The Never-Ending Golden Week | Weekly Short-Short Note

On the first day of Golden Week, I was invited by a friend to a festival in a small village deep in the mountains. It wasn't listed in any tourist guides, and it seemed to be a place difficult to reach even with a car navigation system—a "festival known only to those in the know."

After turning off the national highway and passing through a mountain road barely wide enough for a car, a small settlement appeared. Every house was different from the ones I knew. That's it. I'm sure these were the houses that are World Heritage sites, with roofs built in some specific style.

My friend parked the car in front of an exceptionally large house and said, "We're here."

The moment I opened the door, I was surrounded by villagers all at once.

"Welcome! Come this way!"

Receiving a warm welcome from the villagers, the festival began immediately. Everyone was dancing around a bonfire. Food and drinks were brought out one after another without me even asking, and although I worried about how much I would be charged later, the sound of drums and flutes numbed some sense within me.

By the time I was quite drunk, a young woman sat quietly beside me.

"Would you like to rest soon? We have prepared two futons in the detached building over there."

As she said this, the woman pressed her body close to mine and whispered in my ear.

"Your friend is resting elsewhere."

—Oh, my.

Tonight is a festival and carnival.

...

............

..............

The next morning, I looked outside and the car was gone.

"Your friend has already left, you know?"

The woman, with whom I had played UNO all night long, was preparing breakfast with a smile.

—That guy...

Did he get angry and leave because I was having so much fun playing UNO with this woman? How pathetic. He's not a child anymore.

"I'd like to call a taxi."
"It's useless. This place isn't on any map."

――Ah, that's right, they did say that.

My smartphone has no signal, either.

"I have work tomorrow, too. I wonder how I'm going to get home..."

As I was struggling to think of a solution, a woman approached me.

"There's no need to go home, is there? From today, this is your home."
"Excuse me?"
"You were successfully tricked by your friend."
"Is this... like a sacrifice thing?"
"I appreciate your quick understanding."

――So that's what it is.

I let out a sigh.

"You will live here with me for the rest of your life."

"I look forward to it."

"..."

The woman froze, her smile still fixed on her face.

"Um, were you listening to me?"
"I said, I look forward to it."
"No, I mean... aren't you supposed to scream that you want to go home, or beg for your life?"
"There's nothing good waiting for me back home. Work is tough, the pay is low, and my manager harasses me."
"You're going to live here forever, you know? It's the countryside, that little machine won't get a signal, and it's inconvenient."
"I hate the city, I hate crowds, and that smartphone is just an invisible shackle anyway."

The woman closed her eyes and started thinking, "Hmm."

"Could you wait a moment? I need to discuss this with a few people..."

The woman stomped off somewhere, her footsteps echoing.

I ate breakfast and waited for the woman while drinking self-service coffee.

――Does living together mean we're going to be a married couple?
――Wait, did I just get a reverse proposal?

As I was grinning to myself, the villagers arrived. An elderly person who looked like the village chief stepped forward.

"I am terribly sorry. There has been a slight misunderstanding, and, well..."
"Are you telling me to just go home quietly?"
"I am truly, truly sorry. We will take you wherever you'd like to go, so please..."
"Is that so..."

I finished my coffee and stood up slowly.

"I refuse."

The moment I said that, everyone there prostrated themselves before me.

"Please! Please, go home! I beg of you!"

"Like I'd go home! Bring that woman from earlier here! We are going to be a married couple! I won't show mercy to anyone who complains! Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

My Golden Week is not ending.

No, it has only just begun.

(End)

I am participating in Tarahakani-san's project, "Weekly Short-Short Note."
This week's theme is "Golden Unique."

It's been a while since I've done a weekly short-short.

If I recall, UNO became popular about 30 years ago, didn't it?
I wonder if anyone remembers it...

Please take a look at this as well.

I received a CONGRATULATIONS for the theme "Creation"!