The sound of an engine echoed through the air, reverberating off the rough dirt road; despite it being midday, the town was enveloped in a profound silence.
If one stood still, they could hear every subtle activity happening around them, the softest sounds seemed to come alive.
"Dada, take this” Yukiko said, stretching out her little hand from the back seat he chuckled to himself, glancing at her in the rearview mirror, and said with a grin, “I'm tied up”
She unwrapped a caramel toffee and, with her tiny hands, put it into her dad's mouth; Takeshi laughed as he started to eat the toffee. Then, she asked eagerly, "Is it sweet, Dada?"
Takeshi nodded happily. Just then, Emiko, who was sitting beside him, said, "Looks like someone forgot about their mom again."
Yukiko took out another toffee from her pocket and held it out to her mom. Emiko turned around, bending to reach Yukiko's small hands.
Instead of taking it with her hand, she playfully took the toffee directly into her mouth, catching Yukiko off guard. Yukiko burst into giggles, her eyes sparkling with delight.
Yukiko's brother, who was sitting beside her, tapped her on the shoulder looking out the window, he said excitedly, "Yuki, look over there!" he pointed eagerly while sticking his hand out of the car window.
Yukiko goes towards her brother and gazes out the window glancing back at him, she asks, "Is that a cow?" Akihiko shook his head, smiling. "No, that's an ox."
She looked outside and asked, "But what are they doing?" Akihiko glanced at her and replied, "They are ploughing the field."
Yukiko looked out the window with curiosity and asked, “What’s ploughing?”
Takeshi, steering the vehicle and keeping his eyes on the field, explained, “Look, ploughing is an old method used to prepare fields. It involves pulling the soil with an ox or a machine to turn it over, making it ready for planting seeds.”
Takeshi's face showed a proud smile as he described this traditional, labour-intensive process, Yukiko looked out the window, understanding the effort involved in making the soil ready for the crops.
Emiko, gazing out the car window, turned around and said, with a serious expression. “Listen carefully, both of you! you mustn’t trouble your grandparents at all and should follow their instructions completely. Especially you, Yukiko—you’re younger, and I expect you to behave well there, don't do anything troublesome and never go anywhere without informing anyone. If you must go out, it should only be with Akihiko. Otherwise, you do not have permission to go anywhere.”
Yukiko made a pout, folding her hands and asked, "Why is it only me? Why don't you tell Akihiko that if he needs to go out, he should take me along, or else he shouldn't go alone?"
Hearing Yukiko’s complaint, Takeshi, who was driving, chuckled softly. Lacing at her through the rearview mirror, he said with a warm smile, “He’s older, and you’re younger, so it’s his responsibility to look after you and keep you safe.”
Yukiko responded, “That’s not true; I can protect him too.” Akihiko, who was sitting next to her, gave a slight smile and said, “You’re just 11”
Yukiko retorted with a touch of defiance, “So what if I’m 11? I’m not that small.” Emiko, peering out the window with a stern expression, turned back and said firmly, “That’s enough we’re almost there and remember everything I’ve said.”
Akihiko shouted loudly, "Yes!"
The loud outburst irritated Yukiko, she stuck her tongue out at him in annoyance and then crossed her arms defiantly.
Through the window, Yukiko sees a picturesque scene: lush green rice paddies stretch across the foreground, shimmering under the sunlight and reflecting the clear blue sky.
