The Correct Japanese Terms of Homestay Seems to Be Marriage - Chapter 18

Let’s Go

“Who would’ve thought I’d be going out two days in a row during spring break,” Keitaro mused to himself at the entrance, not in pajamas, sweatpants, or tracksuits, but in a light blue shirt and black pants suitable for the early spring weather.

He knew Sophia wanted to buy something yesterday, but he didn’t expect they’d go the very next day. Sophia was a force of action. If it were Keitaro, he’d spend at least a week planning without taking any action, just twiddling his thumbs even though he knew he had to do something.

Lost in his complex thoughts, Keitaro was brought back to reality by the sound of someone hurrying down the stairs. It seemed the person he was waiting for was ready.

“Keitaro, sorry to keep you waiting,” Sophia said, appearing in a hurry.

She stood before him in simple attire, a pale blue cardigan over a white skirt.

“Wow…”

A sigh of admiration escaped Keitaro’s lips involuntarily.

It was simple, very simple. But the lack of unnecessary elements made the beauty of the basics stand out more. He realized, from yesterday’s hoodie to today’s outfit, that simplicity suited Sophia best.

“Is something wrong?”

Sophia tilted her head, looking puzzled at Keitaro’s reaction.

“No, just thinking you look cute. It really suits you.”

The words slipped out of Keitaro’s mouth effortlessly, a heavy-weight straight punch contrary to the casual tone.

Keitaro was someone who could express his feelings honestly without hiding behind embarrassment. In such situations, he could tell a cute girl that she was cute.

“Well, that’s another story.”

“…Really…?”

Sophia’s face turned red as she asked modestly, and Keitaro nodded as if it were the most natural thing. Really, his assurance was unnecessary.

Just walking beside Sophia was enough to stir whispers among passersby; there was no way she wasn’t cute. With her beauty, she could easily become an idol or an actress right now.

“Ehehe… You’re making me blush…”

Sophia covered her flushed cheeks with her hands, looking bashfully delightful. Her cuteness made Keitaro’s heart race.

So, he decided not to push further. Prodding further might summon a Yamata-no-Orochi, and he couldn’t afford to take a heavy counter.

With that decided,

“Well, then.”

Keitaro turned on his heel and faced the entrance again, back to the main topic.

“Let’s go.”

As he spoke, Keitaro grabbed a black hat from the storage shelf near the entrance and put it on, shading his eyes.

“…A hat?”

“Yeah, just a bit.”

Sophia, still with a flushed face, looked up at him questioningly, but Keitaro only gave an ambiguous answer.

(Yesterday made it painfully clear how much we stand out when I’m next to Sophia. It’s safer to keep my face hidden when we’re outside. Going as far as sunglasses and a mask would draw even more attention,

possibly mistaking us for celebrities, which has its drawbacks. Wearing a hat low might be just right. Excess in anything loses its meaning, as history shows… Though, with my absurdly tall height, any disguise is

probably futile…)

Keitaro sighed deeply, feeling a mix of helplessness and melancholy. He was still growing, with the potential to reach or even surpass 190 cm, considering his father was in the late 180s and his mother in the early 170s. Just the thought of growing more made him shiver.

“Does it not suit me?”

“No, that’s impossible. You look mysterious, which is really cool. You look very, very handsome.”

Sophia shook her head vigorously, her eyes filled with strong denial.

Hearing her praise, Keitaro adjusted the brim of his hat and glanced at the mirror on the opposite wall.

“Mysterious… Yeah, not bad. If that’s the impression I give, it’s good enough.”

The mere act of covering his eyes made him feel like his privacy was secured. If his full face wasn’t visible, then it was fine, Keitaro optimistically decided. Overthinking wouldn’t do any good.

Alright, with that, they were ready to go. Keitaro raised his index finger confidently, making a grand declaration.

“Then, once again, let us depart! Our destination is the same as yesterday, the bustling shopping center in our neighboring town of Tsumamoto City, Tsuma Mall!”

“You’re going all the way to the next town?”

Hearing her question, Keitaro looked distant.

“Sophia… Do you really think there’s a place for stylish shopping in this remote foothill village?”

“Ah… Right, that makes sense.”

Keitaro’s question, delivered in a monotone, made Sophia clap her hands in realization.

“Well, this area has developed somewhat since you were last here. We’ve got a supermarket and convenience stores now. You don’t have to take a train or car, rely on the internet or co-op for shopping; you can

just walk. But for clothes or miscellaneous goods… still impossible. Impossible to the point of impossibility. Only a closing thrift shop might be available.”

