Hanasaku Iroha – The Place That Blooms Someday Chapter 2 Sepal 1

Chapter 2: The Kissuisou Seven Years On

Sepal 1: Nostalgia, Reality, and...

TLed by: TanoshiKara

Basking in the afterglow from her voice's echo, she waited for the sound to fade away.

While white puffs of air escaped her mouth as she panted, she gazed at Yunosagi and its mountains as they gradually got illuminated by the sunlight.

"......I'm home," Ohana said after turning to face Kissuisou as if she were talking to it.

Ohana, who had caught her breath, took several steps back and bowed to the building before wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand.

"As I thought, it's Kissuisou. I have a feeling that a drama is about to begin......"

She felt the premonition that something was about to begin, something that she thought was non-existent in Tokyo.

Kissuisou had the drama she was yearning for, one unlike her boring everyday life.

"Grasses sure don't mix with drama......" Ohana murmured as she shot a sidelong glance at the overgrown grasses.

"Even though I thought she was the very epitome of a beauty......" Ohana said, giggling slightly as she recalled Minko wishing death upon her when they first met.

She looked around the area, but no one was there.

Ohana broke into a smile when she saw the spiky sprouts peeking out from the grass, as they reminded her of the Rocamboles1 that Minko used to grow.

With no caretakers, areas such as the carpark and the front entrance were a mess, with densely overgrown grass, and dried branches and fallen leaves scattered all over. Areas of the building with roofs over them had heaps of unmelted snow, with dirt mixed in, on the ground, perhaps because they fell from the roof above.

"Well, the outside aside since it can't be helped......"

Breathing out slowly, Ohana turned back to the front entrance of Kissuisou.

"But the inside sure is clean from here"

Pressing her cheek against the glass door at the entrance, she strained her eyes and tried peering through it.

Beyond the cold glass door was the nostalgic entrance hall. The sun was still low, so she could not get a clear view as it was dark inside. However, it was tidy, and there were no glaring spots that looked dirty.

"As I thought, this sure is a drama......"

Moving her head away from the glass door, she backed away slowly.

Seven years since then... Even after seven years, Kissuisou still looks beautiful.

"This building alone is full of charm, though. ......I wonder why the commenters online said this place has no charm......"

She tried taking a photo after fishing out her smartphone. Her heart raced once again when she saw Kissuisou displayed on the screen

—Did Dad feel this way as well......?

While pondering about her father's feelings as he took a picture of this place, Ohana pressed the capture button. With the snap of the shutter, she now had a photo of Kissuisou at her fingertips.

"I...was thinking......about Dad just now......"

Looking back, Ohana realized that she had never thought about her father before.

Just as she was convinced that she was in this state of mind because of the 'Retrospective Exhibition' organized by Iwasaki and Seya...

"Cui cui!"

"Huh? Cui cui?"

A relentless wave of snaps from a shutter echoed just as Ohana questioned after hearing words that sounded like they were from a foreign language.

"That said, ain't it mission impossible to fit the entire Kissuisou into a photo with a close-up of your own face?" Yuina said, pointing the selfie camera of her smartphone at Ohana and herself before she continued to take countless photos.

"W-Wa-Wait, Yuina-san?!"

"Bonjour. Welcome back, Ohana-chan"

Smiling, Yuina finally stopped taking photos repeatedly. She then took something out of her pocket and held it out to Ohana.

The item Yuina held out to Ohana was an old key; A nostalgic key; Kissuisou's key.

"It's reallyyy been a long time since we met up like this. Feels like it's since that one Golden Week"

"Right!" Ohana exclaimed.

"It's been since that time when we, Nakochi, and Minchi went to Tokyo together. That sure is nostalgic......" She then said, recalling that they went around only eating local specialties and sweets after following Minko, who insisted that they drop by several places while they were on their own food tour.

"We did chat over emails and calls, but meeting up and chatting in person's a tall hurdle. ......But—"

Yuina paused and turned back to Ohana before scanning her from head to toe.

"............"

Ohana scanned Yuina from head to toe as well.

Yuina was wearing dull-colored makeup with brown as a base, which made her give off a trendy and mature air. Having always been sensitive to trends, she was even more charming than she was back then. Her long and elegantly curled eyelashes were striking as well.

Yuina's eyes stopped at Ohana's chest.

"Yeap, nothing's changed"

"W-Where were you looking when you said that......?"

"Hm?" Yuina replied, laughing mischievously as she lifted her head.

It had been a long time since they had this interaction, causing Ohana to burst out laughing as well.

"It really has been a long time, huh"

They did communicate through email and phone calls, but the feeling of meeting up and chatting in person was totally different.

A feeling welled up all of a sudden in Ohana; That even if they looked more mature, their relationship was the same as it was back then, which caused Ohana to give Yuina a firm nod.

"I thought that everyone would have more time after the entrance exams, but everyone had gotten really busy after our graduation......"

"Right, right......Yuina even skipped Tokyo and went to study abroad," Yuina said, smiling cheerfully.

After advancing to university, Yuina had been proactively studying and having fun at resorts in various parts of the world.

After graduating, she started working at Fukuya, but has yet to express her intent to take over the business, remaining enrolled in the 'Tourism Studies' course at her university.

"......Come to think of it, you did go overseas recently, right?"

"Yeap, for a bit; In France, around Nice"

Studying abroad, just like she did, would no doubt help in managing Fukuya. However, to Yuina, it was also field work for her course.

The family members of the Wakura family seemed to be worked up about whether Yuina would take over the business, be a scholar, or a tourism consultant for a foreign investment firm.

It was very much like Yuina to put herself in this so-called moratorium of a situation, which made Ohana break into a smile from the relief she felt.

"After leaving technical school, Ohana-chan worked full-time at a hotel in Tokyo, right?"

"Rather than full-time, I worked part-time, so as to allow me to return to Kissuisou whenever"

"So that's why you could rush here immediately, huh...... You sure have not changed, Ohana-chan," Yuina said, seemingly impressed but baffled at the same time.

"Really? I may look like this, but I've studied quite a bit and even got some experie—" Ohana asked, not knowing if Yuina was impressed or baffled.

"Nope. It just looks like you are thinking of Kissuisou as usual," Yuina replied, breaking into a troubled smile before staring right into Ohana's eyes.

"Of course. I'm festing up for the day Kissuisou revives after all. And there's also the promise I made to Madam Manager," Ohana said as she looked up at Kissuisou and clenched her fists.

"I see...... But the world's a huge place, you know?" Yuina said cheerfully, narrowing her eyes as she looked up at the sky.

Ohana followed suit.

"......The world......"

Yuina, who flew over Tokyo and went around the world as she studied abroad, should have come into contact with a great many countries that Ohana did not know about.

Something popped up in Ohana’s mind as she pondered about Yuina's hands-on experience, and she turned to face Yuina once again.

"Ah, please tell me about your experience studying abroad and the hotels abroad next time!"

"Ahahaha, that's your response, huh? Well, there's no need for next time because I'm alright whenever, you know?"

"But aren't you busy......?"

Yuina, who was balancing working at her family's inn with her academics, was as busy as Ohana had imagined.

"Being busy and telling you about my experience are different matters. I was able to set aside time to manage Kissuisou, so shouldn't I be able to set aside wayyyy more time to chat with Ohana-chan?"

