story_makiri_1_1

Things sure haven't been nice and peaceful lately, what with people getting stabbed in the middle of the street.

Those yakuza thugs should settle their fights behind closed doors. Just my luck that I need to walk down this street to get to work every day.

It's terrifying. Are they cleaning house or something?

*sigh* And at such a young age too. What made him go and join up with those gangsters in the first place?

You never know with youngsters these days. Not that I care, as long as they don't cause trouble for others.

At least they left him in an alleyway, which meant the oba-san opening up shop early found him and called the police. If they had dumped him in the river...

Alright, enough of that, you're scaring the crap out of me. Anyway, the oba-san has already called the cops, so they'll handle it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go.

The morning rain of early autumn intensifies.

The raindrops fall swiftly, pedestrians walk by quickly, and the corpse lies face-up on the ground as it is splashed with mud, enjoying a stillness only it can enjoy. All in all, an out-of-place body.

Tooru Moriuchi looks on from afar under his umbrella. The torrential downpour extinguishes his urge to walk ahead. The sound of falling drops drowns out the questions he wants to ask. All he can do is turn around and leave.

Irasshaima... hmm? Been a while, Asai.

Hey there, Taishou, I'll have a daikon, a kombu knot, a fowlbeast egg, and two burdenbeast tendons—wait, no, three! Oh, and add another daikon while you're at it!

Alright, alright. Got a lot to transport tonight? You look hungry enough to eat an entire burdenbeast.

Nah, I spent all day handling some crap with people from the family. *sigh* Didn't think breaking free from them would be this much of a pain.

Yeah... Sure looks like one...

Are they giving you much trouble? Didn't they ask you to sort out that dead guy's affairs recently?

*sigh* What even was there to sort out? No real closure in the end.

Okay, enough unappetizing talk. Here, your order. Eat it while it's hot.

Heheh, thanks, Taishou! I've been looking forward to this—

Oh, right, did you know? Riko's dad seems to have changed his mind about me recently. I can't really explain it, but he's been looking out for me a lot lately.

That's great. I remember you telling me about her father before. Sounded like he didn't approve of your relationship.

Glad all your hard work at the docks paid off. Keep working hard at your job, and who knows, I might have to call you 'Asai-koujichou' before long.

Don't make fun of me, Taishou...

I... *sigh* I'm actually preparing to leave Mitsukue.

Leave?

Yeah. Once I've completely broken away from the family, I'll go.

Go where?

North... Gonna go take a look at Kusarigawa.

Going that far... Why this all of a sudden? What about the work...?

There are a lot of reasons... I'll need to give the foreman a proper goodbye when the time comes. *sigh* I really hate having to say bye to everyone, it was a lot of hard work getting to know them.

And I'll really hate having to say bye to you, Taishou. How am I supposed to eat your oden up in the Northern Court?! How am I meant to live without it?!

...Hah, and I thought it was me you were having trouble parting with.

But will you actually be able to make it to the north right now?

When I haven't been untangling myself from the family, I've been getting ready to go. Pretty much got everything sorted out by now.

Sounds like you're serious...

But I still think heading to the Northern Court right now is a bit...

Ah, crap, the time! Gomen, Taishou, but I've still got a little thing to do for the family, got an appointment and all, we'll have to cut the chatter here!

Money's here! I'll come back tomorrow night! Mata ne!

Oh, sure... Mata ne. Stay safe.

Irasshaimase.

Oh? Asai?

Yo, Taishou. Why so shocked? I told you last night that I'd come find you again.

I thought you meant at my yatai for some oden.

But this is fine too. What would you like to drink? My treat, to celebrate you steadily getting away from the family.

Really? Then I'll have whatever's the most expensive.

The exit is to your left, okyaku-sama. Please mind your step on the way out.

Hey, hey, I was just kidding—

A negroni, then.

You must really like those, since you order one every time. Your 'brothers' prefer single-malt whiskey.

Speaking of, it's been a while since I saw you at this establishment. Work pushing you too hard?

You know this place's address, right? We're in Ginza, Tochou, do I look like the kinda guy who can just come here and throw money around?

