Part 1[edit]

Why is it impossible to go to sleep, only when one must quickly get as much sleep as possible for the next day -- like the day before an outing, or after staying up through the night for an exam?

I must sleep. I must sleep.This forced idea would only force one awake, that's for sure. However, if one tries to hint oneself 'Don't thinkI must sleep,' what waits ahead is just the inescapable bottomless swamp of sleeplessness. One will just sink deeper and deeper, and find no way to escape.

This effect manifests itself in the opposite way during times that one must not fall asleep, like in a lesson.I must not sleep. I must not sleep.Such commands will somehow be interpreted in the brain as urge to sleep.

So why not try giving the opposite command this time -- "I must not sleep" when early sleep is needed?

Unfortunately, the idea "I must sleep to prepare for tomorrow" was already stuck in a corner of the brain, so as expected, there is not way such a command could help with sleeping.

Because of that, when Yumi set foot in her dreams that night, it was already around two hours after she got into bed. Three hours was left before the alarm clock would be ringing.

"Good moooorning."

Yumi walked down the stairs with a grimace.

The morning came too early. Her eyelids didn't obey her brain to open. It was only five in the morning, that's why.

"Good morning, Yumi-chan. How great it is that it would be sunny today!"

Mom turned to Yumi with a smiling face from the kitchen, as she was making onigiri[1].

"What about breakfast? Do you feel like eating?"

"Hummmm"

What do you think, Yumi asked her stomach. Normally her stomach firmly feels like eating from the morning, but now her internal organs all seemed to be in a sleepy state.

"If you don't want rice, at least eat some yogurt. An empty stomach makes you easy to turn sick on vehicles."

"Okay."

Yumi opened the fridge and took out cereal, yogurt and strawberry jam. Her eyelids finally felt less heavy opening and closing when she was mixing stuff in her cafe au lait bowl.

On the dinning table lined neatly some wrapped umeboshi onigiri.

"I have prepared a lunchbox, so please help yourselves on the train. The lunchboxes on the trains are not bad, but somehow look dreary. For outings, mom's onigiri are to be expected!"

Mom unfastened the plastic basket lid enough that Yumi could see how it was. Inside was herb covered deep fried white fish, grilled bacon wrapped asparagus with cheese, and grilled cherry tomatoes.

"That is splendid!"

Yumi muttered while eating her yogurt with cereal in it. It was the standard menu lunchbox for outings that her mother always makes. It seemed that mom enthusiastically woke up early this morning to make them.

"I have packed enough for two people, so eat it with Sachiko-sama, ok?"

"Thanks so much! Looks delicious."

Being appreciated for her work, Mom was so pleased that she started to share her profound knowledge on cherry tomatoes' calyx. Just as Mom reached without reserve the topic of when is the best timing to wrap seaweed on onigiri, Dad entered the dining room with sleepy eyes, scratching his head.

"Oh, an outing?"

From the plate of leftover side-dishes, Dad picked a tomato and put it into his mouth.

"Yup."

"Oh it is today! That day for Yumi to stay at the Ogasawara's summerhouse. When and where are you meeting again?"

"5:50 at the gates of M Station. Dad, you said you would drive me to the station, right?"

"Oh, that's right."

Whoa.Dad clapped his hands once, reached out in the key case for his keys, and thrust his hand out.

Whoa, Whoa. Dad looks like he is going to jump into the car any minute. Before that, Dad, do something to your pajama, your five o'clock shadow, your bedhead and the gum around your eyes!Yumi pushed Dad on his back and first led him to the bathroom.

Just at that time.

"Dad, you are just too good to Yumi. If it was for me, you will definitely just say 'Get off your butt and go!'"

Probably awoken by the noise on the first floor, Yuki got down from the second floor without anyone noticing, and was standing at the corridor outside the bathroom.

"Mornin'"

"Mornin'"

Wearing pajamas crumbled during sleeping, Yuuki looked like an exact copy of Dad. Even their sleeping habits were astonishingly similar.What's it about those two?

"Yumi-chan is a girl, that's why."

Dad said as he squeezed toothpaste onto his toothbrush.

