Chapter 17:
March 25: Kyoto
One Month to Figure out my Future
It was already wednesay. That meant we were finally going to Kyoto for our field trip.
As we were still at home I talked to Miyo: “Hey Miyo, as your big brother I have to tell you to be careful on your trip, and try to behave.”
“Yes, yes I’m just a year younger…”
“I trust you.”
“Alright, alright I’ll be a good girl.”
“Perfect, now we can go.”
“Big bro…”
“What?”
“Can you carry my suitcase?”
“Not a chance.”
“Whaaaat?? Ok I’ll be a bad girl during.”
“Get a move on, the elevator is about to close.”
I heard her start running.
“You are so mean!”
We all gathered in the school courtyard. Different classes were all forming little groups, I could also see Miyo’s class.
Both Miss. Kamuro and the history teacher were holding flags with our class number. I was waiting with my suitcase along with Hayato. The plan was to first take a bus to the station, then the bullet train, and finally another bus to get to the hotel.
Miss. Kamuro started shouting: “Ok everybody, I think I can start making the roll call. Just say “here” and raise your hand when I call your name!”
Both Hayao and I did so when we got called, and fortunately, also Rihoko did the same. I was happy she made it.
“Hey Satoshi, be a gentleman, go help Rihoko put her suitcase on the bus.”
“I barely have the strength to lift mine, plus, I’m sure the bus driver will do it for us.”
“I guess you are right.”
As we were waiting for Miss. Kamuro’s approval to start getting on the bus, I put one hand in my pocket and felt a piece of paper. I did not recall putting anything on my pockets so I took it out.
There was something written on it: “Hi big brother, as I promised, here you have a complete list of the best romantic places In Kyoto. Don’t even try to throw it away, I’m watching you…” Then there was a long list of places.
I looked for Miyo’s group and she was looking straight to me. She started making all kinds of signs but I just ignored her.
As I predicted, the bus driver was kind enough to load all of our suitcases on the bus. We got on the bus and I sat next to Hayato.
“Ready for four days of pure excitement?”
“I guess.”
“Come on Satoshi I want to hear more energy!”
“Yeeees, let’s do it.”
“Now it’s better.”
“Hayato, have you ever been to Kyoto?”
“No, what about you?”
“Same, it will be my fist time.”
“Guys you now that in Kyoto there is the “International Manga Museum”?”
Rihoko just appeared from the seat behind us and stuck her head between me and Hayato.
I replied: “No… I didn’t now, have already been to Kyoto?”
“No, but as the literary club member I must be informed about everything regarding reading.”
That made sense. After that, she got back to her seat.
I turned around to check out who she was sitting with. It was a girl with headphones connected to her smart phone, but I had trouble trying to remember her name.
“So Rihoko, who will you be staying with, in the hotel?”
“With Saki.”
She pointed at the girl sitting next to her. Saki, yes, I don’t think she ever made something to stick out, exactly like Rihoko. I think she usually sits in front of Rihoko in class, but I might be wrong.
“Well, hope we can all have a nice trip.”
I turned back and took my smart phone out to play some games.
Hayato whispered me in the ear: “Hey, that girl, Saki, it’s pretty cute eh?”
“I guess.”
“Is there anything else other that “I guess” that you can say?”
“I guess not”
He gave me a harmless punch on the shoulder.
“Hayato, come on, let’s have a match.”
“Oh so you want me to teach you a lesson?”
“Sure, bring it on.”
We spent the rest of this short ride to the station battling each other. When we had to get off we were tied 2 to 2.
I said to Hayato: “I’ll finish you on the train.”
“Yes, keep talking…”
“Alright! Everybody get off the bus, hurry up! We don’t want to miss the train!” I think Miss. Kamuro’s reached also the people living in Kyoto.
We got off, took our luggage and got on the bullet train which would have brought us to Kyoto.
Hayato sat on one of those seats which have other two seats facing the opposite direction. I already hated the idea of having somebody in front of me, having the risk of meet his eyesight for two hours.
Fortunately the people who took those two seats where Rihoko and Saki. It wasn’t that bad after all…
Me and Hayato finishe our game while Saki was still listening to music and Rihoko was reading a book. I also noticed that since back when we where at school, she has not been wairing her messy bun.
I ended up winning the last match.
“Good game… but it wasn’t enough to beat me.”
“Whatever… Hey have a look.”
He was looking directly towards Rihoko, I looked and she was already sleeping still with the books in her hands.
“You know Satoshi, you helped her, you helped Megumi, you helped me, but there is still someone you have to help.”
“And who is this person?”
“Yourself.”
“What do you mean?”