Besides, I'm saving up right now.

To head north?

Yeah...

Then I'm gonna open up a little izakaya of my own in Kusarigawa.

You are?

If you want to open one, you can do it here in Mitsukue. Kajimachi's about to start rebuilding, you can just go take over a storefront there. Shouldn't be that difficult.

You don't understand, Taishou. I... I need to get out of this place. I've got this feeling that if I stay here any longer, I'm gonna get drawn into something way bigger...

The Ao-Oni affair ended in a really weird way, but after it did, we've been having way more trouble with the other gangs.

Matsuda and Ohno... The Ao-Oni only roughed those two up that night, but then there was the fight with the Kobayashi Alliance, and Matsuda, he... he and Ono have been stuck in the hospital to this day!

I can't keep going on like this, living a life where I fight and kill but I don't even know what I'm doing it for...

(Quietly) How could I not understand?

Here, your negroni. I rubbed the rim with orange peel, I remember you like it that way.

Thanks, Taishou—

It might be the case that people are always looking for a reason to live their lives.

But does the type of life you're looking for really need you to go to the Northern Court?

I've always wondered, if I lived an entirely different life in an entirely different place, would I still turn out this way?

You don't know how much I envy your life, Taishou. I really want to try something like it if I ever get the chance.

...My life... is it?

But, in an entirely different place, and with new possibilities...

I've already planned it all out. After I get to the north, I'll look for a street by the river to open up my shop. Ideally there'll be a bakery next door, so I get to enjoy the smell of fresh bread when I'm opening up shop in the morning.

I'll have two windows facing the river. I'll get the sunlight shining off the river during the day, and plenty of streetlight during the night.

I'll have flowerpots on the windowsills and fill them with Riko's favorite, jasmines. The whole shop will smell something special when the summer wind comes blowing.

For the shopfront... Doesn't need to be too big, seating ten customers should be enough. The counter though, it needs to be a single slab of dark polished wood. Seasoned with time, but impervious to scratches, and shinier than gold.

Under the counter, I'll use old iron pipes for footrests, so when you're seated you can beat out a rhythm with your heels. I've always been fond of that 'clang clang' you get out of them.

A real retro shop, huh.

Sounds like you should put a record player with some golden oldies in the corner.

Yeah, yeah! I'll put on three of them a day, none of this pop music stuff, just ones I like. The customers can listen while they sit down and have a drink, maybe sing along a little.

I'll paint the walls a light gray, then hang up some old photos wherever I feel like. Photos of Mitsukue, of Riko and me... Oh, and with the customers, those can go up too!

Don't need to make the frames match either. Cracked wooden ones, faded metal ones, the mix will make it more interesting.

What about the drinks cabinet? I suspect you'll like ones made out of old wood.

You get me, Taishou! But I haven't really thought about whether I want a cabinet like that or make one embedded in the wall...

The drinking glasses, though, I've decided I'm getting them all from second-hand shops. No full sets, and hopefully they'll have some small marks on them, so they can reflect the light in interesting ways as you drink.

I'll string the lightbulbs up in rows then frost them, so they're not too bright but not too dark, so it ends up feeling like... like your yatai!

We won't just be serving drinks either. We'll have some sakana on the menu, like fowlbeast skin tossed in pomelo vinegar, fowlbeast liver kushiyaki, spicy shellbeast sashimi... Riko's dad's chili fowlbeast karaage has the greatest smell, too!

Heheh, I can't do much else except polish up my cooking skills, and Riko says she loves eating what I make...

If Kajimachi hadn't been torn down and it had a little place like that, I would definitely have been one of the regulars.

You really did think of every little detail, didn't you...?

The more Asai talks, the louder he gets. With just the two of them in the bar, Moriuchi stops wiping the glasses, listening intently.

Tooru Moriuchi has a sudden vision. All these years he has lived, he should have passed by and entered countless izakayas like the one they are discussing.

There should have been. He has such a clear idea of what one should be like, after all.

Throughout all these years he has lived, Tooru gave himself countless excuses as to why it wasn't time to settle down yet. But now, he can't think up a single one.