A village more abundant in nature than buildings. In a land of mountains, fields, and rusted shutters, there’s no place to buy modern goods that today’s youth desire.

The only good points he could mention were the unmanned train station within a ten-minute walk from his house and the fact that the nearest elementary school was more than forty minutes away, meaning

there was no one of his age around.

“Yes, it’s a small village… Keitaro and I have to revive it… We’ll need to work hard enough to form a football team…” ( tln : man… keitaro really need to work hard for this)

Sophia muttered with clenched fists, a dimensionally different approach to addressing the declining birth rate. She was saying something outrageous.

“…? Did you say something?”

Luckily, or unfortunately, Keitaro didn’t catch the latter part of her statement and looked at Sophia curiously, wondering what determination she had made.

“No! Nothing at all! I was just thinking about the future of this village! Just looking a little ahead into the future!”

“Wow, that’s serious of you. Even I, a native villager, haven’t thought about it at all.”

Sophia flustered, waving her hands in front of herself. Keitaro took her words at face value, unaware of the far-from-serious thoughts she was having.

“But really… Are you sure you’re okay with coming to such a countryside? If it was for a homestay, Tokyo or somewhere else would’ve been way more fun. With your academic abilities, you could have chosen

anywhere. You’re not regretting it, are you?”

Aware that this decrepit village had nothing to commend itself, Keitaro, a resident, felt very strongly about it. He was thrilled that Sophia had come back, but it was clearly a mistake for a blossoming high school girl to choose as a hometown. The city would have been better.

Keitaro’s words, meant to be considerate, infuriated Sophia.

“No! I would never! I chose here from the start! I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but by Keitaro’s side! Besides, wherever it is, if I’m living there, it’s Keitaro!”

Sophia approached with a torrent of intensity. Keitaro nearly staggered under her force but noticed some words he couldn’t just let slide. Words he felt he had heard many times yet never once in his life.

“It’s the capital. What’s with that strange proverb?”

“It means wherever Keitaro is, that’s my capital!”

“That’s way too niche.”

“There are many more! Like ‘Three years over Keitaro’ or ‘Falling from the second floor to Keitaro’, ‘Keitaro in the river’, and ‘Keitaro in the ear brings no enlightenment’!”

“Hey, I ended up dead from torture in that last one.”

It seemed that altering just a part of familiar proverbs and messing up their order could result in a brutal combo.

For now, Keitaro decided not to take it seriously. It was time to reset and remember their purpose for being here.

“Alright, let’s really go now. We have a train to catch.”

As Keitaro reached for the door handle, bright sunlight immediately bathed his entire body. He squinted against the dazzling light.

“What a tearfully good weather. Is this what they call perfect weather for an outing?”

“The blue sky is truly beautiful.”

As they stepped out of the house, they looked up at the clear blue sky. With no high-rise buildings in sight, the unobstructed sunny sky stretched endlessly. It might be a cause for joy for outdoor enthusiasts, but

for Keitaro, who felt a bit gloomy, it was too refreshing to bear.

“Um, Keitaro…”

As Keitaro made to leave the house with heavy steps, Sophia’s timid voice called from behind. He turned to see Sophia looking down.

“What’s up?”

“Um, well… uh…”

Sophia’s voice was weak and fragmented, stuttering over conjunctions without getting to the main point. She seemed to want to ask for something, but what could it be? Keitaro pondered.

Observing Sophia more closely, he noticed her fidgeting hands. She seemed restless.

I see, Keitaro understood instantly and held out his left hand to her.

“Come on, let’s get going.”

“Keitaro’s hand… it’s warm…”

It seemed his guess was spot on. Sophia gripped Keitaro’s hand, her face lighting up with happiness. Then their fingers intertwined in what’s known as a lovers’ clasp.

Keitaro’s heartbeat accelerated suddenly, but he quickly calmed himself down. The spring air was still slightly chilly. Sophia must be cold, he rationalized internally.

(Even in the countryside, there are advantages…)

There was no one around. No people meant no stares, so being beside Sophia didn’t attract any attention. It was a huge relief.

Relaxed, Keitaro savored the warmth from Sophia’s hand as they made their way to the station.

They reached the station without any trouble.

Rural stations have significantly fewer trains than urban ones, a given. Yet, for its user numbers and location, this station was quite busy, with trains arriving about every thirty minutes.

Moreover, despite its retro, worn-out appearance, it boasted modern conveniences like IC card usage. It might just be this village’s only claim to fame.

Arriving at the station earlier than expected, they sat on a bench in the Showa-era waiting area and waited about ten minutes for the train.

Their hands remained firmly clasped the entire time.