After having dinner, instead of watching TV in the living room, it was my habit to immediately retreat to my room upstairs. I actually loved watching TV, but whenever I did so, my parents would always ask me questions regarding my studies. I obviously didn’t like it, and before I knew it, I had gotten out of the habit of watching TV.
However, just because I stayed cooped up in my room didn’t mean I studied, I just passed my time reading manga.
In the past, in order to not get caught by my parents, I used to have study books, reference books, and my notebooks spread out on my desk, so I could pretend to be seated in my desk and studying as soon as I heard my parents coming up the stairs. But for today, perhaps I wouldn’t have to pretend. It was because a welcome party had been organized for Aunt Yuka, who was welcomed as a new family member, albeit for a while. Unlike my mom, who can hardly handle beer, my aunt is indeed a member of the Miyajima family. No matter how much she drank, she never got drunk.
So, Dad was very happy to have someone to drink with. It was a rare occasion for both of them to drink beer together in a harmonious atmosphere.
The sound of my dad, mom, and aunt laughing as they chatted could be heard from downstairs.
Because of her exuberant personality, my aunt has the ability to cheer up everyone around her.
As long as my aunt was here, the tense atmosphere between me and my parents because of the upcoming entrance exams seemed to be relieved for the time being. Thinking about that, perhaps it wasn’t a bad thing for my aunt to move into our house.
Eventually, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
The sound of the footsteps climbing the stairs were different than usual and had a bit of peculiar rhythm. Since it didn’t sound like the footsteps of either my mom or dad, I guessed that it must have belonged to my aunt.
Just as I predicted, the voice of my aunt was heard a few moments later along with a polite knock.
“Tomohiro-kun^^? What are you doing^^?”
Thinking that my mom must have sent Aunt Yuka here to watch over if I was studying, I hurried to my desk before replying.
“Ah, I’m studying… I would have to take the entrance exam after all.”
“Really? That’s great! I can come in, right?”
Although she asked for permission, she entered without hesitation even before I could deny.
I thought that if she saw me at my desk, she would think I was studying and go back, not bothering to stay and watch over me… However, she not only stayed but also started talking.
“I see, I see, so Tomohiro-kun will also be taking the entrance exam this year. It’s great that you’re back to studying right after eating!”
I didn’t retire to my room early to study, I did so that my parents wouldn’t get angry at me and started nagging…. I couldn’t help the guilt that washed over me at the misconception.
This kind of misunderstanding when people think I’m an industrious and studious person always makes me feel apologetic.
I almost confessed to my aunt that I wasn’t really studying, but I was just too crass…… to risk telling her that.
I felt like I would be inviting more nagging from my parents if I did tell her exactly what I was doing.
Therefore, although I felt guilty, I decided it was better for her to think I was diligent.
“You’re preparing for the mock test?!…… I don’t think I could graduate from highschool if I’m asked to go back to being a student one more time…!”
“But Aunt Yuka, aren’t you a detective? A detective has to be smart to work with the police, right?”
“Hahaha, that’s not true at all. You have to be smart only in cases of having a degree in law. And they don’t even have to work that much. It’s better to be someone with passion than having a high school diploma!”
I didn’t know about Aunt Yuka’s academic background, but seeing her talking as if studying isn’t important at all, I could guess how terrible it had been.
However, I thought that the work of Aunt Yuka was completely unrelated to her academic background. Thinking so, I concluded that her academic background was of no concern to me.
“Don’t get caught up in only doing good academically, Tomohiro-kun, and aim to become a fine adult. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should neglect your studies at all. However, there are many things you need to learn in addition to studying, you know.”
“Such as…?”
“Having fun! Cherishing your relationships with your friends. Being stuck at home and playing games is the worst way to pass the time. By the way, Tomohiro-kun, do you have any good friends whom you regularly hang out with?”
Hiroyuki and Toru. Them and I, we three were definitely close friends.
We’ve known each other since elementary school, and even our grades were somewhat similar. This is why, I was sure we would get admitted together in the same highschool. Through all the funny or stupid moments, we were always together. We have a relationship where we can confide anything to each other. When I told my aunt about this, she laughed happily.
“I see, in that case, I believe Tomohiro-kun is studying well enough. Taking care of your friends and having fun with them is the most important thing. Since you’re just a teenager, anything you do would be just a laughing matter. Might as well do something that would anger the adults and get you into trouble. Otherwise, you would grow up to be an adult who can’t differentiate rights from wrongs.”
“But isn’t it wrong to get into trouble and make people angry….?”
“Well, by getting into trouble I didn’t mean to do something very wrong. But you know, children who grew up fighting a lot as a child tend to be more responsible and mature after growing up and don’t often get into fights. If you grow up to be a well-behaved child and then get into trouble for the first time as an adult, you usually end up being anxious because you don’t know how to handle the situation. Think of it as a way of learning by getting into trouble while you’re still young and won’t be punished severely because of that.”