"T-Thank you very much!" Ohana replied as she reflexively bowed to Yuina.

She did proactively take over the management of Kissuisou after it had closed its doors despite her busy schedule, so this might be her way of showing concern.

"No need for the formalities. Shall we head inside?"

"Okay"

Ohana turned the old key gently after inserting it into the keyhole.

Welcoming Ohana, who entered the building after opening its doors, was the dusty air.

"Wowww......"

The air was stagnant as there was no human traffic. That was about the only thing that changed.

The morning sunlight shone in through the stained glass windows, creating a fantastical atmosphere, causing Ohana to gasp in awe as she looked up at the grand stairway.

"How is it?"

"It's slightly dusty in here, but it's the nostalgic Kissuisou I remember! I see that it has been well-maintained"

"Yeap. With the help of the people from the association"

Yuina let out an awkward laugh as she took out a slipper from a tray.

"It's amazing that everyone was able to maintain Kissuisou to this degree! It should look like its old self, normal after a thorough cleaning"

A burning sensation poured out of Ohana's heart after she saw Kissuisou in a state unimaginable that it had shut down seven years ago.

She was overjoyed; Overjoyed that the people of Yunosagi loved Kissuisou as they would themselves.

"......That thought is not so sweet, I think"

"I don't think so! I'll be able to get it up and running very soon if it's like this!"

Turning her back to Yuina, who was smiling awkwardly, Ohana took off her shoes and changed into slippers before cheerfully stepping into the lobby.

"Be careful of your steps," Yuina said as she saw Ohana off.

"Okay!"

Ohana remembered Kissuisou so vividly that she could navigate the place without the lights.

"Good morning!" Ohana called out as she faced the reception counter to the right of the lobby.

She felt like Tomoe would welcome her joyfully, but there was only silence in the dark lobby.

There was a telephone on the empty reception counter.

"I wonder if Young Master and Tatsuko-san are doing well"

This was the place that her uncle, Enishi, usually stood at.

After marrying Tatsuko, a former business consultant, they were hired by Fukuya and were undergoing their inn training once again.

Ohana saw an overlap of their figure, as they took reservation calls, with the darkness, causing her to close her eyes.

As she strained her ears, she felt that she could hear the ringing from the telephone.

"If a tailwind is blowing......would the telephone here ring non-stop once again? Tomoe-san would rush over, and Nakochi—"

What did Nakochi say again when she heard that Kissuisou was shutting down?

Ohana recalled the words that Nako had said all of a sudden, causing her to fall silent.

Even Nako, who said, back then, that she did not know what her goals or dreams were, was now tackling her future head-on.

—Dragging others along with my dream is......

The words Sui once said popped up in Ohana's mind all of a sudden, causing her to shake her head to drive them away.

"Revive Kissuisou; And return with everyone......"

—I promised to do that.

Rubbing her eyes that had become hot, she backed away from the counter and walked off.

The store near the reception counter was empty, with cloth wrappers and textiles packed into its shelves

The young children, choosing from Taketonbo2, wooden tops, and old, wooden Wind-Up toys, with intrigue in their eyes, and the elderly couple, regulars who would always carefully examine the local sake; These were figures she could no longer see.

There was no hustle and bustle, merely occasional cries from the skylarks.

Nevertheless, walking in Kissuisou seven years on evoked Ohana's memories from back then, making her feel a sense of homecoming.

Walking down the hallway, she peeked into the hall where the door had been left open.

The sunlight shining in from the courtyard blinded her instantly. However, once her eyes got used to the brightness, she saw the well-maintained trees in the garden, causing her to break into a smile.

"Mr. Bean......"

Ohana saw an overlap of Denroku's figure with the garden, which was illuminated by the morning sun.

Grandpa Bean retired a little before the closure of Kissuisou. I wonder if he is still doing well. Will he lend us a hand once again?

"Seven years, huh...... I wonder how old Grandpa Bean is right now......"

Denroku was quite old when Ohana was still working here seven years before.

It is cruel to count on him, considering he decided to retire of his own accord, though.

With this thought swirling in her head as she walked out of the hall into the hallway, the lights turned on all of a sudden.

"Yuina-san turned the circuit breaker back on for me!"

A soft whirring sound reverberated throughout the silent Kissuisou, perhaps because the power supply had been turned on.

Looking around with the lights now on, Ohana noticed that heaps of dirt had piled up here and there.

"Oh dear... First up is wiping this place down with a cloth, I guess......"

Not like there's any prospect of business resuming, but it's probably best to seize this opportunity to clean this place thoroughly. They wouldn’t just up and decide to demolish it if it comes across as clean, well-maintained, and in more than enough of a habitable condition.

"Ah, I should look at the kitchen too"

As if she had just remembered, Ohana put her hands together before walking towards the kitchen.

Peeking in from the entrance, which no longer had a Noren3, Ohana noticed that the dimly-lit kitchen smelled a little moldy.

"......There's packing tape here and there......Why......?"

The tile floor was covered in a thin layer of dust.

As the air had been stagnant for a long time, there was a strange smell that was not present when Kissuisou was still in business.

Ohana reflexively pinched her nose when she caught a whiff of that smell.

"............"

Renji and Tooru, who were busy with food preparations and polished this floor every day, were no longer here.

When she went out of the back door after she opened it, she noticed that the lone beer case, which Minko had used in place of a chair, was still there.

"I wonder if Minchi is doing well too......"

I last met Minchi quite a while ago, so she must be a fine cook by now.

"I wonder if she still remembers her aspiration to be Kissuisou's cook. Guess I must fill this place with the scent of Minchi's, Tooru-san's, and Renji-san's cooking once again, huh"

If there is foot traffic once again—Kissuisou is back in business, everything will surely go back to normal, or so Ohana murmured as she left the kitchen, as if she was trying to convince herself.

She then started climbing the spiral staircase in the lobby.

The vibrant light shining in through the stained glass silently bathed the stairs in light.

Ohana reflexively broke into a smile when she saw that the light she had let shine on the palm of her hands was still as beautiful as ever.

Ohana felt, soon after she climbed up to the second floor, like she could smell the scent of freshly washed sheets coming from the linen baskets.

"Nakochi—"

Ohana felt like she would find Nako in one of the dark corridors carrying futons if she were to look for her.

Smiling awkwardly when she found her eyes tracing Nako's usual path, even though she knew that it was impossible for her to be here, she went to look at the guest rooms.

Like the hall, some of the doors to the guest rooms, too, were left open, perhaps for ventilation purposes.

Deeper in, past all of the guest rooms, was a corridor leading to the pantry. The switches to all of the appliances in the pantry, which she had gone to and fro countless times together with Nako and Tomoe, had been turned off, and the refrigerator, once filled with drinks, was now empty.

"The orange juice in that bottle sure was delicious......"

She recalled, all of a sudden, that Tomoe would treat her to a drink after work. She would often drink the well-chilled orange juice from the bottle - a refreshing experience - and she thought that it was the epitome of luxury.

"The milk I drank after a bath sure was delicious as well"

Her vivid recollection of the days she spent in Kissuisou faded away after they popped up in her head.

Reaching the bath house after walking through the sheltered passageway, Ohana opened the door, which now had no Noren, to what was once the women's bath.

The deck brushes that Jiroumaru and Enishi used to clean had fallen over in the corner, and there was dust all over them.