As Asai goes on, he sees the young man standing behind the counter of an izakaya in Kusarigawa, the spot where he is standing right now, wiping down the drink glasses as he croons out a few off-key notes.

I think I'll paint the door white, hang up a small sign with 'Bar Shin-Matsuri' written on it—

'Bar Shin-Matsuri'? The same 'Matsuri' in Riko-san's family's 'Izakaya Matsuri'? Like jasmine flowers? I'm... not sure if I should call you affectionate, or simple-minded...

Huh? I just think that kinda name is pretty in vogue, yeah?

Never mind, I'll let Riko-san explain it later... But if you really do manage to open it, I'm definitely going to drop by as a paying customer.

Heh, you're a great guy, Taishou... Oh, right, right! Nearly forgot what I was here for. I dropped by today to get you to help with something.

Help?

Since I'm opening an izakaya, I'm gonna need a signature drink! I thought as hard as I could, but all the drinks I know are the sort that every joint has. It'll be too normal.

Then I'll teach you some of my special blends. You can sell them at yours.

Seriously?! I love you, Taishou—

But the help I was thinking of was more like you and me getting our heads together to come up with a brew that I can say is mine. That screams 'me', y'know?

Oh, so you want your own signature, then. That's going to need a lot of research.

So...?

How could I say no to a face like that?

Taishou, I love ya, man—

Alright, enough of that. I've got one condition: I get to put your new blend on this place's menu.

We'll divide the earnings proportionally, of course. Think of it as a startup fund.

T-Taishou... You, I...

You don't need to worry about the startup money! I actually—

Ah, crap, the time! Sorry, Taishou, I got an appointment, gotta go! Money's here! Mata ne!

Heh... Sure. Mata ne.

Irasshaimase!

Oh, it's you, Asai.

Sorry, Taishou! I've been way too busy these past few days.

Could I get a daikon and chikuwa, and a draft beer—

Got it. Not too hungry today?

Yeah... well...

Asai looks up at the swarm of insects incessantly beating their wings around the streetlights. After a moment of silence, he begins looking around.

Then, like he has just set his mind on something, he looks at Tooru with a serious expression on his face.

The west dock's been pretty busy lately, hasn't it, Taishou? I've seen lots of people gathering near the depot recently, and the gate's always guarded.

...You need to work on your information-gathering skills. Your questions are way too blunt.

Taishou...

Why're you asking?

N-Nothing, really, just curious. Word on the street is that there are expensive drinks in there, along with safes that're locked tight, and they'll be moved to the northern depot tomorrow night.

That aneki of yours, Mio-san, this doesn't seem like her kind of thing. Where'd you hear this info from?

I-I heard them talking about it while at work... I was thinking, if I went along, if I made sure the transport went smoothly... That'll be a <i>lot</i> of money.

Was this why you told me not to worry about the startup money?

Booze and locked safes? Probably earnings from their gambling business. Yakuza love using that kind of cover. Everyone could've seen through it.

I'm telling you, they only look for new faces like you when they're lacking in manpower. It's probably a scheme to line some family member's own wallet.

Besides, you've been trying to split with the family for so long, people definitely know by now, which means there'll definitely be people thinking of making you their fall guy—a patsy who's not gonna implicate the Kinsekikai and who can't fight back.

I know it's risky... but their starting payment's pretty high, and they said once the transport's done we can have a tenth of it. One trip is all it'll take for my startup cash. I'll be able to afford the storefront and the countertop!

...You really believe they'll give you a tenth?

You already decided you wanted out of the yakuza, why get mixed in with gangs again?

Asai opens up his mouth, but he has no answer. His eyes dart towards the steam rising from the pot. It is a while before he speaks again.

...You're right, Taishou. But how else am I supposed to reassure her and her family?

Her? You mean Riko-san?

Did you know, Taishou? She doesn't want to take over her family's business, says she doesn't like cooking or minding the shop. What she really wants to do is teach kids.

And I know her parents would never leave their place to me. But that doesn't matter. I'll start my own shop from scratch, and do my best to give her a place just like home.

I-I won't stop there, either! I'm not just gonna sit pretty in my izakaya. Once the place is up and running, I'll find some other folks, have them learn bartending and cooking as well.

Once we get a steady supply of guests, I should look into renting the second floor too. I'll set up a little stage. Karaoke, rakugo, anyone can do whatever they want on it. I just want the place to feel lively.

Riko loves writing, so I'll set aside a shelf just for her works. When the customers are drinking, I'll show them off and say 'Check out the great stuff my wife wrote', heheh.

And once we have kids—hey, don't laugh, Taishou—if it's a boy, we'll name him Youta, and if it's a girl, Himari. Pretty good picks, right?

Once they're big enough for school, they'll sit at the counter doing their homework, but then run off halfway to play outside, and I'll be mixing drinks while yelling at them to come back soon.

Riko won't need to look after them, she'll be too busy teaching other kids, which means it's up to me to take care of Youta and Himari. Hey, I might not look like the type, but kids love me!

I don't want this all to be a daydream, Taishou... I don't wanna disappoint Riko.

There's always another way to solve money problems. You're not guaranteed to get paid if you trade your life for cash. What Riko-san wants is you, not some <i>mon</i>.

Considering how detailed your dream is... You can definitely do it.

Asai lowers his head deep, unmoving for a long, long while. So long that Tooru begins to worry if the man in front of him has fallen asleep, or perhaps has taken too strong a blow to his spirit.

Just as he is wondering if he should wake him up, or say a few comforting words, Asai raises his head all of a sudden, giving Tooru quite the fright.

I've got it, Taishou!

G-Got what?

Riko loves the smell of flowers, sweets, and sour fruit. There are a lot of things she likes... and I can put them all into a drink, can't I?!

I mean, sure?

I figured out what my signature drink should be like!

C'mon, Taishou, let's head to the bar!

Wha-?! You haven't even touched your oden yet—

...You know, I know the boss told me I could do whatever I want with the place, but sneaking in like this still feels wrong to me.

Ah, whatever... I'm also curious about how this special blend will turn out.

Do you think the base should be gin and pomelo liqueur, or gin and pomelo umeshu?

You set on gin?

Obviously. The flavors she likes need some kinda support, which is where I come in.

Sure, could hardly forget how much you love negronis.

Umeshu might end up too heavy. Pomelo liqueur would pair well with gin's herbaceousness, making the mix light and easy. I'd recommend going in that direction, and...

Tooru looks at the various bottles scattered across the countertop. It's hard to imagine what all these flavors mixed together would taste like.

...It'll leave some space for when you add Riko-san's favorite flavors later.

Man, you're such a pro, Taishou! I'll listen to you, then.

Next comes the jasmine syrup. She's always buying jasmine tea during the summer. Whenever she doesn't have any she grumbles like crazy, says I didn't remind her to get more and stuff.

Then elderberry liqueur. She tried it once, said it tasted like fruit candies. If I add it after the jasmine, it should taste just like the ones she likes.

Oh, right, and a drop of lemon juice.

Then comes the pomelo jam! Heh, this should add a little texture, am I right, Taishou?

The mix of sour and sweet fits pretty well with the impression Riko-san gives other people.

Next up, cystymilk—

Whoa, slow down there. Adding cystymilk now might make it too heavy. Let me think... Why not top it with cystymilk foam at the end? The layering effect would look nice, too.

I'll help you adjust the quantities of your ingredients. Gotta blend together the flavors she likes as smoothly as possible.

Alright, alright, you're the boss—

This formula should be no problem. I think Riko-san will like it a lot. Well, time to mix it in the shaker. Do you want to do it, or should I?

I'm not done just yet!

You're not?

The final ingredient is dark chocolate! Oh, don't you have any dark chocolate sauce or something, Taishou?

...Wait, dark chocolate?

I thought Riko-san likes sour and sweet flavors? Dark chocolate is really bitter.

I think she's fond of bitter too.

You sure?

Of course I am! I know everything she likes, inside and out.

There was one day in winter it was snowing like crazy, so I stepped into a konbini to wait it out when I saw a whole row of newly released chocolate bars.

