Drawn Mochi Volume 3 Chapter 1.1: The Mochi I Drew Didn’t Turn Into A Mochi

Support the translator on lazytranslations.com

　It was a rough, dreary evening shower that drowned out all the sounds around me.

　The area was dimly lit, as if it had been bright earlier. In addition, the water clouded my vision, making it difficult to see my surroundings.

　As I walked on foot, I could feel my originally cold body getting colder and colder.

　People with umbrellas pass me by, looking at me suspiciously. I don’t think they said anything to me, and if they did, I’m sure I didn’t hear them over the sound of the rain.

　I wandered aimlessly, not knowing where I was going.

　But before I knew it, I found myself in front of my teacher’s house.

　Last summer, the library was temporarily closed for a week due to construction or something. During that time, I visited him at his house.

　Since then, we had met at the library or chatted at the coffee shop, but this was the first time I came to his house like this…

　I came without any announcement, but the lights were on at Teacher’s house.

　…The first time I saw it, I suddenly felt out of place and remembered that I shouldn’t be intruding on such a place… so I didn’t reach for the doorbell.

　The rain continued to fall heavily, just like before. I stood in front of the eaves of my teacher’s house, dripping with rainwater.

　…at that time.

“Whoa!? What!? Who are you!? Tougo!?” (Teacher)

　The front door opened, and Teacher with his umbrella came out from inside, but then he saw me and was very surprised.

“…Oh, you’re not a ghost, right? Thank goodness.” (Teacher)

　Then Teacher bent down and gave me a few slaps around my calf area, apparently checking if I had legs.

　…I was so happy to see him that my earlier nervousness had vanished.

“Hey, if you’re here, don’t try to surprise me, Tougo! I’m not good with horror, you know? Come on inside.” (Teacher)

　I felt out of place, and before I knew it, I had pulled myself away. If anything, I had also withdrawn myself, having wandered in the rain without an umbrella.

“Um, Teacher, weren’t you about to go out?” (Tougo)

“Oh, it’s enough. I was just trying to take a walk in the rain for a change of pace. But there was no need for that, I’m in a great mood thanks to you. You really do come at the perfect time, you know?” (Teacher)

　Hearing Teacher chuckle, I stepped into the doorway.

　I then took a hot shower, and once warmed up, I put on a T-shirt that Teacher lent me and left the changing room with a bath towel wrapped around my waist… since I didn’t have any pants on.

“Okay. I’m right on the edge of not being a criminal, but that’s okay. It’s a lesser crime than letting a junior high school student wear an unwashed jersey with no pants on!” (Teacher)

“Sorry.” (Tougo)

“Apologize to your pants instead of me. I’m sure it didn’t expect to get all wet from the rain.” (Teacher)

　The teacher said something like that, so I bowed my head a little to my clothes spinning around in the dryer. Sorry.

“Well, on a rainy day like this, you should just relax in your room, Tougo. Take it easy… No, even if I said it when I was about to go for a walk, there is not even a shred of persuasive power.” (Teacher)

　I was taken to my usual room, where I sat on the sofa. On the low table in front of me was a cup of room temperature barley tea.

　My cold body was already warming up, so room temperature was just right. I gratefully drank the barley tea.

“…So, Tougo. What happened?” (Teacher)

　Teacher sat down across from me and asked me this while sipping his barley tea.

“I thought since you came here, you must have something you wanted to talk about. Is that it?” (Teacher)

“……yes.” (Tougo)

　Teacher asked me what I wanted to talk about, and I remembered.

　Before I came out in the rain.

　…When I remembered, I felt like it was raining again.

“Everything was thrown away.” (Tougo)

　I felt a squeezing sensation in my throat. Even though I felt like my tongue was getting tangled up, I still put it into words to tell Teacher.

“Paints, crayons, colored pencils… Art textbooks, sketchbooks. When I got home, they were all gone. They had already been sent to the garbage.” (Tougo)

　Teacher silently sat back down beside me, put down their cup of tea, and without looking at me, put their hand on my head.

“Your… your parents are quick to throw things away, they did that three years ago… but no, I won’t say that now. Just…” (Teacher)

　…Teacher is having a hard time choosing the right words. A teacher who is much better at using words than I am.

　I find myself feeling frustrated. So, I start talking before Teacher does.

