"Huh... It's been ages."
Getting off the train, looking at the distant mountains, Kamishiro Shiro couldn't help but sigh.
"Indeed, it's been so long since you even knew I had a sister."
Puff!
Iori's words were like a knife, piercing his good mood.
Kamishiro Shiro's eyes twitched as he stared at the jerk he had grown up with. "Well said. Please don't say that again next time!"
With that, he walked forward without looking back. Perhaps he didn't even realize it, but his pace was much faster than usual.
Shiro couldn't wait to hug that adorable girl.
"That guy is so impatient."
Looking at Kamishiro Shiro's back, Iori said with a smile. He still remembered his childhood.
Just because he envied me for having a sister, this bastard had played a prank on me countless times!
Now that he has a sister himself, how could he not be excited?
This guy will definitely be a die-hard sister-con from now on!
"Wuwuwuwuwu!!!!"
A strange sound came from beside him. Iori turned his head indifferently, only to see Kohei biting his headscarf in jealousy.
Hmm
There's another die-hard sister-con here!
"I think Kamishiro's sister is already two years old?"
Aina suddenly asked, recalling something…
"Haha, yeah, that guy hasn't been home for over two years."
Iori laughed heartily. While he genuinely felt happy for his childhood friend, the fact that it had been two years and he still didn't know he had a younger sister was just plain funny to him.
"Then… Iori, how come you didn't know? Isn't your house right next to his?"
Aina fired off a soul-piercing question.
Even Chisa turned to look at Iori upon hearing that.
Good point.
Shiro didn't know because his dad had tricked him, and he hadn't been home for years.
But Iori lived next door. He should have known, right?
"..."
The laughing Iori gradually went quiet.
Yeah...
Why didn't he know?
Was it because he went to an all-boys school? Or was it because his parents never talked to him about neighborhood stuff?
The more he thought about it, the less cheerful he felt. He even started to feel a little emo.
(?????)
So in the end, he was also one of those abandoned kids, huh?
A Crossroads of Fate
At the end of two roads stood a ryokan and a teahouse.
Though called a "teahouse," the place was no smaller than the Kitahara Ryokan next door.
"I'll go home first, then," Shiro said, pointing toward his family's teahouse. Since he was back, the first thing he had to do was go home. After all, his long-missed little sister was there waiting for him~
As for Iori and the others, they decided to head to the Kitahara Ryokan first and visit the Shiro household tomorrow.
"Alright, I'm gonna go get my passport back from Shiori."
Iori waved as he led the group toward his place.
His eyes were filled with serious contemplation. A tough battle lay ahead—how was he going to successfully get his passport back from Shiori?!
"..."
Shiro completely ignored him. He didn't believe for one second that Iori had the brains to outwit a middle schooler.
A university student trying to fool a middle schooler?
Don't make him laugh!
Without hesitation, Shiro headed straight for the teahouse.
Rize!
Onii chan is home!!!
Kamashiro Teahouse
A century-old teahouse.
Famous not just locally, but across all of Izu, drawing many visitors.
Of course, being a teahouse, it wasn't exactly a hotspot for young people. Most customers were middle-aged or elderly.
At most, there were the occasional businesspeople meeting over tea.
The youngest staff members were probably the adorable young tea artisans.
"Little Shiro?"
Before Shiro could even step into the teahouse, a voice—old but still strong—called out to him.
He turned and saw an old man in a kimono, bald-headed, staring at him with wide eyes, as if he'd just seen something unbelievable.
After a moment of blankness, Shiro finally recognized him.
"Old man Uesugi?!"
That's right!
Standing before him was the husband of the infamous Granny Uesugi—who allegedly had a special (possibly one-sided) affection for Shiro's grandfather.
Shiro wasn't especially close to the old man, but the guy's teeth were hard to forget.
Lots of elderly folks around here were missing teeth—but none had teeth missing so symmetrically as Old Man Uesugi.
It was like his mouth had been arranged that way on purpose—every two teeth had a gap in between.
And not just the upper jaw, but the lower jaw too… and they were staggered.
Yeah.
But when he bared his teeth? Still looked like a perfect set!
Seeing he hadn't mistaken him, Old Man Uesugi grinned and rushed over.
"Little Shiro! You're back? Didn't you go to the States to strike it rich? Heard you were making good money! What's it like over there? You think an old man like me could go?"
(′｀;)?
{{(°△°; "}}!
Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
A barrage of questions left Shiro completely dumbfounded.
First off, the guy's age alone made "striking it rich in America" kind of impossible.
More importantly—when did he ever go to America?!
He'd barely traveled abroad at all! How the hell had he become some kind of American drifter?!
Kamishiro Kenjirou!!!
He didn't even have to think—this ridiculous version of events had to be spread by his dumbass dad.
That guy loved messing with his own son for fun.
Shiro had hoped that maybe, just maybe, his dad's pranks would've eased up while he was away.
Turns out they'd only gotten worse.
Now he was curious—how many versions of him were out there?!
"Shiro kun? Shiro?"
Seeing no reaction, Old Man Uesugi kindly gave him a little nudge.
"Ah, Grandpa Uesugi, I'm alright. Things in America… weren't great. Constant gunfights. It's not like here, where we only have like, one shooting a year."
Shiro didn't bother explaining. There was no way to clarify all the rumors. Better to just play along.