"And, she is so cute! I would never let her walk alone in a deserted street, and be abducted by some bad guy!"

"We are so blessed that you are our father!"

Yuuki laughed.

True. It is already so great for him to point to his own daughter and claim unabashedly that she is so cute. Giving him a hug in return would be nice, but Yumi suppressed the idea as Dad was brushing his teeth. It would be a little problematic to leave the bathroom smeared with toothpaste foam.

"Haim wot hurried habout Huhi hor hat, horse his a buy."

Suddenly Dad said something alien.

"What?"

Haim what? Yumi would like to ask for clarification, but Yuuki translated before that.

"I'm not worried about Yuuki for that, because he is a guy, Dad said."

"Oh."

Invoked by such a line, Yumi gave a look at the human translation-machine.

"...Hey!"

Noticing what Yumi was thinking about, Yuuki restrained his sister with a grim face that screamed "You don't dare to say anything unnecessary."

Of course not.

Dad. Your son is a guy, but he is so cute that he is being pursued by some bad guy now! -- Such words Yumi could never say, even if someone forced her mouth open.

Eluding from each other's glance, the Fukuzawa siblings did their routine errands in the morning, as if nothing had happened.

An agreement was reached: let the line they heard that morning be flushed down the bathroom drain, together with the water that washed Dad's shaver.

"Wow, that's some effort!"

Yumi was putting on her sandals and leaving the foyer, when she found Yuuki outside retrieving the newspapers. Yuuki looked up and down his sister's looks, and laughed out.

"Thanks for your compliment!"

Yumi pouted her lips a little and stared at her brother. It was a seventeen-year-old maiden's innocence to refuse to respond with a smile and a "You're right!"

"Welcome. It really looks good on you. The best performance so far, in fact."

"The last sentence is not needed!"

Sure it is a compliment to be praised that her clothes look good on her, but Yuuki's compliment didn't sound at all pleasing. Yumi rolled her fist into a ball, and threw it straight towards the head of her brother, who was returning with a newspaper in one hand.

"But hey, you didn't wear a one-piece normally, did you?"

Yuuki laughingly raised his arms to guard his head, and barely escaped.

"My uniform is a one-piece."

"No one would put this in the same league as a uniform, would they?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Yumi quietly loosened her fist.

In fact, she knew full well: she would be embarrassed wearing this newly bought, white, French-sleeved one-piece.

Maybe she was not used to wearing it. She was confused by this different self from normal.

The feeling was a little like the next day after having her hair cut. She could not even get used to herself in the mirror. How would other people look at her? She was worried. Even when she was complimented "It suits you well," she would get doubtful whether others were talking about their true feelings.

That was why she overreacted beyond her control upon the slightest wording stimulus. It was pitiful for Yuuki to be there by chance and play on the delicate topic of dressing, but under his sister's light hysteria outburst, Yuuki could only swallow down his misfortune and accept whatever was to come.

"About this one-piece,"

Yuuki mumbled with his arms crossed. Did he not receive his lesson and continue to babble? Yumi thought, but she was so curious of Yuuki's comment that she decided to listen.

"... in it you look like a cabbage butterfly[2]."

It was neither a compliment nor a compliant, just plain impression. But Yumi was drawn into such description very much.

Cabbage butterfly.

A one-piece like a white butterfly.

It was of a simple design, with no lace or patterns, but only a ribbon at the back. The lack of decorations makes the one-piece look very elegant.

Of course, Yumi made this very conscious choice so as not to embarrass the Onee-sama together with her. However, Yumi could never push away her doubts: was the person wearing the one-piece the real misfit? Was it a good idea for someone like her to wear the one-piece? However, if it was a one-piece like a white butterfly, Yumi's feeling became much less heavy.

Light, soft and gentle.

A cabbage butterfly commonly seen on a cabbage field represented Yumi much better than a glorious birdwing butterfly.[3]

However, Yumi just could not give her thanks to the bragging Yuuki. It was too shameful to give Yuuki the impression that her feelings took a U-turn due to just one comment.

"There is no stripes on this one-piece though."[4]

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"Sheesh."

Yumi laughed out despite herself. Yuuki joined her in laughter. It was an uninteresting feeble joke, but once they started laughing, they could not stop themselves for a while.