Whether it was because no one had entered these places, dust had accumulated in the dressing room and bath house, where the door was also left open.

"I got in the bath with Madam Manager once, and she sure was amazing...... Although she took a quick bath, she felt like a crow that would not dirty a nest it was about to leave with how she made sure the entire place was clean and tidy before she left......"

Walking carefully with her slippers still on, she placed the buckets that had toppled over back on top.

"Wanna fill it with steaming hot water once again, welcome guests into this inn, and......"

The empty bathtub of the open-air bath and the leaves piled up within it were a testament that this place had not been used for a long time.

"Ah, I wonder how the boiler room is doing"

If it's not been used, then I'm curious about the state of the boiler room.

Ohana walked down the sheltered passageway leading to the boiler room, but there were several layers of rope and a 'No Entry' sign blocking her path.

"Is it because Grandpa Bean is not here......?"

That said, if Ohana merely wanted to check the state of things, it was possible for her to go around this by taking the stairs before the employee room out to the garage.

When Ohana peeked into the employee room on her way there, she found the room had been left as is after she and Minko had cleaned it up. Only the TV was left in the room without the futons and their belongings.

Ohana looked in the direction of the boiler room after opening the door to the outdoor stairway, but the sight before her made her gulp reflexively.

"Eh......?"

There was a hole in the roof of the boiler room, leaving the blue tarpaulin exposed. A part of the wall had also broken off, crushing the duct connecting to the boiler, wrapped in aluminium foil, and warping it, tragically so.

An unbelievable scenery was laid out before her.

Shocked, Ohana went down the stairs with her slippers on and looked up at the scenery before her once again.

"......W-What is this?" Ohana asked, dumbfounded.

"I-Is someone there? S-Show yourself!" Someone said in a shrill voice in response.

It came from the corridor where the dressing room was. There were then reverberations of someone running.

"You shouldn't be running through the corridors!" Someone said in a sharp and commanding voice.

It was Yuina.

"The floor might give way! Walk gently through corridors, Jiroumaru-san!"

"Eh? ......Jiroumaru...san......?"

Dumbfounded, Ohana turned back, and there was a middle-aged man armed with a mop and a bucket over his head.

"You're still here, huh, Jiroumaru-san......"

Ohana was not hit with even the slightest bit of nostalgia when she saw his face. She did think that it was amazing that he had remained, but it was, of course, not out of admiration.

"Huh? Ohana......chan?" A dumbfounded Jiroumaru, who was dressed oddly, murmured.

"Yes, I've returned"

"......!!"

Noticing Ohana, Jiroumaru's expression changed in the blink of an eye.

"Fufufu, it has been a long time, huh, Ohana-chan"

After fixing his signature glasses, Jiroumaru rushed up to Ohana and started ogling her up close.

"S-Stop that, Jiroumaru-san......"

Faced with a seemingly lecherous gaze, Ohana backed away from him.

"You grew a little older......look beautiful,  and..." Jiroumaru said, paying that no mind as he continued oggling.

Faced with unreservedness, unimaginable for their meeting seven years later, Ohana shrank back reflexively

"It's alright, I know. You went out of your way to rush over from Tokyo because you wanted to meet me-"

"Stop right there!"

Before Jiroumaru could finish, a bamboo broom smacked Jiroumaru and the bucket on his head.

"Yowchhh"

After a loud clank, Jiroumaru let out a pathetic yelp as he exaggeratedly collapsed to the ground.

"I wonder who the suspicious individual here is......"

Adjusting her grip on the bamboo broom, Yuina smiled awkwardly as she held it out to the person behind her.

Standing in her shadow, Denroku took the bamboo broom and held it as if he were using it in place of a cane. He then turned to Ohana and waved at her.

"Welcome back, Ohana-chan"

A soft and hoarse voice welcomed their reunion.

Denroku narrowed his already narrow eyes and looked at Ohana, his face full of smiles.

"Grandpa Bean!"

Feeling the urge to jump into Denroku's arms, Ohana leapt out in front of Denroku.

When she held Denroku's now skinny hand, he quietly let go of the bamboo broom and put his hand over hers.

"Grandpa Bean...... It's actually Grandpa Bean......" Ohana repeated out of the ever-growing joy from their reunion as she hopped.

Denroku blushed slightly as he nodded repeatedly.

"Were you well?"

"Has Ohana-chan been well too?" Denroku, articulating his words slowly, asked Ohana after giving her a firm nod.

After nodding firmly, Ohana bent down, picked up the bamboo broom, and passed it to Denroku.

"There we go"

Taking the bamboo broom from Ohana, Denroku used it in place of a cane to support his body once again.

Ohana felt like, even after seven years, he merely looked slightly smaller than before.

"Heyyy. Hear me out too, Ohana-chan"

"......I roughly know without needing to," Ohana said as she pushed the bucket on Jiroumaru's head down and over his eyes after he expressed his dissatisfaction and tried to cling to her.

"You were on cleaning duty with Gramps today, huh. Is your strained back alright?"

"It is," Denroku replied, nodding his head after he heard Yuina's words of concern.

"Strained back......" Ohana muttered, realizing that that was the reason he was using the bamboo broom to support his body.

"Hm"

It doesn't look like he has lower back pain, but wouldn't cleaning after recovering from a strained back be difficult?

"We've got a shortage of hands, you see. Jiroumaru-san and Gramps are volunteers. They alternate with the people from the association to clean Kissuisou and perform maintenance-" Yuina said, perhaps noticing Ohana's seemingly worried gaze.

"I do it quite frequently, though," Yuina continued.

Isn't that because you just have free time?, or so Ohana thought, but decided not to say anything.

"Selfie-takers have been coming here recently, so we have our guard up, you see. Sensing a presence this early, I thought that someone suspicious might have trespassed, so I stepped into the fray, cleaning tool in hand in place of a weapon......was how it led up to this"

"Now then, how about it, Ohana-chan? Surely you'd be more than willing to sing my praises for the courage I've shown to put my life on the line to protect Kissuisou, right?" Jiroumaru asked with a cool expression as he puffed out his chest.

"............"

Ignoring Jiroumaru, who had spread his arms out in hopes of a hug, Ohana took several steps back and gazed at the sorry sight of the boiler room.

"Ohana-chan......"

Noticing Ohana's grim expression, Denroku followed her gaze and looked towards the boiler room.

"Even though Grandpa Bean is working as a volunteer...this is......"

Ohana knew, even from looking at one part of the boiler room, that its state most likely called for extensive repairs. However, as a layman in this area, she did not know what was happening in the boiler room, nor could she work out the time needed before it could operate as it once did.

"A part of the roof caved in from the weight of the snow. And that was the stopgap; Done by none other than me, myself, and I, who took notice of the situation faster than anyone else could!" Jiroumaru emphasized exaggeratedly, undeterred whatsoever by his earlier experience.

"......And so, it became way worse"

Jesus, or so Yuina said before she looked up at the sky.

"Why didn't you contact Grandpa Bean? If it were Grandpa Bean, it would never have become like thi-"

Jiroumaru clearly panicked when Ohana drew closer to him.

"T-That's because I thought he might charge for the repairs......" Jiroumaru muttered as he averted his eyes and stretched his hands out in front of himself.

We can't restart the business like this......

The hope Ohana found cracked and crumbled away. That would have been it if she chalked it up to her own selfishness, but the high hopes she had made her feel equally as betrayed.