I thought 'she's gonna love this stuff', so I bought a few bars of whatever the clerk said was the sweetest.

I went back, she gave me a look, unwrapped a bar, broke a piece off and shoved it in my mouth. Said something like 'You're going to have to finish off this sweet stuff yourself.'

That's when I learned the type of chocolate she ate was the real bitter stuff. She'd eat it with a frown on her face, but it's the only type she ate.

After that, whenever I head to the supermarket, I'll always subconsciously head to the dark chocolate shelf. Even if she didn't say she wanted any, I'd still buy a piece to keep in my pocket, like her habit's rubbed off on me.

After all this time, I'm still not sure if she actually likes it, or it's just something she talked herself into accepting. Not that it matters. I think that, to her, this bitterness is a must...

Heh, I've heard lots of stories over the years. People are always trying to forget the bitterness in their lives, but here you are, reminding them of it, even adding it back into their future like some kinda fool.

I've got some chocolate bitters here, one or two drops will do. If Riko-san can handle the taste, you can use the bitters to add to the flavor profile, or sprinkle some chopped dark chocolate over the top at the end.

I'll go with the bitters! One drop, two, then mix it up in the shaker—

Like this, Taishou?

Yep. Put a bit more force into it, the jam and syrups mean you'll need to shake a few more seconds. Alright, pour it out. Let's have a look.

Pale gold... Riko's definitely gonna like this! It's her favorite color!

The floating pulp adds to the cute factor, too.

If you shake it long enough, the pulp won't settle at the bottom, but there'll still be some tiny bubbles. All depends on how you want to present it.

It almost looks like honey water mixed with cystymilk under this lighting...

Ah, nearly forgot!

Asai is in no rush to try his new recipe. Instead, he takes out a small cup of cystymilk, clumsily working a frother to create a smooth white layer of foam.

He brings his head close to the cup, his movements slow, as if he is utterly terrified of breaking the bubbles. Eventually, he gingerly scoops up the foam, ladling it over the golden cocktail.

The white foam slowly spreads out across its surface, covering the cocktail's slightly muddled sheen, leaving only a translucent halo around the edges.

This way, the first thing she's going to taste is the cystymilk. The flavor'll make her relaxed.

Tooru stares at the drink for a good long while. Down below, a chaotic mix of sweet and sour in gold. Up above, a layer of neat white.

It turned out as he expected. He wouldn't make a drink like this. No professional bartender would.

It could only be Asai's. A unique recipe, one that belongs to his beautiful, overly detailed dream.

Asai's eyes shine as he stares at the glass, as if he has seen a way towards the future in that thin layer of cystymilk foam.

Tooru is struck by a sudden burst of envy. Envy over that izakaya he should've been to before, envy over that special blend full of thoughtfulness, envy over the start and end of all Asai's dreams.

Envy over him still being able to imagine chasing a whole new dream in a different place far, far away. Tooru hopes it will come true.

Which is why he cannot stop himself from speaking.

Don't listen to those losers on how to make money, and don't let yourself get sucked in by them.

They'll say 'it's just a transport job' to your face, but there are probably people watching you closely from the shadows. They're not going to let you get to the drop point all nice and easy.

You already decided you don't want to be involved with the yakuza anymore. That means living a simple, honest life.

...This is a warning to me from an info broker?

It's a reminder to you as the yatai's taishou, and as your old friend for many years.

Hah, I'll give it a good, long think then. Arigatou ne, Taishou.

Don't thank me just yet. Try some of that 'everything Riko-san likes' brew. I'm still counting on it earning its keep in this shop later.

Relax, it's definitely—

(Glug glug)

—DELISH!

Riko's gonna like this, I guarantee it.

Heh... That's good. I hope it'll sell well then. That'll help you open up your izakaya that much faster.

Right, nearly forgot, got a name for it?

That... I haven't thought of that yet... Oh, why not let Riko come up with it?

Once I've finished sorting things out with the family, I'll bring her here to try it. You gotta keep it a secret until then, Taishou!

