Pathway to Japanese Literature

Behind the Unemployment Lay a Wife

Mr. Komuro set out thinking that since it was through his adoptive father’s referral, something would surely work out.
Although his adoptive father was bedridden from a stroke and now an invalid, he received a pension of over two hundred yen per month.
Far more impressive than Mr. Komuro, who worked diligently yet earned less than a hundred yen.
He had risen to director-general at the Ministry of Communications and later served as an executive at a private company.
Over the years, he had looked after many juniors.
Incidentally, Mr. Komuro was thirty years old—the age of standing firm—but had instead lost his job and was making efforts to start anew.

“I was looked after by Father during his time at the Ministry of Communications.”

The executive Mr. Munakata, who had agreed to meet him, spoke with evident nostalgia, showing no irritation despite his busy schedule.
The adoptive father had apparently steered him toward an inescapable predicament.
It was a copper company.
As a managing director, handling one or two junior employees posed no difficulty at all—so Mr. Munakata thought that if possible, he ought to decisively repay his senior’s past kindness in one stroke.

“How has he been lately?”

“He alternates between sleeping and waking—his condition neither improves nor worsens.
He’ll likely remain as he is now.”

“Does he not go out at all?”

“He walks around the neighborhood with a cane.
Since he’s already had two strokes, we can’t let our guard down.”

“He was a robust man, but it seems illness has gotten the better of him.”

“Haa.
And at his age…”

“How old has he become?”

“He’s officially sixty-eight, but since there’s a two-year error in the family register, he’s actually seventy.”

“Has he truly reached that age already? I see.”
“Hmm.”

“He’s become entirely enfeebled.”

“Now then—regarding your business here—why did you withdraw from your former company?”

“There was no particular blunder on my part, but…”

Mr. Komuro involuntarily scratched his head and found himself at an impasse.
It was not a voluntary resignation.
Because he had been dismissed, the situation was awkward.

“It’s a shame you worked there for five years.
Did you clash with a colleague or something?”

“No, no—”

“It simply states ‘due to personal circumstances,’ but unless we clarify those details properly, we can’t proceed with consultation.”

Mr. Munakata removed his glasses and peered at the resume.

“The truth is... I had excessive absences.”

“Did you fall ill yourself or something?”

“No—as you see, I’m perfectly robust myself—but when my father suffered his second cerebral hemorrhage, I stayed by him for nearly a month.”
“Then due to my wife’s illness... over a month more...”

“What kind of illness did your wife have?”

“It’s a case of hysteria common among women.”

“I see.”

“She wouldn’t accept unless I was by her side, so I ended up neglecting my work. When I returned to work after three months, the section chief said sarcastically, ‘You must care more about serving your wife than company work.’”

“I see.”

“That makes sense. When I realized this needed careful handling and told my wife after returning home, she immediately had an attack. She insists I indirectly brought up divorce.”

“Since Father’s mind was foggy, he took her twisted interpretation at face value and demanded: ‘Which matters more—family or company? Well? Quit that wretched job!’ Once Father says something, he never backs down.”

“He does have a rash streak.”
“Yet regrets it afterward.”

“Exactly. With Father and me bickering back and forth, I couldn’t handle it either. As a temporary measure to calm both parties’ feelings for now, I wrote a resignation letter and showed it. It was a temporary appeasement measure. Of course, I had no intention of submitting it. The next day—after I left my resignation letter on my desk and went to work—Father later sent it off to the company by express mail.”

“That’s exactly the sort of thing you’d do, Mr. Komuro.”
“Ha ha ha!”

“No one who submits a resignation letter should be able to keep working without a care. I tried to explain that it wasn’t my doing by pointing out how I’m still coming to work, but the Personnel Manager wouldn’t listen. Given those family circumstances—on the grounds that I couldn’t perform proper work—it ended up that I had no choice but to resign.”

“With such family circumstances, this company would still face difficulties.”

“No—Father has become more considerate this time.”
“Being stubborn, he won’t admit fault, but he did say we must both commit ourselves properly from now on.”

“How is your wife’s condition?”

“Everything has settled down completely.”
“Once that condition subsides, it’s nothing serious at all.”

“But isn’t it only under control because you’re home every day?”
“If you start going to work regularly, it might begin again.”

“This time will be fine.”
“She says it’s due to her own failings that she caused her husband to lose his job.”

“Don’t you have any children?”

“Ah…
“It would be nice to have children, but since we don’t, we tend to fret over trivial matters.”

“Hmm.”

After pondering this, Director Munakata—
“I’m busy, so I’ll take my leave here and have the Personnel Manager come out.”
With that, he stood up.
“I humbly ask for your kind consideration.”
“Please consider it a sort of character assessment and meet with him.”
“You should simply answer any questions truthfully as they are.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Just one thing regarding your previous company from our current discussion—you should set it up as having suffered from appendicitis for a long time.”
“Because an illness is clearly a personal matter.”

“Thank you for your advice.”
“In that case, I will have it settled as having quit after suffering from appendicitis for a prolonged period.”

“Hmm.
“About half a year.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Family circumstances would be problematic.”
“Once you remove the appendix, it’s cleanly gone and leaves no trace.”
“I shall do my utmost to accommodate you, but since such matters fall under the Personnel Manager’s jurisdiction, kindly undergo the evaluation with that understanding.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Give my regards to your father.”

“Thank you very much.”

And Mr. Komuro lowered his hands to his knees and bowed deeply.

After making him wait quite a while, the Personnel Manager appeared.
For mid-career job seekers, the reason for leaving their previous company became the most critical issue.
If someone were to say they had been fired for getting into a fight, there would be no hope left.
Mr. Komuro claimed that due to suffering from appendicitis and continuing his absence for half a year, he had been placed on leave in accordance with company regulations.

“Half a year is quite a long time.”
“I too had appendix troubles—it kept recurring until I finally had it removed—but from start to finish, it took about three months.”

“I suffered for five or six months.”

“Did you have it removed?”

“Ah…”
“In the end, I had it removed.”
“Because I feared the surgery and kept putting it off, I made a fool of myself.”
“If I’d just had it removed from the beginning, none of this would’ve happened.”

“From what I can see, everything appears perfectly in order now.”

“Ah, I’ve always been quite robust by nature.”

“I should mention one thing—this company operates military-style.”
“Once an order comes down, there’s no grace period.”
“You’ll have to rush off to mountains or rivers at a moment’s notice.”

“If you would only employ me, I’m prepared to walk through fire and flood.”

“Your own will holds no sway here.”
“‘Mountains’ means mines and refineries.”
“‘Rivers’ means the Kawasaki factory.”
“Who gets sent where for how many years—that’s entirely at the company’s discretion. Even I, as Personnel Manager, have no say in the matter.”
“Some enter those mountains and never return to Tokyo for the rest of their lives.”

“I will gladly go anywhere.”
“I will never make extravagant requests.”

“Moreover, unlike ordinary trading companies, since we operate alongside factory field operations, we’re the busiest in Japan.”
“There will be night work at times.”
“Since you may be called in temporarily on Sundays too, absences cause us the greatest trouble.”

“Yes, sir.”

“We conduct stringent physical examinations when hiring those fresh out of school.”
“Ultimately, this circles back to health matters—do you have confidence?”

“That is more than sufficient.”

“There is a one-week summer break.”
“However, hardly anyone actually takes it.”
“They’re deducted due to absences.”
“That’s why there are almost no absences overall.”
“Everyone truly works very hard.”

“I too shall strive to the best of my humble abilities.”

“I believe that covers the essential points.”
“I will discuss matters with Mr. Munakata and the other executives before giving you our formal response.”

The Hen’s Morning Crow

“So? How did it go?”
“What are the prospects?”

And Mrs. Komuro Yukiko was waiting there and asked.
It was not home.
It was the canal bank near the company.
The wife accompanied her husband on his job search.
A virtuous wife is all well and good, but she meddles a bit too much.

“The Personnel Manager showed considerable goodwill.”

“I thought if they went to this much trouble, it must be a good sign.”

“Since they explained all those details about how the company works, they might actually intend to hire me.”

“That does sound promising.”

“They said they’ll consult with Mr. Munakata and the executives before giving a reply.”

“When?”

“It’ll take two or three days.”
However, he hadn’t said a word about the salary.
“If they’re planning to hire you, I’d think they’d touch on that issue, but…”
“Will they only give me what I made at my previous company?”

“Because it’s a fundamental issue, you know.”
“In any case, if we’re the ones bringing it up by saying any amount is fine—”

“Didn’t you mention that?”
“Didn’t I clearly state that it wouldn’t pose an immediate problem?”

“There was no opening to bring it up.”
“This company just keeps talking about things like being exceptionally busy, not being able to return once you go to the mountains, and other unpleasant topics.”
“If I think about it, will they end up politely refusing me after all?”

“Oh! No good?”

“It could seem favorable.”
“It could seem unfavorable.”
“My head’s gone all foggy.”

“The routine has begun.”
“It feels like after taking an exam.”

“It’s a kind of test, you see.”

“Did you meet Mr. Munakata as well?”

“Yes.”
“The Commander also showed goodwill.”

“So that’s good, isn’t it?”

“They say it depends on the Personnel Manager.”
“The Personnel Manager says it’s also up to Mr. Munakata and the executives.”
“It seems they’re planning to refuse by shifting responsibility onto each other.”

“You’re still too timid, I see.”

“It’s not easy to get a clear read on these matters.”
“If you get your hopes up, they’ll surely be dashed.”

“Did Mr. Munakata say anything about me?”

“No, not at all.”

“He must remember me.”

“Has he ever been to the house?”

“Yes.
When my mother passed away, he must have come.
I surely must have met him.”

Mrs. Yukiko was brimming with confidence.
She believed that anyone who had ever visited their home would remember her.

“It’s been so long; he’s probably forgotten.”
“I talked about you, but he didn’t say anything.”

“What did you tell him?”
“About me?”

“I said you were healthy.”
“Because he asked ‘How’s your wife?’”

“There you see?
He remembered me, so he asked about it.”

“Yeah.”

Komuro kept his response brief.
Since the topic had surfaced in relation to her hysteria, repeating it here would be unwise.

“Did you tell them I’ve been waiting here?”

“Of course I didn’t!”

“It might’ve been more effective if you had.
If they knew how hard we’ve been working on this, they’d take it seriously.”

“No—still, the ordinary way is safer.”

“So I’m just ordinary, then?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“You’re such a strange person.”

And Mrs. Yukiko was already puffed up with indignation.
This is why Mr. Komuro found himself in such an awkward position.

All heads of household must retain some element of mystery in their character.

"My husband is such a mysterious man."

If a wife went around boasting such things, that household remained under the husband’s control.
He needed to make others believe that while he might be a sloppy drinker, he oddly straightened up when business matters arose; or that even with stagnant wages, he commanded his friends’ respect somehow.
Once someone’s character was laid bare from start to finish, they became transparent.
In this regard, Mr. Komuro had begun all wrong.
To become Yukiko’s adopted son-in-law someday, he’d been brought into the Komuro family during his Commercial College preparatory years—exposing his true nature far too thoroughly.
Once a woman saw through the act, she became unmanageable.
Take that midnight clatter from the kitchen.
Certain it was a burglar, she’d start trembling violently.
Too terrified to endure it alone,

“You… you.”
She woke her husband.

“What is it?”

“There’s a burglar!”

At this moment, the husband must not cause a commotion.
Taking this opportunity, even if he’s not particularly capable, it’s best to make her believe that—strangely enough—he can be relied upon when a burglar breaks in.
The husband gets up and goes to investigate, then returns.
The source of the noise was a rat.
The wife, who had been holding her breath until now, becomes emboldened once she figures out the trick.

“Shoo!”
“Damn you!”
“Sewer rat!”

It was utterly unbecoming.
That’s why letting a woman gauge your limitations is a risky proposition.
Mr. Komuro was quite inept at such maneuvering.
While in the preparatory course at Commercial College, he failed, was scolded by his adoptive father, and spent the whole night crying.
In such moments, it was the perfect chance to boldly act and make others believe that, though he wasn’t scholarly, he possessed an uncanny fortitude in emergencies—yet he had been too honest.

“Yukiko, I’m going to be driven out of the house because of this.”

And with that, he began to sob quietly.

“That’s not true.”

“No—it’s dangerous.”

“I’m here with you, so rest assured. You’re not as slow-witted as you think you are. It’s just that you let your guard down and get lazy—that’s the problem.”

And Yukiko, who had just graduated from girls’ school, came to his support.
From that time onward—since they had his measure—Mr. Komuro could no longer hold his ground.
After that single misstep, he became gripped by exam phobia.
During his undergraduate years, his eyes took on a feral gleam during tests.
Close friends came daily to study with him.
Even he tried to gloss things over,

“Since everyone can’t manage it, they come to learn from me.”

he said—but—

“You’re the one being taught.”
“That’s why Mother and I are ordering eel rice bowls to treat you.”

Yukiko knew this.
This wasn’t limited to adopted sons.
Any man worth calling master had to show some mettle to his wife—or else he’d be walked all over.

“Shall we go out to Ginza for lunch?”

Mr. Komuro proposed.
The story continued on Komuro’s return from his job search.

It was nearing noon on a clear early summer day.

“Yes.”
“If it’s not a bother to you.”

“Don’t say such strange things.”

“Oh ho ho ho!”

“I might succeed.
I seem to be making a good impression.
Even I myself am answering with such vigor.”

“It’ll be fine, I’m sure.”

“But whether they’ll send me to the mountains or the river—I don’t know yet.”
“The fact that they’re mentioning such things must mean they intend to hire me.”

“It’s dangerous!”

And so, it was neither mountains nor rivers—it was the train tracks.
Yukiko crossed them as if being led by the hand by Komuro.

“Where’s this ‘mountain’?”

Mr. Komuro explained about the company.
More people worked at mines and factories than at head office.
The first stage involved mining copper from mountains and refining it; second stage was bringing it to town for manufacturing; third stage was selling products.

“What do they produce?”

“For example，that tram’s copper wire.”
“They produce them at Kawasaki factory，but materials are dug from ○○ mountains，refined，and brought here.”

“I’d go to the mountains or anywhere else.”
“As long as I’m with you.”

“But what about Father?”

“He’ll stay waiting in Tokyo.”
“Father wouldn’t move from that house no matter what happened.”

“If he were well, that’d be different—but in his condition, it’s worrying.”

“It really would be better to stay in Tokyo, wouldn’t it?”
“Couldn’t we have you assigned to the head office?”

“They absolutely won’t allow that kind of freedom—they’ve made that clear.”
“It’s still promising after all.”
“Since the Personnel Manager declared it so emphatically, they must intend to hire me. Definitely.”

“Around here?”
“The head office…?”

“It’s here. The head office uses the entire fifth floor.”

And Mr. Komuro, just as he approached the front of the building, looked up.

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

Yukiko peered into the entrance.
Just then, a middle-aged gentleman came out.
At that moment, Mr. Komuro panicked and snapped into a deep bow.

“Well.”

“I must apologize for my rudeness just now.”

“…………”

The Personnel Manager merely nodded and hurried off in the direction from which the two had come.
Mr. Komuro did not have the courage to look back.

“Mr. Munakata?”

“No—it was the Personnel Manager.”

“Oh!”

“They saw me at my worst.”

“…………”

“This is bad.”

“…………”

“We should have taken the other way around.”

“You.”

“What is it?”
“Do you dislike walking with me so much?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Then what do you mean?”
With that, Mrs. Yukiko pressed her shoulder closer.

“Hey, hey—we’re right in front of the company.”
“The Personnel Manager is watching at that tram stop over there.”

“…………”

“In the daytime—especially around here—there’s no color beyond practical matters. A married couple walking in lockstep isn’t a good look here.”

“...”

“Understood?”

“Oh? If it were someone else, perhaps—but since it’s me, I suppose I make for an unsightly picture.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“Again!”

“You’re impossible—you’re the one!”

“Let’s hurry.”

“Oh my!
You’re drenched in sweat!”

“Fine, fine.
I’ll wipe it myself.”

With that, Mr. Komuro staggered.

The Metamorphic Pathway of Impressions

Despite having worried about an accidental incident, Mr. Komuro was taken in by ◎◎ Mining and came to work at their Marunouchi head office.
This time, he vowed inwardly to apply himself with diligent effort.
Even before, he had never been one to slack off of his own accord.
Mrs. Yukiko’s hysteria had intensified, and unavoidably, day by day, the absences continued.

“Yukiko.”

“Yes?”

“This time, let’s both be more careful.”
“I’ll strictly adhere to my schedule too.”

“What should I be careful about? If only you would come home at the usual time, there wouldn’t be any problem, would there?”

“That’s exactly why.”

“So what?”

“Let’s keep our arrival and departure times precise.”

But Mr. Komuro would immediately have his words turned back on him, so he couldn’t press further with detailed demands.

“You never understand my feelings at all, you know.”

“Why?”

“You never acknowledge even the slightest bit of my goodwill, I tell you.”

“I do acknowledge it.”

“No. What about this time?”
“I believe I’ve been quite devoted.”
“Since you keep saying that I caused you to lose your previous company, I wanted to use my own power to get you properly employed this time, so I asked Father for help and even accompanied you myself.”

“I know that.”

“You were worried, but meeting Mr. Personnel Manager in front of the company actually turned out well.”
“Don’t you realize he even mentioned me?”

“That was a joke.”
“He said we shouldn’t make your wife endure any more hardships.”

“Even if it was a joke.”
“It’s because Mr. Personnel Manager had me in mind that he said that, right?”
“When you think about it, the fact that I went along to help has certainly been beneficial.”

“That might be somewhat true.”

“Even if you act tough at home, when you go out, you’re quite timid.”
“Because you had that bitter experience in the preparatory course, when you graduated from the main program, you couldn’t bring yourself to go check the results announcement, so I went on your behalf, remember?”

“That’s all in the past now.”

“That’s not good at all.”
“That’s why I went along to help you, like it was a child’s entrance exam.”

“Anyway, this time I’m serious.”

“Of course I’ll be careful too.”

And in the end, Yukiko agreed.
For all her assertions, when calm she made for an excellent helpmate.
She was also comely.
This was why Mr. Komuro could endure even when subjected to terrible ordeals.
Yukiko was two years younger than Mr. Komuro.
In her girls’ school days she had loved him as an elder brother; now she loved him as a husband—but loving him so deeply bred jealousy.

Mr. Komuro maintained perfect attendance for half a year.
There had been no issues until year’s end when his adoptive father collapsed again.
It was his third cerebral hemorrhage.
He remained unconscious for three days before dying.
Komuro took a week’s leave for this, but with bereavement days applied his absence totaled only three days.
Having blundered at his previous company through absences, he grew acutely anxious about taking time off.

“When I pass by Father’s room, even now I still feel as though he’s there.”

Mr. Komuro had been constantly weighed down, and so he felt a certain loneliness.

“I only have you now.”

And Mrs. Yukiko was utterly crestfallen as well.
In such circumstances, even her willfulness was heartrendingly endearing.
Mother was already gone.
With both parents now gone, and since they had no children, the burden was lighter.
On top of that, property remained.
Even if Mr. Komuro were to lose his job again, the stability of their livelihood would not be compromised.

The New Year arrived, but it was a time of mourning.
After spending the third day in quietude, Mr. Komuro went to work on the fourth day for the resumption of official duties when he suddenly developed a stomachache and writhed in agony.
When they summoned a doctor who diagnosed appendicitis, he was immediately carried to the hospital.

“Ah, it hurts.
Ahhh, it’s unbearable!”

While gasping,

“However, please perform the surgery only after consulting my wife.”

he did not forget his standing as a full-fledged adopted son-in-law.
Yukiko rushed over and encouraged him.
He had always disliked uncertain things like exams and surgeries by nature, but there was no helping it now.
Mr. Komuro underwent surgery and continued his hospital stay.
Fortunately, his recovery progressed favorably.
Colleagues frequently came to visit him.
Since he had fallen ill at the company on the first day back after the New Year holiday, this had become common knowledge.

“Mr. Komuro, how are you holding up?”

One day the personnel manager appeared.

“Thanks to your kindness, the wound will soon heal completely.”
“In two or three days—or at most four or five—I plan to be discharged.”

“The story about appendicitis—is it true?”

“Yes, they removed it.”

“So you had two of them?”

“…………”

“I’ve heard of people having it on the left, but do some really have two?”
“As expected.”

“I have no excuse to offer.”

“No, illness can’t be helped.”
“Do take your time and recuperate thoroughly.”

“I’m deeply obliged.”

Mr. Komuro was utterly at a loss and could only scratch his head.

Mrs. Yukiko remained constantly by his side and greeted visitors.
Since most young colleagues had come, the Komuros became widely known within the company.
As long as it wasn’t harmful, people seemed better off reinforcing their own image.
That was precisely why both individuals and stores paid high prices for advertising.

“Komuro’s quite a character, isn’t he?
“During the mourning New Year, out of sheer boredom, he ate five whelk pot roasts and ended up with appendicitis, they say.”

“That wife of his seems to be quite a handful.”
“It’s because of his gluttony that this happened,” they ridiculed Mr. Komuro.

“She’s a beauty.”

“Hmm.”
“And then there’s the fact that Mr. Komuro’s in the Tachibana Society—makes it even harder to hold your head up around him.”

“Is he an adopted son? That guy.”

“Hmm.”
“Didn’t his old man die the other day?”
“Wasn’t it a splendid house?”
“It seems he got in under the influence of his adoptive father.”

“Does being an adopted son automatically make you a genius?”
“Come to think of it, with his delicate constitution, he’s somewhat the genius type.”

“He’s quite the distinguished one.”

That was how things stood.

Favorable reputation is an intangible asset.
Over the long term, it would more than compensate for hospitalization expenses.

While the recurrence of appendicitis was one thing, Mr. Komuro felt deeply troubled at the thought of taking such a prolonged absence after having been employed for just over half a year.
Thereupon he hastened his full recovery, but such things do not go as planned.
Fretting all the while, he spent three weeks in the hospital.
Even with summer vacation days deducted, when adding the period of his adoptive father’s illness, it left him with a deficit exceeding two weeks.
Fundamentally timid and overly cautious—that was Mr. Komuro.
Treating this deficit as part of his professional obligations, he devoted meticulous effort to his daily duties.
Whether his commendable attitude had reached the executives, he not only received his half-year bonus as expected but also gained a salary increase.
Simultaneously, he received another official notice.
It commanded him to report for duty at the ○○ Mining Office.
He would have to go to the mountains.
Yet this was a promotion.
Ever since noticing that having two appendixes made Komuro an odd case, the Personnel Manager had kept a wary eye on him—but through diligent effort, his performance had become remarkably commendable.

*Hero of the Tachibana Society*

To keep employees from growing homesick, the benefits for mountain postings were made generous.
Employees could receive company housing.
In Tokyo you had to pay rent, so just this alone made a significant difference.
The employees’ club and the wives’ social club—both were unique to the mountains, as the head office had no such facilities.
There was a purchasing cooperative, and daily necessities could be obtained about twenty percent cheaper than in Tokyo.
It was all advantages.

○○ Town developed from a remote village due to ◎◎ Mining’s operations and established its municipal governance; its population now neared twenty thousand.
The town was steadily preparing to become a city.
There were a middle school and a girls’ school.
Employees did not need to worry about their children’s education and could work in the mountains.

Shortly after being transferred to the mining office, Mr. Komuro gained the favor of the president's son-in-law. He was a young man named Inoue, who had married the president’s youngest daughter and served as the director’s secretary. Inoue had graduated from the commercial university three years before Mr. Komuro. A welcome party was held at the club for Mr. Komuro and four others. At that time, there were self-introductions, and Mr. Komuro realized he had an alumni connection with the president’s secretary. A few days later, he heard rumors about Mr. Inoue from a man named Yura who shared his desk.

“He styles himself a top graduate from a commercial university and acts all high and mighty since he married the president’s youngest daughter.”
“He’s the grand poobah of the Tachibana Society.”

“What kind of group is it?”
“The Tachibana Society...?”

“It’s a society for adopted sons or sons-in-law.”
“Here’s the peculiar part.”
“Out in the world, adopted sons and sons-in-law get looked down on, but here in the mountains, they call the shots.”

“Ah, I see.”

“According to Mr. Inoue’s theory, they’re geniuses—that’s why they get chosen to become sons-in-law or adopted sons.”
“He says sons-in-law or adopted sons are the light of the world and the mirror of the earth.”

“I see.”

“Since they’ve all been granted the honor of marrying daughters from distinguished families, they act so high and mighty at the company.”
“Their salaries rise quickly.”
“While they can act as selfishly as they please, once they return home, they can’t hold their heads up.”
“Mrs. Yukiko this, Mrs. Yukiko that.”

“Huh?”

Mr. Komuro was taken aback.
He thought they were talking about him.

“Mr. Inoue’s wife is named Yukiko.”
“Even when talking privately, since Yukiko at home keeps nagging him about every little thing, it must really be getting to him.”
“Sons-in-law are such pitiful creatures.”

“I see.”

“Even if they act high and mighty at the company, when they go home they turn into kittens.”
“Logically that’s because there are so many geniuses here, but Mr. Inoue’s different.”
“Any real commercial university grad would laugh hearing this.”
“Bet that guy pulled some shady stunt back in prep school.”

“Ah.”

“When there’s actually someone right here who entered the same year but graduated earlier, there’s no point spinning tales.”

“I see.”

When Mr. Komuro touched his forehead, his hand came away sweaty.

“It’s a place with an oddly high number of sons-in-law and adopted sons.”
“There’s a gargoyle-like monster over there, isn’t there?”
“Where is it?”
“It’s by the pillar.”
“Look – pressing a pencil to his forehead and thinking, right? He’s so big-headed.”

“Ah, I see.”

“That is Kousaka Executive’s adopted son.”
“He’s a genius, this one.”
“He graduated from Imperial University alongside me.”

“Did you two vie for supremacy?”

“Well, something like that.”
“Then Mr. Urube is also a genius.”
“This one is a major shareholder’s son-in-law.”
“As expected, they do not disgrace the name of the Sode no Ka Group.”
“The chairman himself is rather unreliable, but the rest of them are proving the genius theory.”

“What’s this ‘Sode no Ka Group’?”

“It refers to the Tachibana Society.”
“Isn’t it infuriating how they put on such airs with their ‘Sode no Ka Group’ this and ‘Tachibana Society’ that?”

“Well…”

“We’re not trying to compete with them or anything, but we do have our own group.”
“It’s called the Merit Group.”

“I see.”

“Won’t you join?”
“It’s a society that gathers all the unrecognized geniuses outside the establishment.”
“I’ll recommend you myself.”

“I appreciate it, but actually, I’m also…”

“What is it?”

“It’s the adopted sons’ group.”

“Oh—uh— My apologies.”
“No, not in the least.”

“The Sode no Ka Group?”
“This is exactly why things go wrong!”
“I’m such a blundering fool.”

Mr. Yura kept shaking his head while thumping his own skull in frustration.

One day, Director’s Secretary Mr. Inoue happened to pass by Mr. Komuro’s desk and, as if struck by an idea,

“Mr. Komuro, how are things? How’s life in the mountains?”

he asked and paused.

“Oh.
“Well, uh… Mr. Inoue.”

Mr. Komuro had heard he was the president’s son-in-law, so his attitude remained strictly respectful.

“How are things?
“Since then?”

“I’m working hard.”
“I appreciate your continued support.”

“The air’s better than Tokyo’s, don’t you think?”

“Oh, it seems entirely different.”

“In terms of health, it’s healthy enough, but it lacks stimulation.”
“You must find it boring, no?”

“Well, not at all yet.”

“Why don’t you come by for a visit sometime?”

“Thank you very much.”

“How about tonight, if you’re free?”
“Since you and I are alumni, I believe we’ll have plenty to talk about.”

“If it’s not inconvenient, allow me to impose.”

“Then I shall await you.”

“What time shall I come?”

“Seven o’clock would be best.”
“Inform your wife you’ll be staying late for thorough discussions.”

With that, Mr. Inoue grinned slyly.

Mr. Komuro had his dinner and then went out.

“Please go see what sort of wife she is.”
“How charming to share my name!”

Mrs. Yukiko’s social curiosity was also stirred.
At the same time, she had confidence.
Even in Tokyo, there were few people as beautiful as herself, so she thought that in these mountains she must be utterly unrivaled.

Mr. Inoue’s company housing was large.
Having a title made all the difference.
The chairs and tables in the parlor also appeared to have been sent for from the president’s main residence, all of them genuine articles.

“By the way, Mr. Komuro, I looked through the commerce university’s directory yesterday and discovered your former surname.”
“It was written in parentheses.”

Mr. Inoue had Mr. Komuro relax in an armchair and immediately launched into it.

“My former surname was Tamaki.”

“You’re an adopted son-in-law, right?”
“You are—”

“Ah.”

“As you know, I’m a son-in-law by marriage, so adopted sons are much the same.”
“Since people tend to misunderstand that we’ve advanced thanks to our wives—since we’re the type who are often misunderstood—I ask for your continued support.”

“I’m the one who should ask for your continued support.”

“The truth is, we’re running this society to enlighten the ignorant masses.”
“The Tachibana Society—also called the Sode no Ka Group—is composed of adopted sons or sons-in-law as its members.”

“I see.”

Mr. Komuro listened attentively, as if hearing this for the first time.

“Is it because we’re adopted sons or sons-in-law that we get promoted?”
“Is it because they’re inherently brilliant and qualified for advancement that they’re sought after as adopted sons or sons-in-law?”
“This should go without saying.”
“Adopted sons and sons-in-law are a chosen race.”
“Chosen people.”
“Because they’re outstanding, they’re earnestly sought after.”

“I see.
There is some validity to that.”

“What?”
“You.”
“Some logic?”

“That’s quite enough. I concur completely.”

“On the one hand, the wives have financial resources.”
“The marriages of adopted sons and sons-in-law combine superior intellect with effective resources, which is to say, a form of eugenic movement to elevate humanity.”

“That’s true.”

“For this reason, I consider being a son-in-law an immense honor and serve as the chairman of the Tachibana Society.”
“If one catches the scent of the Tachibana flowers in May, indeed, it is the fragrance of sleeves from people of old.”
“This is the origin of the Tachibana Society’s Sode no Ka Group name.”

“What do you mean by that? And what about that poem?”

“It must have conveyed the dashing image of a brilliant scholar.”
“They say ‘a talented person is often sickly,’ and indeed, they ended up dying.”
“Because it says, ‘Indeed, it is the fragrance of sleeves from people of old.’”

“That would be a problem.”

“However, we aren’t such geniuses that we’d die from it.”

“I see. I’m relieved.”

“Ha! Ha! Ha!”

“In that case, I don’t need to be pessimistic either.”

“What are you being pessimistic about?”

“Because I’m an adopted son, there are times when I feel embarrassed.”

“That’s absurd.
You mustn’t be bound by that.
Since adopted sons and sons-in-law are outstanding—as I just said—and earnestly sought after, the truth is they should hold their heads high with pride.”

Just as Mr. Inoue haughtily threw back his shoulders, his wife appeared.

“This is my wife.
Her name is Yukiko.
This is Mr. Komuro, who has come from Tokyo this time.”

“I humbly ask for your continued support.”

“We’re the ones who should be asking.
Please have a seat.
Now, please go ahead.”

Mrs. Yukiko also took a seat.

“Ah, Ms. Yukiko, Mr. Komuro is a hero of the Tachibana Society.”

“Oh, really?”

“It’s in that connection that I invited him.”
“How about inviting your wife as well?”

“I shall promptly arrange for you to socialize.”

“Actually, my wife asked me to convey her regards to your wife.”
“Strangely enough, my wife is also called Yukiko—I fear I’m disgracing your wife’s name.”

And Mr. Komuro demonstrated his social tact.

“Oh my! So it really is Ms. Yukiko?”
“I feel such a dear connection to Ms. Yukiko.”

“Ms. Yukiko, how about sending a messenger now to arrange an invitation?”
“Ms. Yukiko and Ms. Yukiko’s meeting would be quite amusing, don’t you think?”

“I suppose so.”

“I will give the order.”

And Mr. Inoue stood up and went to arrange it.

The Chairman’s Prank

Mr. Komuro came to the mountain and sprouted buds of potential.
The first bud was his recognition as the president’s son-in-law; the second was his grand epiphany that being an adopted son warranted pride rather than shame.
By nature, he was far from unintelligent—a fact long acknowledged by Mrs. Yukiko, who stood by him through every trial.
Indeed, it had been his modest reputation as a prodigy that made him desirable as the Komuro family’s adopted son-in-law in the first place.
Academic failure, he now understood, did not negate one’s inherent worth any more than losing at Go or Shogi disqualified someone from strategic thinking—for cramming textbooks under rigid conditions to chase grades was merely another game with arbitrary rules, utterly divorced from true human cultivation.
Had Toyotomi Hideyoshi or Tokugawa Ieyasu ever needed university diplomas?
Such truths crystallized through his interactions with Mr. Inoue and fellow Tachibana Society members.
Thus Komuro’s professional life—once marked by timidity at his former company—began finding its rhythm in this new environment.
As his fortunes rose, the absences that once plagued him vanished like morning mist under sunlight.
Even Yukiko grew content, convinced the mountain isolation would keep her husband undistracted by worldly temptations—and with domestic harmony secured, his work performance blossomed into something extraordinary.

“Mr. Komuro is impressive.”

Thus, within less than a year, he came to be revered as the Flying General of the Sode no Ka Group.

“You, you, Mr. Inoue—the Tachibana Society is all well and good, but from what I can see, it’s just a bunch of guys who can’t stand up to their wives.”
“Whether it’s you, our great leader, or Vice-Commander Kousaka—”

And Mr. Komuro was now on a first-name basis with everyone.
He showed not the slightest hesitation.

“Don’t speak so loud.”
“Why?”
“The theory that adopted sons-in-law are geniuses may be an eternal truth, but for now, we’re clearly benefiting from our adoptive families or our wives’ parents—and since our wives know that full well, that’s where our mutual concerns lie.”

“That mutual trouble is a problem.”
“I am an adopted son.”
“I’ve been receiving benefits since my Commercial University preparatory days—you could call me second to none in the Sode no Ka Group—but unlike you lot, I’ve got things firmly under control where it matters.”

“He’s spouting nonsense again.”

“It’s true.”
“Yuki! Hey! What are you dawdling around for?”
And he snapped.
“Yukiko, I intend to make quite a different choice from that ‘What do you propose?’ faction.”

“Bluster alone isn’t virtue.”

“But isn’t a life spent squandering heaven’s gifts while trembling in fear utterly devoid of purpose?”

“What do you mean by that?”
“That’s—”

“A horse.”
“Each time it’s given a full manger, then never complains.”
“Compared to the Jitsuryoku Group, we of Sode no Ka are wealthy through connections.”
“We could spend our salaries like water—so why don’t we?”
“Are you all rigid conformists or spineless? Either way, you’re content being fed scraps from your wives!”

“However, if needed, we can always get as much as we want.”

“That word ‘get’ just shows how wretched and powerless we are.”
“Are you men not ashamed of yourselves?”
“We safeguard our adoptive families’ wealth through the talents heaven granted us.”
“As reward for that, it’s no sin to spend however much we please!”

“What a self-important fool of an adopted son!”

“Hahaha!”

“You, of all people, would turn traitor?”
“This is unbelievable!”

“Because I can’t stand just kowtowing all the time.”

“Even I sometimes get rebellious urges.”
“You might have it made, but most of us aren’t given multiple blessings—there’s no choosing allowed.”
“When you’re stuck with a wife as bland as flat cider but have to treat her like a national treasure… yeah, that stings.”

“So you finally showed your true colors, huh?”

“Hahaha!”

“You’re all lacking in wisdom.”
“An association’s whole purpose is arranging mutual benefits for members.”
“What’s the point of this fancy Tachibana Society if we adopted sons-in-law just line up comparing nose lengths?”
“We should be using it way more effectively.”

“Ah, I see.”

“If we just make an agreement, we can take any action.”
“Take pocket money—there must be those among us constantly struggling with shortages year-round.”

“How about you?”

“It’s not easy.”
“Stretch it to Ura Sanchome two or three times, and it’ll blow away completely.”

“You stretch it?”
“You do?”

“Of course I do.”
“A café or two’s nothing.”

“You’re bold.”

Chairman Inoue remarked admiringly.

The Tachibana Society aims for adopted sons and sons-in-law to brandish their theories of genius and encourage one another, making it a kind of self-cultivation society.

That was all well and good, but Mr. Komuro’s brilliant insight was that adopted sons and sons-in-law should occasionally use it for respite, since they found it stifling.

“Hey. Clumsy Bug Monk.”

“What is it?”

Vice-Chairman Kousaka turned around.
Because he was large-headed and had a monstrous appearance, Mr. Komuro had given him that nickname.

“How was Tokyo?”
“There wasn’t much to it.”
“Did you go strolling around Ginza?”

“Hmm.”
“On the evening before I left, I took a stroll and then parted ways.”

“With nothing weighing on my mind, I should be able to relax for a while.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“I envy those who can have children.”
“My situation is hopeless.”

