To get to university, I had to walk up the stone paved street known as the Dutch Slope.

Although I had heard that it was only a 7 minute walk from the train station, it was a climb up a steep and tiring slope, causing me to run out of breath every time.

A long time ago, the Dutch Slope was where foreigners had settled in Nagasaki Prefecture. The locals sociably called the foreigners that passed through here ‘Dutch-san’. Although the ‘Dutch-san’ had long since left, it seemed that the place has kept the name of the Dutch Slope.

On the Dutch Slope, there were remnants of when foreigners had lived here. There were Western-style wooden buildings which were built by Thomas Blake Glover, who had been a representative of the consulate and traders.

The Glover family’s house couldn’t be seen without paying an entrance fee, but the ‘Higashiyama period western-style buildings’ could be seen all over the Dutch Slope. The western buildings had now become museums and social hubs.

When I first came here, I kept taking photos of the western-style buildings with my smartphone. But now, I no longer minded them and focused on conquering the Dutch Slope.

 

I moved here from Tokyo about half a month ago to attend a women’s university in Nagasaki. I spent each day to it’s fullest. Why, you may ask, did I chose such a far away university. It was because it was the university that my mother and grandmother graduated from, and also because I wanted to try living by myself.

 

At the top of the steep slope is the women’s university founded by Christian missionaries.

Under the motto of ‘The Highest Education for Women’, I strive to study hard under the strict teaching.

In the past, it seems that you weren’t allowed to wear trousers and dating was also prohibited.

In the present, although its impressions of a school for daughters of upper class families have faded, unless in special circumstances, men are prohibited from entering the university and the dormitory curfew is strictly kept at 10:30pm.

Fortunately, because my parents prepared an apartment for me near the station, I’m living a comfortable life.

However, as I have to climb the Dutch Slope every morning, I envy the people who live in the dormitory and get to use the school bus. Talking with a classmate who lives in the dormitory, it sounded like a luxury.

 

Today, I was walking up the Dutch Slope at night.

As for why, it was because I had forgotten my smartphone in the university locker.

It was very inconvenient without a smartphone and I was painfully aware of it.

Today I had a job interview.

But although I had arrived at the appointed time, the person in charge wasn’t there and an employee-san bitingly told me that ‘I contacted you about the change by phone’. At that moment, I realised that I had left my smartphone in the university.

After waiting an hour for the person in charge to come back, I was interviewed and rejected on the spot for lack of contact.

The resume that I had taken the time to carefully write was rejected almost without being looked at.

Because that had happened, it felt even harder to climb this slope.

I finally arrived at the university and, explaining the situation to the person at the office, went to get my smartphone.

There were about 10 missed calls, all from the company that I had gone to for the interview.

Haah~, I gave a big sigh,.

When I left the university, it started to drizzle. The worst.

I took out a folding umbrella from my bag and decided to walk along the path illuminated by the street lights.

 

I trudged down the stone paved slope.

A dull sound echoed as my feet hit the ground.

After walking up and down repeatedly, my legs started to cramp.

Descending the slope at night while raining could be called a punishment.

It rained heavily in the dim light.

I felt that the scenery around me seemed to reflect my feelings.

 

The time was 8:30pm.

I ought to be having dinner, but I had no appetite.

 

Thinking about it, the only option was to go buy a pack of onigiri at a convenience store.

 

「–Mm?」

 

Suddenly, after returning to reality, I noticed that the surrounding scenery had changed.

While I had been absorbed in thought, I seem to have gone past my usual route and lost my way.

I’m not a local here. If anything, I had a poor sense of direction.

In the dark, I shivered by myself.

Further along the road, I could see a house with lights on. I headed forward quickly to ask for directions there.

It was a two storey western-style building with lovely white walls and a blue roof.

There was a sign at the front gate.

 

— Evening Rain Café

 

Apparently it was a shop. Because it had taken me so long to find a place, I decided to take shelter from the rain here.

Folding my umbrella at the entrance, I wrapped it in a plastic bag before placing it into my bag.

On the gate, there was a wooden sign with the words 「Open for Business」 skillfully written on it.

When I opened the door, a clanging sound was heard.

Going in, I went straight into an entry hall. It seems that it wasn’t originally a shop but a western-style building used as a shop.

I waited for someone to come, but no one came. Because I thought I may have entered without permission, I tried calling out.

 

「……Excuse me~.」

 

There was no reply.

After calling out two more times, I heard footsteps from the back.

The person that came out was a tall man that looked nervous.

He looked to be in his late twenties. He wore black pants and a black shirt. Thinking that he was quite good looking, I examined him carefully and was a little surprised. It might be rude of me to say this, but he didn’t look like someone who worked in the service industry.

Looking at me, his eyes narrowed.

Thinking that he had read my mind, my heartbeat grew faster. I felt like I wasn’t welcome, this place was open right? I asked him.

The man nodded his head in assent.

He then turned around without saying anything. Was I supposed to follow him?

I followed him in.

Advancing along the straight corridor, I arrived at a place that looked like a guest room.

The walls were a pearly white and the floor was a chocolate colour. There were three round tables with floral tablecloths.

From a large window, as tall as my height, it seems a garden could be seen. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see it as it was night time.

Even though I looked around, I couldn’t see a shop.

I seemed to have been led to a private residence and I felt a strange sense of tension.

 

Suddenly, I noticed something on the white walls.

Looking closely at the Hanshi on the wall, some words were skillfully written.