"In the first place, there's no way Jiroumaru-san can repai-"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Ohana-chan"

Ohana drew even closer, causing Jiroumaru to back away as he was intimidated by her. He then looked at Denroku with a pleading gaze.

"It is impossible...for me as well," Denroku said as he raised his hands and shook his head.

"Even if Grandpa Bean can't, did you all not look for a repairman?"

"We're running this place with volunteers, you know, Ohana-chan. We sure have no leeway at all to fork out the repair fees for a facility that is not used," Yuina explained politely.

"Not being able to enter the hot spring...even though this is an inn located in the Hot Spring Town is......" Ohana replied, however, unconvinced by her explanation.

"I understand Ohana's feelings. However, it's not just about the money; There's also a limit to what we can do. I want you to understand this"

"......Ug. In that case, I'll fix it," Ohana declared.

That, she did, but she found herself at a loss as to what to do with the warped duct when she looked at it once again.

Ohana tried to climb the ladder in front of a flustered Denroku, but even discerning a stable footing was too tall a task for her.

"......It's impossible for Ohana-chan"

It was as Yuina said. Ohana's hands could not reach it, much less repair it.

"......But...but......Ug"

Ohana teared up, overwhelmingly disheartened by her powerlessness and lack of thought. As she rubbed the corners of her eyes, trying her best not to cry, Yuina crouched down and handed her a handkerchief.

"......Sheesh. Getting all excited, shouting, feeling down, and crying; You sure are all over the place as always, Ohana-chan"

Ohana pressed the handkerchief against the inner corner of her eyes and tried to calm herself down.

After a short moment of silence, Ohana lifted her head and gazed at the boiler room once again.

"It'll definitely turn into a headwind if those selfie-takers ever took photos of a sight like this......" Ohana muttered, seeing Yunosagi's sights, and the atmosphere of that fantastical Bonbori Festival, both depicted in the photos her father left behind, overlap with the decrepit boiler room.

The popularity on SNS would most likely take a nosedive when the people on it learn that what they yearn for cannot be found here.

When Ohana thought about that, her shoulders dropped as she felt like her hope had turned into despair.

"I don't think you should be feeling that down. Repair something that is broken. That is easy. We just have to call a repairman"

"But you said......that it was difficult......earlier"

Non, non, or so Yuina said in her usual tone as she moved her index finger from side to side.

"It's true that money is the problem, but the customers are the ones who would bring us the cash, right? There's a breeze blowing right now, so there's no way we're not making use of it"

"Oho? And to be exact?" Jiroumaru asked as he put his hand on his chin and 

"Likeee......having you, Jiroumaru-san, draw in droves of crowds with your specialty - novels - for example?"

"Eh? ......Are you serious about that?" The person in question, Jiroumaru, asked, astonished.

Ohana had hoped that Yuina had some kind of excellent idea, but it seems like that was not the case.

"It's not like that kind of miracle won't occur, but...... Let's sort things out, shall we?" Yuina said optimistically, perhaps feeling that they had gone full circle.

"......In short, there is nothing else for the selfie-takers who miss the period, you see. Even though they see the prized photo showing the Bonboris, and want to take some for themselves, what they're looking for is not there when they try to head down to the actual location. That is the problem"

"In other words, that means there is no Contents Tourism yet," Jiroumaru interrupted just as the problem was raised.

"Contents Tourism?" Ohana muttered after she heard an unfamiliar term.

"An act of tourism where one visits locations that have been featured in media content like novels, movies, and dramas," Jiroumaru explained gleefully with a smug face.

"To a Beatles fan, the must-visit spot in London is the Abbey Road Crossing. The British Government has also preserved it as a treasured historic tourist attraction, so a fan can enjoy playing as the Beatles at any time when they head there. This could very well be the model example of Contents Tourism," Jiroumaru continued his explaining eloquently.

"As expected of a novelist, you sure are amazing for having done your research" 

"Noooo, it's not that amazing"

Jiroumaru showed a little humility before continuing to explain further.

"And yet, on the flip side, our Yunosagi doesn't allow people to take photos of the Bonboris once they miss the festival period. In other words, there's no all-year-round content"

"Is there really nothing? To me, Yunosagi is the place where my drama started. There should definitely be something. Something that'll satisfy the selfie-takers......" Ohana muttered as she looked back on their conversation.

Putting up the Bonboris all year round was not an option; Ohana knew that, but she was convinced that there had to be something else.

Yuina put her hand on her chin as well, seemingly deep in thought.

Jiroumaru was the one to break the silence with his laugh.

"Fufufu...... In that case, allow me to present the idea I've been keeping a secret until now!"

"Eh, what kinda idea?"

Jiroumaru adjusted his glasses, acting all self-important before he looked at all of their faces.

"Put up the giant panel with Mariko Sakura on it in front of the station...... Make it so that the selfie-takers can take photos with the panel. How's that? Cut out the faces of the other people in it, like Ohana-chan and Satsuki-san...... It's the killer content where one can take a photo with Mariko Sakura at any time by coming to Yunosagi," Jiroumaru declared proudly before enlarging the photo he got on SNS and showing it to the rest.

"......Mariko-san...is pretty," Denroku muttered after he saw the photo.

Hearing this might have made Jiroumaru pleased as he put his hand on his chin and struck some kind of pose.

"Right? This might be an ingenious idea if I do say so myself"

"No matter our circumstances, ain't it a non, non to make a face cutout panel of an actress at the height of her popularity," Yuina rejected with an awkward smile.

While listening to the three of them, Ohana broke down the current situation in her mind once again.

"Erm, I'm sorry. I didn't know the photo my dad took of Mariko-san was popular on SNS until Nakochi contacted me......"

Ohana did not know that the photo had generated somewhat of a buzz online, something that Yuina, Jiroumaru, and even Denroku knew well. Every one of them seemed to have even continued to think of ways to turn this into a tailwind.

"......I...didn't know. I wanted to do something...I never thought...that everyone had put that much thought into this......I had misunderstood......"

"......I'm sorry...for earlier......" Ohana bowed as she apologized, realizing the difference between herself, who was living in Tokyo, and the people who were living here the entire time.

"Ohana-chan......"

Yuina shook her head gently, as if to tell Ohana not to say anything else, but Ohana bowed her head even further.

Just then, the contents in her bag shifted and hit the back of her head.

"......Ow. ......Ah!"

The shock from it made her remember the contents of her bag.

Ah, that's right!

A small spark of hope was lit within Ohana's heart.

"It's definitely weird to say that there's nothing else......After all, Yunosagi has lots of other wonderful things. Please take a look at this!"

Ohana searched her bag, took out the retrospective exhibition's catalog, and showed it to everyone.

"This is......?"

"The photos my dad took"

The catalog, which could very well be the anthology of her deceased father, had the many beautiful sceneries of Yunosagi that Ayato took with all his heart.

Ohana, who had looked at these photos countless times, felt like they held the hint to conveying Yunosagi's charm.

"It's not just photos of Yunosagi, but there's lots of charm packed within it. So—" Ohana explained excitedly as she started flipping through the pages.

Just then, someone stopped that hand of hers; It was Denroku, and he pulled the catalog closer to himself.

"Grandpa Bean......"

The face of Denroku, who was staring at it intently, became increasingly enthusiastic

"......T-This is......" Denroku said, overcome with emotion, his voice trembling.