"Hey, Yumi-chan. The lunchbox."

Mom who walked out of the door handed Yumi the temperature-preserving case with an amazed expression. Dad was taking the car out of the garage, and trying to parallel-park right in front of the house.

5:30 am.

It was early morning, so the roads were empty. In 15 minutes, they would arrive at M station with quite some spare time. The meeting place was at the station gate. Okay. Everything was on schedule.

To avoid feeling cold in the air-conditioned train carts, Yumi pulled a light green cardigan around her neck. Oh, a hat. Also, never forget to bring along the white parasol she bought with all her savings just this summer.

"Anything missing?"

"Nope."

Yumi lifted her travelling bag. It was a rectangular cane basket Mom used when she was young.

"Handkerchief, tissue, purse... you have them with you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry. See?"

Yumi thrust out her hip and showed Mom a small shoulder bag that shaped like a pochette. All the small things were inside the bag.

"Are you sure you haven't missed anything when arranging your baggage for the last time? If you find anything missing, call us. We will send it you by home delivery."

"Oookay."

Mom kept sticking behind Yumi and talking about things Yumi should be careful about. No matter how old Yumi would become, Mom would probably take care of every detail like treating a kid.

"Sachiko-sama would be taking care of the train tickets, right? Remember to pay Sachiko-sama back the train fee, as soon as possible!"

"Okay, okay."

Taking everything along, Yumi got into the car's back seat.

"Madam , where would you like to go?"

Dad turned back from the driver's seat and smiled.

"M Station, please."

"My pleasure, madam."

After the door was closed, Yuuki walked near the car and knocked on the window.

"What?"

Yumi drew down the window, and Yuuki poked her cheek with his pointing finger.

"Relax, relax. It is a just summerhouse, right?"

Do I look so tense?Yumi followed Yuuki by poking her cheek, and realized that her face muscles were growing tense from some time ago.

"It is not like you are going to a battlefield. So just sit back and relax during this short vacation treat."

"...Thanks."

Yuuki left the car, so Dad quietly started the car.

"This brother of yours is pretty reliable, isn't he?"

"Yeah. I even felt defeated."

Well, though she felt defeated from a long time ago.

Looking back, Mom and Yuuki were still standing in front of the house. They were facing the car and waving, despite that they had turned very small already.

(Relax. Relax.)

Yumi gave a slight effort to mimic Yuuki, and repeated the word in her heart.

Right. No point to get tense all over.

It is just a summerhouse, right?

It is a trip to enjoy some fun time with Onee-sama, right?

Yumi arrived at the ticket gate of M Station five minutes before the meeting time.

No young lady in Sachiko-sama's age could be found there, but after two minutes of waiting, a lady approached from a corner of the North Exit.

The lady had a cream white summer sweater inside her matching cardigan, and slim jeans that flowed along her long legs. Walking in brisk steps, the lady found Yumi and waved her hands lightly.

It was so different from her usual image that Yumi did not pay attention in the first place. However.

"Yumi."

The calling voice was the same. The gradually approaching face was the same.

"O-ooooooooh?"

Without a doubt, it was Ogasawara Sachiko.

"Doh-doh-doh..."

Like always, the confused Yumi started to drill holes on the street under construction. Hey, in Yumi's expanding imagination, when the daughter of the Ogasawara family pays a visit to the summerhouse, she would definitely be wearing a one-piece or a flaring skirt. Yumi chose the one-piece in order to suit her Onee-sama. So why the jeans? Onee-sama's appearance now was actually closer to Yumi's usual style.

Therefore the "doh" in Yumi's string of "Doh-doh-doh..." was for "doushite?(Why?)"

"Good morning."

Sachiko-sama reached out her hand to the vicinity of Yumi's chest as usual, but realized that Yumi was not wearing a tie. There was not even a lapel to Yumi's pristine collar, so instead Sachiko touched Yumi's collar and smiled.

"Good morning."

The greeting was not the usual "Good day." It might be because they were not at school. It might be because the time was actually early morning. However, such a small inconsistency was not at all irritating.

"What a cute one-piece. It suits you well."

