Mikey in Kochi DAY3

On the previous night, some of the regular members of Eme-chan’s Boys’ Night dropped by unexpectedly. They left around 1 AM, but then it turned into a drinking session with Mikey and Eme-chan, and we ended up having deep conversations until after 3 AM!

What made this time unique was that we delved into a lot of profound topics. In the past, our gatherings were more about surface-level conversations and having fun in the moment. But this time, we discussed subjects like the future, marriage, parenting, politics, religion, economics, investments, and various other topics. It was quite a change.

As a result, we woke up quite late, had a brunch-like meal for lunch, and then we visited Yuna-chan’s house to chat some more. Yuna-chan mentioned that she mostly associates Mikey with speaking Japanese, so it was refreshing to converse mainly in English this time, thanks to Eme-chan being around.

Afterward, we went to the Hachiman Shrine to help Fionn sign up for a sumo wrestling competition in an effort to earn money for Fortnite skins. We had previously talked about not allowing any more in-game purchases, but Fionn had the idea that if he earned the money himself, it might be allowed. When he heard that the sumo competition had prize money, his eyes lit up!

We arrived, and Fionn had a chance to practice a bit because several of his close friends had also entered the competition.

When it was Fionn’s turn, he faced a smaller boy. From our side, we couldn’t see what was happening, but Eme-chan and his friends, who were watching from the opposite side, said that Fionn’s eyes were fierce right from the “hakkeyoi!” moment! He quickly pushed his opponent out of the ring. However, the rule for the kindergarten division was to stop the match before a clear winner was determined (probably because the age range was from 3 to 6 years old, and the size differences were too significant).

Nevertheless, Fionn won a bag filled with sweets and the participation prize money! The prize money had significantly increased from the old 500 yen to an impressive 1,000 yen! Fionn was overjoyed, thinking about how he could now make in-game purchases.

We had to buy a pricey bottle of juice because we had forgotten our water bottles, and it turned out to be a simple Aquarius poured over ice cubes in a cup. The price was a bit shocking, but I guess that’s what you get at festivals.

Compared to the past, there seemed to be fewer food stalls at the festival. I was surprised at how few there were! It seemed like there were only a handful. I had originally thought of strolling around, maybe buying something to eat, but it was scorching hot, and we were all dripping with sweat, so we decided to leave after the sumo event.

Despite that, it was a fun day, and Fionn had a great time at the festival. The last night was spent with a simple homemade dinner that I prepared, shared with family and Mikey. Yuna-chan also dropped by for a visit. Even after Fionn and Eme-chan went to bed, Mikey and I couldn’t stop talking.

It was the final night, so we were already starting to feel the sadness of his departure. Though he’s not a family member, he feels just like one, so saying goodbye is always a bit tough.