Chapter 50: Returning to My Hometown
Taking advantage of Riri’s long vacation, Hayato took her on a trip back to his hometown in Kyushu. As he gazed at the scenery flowing past the Shinkansen window, Hayato thought.
“It’s really been a long time since I last went home.”
He hadn’t returned home even after coming back from the other world. And before that, he hadn’t been back for a long time either. He had used the excuse of being busy with work to keep his distance.
Although they had exchanged phone calls and messages, Hayato reflected that it had indeed been several years since they had last met in person. If he included the time spent in the other world, consciously, it felt like decades ago.
It wasn’t that they were on bad terms, but the physical distance between Tokyo and Kyushu had naturally created an emotional distance as well. This time, with the significant purpose of announcing his marriage to Riri, he had finally resolved to return home.
“Hayato, I wonder what your parents are like.”
Riri asked with an expectant expression. She was convinced that if they were Hayato’s parents, they surely couldn’t be bad people.
“My father is… well, he’s a bit gruff. Thinking about it now, I believe he’s kind at heart, though. My mother is cheerful and likes to take care of others, I guess.”
After getting off the Shinkansen and transferring to a local line, they finally arrived at the station in his hometown. As they exited the ticket gates, a nostalgic air enveloped the two of them. Different from the hustle and bustle of the city, a somewhat familiar air filled their lungs.
“This scent, it feels like I’m really back.”
“It’s the smell of the sea, isn’t it? So different from Tokyo.”
Riri, along with Hayato, took a deep breath, seeming to enjoy the fresh air.
They headed to his parents’ house by taxi. The scenery visible from the car window was slightly different from Hayato’s memories. A few new buildings had sprung up, and many of the old shops were closed. Including the time he had spent in the other world, more than ten years had passed. That sense made the changes in his hometown feel even more vivid.
When they arrived in front of his parents’ house, the front door opened, and his mother came out to greet them. His mother, who was approaching her mid-fifties, had a few white strands mixed in her hair.
“I’m home.”
“Hayato! You’re finally back!”
His mother rushed over with a beaming smile and hugged Hayato. Hayato accepted it without hesitation.
“Somehow, you’ve gotten so much more rugged!”
The moment she hugged him, his mother was surprised by Hayato’s muscular physique. Then, she turned her gaze to the woman standing beside him.
“And, this lady is…”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Takahashi Riri.”
Riri bowed politely. The light-colored dress, which gave a neat and clean impression, was chosen specifically for this day.
“Oh my, what an absolutely lovely young lady! I’d heard about you from Hayato, but you’re even more wonderful than I imagined. Come, come, please come in.”
His mother took Riri’s hand and guided her inside the house. The nostalgic scent of the entryway, the creaking sound of the hallway floorboards—everything brought back Hayato’s memories.
In the living room, his father was sitting and watching television. He glanced at Hayato’s face as he entered the room.
“So, you’re back.”
“Yeah, I’m home.”
His father’s voice was as low as ever, and his expression remained stern. However, Hayato understood now. This was his father’s own way of welcoming him. In the past, he had even wondered if his father disliked him, but his experiences up until now had allowed him to understand his father a little better. Perhaps his encounters with various people in the other world had given him clues to understanding the man his father was.
“Let me introduce you. This is Takahashi Riri-san. She’s my fiancée.”
Introduced by Hayato, Riri bowed deeply.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for this sudden visit.”
His father nodded lightly.
“Welcome. Don’t just stand there, have a seat.”
Hayato sensed his father’s own form of consideration in those words.
“Where are my younger brother and sister?”
When Hayato asked, his mother replied.
“Ah, yes, they’re both living away from home now. Naoki found a job in Osaka, and Misaki is attending university in Fukuoka.”
“Is that so?”
Gazing at the shelf adorned with nostalgic family photos, Hayato felt the passage of time. Since he had left home, both his younger brother and sister had grown up and were walking their own paths. He felt a little guilty for not having paid much attention to them until now.
“So, I came today because there’s something important I need to talk about.”
Promptly, Hayato straightened his posture and looked at his father’s and mother’s faces alternately. Beside Hayato, Riri was similarly sitting in seiza. Seriousness and determination were evident on both their faces.
“I mentioned it on the phone, but we’ve decided to get married.”
“I see.”
His father’s reaction was as curt as ever. However, there was a definite warmth in his eyes.
“I’ve heard about Riri-san from Hayato. He said you’re a very wonderful young lady.”
His mother took Riri’s hand. Her hand was warm, conveying her welcoming feelings.
“I look forward to being part of the family, Okaa-sama.”
“Okaa-sama, oh my. That’s a little embarrassing. Likewise, I look forward to it too.”
His mother smiled happily.
Once the conversation reached a natural pause, his mother made a suggestion.
“Since you’re here, why don’t you stay the night? We can prepare a room for you.”
“Ah, well. Actually, um… we’ve already booked a hotel.”
Hayato hesitated, wondering if he should cancel it, but his mother immediately smiled and said.
“Oh, is that so? You’ll probably be more comfortable at a hotel, so that might be better.”
“Let’s talk about various things until evening, Okaa-sama. I’d love to hear more about Hayato.”
When Riri promptly said that, Hayato’s mother replied happily.
“Leave that to me. I’ll tell you all sorts of things.”
“Just don’t tell her too many embarrassing stories from my past.”
His mother laughed merrily at Hayato’s protest.
And so, the afternoon passed peacefully. His mother brought out one photo album after another, showing Riri pictures from Hayato’s childhood.
“This is Hayato when he was a baby.”
“Oh, how cute! This is Hayato when he was little?”
Riri’s eyes sparkled as she peered into the album.