It might just be a common compliment, but being complimented by Onee-sama was itself gratifying. Yumi barely tied down her blown-away heart, and smiled back.

"Onee-sama, those jeans suits you very well too."

The jeans, though causal-looking, were one of those expensive kinds. They looked very similar to ones that appeared in a vintage fashion show Yumi had watched on television before. The pair of jeans on the television were eye-popping expensive; so expensive that one could buy a huge fridge with the money.

"Yes. From time to time, I wear at home the jeans you have chosen for me on our Valentine date. My grandpa saw them, and bought this pair for me."

Jeans that the president of the Ogasawara Group had requested himself -- then no doubt the jeans were the real thing.

Without any sense of pity, Sachiko-sama cut the jeans to her size and wore them. Yumi could gradually feel distortion to her sense of money.

"So, let's go."

Yumi was still digesting her Onee-sama's words when Sachiko-sama turned back and retraced her steps.

"Oh?"

Yumi cocked her head.

Let's go, Onee-sama said. The ticket gate was here.

However, Sachiko-sama walked further and further to the north. Continuing walking in that direction, she would go out of the north exit. In order to ride on the train, however, they had to pass the gate and wait at the platform for the train.

Yumi decided to chase Sachiko-sama for the time being. Then she realized.

Onee-sama's hands were empty.

No way, Yumi thought, but Sachiko-sama had already walked down the stairs. Yumi also caught sight of a black car, waiting slightly away from the north exit roundabout.

Without mistake, that car was the Ogasawara's home car. Though it is a home car, the driver was not anyone in the Ogasawara family, but a chauffeur.

"Why are you so surprised? Haven't I said that we are going by car?"

Sachiko-sama turned back and said to Yumi, whose brain was stuck due to the unmatching reality.

"No, I heard nothing of that."

Yumi had just learned of it.

However, Sachiko-sama looked very confident, and Yumi started to become unsettled.

"I have said so."

"But"

Yumi hadn't heard of it, that was the truth. Yumi could never say "I have heard it," just to save Onee-sama's face.

"I have said so."

"Never heard of it."

Neither side would give way.

Then which side was telling the truth?

No, it was too early to conclude so. Both sides were holding the unwavering belief that their standpoint was right.

Speaking of that, the same thing happened once before. In the treasure hunt event, the two had argued about how deep Yumi had dug for the hidden card. At that time, Tsutako-san intervened, and the argument was somehow cleared with everyone satisfied, even though the mystery was not solved.

Unfortunately, there was no friend here now to step up and make a judgment.

(Anybody...)

Yumi looked around, and her glance met the driver, who was in standby mode in the black car's driver seat. Yumi hastily gave a slight nod.

There was no way the driver could untie the tangled web of misunderstanding. Yumi had to put out her own effort here.

"Onee-sama, do you remember that I had asked your opinion whether I should book train tickets beforehand?"

"Yes, of course."

Onee-sama nodded.

"And I replied, 'Leave it to me, and I will ask the people on my side to settle this matter.[5]'"

"Yes."

In the end, the two began to rehearse what they had said.

"Then what did you say, Yumi?"

"'Then I would leave it to you.'"

"See, you had acknowledged my suggestion, hadn't you?"

"Pardon?"

Why? Yumi's eyes began to roll.

"Wasn't it that I leave it to you to buy the train tickets?[6]"

"Pardon?"

Then the two finally realized. No way--

"This matter ()" and "The tickets ()"?[7]

"You are kidding."

"That is so silly."

Unbelievable. The two were stuck in such a clumsy misunderstanding.

"B-but, that would not equal 'going by car,' would it?"

Even if Sachiko-sama was saying "this matter" instead of "the tickets," she was telling Yumi to rely on her for arranging transportation. They could go by bike, by bus, by local trains, by Bullet train, by plane (not in this case, of course), etc. How could Yumi judge it was by car?

"But I definitely had said that we were going by car."

Sachiko-sama said with a light laugh, apparently enjoying the gradually funny scenario.

"By car, right?"

"Yes, by car."

"Car... c-a-r..."

Like solving a puzzle, the two teamed up to make it clear why such a misunderstanding took place.

