What if you could be a teenager again?

“Hey, Shou! Are you busy? Want to meet at the usual place?" Arakaki really needed a drink and he rarely did so alone. Shou was only his drinking buddy but despite their limited relationship he liked the middle aged salaryman well enough.

"Ah! Sorry, Shuji! Not tonight. My son is bringing his fiancée over for dinner and we haven't met her yet. I'll have to pass this time. We'll get together one night next week. My boss has been breathing down my neck and..." Come one man. I don't care about your troubles. I just wanted someone to drink with. Stop talking my ear off.

“Yeah, yeah. Well, have a good evening with your family. See you someday next week, Shou."

"Have a beer for me, Shuji! See you next week!"

Arakaki hung up the phone and hung his head. He hated drinking alone. Nothing was more depressing than being a lone drunk. Still, he needed to relax and so subconsciously began heading toward he and Shou's usual izakaya. He thought about the different issues that came up throughout the day. The different problems that each student brought to him. He thought about Urushima and how close he was to finally asking her out on a date. Before he knew it, he was mad again. Mad at his students for getting in the way. Mad at them for being so fickle and cruel to each other. Mad at their pranks and their lack of drive. He was just mad at the whole situation. As he stewed in his anger and frustration he found himself at his destination. A slapdash sign written in black marker was posted on the door. It read, "Closed for this week! Gone on vacation. Will be open again on Monday! Sorry for the inconvenience!" Oh great, this was the one place I felt truly comfortable drinking solo. You've got to be kidding me!

Dejected, he walked silently through the streets in the area looking for a place that was inviting enough for him to stop and sit down. After about an hour, he finally gave up and decided to just drink some beer at home. He had to pass by the usual izakaya on the way to the train station. When he did, he noticed a small eatery and bar just across the street. He could smell the food being cooked and hear the sounds of liquid being poured. It drew him in with an almost supernatural allure.

When he passed under the noren and entered the establishment, he was confused to see an empty space. There were only six seats at the "L" shaped bar and one Proprietor behind the counter cleaning a countertop. No customers sat at the bar but Arakaki could swear he had heard the sounds of a full restaurant just a moment ago. Despite these bizarre aspects, he felt oddly calm here. Before he could decide to either stay or turn around, The Proprietor looked up from his cleaning and gave a huge smile.

"A customer! Wonderful! Welcome. Please do come in! Come in! Have a seat and I'll be right with you."

Arakaki moved without thinking and before he could protest had his coat jacket draped on a wall hanger and his messenger briefcase tucked underneath his chair. He loosened his tie and felt his stress begin to slip away. However, his annoyance toward his students remained. After looking at the menu, he ordered a beer and dumplings and took in the atmosphere of the place.

The walls were covered in pictures of various businesspeople smiling and holding drinks in their hands. He noted that they looked genuinely happy. A few pictures had construction workers, soldiers, and other working men. Though in the minority, a few young mothers could be seen drinking seltzer water with their young ones in their arms. Arakaki noticed something peculiar. Besides the women with their children, all the people in the photos were alone. He didn't think on it too long and started taking notice of The Proprietor himself. He was a portly older man, probably in his mid-50's, with skin that hadn't seen too much sun recently. His salt-and-pepper hair peeked out from under the edges of the small black cap on his head and his thick bushy mustache was similarly colored. Arakaki marveled as he worked with purpose and every move was done with exacting precision. Pretty soon an ice cold beer and steaming dumplings were in front of him. He took a bite and was amazed at the simple, warm flavors that swirled on his pallet. Even the beer, a brand he was used to drinking, tasted better than usual. I guess I really needed this! It's definitely hitting the spot!

The Proprietor sat on a stool behind the counter and asked, "I've never seen you here before. What's your name? I'm Shirogumo Tarou. The owner of this establishment." He smiled and waited as Arakaki finished one last gulp of beer and sighed in satisfaction.

"I'm Arakaki Shuji. Nice to meet you Shirogumo-san. Your accent? Are also from Kansai?" he wiped his mouth with his napkin and began to eat the last dumpling.

"Ha! Yes! I'm from Sanda, just northwest of Osaka. You from that area too?" The Proprietor's original polite smile now grew into a genuine full grin as a connection between the two men was being formed. He reached down, grabbed Arakaki's glass and began filling it again.

"No way! Seriously? I'm from Sanda too! I lived near Chuo Park and the hospital! This is amazing. What are you doing way up here in Iwate?" Arakaki took the newly refilled glass with enthusiasm and took a large gulp. The Proprietor motioned to his dumpling plate.

"Want more?" he asked

"Oh yes, please! They were delicious!" he handed his plate over.

"Sure thing! Coming right up!" He got right to work cooking a new order of dumplings and began to answer Arakaki's question. "I came up after my mother passed away. Don't have any siblings and my father had passed away years prior. So, I wanted a clean break. I wanted to see mountains and had had more than enough saved up to retire early. Still wanted to do something with my time, though. So, I started this establishment. Gets me some spending money on the side and I get to meet interesting people like you, Arakaki Shuji." He handed Arakaki a full plate of dumplings and smiled again.

Wow, that was fast! Arakaki looked at the full glass of beer next to the plate. When did he refill that? Oh well, I must be getting a little drunk already. He reached up and grabbed the glass. This is what? Glass three? Or four? Eh, who cares. After downing half the glass, Arakaki let out a sigh that was louder than it needed to be.

