Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330662545387095/episodes/16817330668969132166
I got off at the station from the bus stop nearest the university, and Senpai and I were looking at the route map of the station.
“Kobayakawa kun, where are we going?”
“Erm…..for now, let’s take the down line to the beach.”
“Beach !?”
Beach it is. I haven’t really decided where to go. I was thinking only about aiming for the beach for the time being.
“Beach sounds good. Our goal is to find inspiration. Don’t you think it doesn’t matter where you go?”
“Indeed……. It seems to be a “journey” to look around for something without deciding the destination !”
It seems that Senpai also understood my intentions.
This is a “journey” in search of inspiration.
“Travel” and “Journey” are not similar.
“Travel” is going with a purpose. The purpose is to reach a destination such as “Sightseeing Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto”
On the other hand, “Journey” has no purpose. It is meaningful to go to “somewhere not here” without a point, and there is no purpose there.
Our “journey” seems to be a trip because it has the purpose of finding inspiration. But inspiration is not something you can find when you get to your destination. It would rather be found in the process of moving.
That’s why I say I’m going on a “journey” to find “something” by walking wherever my heart takes me, without having a clear destination in mind.
Senpai understood my intentions. After all, I get along well with Senpai.
“Let’s go to Mokusu Station at the end of the line.”
“It’s kind of like the bottom of the ocean. What on earth is there?”
It is a place where there is no connection to the terminal station close to the sea. It’s hard to predict what’s on there, and there may be nothing. But what is certain is that it is an unknown territory for us. That’s where inspiration comes in.
I was excited just to think so.
“Well then, let’s go, Mokusu Station”
“Yes, Mokusu Station indeed.”
Senpai’s expression was very bright, as if she was already looking forward to her encounter with the unknown.
＊
After passing through the tunnel at the border with Hokusei City, the train began running along the railway line along the sea. The sun is reflected in the waves and the sea is shining like a kaleidoscope.
After passing through several stations, the track changed from a double track to a single track. While waiting for a train passing by, I ran leisurely looking at the sea, and eventually arrived at Mokusu Station.
As for Mokusu Station…
“There is nothing in Mokusu Station”
“Yes, there is nothing.”
It was an enviable station with nothing.
The station building is made of wood. The paint on the walls and pillars is peeling off in places, and it looks like it’s been eroded by the sea breeze and is a bit rotten. There were no shops on the premises, and the only person at the counter was a bald station employee who was slacking off while watching a professional baseball game.
“Shall we move for now?”
“Right. Would you like to go to the shopping street?”
As a result of consulting while looking at the posted simple map, I decided to go to the shopping street from the south exit of the station along the main street. I have not decided where to go, so there is no objection, and I start walking according to Senpai.
I could not find anything new on the way to the shopping street. There were only short shop around, and nothing stood out. I could see the mountain clearly thanks to it, but there is no fresh taste because the mountain can be seen from the city.
The shopping street was also a lonely place full of shutters. Some of the shops were closed, but it was hard to flatter them to say that they were thriving.
A lonely, remote fishing town. That was my impression of Mokusu Town.
“It’s a lonely place.”
“Yeah. But it is a place with warmth. It seems that the distance between people is close ….”
it is certainly right as Senpai says. At the eaves, shopkeepers and customers are chatting happily, and shoppers who pass by each other are standing and talking. The people of this town are all familiar and have no shortage of people to talk to.
It was because I didn’t see it well that I thought it was not lively. If you observe it carefully, you can immediately see that everyone is spending their days with vigor.
“The couple over there ! Would you like to eat lunch?”
Suddenly, we were stopped by an energetic old man from right next to us. While I was sprinkling water in front of the eaves of a set meal restaurant, I was called out.
“Couple?”
You mean us? I wonder if it looked so because we were walking together.
“We have good sea bream today, so please eat. oh, I’ll give you some soup !”
“It’s a sea bream, Senpai.”
“Oh, it’s soup, Kobayakawa kun.”
Speaking of which, I haven’t taken lunch yet. Senpai also said that she has not yet eat, so both of us are hungry. The corners of Senpai’s mouth were loose, and she seemed unable to suppress her appetite.
“Shall we have lunch then?”
I passed through the no curtain of the set meal shop without hesitation. The store is quite old, and the tatami mats and beams in the tatami room are quite old. However, it had the atmosphere of an old folk house and was strangely calming.
“I feel like I came to Grandma’s house somehow.”
“I understand. You can relax with the scent of tatami and wood.”
As I am Japanese, I feel a sense of peace in the wooden Japanese-style room. Even so, I really get along well with Senpai.
“Mister, what are you doing today? Are you having a date in a remote place like this?”
The old man who came to serve tea will ask such a thing.
“No, it’s not a date. We’re not dating.”
I just corrected it. Misumi senpai also had a little red face and was smirking.
“Is that so? Then why are you moving to Mokusu Town?”
The old man looks very puzzled.
Senpai pondered, tilting her head for a moment. Soon, she replied.
“What kind of place is it? I came here because I wanted to know that. There may be places that are my types and I don’t know them yet. Something like that …..”
“Haa, places like your type? I do not know if there is something that a young lady likes in such a lonely town, but please take a look slowly. You can catch a lot of good fish, so you won’t have any trouble eating it.”
He said so and returned into the kitchen.
The old man didn’t seem to be impressed by Senpai’s words, but they resonated with him.
I was happy to see Senpai, who has the ability to express her feelings in her own words.
Use words that are for yourself, not words that are full of decorations to flatter someone.
The reason that such words come out may be because Senpai has already gained inspiration.
I wonder if Senpai found what she longs for in a small port town where even the locals have nothing.
I strongly hoped that she would tell me what that was. But let’s put that aside.
“Here is your order ! Boiled sea bream set meal and sashimi set meal. There’s an extra charge for the soup, but it’s a bonus today.”
[ [Thank you !] ]
I immediately got the sashimi. The refreshing umami and texture of the sea bream are delicious. After all, the fish was fresh because the fishing port was close.
“The sashimi is very delicious”
“The simmering here is also well seasoned. I wonder what kind of seasonings they use…”
Senpai is trying to steal the taste of the shop by chewing the sea bream carefully. I guess from the curry poem in the example, but it seems that she likes cooking.
“Is it delicious?”
“Yes, it is exquisite. Please take a bite.”
I was given a piece of meat from the plate of stew that was offered to me. It’s definitely delicious. The soy sauce-based seasoning is sweet and salty, but it doesn’t interfere with the flavor of the sea bream at all. The key point is that the preparation is perfect and there is no fishy smell at all.
“Senpai, please have this sashimi. It is fresh and delicious.”
“Then. Well, really. It’s delicious.”
Function over aesthetics, sea bream over lyrics. We ate a set meal of fresh sea bream and filled our stomachs.
“Fufu, I wanted to let my sister eat too.”
We were just enjoying sightseeing. However, one of the great pleasures of journey is forgetting one’s original purpose.
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