"C-a-r... C-a-r..."

Yumi replayed her memory around the "This matter (ticket)" line, and searched for the keyword "car."

"Oh."

"What is it?"

Sachiko-sama asked with sparkling eyes.

"Well, at that time I was thinking about when Onee-sama should leave home..."

Yumi slowly put what she remembered into words.

"Yes. I did not know how much time it takes to travel in the morning."

"In the end, after you said that you might arrive a little before our meeting time..."

"Then?"

"You said, 'It is all right for me. If I arrive early, I would kill time before you arrive.'"[8]

"Yes, I did say so. So what is about it?"

Sachiko-sama gave a blank stare.

"I was saying I would arrive a little earlier, instead of you waiting for me at the gate. It is all right with me, because I can wait in my car with air conditioning...[9]Hey!"

Sachiko-sama finally got it.

This time, it was "before you arrive ()" and "in the car ()."[10]

"Ha"

"Hahaha"

The funniness exploded like spring-water gushing out. The two looked at each other's face, and burst out laughing.

"Mi'ladies, would it be alright?"

The chauffeur said as he came out from the car. It seems that he was mindful of the situation and had refrained from greeting them until after their talk had concluded. Perhaps he couldn't come out earlier because the two of them were lightly quarreling at the time they were walking toward the car. Though now he probably surmised that the issue had been resolved since laughter had broken out.

"Good morning. Fukuzawa Yumi-sama, allow me to look after your luggage."

"Ah."

"That's how it is, you know. Yumi, since we're going to the summer house in this car, aren't we?"

"But..."

"This is how I go every year."

Yumi, being goldfish droppings[11]to Sachiko-sama's summer plans, wasn't in a position where she could object. That aside, it was also one of her hidden objectives to follow onee-sama's usual behavior patterns during their trip.

"...okay."

Nodding assent, Yumi gave her luggage to the chauffeur. While thinking of what to do about the travel allowance that she had received from her mother, suddenly there was something she realized.

Her parasol wasn't there.

She was wearing her shoulder bag, cardigan, and hat. In her hand she held the cooler case that the lunch had been placed into. The basket, which she had just handed over, was in the car's trunk. But, only the white parasol wasn't to be found anywhere.

"What's the matter? Hurry up and get in."

Sachiko, who had already settled into the back seat, cracked open the door and said.

"Y-Yes."

Yumi hurried up and got into the car. An onee-sama's orders are an action that winds a petite soeur's spring. Though that might be limited to Yumi.

"What?"

Sachiko--sama asked.

"No. It's nothing."

Yumi smiled and shook her head.

After all, at this point if she said, "I can't find my umbrella," Sachiko-sama might put off the departure in order to go and search for it.

Though grateful, Yumi would also be troubled.

She didn't want to cause trouble for onee-sama, and she hated that even such a long-awaited outing should be stalled right from the start because of her.

"Chauffeur-san, let's go!"[12]

Though she thought,I wonder if I over did it, for the sake of energizing the mood she raised her fist with abandon.

It was only a little while after the time she arrived here, but it felt that the shapes of people in the vicinity of the station had increased.

It was 6 o'clock in the morning.

The bus that Yumi always rode to school approached the station, spit out about 30 people, and departed in a state where it was mostly empty.

Afterwards, as if to follow, the black car left via the rotary at M Station's north entrance.

The parasol would be ok.

She probably just left it in her family's car.

Better not to worry about it. When compared to convenience store umbrella stands, that place was hundreds or thousands of times safer.

But.

Yumi's dream to walk the summer resort under the white parasol with onee-sama had evaporated like dew.

"Yumi"

Sachiko-sama said shortly after the car made it onto the main street.

"You're the type that's strong in cars?"

"Strong in cars, can you be saying? That, um, are you asking whether or not I get carsick?"

Yumi asked in return. Because of what had happened just a short while ago, she had to be cautious so as to not hear incorrectly.

"You're saying there's something else?"

"No, it's just what if by chance, you were asking whether or not I am knowledgeable about many makes of cars?"

"That's stupid, isn't it?"

Sachiko-sama let out a small laugh.

"Um, and so?"

