-pg137-

Tale #53

Sensei's mark

-pg140-

Ojisan

Sempai! You came!
I'm afraid I couldn't find the blue paint!

-pg141-

Sensei

Ah...too bad.

Ojisan

So what's on the slate for today?

Sensei

Thought we'd decorate this a little.

Ojisan

Eh!?
It's still not done?
After all this time, it's a work of art!

-pg142-

Ojisan

I mean, it would be normally...
I wouldn't be surprised if that was on the cutting edge of...

Sensei

.......
It's fine!
I said I'm gonna do it, so I will!

Ojisan

Un-hunh...
But...

Sensei

But what?
Is there a problem?

Ojisan

No, nothing.

-pg143-

Sensei

Aright, this one's good.
Ultramarine...
I dig this color.

Ojisan

I could've guessed,
You'd pick that paint.

Sensei

So now all I need's something to draw with...
The best!

-pg144-

Sensei

Yokay.

Ojisan

.......
Wha's zat?

Sensei

Heh heh heh.
At school...the art teacher had us do cloisonne ware.
I thought this mark, and made it into a pendant.
It's my mark...

Ojisan

Ah ha.

-pg145-

Ojisan

It's nice and abstract.
I like it.
I'm impressed you haven't forgotten a design from high school...
What?
I say something stupid?

Sensei Nope; you got it right.
Somehow.

-pg146-

Sensei

This...is "That which makes men happy to see walk by."
And so in sketching it on my bike...then it's something...that anyone can
see.

Ojisan

.......
Ahh.

-pg147-

Ojisan

I...thought it was....the "Ko" in your family name, Koumiishi.

Sensei

Ah. It does look a bit like that.
Mm, that's it too.

-pg148-

Sensei

Since my bike was first started, it has been around the world ten times.

-pg149-

Sensei

I'd like to be there to see how far it can go.

-pg152-

Sensei

To see how far it can go.

Tale #53: Closing