Chapter 418 - Seesaw Game
(1)
"Good morning. Toya-san, it's morning. Please wake up."
"Good morning, Airi."
After exchanging morning greetings with Airi, Airi leaves the bed and begins preparing breakfast.
Once I change my clothes as well, I go to the dining room.
And then, breakfast together with Airi.
"Toya-san, do you think you will make it in time today?"
When Airi asks, I open my notebook.
I check today's schedule.
"It's fine. I can leave at the regular time."
"Is that so? I'm glad."
Once we finish eating breakfast, Airi cleans up.
And then she comes to my side, and we spend time together.
When it is time to go to work, I am seen off by Airi and leave the house.
Arriving at the office, I greet Kamiki-san and get to work preparing.
Around the time I finish preparations, the Uehara couple arrives.
Natsumi-san commutes in a maternity suit.
She is scheduled to go on maternity leave at the end of the month.
Once the morning assembly ends, work begins.
I organize documents and visit clients.
Visits in the morning. Working in the office from the afternoon has become the recent cycle.
Once work is finished, I get in the car and contact Airi to tell her I am heading home now.
When I return home, Airi welcomes me, saying, "Thank you for your hard work."
"We still have plenty of time, so please change your clothes."
Since Airi says so, I change my clothes and leave the house.
Taking the bus to the city, we go to the usual yakitori restaurant.
"Excuse me, I believe we have a reservation under the name Nishimatsu."
"Welcome, please head to the third floor."
Going up to the third floor, the Watanabe couple, Haruto, and Shiratori-san are already there.
"Man, I'm at a loss."
Watanabe-kun is smiling wryly.
Men aren't the only ones fascinated by speed.
The Umemoto couple ended up sharing our table as well.
"Well, thank you for your hard work today too."
Saki-san says, and the banquet begins... but it doesn't quite go that way.
Watanabe-kun stands up.
"Ah, of those here, raise your hand if you are aware that you speed in your car."
When Watanabe-kun says this, Shoko-san and Kobayashi-san raise their hands.
It seems Makoto, Kiritani-kun, and the others don't have that kind of energy at all.
They say Kiritani-kun only knew because he heard it from Shigeru-san.
Nakajima-kun and the others were the same.
They say they are tired from work and have no leeway to go out playing late at night.
Sakuragi-san was persuaded the other day.
It seems Shoko-san is also exercising self-restraint.
It seemed like there was no problem.
In fact, Shoko-san says she hasn't gone driving since then either.
Kobayashi-san says she is only keeping it to spectating.
"I've said this before, but reckless driving is strictly forbidden in our group. Make sure to enforce this."
It should have been resolved with Watanabe-kun's single word.
"Well, next topic. Let's move on to celebrating Umemoto-kun and his wife registering their marriage."
When Saki-san says this, everyone applauds.
"Thank you," Umemoto-kun says.
From then on, they reported their recent situations to each other, and the student group was making a racket.
We were also in full bloom talking about work.
The Umemoto couple moved to another table, and Yuki-san and Hasebe-kun came over instead.
Haruto and his group also moved, and Nakajima-kun had come over.
It seemed they had something in common as fellow civil servants.
They were in full bloom talking.
I was solely eating while listening to such talk.
Airi was talking with Kanna and the others.
I wanted to let her talk at least at times like this.
So I thought.
Kiritani-kun and the others also seem to be exercising self-restraint. They aren't doing any reckless driving in particular.
The time for last order came.
"For those participating in the afterparty, we have reserved a karaoke place."
Saki-san says.
We decided to participate.
A three-day weekend starts tomorrow.
There is no particular problem.
It seems the Tada couple and the Kiritani couple decided to go home.
They say they have work tomorrow too.
Kanna is fine even staying up all night, but apparently it would be a problem if a BA (T/N: Beauty Adviser) smelled of alcohol.
And then the afterparty group moved to the karaoke place.
(2)
As soon as we went to karaoke, I took the terminal in hand.
And then I input a song and start singing.
Everyone is talking respectively.
The singing group and the talking group.
They were split into two.
What could be said of both was that they were drinking for the time being.
I am not good with alcohol, so I do not drink.
Of course, I do not do something like monopolizing the microphone all by myself.
I pass the microphone to Ai-san and other people too.
However, while other people are singing, I am selecting the next song.