"You can use this, if you like."

She was presented a flimsy box. Attempting to open the box revealed a row of pink pills.

"This is it travel sickness medicine?"

That would be natural based on the flow of the conversation.

"That's right. Since I took it at home..."

"Ah, I see."

It was a package of neatly aligned pills, but there were two empty spaces where the pills had been used up. Now that she thought about it, there was talk about going out in Kashiwagi-san's car the other day and Sachiko-sama being terribly car-sick.

In addition to being a car that she wasn't used to riding in, Sachiko-sama's car-sickness was probably a result of the accumulation of such unfavorable conditions as bad roads, anxiety, and Kashiwagi-san's (probably) extreme lack of skill at driving, however it seems that with this time expected to be a long-distance outing, even though it was an outing in her own car, she had still become worried.

"I'm fine."

With Yumi declining the medicine, Sachiko-sama said "That so?" and it was momentary, but a seemingly disappointed expression floated across her face. Although Yumi thought,I wonder if perhaps onee-sama wanted me to have done the same as her, it was too late. The small box of medicine had already been returned to the pouch.

While pondering if, even now, her onee-sama would be glad were she to say, "On second thought, may I have some?" and accept the medicine, Yumi was unconsciously fiddling with the zipper of the cooler case on top of her knees, which lead to Sachiko-sama pointing with her finger and asking.

"What is that?"

By that, was she referring to this matter? The place Sachiko-sama's long white finger was pointing was just above Yumi's knees.

"This is a lunchbox."[13]

The answer had come out sounding like translating an English sentence into Japanese.

"A lunchbox? Who made it?"

"My mom. Ah, shall we eat?"

"Is it ok?"

"Of course. She said for me to give some to onee-sama to eat as well."

She handed over bundle taken from out of the case. Sachiko-sama placed it on her own lap, and promptly set about undoing the knot.

"Yumi, isn't it wonderful. On things like outings and Sports Day[14], I've never had the experience of taking such a mother-made lunchbox."

"Oh? Is it that aunt Sayako-sama cannot cook?"

It was a bit unexpected. She gave of the impression of wearing a traditional cooking apron[15]and making stews and such. Still Yumi wondered if it wasn't unusual that rich housewives didn't touch housework.

"Her cooking is skilled. But, it takes a really long time. I wonder when it was, that I experienced returning home from a trip and she still hadn't finished. And so, mostly I take something along the lines of a lunch secretly prepared for me by the servants or, intended as insurance, a lunch ordered from a caterer ahead of time."

Wow. That's something amazing.

"Um, then what about the portion that aunt-sama prepared?"

"Of course, it's delicious and I gratefully accept it. But, if I eat it at the house, that isn't 'lunch' anymore. It has changed it's name to 'dinner.'"

Well, it could be said like that too.

"Ah, but. If it's convenience-store nabeyaki -udon[16], as one would expect, she can prepare that quickly."

""

Hey now, isn't that because you just remove the lid and put it on the stove Ah, is there also the process for fine-tuning the fire strength? -- at any rate, aunt-sama sure is an extraordinary person.

Setting that aside, Sachiko-sama appeared to have an interest in 'mother-made lunches.' Having opened the cloth bundle that looked half-way between a furoshiki[17]and bandana, Sachiko-sama delightedly removed the plastic container's lid.

"What lovely colors!"

Though the side dishes inside the container were leaning a bit to one side, Sachiko-sama squinted her eyes enraptured. With her having gazed at it for what seemed quite a while, Yumi was wondering if she would leave it as it was and close the lid with satisfaction, but Sachiko-sama gently plucked an asparagus and cheese bacon roll by it's toothpick, and bit into it.

"H-How is it?"

"It's delicious!"

And so, a heartened Yumi stabbed such things as fried white fish and cherry tomatoes onto a plastic fork, and spiritedly tried to smother[18]her onee-sama with service.

"Onee-sama, the onigiri[19]'s nori[20], which way do you prefer it?"

"Nori?"

"Crisp or moist. My mom had been worrying about which way she would do the nori for the onigiri--"

Yumi held up the container packed with just the onigiri and then said:

"Ah, what's this and so she made both types."

