novelraw Chapter 282: Back to Kumamoto Prefecture! The Surprised Koyama Family!
Chapter 282: Back to Kumamoto Prefecture! The Surprised Koyama Family!
Having browsed Ginza all day, watched a movie, and finally left the Kumamon specialty store, the setting sun was already tilting west, dyeing the sky a gentle pinkish-orange.
Nohara Hiroshi glanced at his watch and said to Misae: "It's getting late. Let's hurry and buy plane tickets to Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. We'll try to set off today so we can see Sister and your parents as soon as possible."
Misae, hugging her beloved Kumamon plushie, nodded eagerly: "Sure, sure! I just can't wait to go home." The two, carrying bags full of shopping, walked briskly toward the nearby airline ticket office.
There weren't many people at the ticket office, and the staff warmly received them. "Hello, where are you looking to fly to?"
"Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Preferably a flight tonight." Nohara Hiroshi said.
The staff member searched on the computer for a moment, then looked up to respond: "There's still one flight tonight at 9:30 PM, arriving at Kumamoto City Airport at 11:15 PM. However, there are only two economy class tickets left. Should I book them for you?"
"Perfect, book those two!" Nohara Hiroshi said without hesitation. Misae also happily chimed in from the side, fearing the tickets might be snatched by someone else.
Having completed the booking, the moment they received their tickets, Misae excitedly pulled Nohara Hiroshi's hand: "We're going home soon—just thinking about it makes me happy! Should we go to a convenience store near the airport first to buy some snacks? We might get hungry on the plane."
"No problem." Nohara Hiroshi nodded with a smile. The two then went to a convenience store, selecting Misae's favorite strawberry daifuku and chocolate, as well as Nohara Hiroshi's preferred chips and coffee, filling a whole bag.
By the time they arrived at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, it was already past seven in the evening.The airport was bustling with people coming and going, brightly lit, with hurried travelers everywhere.
Nohara Hiroshi and Misae first went to check in for their flight. When checking their luggage, Misae specifically reminded the staff to handle the suitcase containing the Kumamon plushie and the tea set order form carefully, which made the staff laugh and assure her repeatedly that they would take good care of it.
After passing through security with some time before boarding, the two found a window seat and sat down to rest.
Misae took out her phone and scrolled through the photos she'd taken in Ginza that day—exquisite tea sets, delicious kaiseki cuisine, and all kinds of cute Kumamon merchandise—sharing her feelings from each moment with Nohara Hiroshi.
"Hiroshi-kun, look at this photo of the kaiseki cuisine. Even thinking about it now, it still tastes good. Especially that salt-grilled sea bream—the skin was so crispy, and the fish was tender and fresh." Misae pointed at the photo, her eyes full of reminiscence.
Nohara Hiroshi leaned over to look and said with a smile: "When we get back from Kumamoto, I'll bring you to eat there again. Next time, you can order everything you want."
The two talked and laughed, and time flew by. Soon, the boarding gate began broadcasting the boarding announcement.
Nohara Hiroshi picked up the carry-on luggage, and Misae tightly hugged her Kumamon plushie as they followed the flow of passengers and boarded the plane in an orderly fashion.
After finding their seats and sitting down, Misae looked out the window at the airport night scenery. The lights were dazzling, like a field of stars that had fallen to earth.
"Hiroshi-kun, do you think Mom, Dad, and Sister will be really surprised when they see us come back suddenly?"
"Definitely. It might even startle them." Nohara Hiroshi said with a laugh. "We only said we'd come for the engagement banquet and didn't say this early. They definitely aren't expecting it."
The plane slowly taxied, then soared into the air.
Misae leaned on Nohara Hiroshi's shoulder, watching the gradually shrinking city nightscape outside, her heart full of anticipation for home.
Nohara Hiroshi gently held Misae's hand, feeling each other's warmth, a tender smile also appearing at the corners of his mouth.
At eleven fifteen in the evening, the plane landed on time at Kumamoto City Airport.
Stepping out of the cabin, a cool night breeze hit their faces, carrying a faint earthy freshness, completely different from Tokyo's hustle and bustle.
Misae took a deep breath and sighed comfortably: "The air at home is still the best. I feel like my whole body has relaxed."
The two collected their luggage and walked out of the airport terminal.
The late-night airport had few people, with only a scattered number of travelers waiting for taxis.
Misae looked around, somewhat worried: "It's so late. Are there still taxis?"