"Is something wrong, Gramps? Are you alright?"

Yuina called out to Denroku out of concern, but he did not reply.

Denroku seemed to have been taken in by the photos as he flipped through the catalog. 

"Sui-chan......" Denroku muttered as he pointed to a photo of a houseboat floating on the lake, with Kissuisou in the background.

"Madam Manager?"

"Yes"

It did not seem like Sui was in it, but Denroku nodded ecstatically and flipped to the next page.

The next photo Denroku's hand stopped on was one of Geishas walking through the town. Young men and women, dressed in Yukata and Happi coats, were gazing at them joyfully from the side of the road.

There were no Bonboris in the photo, but Ohana thought that the wooden plaque one of the young women held suggested that it was taken during the Bonbori Festival.

The catalog also had Kissuisou surrounded by the vibrant colors of autumn, and the photo of Satsuki jumping into the pool that would not usually be displayed in a photo exhibition.

There was also a photo of the poolside. There were parasols set up; The shadows in it were thick, characteristic of the early afternoon, the puddles of water, eye-catching, the swim rings, damp and scattered all over the place, a heartwarming sight.

"Ahh, so that's what you meant......" Jiroumaru muttered knowingly after peering at the photos in the catalog from the side.

"If it's the photos your dad took, that would mean he took them around thirty years earlier, right? In other words, it would be during the time when the scenery around here was nicer"

Denroku nodded, agreeing without taking his eyes off the catalog.

"......Thinking about it with that in mind, these are all such meaningful photos. The Geishas walking through the town in the photo earlier were truly eroti-"

It was very much like Jiroumaru to say that, even as Ohana thought that he was about to say something unusually touching.

"Shh," Ohana said as she put her index finger on her lips, cutting off Jiroumaru, who was oogling at the Geishas.

She then gazed ecstatically, from the side, at a grinning Denroku.

"Grandpa Bean......"

Denroku traced the photos with his visibly wrinkled and rough finger, looking carefully at every last detail before flipping slowly to the next page.

Casting a sidelong glance at Denroku’s gentle and narrowed eyes, Ohana pondered about the possible memories that could have resurfaced in Denroku's mind due to the photos Ayato left behind.

Ayato's photos have a story to each of them, you see.

"Ah"

Just then, the words Ohana's uncle, Hiroshi, resurfaced in her mind.

She then vividly recalled the scenery of the retrospective exhibition three years ago, and the words of the people who gathered there in memory of Ayato.

"......That's right, the photo exhibition......" Ohana muttered.

"Eh?" Yuina asked with a blank look as she blinked.

"We can't put up the Bonboris all year round, but we can do it if it's photos! I think that it'll be fine if we have the people who come after they've missed the period look at my dad's photos. We'll first have them discover the wonderful places present in Yunosagi, then have them visit those places-"

"Ohana-chan?"

"That's why I'm telling you, a photo exhibition is the answer, Yuina-san. My dad's photo exhibition......can we not do that here? I wanna do it here, at Kissuisou!"

"Eh? Eh?"

Ohana, eyes sparkling from the new hope she had just discovered, drew closer to a Yuina who was still perplexed, as she did not understand what Ohana was saying.

"How about it, Yuina-san? Do you think it is possible!?"

"A photo exhibition......?"

As it was a sudden suggestion, Yuina pondered over it for a while, and eventually, as if she was convinced, she gave Ohana a huge nod before she grasped Ohana's hand.

"......Yeap. That might be a good idea. No, it's definitely a good idea. However-"

"Mariko Sakura-san had asked for that Bonbori panel, so......we might not have it for now, but the rest of the exhibits have been meticulously sorted by Iwasaki-san and the others. They have then been framed and stored in Uncle Hiroshi's atelier, so he should be able to get them for us in a jiffy if I ask. That means we should be able to set up a photo exhibition by tomorrow if we're up for it!" Ohana rattled off like a machine gun, interrupting Yuina before she could finish.

As Ohana was rattling off, Yuina changed her grip on Ohana's hand into a clasp.

"Now, now......calm down for a second, will you, Ohana-chan," Yuina then urged with an awkward smile.

"Even if he doesn't have the panels, there are the films that are like the source of my dad's photos, so I think we can reproduce the photos if I ask Iwasaki-san for them......Ahh, that's right, there's that matter with Mariko-san too. I made a promise with Nakochi; I must call Seya-san as well......Eh, I didn't save his phone number. Even though I got his namecard...... Right, there's Uncle Hiroshi. I'll get him to tell me. If it's his number, I should have it in......" Ohana continued excitedly, however, after she gently freed her hand from Yuina's clasp.

"What kind of development is this......?" Jiroumaru asked as Ohana searched her pockets, tilting his head repeatedly, unable to grasp the situation.

"Who knows? But with the way Ohana is right now, I think she can't hear you"

I should turn this breeze into a tailwind when it's still blowing.

"Hello, Uncle Hiroshi!"

Ohana explained the idea she had just thought of to Hiroshi, who had picked up the call, in one breath so as not to miss out on anything.

"I want to hold a photo exhibition of my dad's photos......in Yunosagi......in Kissuisou. Please work with me!"

"So, what did your uncle say?" Yuina asked Ohana after she ended the call.

"......Uh"

Ohana took a breath before she replied to Yuina.

This means that the stories of those around you have begun to move forward, huh, Ohana-chan.

Those were the words Hiroshi said after backchanneling to Ohana and comprehending the contents of what she said.

Spurred on by her excitement, Ohana told her uncle about the idea she had just thought of. However, Ohana managed to calm down quite a bit, likely due to Hiroshi listening to her calmly.

"Stories? What did he mean by that?" Yuina asked as she raised her eyebrows, puzzled after Ohana told her what he said as is.

"Ho, ho, your uncle sure used an excellent expression," Jiroumaru, on the other hand, said as he nodded, impressed.

It seems like, track record and talents aside, his sense in words, being in the creative field, is similar to a Japanese painter like Hiroshi.

"......Good," Denroku said softly.

However, he was still absorbed in looking at the catalog, so it seems like this was not a reply to Jiroumaru.

"In other words, I think this is what Uncle Hiroshi wants to say—"

Ohana looked at a confused Yuina and gave her a summary of what Hiroshi said about the photo exhibition.

Hiroshi had said that he would be willing to help, but such ideas, thought at the spur of the moment, tend to go awry. He also said that Ohana must inform the people managing Kissuisou at the moment, and should also get the approval of Iwasaki and the other organizers of the retrospective exhibition.

"Even if the works are delivered to Yunosagi, it is not like it can be done in a day. Even the packing of the works would require quite the time and effort, so I should first calm down and discuss it with the aforementioned people. He'd like me to contact him again after everything has been set in stone"

"I see...... Yuina thinks so too. In other words, preparations are important. You must first discuss this with the hot spring Association," Yuina said, adding her advice as the person in charge of managing Kissuisou to Hiroshi's words of commonplace wisdom.

"But this might be excellent timing. Actually, it has been decided that Enishi-san will soon be appointed as the association's managing director. It still depends on the voting during the next general meeting, so it is a tentative decision for now, though," She then continued with a cheery expression.

"Eh, managing? When did Young Master become so distinguished?" Ohana asked, her eyes wide open as this news came as a great surprise.

