08_Snap Peas Getting Refreshed

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Tatsuya was staring intently at Ayame-san's mouth, just like I was.

“I-it’s... not... a mouse, right?”

We looked at each other. I had no memory of ever seeing a real mouse. Even so, I could tell that whatever Ayame-san was holding in her mouth was definitely not a mouse. A raw, drooping sensation crawled up from my feet, causing goosebumps to spread across my skin involuntarily.

“-- Huh, a doll?”
Tatsuya's voice reached my ears, and I focused my eyes once more. Looking closely, it had the shape of a person.
“It really does look like a doll.”

Feeling relieved, I muttered softly.
I crouched down slightly in front of Ayame-san.
I gently caught what Ayame-san was holding with both hands. The moment I did, I felt a shiver run from my hands up to the top of my head.

I let out a small gasp, “Hii.”

My palms felt warm. I could feel a heartbeat. It might be alive. I stared intently at the object I had thought was a doll. It had a thin neck extending from its body and a round head. Its hair was blonde, and two long, thin arms and two legs were dangling slightly. It was wearing a leather jacket and chinos, and while it was dirty overall, it was completely a middle-aged man. A funky middle-aged man who looked like he would be riding a large motorcycle and cutting through the sea breeze.

However, its height was at most ten centimeters, far too small for a human. The tiny human was moving its small shoulders up and down, definitely breathing. I held out my stiffened palms toward Tatsuya.

“What’s wrong?”
Tatsuya furrowed his brows.
“I-it’s alive...!”
“Huh? Don't tell weird jokes.”

I pouted, annoyed at being laughed off.
“It’s true! Look, it’s breathing.”
Tatsuya peered into my palms and gasped, “No way.”
“Let me hold it for a second.”
Grabbing the little man by the scruff of his neck, Tatsuya lifted him up in front of his face.

“Isn't this an elaborate doll? If this thing is actually alive, it’s an urban legend. The kind that makes for a good story. A tiny old man.”
At Tatsuya's words, the head of the drooping little man moved.

“Who are you calling an urban legend? G-give me some water...!”

We looked at each other and screamed. Seeing Tatsuya's blank face with his eyes and mouth wide open, a laugh that sounded like a fart escaped my lips. Thanks to Tatsuya being so flustered, I felt strangely calm. Perhaps, thanks to my recent strange experiences, I’ve built up some resistance.

I carried the man in my hand and entered the shop.
Tatsuya and Ayame-san followed me. I placed the man on the table and said, “Wait just a moment.” I poured water into a small sake cup and placed it right in front of the man.

The man sat cross-legged and lifted the sake cup with both hands like a sumo grand champion. He gulped it down, his throat making a sound. He let out a sigh of relief and placed the cup back on the table with a tap.

“Phew, sorry about that. I was dying at the shrine, and the kitty carried me here. Thanks, kitty.”
The man opened his mouth wide and laughed, “Gahaha.” Ayame-san sat in her usual spot, looking indifferent.
A loud growl came from the little man's stomach.

“I’m hungry.”

The man glanced around the shop.
“Oh, could this be a restaurant? I’m so lucky. Just a little bit is fine, could you spare me some food?”
I reflexively furrowed my brows. He’s pushy. I felt it with Ayame-san too, but these non-human beings seem a bit intrusive. As I hesitated, the man clapped his hands together and bowed his head.

“Big sister. Think of it as an offering.”

“Meow,” Ayame-san meowed from her chair.
Is she telling me to serve him food? I thought this would be a good chance to ask Tatsuya about things, but now there’s an unnecessary interruption. My mood deflated, just like when my cream puffs wouldn't rise.

“What can you eat?”
“Anything. And I’ll take some sake too.”

I headed to the kitchen.

I opened the refrigerator and took out things I could serve immediately.
Mozuku seaweed with vinegar and chilled tofu topped with meat miso. There were also some snap peas left, so I boiled them quickly. As I dipped them in the hot water, the snap peas groaned, “Whoa, it’s warm,” enjoying the temperature. After about a minute, I drained them. When I cooled them down with cold water, the snap peas groaned in a silly voice, “Is this what they call being refreshed?” I laughed, saying, “It’s not a sauna.”

“Big sister, can you hear the voices of food?”
The man, who had somehow ended up on the sink, was watching me cook.
“W-well, maybe.”
I replied in a muffled voice.