“What about you career plan? I know it has been bothering you.”
“I just have to write it a little bit better and everything will be fine.”
“It’s not about how you write it, it’s about what you write. In reality you still don’t know what you want to do.”
“It’s not that easy…”
“I think you have done thing that are way more complicated.”
“I promise I will think about it.”
“That’s the spirit, now if you don’t mind I will also have a little nap. Can I rest on your shoulder?”
“Hell no.”
We both laughed a bit but not too loudly so we would not wake Rihoko.
I brought out my earphones to some music too. As soon as I plugged in the earphones in the jack, Saki stopped looking outside of the windows and said: “What kind of music do you like?”
That was unexpected.
“Well, I think they call it EDM, electronic dance music.”
“Yes I know that genre, you don’t seem the type to like that kind of music.”
“It’s good to listen to it when you play videogames, it gives a nice push.”
“I see, what’s your favorite DJ then?”
“Let me think… Steve Aoki. You know he is also half Japanese.”
“Yes, I know him.”
“What music genre do you prefer instead?”
“I listen to all kind of music, but if I had to choose one I would say Indie Music.”
“Sorry what is that?”
“Indie stands for Independent, is basically music produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries.”
“Ohh, I see, it sounds pretty cool.”
“You want to listen to something?”
No, I don’t really want, but I think in this kind of situations you are supposed to say yes.
“Sure, why not.”
In the end we exchanged a couple of songs and went back to listen to our regular music. I wasn’t really impressed by what she made me listen to, I needed to hear some good drops in my music.
After two hours we got to our destination, Kyoto. I woke both Hayato and Rihoko.
Hayato asked me: “Did I just sleep for the entire trip?”
“Yes you did.”
“Oh wow, I’m getting older.”
“That’s warring since I’m actually a bit older than you.”
Hayato’s birthday was in September.
We all got off the train and gathered all around our teachers. Miss. Kamuro checked if we were all there once again.
“It seems nobody is missing. That’s great, now we just have to take another bus and we will be able to relax a bit at the hotel.”
Once again I found myself sitting next to Hayato but this time he was able to keep his eyes open.
The ride took a bit longer that I expected, indeed our hotel was almost out of the city. I don’t know if this was a good or a bad thing but Miss. Kamuro had told us that we would have an onsen right inside the hotel.
The hotel looked fairly modern with some accents of traditional Japanese architecture. We checked in and gathered in the hall. After another check from Miss. Kamuro we were able to reach our rooms.
“Remember, no boys and girls mixed! I will come and check every single room later. You will have some time to unpack and settle, we will eat here at the hotel at 13pm, we will discuss the plans for the afternoon then.”
Hayato and I had the room number 16, we found it and after sliding the electronic key we got in.
“Since I won the game, I shall choose in which bed to sleep.”
“Not fair…”
“I think it’s really fair, I’ll take that one.”
I pointed to the bet close to the window just because I wanted the one that was the farthest from the door.
The room wasn’t that big but felt cozy and since we were staying there just a couple of days, it was enough for us.
“Hayato, just remember one thing, if tonight you start snoring, you will receive a pillow directly in your face.”
“What makes you think that I would snore?”
“Before you said you were starting to get older.”
“Damn, you got me there. Anyways the same thing goes for you…”
Ten minutes before 13pm we headed for the hotel’s kitchen. Miss. Kamuro was already there with some other students. Once she saw us, she came to talk.
“Narukami and Kamizaki, good to see you, everything good?”
We both replied with a simple: “Yes.”
“Awesome, because this afternoon we will have some more fun.”
“What do you have in plan?”
“Do you know the Nishiki Market?”
“No…”
“You’ll find out, now let’s eat.”
We had lunch and right after that we were back on another bus. By now I have seen more means of transport than anything else. I was still sitting next to Hayato, and Rihoko was on my right with Saki.
I asked her: “Do you know anything about the Nishiki Market?”
“No, nothing at all.”
Saki jumped in the conversation although I’m still wondering hwo she was able to hear us with her headphones on: “I know, Nishiki Market is a long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. It specializes in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware.”
Wow, that was one hell of a description. She sounded just like a Wikipedia page.
Rihoko told her: “That’s impressive, you know so many things Saki.”
Saki simply went back to listening to music. I don’t know how fun it will be to see some dead fish at a marker but we will see.
At the market we gathered once again around our teachers.
“As you can see we are the Nishiki Market, here you can find any sort of food, but we are not here to do some shopping. We will meet a master sushi chef! Alright let’s all go meet him, I’m sure he has something ready for you guys.”
A master sushi chef, that sounded pretty cool.
Miss. Kamuro guided us to the chef’s restaurant and she introduced us to him.