There were two each of black looking onigiri that had already been wrapped with seaweed and white onigiri that had been hand-formed, four in total. Forming a set with the white onigiri, nori had been placed into vinyl ziplock bags and included separately.[21]

"What's the filling?"

"It's Umeboshi[22]. During the hot season, it's customary at my house to use umeboshi, which have a preservative effect. Ah, that's right, it's also good for car sickness! and so, crisp or moist, which will you choose?"

"Either is good. Speaking of which, lately it seems that even the convenience stores stock both types, don't they?"

Sachiko-sama got out a sheet of nori from the vinyl bag and took a white onigiri.I wonder if aunt Sayako-sama is still continuing her convenience store runs.

Sachiko-sama finished her in-car breakfast, eating the onigiri, and one of each type of side dish. Yumi, who had become hungry from all the activity, also finished, eating one moist onigiri and suitable side dishes. Since it would be bad if only the two of them were eating, she invited the chauffeur-san as to partake as well, though, as one would expect, because both hands his hands were occupied, he had to decline.

"But, it looks delicious, doesn't it? Since we are planning to make a rest stop on the highway, at that time like that I'd be grateful to have some."

"Or, at a time when the car becomes unable to move due to traffic congestion, right?"

Sachiko-sama smiled while unfolding the lap-blanket.

"Thinking about that, I feel like I can't wait for the unpleasant congestion!"

In contrast to his words, chauffeur-san handled the steering-wheel lightly.

"Yumi, you should also make yourself comfortable. There is a long way yet to go."

While Yumi was returning the lunch to the cooler case, Sachiko-sama covered, not just her lap, but her whole body below the neck with the lap blanked. Perhaps because Chauffeur-san was accustomed to this, he didn't raise the temperature of the air-conditioning.

"Although it's bad of me, I'll sleep for a bit."

"Eh?"

"G'night."

After saying that, it seemed that the moment her eyes closed, sleeping breaths were heard.

(Eh!?)

That's... there are people who sleep for the trip's going and returning, but it was so early into their vacation that one says, "Already?!" After all, hardly 20 minutes had passed since they departed from M station.

Certainly, her feeling was that some of the enjoyment of going on a trip is the recreation on the bus until arriving at the destination. But in this way with just two of them, if one of them were to sleep, there was nothing to do.

"Onee-sama"

Still in the city, she was accustomed to seeing this scenery on her own and so it wasn't even interesting. Though there was another person in the car, you wouldn't play shiritori[23]with the chauffeur...

"Onee-sama"

Yumi nudged her for a bit, but Sachiko didn't even stir. It was as though she had taken sleeping pills or something.

Then she realized.

Onee-sama had said she took the travel-sickness medicine upon leaving from her house.

>

The usage warning floated into Yumi's head and disappeared.

Almost like sulking in bed, Yumi closed her eyes, but upon entrusting her body to the car's vibration, drowsiness really did come.

If she though about it, she hardly slept at all last night.

A crestless white cabbage butterfly flew up from out of nowhere, luring Yumi through a cabbage field.

That's so wrong.-- Yumi inserted a tsukkomi[24]into her own dream.

It was a highland plateau, so instead of cabbage, wouldn't it something like white birch trees lining the road?

That's dumb, Yumi-san. There's no way that white birch grow on the summit of Mt. Fuji!--Yoshino-san laughed.

How was it that Mt. Fuji appears here?Looking behind her, there Mt. Fuji was, unmistakably, towering in front of her eyes like depicted in paintings. A halo shone from Mt. Fuji, and taking a batting-pose on top was a Buddha-sama done with Jesus-sama's face. Worshiping this with a bewildered expression was Shimako-san, and, as Yumi drew near to her side, Shimako pulled out a fortune slip and presented it to her. When she opened the folded paper, there was written on it as a single word:

--Many difficulties lie ahead.[25]

While these four characters were flying out of the screen with a kaboom as if CG[26], she was roused by her shoulder being shaken.

"Yumi"

"Hnnna?"

"We're at the rest stop."[27]

She wondered when they'd gotten on the highway. She hadn't noticed at all.And, from when has Sachiko-sama been awake?

