93. 記憶回廊2
翌日の土曜日、俺は昼前に家を出た。
朝、準備していたらなんだかんだ出る時間が遅くなった。
実家に向かって車を走らせ、着いたのはちょうど13時。
実家は2階建ての築20年以上、木造の家。
ところどころ色あせており、懐かしさを感じる。
「ただいま......」
「あら、おかえりなさい」
母さんが玄関で出迎えてくれた。
「......母さん......久しぶり」
「どうしたのよ。そんな顔して?」
「あ、いや......なんでもない。母さんも老けたなって」
「馬鹿なこと言わないで頂戴。それより、昼ごはんは食べた?」
「食べたよ」
「それなら、お父さんに挨拶してきなさい」
玄関を上がると、歩くたびにギィギィと床が軋む音がする。
階段を使って2階に上がり、いつも父さんがいる部屋に向かう。
「父さん、ただいま!」
父さんは書斎におり椅子に座って本を読んでいた。
久しぶりにみる父さんは白髪が生えてきおり、昔と比べて皺が増えた。
もうすぐ還暦だからな......。
還暦にはお祝いでもしてあげるか。
父さんは本を閉じて、
「裕太か......久しぶりだな。元気にしてたか?」
「元気だよ。父さんも......相変わらず元気そうだね。そういえばぎっくり腰は大丈夫?」
一ヶ月ほど前に父さんがぎっくり腰で入院したことがある。
「裕太が俺の心配か。これは雪でも降るな」
「俺だって心配くらいするよ。......父さんも、もう歳なんだから、無理すんなよ」
「ははは! そうだな」
父さんは機嫌良さそうに笑う。
笑うと目尻に皺ができるのは昔からだ。
そんな父さんの優しい顔が好きだった。
「今から空いてる?」
「どうした......突然?」
「ちょっと散歩でもしない?」
「そうだな。......そう言えば今日は全く動いてないからな」
父さんはそう言って立ち上がると、
「行くか」
家を出てしばらく父さんと並んで歩く。
懐かしい光景が広がっていた。
田舎特有のゆっくりと時が流れているような穏やかな雰囲気。
今は稲の収穫時期......
道端では年寄りのじいさんばあさんが、前で楽しそうにおしゃべりしている。
その横を通りながら、この景色を噛み締める。
「前もこうやって歩いたときあったな。確か......裕太が高校受験に落ちたときに」
「よく覚えてるね」
「お前......相当落ち込んでたからなぁ。連れ出すの大変だった」
「仕方ないじゃん。本番に弱いのは......父さん譲りだよ」
「ははは、そうだな。裕太は俺に似て緊張に弱い。でも―――ここ一番では力を発揮する」
「そう......?」
父さんにまじまじと褒められると恥ずかしい。
「それで......今日はどうしたんだ? 急に帰ってきて散歩になんか誘って......」
「なに? 嫌だったん?」
「嫌じゃないが......お前の雰囲気がいつもと違う」
雰囲気が違う......のか?
いつも通りだと思うけど。
でも......何か......父さんにどうしても伝えたいことがある......気がする。
今言わないと一生言えなくなるような、そんな感じがした。
「たまにはこういうのも良いだろ? 親子水入らずって感じでさ」
家の近くにある神社に着く。
年末には、毎年この神社でカウントダウンをする。
夏と秋に小さな祭りが行われ、子供の頃はそれを何よりも楽しみにしていた。
そして、祭りの終わり。
鳥居をくぐって境内に入る。
木々に囲まれたこの空間では、秋だというのにまだまだ蝉の鳴き声が聞こえてくる。
「もし......もしの話だけど、俺が先に死んだら......父さんはどう思う?」
参道を歩きながら父さんに質問する。
「それを......俺に答えさせるか?」
「ごめん。忘れて。なんとなく......聞いてみただけ」
「なんとなくで聞くな......。親よりも先に死なないでくれ。俺が言えるのはそれだけだ」
その言葉がなぜだか胸に刺さる。
秋風が頬を触れ、やるせない気持ちになった。
拝殿の前に着くと、財布から取り出した5円玉を賽銭箱に入れる。
そして、二礼二拍手一礼。
俺は手を合わせて神様にお祈りをする。
そうして、目を開けると父さんが目を閉じてお祈りをしていた。
父さんのお祈りはいつも長い。
あまりに長すぎて、後ろの人が時折迷惑そうな顔をする。
それだけ大事な願いがあるってことだろう。
ちなみに、俺の願いは「父さんと母さんがこれからも健康に暮らしていけますように」だ。
それが......親不孝の子供ができる精一杯の祈りだ。
まあ、これから親孝行すればいいんだけどね。
Ch 93
The next day, Saturday, I left home before noon.
When I was getting ready in the morning, I was late to leave for some reason.
I drove to my parents' house and arrived there just at 1pm.