“I’m sad and frustrated that it’s gone. I’m also frustrated that they told me it was okay to throw such useless things away.” (Tougo)

　It was unusual but the words came out quickly. It was hard for me to speak, but I knew exactly what I wanted to say.

“I never thought it was a waste of time. It was important, I needed them…” (Tougo)

　When I come to my teacher’s house, I feel like I’m getting a little better at speaking.

　I think it’s probably because I’m getting better because of my teacher, and above all, my teacher listens to what I say. That’s why it’s not a waste of time to just talk, and I think that’s why I can speak.

“…I didn’t want to throw them away, even if they were useless.” (Tougo)

“…I see. I don’t think it’s such a thing that you can call a waste. Maybe it was no big deal to your parents, but it wasn’t to you, and it’s sad and frustrating to lose a treasure… That’s right. You’re right.” (Teacher)

　Teacher said so, and then he had a dark expression as if he remembered something, and then… he sighed and spit out the words.

“…Tougo, I think. Some wastes can be thrown away but some shouldn’t be thrown away.” (Teacher)

“For example… I was about to go for a walk in the rain. I had nothing special to do. It’s a waste. A waste, really.” (Teacher)

“Yes.” (Tougo)

　And it’s probably a waste that I came all this way, too. At least, that’s what my parents would say.

“But maybe I’m getting something out of my walk in the rain. It could be the quietness of the city with the sound of the rain drowning out all other sounds, or the rain shining on the streetlamps, or the feeling of my shirt sleeve sticking wetly as it sticks out from my umbrella, that kind of thing.” (Teacher)

　I can imagine.

　…yes. I understand. I understand it well.

　A city that sounds silent because of the sound of rain. The street lamps whose light shapes are revealed by the rain. The way your shirt is wet and cold, but then warmed by your own body heat. I understand.

“Do you understand?” (Teacher)

“Yes, I do. I like it.” (Tougo)

“Yes. I like it too. But it’s useless. it’s useless. It’s a waste, really. …but it is what I need!” (Teacher)

　Teacher laughed and approached the window. I went to the window with him… and he opened the curtains.

　Unfortunately, I couldn’t see much outside as it was getting dark, but I could see the rain occasionally hitting the window glass.

　The rain was falling in drops on the clear glass… I watched it and somehow the lump in my throat that had been there a moment ago disappeared.

“…is it delicious?” (Teacher)

“Eh?” (Tougo)

　I asked back, not knowing what he was asking, and Teacher just grinned happily.

“Our bodies will die if we don’t eat. But just like that, I believe our hearts also live off of food…” (Teacher)

　Then Teacher said in a hushed voice as if telling the secret of this world.

“I think that the food that feeds the heart is generally called ‘waste’ in the world.” (Teacher)

“You look hungry, Tougo. Apparently, your heart is a pretty big eater, isn’t it?” (Teacher)

“……yes.” (Tougo)

　I reply, feeling stunned, or perhaps a little dazed, or perhaps floating in mid-air.

“I guess so. Me too. I guess different people have different fuel efficiencies in their hearts. …Perhaps our hearts are not as fuel efficient.” (Teacher)

“Yes.” (Tougo)

“So, I guess we need a lot of useless things. Especially since your heart is growing, it probably eats a lot more waste than mine to grow up healthy.” (Teacher)

　…somehow, I touch my chest area. I don’t have a heart there, but somehow.

　I could feel my heart beating in my hand.

　*Thump*. The beating was somewhat new to me… and I probably used it as food for my heart.

“Listen? Tougo. Don’t forget. There is waste that can be thrown and waste that should not be thrown. Even if it doesn’t help people, even if it doesn’t become a source of income, even if other people say it’s useless… we must not lose what we think is beautiful when we look at the sky. Because it is the food of our hearts.” (Teacher)

　…I wonder if this is what it feels like to have the scales fall from your eyes.

　That’s it. It’s what I need. The sound of rain. The color of the flowers. The temperature of the wind. Even the glare of the sun.

　Or writing on a cloudy windowpane. Or popping the bubble wrap with your fingers. Or stomping through a frozen puddle on a cold day. Or reading “useless” books.

　…All of them are food for my heart.

　So, it’s not something I should throw away.

　I don’t need to feel that it’s right that it’s been thrown away.

　For me, they are food for my heart.