Because I thought everyone was like that.
That is why I can sing comfortably.
To put it the other way around, because I thought nobody was listening to my singing anyway.
Before midnight, the working adult group went home.
They seem to be tired from work today too.
They seem to be going back on the last train.
"Lately, the seniors' vibe is pretty bad, isn't it?"
Umemoto-kun said.
"It can't be helped. They are working, after all."
Nishimatsu-kun says.
"Isn't it fine if it's just us from now on? The drinking parties."
Sasaki-kun says.
"The seniors are going out of their way to come despite their work. There's no need to say it like that."
Takemoto-kun says.
"I think going out of your way to come, dampening the mood, and then leaving is also a bit much, though?"
Sasaki-kun says.
"Well, isn't it fine? As long as those who stayed enjoy themselves, that's fine, right?"
Umemoto-kun says.
"But you know, what does it mean to become an adult? Does it mean becoming a boring person?"
Sasaki-kun says.
"Boring? The seniors have the seniors' values, don't they?"
When Junichi-san says this, an argument begins.
Once the fire is lit, it does not stop.
Because alcohol is involved.
Nishimatsu-senpai and Saki-senpai desperately try to extinguish the fire.
A seesaw game between adult values and student values.
If you please one side, you displease the other.
The sterile conflict continues.
Before anyone noticed, there was no one left singing.
The argument had dragged everyone in.
The useless argument continued until morning, and then everyone went home.
Even after returning home, the talk continued, shifting its venue to messages.
(3)
"Man, this is trouble..."
I was worrying alone, looking at my smartphone. (T/N: The narrator here is the POV character of this section, one of Toya's friends, not Toya himself.)
The hyped-up students and the mood-dampening working adults.
I certainly felt a difference in temperature between the two groups, but...
Makoto-kun, Eita, and Nakajima-kun have decided to watch quietly.
Toya is probably thinking of something.
Ishihara-kun and his group said they had work.
The ones who are enraged are Emi-san and Akira-san.
Kanna-san and her group said they had work, but if they saw this log, they would surely be enraged.
If this is overlooked as is, it will undoubtedly lead to a split.
Toya must understand that too.
However, that Toya says nothing.
What are you thinking, Toya?
From the look of the log, it seems Sasaki-kun was the one who started it.
The women argue back, but they are no match for Sasaki-kun.
I am desperate to restrain the women who are getting emotional.
At this rate, we will get nowhere.
I try sending a private chat to Toya.
"You should just let them do as they please."
Toya says so.
"But..."
"Well, it's fine. Let's wait and see, okay?"
Toya says.
The debate continued until night, and once the work group returned, it became even more radicalized.
"If you don't like it, why don't you just leave?!"
Mika barks out.
"Isn't that running away? Saying 'if you want to stay, shut up and obey.' Are we not even allowed to make requests? Do we have to do whatever we're told?"
Sasaki-kun argues back.
At this point, Toya made a statement.
"That is a good opinion. It is just as Sasaki-kun says."
Naturally, Toya is showered with criticism.
However, Toya does not seem to care at all.
"Watanabe-kun, why don't we accept Sasaki-kun's demand? Having a drinking party with just Sasaki-kun and his group. How about it?"
"Toya, that is just a split."
I argued back to Toya.
"But we cannot oppress them either, can we? We should incorporate his opinion too."
Toya says.
That might be so, but...
"Well then, everyone, let's have a rally tomorrow."
Sasaki-kun says.
Saying so, the talk spread around Sasaki-kun.
Toya, is this really fine as it is?
"Then, bowling tomorrow from noon is fine, right?"
However, no one says anything.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
Sasaki-kun says.
"Is there any point in going to that?"
The one who answered so was Umemoto-kun.
"What do you mean?"
Sasaki-kun asks back.
"I only said the seniors' vibe was bad. I didn't say let's have a drinking party without the seniors."
"Isn't it the same thing? If having the seniors around dampens the mood, then it's better to do it without them."
"That's why I'm saying, the moment it's without the seniors, that's no longer an activity of the Watanabe Group, is it? So why do we have to go?"
"I mean, let's make a new group instead of the Watanabe Group and get hyped there. If working adults are boring, we should just make a group with only students."
"There's no reason we have to join that group, is there? If it's not the Watanabe Group, I have other friends anyway."
