HA3 11.3 - The Departure
In his mother’s office, Takeo played puzzle with Rei and Kei. He would be away for one whole week, so he wanted to spend his time as much as possible with Rei and Kei before the departure. Then, her mother suddenly entered the room.
“Are you sure you already bring anything you need?” Takeo’s mother gently asked.
“Mom,” Takeo calmly said. “I already check it three times. Everything is good.”
“I see.”
“It’s too bad Hide can’t come here to have a meal with us before your departure.”
Takeo nodded and said, “It can’t be help. He has morning training and he want to spend his time before the departure with Aizawa.”
“Maybe we should talk about it one more time with him, that he can let Aizawa to stay with us while he is away,” Takeo’s mother firmly said. “It’s much better than letting Aizawa stay in her school for one whole week.”
“Yeah,” Kei suddenly said while nodded her head a few times. “If Big Sis Aizawa stays with us, we can play with her every night.”
“Can we just take her to our house after Big Bro and Big Bro Hide depart?” Rei proposed an idea.
“What do you say about it son?” Takeo’s mother happily said. “Can we do it?”
“We can’t,” Takeo firmly said.
“Why?” Rei asked curiously.
“When it comes to Aizawa, Hide is very protective like a fierce duckling mother. He will be very angry if we take Aizawa from her school without her consent.”
“I see,” Takeo’s mother calmly said. “We won’t take Aizawa from her school, but we will visit her.”
“I guess a visit is fine.”
After hearing they would visit Aizawa in her school, Rei and Kei immediately had big smiles in their face. At the same time, Takeo received notification in his tablet. Paolo was about 5 minutes away from his family restaurant.
Wasting no time, Takeo hugged Rei, Kei, and his mother in turn. After that he said his goodbye to his father in the kitchen, and then went to wait Paolo in nearby bus stop. He didn’t need to wait for long before Paolo showed up driving a grey SUV. After putting his luggage in the trunk, he then took the passenger seat.
---
After sending a message to Shorimachi, Hide bought several packs of bread, bags of potato chips, and boxes of juice in convenience store near Kitaro. After that he went straight to visit Aizawa. Then, right after he took a turn in the last corner, he saw Sayaka, her mother, and Kaede Sensei stood in Kitaro’s front gate.
They talked and laughed, and then Sayaka and her mother gave Kaede Sensei a small bow before they went to their car and gone. At the same time, Kaede Sensei turned her gaze to Hide’s direction. She instantly recognized him and smiled at him. Then, she waited until he arrived before her.
“Good afternoon, Sensei,” Hide said while giving Kaede Sensei a small bow.
“Good afternoon, Hide.” After a smile Kaede Sensei added, “Shinji join us starting today. Per your request, I put him together with Aizawa and Kana.”
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“Thank you, Sensei.”
“No problem. It’s nothing.”
“What instrument he will play?”
“Trumpet.”
“So, it will be a team of piano, violin, and trumpet.”
“Yeah, and I get a hunch it will become a very good team.”
“I see.”
“And if you want to see Aizawa before your trip, she is in the side yard with the other two,” Kaede Sensei casually said. “Usually, I can’t let outsider enter the side yard unless we have festival, but for you I will make an exception.”
“Thank you, Sensei.”
After giving Kaede Sensei another small bow, Hide immediately went to the side yard. Like any Saturday, after the lunch the kids who stayed in Kitaro had no class and lots of them would enjoy their spare time by chatting in the side yard or longue.
With ease, Hide spotted Aizawa, Kana, and Shinji. They sat together in one of stone tables. He then took detour and stop in the last corner because he wanted to listen to their conversation.
“Chubb,” Kana said. “Following the sacred tradition in this school, as the newest member you will become errand boy in our team.”
“Are you saying I have to buy you soft drink and snacks?” Shinji curiously asked.
“That’s one of your jobs as errand boy.”
“What do you want me to buy?” Shinji obediently accepted his fate.
“Three bags of potato chips and three boxes of juice,” Aizawa said. “You can buy it from vending machine near the front office.”
Shinji immediately took a small wallet from his pocket, took a piece of 100 Ren coins from it, and put it in the table. “But this is all the money I have right now. I will receive my weekly allowance on Monday, can we wait until then?”
“Chubb, we are not bullying you,” Kana said. “We will put in together our money. It’s not just your money.”
“Okay.”
Aizawa then put three 100 Ren coins on the table. “For today, you don’t need to chip in.”
“We will cover your share,” Kana said while putting another three 100 Ren coins on the table.
“Wait a second.” Shinji looked at six 100 Ren coins in the table as he continued, “How can you have so much money in the weekend? How much is your allowance?”
“500 Ren per week,” Aizawa said.
“Me too, 500 Ren per week,” Kana added.
Big question mark instantly appeared in Shinji’s forehead. “500 Ren per week, but you still have 300 Ren in the weekend. Don’t tell me you don’t buy snack in the weekday.”
“We don’t,” Kana casually said. “Or to be precise, we don’t need to.”
“In the weekday, we have 15 minutes snack-rest at ten in the morning and four in the afternoon, and the snack is super-duper tasty. Our pastry staffs are really good at making snack,” Aizawa happily explained.
“I see.”
At the same time, light smile bloomed at Hide’s lips. Honestly, Hide felt bad for indirectly making Aizawa lost her first manga buddy, but now the two would have the chance to resume their manga talk. Hide then stepped out from his hideout.
“Yo,” Hide casually said while putting the convenience store bag he carried on the table.
“Big Bro,” Aizawa said while looking at Hide with sparkling eyes. “You have not departed yet.”
“Nope, I have about one hour before the shuttle come to picks me up.” As he arranged the snacks on the table Hide added, “Before that, I want to have chat with you all.”
While having big smile in his face, Hide then sat next to Aizawa. A moment later the chat began.
---
On the bus stop near Kitaro, Hide casually stood. He just had a good chat with Aizawa, Kana, and Shinji, so he barely could hide his grin. Then, a grey SUV smoothly stopped before him. Wasting no time, he put his luggage in the trunk and then hopped in to the back seat.
“Ready for the trip?” Paolo asked while looking at Hide through the center rearview mirror.
“I’m.”
“Good.” Wasting no time Paolo then stepped on the gas. “You will receive your pocket money and the money you will use to open the bank account after you land in Italica.”
“Got it.”
“As for now, you can turn your phone off and take out the battery.”
Wasting no time, Hide and Takeo carried out Paolo instruction.
“Hide,” Paolo casually continued his instruction. “In the small bag next to you, you will find two wigs and two fake glasses. You and Takeo should put it on.”
“Okay.”
Hide immediately checked the small bag next to him. Then, he handed over a pair of wig and fake glasses to Takeo, while put the other pair on himself.
After giving a quick glance on Hide and Takeo new appearance Paolo said, “Now, people who know you won’t recognize you unless they make a conversation with you.”
Wasting no time, Paolo then took the grey SUV to enter the express way that connected Nichiko and Aida. The journey to Shiba Airport in Aida City normally took about 90 minutes, but Paolo completed it at 75 minutes.
Then, he brought Hide and Takeo straight to maintenance depot of an airfreight owned by Italican Company. About 45 minutes later, Hide and Takeo were already in the air, inside a jumbo airfreight that flew straight to Italica.
*****