The little man broke into a wide grin.
“Is that so! So you’re a person who can hear the voices of food, young lady. It’s been a really long time since I’ve seen one. I can tell very well that the food is happy. I’m so glad.”

I moved only my head to give a small bow.
I wonder if, in the past, there were many more people like me who could hear the voices of food.

I placed the dishes on the tray and poured sake into a small cup. The little man jumped onto the tray. His agile movement was truly like a flea. “I’ve been waiting for this!” he said, sitting cross-legged and downing the sake in one gulp. He let out a satisfied breath from his throat and closed his eyes happily. I carried the tray with the little man and the food on it into the dining area.

Tatsuya’s eyes darted around, confused by the strange turn of events.

I set the tray on the table and headed to the kitchen to clean up.
“Whoa there, young lady, wait a second. Come on, young man, you sit here too.”
The little man demanded that we sit at the table.

“Since we’re here, why don’t we have a toast?”
He was being too pushy. But I was a little curious about him. I had heard that little men were supposed to bring good fortune. If I was kind to him now, maybe something good would happen.

I prepared two beer glasses.
“Cheers,” the three of us said as we clinked our glasses and the sake cup together.

“More importantly, who exactly are you?”
Tatsuya asked bluntly.

“That’s right, I am a little man.”
We both burst out laughing involuntarily.
“I can see that. But, you really do exist. I’m seriously surprised.”

“Why were you collapsed at Atago Shrine?”
The little man stuffed a snap pea, which was huge compared to his body, into his mouth. It made a nice, crisp sound.

“Well, you see, the town I lived in was developed and became a city all at once. I can’t live anywhere that doesn’t have plenty of nature. I went around asking questions and heard that Homyu Town was a good place, so I came here. I was lucky to be picked up by such kind people. Thank you.”

The little man bowed deeply.

“Homyu Town doesn’t have many places to play, but it does have nature,”
Tatsuya said with a laugh, drinking his beer.

“That’s true,”
I said, smiling too.

The little man took a big bite of the chilled tofu topped with meat miso.
“Mmm. Delicious. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten something this good. You’re a lucky man to have such a good cook for a wife.”

Tatsuya spat out his beer.
My cheeks softened. Did we look like a married couple?

“We’re not married.”
Tatsuya denied it immediately, and the excitement I felt suddenly deflated.

“I can’t believe my judgment was wrong. I can’t believe it. Your smiling faces look so much alike, I thought you were a lovely couple. But even if you aren’t married, you’re in love, right? The two of you give off the same vibe.”

I bit my lower lip. I could feel my cheeks heating up.
I wondered how Tatsuya would respond. I caught his expression in the corner of my eye. He seemed to be hesitating, but he looked more embarrassed than troubled. I spoke to Tatsuya, who had finished his glass of beer in one go.

“Tatsuya has someone to spend his birthday with, after all~”

The thorn that had been pricking my heart came out as words.
Tatsuya’s confused eyes met mine. He waved his hands frantically in front of his face.

"No, that's not it! I have an interview that day. It's not a date or anything."
"An interview? For what?"

Tatsuya scratched his head.
"I was planning to tell you once it was official, Kana, but I'm thinking of changing jobs."
"Changing jobs?"
"Yeah. You took over the shop, right? Seeing you enjoy running the place made me realize I don't want to just stay at the company I randomly joined anymore; I want to do what I actually want to do. I'm turning thirty this year, after all."

Tatsuya's sudden announcement about changing jobs left me with one question after another.

"What is it you want to do? What kind of company?"
"I'll tell you once it's decided. I think it'll be fine, but... I'll come by the shop to report back once the interview is over on the 21st. Ah, but since it's a Saturday, you're only open for lunch, right?"

Relieved to hear it wasn't a date, I let out a sigh of relief. I poured the rest of the beer from the bottle into my glass.

"I'll have cleaning to do and no other plans, so I'll wait at the shop. If there's anything you want to eat, I'll make it. It is your birthday, after all."
I gulped down the lukewarm beer. It usually wouldn't taste good, but today it felt exceptionally delicious.

"Oh, in that case, I'll come pick you up at the shop, and let's go out for a meal. Since it's a special occasion, celebrate with me. My thirtieth birthday."
"Of course!"

Unable to suppress a grin, I turned my face away from Tatsuya. Right in front of us, a little old man was watching us with a smirk.

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