[CH.42] Returning Home After a Long Time (Part 1)

I Reincarnated as a Beautiful Girl and Aim to Become a Top Actress! (WN)

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[CH.42] Returning Home After a Long Time (Part 1)

**TL Notes: So as not to confuse you all, I made a list of the characters that get mentioned in this chapter that you may have forgotten before.   Sumire Matsuda: MC Yoko Ando (Yoko-san): Sumire's manager. Azusa Oshima: Sumire's mentor. Nao and Fumika: Sumire's close friends. Sumire's sister: Tsukiko Matsuda

The day after the recital was a substitute holiday. However, I had no time to relax, as I was busy packing my bags.

Starting tomorrow, I'll be going home for the first time in a long time. May 1st and 2nd are weekdays, but it seems that Ms. Azusa will contact the school for me, so I had obtained official permission to take a day off. Excluding yesterday because of the recital, I will have a staggering seven consecutive holidays until May 6th.

In the previous Heisei era, it wasn't uncommon for students to take days off from school for personal reasons like their parents' schedules or going to amusement parks. However, in the current era, the prevailing sentiment is that other than for health reasons, taking time off from school is not tolerated. I've never actually encountered a truant officer, as I don't generally walk around the city during weekdays.

Truant officers have their jobs to do, and I don't intend to interfere with them. However, if I skip school to go home, there is a possibility that I might be caught if I move around too much on my own. Even though Ms. Azusa is covering for me, if the story of me being caught by a truant officer in Kansai while I was supposed to be at school were to get out, it would cause trouble for Ms. Azusa. I want to avoid that as much as possible.

As I was planning my trip home and worrying about this, Yoko-san volunteered to accompany me on my return home. But even though it's the Golden Week, I couldn't help but hesitate about having Yoko-san spend her holiday accompanying me. It would be fine if we were going to tourist spots or fun places, but my hometown is just a small town with nothing special. I will be visiting my maternal grandmother and paternal grandparents on the first and second days, so we will be moving around here and there.

In the end, Ms. Azusa, who realized that I was worrying about it, resolved my concerns by treating Yoko-san's accompanying me as a work-related matter rather than a holiday. It seems that her basic salary won't change much, but she will receive additional allowances for the trip. Yoko-san was quite delighted at Ms. Azusa's decision, so her wallet will likely be considerably fatter.

Once all these arrangements were finalized around mid-April, I thought that since I was going home, I should contact Nao and Fumika to meet up. However, Nao and Fumika told me they wouldn't be returning to their hometown during this year's Golden Week. I couldn't help but get excited and act childish, saying we could hang out together.

So, on May 1st, Yoko-san picked me up, and together we boarded the Shinkansen to head to Kansai. At this time, the journey from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka took over three hours, so normally, I would have had a lot of time to kill. However, we had an early departure, so I spent most of the time sleeping. Thanks to that, I felt refreshed when we arrived at Shin-Osaka station.

Our first stop was my maternal grandmother's place. From here, we switched to a local train and walked from the station to the pier, where we took a ferry for 30 minutes. After that, it was another 15-minute walk from the island's pier to my grandmother's house, so we still had a long way to go.

"Yoko-san, what should we do for lunch? Shall we eat in Osaka, or should we eat before we get on the ferry?"

"Seafood sounds good, doesn't it? Let's go for that."

With a cheerful demeanor, Yoko-san made the decision, and we headed to the local train platform, carrying our bags. I had a small backpack on my back and a slightly larger Boston bag containing my change of clothes and daily essentials. I'm already in the fifth grade of elementary school, so I try to handle my own luggage. However, it seems like I appear overwhelmed to the people around me, as they sometimes ask, "Are you okay?" or "Should I help you?" It's a bit uncomfortable.

Yoko-san has also repeatedly said to me, "I'll carry it for you, okay? It's okay, just tell me if it's too much." But as someone who has already had her carry all the souvenirs and other items, it's not that easy to just agree. Each time, I cheerfully reply, "I'm okay!" and grip the bag's handle tightly.

Despite it being a weekday afternoon just before the long weekend, the train wasn't too crowded, and we smoothly made our way to the ferry terminal after getting off the train. Since there's a shopping street between the station and the pier, we had Akashiyaki for lunch. By the way, it was Yoko-san's choice. I wonder where the seafood went. Akashiyaki is often confused with takoyaki, but Akashiyaki has nothing inside except for octopus and is characterized by its fluffy texture. When you dip it in the broth and eat it, it becomes a comfortable eating temperature, and it's really delicious.

"This makes me want a beer," Yoko-san remarked.

"...Yoko-san, how does that comment sit with you as a woman?"

"It's fine. If I were with a man, I'd probably act like I think he'd like it. Being a woman, you know, I might not beat Sumire and the pros, but I'm a natural-born actress."

Yoko-san said that with a confident smile and then continued to enjoy her Akashiyaki. Well, I think it's better to interact with the real Yoko-san rather than trying to play a role as per her boyfriend's preferences. But, I have zero experience in romantic relationships, so my opinion may not be of any use. I'll just nod vaguely without sticking my nose where it doesn't belong.

After finishing our meal and reaching the ferry terminal, we learned that the boat heading to the island would arrive shortly. When I touched the bench near the boarding gate, it felt sticky, probably due to the sea breeze. The occasional breeze carrying the scent of the sea made me feel somewhat nostalgic. I stopped taking the ferry around the time I graduated from high school, as a bridge opened, and I was glad about that because there were times when the boat's rocking made me seasick.

