After dinner, when the stillness of night had wrapped itself around the farm, I lay down on the futon Mrs. Hanabira had prepared for me. My body welcomed the rest, but my mind wouldn't stop spinning.
I had the map, and maybe even a way to reach Uke Mochi. But… how was I supposed to get there with no money?
I sat up and pulled out my wallet. Empty. No surprise there.
With a sigh, I lay back down, staring at the wooden ceiling above me with a mix of frustration and resignation. I had the location, the chest, the journal… but without a way to move forward, it all felt like having a key with no door.
The next morning, as I splashed cold water on my face from the well, I walked over to Mr. Hanabira. He was already tending to his crops with a kind of patience only time could teach.
"Excuse me, Mr. Hanabira… Could I speak with you for a moment?"
The man turned toward me, calm as ever, and nodded.
"Of course, Haruki. Something on your mind?"
"Well… I want to be honest. I don't have any money for the trip to Uke Mochi. I don't know if maybe… you and your wife could help, even just a little, with the basics."
Mr. Kazuo scratched his chin, his face thoughtful.
"Hmm… I'd love to say yes, but Miyako and I are barely getting by this season. The farm doesn't bring in much, and we're still waiting to sell the next batch of crops."
"I understand…" I murmured, doing my best to hide my disappointment.
"But," he added with a small smile, "if you're willing to help out around here for a few days, you could earn enough for your trip."
"Work?"
"Yeah. My knees aren't what they used to be," he chuckled, tapping his leg. "But with your help, we could bring in some crops ahead of schedule and sell them at the market."
Just then, Mrs. Hanabira came out of the house carrying an empty basket and joined us.
"We've got cucumbers, melons, and tomatoes ready to harvest," she said warmly. "Give it a week or two of work, and you could save up what you need."
I paused for a moment. It wasn't the fastest plan, but it was the most realistic. And honestly… something about the idea of working with my hands felt strangely comforting. Maybe the answers I was looking for were buried in the soil.
"I'll do it," I said finally.
"We're glad to hear it," said Mrs. Hanabira. "The farm can teach you more than you might expect."
"And besides," added Mr. Kazuo as he gathered his tools, "if that magical land is waiting for you, you'll need to get used to hard work."
At that moment, Ailany stepped out the door with a small backpack slung over one shoulder.
"You're starting without me?" she asked playfully.
"You're helping too?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
She nodded.
"It wouldn't be fair if you were the only one working to make this trip happen. Besides, I've got some savings. Not much, but I want to pitch in."
I looked at her, surprised. She shrugged like it was nothing.
"I'm coming with you, after all. Seems only right that I do my part, don't you think?"
A small smile crept onto my lips. Maybe I wasn't in this alone after all.
I tightened the work gloves Mr. Kazuo had lent me and looked out across the fields, bathed in morning light.
I didn't know how far Uke Mochi really was, but under that clear blue sky, I knew the journey had already begun.
The next morning, the sun had barely begun to rise when I heard a soft knock on the sliding door.
"Haruki, time to get up," came Mr. Kazuo's calm voice from the other side.
I stirred in the futon, still half-asleep. Muscles I didn't even know existed were sore. The thought of getting up at that hour—after so many days with no real routine—wasn't exactly thrilling.
Reluctantly, I sat up and slipped into the work clothes they'd left out for me the night before. Simple, but comfortable: a cotton shirt, sturdy pants, and a straw hat to shield me from the sun.
I headed downstairs and found Mr. Hanabira waiting by the back door with a basket of tools and a pair of gloves.
"Let's start with something easy," he said, handing me the gloves. "We'll check the sweet potato fields and clear out any weeds. After that, we'll move on to the tomatoes."
I followed him quietly into the fields, the morning breeze brushing against my face. There was something peaceful about the country air… until we actually started.
The first few hours were brutal.
The ground was hard, the position awkward, and every five minutes I felt like my back would snap in half. I fell twice, covered my shirt in mud, and ended up with arms full of scratches from wrestling with a particularly stubborn vine.
"Ugh… this is worse than PE class…" I muttered, panting and wiping the sweat from my brow.
Mr. Hanabira laughed from a few rows away.
"Don't worry. Everyone complains at first. The land can be tough, but if you treat it right, it'll reward you."
I stood up with effort, eyeing the rows of purple sweet potatoes.
"Do you really make that much money from this?"
"It depends on timing and effort," he replied, pulling weeds with ease. "This year looks promising. If we're lucky, we'll sell enough at the city market for you to start your journey."
After a few more hours, we moved on to the tomatoes, then to the early rice shoots. It wasn't harvest season yet, but Mr. Kazuo wanted me to learn how to gauge their condition. Finally, we stepped into the greenhouse, where they tended to wild strawberries with a scent so rich it was almost hypnotic.
By the time we returned to the house, my arms hung limp like overcooked noodles.
Mrs. Hanabira greeted us with a cold drink and a warm smile.
"Tough first day?"
"I don't even know if I can stand back up," I joked, collapsing onto the wooden step by the entrance.
Ailany showed up moments later, her hair tied up in a ponytail and a towel around her neck. She gave me a teasing grin.
"Already giving up?"
"I'm considering changing careers. Maybe I'll become a scarecrow."
She laughed softly and sat beside me.
"Don't worry. You'll get used to it. And hey—you're not doing this alone."
I smiled at her, tired but grateful. Having her around made everything easier.
As the days went by, things started to change. The work was still hard, but my body slowly adapted. My hands, once clumsy and covered in blisters, now moved more surely through the crops. I could even tell the sound of the wind slipping between the leaves—as if the land itself had begun to speak to me. And to be honest, I hadn't slept that deeply in years.
Mr. Kazuo guided me with patience, and Mrs. Miyako always had something delicious waiting when the work was done. Ailany helped whenever she could, and our conversations became more and more natural.
It was strange… but as the wind swept across my face and the scent of damp earth surrounded me, I felt something inside begin to break… or maybe, begin to heal.
There was still a long road ahead… but for the first time, I felt like I was starting to find my way.