"Let's go to the restroom."

Having woken up suddenly, Yumi, unable to move her mouth and body well, rubbed her eyes and lollingly nodded her head like a waking toddler. She was already thankful enough that drool wasn't flowing.

"Though the road isn't that crowded yet, it would be good to get going just in case."

It was a weekday, and not the time of Obon homecoming rush, and we did leave early in the morning although not smooth sailing, the cars were flowing without delay. However, they must not be careless. There was no way of knowing whether it would become majorly congested at any moment. When it becomes like that, humans in compact cars without toilets end up unable to cope.

"Your eyes, are they awake? We're getting out."

When she opened the door as she had been urged to do, the air that caressed her skin was stifling.

"Hot"

The rest stop was to one side of the parking lot, and since there wasn't any shade, it was naturally hot. Even though the time of day was still considered mid-morning, hot air could be seen undulating as it rose up from the ground.

"Hey, Yumi. Walk properly!"

It seemed Yumi's brain was still half-asleep and she was teetering a bit. And so, Sachiko-sama took her hand and walked with her.

Although it was hot, she was a bit happy.

Certainly it was the matter of holding hands, but more than that, that they were going to the going to the restroom together

She's happy to be going to the restroom?It's scandalous, but although it might be strange, since happy things are happy, there's nothing to be done about it.

After all, with an onee-sama of a different school year, though it was common-sense, that was the reason why there couldn't be things like having lessons in the same classroom, and so at school during break-time there wasn't even a way to ask, "Let's go to the restroom together." Thus, this was a experience to be treasured.

Sachiko-sama's hand, which was cold at first from the air-conditioning, was warmed by the outside air and Yumi's hand, gradually becoming noticeably sweaty.

The woman's toilets were moderately crowded. Since it was summer vacation, there were grandmothers, mothers, elder sisters, and little girls all lined up. There was even the presence of a baby on a baby-bed happily working it's legs, after having it's diaper changed.

"When done, wash your hands and wait here."

"Okay."

Yumi nodded, as she lined up at the end of the queue.

"Oh look, next is Yumi's turn! The innermost one became empty!"

While never like a bossy garbage sorter[28], an onee-sama who was briskly giving out instructions was reliable. Somehow returning Yumi back to when she was little, it had become a feeling similar to when she did outings with her mom.

By the time Yumi finished using the restroom and was washing her hands with the cold water, she'd finally come to be refreshed.

"How about we go and buy something like juice?"

Sachiko, who was standing at the neighboring wash basin, addressed the Yumi in the mirror.

"As thanks for the lunchbox, I'll buy the drinks."

"Umm"

At times like these, it would've been fine to have straightforwardly given thanks for the meal. Onee-sama had come to want to do big-sister-like things from time to time.

"More than that, I want to eat ice cream."

Yumi placed the handkerchief she used to wipe her hands dry into her bag and turned forty-five degrees to her right, facing her real non-mirror reflected onee-sama.

"Guess it can't be helped."

While her words sounded like grumbling, Sachiko-sama looked a bit pleased.

They lined up at the rest stop's store for a bit, and bought soft-serve ice cream.

(Though she had acted a bit spoiled--success!)

Although Yumi's feet were no longer unsteady, she took her onee-sama's hand as they walked. In her right hand a delicious ice-cream, in her left hand her beloved onee-sama.

"It's hot, you know."

But, since she didn't break away from her, even while saying it like that, and that they continued to walk that way, said whether it was okay.

The black car really stood out, and they could immediately pick it out from amidst the multitude of cars and such. The chauffeur-san, who had taken a break at the same time as them, had already returned, and swung his hands to make the car's location apparent to the pair.

Sachiko-sama pulled Yumi's hand and quickened the pace a bit. The planned 15 minute break, had gone 5 minutes over.

"We'll leave right away. Finish eating quickly."

"Yes."[29]

To be covered with soft-serve ice cream and melt with Ogasawara Sachiko-sama.

Her heart.

Not only was it cool, if she were to taste it, it would probably be pretty soft and sweet.

(Delicious!)

--That was Yumi's brain already beginning to melt just like soft-serve ice cream.