My Lost Dear Brother
*gasp*
*pant pant…*
…I’m on the plane…
I’m sweating so much…
Toyyyy, you have awoken.
Ah! Netaro-san… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep…
I, for one, would have preferred that you slept for even longer!
(He’s staring at me really excitedly, but I’m not sure why. Did something happen…? Ah!)
(Did I…?)
Netaro-san, um, did I say anything strange while I was asleep…?
Strange…? The definition of that word is exceedingly broad and subjective, but…
You did not. Mhm, you did not!
Oh… That’s good. A lot of weird things tend to happen with me when I sleep.
Weird things?!
Ah! No, never mind. I’m sorry.
(I don’t want to cause any trouble, so I need to make sure I don’t drift off… But…)
While, yes, you were using some unusual lexicon and going off about “foolish humans”…
(Why do I always fall sleep when I’m on an airplane? Maybe it’s because it feels nice to be up in the air…)
It was not even the least bit strange, I assure you.
(Brother Dearest also took a plane to Hakodate, didn’t he? I wonder if he fell asleep like I just did…)
(Brother Dearest… I hope I can see you again soon…)
Ah…! I can see the town!
Is that Hokkaido?! Are there perhaps any cows around? Bringing those creatures back to my hometown used to be quite the popular trend…
(Wait for me, Brother Dearest…! I’ll be there soon!)
*inhale* Hahh…
……
*inhale* Haaahhhhh…
……
Nagi-kun, what are you up to?
Taking deep breaths.
Oh, I see. Yeah, it’s a port city just like HAMA, but the air feels completely different.
Yeah. The air’s so clear… It’s like we traveled to a different world.
(Nagi-kun looks excited…)
Also, I’ve never been out of Kanto before.
Out to the cosmos? I have.
He said Kanto.
That’s weird. You got that huge bike. Don’t you go on road trips or anything?
I drive around HAMA, but I usually don’t go too far… I’m scared of running into trouble.
Daaaamn, what a waste.
Me neither… The only time I’ve traveled was for my school field trips. So I’m really happy to be here…
Really? In that case, I hope this trip helps to broaden everyone’s horizons!
Well then, now that we’ve safely landed in Hakodate, there are some historical landmarks and seafood restaurants I’d like to visit. I’ll be excusing myself for now.
Human with the rickshaw, over here! I have decided that you will be my transportation with which to invade Goryokaku!
Alright. I’m gonna head to a beer hall. Seeya.
Wait! Hold on! Why is everyone going off on their own?!
Why…? We’re not children, we won’t get lost. It’ll be best for everyone if we have free time to go where we each want before reconvening later.
I, for one, do not wish to go to places I hold no interest in…
Hmm…
You guys can just come with me if you wanna. Hakodate beer’s callin’ my name.
Unfortunately, I’m being called upon by Hijikata Toshizo and freshly-shucked scallops.
Blehh! Dreadful taste, the both of you. If not fortresses, you must at least understand the appeal of clay figures.
Okay, alright. Yes, you’re all adults, so we don’t have to do everything as a group. But!
We’re here to observe how this city manages tourism and to look for Toi-kun’s brother. You can have your fun, but please make sure to keep that in mind.
Thank you to everyone in advance…! Um, I made a flyer we can use…!
Let’s see… “Lost dear brother.” “His name is Ryui-kun.” “21 years old.” What a lovely poster.
It’s like you’re lookin’ for a lost dog.
(I can’t say I disagree…)
You printed so many.
Yes! I want to find as many leads as possible, so I made 800 copies for us to hand out!
Is this how Ryui’s face appears? He resembles the handsome boys in that “otome game” you lent me.
My dear brother doesn’t like having his photo taken, so I drew him instead. I’m sorry, my skills aren’t enough to capture his full beauty…
Please imagine my real dear brother to be at least 10 times more handsome than this!
Okay, let’s split the stack amongst all of us and ask people for information while we walk around.
We don’t have very many leads right now, so we’ll have to search for him on foot, but I know we can do this!
Alright. I’m headin’ this way.
I’ll be going in the opposite direction. Excuse me.
(There’s a beer hall in that direction and the Hekketsu-hi Monument in the other… Well, at least they agreed to help with the search.)
Yayyy, rickshaaaaw!
Netaro-kun! Please don’t go too far! We might need to reconvene later!
Okaaaaay!
Phew.
Ah… I, uh…
Um, uh… I…
You two can stick with me, if you want.
This is your first time traveling, so I understand if it’s difficult for you to walk around and ask people for information on your own.
Yes, please…!
Okay.
Alright! I can introduce Hakodate to you while we walk!
Hakodate was once known as the gateway to Hokkaido, and it was so prosperous that Perry requested to have the port opened after his expedition.
Similar to HAMA, its harbor is lined with large brick warehouses. They have become quite the landmark for the bay area.
I would love to see them if we have the time… I feel like my dear brother would’ve gone there.
Makes sense.
As you walk up the 18 slopes leading to Mount Hakodate, you’ll find historical churches from England, Russia, and France. It’s a very unique sight to behold!
Many people think that it’s impossible to get around Hokkaido without a car, but there are many fascinating sightseeing spots in Hakodate all within walking distance of each other.
Even if you want to go to Goryokaku, which is a little farther out, you can still take the trolley or the bus. This makes Hakodate one of the few spots in Hokkaido that you can fully enjoy without a car.
What’s more…
The food here is delicious as well! This is Hakodate’s signature burger place!
Wooow!
Woah. The power of a professional tour guide is amazing.
Thanks for listening! I thought you’d be getting pretty hungry by now.
So I figured we could get some burgers for lunch while we thought about where we should go next.
Next…
Mhm. Are there any places you want to go in particular?
……
You don’t have to worry about me. Toi, is there anywhere you want to go?
Huh…? Um… No… Not really.
Please, no need to hold back.
I’m not… My dear brother or someone from the manor usually decides for me, so… Um…
I can’t really think of anything… I’m sorry.
…I see.
…Yes.
In that case, I…also can’t think of anything.
Is that…so…?
Yeah…
(Th-They’re at a standstill. Well, let’s just order the burgers for now…)
Well, that aside, is there anything you want from the menu? Pick anything you want.
Oh, yes… Um…
Wow…! There are so many different options.
Almost too many…
I can’t decide…
…Me neither.
……
……
(They’re at a standstill with the menu too…)
O-Ohhh! How about this one?
Their most popular item, the Chinese chicken burger!
Ah…!
It’s popular. That must mean it’s good.
I’ll go with that!
I’d like one too… I think.
(It took a little push, but I think we’re making progress… That’s good.)
It even has a nice slogan attached to it. “Good fortune comes to those who eat well.”1
Fortune…
It’s always good to have more fortune!
……
Okay, we can both have this—
Toi, you hold the power to guide others, correct?
Ahh! You scared me…
Mayhaps you can use your divination to guide you to the best burger and the best destination!
Footnotes
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A play on the proverb 笑う門には福来る, meaning “good fortune comes to those who laugh”. ↩