"I'd say it's slightly different from becoming distinguished," Yuina said as she smiled awkwardly and looked up at the sky to avert her gaze.

Yuina simplified it, explaining that, in short, this meant that he would no longer be a full-timer assigned to Fukuya Inn and would instead be a full-timer assigned to and paid by the association to work for the entire Hot Spring Town.

"This, however, means that the hard work he has put in until now has been recognized though"

"That Young Master has......" Ohana muttered, deeply moved after thinking about the seven years Enishi spent, undergoing his training once again at Fukuya, and building up his skills.

That uncle of hers, who seemed unreliable in her eyes even as a high schooler, was forging a new path for himself.

However, realizing something all of a sudden, she lifted her head.

But if he gets appointed as the managing director, then who will take over Kissuisou?

She swallowed those words that were about to leave her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. That was something she was worried about, but she felt like she should not say those words.

"Heeey, Ohana-chaaan"

Yuina waved her hand before Ohana's face, causing Ohana to lift her head, flustered.

"Ah, okay. Then I should discuss this with Young Master first, huh"

"Yeap. That and......you must also meet with Sui-san - Madam Manager. She should be working the afternoon shift, so you can meet her if you come to our inn"

Ohana straightened her back reflexively when she heard the name, Sui.

"I see...Madam Manager......"

I'll be waiting.

The last time she talked with Sui face-to-face was on the platform of Yunosagi station.

A vivid recollection of the scene on that very day, when she was entrusted with the logs, written by Denroku and vowed to one day return to Kissuisou, resurfaced in her mind.

She had never once forgotten Sui's dignified yet somewhat kind and gentle voice.

Return to this place one day; Return and write the continuation to the logs; Return and revive Kissuisou!

From the time I returned to Tokyo, I have spent seven years for that very day.

"I...have returned......"

The next time I visit this place would be to rebuild Kissuisou. That is why I will not meet Sui until that very day; That should have been the vow I made to myself in my heart.

Is this really alright?, or so Ohana asked herself before she shook her head slightly.

It's true that, this time, I merely jumped to conclusions and rushed here after getting far too excited over a matter amounting to a breeze and wanting to stop the demolition of Kissuisou.

"......No, that's not it......"

Ohana clenched her fists after her body trembled from the sensation of the beads of cold sweat under her arms.

"Are you alright, Ohana-chan?"

"I'm alright. I'm actually thinking...about my dad's photo exhibition"

I must, no matter what; Must turn this idea into reality and have this become the breakthrough that leads to the revival of Kissuisou.

"That is the reason I'm here," Ohana muttered as if to convince herself. 

She then started walking before turning back to Yuina, looking at her with eyes filled with resolve.

"Let's go, Yuina-san!"

Arriving in front of Fukuya, Ohana quickly spotted Sui, standing in the lobby, dressed in a Kimono.

"It's Madam Manager"

She entered the lobby, slipping through the gap of the automatic door as it was slowly sliding open.

The guests, dressed in their Haoris, looked towards her, seemingly surprised. Sui shifted her gaze to Ohana as well. 

"Madam Mana-"

"What have you come here for?" Sui asked sternly as soon as their eyes met.

It was not like Ohana was expecting Sui to be overjoyed over their reunion, but Ohana flinched reflexively, feeling like things had gone back to how they were over seven years ago.

Ohana had somewhat expected this and had steeled herself, but she felt like her heart was about to shatter after receiving such a blow when they finally met in person.

"Madam Manager"

"This is not the place to address me like that," Sui, dressed in a plain, celadon green Kimono, said, her tone, sharp.

Being told off sternly made Ohana wince.

"E-Erm......" She said hurriedly, however, afraid that Sui would leave should she remain silent.

"I have heard most of it from Satsuki on the phone"

"Mom told you? Then-"

It seems like, perhaps out of consideration, Satsuki had already contacted Sui.

If she knows the situation, then this'll be quick, or so Ohana thought, breaking into a smile out of relief.

"I would serve you hospitably should you have come here to relax on one of your rare rest days. We do exchange letters, but it has been seven years. We most likely have much to talk about. However, that is certainly out of the question if you came here and chose to abandon your responsibilities," Sui continued, knitting her eyebrows out of suspicion.

Sui said those words calmly, in a way that Ohana thought it would have been better if she had been scolded instead. Those words, said in a way to reason with Ohana, were perfectly sound.

She hit a sore spot, but I can't stay silent.

I must tell her about my dad's photo exhibition. She'll surely understand if I tell her. After all, this should become the breakthrough needed for the promise - the revival of Kissuisou - between Madam Manager and me on that very day she told me that she would be waiting.

"Erm...I...at Kissuisou-"

"As you can see, I am working. You shall tell me all about it later," Sui said, turning her back to Ohana to show that she had no intention of talking at length.

"Ah......"

"......My goodness, always such a troublesome child," Sui muttered before walking to the front counter.

Yuina was watching their exchange from a distance.

"The renowned Madam Manager's resolute eyes are the same as always, huh. That pressure is so like her," Yuina, who was watching the exchange from a distance, leaned in and whispered to Ohana after jogging up to her.

"She's thinking it's someone else's business......"

After returning to the front counter, Sui was now talking cordially with a guest as if nothing had happened.

"But I think that she's happy to have met you, no? I saw her let out a little chuckle as she left"

"Don't you mean that she's so over me?"

She did call me a troublesome child, but I didn't notice that she chuckled, or so Ohana thought as she blinked, stunned.

Yuina smiled when she saw this and signaled, using her gaze, for Ohana to look at Sui.

"......Look, she still has that expression even after that guest left, right? Madam Manager's 'Tsundere' side might just be quite obvious, you know"

"Really?" Ohana asked, tilting her head, puzzled.

It's true that she seems more approachable than she was seven years ago, but it's not like her gentle gaze is directed at me.

Yuina nodded several times in response, as if she was trying to back her pet theory.

"But isn't her act of scolding you done out of love? Even I would be so over you if I knew that you abandoned your job and came here because you jumped to conclusions"

"Eh...... Are you perhaps so over me?"

"Well, it's already too late no matter what I say, so wouldn't it be more constructive for you to do the things that you should do?" Yuina consoled her without holding anything back.

"Five p.m. At the station"

"Eh?"

"Be sure to bring your belongings. You should best not assume, even as a misunderstanding, that I would allow you to stay in this inn," Sui said, walking away after shooting Ohana an intimidating gaze as if to prevent her from saying anything.

Met with this gaze, Ohana reflexively turned to Yuina to find that she was shrugging her shoulders and smiling awkwardly.

* * *

When Ohana and Yuina visited Fukuya's office, they found Ohana's uncle, Enishi, waiting for them, seemingly having been contacted by Satsuki.

In the corner of the office was the meeting space, where there was a familiar, order-made, vintage sofa.

"Now that I look at you, you sure have come to resemble Big Sister, huh......"

Ohana stood beside Yuina before they sat near the edge of the leather sofa.

Enishi gazed at Ohana's face for a while before he broke into a gentle smile.

"Ah, have you met Mother already?"

"......Yes, just now, when I was at the entran-"

"It's expected, but she looks a little older, right?"

Ohana held her tongue when she heard those unexpected words of Enishi's.

"............"

Sui, who might have looked the same as ever in Ohana's eyes, so much so that she did not feel the seven-year gap, mysteriously so, might have looked older, all the more so in Enishi's eyes, because he had been by her side.