No sooner had she spoken than they saw several taxis parked not far away with their "vacant" lights on.
Nohara Hiroshi said with a smile: "Don't worry, the airport taxis will wait until the last flight ends before leaving."
The two walked over with their luggage, and the driver of one taxi immediately came up enthusiastically to help them load their luggage into the trunk.
The driver was a man who looked to be in his fifties, wearing a neat uniform with a kindly smile on his face: "You two are from Tokyo, right? It's so late—are you heading home or here for tourism?"
"We're going home, to the single-family house area in the city center." Nohara Hiroshi answered.
"I know that place. It's not far from here, about a twenty-minute drive." The driver said while opening the car door for them. "Hop in, it's windy outside."
Nohara Hiroshi and Misae got into the back seat, and the driver started the car, heading toward the city center.
The car drove along the late-night highway, with silence all around outside the windows. Only the light and shadow of streetlamps kept flashing by.
Before long, the car entered the city center, and the roadside scenery gradually became livelier.
What surprised and delighted Misae was that many shops along the way had Kumamon plushies placed at their entrances. Street lamps had Kumamon-themed decorative banners hanging from them, and some bus bodies were even printed with adorably clumsy Kumamon patterns.
"Wow, there are so many Kumamon elements here! It's too cute!" Misae excitedly pointed outside the window, her eyes full of pleasant surprise.
Hearing Misae's words, the driver said with a smile: "You also like Kumamon, young lady? Right now, many places in our Kumamoto City have Kumamon decorations. Not just shops, but even parks and libraries have them. They're particularly popular with both adults and children."
"Yes! Today in Tokyo we bought a lot of Kumamon merchandise at the specialty store—plushies, thermos bottles, and even matching family outfits." Misae happily shared.
The driver's smile grew even wider: "Speaking of Kumamon, we really have a great person from Tokyo to thank—Mr. Nohara Hiroshi! I heard that Kumamon's image and the promotional approach were all thought up with his help. Since Kumamon became popular, not only has tourism in Kumamoto Prefecture taken off, but many places throughout all of Japan have benefited. Lots of tourists come specifically for Kumamon."
Nohara Hiroshi sat in the back seat, hearing the driver mention himself, and just smiled.
Misae, however, said proudly: "Mister, the Nohara Hiroshi you're talking about is this person right beside me!"
The driver was stunned for a moment, then looked at Nohara Hiroshi through the rearview mirror in surprise, his tone full of disbelief: "Really? You're Mr. Nohara Hiroshi? I admire you so much! I've watched all the movies, dramas, and variety shows you've made before, especially that 'Hachiko Monogatari.' My wife and I love it so much;
we've watched it several times! And your recent documentary 'A Bite of Neon'—our whole family gathers in front of the TV to watch it every week. After watching, my little granddaughter clamors to travel to the places in the documentary."
"You're too kind, it's all just everyone's support." Nohara Hiroshi said modestly.
The driver got more and more excited: "You're way too modest! Your talent is truly incredible. Whether it's making movies, TV dramas, documentaries, or designing mascots, you do everything so well. Before, hardly anyone paid attention to our Kumamoto City. Since Kumamon, which you promoted, became popular, more and more people have started learning about our local culture in Japan. This is all your credit! Many of my friends are saying that if there were a few more people like you, Japanese culture would surely spread even further."
"You're too kind, sir. I just did what I could." Nohara Hiroshi said with a smile. "Actually, the reason Kumamon is so popular is mainly because everyone likes its image and the positive, optimistic attitude toward life it conveys."
The driver nodded repeatedly: "You're absolutely right! Kumamon is not only cute but can also bring joy to everyone. That's the most precious thing about it. By the way, Mr. Nohara, is there anything you're here for on this trip? If there's anything I can help with, just say the word. If it's within my ability, I'll do my best."
"We've come back to attend my fiancée's sister's engagement banquet, and also to visit my father-in-law and mother-in-law." Nohara Hiroshi answered.
"Oh, I see! Congratulations!" the driver said with a smile. "Kumamoto City has a lot of good food recently, like Akita Inaniwa udon and kiritanpo. You definitely must try them when you're back;
they're much better than in Tokyo."
"Sure, we'll definitely go try them. Thank you for the recommendation." Misae said with a smile.
Along the way, the driver and Nohara Hiroshi and Misae chatted enthusiastically, from fun stories about Kumamon to the customs and culture of Kumamoto City, to Nohara Hiroshi's works—the topics kept coming.