 

— Today’s items, Gosanyaki and Warm Buttermilk.

 

Perhaps, that was a menu? I wasn’t familiar with either item.

While staring at the menu, I could hear the clatter of tableware from the back.

The man from before came over while pushing a kitchen cart.

 

In the end, it looked like there was only one menu available. It seemed to be a shop where things would be brought out even without ordering,

Yes, yes.

What was this Gosanyaki and Warm Buttermilk? As I thought about it, after a few moments, a piece of Castella and a cup of warm milk was placed on the table.

 

Even if I kept looking, I couldn’t see anything else aside from the Castella and a cup of warm milk.

I asked the stern looking onii-san who was next to me.

 

「Excuse me, but this is a Castella, right?」

「It’s not a Castella, it’s a Gosanyaki Castella.」

「What is that, a Gosanyaki Castella I mean.」

「It’s a special Castella.」

「Uwa~~!!」

 

So Gosanyaki Castella meant a special Castella.

Promptly putting my hands together, I slid the fork into the Castella.

 

「–!」

 

This, it was more delicious than any other Castella I had eaten until now.

First of all, the sugar crust was mixed well and had an enjoyable crunchy texture. The cake was soft and had a gentle sweetness. The taste was smooth with a delicate flavour.

It was very different from the Castellas which just absorbed all the saliva in your mouth.

The warm buttermilk fit well with the Gosanyaki.

Eating a bite of the Gosanyaki, then drinking a mouthful of warm buttermilk. It was a blissful time.

I finished eating the slice in no time.

I noticed that the employee onii-san was still nearby and became embarrassed. To have him see me eating the slice like that.

In order to get rid of the awkward feeling, I told him ‘It was delicious’.

The onii-san just closed his eyes and did not reply.

While I slowly sipped the remaining milk, the onii-san didn’t seem like he was going to leave the room. It was a little awkward. Was this shop like this?

They say eloquent words are silver and silence is gold, but I decided to go with silver today.

 

「Thais, why is it called Gosanyaki?」

「There are many reasons.」

 

Firstly, is seems that the ratio of eggs is different from ordinary Castellas.

Five egg yolks to three egg whites. That is the origin claimed by many artisans.

 

「Aside from that, it also has the meaning of surpassing the five tastes……」

「T-Trash?」

「Sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy, the five tastes.」

「Ahh, the five tastes is it?」

 

I see, replacing the five tastes with Gosan to become Gosanyaki.

 

「Because it was typically gifted in a Paulownia wood box, it is also said to have been linked to the Paulownia Seals of the of the Japanese Imperial Family.」

「Heh~~.」

 

The party that received a Castella placed inside the Paulownia box would have been happy.

When I get a part time job and my first salary comes in, I would like to buy that as a present for my parents in Tokyo.

 

「It had such an origin. Can I take notes?」

「Do as you want.」

 

Before I start to forget, I took some notes about the Gosanyaki in my notebook.

With a satisfied expression, confident that I could talk about it, I closed my notebook.

 

As I stood up, I dropped my bag and all its contents fell out.

 

「U-Uwa, this is bad!」

 

A book that I had placed inside had become wet. It seemed like this had happened because I had sloppily packed my umbrella into it after using it in the rain.

It was a book that was released ten years ago and was now out of print. I cursed my own sloppiness.

 

「……That is?」

「It’s an important book that isn’t sold anymore.」

 

The protagonist of the book was a nutritionist at a school cafeteria, it was a heartwarming story of the interaction between a worker and the students in the school. It was the work of a writer called Shinonome Yohko-san, who had written some hit mystery stories in the past few years. She no longer wrote stories like the book I had, but I still looked forward to her new publications.

It was that writer-san’s debut work and I had carelessly gotten a valuable first edition wet.

I removed the cover to check its condition.

 

「Uwa, it’s soaked……」

 

I wanted to cry a bit.

Dropping my shoulders, I picked up the items I had dropped on the floor and packed them into my bag.

As I was picking up the dropped items, the employee-san handed me something.

 

「Ah, my student card! Thank you very much.」

 

It would be a big problem if I lost that. Giving a deep bow, I said thank you.

 

「I will be closing the store for today.」

「Yes, thank you for the meal. What’s the price?」

「–……」

 

The onii-san went silent.

Perhaps, he hadn’t thought about it?　No way.

 

「Um, is two thousand yen enough?」

「–……」

 

No way, because it was a super high class sweet, was two thousand yen not enough?

F-Five thousand yen or so?

But, it was a sweet that would be placed inside a Paulownia box. The price must be high.

As I was about to ask, the onii-san said something ridiculous.

 

「The price, I’ll think about it.」

「Eh?」

「It’s fine for today.」

「No, that is….」

 

Because he wouldn’t take any payment, I gave him a note with my name, contact address and the name of the university I attended.

 

「Hidaka (Sunny), Otome (Young Girl)……?」

「Yes, that’s right.」

 

Hidaka Otome (Sunny Young Girl). It was a name my father and mother thought of with much consideration. It’s was a very rare name. I feel that one of my life goals was to live up to my name.

 

The employee onii-san read the note carefully.

Embarrassed, I left the store after giving a bow.

 

When I went out, the rain had stopped. Walking a few steps, I turned to look back at the shop.

Evening Rain Café

I thought it was a very mysterious shop.

 

After taking three more steps, I remembered that I didn’t know the way back and decided to go back to the store again.

 

While the onii-san looked annoyed, he carefully gave me directions to the station.

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