And Mr. Komuro had recently been feeling a sense of loneliness.
His colleagues were all fertile.
The members of the Sode no Ka Group would send their wives off to their adoptive families in Tokyo or back to their parental homes when their pregnancies reached an advanced stage.

“Is it your fault?”

“No, I don’t recall that being the case.”

“Your wife seems healthy enough, doesn’t she?”

“Despite how she looks, she’s got hysteria, you know.”

“Hmm.”
“It’s been under control lately, though.”
“All women have it.”
“Yours too?”
“Hmm.”
“Is she jealous? As expected.”

“She seems to feel strangely anxious.”
“But no one would pay any attention to someone like you.”
“You bastard!”
“Ha ha ha!”

“Even someone like me had a mutual love back in my student days.”

“Oh really?”

“Since she knows about that, my wife occasionally gets into a bad mood.”

“So you can talk after all, you too.
Then there’s no need to hold back.”

“So that’s why you’re holding back?”

“Oh ho?
So you’re doing it.”
“Ha ha ha!”

One evening, a dozen-odd members of the Tachibana Society gathered at the company club and held a round-table discussion centered around Mr. Komuro.
It was Mr. Komuro’s proposal—that they should make more effective use of their hard-won Tachibana Society—that had moved everyone to action.
In truth, they all found mere self-improvement insufficient.
They were men who wouldn’t dare complain even if matters took a dubious turn.

Inoue: “Then, shall we begin with Mr. Kousaka here?”

Kousaka: “In our household, cafés are strictly forbidden.”
“However, there are unavoidable cases in social interactions.”
“At such times, how does one evade the wife’s notice and preserve male honor?”
“That is the question.”

Inoue: “This is exactly why it’s a problem—the moment their wives are away, they jump right into this.”
“(Roaring laughter) This sort of thing is Mr. Komuro’s specialty, isn’t it?”
“Mr. Komuro, please go ahead.”

Komuro: “Back in Tokyo, I went through great pains to slip past my wife’s watchful eyes when visiting cafés, so I consider myself somewhat of an expert in this area.”
“But here it’s easy.”
“Thanks to this club, we can go out at night.”
“Hey—if you just say, ‘There’s a club meeting tonight,’ and come out, it’s no trouble at all.”

Yokoyama: “I see. Simple enough.”

Komuro: “At term’s end, we could use night work as our pretext too.”

Yokoyama: “There’s no night work.”

Komuro: “We have to keep up the pretense it exists. When I first took up my post here, I made sure to say, ‘They say there’s occasional night work here.’ ‘I’ve landed myself in a real fix.’ That groundwork’s paying off now.”

Yokoyama: “But if the others come back early, they’ll find out.”

Komuro: “Since only my section has night work and she’s tightfisted about it, I complain about quitting and going back to Tokyo. Then she begs me to bear with it. If she’s asking me to, there’s nothing I can do. I endure it and go to the café.”

“Ha ha ha!”
(Applause and cheers)

Inoue: “But what about military funds? What about gunpowder?”

Komuro: “There are plenty of methods. Friend Rescue Scheme, Medical Recuperation Tactic, Bonus Concealment Method, Salary Restructuring Plan, Savings Ledger Disappearance Strategy…”

Inoue: “For everyone’s reference, kindly explain them in order.”

Komuro: “A friend loses his job.”
“This can’t be someone from the neighborhood.”
“You set it up with an alumnus who’s gone to Osaka – we’ll subsidize him twenty yen monthly until he finds work.”

Kishii: “You mean we’d fabricate this imaginary friend, but wouldn’t we need thank-you letters to arrive?”

Komuro: “You make a formal pact with an actual friend.”
“Since they’re also in work that lets them fudge about twenty yen, most fellows would take the deal.”

Inoue: “Brilliant.”
“Ha ha ha!”

Kishii: “How would they even fudge it?”
“When you’re not sending anything?”

“You’re slow,” said Komuro. “The other side pretends to send twenty yen monthly because I lost my job. In return, I send them monthly thank-you letters.”

“I see,” said Kishii. “You’re a real scoundrel.”

“Brilliant scheme,” said Oshima. “This could work if just our group agrees.”

“Shall we try it?” asked Kishii.

“Do it,” Komuro declared. “We’ll collect thirty percent from both sides through monopoly rights!”

“Ha ha ha!” they roared.
(Applause and cheers)

“Next, the Medical Recuperation Tactic,” said Inoue. “Komuro, what would you do about this one?”
“This one...”

The discussion meeting was being held in one of the club’s rooms, though a small microphone had been concealed behind the curtains, its wire running to a chamber in the women’s social club. The wives of Tachibana Society members occasionally gathered there themselves. That evening doubled as both a fellowship event and a planning session for their charity bazaar—these women formed the driving force behind the mountain community’s social affairs.

“This evening, we have a special entertainment—a broadcast of your husbands’ discussion meeting.”

Because Mrs. Inoue had made this announcement, everyone was eagerly anticipating it.
It now began to come through with extreme clarity.
There was no individual introduction as one would expect from a radio broadcast, but each wife should have recognized her husband’s voice.
Instantly, Mrs. Komuro’s face contorted in fury as she shot to her feet.

“I…”

“Oh my, oh my, Madam!”

“Oh my, oh my—they’re saying such things!”

“Madam! Madam!”

“Just wait till I deal with that husband of mine…”

“Oh my, oh my, oh my, Madam!”

As the wives struggled to restrain her,Mrs.Yukikofainted.

From the next day onward, Komuro’s absences persisted.

(April 1939 [Showa 14], Modern Era)