"Then, I'm interested in the reason why Umemoto-kun is so obsessed with the Watanabe Group."
"Because it's the group that introduced Shoko to me. The seniors having a bad vibe is just the temperature difference between adults and students, right? They are going out of their way to clear their schedules and come on their rare days off. There must be some kind of meaning to it."
When Umemoto-kun said that, the others also started saying things like, "Because it's the group that tied our fates together," and "Tell us the merit of joining Sasaki-kun's group."
Seeing that the tide was against him, Sasaki-kun turned his spearhead toward us.
"You seniors are also dampening the mood enough to be told your vibe is bad. Isn't it natural that there should be a word of apology?"
Hearing that, Mika and the others fly into a rage.
As a result, Sasaki-kun only ended up increasing his enemies.
"Everyone, let's realize our own positions. Rather than staying in a group with different values from ours, it's more fun to gather with people who share the same values. Merits are things you find for yourself, right?"
"That's why I'm asking, is there any necessity for a group of people with the same values to be Sasaki's group?"
"No one else was trying to make one, so I was just the one who spoke up."
"For example, for me, it's just a matter of playing with Gaku or Mikoto-chan out of everyone here, you know? There's no reason to go out of my way to leave the Watanabe Group."
"The one who started saying the seniors' vibe was bad was Umemoto-kun. Yet, when it comes down to it, saying you hate to leave the group, aren't you just scared of the seniors?"
The structure became everyone else versus Sasaki-kun alone.
Was it like that from the beginning?
Did Toya predict it would turn out like this?
"I understand Sasaki-kun's argument. Let's all gather tomorrow at the usual yakitori restaurant."
When Toya said this, no one opposed.
Only, not a single person among the working adult group and the men said anything.
(4)
Arriving at the yakitori restaurant, we were guided to our seats by Saki-san. (T/N: The narrator here is Sasaki.)
Me and Yuzuki, Katagiri-san and Tosaka-san, the Watanabe couple, and the Umemoto couple.
"Well then, let's get hyped today too."
Saki-san says, and the banquet begins.
Umemoto-kun and I begin to argue.
His argument is this.
"Tell me the reason to go out of my way to leave the Watanabe Group and join Sasaki's group."
I say there is no particular reason for me to make a group. Anyone else is fine. Whoever wants to make one should make it. I only stepped forward because there was no one else.
Then Umemoto-kun says.
"In that case, even without going out of your way to make a group, you can just meet up individually, right?"
"Then there's no reason to keep staying in the Watanabe Group either, is there? Since we can just interact individually."
"I should have already explained that the Watanabe Group is special, though?"
"Because they introduced Shoko-san to you? If so, you've already gone as far as getting married. That doesn't become a reason to remain in the Watanabe Group."
"I don't think it's such a thin relationship that we just say goodbye because we got married, though."
"In the beginning, everyone has a thin relationship. Isn't it human nature to deepen the relationship from there?"
"That's why I'm asking if there is a reason to do that from scratch in a different group?"
"Saying it can't be helped because of adult values, or that starting over from scratch is troublesome—isn't that just your personal reason?"
"Yes, it is. Is there something wrong with that?"
"This is going nowhere. You are just a typical stereotype who cannot hold an ego, only matching everyone else. I'd like to hear the difference between you and the vibe-dampening adults you talk about."
Watanabe-kun and Shoko-san desperately calming Umemoto-kun down.
"Sparrow is surprisingly delicious. Airi, you try eating some too."
"Really? It's a bit gross, but... oh? It's delicious."
Katagiri-san and his group do not try to join the conversation.
I appealed to everyone else.
"Don't you think it would be more constructive to make a separate group from these adults who won't even listen to reason, no matter how much I say?"
But no one responds.
At that moment, with a sigh, Katagiri-san stood up and said.
"Today's gathering is about the separation of adults and students, right? Doesn't anyone have any opinions?"
"In the first place, that talk itself is nonsense. We'll be working adults next year too. We should listen to it as advice from our seniors."
Manabe-kun answers.
"From my perspective, Katagiri and his group are still children though... to the extent of having only just started walking on their own."
Tange-san said.
"We are still only high school students, though?"
Eguchi-kun says.
Discussions began in various places.
Adults and students are mixing and exchanging opinions.