Enishi's wife, Takako, had brought some tea over while Ohana was fretting over her response.

"It really has been a long time"

When Ohana had just arrived in Yunosagi, Takako was passing herself off as a business consultant by wearing flamboyant, ready-made clothing, but she was different now.

Today, Takako was wearing a black pant suit, an open-necked blouse, and pumps with low heels; A more subdued way of dressing.

The badge on her breast pocket had Kawajiri, her former family name, engraved on it.

Noticing Ohana's gaze, Takako chuckled before pointing to her badge with her finger

"This? The guests would get confused if three Shijimas were working in the same place, right?"

After serving their tea, Takako took out a car key from her pocket.

"Speaking of guests, you're staying over tonight, right, Ohana-chan?"

Ohana could only smile in return, finding it hard to mention that Sui had already given her a stern warning.

"I have work to do, so I'll have to excuse myself, but you should take it easy"

"You have a meeting for the training programme, and you're making your rounds to some travel agencies after that, right?"

"Yeap, yeap. And I might have plans for additional meetings to promote MICE4. It's not like it'll be immediate, but Fukuya must get in on the wave of demand for business travel and inbound tourism as well. With that said, I'll be off to get lots of work for us," Takako said, smiling as she spun the car key skillfully with her finger.

"Please do," Yuina, who was sitting beside Ohana and nodding to Takako's words earlier, said as she smiled and bowed her head.

Takako, who attended higher education and could speak foreign languages, had become well-versed in the inn business through her training at Fukuya Inn, so she was trying to grasp this business opportunity.

Understanding this made Ohana look at Takako with promising eyes.

"I have quite a lot of appointments today, so I'm gonna have to rev the engines"

"Wait, wait, please drive safely," Enishi warned Takako, who was in business mode.

"I know. It'll only be a while longer that we're working in the same place as a couple, so I can't be getting into an accident and causing trouble for the inn and the association"

Enishi nodded after he heard her mild-mannered words, proof that she had mellowed out over the years.

Unlike in the past, he no longer spoke openly about his love for her, but it seemed like they were getting along well as a couple.

"Well then, I'll be off to my meetings"

Takako walked through the Noren and left cheerfully.

After seeing Takako off, Ohana turned to face Enishi once again.

"Does Takako-san still use that amazing sports car for work?"

"Absolutely not," Enishi replied, waving his hands before his face.

"She now drives a four-wheel drive5 Kei6 car. Her old car is inconvenient to drive around during winter, you see. That said, her driving tech is still as good as ever. Just the other day, she went out of her way to use a tail slide to avoid the weasel, which was on the road...... I was in the passenger seat, and I felt like I was going to die. To think that she would do that in a car with a high center of gravity; Was the moment that made me doubt her love for me," Enishi elaborated, folding his arms before trembling exaggeratedly. However, he was talking about Takako, so he looked like he was enjoying it.

"But it looks like both of you are getting along well. You are always together, after all"

"Just because we're always together doesn't mean we're getting along well. Well, we did swear eternal love during the wedding ceremony that you and the others had prepared for us, so we're, of course, still in a 'Say Anything' relationship"

Perhaps to hide his embarrassment, Enishi scratched the back of his head after using Takako's phrasing. 

However, the sound from the clock reminded him of the time, and he sat up straight before looking at Ohana.

"So, what is this matter that you sincerely want to discuss with me?"

"It's about Kissuisou. Actually—"

Even as Ohana was perplexed over where to begin, she told Enishi about yesterday's sequence of events that led up to today. She even took out the catalog and mixed in explanations about Ayato's photos, and about the many things she heard from Iwasaki, Seya, and Hiroshi at the retrospective exhibition.

Organizing a photo exhibition in Yunosagi was something I had just thought about, but there's no need to tell him that. I'll tell him it's an idea I've been working on for years.

As Ohana was explaining with that thought in mind, she had started to think that that was really the case.

By putting it into words, Ohana felt like the hazy image of the idea she had in her mind was taking shape and was becoming ever more concrete.

"So that's how it was, I only understood through the call with Big Sister that you were coming and couldn't get the gist of why you'd choose to do so now. ......Still, to think that you're thinking about Kissuisou to that extent even after seven years......"

"So, how about it? Want to organize my dad's photo exhibition at Kissuisou?"

Ohana appealed to Enishi as she stared at Enishi, sighing out of astonishment, to press him for an answer.

Enishi put his hand to his chin and rubbed it as he stared into blank space.

"Hmm...... Brother-in-law's photo exhibition at Kissuisou, right? Personally, I think it's not bad as an idea. ......However, I guess it's a little too plain. We definitely need Mariko Sakura's cooperation if we want to bring in the customers"

Hearing Mariko Sakura's name made Ohana clench her fists, which were on her lap.

Even Enishi was concerned about how it would be received on SNS.

Once again, Ohana was made painfully aware that it was largely due to Mariko that Ayato's photo had garnered the attention it did.

"You went during the retrospective exhibition, right? Don't you have connections like that?"

Ohana could ask through Seya, but she could not give a definite answer at this time.

Manager Iida had even ignored an interview offer from the TV station that Nako was working at, so it was difficult to imagine that he would work with people organizing a photo exhibition in Yunosagi.

"It's not like these things can be done based on Ohana-chan's decision alone, so it would be good if Ohana-chan could take it one step at a time. What she wanted to ask is whether Enishi-san, as the next head of the Association and heir of the Shijima Family, would be on board with this idea, right?" Yuina said to lend Ohana a helping hand.

"Please consider it"

Ohana bowed deeply, but there was no reply.

Enishi had let out a low groan and seemed to be pondering over something.

"......Well, it is true that, from the perspective of the Association, we will likely consider it if it'll benefit all of Yunosagi, and if Brother-in-law's photo exhibition were to bring in customers, then I think it would be a joyous event for the Shijima Family. We should thank you for thinking that far. Thank you for such a nice idea, Ohana-chan"

"......Right......" Ohana replied.

She had such high expectations that Enishi would jump at the idea that a disappointed voice had leaked out.

An indecisive Enishi clasped his fingers, which were on his lap.

"......It's just that...there are some problems that have to be solved if you want to use Kissuisou right now," he then continued as he looked down at his hand.

"Repairing the broken parts, right?" Ohana said strongly, well aware of that fact.

Enishi broke into an awkward smile when he heard this and looked up at her.

"Well, that's not the only thing. There are several, you know, things...... In any case, we can't do anything without the CU's approval; Can't do anything without asking"

Ohana could guess the problem he was facing as he talked like it was hard to bring up.

"By 'CU,' you mean the credit union, right? For you to say 'Can't do anything without asking'... Are credit unions that powerful?"

Ohana did not understand the meaning of Enishi’s words.

"Rather than powerful...... Hmm...... Actually, Kissuisou has debts from when it closed down, so the land and the building have been mortgaged to the CU"

"Debt!?"

Shocked, Ohana's voice quivered, and she choked.

