Three steaming bowls of tonkotsu ramen were placed in front of Takeshita Kusaokei, Kitagawa Miyuki, and Kitagawa Kako from left to right by the owner. Smelling the fragrant smell wafting from the big bowl in front of him, the index finger moved, salivating Takeshita grass mustard, the right hand did not quickly pick up the chopsticks, but held a small spoon, first drank two mouthfuls of soup, and then put down the small porcelain spoon, replaced it with chopsticks to pick up the ramen in the bowl, gently aimed at it and blew it two or three times, and finally sent into the mouth is "huhuhu" to eat up.

"Are you sure you'll win the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Prize?" Kako Kitagawa, who was not interested at all in the big bowl of tonkotsu ramen in front of her, earnestly hoped that he would receive this honor and be recorded in the history of Japanese literature.

Takeshita Kusaoke, who stopped eating noodles, completely showed a detached and free attitude of being lucky and losing my life: "Let's tell you this!" The international IMPAC Dublin Literary Prize was once considered the most unpredictable prize, and while it featured names such as Hertha Miller and Orhan Pamuk, the list of finalists who missed out on the award was even more spectacular, with Naipaul, Coetzee, Philip Rose, Salman Rushdie, and Toni Morrison. So, it's not about whether I'm sure I'll win the award, it's about what the selection committee thinks of my novella Heart. ”

"If you win the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Prize, you get a prize of 100,000 euros. When converted into yen, that's about 20 million. Kitagawa Kako, who unconsciously began to count again, although she is not a money fan, can't help but fold her fingers and enjoy it.

"Not exactly. Although the prize money is 100,000 euros, the English translation will be awarded, and 25,000 of the 100,000 euros will be awarded to the translator. "Takeshita Kusaoke, who made a supplementary explanation, was eating the fragrant tonkotsu ramen in a large bowl while telling the truth.

"Others don't know, don't I know? The English translator of your novella, Heart, is not yourself. Even if you write in English, it's not an exaggeration. So, instead of giving a quarter of the prize to someone else, you will own the full amount of the bonus. Kako Kitagawa, who was full of confidence in him, said with a smile on her face.

Takeshita Kusao, who couldn't help laughing, understood her feelings of hoping that she would win the award, and blurted out: "You are not a member of the jury of the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards, so what you said doesn't count." However, after we have breakfast, we have to walk around and see there, you can have the final say. ”

Seeing that he made fun of his Kitagawa Kako without any malice, he first said "hateful" in disgust, and then immediately thought that it was March, and the weather was good today, so he had a good place to go, and said with a smile: "Otherwise, let's go to Ueno Park to see the cherry blossoms, right?" ”

"Your idea is very good, and it's settled." Ueno Park is not only the first park in Japan, but it is also the most famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Tokyo, with 1,200 cherry blossoms in the park.

didn't say it in his mouth, but in his heart, he especially liked to go out with his daughter like this, and he was able to feel the happiness and happy life of a family of three. At this time, she was not in a hurry, holding a small porcelain spoon in her left hand and a pair of chopsticks in her right hand, and slowly ate tonkotsu ramen.

Takeshita not only finished eating the ramen in his big bowl, but also swept away the ramen that his daughter couldn't eat. In fact, after eating his bowl of tonkotsu ramen, he was already full. However, in order not to let the shopkeeper and the people around him look at them strangely, they ate without hesitation. After all, wasting food in Japan is not a sign of affluence, but rather a sign of extremely low character and the worst quality. People who deliberately waste food are often very despised and despised by the people around them.

Kitagawa Miyuki noticed that her father was sweating a lot on her forehead after eating ramen, so she took the initiative to take out a small handkerchief from the right pocket of her jacket with her right hand, and waved to him with her left hand, signaling him not only to lean over to her, but also to lower it a lot, so that she could wipe her father's sweat.

The grass mustard under Takeshita, who understands it, is very in line with her daughter's requirements and does it one by one. I couldn't help but close my eyes, enjoying Miyuki Kitagawa wiping his sweat, and what he had been longing for in his heart was this kind of family warmth and happiness. In my mind, no matter how much money I make and how successful my career is, I can't compare with this feeling of family.

Rubbed it very carefully for my father, and after rubbing it three times over and over again, Kitagawa Miyuki checked it again, and said with a sweet smile: "Well, okay." ”

Takeshita Kusaoke, who opened his eyes again, said with a fatherly smile on his face, "Thank you." And Kitagawa Kako, who was not idle to watch, found her red wallet from her handbag, and took out the money to pay for the three bowls of tonkotsu ramen in front of her.

Takeshita Kusaoke, who stood up straight, picked up the little Lori with both hands, and walked out of the door with the shopkeeper's words of "Welcome to the next time", while Kitagawa Kako, who was holding a handbag in her left hand, followed closely behind their father and daughter and walked out in a hurry.

"The family that walked out just now was really good and happy. If only there was a man who loved half of his children and his wife. The owner's wife looked at her husband with emotion and something else.

"If you're half as good-looking as the woman you just saw, then I'm not going out to drink and fool around." understood what she was talking about, and directly gave her the words back to the shopkeeper, who said expressionlessly.

Not to be outdone, the shopkeeper's wife sneered at her husband and said, "If you have one-tenth of that man's ability, you can do whatever you like." Not only will I never say a word more in front of you, but I will also offer you up like an ancestor. It's a pity that you can only live by running a ramen shop for the rest of your life, and someone else is a nominated writer who has won an international literary award. ”