Chapter 40 – You Never Know Where Life Will Take You
Grandpa set his teacup down and said,
“Happy New Year.”
I bowed my head in return.
“Happy New Year.”
Saying it properly like that felt a little strange.
It wasn’t some grand declaration, but somehow it really made it feel like a new year had begun.
Grandpa sat quietly for a while, looking out the window.
The pasture was covered in white.
A little sunlight broke through the clouds, making the snow sparkle.
“…Back in the old days…”
“Hm?”
I stopped eating and looked up.
Without taking his eyes off the window, Grandpa said,
“About twenty years ago, you kids would all line up over there, sitting seiza-style, asking for New Year’s money.”
“…Yeah.”
I couldn’t help smiling.
We really did sit there formally.
I don’t even know why, but there was this unspoken rule that if you sat in seiza long enough, you’d eventually get your New Year’s gift money.
Thinking back, I felt like there had been more horses around back then, too.
As I looked outside, I saw the horses making a commotion.
“Happy New Year!”
“Looking forward to another year!”
“Sakuu! Fooood!”
“We want a special New Year’s menu!”
…Back then, I never would’ve imagined that horses would understand what New Year’s was.
As I sipped my ozōni soup, I glanced at the ceiling for a moment.
The ceiling hadn’t changed.
Neither had the smell of the living room.
And yet…
The only thing that had changed was my place in it.
It felt strange.
“I never thought I’d end up having you inherit the ranch.”
Grandpa muttered it quietly.
“I didn’t either.”
That was the honest truth.
I thought I’d graduate from college, drift into a job, become another office worker, and spend my life exhausted day after day.
Instead…
Before I knew it, I was shoveling horse manure, calculating stud fees, and worrying about the futures of newborn foals.
Life was truly unpredictable.
Without looking at me, Grandpa continued.
“…You’ve still got a lot to learn.”
“Yeah.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
I was only just beginning to understand horses.
As for running a ranch…
Even now, every decision felt like feeling my way through the dark.
There were still plenty of times when I only pretended to know what I was doing.
But…
“Still.”
I smiled just a little.
“I’m managing somehow.”
Grandpa stayed silent for a while.
I expected him to shoot me down.
Instead, he simply said,
“Just a little.”
Those two words made me surprisingly happy.
He wasn’t the type to hand out praise.
I smiled quietly to myself.
Even though it was New Year’s, we ended up working anyway. As I found myself thinking that labor laws really didn’t seem to apply to ranches—or agriculture in general—January slipped by, and before I knew it, February had arrived.
“In two months, I’ll officially be a working adult.”
Yayoi and I were taking a break in the corner of a stall, eating pudding while a small television played in the background.
“Oh.”
Right. It was already that time.
I nodded after taking another bite of pudding.
“It’s going to feel lonely.”
“Hehe…”
“So where did you end up getting hired?”
When I asked, Yayoi answered with an excited smile.
“A place called XX Ranch.”
The name didn’t immediately ring a bell, but if Yayoi had chosen it, I figured it must be a solid ranch.
“Oh, nice! So you really found a job working with horses. Congratulations.”
“Yes. They do both breeding and raising young horses, and apparently they even have a dormitory.”
“That’s great.”
Meanwhile, as always, the foals on the other side of the stalls shouted whatever came to mind.
“Yayoiii! Come visit us sometimes!”
“We’ll give you grass too!”
“Don’t forget about us, Yayoi!”
I couldn’t help laughing.
Still holding my spoon, I looked over at her.
“Haha… They’re saying, ‘Yayoi-chan, come by once in a while.'”
Yayoi’s face immediately softened.
“I’d be happy to.”
Somehow, hearing her answer made me happy too.
…
At that moment, Grandpa stopped looking around the back of the stable and casually muttered,
“…If it’s XX Ranch, I heard they filed for closure the day before yesterday.”
The entire atmosphere froze.
“…What?”
“…What?”
My voice and Yayoi-chan’s overlapped perfectly.
“You can ask the Thoroughbred Agricultural Cooperative.”
Why was he dropping a bombshell in the same tone he’d use to say rice had gotten expensive or today’s snow was heavy?
On the television, a horse was making its move down the final stretch.
The announcer was shouting excitedly.
Slowly, I turned toward Yayoi.
“…Let’s confirm it.”
“…Okay.”
“Yes… yes. Thank you very much.”
Yayoi quietly ended the call and lowered her phone.
The color had drained from her face.
“…How was it?”
I had to ask. Though honestly, the answer was written on her face.
She slowly looked at me.
“…It looks like I don’t have a job anymore.”
“…”
“…”
The room fell silent.
Well…Grandpa, Yayoi, and I fell silent.
The horses, on the other hand…
“Ehhh?”
“The job disappeared?”
“Then what’re you gonna do?”
“Yayoi-chan, come work here!”
“Yeah! Come here!”
“Saku’s an idiot!”
“We’ve even got carrots!”
“Why am I at fault?”
Still…
This situation somehow felt incredibly familiar.
Could something like this really happen?
Yayoi forced a small, troubled smile.
“…What should I do?”
Those words felt painfully real.
I thought for a moment.
Actually, there wasn’t much to think about.
I’d known we’d need another pair of hands eventually.
The timing had just arrived a little sooner than expected.
“Um…”
Scratching my head, I said,
“…I can’t offer a very high salary.”
Yayoi-chan lifted her head.
“But I can at least guarantee your food, housing, and daily necessities. So… would you like to work here?”
Silence.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three.
“…Would that really be okay?”
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“I knew I’d have to hire someone sooner or later.”
That part was completely true.
I’d been worrying for months about staffing once spring came.
“If you’d like to, that is.”
Yayoi thought quietly for a moment.
Then…
“…Then… I’d love to.”
She bowed deeply.
“Okay.”
Immediately, the horses erupted into cheers.
“Yaaay!”
“Yayoi’s staying forever!”
“Yayoi-chan-sensei!”
“More snacks!?”
“No, there won’t be more snacks.”
Stone sighed, then said with a look of disdain.
“You should’ve just asked her sooner, kid.”
Crown, looking incredibly full of himself, chimed in too.
“Saku’s an idiot.”
“Would you shut up?”
Yayoi laughed.
The worry that had clouded her face only moments earlier had eased a little.
“I’ll be in your care.”
“Likewise.”
I bowed back.
Life… you really never knew where it was going to take you.