I don't know how many times I've passed this place.
The streets are never quiet.
District lights that illuminate the streets, as well as tall, majestic buildings. Drones passing by display a flashing green notification light as if monitoring the city's security.
A rectangular screens attached to buildings display various advertisements ranging from food to night entertainment.
Even the fountain at the intersection displays an animation of the mayor talking about the progress of the city of Osaka. Various musical sounds shouted to each other in harmony.
How beautiful Osaka City is at night. From a facade, when viewed from a certain height, the colors resemble a cyberpunk fantasy story. No one can hold back the entertainment and banter in Osaka.
You want to eat sushi? Well, in the Umeda district they have great sushi at a reasonable price. Looking for tired entertainment? Just look for buildings that have LED lights other than white and yellow. Or even better disco. Anything is in the Miko-Satsuji Street District.
Nothing can hold back the entertainment in Osaka. Everyone… without exception. Everyone with prime minds, thick wallets, and harmonious families. Everything…
Except me. Chiba Takeichi, 30 years old, walked past them quietly. I'm a minority.
Often the onee-san who wear school uniforms are a bit tight to the point that the aunts with fur scarves and red singlet dresses smelling of expensive perfume, make special offers for me free every time. Their smiles are made as beautiful and charming as possible. They always remember me. Even always waiting near my subscription takoyaki shop. They are like roses that fall on the streets.
However…
I make sure their efforts are in vain. I don't think I can unite with the beauty of Osaka. I always watched from the sidelines without getting too involved. I just thought they were all illusions.
Under the black umbrella...
Just as usual I take a small walk after work. Looking at the knick-knacks of the city with skepticism. Skeptical because if there is bright light, then the small alleys of the city will look very dark. It looks like a giant rat hole.
If you usually hear laughter, music, and the cliche of a woman's voice sulking cutely near a bright district, then in a small alley you will only feel silence.
Oh… sometimes the sound of trash cans suddenly gets loud because maybe living creatures are desperately looking for food.
Light rain – drizzle….
It sounded like the sky was crying. Every night it's always like this.
It might be cry proudly because Japan has grown rapidly as a city of the future? Or it can be cry sadly because Japan is increasingly opening the gap between the rich and the poor?
.
.
Turn left from the intersection. Six blocks of buildings had passed, so I entered the small alley between the seventh and sixth blocks. After work and turns down some young ladies offer for night entertainment, I always come here. Of course, apart from sheltering from the other ladies, I shopped for daily necessities.
I put my umbrella on Haruhiro Konbini's shelf. I quickly pushed open the glass door of the konbini. I saw a small child approaching me.
“Papa! Papa! Th-that's… Takeichi-san! Takeichi-san with white chrysanthemums in his pocket!”
I lifted the child lightly. "Good night Etsu-chan! I brought takoyaki for you, you know!”
“Ayyyyyyyyyyeee!! Etsu loves takoyaki!”
I immediately put Etsu-chan down and handed her the takoyaki. She looked happy and jogged to show off to her father who was sitting at the counter.
“Come on! Don't run, Etsu!" Dai-san then turned to me. “Ah… sorry. Etsu always troubles you, Chiba,"
"Don't worry about it, Dai-san,"
Dai Haruhiro, was my senior at work in the past. Due to several accusations that I think are not true, he was kicked out unfairly. Dai-san is Haruhiro's konbini owner, with his 6 year old young daughter, Etsu Haruhiro.
Dai-san first told me that he opened a konbini. Since leaving my job, I have never missed coming to this place. Besides the competitive price of goods, I also want to help a little.
Even though Dai-san is my good senior, he often gets unfair fate. His wife just died six months ago. Yachi Etsu suffers from exhaustion which is fatal to her weak heart. From the beginning, Dai-san's wife, Yachi Etsu, was born with a frail body. Even his only daughter's name, was taken from his wife's last name, Etsu.
Haruhiro's konbini wasn't that crowded at night. Perfect quiet place for shopping. There were only three buyers, including me counted.
"You have 2 kilo eggs, Dai-san?"
“Ah, always in stock for you, dude. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Just that. For the rest… I’ll pickup by myself," Then, I headed for a fish freezer that occupied a corner near the snack rack. Etsu-chan, Dai-san's cute daughter with short light brown hair, even fits perfectly in a white dress with a small teddy bear stitched on the shoulder.
“Takeichi-san, Takeichi-san! What do you want to buy?" The short Etsu-chan seemed to be trying to see the freezer while jumping up and down.
Then… I carried her with my pleasure.
“Etsu-chan! What's good to eat on cold nights like this?"
She turned to look at me with pursed lips and puffed cheeks, as if she wanted to answer seriously and not carelessly.
"Hmmm…. Takeichi-san likes simple or complicated?"
“Let me think about it first… Hm…. Okay! Just keep it simple, Etsu-chan!” I'm always excited when I'm with Etsu-chan.
Etsu-chan gave the answer in detail. She told me that if you want something simple, it's better to choose Mackerel. Etsu-chan said that Mackerel can be cooked in a stir-fry and rarely leaves fishy. Well, though I always mix it with soup.
Meanwhile, if you want something complicated, Etsu-chan suggests squid.
"Ehhh~ why squids, Etsu-chan?"
"Because... mama said that the squid... you have to clean the ink!"
Well, she's really smart. Because Etsu-chan bothered to explain in detail, I bought both. Two kilos each.
I quickly put Etsu-chan down and she still followed me. Then, I took some drinks, snacks, butter, oil, vegetables, spices and seasonings. I took it all to the cashier, and Dai-san had prepared the 2 kilo eggs I ordered.
“Etsu…. You're not naughty with Uncle Takeichi, aren’t you?"
“Noooope~.” Etsu-chan looked up at me. "Am I bad, Takeichi-san?
I smiled at her. "Etsu-chan is gooood girl! You already helped uncle, right?”
"Hehehe! Aye!”
Etsu-chan jogged around me. It was a bit of a hassle for Dai-san, especially with the two bags that were quite heavy.
“By the way… this needs…. Do you always eat a lot, Chiba?” Dai-san chattered looking at all my groceries.
“Yeah… it can't be helped, right? Work is tiring without you, Dai-san. What's more, you also remember the last time I went to the doctor with gastric problems, right, Dai-san?"
“Ah, that's true too. Do you always follow the lead? Ha haha!"
"All the time... if you don't want to get fired."
After paying everything, I immediately said goodbye to the two of them. I want to go home soon because I'm soo much exhausted from work. For a moment I saw a reflection in the glass door, I wondered why Etsu-chan was still following me.
“Takeichi-san, Takeichi-san! Takeichi-san dropped a flower from the pocket!”
“O-oh! Could you please put it in uncle's pocket?” I squatted down with my hands carrying two plastic bags quite heavy.
Etsu-chan put the flowers I always carry with me into my black coat pocket.
"Thank you Etsu-chan!"
"You're welcome! After all, Takeichi-san without the white chrysanthemums, isn't the usual Takeuchi-san!”
I stroked her hair then left.
Then, I closed the glass door again from the outside, put the plastic bag aside for a moment to push my umbrella away. I walked back home, with two plastic bags and an umbrella that I held with the help of my neck and right arm.
Is it heavy? Not really. Because there's nothing heavier than the white chrysanthemums I always carry with me.
Even though it was sleeveless and only relying on the pocket, it still felt strangely heavy.
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