"I say debt, but the amount is not that much. It's something I can repay little by little. .......Mum tried to sell the land and the building to pay for it, but I stopped her. After all, if they're sold to someone else, then there'll no longer be any revival. It was actually the CU's Chairman who helped me out when I was trying to persuade her. Kissuisou is the treasure of this region; It will be lost forever should you choose to sell it...... That was how they convinced her"

"I've probably met that chairman before. He's the gramps with wrinkles all over, right? He came over to visit my grandmother when he made his rounds to offer New Year's greetings"

"Yes, that man. 'I will protect the treasure of this region for as long as I am alive,' he asserted, you see, and the CU began to carry out 'Asset Preservation' on the land and the building"

"......'Asset Preservation?'" Ohana asked, seemingly unable to keep up with the conversation due to two unfamiliar terms being mentioned back-to-back.

She did this to slow the conversation down.

"Even if they say 'Asset Preservation,' they might just sell it off for a price higher than the loan when push comes to shove, right? Aren't you being deceived again, Enishi-san?"

Yuina asked two more questions on top of Ohana's.

"The CU even paid the maintenance fees for the preservation. They probably wouldn't do that if they wanted to trick me, right? In any case, I think it would've been quite a difficult matter if it weren't for that chairman. I guess he has quite the attachment to Kissuisou; Doesn't seem like he will go out of his way to say it, though"

It seems like Ohana had finally come to understand what they were talking about.

"......Then he'll definitely be overjoyed if we organize a photo exhibition at Kissuisou, right? We can use this as an opportunity to invite him for a stay over when we revive Kissuisou and-"

Ohana thought about the chairman she had yet to meet, having growing fantasies about how it would be great to offer the chairman, Kissuisou's benefactor, the best service they could.

"I'm sorry, but it's not that simple. I think I can immediately repay the money I've lent with my current salary, but resuming business after repaying the money and releasing the mortgage is still nothing but a pipe dream...... Man, I really am pathetic......"

Enishi put a damper on Ohana's ever-growing fantasies.

Hearing Enishi sigh after he took off his glasses and looked up at the ceiling had flipped a switch inside of Ohana.

"In that case, it is even more reason to do something about it ourselves for Madam Manager's sake and for the CU, who are stretching themselves thin for Kissuisou's sake. My dad's photo exhibition might become the first step for that; It looks like a breeze, but a tailwind is blowing as well. And so, please allow me to organize a photo exhibition at Kissuisou, Young Master!"

Ohana rattled on and on before she bowed deeply.

"......It might be...as you say, Ohana-chan," Enishi, seemingly pressured by Ohana, backchanneled softly after he put his glasses back on.

"In that case-"

"But, you know, now that we've come here, there's another troubling matter-"

"There's still something else?"

Ohana pressed as she saw that Enishi was trying to sound vague, as if hard to say

"Yeah, it's......to tell the truth...you see......the chairman has recently retired"

"Retired? ......But the chairman will protect Kissuisou for as long as he's alive, right?"

It was a precious promise that he asserted he would keep. Would he break it at this point, after he has continued to keep it for seven years straight?

"Uhh...... Well, he retired on paper, but it seems like he's actually been hospitalized. In any case, he should be quite old, so...... He looked well a while ago, but it looks like he's at his limit...... And so, a young and capable person had hastily taken over his position"

"......This is the first time I've heard about this, though?" Yuina, the self-proclaimed person in charge of managing Kissuisou, sulked and puffed up her cheeks.

"Sorry, you were studying abroad, and it all happened so quickly. ......And, the new chairman was from one of the major banks and was born in another prefecture, you see. It seems like he asked why it was only Kissuisou that was treated preferentially"

"That...might just have happened......"

Looking at this objectively, it would probably be strange that the land and building of an inn with no prospects of resuming business are being preserved. After all, not only does the CU possess them as assets, the CU even fork out cash periodically for maintenance.

"Well, according to the person directly in charge, it's not like the new chairman gave any immediate orders on what to do. His predecessor had been the chairman for many years, so he seems to have no intention of overturning the decision of his predecessor on the matter that his predecessor was fixated on. The person in charge did say that he wanted to keep things as is. Since he is a local, he is our ally"

"But if that person in charge were to change too......?"

Now that I think about it, it sure is fortunate that Kissuisou is still standing solely due to the love of the locals.

Ohana shook her head to drive off the bad omen that had come to her mind all of a sudden.

"About that, it seems to already be at the stage where there is a list of potential buyers after negotiations," Enishi said as he stood up, searched the shelves, pulled out a file, and showed it to the two of them.

"This one, for example. ......This, in recent years, is a widely popular amusement hotel chain in the whole of Kanto, and-" Enishi explained after he spread the documents out, pointing to one of them with a ballpoint pen with its cap still on.

"You're kiddinggg!" Ohana and Yuina yelled at the same time.

The document had photos of the many businesses the chain owned, such as its hotels, inns, and deluxe bath houses. 

Every single roof of each business had a gigantic sculpture, modeled after the turtle from the Palace of the Dragon God7.

"If we put something like that on the roof......then Kissuisou would stop being Kissuisou......"

It would be a truly, truly horrid fate for Kissuisou.

Ohana was speechless, unable to express her shock.

"Young Master, we definitely can't leave things as is! We must absolutely turn them down!"

"......I'm in a position where I must prioritize the interests of the entire town," Enishi said as he shook his head weakly.

"You don't want the turtle head on the roof as well, right, Young Master? It was once your home, so you should voice your opinion when you don't want something"

"......Isn't it exactly because it was once my home that I can't bring myself to say anything," Enishi said with a pained expression.

Ohana and Yuina fell silent when they saw that.

"......Sorry"

Even though Ohana had thought that nothing had changed and that a tailwind had begun to blow, the situation was heading in an unfavorable direction.

As we are now, we won't be able to get Kissuisou back from them at a moment's notice once the purchase has been finalized. Is there something we can do before that happens?

"......Is the turtle hotel matter already been decided?"

"No, not yet. It's far from decided. After all, it's the new chairman's 'Just Idea,' something he just thought about"

"......That's a relief," Ohana said as she let out a deep sigh of relief.

Seems like putting a huge turtle on Kissuisou's roof is not something the CU welcomes yet.

"And, it's just after he got hastily appointed as the new chairman. It's still a ways off before he can focus on implementing his policies, if we're assuming he does, that is"

It's still a ways off... When will he do it?

"Buttt if he got appointed when I was studying abroad, then wouldn't the CU be dyed in the new chairman's color when spring arrives next year?" Yuina asked as she counted the time remaining with her fingers before tilting her head.

"......Right? It's still a long, long, long way off......right?" Enishi muttered as his eyes darted from left to right.

This did not even serve to ease Ohana's mind.

The time limit is up.

There's no longer any time left to wait until I've gotten enough experience.

If we can't get Kissuisou to a point where it has the prospect of resuming business within a year, then it'll never look the same ever again. There may be a huge turtle on its roof, or it may very well be completely demolished.

"Aren't we in dire straits!" Ohana yelled reflexively, the ominous premonition swirling in her head.

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1 - This appears in Episode 2 of the Hansaku Iroha anime series at 03:22.

2 - A small wooden toy that would fly after being spun by hand

3 - Traditional Japanese fabric dividers hung between rooms, etc. You can find out more here.

4 - Short for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions

5 - A type of drive system that is best for off-road or slippery surfaces. You can find out more here.

6 - Short for Light Vehicle, it is Japan’s smallest category that is allowed on the expressway. You can find out more here.

7 - The palace from the Japanese folk tale Urashima Tarou

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I apologize for the long wait. Thank you very much for reading, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter!