"Ah, Nifuji-san?"
Wakana Kinmei was surprised when she saw Nifuji, who had just finished jogging. "Aren't you going to work?"
"..."
Yup, as expected, it was the most obvious question to ask when one saw someone who had run in the morning instead of going to work.
"I have been fired."
"....." Wakana.
Nifuji couldn't help but laugh when he saw Wakana's expression.
Yet, he had to say that despite the fact that she might not be the most beautiful, she had this unique charm that combined both a hardworking yet warm-hearted nature, which could make people feel healed when they saw her.
However, at the same time, evil people also wished to see how she would appear when she was broken.
So, what kind of person was he?
Nifuji didn't want to think about it, but Wakana was a rare person who could make him enjoy his days, so if possible, he didn't want her to part ways, even though sometimes, it was necessary.
"I was just joking. I just changed my job."
"Huh? Really? Are you okay?"
Instead of asking whether Nifuji had done the wrong thing, Wakana asked whether he was okay, as she was worried.
"I am fine. I just saw a better chance, so I chose this one."
"I see." Wakana sighed in relief. "I am glad that you are okay."
"What about you? You are about to go to work, right? Sorry for bothering you."
Wakana seemed to have just opened her place, ready to work, so Nifuji thought that he had bothered her.
"No, it's fine. I just finished everything, and I am just waiting for everyone to pick up their clothes."
"Is it?"
"Yes." Wakana showed a gentle smile. "Don't worry. I enjoy my job."
Her smile was genuine, as if she had done this for her love of laundry, and washed the clothes of her customers, making their days beautiful and warm.
"....."
Nifuji was silent, feeling a little weird and even confused. After all, for him, who worked for money, this type of act was simply idiotic or even stupid.
Working meant money, yet for Wakana, it was for love.
Or rather, the reason why Nifuji chose her place to wash his clothes was that her price wasn't that high, and he felt that it was even cheap, considering the result of the laundry.
If one had Wakana's skill, Nifuji could imagine that they would make people pay for their skill more, yet she didn't do that and maintained her price at the standard level, so that everyone could enjoy her laundry.
That devotion of hers, which she had toward her craft and taking care of the precious items of her customers, while it was something that Nifuji didn't really understand before, as he had to work daily, he started to understand when he had started to change his way of life, where he thought of "enough."
Yes, while some people might call her stupid, Nifuji felt like her way of living was kind of... enviable.
Wakana might not be the richest, but even so, Nifuji knew that she was happy and even if she might not make the most, and had a lot of customers, he knew that she had a lot of devoted customers, who would choose her service over others.
To do what one loved, yet get money.
Nifuji knew that many would envy Wakana, but he also knew that keeping the love for what he did wasn't easy, especially when so many people lived in this world, and we couldn't help but compare ourselves.
How to live?
Why do we live?
How or Why?
When Nifuji thought of this, he wasn't sure: for "how," logic was the best way; for "why," emotion was the better guide.
How do we live?
It was better to work on something that made a lot of money, yet with a limited effort.
As for why we live?
It was better than something that we loved as it filled our hearts.
Nifuji thought that the best thing would be the combination of the two, where he could do what he loves, but gain a lot of respect and compensation from it.
Unfortunately, for such a thing, only a few could do it.
Regardless, Wakana, who saw him for a while, felt relieved inwardly. Yes, it had been a while since she had seen him, especially since he still let her handle his laundry; the one who received it was his women.
Yet, even so, she also felt like she had to confirm something. "Um... Nifuji-san."
"Yes?"
"You are not working as a household husband, right?"
"..." Nifuji.
There were many things that he wanted to say, but somehow, he knew that what Wakana thought had logic to it, especially when he had all the specs to be a household husband.
Or rather, he knew that many men, at this moment, were household husbands, didn't work, and just stayed at home, letting their women work.
While Nifuji couldn't say that they were right, he knew that many were jealous that one could do that.
Still, if one's life was filled with laziness, such a life was meaningless, as it wouldn't give much value, and frankly, while it might be nice in the beginning, in the end, one would become empty.
However, to be the household husbands meant that they had decided to support their lives by taking care of the house and the children.
If Nifuji had to say, this was also another type of love, and if one decided to dedicate their life to it, he could only give a thumbs up, but even so—
"No, I am not."
"Ah, I am sorry!"
Wakana quickly apologized!
"No, it's fine, but I think I have the potential to become one."
"You are right."
Watching her smile and laugh, Nifuji sighed helplessly. "I think that you should deny me."
"But, it can't be helped. You really have the knack of it."
Yup, if Nifuji became the household husband, Wakana was sure that she could be happy, or rather, she somehow couldn't help but imagine how she would likely feel.
"I wish too, but somehow, I think that a man is the one who provides."
The era might have changed from before, and the age where men were better than women had vanished since sometimes women were better than men, but even so, his pride as a man didn't allow him to be the one who was provided, even though when he was a child, his parents were the ones who provided for him and took care of him.
Or rather, the feeling of relying on someone to live was just... wasn't comfortable for him.
The world kept changing, and one needed to adapt since if one couldn't, they would go extinct, so he knew that he had to keep working, trying, or else, he might disappear, or... he might not be as his species as a man was high.
Regardless, he might say about many things, but somehow, he felt like everything became more complicated.
Still, one truth existed, and that was, he was hungry, so he thought to go back and eat first, but—
GROWL!
His stomach rumbled loudly, as naturally, it was heard by Wakana.
"..." Nifuji.
Wakana laughed with a gentle smile.
"....." Nifuji.
"If you don't mind, do you want to eat at my place?"
"..."
Yup, sometimes, people lived with an easy mode where they had no need to try, yet they could live in comfort, but... he had never thought that he had become such a person.