Katagiri-san looked at that situation, sat down, and began drinking his beverage.
"Another highball!"
"Ah, then four draft beers! Extra!"
It seems Umemoto-kun has also regained his composure.
"How is the newlywed life?"
"I'm a little bewildered because it started so suddenly."
The Watanabe couple and the Umemoto couple are starting to talk.
Yuzuki also started talking with Tosaka-san.
The one who called out to me, who was left behind, was Katagiri-san.
"It seems you have high ability to take action and high vitality?"
"I pride myself on that, yes."
"And yet, no one is paying attention to you, and you are bewildered. Am I wrong?"
I nodded.
Katagiri-san still continues.
"I hear your usual talk is interesting?"
"I'm often told that."
"But in the Watanabe Group, that doesn't work. You're bewildered. Am I wrong? (T/N: possible typo in source — original reads 便渡辺班, likely meaning 但し渡辺班 or でも渡辺班)"
I nod.
"Your opinion is correct. If the values of adults and students are different, you should take separate actions. You thought so and acted. I acknowledge that."
Katagiri-san affirmed my opinion.
"Do you have the same thought, Katagiri-san?"
"No, I don't."
Eh?
"If the world moved on logic alone, scholars should do politics. Surely the world would move smoothly."
"Isn't politics just a place for spouting sophistry?"
"Unfortunately, it's different. There are plenty of politicians who failed by forcing their ideals and values."
Japanese politics is corrupt to that extent. Katagiri-san says so.
"Then, what do you think, Katagiri-san? Do you think it's fine to leave things as they currently are?"
"That's right. The reason is just as you see now."
My words had not reached them, but Katagiri-san's words moved everyone.
What is the difference?
"What is the difference between me and you, Katagiri-san?"
"Who knows?"
"I don't need clichéd opinions like 'think for yourself' or 'personal virtue,' so please answer in a way that convinces me."
"...In the end, what was your purpose?"
Katagiri-san asked. (T/N: typo in source — original reads 訪ねてきた, likely meaning 尋ねてきた [asked]).
"That was to make a new group..."
"Not that. What did you want to appeal to Umemoto-kun?"
"Eh?"
"Was your purpose to persuade Umemoto-kun? Or to defeat him in argument?"
I did not answer. Because I realized the mistake I had made.
Looking at me like that, Katagiri-san laughs.
"Since you seem to place more importance on the conclusion than the process, I'll tell you the conclusion first. You failed. Just that."
"Why is that?"
"Is that something I have to explain?"
"Are you running away again?"
"Well, I suppose it will turn into a lecture from here on, but is that fine?"
"Go ahead."
"First of all, judging it as running away is wrong. The world is not only full of people who will properly teach you the correct answer."
Katagiri-san says that thinking so itself is the difference between a student and an adult.
I don't want to hear such obvious things.
No one knows what the correct answer is. The only one who can prove their actions are correct is oneself.
"Well, since you probably won't be convinced by that, I'll explain. Your actions are not wrong. The mistake you made was bringing it into a debate with Umemoto-kun."
"Isn't exchanging opinions normal?"
"Unilaterally throwing your ideals and flatly denying Umemoto-kun's opinion. The result of that is obvious. It only angers Umemoto-kun."
"Then, what should I have done?"
"What is needed is neither persuasion nor defeating him in argument. It is searching for the correct answer."
I don't understand the meaning.
Looking at me like that, as if having read my mind, Katagiri-san calls out to Umemoto-kun and the others.
"I'd like to ask Umemoto-kun and Watanabe-kun, but the temperature difference between the working adult group and the student group cannot be filled in the future either. What do you think we should do?"
"If the working adult group is also participating, we should probably show consideration there. Well, we can't beat youth, though."
Watanabe-san says with a laugh.
"I think it is a valuable opinion for the student group. It's not just a simple vertical relationship. They are seniors in life. I think we should listen to them more."
Umemoto-kun says.
Is this the difference between me and Katagiri-san?
Katagiri-san speaks.
"A trial is not a place where the prosecutor and the judge fight. The mission of the prosecutor and the defense attorney—it seems the ideal trial is for both sides to fight with all their might to bring the truth to light."
It is not about both sides pushing their arguments through. He says that exchanging opinions to search for the correct answer is the correct exchange of opinions.
"Umemoto-kun."
