The Story of the Two Miracles That Happened to Tsukune

(If you're talking about miracles, this is it... my soul is stirred)

Sunday morning.
After going out for breakfast, I suddenly thought,

(Maybe I'll drive around the elementary school I used to go to on my way home.)

I decided on a whim.

I had never driven through the place where I spent my childhood before.

Wow... so nostalgic...

Although things had changed a bit, the familiar streets spread out before me.

(Was this road I walked on in elementary school always this small?)

(Oh! This fish shop is still here!)

Various memories came flooding back.

(This is it... I have to go to my old home.)

I turned into a narrow alley, drove through a road I had traveled hundreds of times by bicycle—likely for the first time by car—and passed in front of my childhood home where I had lived for over 20 years since kindergarten. After my mother passed away, we put the house up for sale, and my father returned to his own family home.

(It's a lonely and strange feeling to think that someone else lives there now... Oh, that's right.)

The S family who lived next door.

They were a family of four: a father, a mother, and two older sisters who were more than a dozen years older than me, and they were a very lovely family.

The mother, in particular, was cheerful, stylish, and energetic, and she was good friends with my mother (I called her Auntie S).

I heard she lives alone now...

Hmm, should I just ring the doorbell out of the blue and say,

"It's Tsukune!"

Even if I did,
I don't think they would mind at all; in fact, I think they'd be happy about it, but...

(I hate parking on the street)

I want to avoid parking on the street as much as possible.

Maybe here, there's a 100% chance I won't get caught by the police.
Maybe here, there's a 100% chance no one will say anything to me.

If I can't be sure of that myself, I don't want to do it.

(I feel a bit reluctant to leave S-san's aunt behind, but... I really hate parking on the street)

Alright, let's resume the drive!

As I drove on,

I found the first person in town!

A woman who, despite her age, walked with a brisk gait and had a straight posture...

(Huh... wait? That silhouette looks familiar...)

I rolled down the passenger side window and waved my hand vigorously!

"S-san's aunt!"

"Tsukune-chan!!"

It was a moving reunion.

"It's been a while!"

"You noticed me so quickly~"

The neighborhood gossip session, begin!!

"I'm just out for a little drive... You look well, Auntie!"

"I'm doing great, doing great!"

“Wait... how old are you now?”

“I’m 85!”

“What!? That old? You’re so energetic! You look so young!”

“Well, I walk a lot. Even my doctor is surprised!”

She hasn't aged a bit since I've known her, or rather, she has stayed young at heart.

Her husband passed away quite a while ago, but she has remained energetic and enjoys her own life, which I think is wonderful.

We talked about many things, and at the end, she said,

“M (her younger daughter) is the manager of an Italian restaurant called Del Sole at Sun-Ste.”

“I’ll go visit sometime!!”

I said, and we parted ways.

(Well, time to head home.)

As I drove, I realized I was hungry.

(Oh man... I’m starving.)

It was past 10:30.

(Should I go?)

The restaurant in front of the station.

I’d have to park my car in some parking lot in the center of Okayama (where I haven't been in over 10 years), walk to the restaurant... and meet her sister...

(For starters, I talked to the mother quite a bit, but I haven't really talked to the sisters that much... By the time I grew up, they had both already left home...)

Ahhhhh!

The hurdles are so high! And there are so many of them!!

Wait!
If you're scared to go alone, why don't you just go with someone?

Should I invite the lady...

No, I don't know her contact info... If I go back now, invite her, have her get in the car... and come back to this city center...

I'll pass this time.

I decided to look for a friend.

I chose K-chan!

I tried calling, but I couldn't get through!

It can't be helped...

Next is...

?????

The next companion...

I can't find them!

Ugh... what a disaster...

I can't... seem to find any friends?

(Calm down...

Why...

Remember...

My few friends got married and moved away to different places... and I have Kacchan, my son, my mother-in-law, and F-san, so I guess it's fine. This is the result of my own choices—saying things like 'I'll stick with a small, elite group (lol)' and living my life without making any mom friends.)

It cannot be helped!!

Inside my bag, too.
Inside my desk, too.
I looked, but I couldn't find it, so.

I'll just have to play with the cards I've got!

Mr. F is...
probably busy.

Kacchan is...
Hmm.

He answers when it's truly critical, but he won't answer for something like this (urgency level 45), and in cases like this

he's either panicking while driving

(Don't call me right now!)

or it's that kind of moment.

I've ordered pasta and I'm about to eat!

That's when he'd probably call...

(Maybe I should just go home...)

No... right now, at least a little bit

"Let's do various things"

When it's time, I have to go for it even if my heart is pounding...

Otherwise, I'll just retreat into my shell again!

It's okay...
Surely, it will be okay...

As long as I don't make a mistake on the one address, stay calm, and drive safely, it'll be fine (or so I hope).

I parked the car safely in the parking lot I had scouted out on Google Maps

(This is where it starts...)

The enemy is at Honno-ji Temple!!

(That's not it.)

Sanste... 2nd floor...

Ha! Found it!

(Found it quickly... I have no choice but to go now.)

It starts at 11 o'clock...

It's 5 minutes before. After going to the restroom and coming back, it's exactly 11 o'clock.

(I've come this far... there's no turning back now.)

When I entered the shop...

Suddenly, a woman with bright, round eyes appeared! (Well, it is a shop, after all.)

"Welcome! Are you by yourself?"

(Is this her... she kind of looks like her? No... oh, my memory... ah, her name tag!)

It says "S" on her name tag!!

"U-u-um! Are you... S... Ms. XX?"

"Oh, yes."

"Do you remember me? I'm... Hara Tsukune, who used to live next door!"

And I took off my mask.

"Oh, Tsukune-chan!? What are you doing here!?"

"Well... actually..."

Mission accomplished!!

The taste of the pasta after completing the mission was incredible!

Please do come by if you are ever in Okayama.

Now then. One more thing...

Monday morning. Even so, Tsukune realizes that Mother was running an interesting project.

Ahhhh!! That looked like so much fun!

(Too late now!!)

The one where you drink and write... It's already over!

Reading everyone else's, I'm reminded of how fun it was!

(It really was a fun one!!)

For now, I'll just convey how impressed I was...

And then, a while later, I checked note, and you know what?

(A comment from Mother! Is this a business communication...?)

Huh? What?

Whoa! She's praising me!!

Whaaaat! I'm so happy!!

Mother...

Ahhh... Thank you!!!