Kei: By “lunch and dessert,” you meant a value set and an apple pie?
Youko: We’re both students without part-time jobs, so it’s only natural, right?
This place is Hackin’ Beef Hamburger. (TN: An international fast food chain that even has a branch in Hemidzuka. Its mascot is an adult man with a chainsaw, thus the name.)
Just as the jingle says, “Of course there’s one in my town, and there might be one in yours, too. ♪” The international fast food chain.
The store where you’ll find after-school students camping out, even outside of summer break.
By the way, the reason I don’t have a part-time job is not because school is too difficult, or because I don’t have a desire to work.
Anyway, considering my state of welfare, it’s not an ill-fitting place to dine, but… while I won’t say “splurge,” I would at least like her to consider my aspirations for lunch.
She said she had some special income, after all.
Kei: But I like Japanese food…
Youko: I know that much, already.
Kei: Rice above bread. Fish above meat.
Youko: Okay, forget value. Ordering à la carte, one Rice Burger and Fish and Chips.
Kei: …………
Youko: Come on, now, you have fried onigiri, codfish and potato tenpura. The drink is Oolong Tea, but the shake with the limited time offer is maccha, there there’s a pretty high degree of “Japanese” in there, dontcha think? (Maccha – ceremonial green tea powder)
……It’s not like I’m asking for a high-grade tea ceremony dish, or something extravagant like that.
For me, a sushi conveyor would be fantastic. Or if not, just some daily special from somewhere (w/ tax, 450￥) would be more than enough.
Kei: That’s just a sham, you know? A fake. You fooled me and I got excited over nothing.
Youko: Well, I’ll buy it for you, so you can find the seats! And I’ll be going with a steak burger set!
Her face knows nothing of my complaints. With a flapping wave of her hand, she energetically heads to the onee-san behind the order counter.
Kei: Hah……
Left alone, I give the store interior a cursory glance.
We went to a part of town where few people go, so it’s not that bad, but the place still looks congested.
Kei: I’d better find a seat.
Kei: Funyaa~
Youko: C’mon, don’t fall asleep!
Kei: But, the journey fatigue hasn’t left, you know? After going mountain-climbing on the last day of a two day, one night trip, it hasn’t even been a full day since I arrived back home, you know?
That’s why my strength just won’t come back without rice, I mutter a complaint in my mind.
I was stuck to my bed until just before this, so this doubles as breakfast, too.
Youko: Well, that was some forced exertion. Isn’t it wonderful to be young?
Kei: My birthday’s before yours, you know.
Youko: Hmph! If you intend to take an elder attitude, you would do best to shut away that freeloader habit of yours, onee-sama.
Kei: Uuu……
Still, talking to Youko-chan like this really makes me feel like I’ve come back.
After just two days and one night, even if I was talking on the phone with her during that time, there’s a strange feeling of normalcy that puts me at ease.
Youko: Hey, now, you gotta eat before it gets cold. Even a meal like this has eighty-eight gods living inside it, right?
Kei: Uuu…… itadakimasu.
After clapping my hands together, I reach my hand for the rice burger wrapping.
Kei: Wah, a sea urchin rice burger!
Youko: That’s right, I splurged. À la carte’s pretty expensive, you know.
Kei: Fast food might be made cheap and fast, but outside of the combo menu it get’s pretty expensive, doesn’t it?
Youko: That’s right.
Saying thus, Youko-chan smothers her steak burger, Hackin Beef’s specialty item, with a bite.
Thickly cut roasted beef has a bad reputation among people with bad teeth, but Youko-chan looks perfectly okay with it.
And as you would expect of steak, the price is a little on the high side.
Kei: ……Youko-chan, does that mean…
Youko: What?
Kei: Did this cost about the same as having lunch at that Japanese-style place?
Youko: You bet it did. About enough for an extra large donburi?
Kei: …………
It’s not like this urchin burger doesn’t taste good, but…
Kei: ……Are you just doing this to harass me?
Youko: ‘Course not. I just figured with the atmosphere here, the conversation wouldn’t get as heavy, or something.
Kei: Conversation?
Youko: Hato-chan, honestly, are you doing alright?
Kei: With what?
Youko: Like, are you doing well at home? And when summer ends, will you still come to school?
Kei: Wah, that’s rude. I’ve always been waking up by myself, you know. Although I guess, mom was always making my lunch for me, but…
Youko: That’s not what I’m talkin’ about!
As I finish my urchin rice burger and reach for the next wrapper, she looks at me, as if disgusted.
Youko: Well, if that’s your answer, I guess you’re fine.
……Yeah, I know that Youko-chan is worried about me.
If I go through school well enough, it looks like I have enough to go through college, though, so I’m fine.
Kei: Thank you.
Youko: Yeah?
Kei: …………
Youko: …………
Kei: ……so, what’s this?
Youko: Watermelon rice burger. It’s the hit today, kinda.
Kei: …………
Youko: And just so ya know, that doubles as dessert.
Kei: ……You know, maybe I shouldn’t have come back.
Youko: Come on, that’s not true! If you weren’t here, Hato-chan, who would I get to show me their homework?
Kei: What about Orin-san?
Youko: No can do. Orin might look soft, but she’s a real schemer. A debt with her’ll cost me dearly.
Kei: She doesn’t seem that way to me, but…… ah! I need to do my homework!
Youko: You haven’t yet, either?
Kei: No, not at all.
This summer…
I cried more than I ever have before…
I had one incredibly confusing journey…
And I returned to my livelihood, chased about by ordinary troubles.
…Kei-chan…
And I did see some mysterious dreams, but…
Like the scattering flowers of summer, those dreams also…
…That’s right. Everything fades away, like dreams of Kaian…
(TN: Kaian no yume – a blanket expression for anything fleeting and illusory. Based upon the legend of a man named Jun Ufun – or something that sounds similar – who ruled over a kingdom known as “Kaian” for twenty years, except it was just a dream. He had apparently gotten drunk and passed out under an Enju tree. Also note, the “Enju” character also happens to be the “kai” in “Kaian.” It is also the Ohashirasama’s tree in Akai Ito.)
Suddenly, I realize that a very special summer has come to an end.
Youko: Hey, is yer homework done!?
Kei: Somehow… I had some help from Orin-san, too.
Youko: Alright! Then I’m gonna head to your place first thing tomorrow, and I intend to stay the night!
Kei: You have that much left?
Youko: No worries, no worries. I still have more’n twenty-four hours before the opening ceremony. It’ll all work out!
Blue Ending: Kaimu – End of summer… (TN: Kaimu – Enju dream)