“Mom, Riri. That’s enough, isn’t it?”
Ignoring the embarrassed Hayato, his mother and Riri continued their conversation.
“This picture, you see, is from his elementary school sports day. It’s when Hayato won first place.”
“That’s amazing, Hayato!”
“No, it wasn’t really a big deal…”
Time flew by, and as evening approached, the two of them began to prepare to leave.
“Today was truly enjoyable. Will you come again?”
“Yes, definitely.”
At the entrance, his mother hugged Riri once more. His mother had taken an instant liking to Riri and even felt like she didn’t want her to leave.
“See ya.”
“Yeah. I’ll come again.”
Hayato’s farewell with his father was brief. However, there was a definite look of expectation in his father’s eyes. Though he didn’t say it out loud, Hayato sensed that his father was waiting for him to return home again.
Riri and Hayato boarded a taxi heading to the hotel.
“Mom and Dad seem to have really taken a liking to you, Riri.”
“They even told me I’m already family.”
“Ah, that sounds like something Mom would say.”
They checked into the hotel they had booked, which was nearby. After passing through the reception, Hayato let out a surprised voice.
“Wow, this place is nicer than I expected.”
“Yes, it’s very splendid. It’s a good hotel.”
It seemed to have been recently renovated, and the modern interior was impressive. The clean, white-themed lobby was subtly decorated with local traditional crafts.
“This hotel should have been here since before I left my hometown. I didn’t expect it to become this grand.”
Upon entering the room, they could see the sea from a large window. The sun was about to sink below the horizon, and the sea surface was glowing orange.
“What a lovely view.”
“Yeah. It’s the first time I’ve seen it too. When I lived here, I never had the chance to stay at a place like this.”
They put down their luggage and had dinner at the hotel restaurant. The dishes made with fresh local seafood were exceptional: an assortment of sashimi, tempura, and local specialty cuisine.
“Delicious!”
“I’m glad you find it delicious, Riri. I feel like I’ve rediscovered the good things about my hometown.”
After finishing the delicious meal, they returned to their room. The night view from the window had a different kind of beauty compared to the sunset. The gentle sound of waves could be heard.
“Hey, Hayato.”
“Hmm?”
“Your parents are very nice people, aren’t they?”
“Yeah. Though I hadn’t contacted them much for a long time.”
“I’m sure they were worried about you all that time.”
“You’re right. I probably made them worry.”
Hayato pondered Riri’s words.
“From now on, I think I’ll try to come home more often.”
“Yes, I think that’s a good idea. I’ll come with you too.”
The next morning, the two of them woke up early and took a walk around Hayato’s hometown. In the refreshing morning air, Hayato guided Riri.
“This is the elementary school I used to go to. The school building’s new.”
The old school building had been rebuilt, but the large camphor tree in the schoolyard was still there. Seeing it brought back nostalgic memories.
“I used to play with my friends under this tree a lot. We’d play tag or catch bugs.”
“I can imagine it. A lively little boy running around full of energy.”
Riri smiled, looking amused.
Next, we visited a park by the sea. The ocean, illuminated by the morning light, sparkled brilliantly.
“This is a place I came to often when I was a kid.”
The sea breeze felt pleasant. Riri squinted as she gazed at the ocean.
“Hayato, you grew up seeing this view, didn’t you?”
“Yeah. But honestly, when I lived here, I didn’t appreciate how nice this view was. It was just too ordinary.”
Sometimes, you only realize how good something is after you’ve left it. Hayato strongly felt the truth in those words.
“Including my experiences in that other world, it really feels like a long time has passed.”
The two of them sat on a park bench. The cries of seabirds could be heard in the distance.
“Hey, Hayato. What was your childhood like?”
“I was a normal kid. I didn’t really like studying much, and I played with my friends a lot.”
“Tell me more about what Okaasama said, about you being a child with a strong sense of justice.”
“Ah, yeah. I wonder if something like that happened?”
Though embarrassed, Hayato recounted memories from his childhood: episodes from school, fights with his siblings, memories of family trips.
For lunch, they decided to eat at a diner in the shopping district that had been around since Hayato was a child.
“Welcome… Oh my, isn’t that Hayato-kun!”
The obasan who ran the shop called out in surprise. She was the mother of one of Hayato’s friends and an acquaintance from his childhood.
“It’s been a while.”
“My, you’ve grown into such a fine young man. And your kanojo-san is with you too, I see.”
“This is my fiancée, Riri.”
“Oh my! Such a wonderful ojousan! Hayato-kun, you’re a lucky man.”
While eating a set meal with a nostalgic flavor, Hayato once again felt the warmth of his hometown. In the afternoon, they stopped by the local shrine. After climbing a long flight of stone steps, the solemn atmosphere of the shrine grounds spread out before them.
“I think I came here often for New Year’s shrine visits.”
“It’s an impressive place. It must be a shrine with a venerable history, isn’t it?”
They purified their hands at the temizuya water basin and then proceeded to the main shrine building to pray. The two of them stood side by side and clasped their hands in prayer.
“What did you wish for?”
“The details are a secret, but I suppose it was about the future for the two of us. And about my companions, too.”
Riri smiled and replied.
“Me too.”
On the Shinkansen ride back, Riri leaned against Hayato. Her expression was one of happiness.
“Hayato, your hometown was wonderful. I’m glad I could come.”
“Me too. Thanks to you being here, I feel like the distance with my family has closed, back to how it used to be.”
“Let’s make sure to come back regularly from now on, okay?”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
Just as she said, Hayato thought it would be good to return regularly. Now that he had re-acknowledged the importance of his family and hometown, he could see his hometown in a different light. Hayato felt he should cherish it more.