Koharu-chan is a bit bad at recommending books #4

People looking for something come to "Cardy Bookstore," a small bookstore with an attached cafe, again today. Through books, someone's feelings shift just a little. This is one such gentle story.

Characters
Koharu: A high school student working part-time. Kind and a bit of an airhead.
Makoto Kimura: The store manager. Quiet and sincere. Loves books and coffee.

Previous Episode

Chapter 4: It was just that, but it was much better than I thought

It was an evening after the rain.

Thin traces of water still remained on the main street in front of the station, and every time a streetcar passed, the area around the rails shone dully. Sato-san, on her way home from work, was walking with her shoulders slumped just a little. It wasn't that she had made any big mistakes. It was just that there was so much to do, and so much to be mindful of regarding others, that she felt as if she had been holding her breath for the entire week before she knew it.

She could have gone straight home. But that day, she felt reluctant to arrive home for some reason.

That was when she suddenly remembered "Cardy Bookstore," a small bookstore with an attached cafe in front of the station.

When she opened the wooden door, a soft bell sound rang out. The scent of coffee and the smell of book paper were quietly mixed together, and she felt like she could breathe a little easier just from that. There was a customer reading a book alone at a window seat, and in the back, the manager was brewing coffee with a hand drip. It was a calm atmosphere, as always.

Sato-san stood in front of a shelf without any particular purpose. Even as she traced the spines of practical books with her eyes, the content didn't sink in. She was just vaguely looking at the letters lined up there.

"Good evening, Sato-san."

When she turned around at the soft voice, Koharu-chan was standing there in a white apron. The apron she wore over her uniform suited the atmosphere of the shop very well.

"Good evening."
"Are you looking for something today?"
"No... I wouldn't say I'm looking for anything in particular."

After saying that, Sato-san smiled a little.

"I just haven't felt like I've rested lately. Even on my days off, I end up watching videos at home, and it's not that I dislike that, but how should I put it... I can't seem to switch gears."

Koharu-chan didn't say anything right away. That way of taking a pause, not rushing the other person's words, was just like her.

"You can't switch gears?"
"Yeah. I am busy, but I don't think that's all there is to it. I don't think I'm resting properly."
"I feel like I can understand that a little."
"You too, Koharu-chan?"
"Yes. Having time where you do nothing is surprisingly difficult."

That way of putting it felt strangely right, and Sato-san couldn't help but smile wryly. On days off when she was supposed to do nothing, she would find herself looking at her smartphone, filling the time, and eventually welcoming Monday still feeling tired. It was exactly like that.

Koharu-chan lowered her gaze as if thinking for a moment, and then headed to a nearby shelf. She gently pulled one book out from a corner where several books were lined up and returned.

"How about something like this?"

The cover she held out read, 'Enjoying Coffee in the Heart of Nature'.

“A book about coffee?”
“It features coffee, but that’s not all... it’s a book about the joy of sitting in a chair outside and spending time in a relaxed way.”
“Sitting in a chair... outside?”
“Yes. Apparently, it’s called chairing.”
“Huh...”

Sato-san took the book and flipped through the pages. It wasn't packed with talk about complicated gear, nor did it feel like an intense outdoor manual. The sound of the wind, a cup enjoyed outdoors, taking a slightly longer way around just to find a place to sit—words like these were lined up with a gentle warmth.

“...Just sitting outside?”
“Yes.”
“That’s quite a bold hobby.”
“But maybe the fact that it’s not too bold is what makes it good.”
“I see.”

Sato-san gave a small smile.

Certainly, that might be something he could do, too. If it were about climbing mountains or mastering a skill, it would feel a bit too heavy for him right now. But just taking a chair and sitting outside didn't seem like something he had to get worked up about.

“I have a feeling this might suit you, Sato-san.”
“Me?”
“Yes. I think it’s a good book for someone who really needs to rest.”

Those words loosened something deep in his chest.

By the time he finished paying and left the shop with the book in hand, the air after the rain felt a little chilly. The sound of a streetcar rang in the distance. Looking down at the cover, Sato-san thought, well, maybe I’ll give it a try.

The following holiday, still half-doubting, Sato-san bought an outdoor chair, picked up a coffee at a convenience store, and headed to the riverside.

At first, he felt restless. Being alone outside, doing nothing in particular, just unfolding an outdoor chair—he even wondered himself what kind of person he looked like. But the moment he opened the chair, sat down, and took a sip of coffee while watching the river flow, the tension in his shoulders strangely melted away.

The wind blows.
The sky is vast.
The coffee tastes exceptionally good.

It was just that, but it was much better than he had imagined.

He didn't feel bored, even without looking at his phone. He wasn't doing anything, yet he felt strangely fulfilled. Just by sitting there, the small, lingering anxieties that had been piling up in his head began to drift away, little by little.

“...Ah, so this is it.”

Sato-san muttered to no one in particular.

Since that day, Sato-san began to go out with his chair from time to time. He didn't have to go far. A nearby riverside or a park was enough, as long as he could see the sky. The coffee he drank outside tasted different from a cup at a shop or a cup at home.

Gradually, his gear increased. At first, he wanted to drink coffee from his favorite cup, so he went looking for one.
Next, he wanted to try grinding the coffee himself, so he bought a coffee mill, and he also bought an alcohol stove to boil water outside.

Enjoying his favorite coffee with his favorite gear, in a relaxed way.
Before he knew it, he had started enjoying chairing every weekend.

A few months later.

I spotted Megumi-san at her desk at work, looking a little tired. Perhaps she had just finished organizing her documents, as she was sitting in her chair, letting out a small sigh. Her expression was as gentle as ever, but a hint of fatigue was visible.

“Megu-chan, are you okay?”
“Oh, Sato-san. Yes, I’m fine.”
“That ‘fine’ sounds a bit suspicious, if you ask me.”
“Did you see right through me?”

Megumi-san smiled in a troubled way. Seeing that smile, Sato-san was reminded of himself a little while ago. It wasn’t that he was about to collapse or anything. But he wasn’t resting properly. That was the kind of look she had.

“Hey, Megu-chan.”
“Yes?”
“Have you ever sat outside?”
“...Sat outside?”
“Yeah. Just taking a chair and zoning out.”
“What is that?”
“Well, that’s what I thought at first, too.”

Sato-san continued with a laugh.

“It’s surprisingly nice. There’s a breeze, the sky is wide, and the coffee tastes better, too.”
“You’re not very good at recommending hobbies, are you?”
“I guess you’re right. But being outdoors is incredibly healing.”

After a brief pause, he said softly.

“It’s called chairing, and I was taught about it at a bookstore a while back. They said it’s perfect for people who aren’t good at resting properly.”
As he said that, Sato-san realized he was now the one recommending something to someone else.

“Chair...ing?”

It was a turn of events he never would have imagined back when he was just staring blankly at the bookshelves. But if it weren’t for that one book, he probably wouldn’t be who he is today.

Knowing that there is a way to rest properly when you’re tired—perhaps just knowing that is enough to make a person a little kinder.

Thinking about that, Sato-san looked at the sky stretching out beyond the window. He hoped it would be sunny on his next day off. He felt a little proud of himself for thinking such a thing.

“Hmm... Chairing, huh. Maybe I’ll give it a try this weekend.”

Next Story

Cardi Bookstore

Chairing Weather: My First Time Outdoors

Please also check out the 4-panel manga from Megumi-san’s perspective, “Chairing Weather”! 🙌