Mano didn't know who the woman they were talking about was. She also did not want to interfere in the conversation between the two of them.
"Ah. While I still remember, so I'll just tell you now. I'm afraid I'll forget again later," said Nakatsura "the journalist."
"About what?" asked Nakatsura "the quiet man."
"That was before you moved away. You wanted to give something to the girl you've always looked up to. But at that time you didn't get paid yet, so you borrowed from me to buy the gift. A week later, you left and never contacted me, so I didn't know how I was supposed to get back the twenty thousand Shinyen you borrowed."
Nakatsura "the quiet man" just silent. He looked at Nakatsura "the journalist" with a surprised look. Maybe he forgot what happened a long time ago.
"Eh? Have you forgotten? Hanazono Akemi! That's the name of the girl you always glanced at when we walk home."
Nakatsura "the quiet man" seemed to try hard to remember.
"You wanted to buy her good quality Yellow Tea. I took you to Mr. Tebashi's shop to buy it. You didn't remember either? Tebashi Norio, an old man who always grumbles when someone stops by his shop but didn't buy anything. The shop was at the crossroads near the house we rented."
"Ah! Old Man Tebashi. I remember now." said Nakatsura "the quiet man."
"Eh, you can remember Mr. Tebashi, but forget about Akemi?" asked Nakatsura "the journalist" He was widening his eyes.
"That's been a long time. So many people were present in my life. How could I remember all of them?" said Nakatsura "the quiet man."
"Please try to remember again. Hanazono Akemi was very special. You couldn't just forget about her. She's a very tall girl. I still remember she always wore colorful rubber bands on her left wrist."
"Ah, I remember now. Yes, those rubber bands were a bit odd. Apparently, I have a terrible memory."
"Truly. I think we should celebrate our meeting. After work, we have to have a drink. What do you think?" asked Nakatsura "the journalist."
"Good. Before you forget, here I pay your money back." Nakatsura "the quiet man" took his wallet from his back pocket and took banknotes from his wallet. He gave Nakatsura "the journalist" twenty thousand Shinyen.
"Eh?" said Nakatsura "the journalist" as he accepted the money. He then glanced at Nakatsura "the quiet man." He smiled faintly.
"Oh, of course. Twenty thousand so many years ago would not be the same as twenty thousand today." Nakatsura "the quiet man" then opened his wallet again and gave ten thousand Shinyen to Nakatsura "the journalist." So thirty thousand Shinyen had changed hands quickly.
"Thank you. Thank you. I'll pay for the drinks later," said Nakatsura "the journalist." He was laughing.
Mano didn't know who the woman they were talking about was. She also did not want to interfere in the conversation between the two of them.
"Ah. While I still remember, so I'll just tell you now. I'm afraid I'll forget again later," said Nakatsura "the journalist."
"About what?" asked Nakatsura "the quiet man."
"That was before you moved away. You wanted to give something to the girl you've always looked up to. But at that time you didn't get paid yet, so you borrowed from me to buy the gift. A week later, you left and never contacted me, so I didn't know how I was supposed to get back the twenty thousand Shinyen you borrowed."
Nakatsura "the quiet man" just silent. He looked at Nakatsura "the journalist" with a surprised look. Maybe he forgot what happened a long time ago.
"Eh? Have you forgotten? Hanazono Akemi! That's the name of the girl you always glanced at when we walk home."
Nakatsura "the quiet man" seemed to try hard to remember.
"You wanted to buy her good quality Yellow Tea. I took you to Mr. Tebashi's shop to buy it. You didn't remember either? Tebashi Norio, an old man who always grumbles when someone stops by his shop but didn't buy anything. The shop was at the crossroads near the house we rented."
"Ah! Old Man Tebashi. I remember now." said Nakatsura "the quiet man."
"Eh, you can remember Mr. Tebashi, but forget about Akemi?" asked Nakatsura "the journalist" He was widening his eyes.
"That's been a long time. So many people were present in my life. How could I remember all of them?" said Nakatsura "the quiet man."
"Please try to remember again. Hanazono Akemi was very special. You couldn't just forget about her. She's a very tall girl. I still remember she always wore colorful rubber bands on her left wrist."
"Ah, I remember now. Yes, those rubber bands were a bit odd. Apparently, I have a terrible memory."
"Truly. I think we should celebrate our meeting. After work, we have to have a drink. What do you think?" asked Nakatsura "the journalist."
"Good. Before you forget, here I pay your money back." Nakatsura "the quiet man" took his wallet from his back pocket and took banknotes from his wallet. He gave Nakatsura "the journalist" twenty thousand Shinyen.
"Eh?" said Nakatsura "the journalist" as he accepted the money. He then glanced at Nakatsura "the quiet man." He smiled faintly.
"Oh, of course. Twenty thousand so many years ago would not be the same as twenty thousand today." Nakatsura "the quiet man" then opened his wallet again and gave ten thousand Shinyen to Nakatsura "the journalist." So thirty thousand Shinyen had changed hands quickly.
"Thank you. Thank you. I'll pay for the drinks later," said Nakatsura "the journalist." He was laughing.
