The Day Before The Tournament
“I’m back”
“Welcome back”
Friday; Yae came back from the club activities, but her expression is slightly stiffer than usual huh. I think it’s inevitable since tomorrow is the final tournament at last, but she will be exhausted mentally at this rate.
“Since the meal is not ready yet, please enter the bath first. It is filled with bathing powder today”
“Nn, got it. Thanks”
“No problem”
One of my support for Yae to greet tomorrow without any problem and win her match is, a bath filled with bathing powder. She has done her best practising today as well after all, and it’s one with Japanese cypress fragrance, so I think the relaxing effect is high as well.
Now then, let’s finish preparing the meal while Yae is in the bath. Today’s main dish is pork cutlet1, meaning ‘winning the competition’ and kelp2 broth’s miso soup, meaning ‘winning the match and feeling happy’. It may be nonsensical to be superstitious, but I will do everything I can do for Yae’s sake
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It was past 22 o’clock after we finish eating our meal, watch television, and have a tea break. Yae’s expression appears slightly stiff as always. All that is left is to go to sleep, but I wonder if there is anything else I can do……
“Kazu-kun, I’m going to sleep soon”
“Okay, good night. Shall I sing a lullaby or something for you?”
“Fufu, I’m fine. I’m just doing what I’d been doing so far tomorrow”
The figure of Yae, who says that after lightly laughing, was very reliable, and I could tell that she is just telling the truth and is not putting up a front. Looks like my worries were unfounded huh.
“Leaving that aside, Kazu-kun got too carried away”
“Wha!?”
“Bathing powder along with a superstitious dinner. The black tea after the meal was also sweeter than usual”
This is bad huh. I can tell that my cheeks are getting hot. I did not think that it isn’t exposed, but when it is combined with the fact that my worries were unfounded, it is rather embarassing.
“But, thanks”
Aah, I’m glad I did it. Erasing the various emotions like embarrassment and whatnot, that was how much strength the Yae’s current smile had.
“Good night then. Wake me up tomorrow”
“……yes, I will properly wake you up, so please rest at ease. Good night”
I could not take my eyes off the back of Yae, who heads to her own room after nodding. The feeling that my cheeks are hotter than before, is surely, my imagination.
- It’s とんかつ(tonkatsu) in Japanese. Katsu can also mean 勝つ(katsu), which means ‘to win’.
- It’s こんぶ(konbu) in Japanese. Historically, konbu is an auspicious food, indispensable on marriage or other celebratory occasions.
In essence, it’s because 昆布(konbu)⇒よろ昆布(yorokonbu)⇒喜ぶ(yorokobu). 喜ぶ(yorokobu) means ‘to be happy’.
