mind. What did you talk about?

 

Hajime: So, you see-

 

-

 

Tori: Hm. Now it makes perfect sense why he would feel so strongly about this inn.

 

Mika: Yeah. Explorin’ this inn made me feel the same way as the artworks displayed at the museum I went to with Oshi-san did. 

 

That made me think that this inn probably also has a lot of thought put into it. I guess that means my hunch was right.

 

Tori: So he thinks of this inn as a home… Hearing that makes me want to help him out somehow.

 

If my home was in danger of disappearing, I would definitely want to protect it, after all.

 

Mao: I agree. And even if we aren't talking about an actual home, there are places we belong to that can be just as important as our actual homes. Like the school, or our units, or our offices.

 

Thinking about even one of those disappearing makes me sad.

 

Hajime: Yes. So I really understand the young master’s feelings when he says he would feel lonely if this inn was to disappear.

 

Mao: Ahaha. When I first heard the details for this job I didn’t feel enthusiastic at all.

 

But hearing the young master’s feelings just now made me want to do my best, so I’m glad we were able to hear his story.

 

Mika: I agree. Now I feel like I’ll be able ta represent his side with all my might.

 

…Oh? Wait a sec. Doesn’t this mean that the fate of this inn is restin’ in our hands!?

 

Uwaa~. I started thinkin’ how we can’t afford ta lose now, and that made me really nervous…!?

 

Hajime: Now that you put it that way I started feeling really nervous too…

 

Mao: O~i, calm down~. We still have some time left before the contest starts, so let’s try to relax.

 

If we start worrying about every little thing we won’t be able to achieve results. Being too nervous will just end up weakening your abilities.

 

Tori: Plus, this is a team contest. It’s the same as in tennis, fighting on your own is much scarier than fighting with your teammates.

 

It feels reassuring when you have an ally nearby. Your nervousness disappears a little, too. 

 

Hajime: That’s true. Thinking about how everyone will be there with me does somehow make me feel calmer. 

 

Mao: Yup. Let’s not think too much about the details, and just focus on doing our best! By doing that, we’ll naturally be able to do whatever we put our minds to!

 

Hajime: Yes…!

 

<The day after>

 

Mao: Good morning~

 

Hajime: Ah, Isara-senpai, good morning ♪ Today is a pleasant autumn day. It’s a perfect day for a competition.

 

Mao: Yeah, I agree. Today is just a rehearsal match, but I hope the weather stays this nice for the real deal as well~. They say the weather changes quickly during autumn after all.

 

Tori: Fufun. I’m loved by the sun and bring clear skies with me wherever I go ✰ I’m sure it’ll be sunny for the real match too.

 

Mika: Hey, what do ya wanna do about our strategy for the contest? We want ta win, but our opponents aren’t the kinda team we could beat while holdin’ anythin’ back. If we’re goin’ ta win we’re goin’ ta need a plan.

 

Our team leader is Ikkun, so I thought it would be smart if we all discussed it with him.

 

Mao: Ah, that’s right. A strategy, huh. H~m…

 

The rules for this match are that each player is given an ornament to wear on their person, and if they lose it or it ends up stolen by an opponent, you’ve lost the game.

 

Hajime: Yes, that’s right. It’s like a cavalry battle except we’ll all be on the ground. It’ll be similar to trying to steal the other team’s headbands.

 

Tori: If that’s the case, why don’t we try to decide on a formation or something? What if we pick one target at a time, and then we all attack that person simultaneously?

 

Mika: If we did that, then there’s a chance the people we aren’t goin’ fer will attack us from behind while we’re aimin’ for our target.

 

Mao: H~m… That’s true~... 



Navigation:
<Prev chapter | Masterlist | Next chapter>