“Does that mean I’ll have to start fighting with others now….? If I do that, there would be a bad record in my application.”
“Ummm….yes, you’re right. We’re living in a tight time, ahahaha.”
Hearing her talking like this, I remembered the things I’ve heard from dad regarding Aunt Yuka’s childhood.
Apparently, Aunt Yuka was one of the naughtiest kids in the neighborhood, often getting into trouble because of her mischief. She would be taken to the police station quite often and get scolded by them, and in the end, her parents would have to go and get her.
But looking at the energetic but responsible woman I see today, I realize that such things were not meaningless at all.
I guess hovering above your desk isn’t the only way to learn new things…. It felt reassuring to hear it since I don’t like to study at all.
“Aunt Yuka, what mischief did you do as a child?”
“Umm…. I think my black history has already been revealed! Then I guess I should just reveal everything. But Tomohiro-kun, you mustn’t be like me! I used to steal treats from a candy store, or go into someone’s garden and pull out their plants.”
Obviously, things she did seem like criminal acts, but…. Perhaps because Aunt Yuka was the one telling them, it sounded like a children’s adventure when told by her.
If I get caught doing those mischief in this day and age…. It certainly is tough for us.
For some reason, I couldn’t help but be a little envious of the idyllic times of Aunt Yuka, when the police only lectured her after catching and sent her home.
“I once hit someone’s dog with a rock! I also tried to steal from an offering box!”
The moment the word ‘offering box’ was uttered, I flinched.
“Is it really possible to steal money from an offering box…?”
“Usually you can’t. The one at the shrine in the town where I used to live had a lattice frame that could be removed. That’s why I thought it would be so easy to extract the contents! The popsicles I bought with that money were so good! Back at that time, there was a rumor that popsicles were unhealthy, so my parents wouldn’t let me buy them. That was the very first time I had ever eaten it, so it was really delicious and tasty. Now I feel bad every time I think about what I did in my childhood. But even so, those memories are precious to me.”
Compared to my cowardly self, who thought that I might anger the gods if I were to open an offering box, Aunt Yuka was really courageous as a girl.
Even gods must have avoided such a person.
“But money offered in an offering box is an offering to the gods…. Weren’t you afraid of being cursed or punished by the gods?”
Aunt Yuka gave me a puzzled look before bursting out laughing. She looked as if she had never thought about it until now.
“I never once thought that I would be punished by gods. But if I do it now, it will be the police punishing me rather than the gods. So, Tomohiro-kun, you should never attempt to steal money. Hahahaha.”
“I have heard that curses or punishment of gods aren’t something like getting hit by but something you receive magically. But I think people like Aunt Yuka will probably never be cursed by a god.”
“Hmm? What do you mean by that?”
I didn’t mean to sound like I said that because she had an eccentric personality, but I guess Aunt Yuka thought that was what I meant.
“Uh, it’s, it’s not what you think. By people like Aunt Yuka I meant those who are open-minded and easygoing. I don’t think they get punished or cursed for taking offering money. It’s more like, you don’t even bother to care if something bad indeed is happening to you. On the other hand, people who often get into trouble for the bad things they have done may think it’s their misfortune. No matter how small or big, they would think that God is punishing them for what they did.”
“…..I see. It seems Tomohiro-kun can also say some very clever things. It’s the same case for most of the ordinary people. People who are depressed feel as if the whole world is against them when they face some trouble. But people with strong hearts can handle anything! That’s why they can perfectly handle any situation that comes their way.”
“That’s what I mean. But I don’t think people think gods are punishing them for doing something wrong… It’s more like their guilty heart that makes them fear the punishment of gods.”
In the end, it all depends how you perceive it.
Neither gods nor their punishment exist in this world. When the heart feels guilt or regret, it unconsciously desires to be punished or be cursed. And, we take the small things in our daily life as punishment from gods.
“Tomohiro-kun, you’ve reached the age where you are interested in such a philosophical way of thinking. I can’t believe it was just a few days ago when you were running around calling and crying for your mother. Hahaha!”
Aunt Yuka laughed out loud with her usual sunny personality. I also couldn’t help but laugh along with her…. Although we both had the blood of Miyajima family, I don’t seem to have the same emotional strength as my aunt……
Even though I was scared to touch an offering box, I did so with the hope that I wouldn’t be punished by gods.
Which meant that not only was I afraid of being punished or cursed by gods, I was a coward with an extremely fragile heart. It wasn’t as if I was trying to break into a safe that has tens of billions of yen in it, but I was only trying to open an offering box that probably has no more than a few hundred yen in it.
Even so, I always had this fear that I was gonna get into trouble because of that silly wish….
Perhaps I could never be a real bad boy.