My parents' house is a two-story, 20+ year old, wooden house.
It's color has faded in some places, and I feel nostalgic.
"I'm back ..."
"Oh, welcome back."
Mom greeted me at the door.
"...Mom, ...long time no see."
"What's the matter with you? Why do you look like that?"
"Oh, no, ...it's nothing, mom's just getting old."
"Don't be silly, have you eaten lunch yet?"
"I already ate."
"Then go and say hello to your father."
As I walked up to the front door, I could hear the floor creaking and squeaking as I walked.
I took the stairs up and headed to the room where Dad is always resting.
"Dad, I'm home!"
Dad was in his study, sitting in a chair, reading a book.
My father, who I haven't seen in a long time, has gray hair and more wrinkles than he used to have.
He is almost on his 60th birthday.
I guess I'll just have to celebrate my return.
Dad closed the book.
"Yuta, ...long time no see, how are you?"
"I'm fine, and so is my dad. You look as good as ever, by the way, is your back okay?"
About a month ago, my dad was hospitalized because of a back ache.
"Yuta's worried about me, it is going to snow."
"I'd be worried about you too. ...Dad, you're old, please take care of yourself."
"Hahaha! Yeah."
Dad smiled good-humoredly.
He always had wrinkles in the corners of his eyes when he smiled.
I loved my dad's kind face like that.
"Are you free right now?"
"What's up ...all of a sudden?"
"Do you want to go for a little walk?"
"Yeah. ...Come to think of it, I haven't moved at all today."
Dad said, standing up.
"Let's go."
We left the house and walk alongside each other for a while.
The scene was nostalgic.
A peaceful atmosphere where time seems to flow slowly, unique to the countryside.
It is the time of harvesting rice and the golden rice sways along the wind.
On the side of the road, old grandparents are chatting happily in front.
As I walk by this scenery, I chew on this view.
"There was a time when we walked like this before, I believe ......it was when Yuta failed his high school entrance exams."
"You remember it well."
"You ...were so depressed, it was hard to get you out of it."
"You can't blame me, I have a weakness for the real thing, just like my father."
"Hahaha, yes, Yuta is like me, he doesn't do well with nerves, but... he's a force to be reckoned with."
"So ...?"
It's embarrassing when my dad compliments me so seriously.
"So ...what's up with you today, coming home all of a sudden and asking me to go for a walk or something ...?"
"What, you don't like it?"
"I don't hate it, but... your mood is different than usual."
Is the atmosphere different ...?
I guess it's business as usual.
But I feel like there's something ... I really want to tell my dad.
I felt like if I didn't say it now, I would never be able to say it.
"Isn't it nice to have something like this once in a while, just you and me?"
We arrived at a shrine near our house.
At the end of the year, we count down at this shrine every year.
There are small festivals in the summer and fall, and as a child I looked forward to them more than anything else.
And at the end of the festival, I once annoyed my dad by crying that I didn't want to go home.
We went through the torii gate and entered the premises of the shrine.
In this space surrounded by trees, you can still hear the cries of the cicadas even though it is autumn.
"What would ... dad thought if, just as a matter of fact, I died first?"
I asked my dad a question as I walked down the aisle.
"Do you want me to answer that ...?"
"I'm sorry, forget it, I was just asking ..."
"Don't ask me somehow, don't die before your parents, is all I can say."
For some reason, those words stuck with me.
The autumn breeze touched my cheeks and I felt unwilling to do anything about it.
When I arrived in front of the shrine, I took out a 5 yen coin from my wallet and put it into the money box.
And then, two bows, two claps, one bow.
I put my hands together and prayed to God.
Then I opened my eyes and my dad was praying with his eyes closed.
Dad's prayers are always long.
Too long, and the people behind me occasionally look annoyed.
I guess that's how important his wish is.
By the way, my wish is that my mom and dad will continue to live in good health.
That is the best prayer a ... filial child can make.
Well, I just have to take care of my parents from now on.
Reincarnated as the Son of a Vicious Lord! ~When I Was Having Fun Learning Magic, I Had to Get Rid of My Stigma~!
悪徳領主の息子に転生！？～楽しく魔法を学んでいたら、汚名を返上してました～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/reincarnated-as-the-son-of-a-vicious-lord-when-i-was-having-fun-learning-magic-i-had-to-get-rid-of-my-stigma/
Adventure Fantasy Romance School Life Shounen
Academy Adapted to Manga Age Progression Battle Competition Character Growth Cheats Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Depictions of Cruelty Elemental Magic Fat to Fit Female Master Friendship Harem-seeking Protagonist Harsh Training Hated Protagonist Late Romance Loyal Subordinates Male Protagonist Modern Knowledge Naive Protagonist Nobles Reincarnated in Another World Saints Strength-based Social Hierarchy Sword And Magic Underestimated Protagonist
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n6812gh/
米津