It's seven in the evening. My family is having dinner along with my Grandma in the dining room.
"—WOW! it's hamburger steak!"
I exclaimed with shining eyes and dripping mouth, over the delicacy that my mother made.
"Help yourself." my mother replied with a satisfied smile.
"How's your health Grandma?" Dad asked in the midst of it.
"Hoho! Don't worry about me! The heat just won over me, but not anymore! I've still got plenty of years to live." she said as as rolled her sleeves up and showed us her 'muscles'
My grandma has always been the healthy and rowdy type. She has been energetic for as long as I can remember.
I remember climbing mountains with her during my childhood and even surfing with her while we're being chased by a shark with it's jaws open and followed by a huge wave... Damn, would anyone believe that she's a hag?
Well, I still love her.
Grandma: "Sigh... Still with how things are right now, I probably won't visit there..."
Mom: "There... Oh! you mean..."
Dad: "Oh! It must be that time of the year again."
I turned my head left and right, looking at them and curious about their incomplete sentences.
"That time of the year? What do you mean?"
Mom: "You see, your Grandma has a yearly pass to a Ryoken situated at a distance from the village."
"R-RYOKEN?"
Hearing that, I drop my chopsticks on the table.
Grandma: "It's true... But I can't travel to hot springs with such I'll health. Oh now that I remember! Hitomi does love Hot springs! How about you go there in my place?"
"E-Eh? Can I? Do I go alone?"
Mom: "Well your mother is busy taking care of your Grandma, also your father will also leave tomorrow morning because of his work. We plan to stay at this village for another week and there's no one of your age here either. You can go to the hot springs if you want. Besides, you are at the age to take care of yourself now."
Somehow, things got very convenient...very. But I guess this must be a great chance to make some memories in this old and crappy village. There isn't much to do here anyways.
The next day, I depart for the Ryoken in the afternoon to get a taste of my favorite hot spring!
In an hour or so I arrive in front of the Ryoken and notice a different Ryoken at the distance too.
"...which is it?"
I question myself. Just as I was about to take out the pass out of my pocket to check the resort's name, an old man approaches me and asks—
"Are you Orimoto-san's grand daughter?"
"Huh? Uh, yes."
"I see! Please let me lead the way! You must have received the yearly pass, right? Please fill it in at the reception."
"Okay... "
Somehow I had a bad feeling about this, but since this person knows my grandmother it should be fine....right?
I walk into the Ryoken and fill in my card, but what I didn't notice at that moment was the that the same old man from yesterday was standing behind me and watched me going in.
—To Be Continued—