-pg109- Tale #31 Red Water -pg110- Alpha Uck! -pg111- Alpha It's around here....sometimes the well water gets salty. There's this water pipe that comes down from the town to the North. It's usually stopped up, but... -pg112- Alpha ! Oooooh, dangit! It's gotta be here somewhere. So much for a relaxing day at home. -pg113- Alpha !? Found it! I've got to flip this switch to let it flow to the house... Mmph... .......oh dear. Come on!!........... . Argh, it's stuck. -pg114- Takahiro Can I help? Alpha !! ........ Takahiro! Takahiro Didn't you hear me coming? Alpha I thought my heart would stop... Takahiro Ack....sorry. -pg115- Takahiro ----- Like this? Alpha Yeah, yeah. All right then... Takahiro Go! Alpha YEAH! -pg117- Alpha ...........what? You think we might catch a cold? Takahiro There's a good chance... Alpha Well....I can get some hot water in the bath... Takahiro Good. Alpha So... You know what that means. Takahiro ? -pg118- Alpha ............ Takahiro ............ Alpha ........ahhhhh------ Hey, I guess this is what we call an 'open friendship!' [her actually phrase is 'naked friendship' but...I thought this might make more sense. Not sure of the connotations of the Japanese phrase. It feels like she's making a bad pun.] Takahiro ......mm. Alpha Hunh? -pg119- Takahiro ........... The heat... It's turning me red. Alpha So it is. We can probably get out soon. .........it just occurred to me... I probably couldn't have caught a cold. Could I? -pg120- Alpha Your clothes will probably be dry by tomorrow. You'll have to wait till then. Takahiro 'kay.... Sound Ding-dong Alpha Hm? -pg121- Alpha Yes? Ojisan Yo. Alpha Ahh... Ojisan Hey ya. Shop's still here? Alpha Yeah; a little fuss over the water, but... Ojisan Yeah, the water's real salty today, innit... I don't think that'll last real long, though. Taka here? -pg122- Alpha Yeah, he's here. Ojisan Ah, had a bath already, I see. That was some rain, wasn't it? Since it started to rain right after you went out, I------ Takahiro You didn't go out in it? Ojisan That's strange... Well, I'm sure you're busy, Alpha. I'll taka Taka home. Takahiro ......mm. -pg123- Alpha Well...later, Takahiro! Takahiro ....mm. Alpha Ahhh....... ....... Man, that was awkward! -pg124- Takahiro ! ......'lo. Makki 'lo. -pg125- Takahiro You should've come in an' met Alpha. Makki But I wanted to go with you... Takahiro Ah, I see. -pg126- Makki Takahiro. Takahiro Hm? Makki When we get back, you should take a bath. Takahiro Hey! Alpha Whew... Tale #31: Closing -pg127- Short Essay Improvised song Alpha And at that moment, from the sea came a soft salty breeze... Today....I think I'm playing for you. -pg128- Alpha Lost in the moment, the sound of the strings plays with all of your senses and strangely seems to melt in the air like water. -pg129- Alpha Do you think you can see the smell of the sound of the strings? As this music is born it says that your existance is very important. -pg130- Alpha After we greet each other let us sing together let this sound carry on for a little while. As we savor the magical moment. Yokohama Shopping Diary Vol. 4: Closing.