Chapter 221: [Don’t Fall Down The Rabbit Hole]
Watching the affectionate American couple, I ponder.
Is this a cultural gap?
<<Americans don’t seem to care about such things in public, right?>>
<<Yeah. Compared to Japan, everyone here is open. ...Even when I was a kid and went to a friend’s house to play, I could hear “sounds” from the next room.>>
<<Eww!?>>
<<And afterward, they walked around the room with just a towel. I was quite surprised.>>
Ango seems a bit embarrassed as he says this.
Is, is that okay?
<<Isn’t that something you do when there are no kids around?>>
<<Hmm. But when is there no one around?>>
<<Well...>>
Thinking about it, when do families with children find the time for baby-making activities? Probably earlier than when work ends, maybe on weekends...
<<In America, kids don’t really go out to play alone.>>
<<...Now that you mention it.>>
<<Iroha-chan, when do Japanese couples flirt?>>
<<Huh!? Um, when is it?... Maybe when we go to a love hotel?>>
<<Love hotel?>>
<<Uh, there are special rooms for that kind of thing, and you can rent them.>>
<<There’s something like that? Japanese people are geniuses! If we ever go to Japan, let’s definitely try it out.>>
Don’t talk about that in front of the kids!
I want to interject, but since only adults are present, well... it’s fine.
But really, they don’t seem to find discussions about baby-making or related topics “sensitive”.
I’m not sure if “sensitive” is the right term, but somehow, I feel like I understand why Japan is experiencing a declining birthrates.
<<But, around here, the safety is good, and you rarely get invited to such things at school. This place is really nice. It may be a bit expensive, but buying safety with money is worth it.>>
<<The place where we bought our house was a bit of a mistake.>>
<<Speaking of which, it’s unusual for a family to live in an apartment, right?>>
<<Is it?>>
<<Yeah. The rooms in this apartment are quite spacious, but in America, there are probably more people living alone in houses.>>
America is really big.
Hearing that, indeed, Papa-san and Mama-san seem like rare cases.
<<Something happened?>>
<<Actually, after buying the house, gangs increased nearby.>>
<<That really happens?>>
<<Well, we had bad luck. Once the house is sold, we plan to buy a new one and move.>>
<<Oh, speaking of which, will you take me to the shooting range sometime soon? I want to practice.>>
<<Ah, yeah. It’s safe here, but you never know what might happen in the future.>>
Hearing such a conversation, I had an epiphany.
I see. Obviously, not every American is adept at handling guns.
<<When it comes down to it, if I forgot how to shoot in an emergency and couldn’t protect my child, that would be unforgivable.>>
I thought of the shooting range as part of my ‘hobbies,’ but apparently, it’s not just that.
It seems to be a kind of rehearsal for self-defense.
In Japan, we prepare anti-crime goods and conduct evacuation drills in preparation for earthquakes.
Similarly, in America, they prepare guns and conduct shooting practices to resist robbery.
<<Huh? Are you interested, by any chance? If you want, would you like to come with us next time?>>
I realize I’ve been invited.
Come to think of it, I’ve never tried shooting in America.