Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/1177354054897729140/episodes/1177354055390279645
We ate the teacher’s special pork soup and salted rice balls that Hanzo and the others helped make (some of them were too salty because they had too much salt mixed in. Probably the ones Hanzo made). Then we set off to visit local homes as part of the forest school curriculum.
As someone with a lazy disposition who always feels sleepy after eating, my steps feel heavy. I mutter to myself, “Exercising 30 minutes after eating isn’t good for your health…”
Since the high school we attend is located in Shibuya, one of Japan’s largest urban areas, seeing such a quintessentially rural landscape makes me feel very at ease.
It feels like time is flowing slowly, free from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Well, I’ll probably get bored of it in a day…this is the fate of someone who’s been corrupted by the city…
“Each group will draw lots to decide which house to visit. Come on, draw your lots !”
The teacher brought out a box with homemade lottery tickets.
Even high school students get excited about lottery draws, like when they change seats. Except for me.
Sitting next to classmates you’ve never interacted with before might lead to friendships or even romantic relationships. It’s an event with a certain thrill to it, so it’s popular among everyone.
But for me, it’s a dangerous event where the only risk is ending up next to someone I don’t get along with.
Well, this time the groups are already decided, so the key factor is the house we visit.
Rumor has it that this is also one of the important events of the camp, and depending on the house we visit, we might be taken to a nearby shopping mall, have a sukiyaki party, or in the worst case, be forced to help with farm work until evening—it’s a game of chance.
Why decide who gets to visit which house by lottery…
I don’t hate farm work, but I don’t particularly like it either.
I’d rather just sit and listen to the old lady’s stories over tea.
…No, that would be pretty tough too.
Hanzo, the group leader, went to draw the lottery when it was our turn.
Come on, Hanzo…!
＊＊＊
“Welcome. Please come inside.”
[ [[ [ [ [……] ] ] ] ] ]
The six of us—me, Hanzo, Yoshizaki san, Tadokoro san, Hagiya, and Iijima—went to the address given to us by our homeroom teacher…
“Sir Seiji. Is this kind of custom common in the suburbs…?”
“No way…”
Hanzo muttered under his breath so that no one else could hear.
Even Hanzo, who boldly challenges anything and everything, was taken aback.
No wonder.
The house we were heading to… or rather, the mansion we were heading to… was where an old woman in a suspicious-looking robe emerged.
She seemed to be the landowner of the area, owning several large mountains.
However, I’ve never seen a house that stands out so much in the rural landscape.
When you think of a landowner, you imagine a traditional Japanese house, but I guess everyone is different.
“Wow, I didn’t expect this at all…”
Yoshizaki san said with a bitter expression.
Yeah, I didn’t expect this either.
I came here thinking I didn’t want to do farm work, but seeing the old woman’s attire, I can’t help but speculate that we’ll be forced to participate in some strange religious rituals or something.
“I’ve prepared some drinks inside, so please come in quickly.”
Perhaps seeing that we weren’t entering the mansion, the old woman called out to us again.
She seemed a little irritated…
“Drinks…they’re not some kind of magical potion made from animal blood, are they…?”
“Is it really safe to go inside this mansion? What if we’re transported to another dimension the moment we step inside…?”
Hagiya and the others were also panicking like otaku.
While everyone else was looking around uneasily, Tadokoro san was looking at the mansion with interest.
“This house looks pretty interesting…”
“It’s definitely not boring…”
“It does look a little scary, but it would be rude to judge it based on that alone.”
“That’s true. It’s not good to judge things based on appearance alone.”
Tadokoro san is the kind of person who doesn’t judge people by their appearance.
She is someone who tries to understand things without prejudging them.
I should learn from her.
***
“Wow ! This tea is really delicious !”
“Ho ho ho, I’m glad you like it. I love orange blossoms.”
Once inside the mansion, it was indeed quite spacious.
However, some rooms were cluttered with too many items.
We are currently enjoying tea in the guest room.
The guest room is also Western-style and spacious, with a long, large table like the ones seen in movies.
Tanaka san and Naito san, the owner of the mansion, were enthusiastically discussing their tea preferences.
“With a place this big, cleaning must be a real hassle…”
“Yeah, I guess they’d have to hire a professional cleaning service…”
According to Naito san, the owner of the mansion, he apparently wants help with cleaning.
Due to his profession, he often collects items from all over the world, and his house has become cluttered with them.
“Buying this many things for his job—is he a YouTuber or something?”
“If that lady posted it, it would go viral.”
“I never thought I’d hear you say ‘go viral,’ Hanzo.”
Unfortunately, the dream of being taken to the nearby shopping mall and other such events faded away.
With this much stuff to organize, maybe farm work would have been easier?
Wait, isn’t this a forest school?
I feel like I’m here for a moving job.
“Hmm…maybe, maybe…”
“Huh? What’s wrong, Yoshizaki san?”
“Nothing ! I’ll probably understand once the cleaning is done♪”
“Oh, okay.”
Yoshizaki san seems to have figured something out, but what could it be?
Well, anyway, we have to do something about this house full of stuff…
Our school camp life began with a big cleanup. (I don’t get it.)
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