I will, promise. If you feel like having something else as well when the two of you come over, it'll be my treat.

Well, that's everything totally finished—

Didn't think I'd have to spend half the day shouting it out with those people at the dock just to turn down the transport job.

Leaving the family, though, that got settled quicker than I expected. Aneki might seem cold, but she's actually super reasonable.

'Living a simple, honest life'... right?

Ah, better go home and get some sleep. Need to tell the foreman I'm quitting tomorrow morning. Finally about time to leave.

I'll take Riko to Taishou's bar tomorrow night then. Should I tell her tomorrow morning? Nah, let her sleep in a little...

Do you... know where the Kinsekikai is?

Huh?

Do you know the Kinsekikai?

(Someone looking for my family?)

(Man, what family... I'm not yakuza anymore, remember...?)

(...Forget it, I'll help her out one last time.)

I'm one of them, what's the matter?

Ah... You are... You are one of the Kinsekikai...

You okay? Need me to call the cops for you, onee-san—

—Urkh!

Wh-What the...

Haha... Hahaha... You're Kinsekikai, you need to die... Haha...

Next... I need to find the next one...

Damn, that hurts... Why...

Gah... Why's there so much blood? Gotta wrap it up tight...

Tomorrow night... I gotta take Riko to...

Tell her... I-I made her a glass...

As the morning rain of early autumn refused to end, Tooru Moriuchi had already heard more or less what happened that night.

The lady's hate wasn't directed at Asai specifically, or any one person.

A while ago, the Kinsekikai collected protection money from her family, and thanks to that, her old man passed away just because that money was gone.

The lady didn't even remember who came to their door to collect the money, or what they looked like.

Once he got the full picture, all Tooru could do was ask an old friend in the police to not publicly announce the death.

He had never been so disgusted and yet felt so strangely relieved to realize: it was just a dead body, one the city would not care about in the slightest.

Irasshaima—

Oh, it's been a while, Riko-san. Not minding the store today?

Konbanwa, Moriuchi-taishou. My dad won a ticket for two to a hot spring hotel, so my parents are out for two days, which means I'm on holiday too.

That sort of thing still happens these days? Next time the lottery's in town, make sure to tell me.

So, what're you feeling tonight?

Let me see... A kombu knot, fowlbeast egg, and a burdenbeast tendon—wait, no, two tendons!

Coming right up.

Have you seen Asai lately, Moriuchi-taishou? I haven't been able to get in touch with him at all. Mattaku, he wouldn't have run off with some other girl, right...?

Asai, huh.

He went to Kusarigawa.

What?! Kusarigawa?! H-He's already left? Why didn't he tell me...

I can't believe him... I even got an omamori to give him...

Maybe he wanted to get a proper foothold earlier.

Here, Riko-san. Your kombu knot, fowlbeast egg and two burdenbeast tendons. Enjoy.

Thanks, Moriuchi-taishou! Itadakimasu—

Mmm... This taste brings back good memories. I always came with Asai here to eat.

He'd always try to pester you into trying the daikon. It's not often I see someone who doesn't like it. Honestly, I had more confidence in my work before you came along.

Haha, I suppose... I'm keeping waiting for him. He promised me that once he makes something of himself, he'll come back for me.

I believe in him.

Yeah, I believe in him too.

Well, I'm not going to lose to Asai while he works his butt off in Kusarigawa! I need to pass the preschool teacher qualification exam later this year in one shot!

If that's the case, then I'll make you a special blend. Call it my way of cheering you on.

Thanks for waiting, Riko-san. A new signature drink at the bar I work part-time at, still not officially released. Try it.

Wow, that's a real honor, then. Let me have a taste...

...Whoa...

How is it?

What a weird flavor! If I think about it carefully, these are the flavors I like... but... why does it taste so weird?!

Moriuchi-taishou, I don't understand cocktails too well, but this... is actually really nice to drink, I think? But... Nonono, this is weird, this is a <i>really</i> weird flavor! Are you seriously going to call it your signature?

Yep.

Does it have a name?

Sure does. This special blend is called the 'Bar Shin-Matsuri'.