I called out to Umemoto-kun.
"What is it?"
Umemoto-kun makes a dubious face.
"I said too much earlier. I admit that I was wrong for not taking Umemoto-kun's opinion into consideration."
"I don't really mind. I also had parts where I got too heated. Besides, isn't clashing like that also what makes us comrades?"
Umemoto-kun says.
He really does not seem to mind.
"It is almost time for last order."
The clerk says.
"Yes, those who can go to the afterparty..."
Saki-san says.
Leaving the high school student group behind, everyone participated.
A portion of the working adult group went home before the date changed.
No one complained about that.
Because they learned that working adults have their own hardships.
Those who remained made a racket until morning.
(5)
I wake up to the sound of Airi's vacuum cleaner.
Shoot.
When I go to the living room, Airi is happily cleaning.
"Good morning, Airi."
"Good morning."
"It's a rare long weekend, so you could rest."
"I thought I'd let you rest since you seemed tired yesterday, Toya-san."
So apparently Airi was cleaning because she was bored.
"There's no point unless Airi rests, right?"
"But if we rest for three days, it will get covered in dust."
Saying so, Airi cleans.
Looking at the clock, Airi says.
"Once I finish cleaning, I'll make lunch, okay?"
"Thank you."
I quietly use the PC in the bedroom.
The sports news is completely filled with soccer.
Since the World Cup is next year, it's no wonder.
So the "battle that cannot be lost" continues again.
The sound of Airi's vacuum cleaner disappeared.
I turn off the PC and go to the dining room.
"You don't have to rush so much, it's fine."
Saying so, Airi laughs.
Once we eat lunch, shopping with Airi.
Without buying anything in particular, we enjoy window shopping.
Once that is finished, we enjoy tea with Airi at a coffee shop.
Leaving the shopping mall, we stop by the supermarket to do some shopping before returning home.
When we return home, Airi begins making dinner.
In the meantime, I take a bath.
Once I get out of the bath, dinner is waiting.
Once we eat, Airi cleans up and takes a bath herself.
After seeing her off, I return to the bedroom and boot up the PC.
A trendy shooting game.
What is called a bullet hell game.
Although there are patterns, many people panic at the number of bullets.
I progress through the game while dodging them.
"Ei!"
Airi hugs me from behind.
In the blink of an eye, I was defeated.
Ending the game and shutting down the PC, I stand up and push Airi down onto the bed.
"Kyat!"
While Airi is letting out a cute scream, I turn off the room's lights.
"We have plenty of time today, after all."
"I'm happy."
After that, I immersed myself in Airi.
"Hey, Toya-san."
"What is it?"
"Why were you silent at first, Toya-san?"
That talk, huh...
"Is that a talk we have to do right now?"
"Eh?"
"I'm in the mood to enjoy Airi tonight, though?"
"...Ehehe~"
I explain while caressing Airi. (T/N: typo in source — original reads 説明しする, likely meaning 説明する).
"I think I've said this before, but to get someone with no intention of negotiating to stand at the negotiating table, we have no choice but to back down first."
"But, it seemed to me that Umemoto-kun had the intention to negotiate, though."
"At first, yes. That's why I was silent."
"Ah, so that's what it was."
Airi seems to have understood.
There are three patterns of communication.
Passive communication, which suppresses one's own thoughts and emotions.
Aggressive communication, which defeats the opponent in argument or pushes through one's own assertions.
The last is neither of those, but a win-win communication that respects each other.
A method of conveying one's situation, conveying one's feelings, conveying that one understands the other's feelings, proposing, and conveying alternative proposals.
Apparently, it is called the DESC method.
That is probably what Sasaki-kun is lacking.
Although he hears the opponent's situation and feelings, he is unable to find a compromise within himself.
In this world, sound arguments alone do not pass.
Unless a result that both sides can agree on is produced, the negotiation cannot be said to have succeeded.
"Hmm..."
"What is it?"
"Then, since I listened to Toya-san's wish earlier, will you listen to my wish too?"
"Yeah, what is it?"
Airi whispers in my ear.
I chuckle and open my arms.
Airi rests her head on my arm and clings to me.
While responding to Airi's tender requests, I spent the last night of the long weekend. (T/N: typo in source — original reads 細やか, likely meaning ささやかな [modest/small] or 細やかな [detailed/tender]).