As the night went on, Arakaki kept eating and drinking. The conversation with The Proprietor was smooth and natural with no awkward pauses. They spoke of their hometown and the differing circumstances of their childhoods. It felt like talking to a long lost relative. Arakaki praised the social lubricant of alcohol but noticed that it was this entire place that made him more at ease. I've got to bring Shou here. This should become our new spot!

"Why are you here, Shuji?" The Proprietor abruptly asked as he washed a plate.

"Me? Oh, I got a job at one of the private schools in the area after college and..."

"No. I meant why are you here tonight, in my establishment." His tone shifted slightly to a more somber and serious one. He also didn't look up from cleaning and examining the glass in his hands.

"Why am I...hmmm?" It all flooded back. The feelings of resentment that had been stored up all day long. His anger, frustration, and discontentment all came crashing back into his mind. Only this time with alcohol fueling the charge.

"I came here to forget my good-for-nothing students! Why did you have to remind me? They drive me crazy! They're lazy, cruel, annoying, and butt in when they're not wanted! They constantly show the shallowest of understanding and don't even try to be responsible. Whether to me or their classmates, they have no kindness anywhere in their body. I hate them! I want to quit my job so much! If I wasn't living from paycheck to paycheck and have a mountain of debt, I would quit! Ah!" Arakaki, now fully feeling the effects of his numerous beers, threw back another large gulp and slammed the empty glass on the counter, "Another!"

The Proprietor nodded, "Last one, okay?" He then set Arakaki's full glass down on the table. Arakaki stared in disbelief between his hand, still in the position needed to hold the glass, and the full beer on the table.

"How did..."

"So, you think the students are the cause of all your problems? Why’s that? They’ve got their own lives and frustrations to deal with. I doubt they’re purposefully making yours miserable.”

He shook his head a bit and frowned once more. "Frustrations? About what? Being a teenager is so easy! What are they frustrated about?" Arakaki began to mimic his students in a mocking voice, ”Oh no! Why won't he notice me? How am I going to get a good grade on this test? Are we going to nationals? Gyaaa Gyaaa Gyaaa!" His face and voice fell flat again. "Give me a break. They don't know what it means to truly struggle like adults do. Their lives are so easy in comparison."

"And you know this, how?"

"How? They're teenagers! I used to be one! The most they have to worry about is bullying, dating, and keeping up with school assignments. Most of which won't matter in 20 years. Maybe some of them got it rough at home but those are few and far between." Arakaki took the last gulp of beer and ate the last dumpling with some ferocity.

"So you think your students have it easy, do you? If you were able, would you want to see what life is like on their level? Would you change your perspective to see what they could teach you, their teacher?" The Proprietor was now sitting next to Arakaki who jumped a bit when he noticed the old man.

"How did...Yes! Yes! I would gladly live on their level! I bet it would be an awesome vacation from the drudgery of adult life. Not possible though. No way a 34 year old can re-enter the world of teenagers. Not possible and probably criminal."

"What if it was possible? What if you could be a teenager again? What if you could see life from the perspective of your students? An awesome vacation you say? Care to put that to the test?"

Arakaki, well beyond a slight buzz at this point, raised his eyebrow. "You're crazy. Absolutely crazy. That's why this place was empty! It's run by a crazy man!" His voice grew louder as he spoke to an imaginary crowd, "Hear that folks? He's nuts!" After laughing for a full minute, he finally said, "Get me my tab crazy man. I was planning on bringing Shou here, not anymore!"

Arakaki bent down to grab his briefcase for a second and when he turned back, The Proprietor was behind the counter again inputting the orders into the register. There was no way back there as far as Arakaki could see. How did he do that?

“I’m serious." was all that The Proprietor said as he handed the bill over.

Arakaki took the small black tray and reached into his pocket for his wallet. When he looked up at The Proprietor, there he was smiling the same polite smile as when Arakaki came in. Except this time, even in his drunken state, Arakaki noticed a look in the old man's eye that reminded him of a child keeping a secret. He sighed.

"Okay, I'll bite. How? How would you help me change my perspective to see things like my students? Is there some teacher-student exchange program I don't know about? This isn't a cult thing is it? I don't want..."

"Here." The Proprietor placed a small glass of water on the counter in front of Arakaki and then plopped two tablets inside. They fizzed and gave the whole drink a carbonation effect. He was no longer smiling. It was replaced by a stern and thoughtful look. "If you're serious. If you truly want to see things from the perspective of others and walk in their shoes. Then drink this. Otherwise, pay your tab and go. The choice is yours, Arakaki Shuji. Make it quickly."

The Proprietor's facial expression sobered him up a bit but Arakaki looked straight into the man's eyes. If he was lying about this, he was beyond an expert liar. Arakaki's eyes bounced from the glass of fizzy water to The Proprietor's face and back again several times. Finally, after several long moments, Arakaki Shuji reached up and took the glass. The old man's eyes lit up as the water was downed in a few big gulps. After a satisfying burp, Arakaki made a simple declaration.

"You really are….crazy....you...old....man...." He then slipped into blissful unconsciousness.

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He woke with a start. His heartbeat was fast and quick as if after a nightmare. His forehead clammy and his head itself pulsed with discomfort. All his muscles ached as if he had done an intense workout the day before. This is one weird hangover. Arakaki waited for his eyes to adjust and focus but they didn’t. He couldn’t see! Everything was blurry and misshapen. He hadn't worn glasses for years since he got corrective laser surgery yet he instinctively reached for them on his side table. Sure enough, they were there. He put them on and his jaw dropped.

This was not his apartment. And in a mirror across the room, sitting in bed, was not Arakaki. At least not how he knew he looked. No, with his glasses on he could see clearly. He was looking at his teenage self.

This can't be real.