A ship that could carry about 200 people arrived, and Yoko-san and I boarded eagerly. I didn't want to be on a deck that might sway, so we quickly entered the passenger cabin. It was a bit dirty and cloudy due to years of wear and tear, but I chose a window seat because having a window gave a more open feeling.

Today, the sea wasn't too rough, and I enjoyed a relaxed 30-minute boat ride without getting seasick. It had been a while since I last saw it, but the crew's efficiency when docking was remarkable. Their actions of throwing ropes and securing them to the bitts were precise and had no hesitation, making the mooring operation incredibly quick. I wonder if it becomes second nature when you do it every day. Even if I were to imagine myself from a past life among them, I can only picture myself being yelled at.

The ferry terminal had a two-story building adjacent to it, housing the ticket counter and several shops. Looking at the information board, it seemed that there were many dining options. As a unique combination, there was a store that seemed to be a fusion of a record store and a bookstore.

"It's quite peaceful, isn't it?" Yoko-san mumbled softly as she stepped out of the building and looked around. If you're used to the cityscape of Tokyo, everything here might seem even more devoid of activity. As we strolled along the single-lane road, taking in the scenery, we quickly reached my grandmother's house. Entering a narrow alley and climbing a slight slope, we soon spotted the weathered old house.

"Grandma, I'm here!"

I opened the sliding door and called out loudly from the entrance, and my grandmother, who seemed to be in the living room, slowly made her way over. She still had a straight posture, both in her back and hips, maintaining her dignified and upright appearance. My grandmother has always been strict, and I only had an image of her as a somewhat stern figure when it came to manners and everyday conduct. However, upon seeing her long-lost granddaughter, her expression seemed to soften a bit.

"So, you've come, Sumire. Is this the person who's been taking care of you in Tokyo?"

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Ando, Sumire's manager. I've had the privilege of looking after your granddaughter for a long time, and I apologize for the extended period she stayed with us."

"No, no, there's no need for you to apologize about that. On the contrary, it's us who should be grateful to you for taking care of our granddaughter when we couldn't, due to our family issues."

As my grandmother began to bend her knees and lower her head, Yoko-san appeared flustered and apologetic. It seemed like they might end up in a head-bowing standoff at the entrance, so I, trying to maintain a childlike demeanor, tugged at my grandmother's hem.

"Grandma, can we come in? I'm feeling a little tired."

"Oh, that's right. You came from afar, and you must be tired. Please, come in."

It seems my grandmother realized that this was the entrance, as she spoke to Yoko-san. We placed our luggage in a small room next to the living room and then my grandmother guided Yoko-san into the living room. Leaving Yoko-san in the care of my grandmother, I headed to the kitchen to make tea. I prepared the necessary cups, a teapot, and tea leaves, placing them on a tray before returning to the living room. I handed the tray to my grandmother, who used the electric kettle to brew the tea.

Taking a sip of tea and letting out a sigh of relief, we exchanged the usual questions about each other's well-being, like "Are you doing well?" and "Is Sumire doing well in Tokyo?" Afterward, my grandmother adjusted herself and said, "Sumire, have you heard about your sister?"

"Yeah, that's why I came back this time. I was thinking of thanking you."

"Thanking me for kicking out your sister?"

My grandmother said this with a slightly mischievous tone, but even though I've borne the brunt of the inconvenience, I'm not that petty. I shook my head vigorously and denied those words.

"No, not for that. Thank you for creating an opportunity for my sister to move to a different environment. Maybe if she had stayed at home, she would have remained the same."

"...When it's your own child, even if you know they're in the wrong, it's hard to be too harsh. But that doesn't mean we could just let it be," my grandmother said with a slightly pained expression. Nobody wants to be strict with their children or grandchildren, and ideally, we'd like to pamper and raise them with love. But my grandmother was worried about my sister's future, and she took on the role of being disliked. It's not an easy thing to do, and it requires determination. That's why I wanted to express my gratitude in person rather than through a phone call or a letter.

"If this doesn't help Tsukiko change, we might have to resort to purification rituals and such," she added.

Ah, that's right, my grandmother is a believer in things like divination and evil spirits. Even in my past life, she used to buy fortune-telling almanacs that come out at the beginning of the year. She never got into any weird religions, so I guess that's a relief.

I'm not asking her to like me or completely change her personality. But I do hope that my sister, even if she hates me or dislikes me, can at least learn to put on a facade in front of others in her new environment. Otherwise, we might really have to resort to purification rituals and such.

With the main goal of this visit, which was to "express my gratitude to my grandmother," completed, I gave my grandmother some local sweets as a gift and, along with Yoko-san, engaged in casual conversation. At some point, my grandmother suggested that we should visit my cousins' house, but I gently avoided the idea with full determination. Although there was no reason for me to be wary of relatives in this era, there were various unpleasant incidents in my past life when my mother was taken advantage of financially around the time my grandmother passed away. So, I prefer to minimize contact with them as much as possible. There's also the possibility that they might try to exploit me as a celebrity, but if that happens, I'm fully prepared to use my connections and whatever it takes to crush them.

Since we originally planned to stay overnight, we had dinner at my grandmother's house. Since Yoko-san had expressed her desire for seafood earlier in the day, my grandmother prepared delicious dishes, including grilled salmon, sashimi of tuna and bonito, and grilled turban shell. She also contacted a nearby liquor store, and we had beer and sake. During the meal, Yoko-san wore a look of happiness that seemed to say, "Is this heaven?"

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There is a change from Ms. Oshima to Ms. Azusa. It could be said that the relationship has become closer (it's a bit strange if Sumire still calls her Oshima even though they have been in a close relationship for more than 2 years).