“He is chef Miyazato, you will join a sushi making class lead by him. I hope you can all find out about the history of this cuisine and how it evolved. And don’t worry, you will be able to eat the sushi made by you. Give it all your best.”
Cooking… anything but cooking. As I already said, the cooking talent went all to Miyo.
Chef Miyazato took over: “Young boys and girls, I would like you to work in pairs, choose wisely your partner, if you are not confident enough go with someone who has more experience. You will all have different types of sushi to work on, I will come to each one of you and explain more about the dish and giving some tips.”
I asked Hayato: “You are a disaster at cocking right?”
“Weeell, let’s just say that it’s not my best skill.”
I didn’t want to pair up with someone I didn’t know. Wait! I need to find Rihoko.
“Rihoko, do you already have a partner?”
She immediately turned red, I think she missed the point.
“…for the cocking class I mean.”
“Oh, right, well I think Saki will be just fine on her own if you need help.”
“Yes, you know I can’t even brew some tea.”
“Alright let’s go, this time I’ll be the one helping you.”
We were assigned the Temaki-sushi. The chef explained to us that it’s basically a sushi roll with raw fish and other ingredients wrapped in rice and seaweed in a conical shape and often eaten by hand.
The fact that it need to be shaped like a freaking cone made it really complicated to prepare.
“Ok Satoshi, let’s start from the sushi rice. We simply have to steam the rice and season it with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.”
I gathered all the ingredients and tried to keep up with her.
“For the ingredients to put inside we don’t have much of a choice, we have tuna, radish sprouts, shiso leaves and cucumbers. You can get the vegetables washed and prepared, I will handle the cutting of the tuna.”
Ok, washing and cutting some grass, I can do it.
“Now for the assembly, we just follow the chef’s instructions. Correct me if I remember something wrong. We have to cut a square seaweed sheet in half, place the seaweed with the shiny side down, on the palm of the hand…”
I was following every single move of her and replicating it.
“… then we put some sushi rice at a 45-degree angle to the top left corner of the seaweed and we spread it evenly. Now we can add the ingredients however we want basically.”
“Waiit I’m a step behind, I got lost when you started talking about geometry.”
She laughed.
“Let me help you.”
She put her hads around mine to help me shape the sushi correctly. I could notice her cheecks get a bit colored, but it might have been the heat in the kitched.
When it came to put the ingredients we desired, I didn’t put nay cucumber because I have it, and If I was going to eat that sushi, it needed to be cucumber free.
“Alright we are almost done. Roll the bottom left corner up to the middle of the top edge of the seaweed to form a triangle, and continue rolling until you get a cone shape.”
Easier said than done…
Mine didn’t resemble much a cone but I guess it was close enough.
“Finally, put a piece of rice on the tip of the seaweed to make sure it doesn’t unfold.”
That was actually a cool technique. And there it was, a Temaki-sushi… I think.
Once we were all finished the chef came to have a look at the final results, needless to say that he complimented Rihoko’s one while he wasn’t really impressed by mine, whatever…
We ea our sushi’s and got back to Miss. Kamuro.
“Hope you had some fun making sushi!”
You can’t imagine how much fun I had…
I spotted Hayato and asked him: “Hey man, who did you pair up with?”
“Saki, it turned out that she is actually really good at cooking, but my skills are pretty horrific.”
“Guys, we still have some time left. You can wonder off in the market for an hour, try as much food as you want. But remember, I want you all back here in one hour! Don’t make me wait.”
Hayato and I explored the market a bit but I soon had to find a place to rest my poor legs so we ordered some drinks.
“Is Rihoko a good teacher?”
“I guess, and Saki?”
“Absolutely not, she doesn’t talk that much but when she speaks, it’s like a dictionary which spits super complicated words.”
We all had that impression…
At the of the day it was a fun experience, at least I tried something different.
Back at the hotel we decided to relax a bit in the onsen even tought I never really liked the idea of bathing naked with other people. I think there were many different baths with different properties but we didn’t really pay much attention to that. We chose a random one and got in. We were the only ones in it. It was super hot but it felt really good once I got used to the heat.
“Hey Satoshi, be honest. Do you like Rihoko?”
“I mean, as a friend…”
“Come on, she can’t just be a friend to you.”
“Why not?”
“Look at all that you did for her, considering the fact that you usually avoid to people… there must be something more than a simple friendship.”
“I don’t know, even if I liked her, I don’t think I would do anything to change our current relationship.”
“Why?”
“It’s not my thing, if I have to consider pros and cons of a serious relationship, well I prefer one hundred percent to be alone.”
“You and your numbers…”
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