Sure, let them think he'd gone prospecting in the States. As long as it wasn't Vietnam, Cambodia, or Thailand…
Nope. Still pissed.
He suddenly felt the punishment he had planned for that bastard dad of his was way too light. He needed to step it up.
"Oh, I see… That's too bad."
Old Man Uesugi looked disappointed. He had been hoping to set up a "sunset industry" of his own. Seemed like that dream was out.
But he bounced back quickly, smiling as he pushed Shiro toward the entrance of the teahouse.
"You're back to see little Rize, right? Let's go in—they just got back a couple days ago."
"Ah… okay."
Shiro looked a little dazed. He understood the situation, but…
Why was the old man pushing him?
It's not like he was shy or anything?
(′⊙ω⊙`)
They entered the teahouse.
The scent of tea.
The fragrance of camphor.
The sweet smell of flowers.
And the sound of water trickling nearby.
Everything was just as he remembered.
The enticing aroma wafting from the old-style tea rooms—Shiro could smell it even from the front.
"Not a thing has changed," he sighed deeply, nostalgia welling in his heart. He used to play around here all the time as a kid.
"Well, one thing's different. Heard that rascal Kenjirou built a room in some kinda… cyberpunk style, yeah, cyberpunk. You should go see it later."
Old Man Uesugi, walking behind him, didn't notice the look of reminiscence in Shiro's eyes. He just blurted out the only change he knew.
That one change…
Completely ruined Shiro's mood.
His gaze turned deadpan as he looked at the old man. No wonder Granny Uesugi got along so well with Grandpa Inoshita.
A guy who disregards other people's feelings like this? No thanks.
Also—what the hell is a cyberpunk-style tea room?!
Had Kenjirou gone that modern?!
He had wanted to enjoy the nostalgia a bit longer.
Now? All he could think about was what a cyberpunk tea room could even look like.
Old Man Uesugi didn't give him time to dwell on it and kept pushing him forward, looking oddly excited.
Shiro had no choice. Worried the old man might try to scam him, he didn't resist.
After all, this was the same guy who wanted to go to the U.S. to strike gold. Scamming his returnee neighbor was definitely on the table.
Soon, they reached the teahouse's main hall.
There—
Shiro saw a figure he hadn't seen in years.
A 70-something man, dressed in full hip-hop style, sat at the front desk, reading a book with intense focus.
The book was titled Spring and Autumn Annals.
Of course, if it weren't for the erotic magazine barely hidden behind it, Shiro might've actually believed it.
"G-Grandpa?"
Shiro called out uncertainly. This guy looked nothing like the grandpa he remembered.
Wasn't Grandpa supposed to be an old man in a kimono, sipping tea with a beard and a warm smile?
How had just a few years turned him into… a fashion-forward hipster?
Just standing next to him made Shiro's rheumatism act up!
Compared to Grandpa, he felt like a total country bumpkin. (≡Д≡;)
"Hmm?"
Upon hearing the voice, the elder looked up and immediately recognized his eldest grandson.
After all, squinting eyes were quite recognizable.
In an instant, a look of surprise and joy appeared on his face.
"Grandson!"
He immediately ran over, wanting to give his grandson a big hug!
Of course, before leaving, he didn't forget to hide his spring-autumn edition book.
"..."
Shiro's mouth twitched — no doubt about it, this was his grandpa.
Although he wasn't quite used to this outfit, he could feel the genuine joy of an elderly man reunited with his family.
He then smiled, stretched out his arms, and waited for a big hug from grandpa — just like in the dramas!
However…
Shiro didn't get the hug he expected. What he got instead was his grandpa's startled shout.
"Crap, Uesugi? Grandson, I'm off first! I'll see you again tonight!"
Just as the elder Shiro was about to hug his grandson, his sharp eyes suddenly noticed a figure standing behind shiro.
With a quick wit, he made a sharp turn and ran off into the distance under the stunned gaze of Shiro and the elder Uesugi.
The elder Uesugi stood frozen for a few seconds, then came to his senses upon seeing the retreating figure. With a fierce grin, he took off in pursuit.
"Old geezer, don't run! You were wearing that ridiculous outfit while chasing after my sweetheart, weren't you? I'm gonna skin you alive!"
"Hahaha, Uesugi, you're still too green! Catch me if you can — if you do, I'll let you..."
The elder Kamashiro taunted him while running, completely forgetting about his eldest grandson.
Under Shiro's disbelieving gaze, the two old men disappeared from sight.
Silence.
More silence.
Nothing but silence.
Shiro opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
Mainly because he couldn't find the words to describe how he felt.
This… what the hell?!
After being apart for years, not even one hug of reunion?
He couldn't help but question whether he had really been away for that long. This was not normal!
And also...
Please, someone explain in detail next time about the part where you chased Uesugi Grandma in hip-hop clothes.
I'm very interested!
"Old rascal."
Shiro shook his head and laughed. Despite his age, grandpa's eccentric personality hadn't changed one bit.
No wonder he gave birth to someone like Kenjiro!
Even though he didn't get to hug his grandpa right away, seeing him so energetic was already the best gift — nothing else mattered.
As he passed the front desk, Shiro casually tucked the magazine into his coat.
He had just confirmed — it was his!
This was one of Ms. Matsushima's early works — very important!