The atmosphere inside the car was warm and pleasant. The originally twenty-minute ride passed quickly in their relaxed conversation.
The car slowly stopped at the entrance of Koyama Yoshiharu's single-family house.
After Nohara Hiroshi and Misae got out of the car, the driver enthusiastically helped them carry the luggage down, saying reluctantly: "Mr. Nohara, Miss Misae, I really don't want to part with you. Chatting with you was so much fun. If there's an opportunity in the future, I'd love to hear more about your creative stories."
"Thank you, sir. Sorry for the trouble today." Nohara Hiroshi handed the driver the fare and gave some extra tip.
The driver hastily refused: "Mr. Nohara, you can't do that. The fare is quite enough. How could I take your tip? Getting to chat with you this long already made me so happy."
Under Nohara Hiroshi's insistence, the driver finally accepted the tip. Before leaving, he kept reminding them: "Mr. Nohara, Miss Misae, I wish you a wonderful time in Kumamoto. And happy engagement to your sister! If you ever come back to Kumamoto, be sure to ride in my car again!"
Watching the taxi gradually disappear into the distance, Misae said to Nohara Hiroshi with a smile: "That uncle was really nice, and he admires you so much. Look how popular you are."
Nohara Hiroshi smiled helplessly: "Everyone is just too kind. Alright, let's hurry inside. Everyone has probably gone to sleep already. We'll knock gently so we don't wake everyone up."
The two carried their luggage and walked to the door.
Nohara Hiroshi gently knocked on the front door. Before long, Koyama Yoshiharu's voice came from inside: "Who is it, this late?"
"Dad, it's me, Misae, and Hiroshi." Misae answered.
The door was quickly opened, and Koyama Yoshiharu, seeing Nohara Hiroshi and Misae, stared with wide-eyed surprise: "Hiroshi? Misae? How are you here? Didn't you say you'd come back when the engagement banquet was held? Why so sudden?"
"We wanted to surprise you and Mom, so we came back early." Misae said with a smile.
At that moment, Koyama Yoshiharu's wife also came out from inside the house. Seeing the two, she was equally surprised and delighted: "Oh my, Hiroshi and Misae are back! Come inside quickly;
it's cold outside."
The two entered the house, and a warm atmosphere greeted them.
The living room lights were already on, with unwashed teacups still on the table, evidently showing that the Koyama couple hadn't been asleep for long.
Misae, holding the Kumamon plushie, happily shared her Tokyo experiences with her in-laws, while Nohara Hiroshi helped organize the luggage. The house was filled with warm laughter and chatter, perfectly concluding this late-night homecoming journey.
The joyful chatter in the living room had barely started when light footsteps came from upstairs.
Shortly after, Koyama Masae, in pajamas and rubbing her eyes, came downstairs. Her hair was still slightly messy, clearly having been awakened by the commotion downstairs.
But when she saw clearly who was in the living room, she instantly woke up, her eyes lighting up at once: "Misae? Hiroshi? How are you back! Didn't you say you'd arrive the day before the engagement banquet?"
Before Misae could answer, from behind came another set of light, bouncy footsteps as Koyama Musae, wearing blue teddy bear pajamas, hopped and skipped downstairs. Seeing the Kumamon plushie in Misae's arms, she immediately squealed and rushed over: "Wow! Misae-nee! And Hiroshi-nii! You actually came back early! This Kumamon plushie is too cute—is it for me?"
Misae smiled and handed the plushie to Musae: "Of course there's your share. We bought a lot of merchandise at the specialty store in Tokyo, including a thermos bottle and notebook for you too."
Musae hugged the plushie and couldn't put it down, pressing her cheek against the soft plush, grinning from ear to ear.
Masae walked up to Hiroshi and Misae and said with a smile: "You two coming back this early is such a wonderful surprise! I was just telling Mom and Dad that it would be great if you could come back sooner, and I didn't expect you to actually arrive ahead of schedule. Oh, I also wanted to discuss the engagement banquet program with you. Having you here puts me much more at ease."
Hiroshi nodded with a smile: "No problem. Tomorrow our whole family can sit down and have a good chat. It's so late now;
you all go back to rest. We can talk about everything tomorrow."
The sisters chattered for a few more moments before reluctantly returning upstairs. The living room lights illuminated the warm silhouettes of the whole family, brimming with the warmth of reunion.