Yokohama
Shopping Trip Log
Gone shopping in Yokohama
Some years ago,
the owner…
entrusted me with the shop
and went away somewhere.
Where to? What for?
Will he return someday?
I think it’s good that I’m a robot.
No matter how long it takes, I can wait.
Gone shopping in Yokohama
To Alpha I’m glad to see you are doing well.
I was just out for a bit to buy a new rake.
The weather didn’t agree with me.
Ah, I won’t make it home in time.
Rain and the Aftermath
That was close.
I’m sorry for troubling you.
Don’t you worry about a thing. I know a good hospital.
The doc’s a friend of mine.
She’s much better than someone in a big hospital far away.
Doctor…?
She’ll be just fine.
The lightning only struck on the outside.
It’ll be two or three days before she can leave the hospital though,
since her skin and hair need to be replaced.
It’s been a while since I’ve taken care of a robot patient.
Two or three days?
But she seemed to be badly hurt.
You can go talk to her if you want.
Hi, Ojisan.
The doc told me you’d be well enough to leave in three days, but…
It looks serious, but she just changed the primary skin coating.
Um, Ojisan?
Can you keep this a secret from Takahiro?
Sure. But he’ll find out when we come to pick you up.
I’ll be back tomorrow to see how you’re doin’.
Oh, do ya need somethin’?
I would appreciate it if you could bring me a change of clothes.
The back door should be unlocked.
Alrighty, I’ll bring some.
Now, ya try and get some rest.
Thank you.
The primary coating was finished the next day.
My my.
Worried about the rough edges?
Don’t worry about it.
It’ll feel a bit fluffy since we’ve only finished the primary coating.
Your skin will be soft and smooth after the secondary coating and the finishing touches.
Oh, I see.
I replaced the hair too, since most of it was damaged.
Wha?
It’s the same type of hair you had before.
You wouldn’t like it if the color were changed, right?
I feel relieved.
I don’t know how I can thank you.
Save your thanks for that ojisan who brought you in.
I should be able to finish you up tomorrow, so you’ll be able to leave by the next day.
Tears are beginning to form in my eyes.
My lachrymal glands were designed solely for keeping my optical tissues moist, but…
I’ve had this happen to me before, when I was playing the lute alone.
But this feels different somehow.
I like this feeling as well.
On the day of my return…
Alpha, are you ready to go back?
Uh… did you, um, change your hairstyle?
It’s… it’s not what you think!
Ah! What happened to your hair?
It’ll be like that until it settles down.
H-how long will that take?
Well, it shouldn’t take longer than a week.
One…
One week?!
Tears begin to form in my eyes again,
but it’s a whole different feeling this time.
Ojisan, um… thank you very much for everything.
What’re you talkin’ about? Save your thanks for the doc.
Well, I don’t know how I can ever pay you back,
so please come by the café, and I’ll serve you two some free coffee.
Oh, don’t be so uptight about it, will ya?
You’re like family to us anyway.
What’s wrong? What’s wrong? What’re ya cryin’ for?
Oh, no, it’s just that I’m so grateful.
Oops, I haven’t prepared the coffee yet!
The beans are overcooked.
I burned the beans a bit…
But I can still smell the same familiar aroma of coffee.
Mmm. Smells delicious.
One.
Two.
Five.
Smells great.
I can hear the sea.
Wherever the swaying of waves may take me…
Endlessly looking up into the sky
Wandering around, dreaming of being a fish
There, a single trail of wind was blowing
The Wind Was Blowing
Following the running cloud
Escaping the old street
Wandering around with no place to go
There, a single trail of wind was blowing
Wandering around with no place to go
There, a single trail of wind was blowing
The wind was blowing…
As I stroked the smooth surface of the camera…
…morning had given way to afternoon before I knew it.
I remember now!
I can’t believe I had forgotten about it all this time:
The place my owner took me to when I first arrived here.
Ojisan—!
Hiya.
Where are ya off to?
A private event!
What d’ya mean?
If I remember correctly…
I last went there when I visited the northern town.
All I have now are fragmented images and sweet memories, but…
I hope I can get there before the sun sets.
I knew it! This is it!
It feels a bit different, but…
this is the place.
Alpha-san?
I thought it was you.
Doctor?
Do you come here often?
Well, not really. I think I came here once before.
Doctor, what are you doing here today?
I just stopped by on my way to the northern town.
Do you come here often?
Sometimes.
As the sun sets to the west,
I can’t stop the excitement rising in me.
It’s… It’s so beautiful.
Yes, it is.
Many of the old street lights are still left here.
When you last came here, you probably missed watching the night scenery.
The street lights come to life…
where there are only trees… and the ocean.
The lights that once shone so brightly with purpose…
now shine…
for the sole purpose of shining.
Though not many get to see this,
isn’t it good to have such unique flowers around?
These flowers of light…
left behind by the former residents.
Yokosuka Cruise
The festival-like world…
has slowly settled to a leisurely pace.
To think that an era…
would reach its twilight so pleasantly.
The dangerous times have since been called the “Age of Evening Calm.”
I will probably keep watching this twilight world… as long as time flows.