Brad Beams' Card story – tea ceremony

[kozvme]

Akira: Heh~... Hoh~... Hm~~?

Will: Akira? What have you been reading so intensely?

Akira: Hm? This thing here. This.

Will: Is that Brad-san's interview article?
Now that I think about it, Oscar-san did say Brad-san's interview would appear in a magazine.

Akira: Yep, that's the one. Apparently it's out today, and Oscar left it here telling me to pore through it.

Will: Po- Pore through...
But I'm quite curious about what's written in it. Let me read it next ♪

Akira: Sure, but there's only complicated stuff in it, which is quite boring if you ask me. New Million's growth, substance, the economic impact of heroes and LOM and stuff like that.

Will: Considering our position, there's no such thing as boring.

Akira: Ah, but it's mentioned how he spends his days off. That guy answered that when he can't take time off, he makes tea at a teahouse during work breaks.
Is there, like, a teahouse inside the tower?

Will: A teahouse? I've never heard of one before.

Akira: Figures. Me neither.

Will: But Brad-san never said he makes tea in the tower, did he? He must be talking about one outside, like in Little Tokyo?

Akira: Can he even make it to Little Tokyo between his work breaks?

Will: Considering Brad-san's jam-packed schedule, it'd be difficult...

Akira: So it's either in the tower or at least near it.

Will: Hmm, you have a point...

Akira: There is something fishy going on here... Hehe, things are getting interesting. ♪
It's decided, WIll! Let's tail on Brad's ass and locate that teahouse!

Will: ...... Huh?

Akira: You heard me, let's follow Brad and find this mysterious teahouse.

Will: Why not just ask Brad-san? I don't think he's hiding it or anything.

Akira: Can't know for sure, right? And it's more fun if you find out for yourself ♪
C'mon, let's strike while the iron is hot! We'll wait until Brad's meeting's over!

Will: Eh-!? Wait, Akira...!



Brad: So the meeting ended earlier than planned. I still have more than an hour before my next appointment...

Oscar: How about taking a break? You have been working since this morning and I have a feeling the next meeting is going to carry on for a while.

Brad: ... You do have a point. I guess I will rest for a bit.

Oscar: Good! I'm sure it will do you well.

Brad: I'm thinking of heading to the usual place to prepare some tea. Want to join me?

Oscar: Huh-, can I?

Brad: Yes, of course.

Oscar: Thank you very much! I will join you after I deliver the report to the commander, then.

Brad: Okay. I'll go ahead and start preparing.

Akira: Heard that, Will? He said "to the usual place to prepare some tea".

Will: ... Indeed that's what he said.
But if Oscar-san knows about it, I don't think he's hiding it at all.

Akira: Might be a thing between the two of them, who knows? C'mon, let's go before we lose him.



Brad: ......

Akira: Brad stepped into this room. This is the place, no mistake.

Will: I remember... seeing this room during the tour when we first joined...

Akira: Huhu, time to sneak inside and take a look. Let's make sure he doesn't notice ♪

Will: ... Hm? The room plate says "3DH". Don't tell me this room...



Akira: Uwoah!? This really is a teahouse...!

Brad: Akira...
I thought someone was following me. Was it you?

Akira: What's this fancy teahouse? Did you have this made!?

Brad: Take a moment to look around and tell me if this is really just a teahouse.

Akira: Hah? Ain't this a teahouse through and through?

Brad: On a surface level, it is.

Akira: I mean the fusumaー



H- Huh!? The hell- I can't touch it...!?

Will: Akira, this is a 3D hologram.

Brad: Will?

Akira: A 3D hologram? What does that mean? Are you, like, just projecting stuff in here?

Brad: That's right.
Okay, I've explained how the room works. Now, could I inquire about why you were following me?

Akira: Ah... About that, you know...?

Will: Hah... Apologies, Brad-san... Actuallyー



Brad: So that's why you were following me...
Just ask me directly next time. I don't want you following me around every time you're curious about something.

Will: Sorry...

Akira: My bad. I'll try not to get caught following someone from now on.

Will: Hey,  Akira.

Brad: Good grief...

Oscar: Sorry for the wait, Brad-sama.
Akira and Will? I see that Brad-sama has invited you two as well.

Will: No, actually weー

Brad: Have come at the right time. I'd like to offer you two a cup of tea as well.

Will: Really? I'd love to drink your tea ♪

Brad: What about you, Akira?

Akira: We're just drinking tea, right? Got no reason to refuse.

Brad: Hmpf. You should experience the tea ceremony and learn respect for others.

Akira: ? Aren't we just drinking tea?



Crappp~~~ I've been s- sitting on my heels for so long my legs have fallen asleep~~...!

Oscar: Are you okay, Akira...?

Akira: Kinda... What about you, Oscar? You've been jiggling for a while.

Oscar: ... I feel a tingling in my feet. It seems I still lack the training to be as calm as Brad-sama.

Will: Fufu, I can't wait to find out what type of tea we are going to drink ♪

Akira: Will, don't you find formal sitting hard?

Will: It was at first. But I often eat in the back room of a Japanese confectionery shop, so I've gotten used to it little by little.

Oscar: I see... I should also follow your example.

Brad: If it's uncomfortable, you can just relax your legs and sit comfortably. Since it's nothing formal today.

Akira: Kh... I feel like I'll lose if I do that, so I'll just bear with it...

Brad: Is that so? Alright then, we'll start with teacakes.

Will: Woah~ These adorable flower-shaped sweets are rakugan. And if I'm not mistaken these...?

Brad: That's right, I bought these at that Akabekodo you told me about. These have been prepared to be served with usucha.

Akira: Heh, lookin' good. Don't mind if I digー

Brad: Wait, Akira.

Akira: Huh? ... What?

Brad: You see the plate in front of Oscar, right? He should take it first then hand it to you and then to Will, each taking turns.
Once you've taken your sweets, wrap them in the kaishi I gave you earlier and eat them.

Will: If I'm not mistaken, sweets are eaten before the tea, right?

Brad: Correct. Sweets are to be enjoyed in anticipation of tea, after all.

Akira: There are turns?

Brad: ......

Oscar: Amazing, Brad-sama. What a graceful economy of movement.

Will: I agree, he is so refined and cool.

Akira: ... I guess. The way he makes tea reminds me of when Oscar prepares his proteins.

Oscar: Don't put those in the same category...

Brad: Alright, the tea is ready.
I'm sorry to ask you, Oscar, but show Akira and Will how it's done.

Oscar: YES SIR!

Brad: ... Be mindful of the tone of your voice when you're inside a teahouse.

Oscar: A- Apologies... Alright, here we go.



Brad: How is it?

Oscar: Truly delicious.

Brad: Thank you.
What you just saw was the entire process.

Akira: Say, why did Oscar rotate the bowl?

Brad: My job as host is to present the bowl with the front facing forward so that its most beautiful part is visible.
In return, the guest shows humility by turning the front back to the host rather than just accepting it with respect.

Akira: ...?

Brad: As I told you earlier, there are no formalities today. You can drink your tea however you wish.



Akira: Gh, haaaah~~~~! It's over~~~~!

Oscar: Ugh, just as expected, my legs are numb...

Will: It was all delicious, Brad-san. The rakugan and usucha go well together ♪ ♪

Brad:  The combination has traditionally been considered good. But so long as it suits your taste.
If you'd like, I could prepare some koicha next time.

Will: Waah, thank you very much! If that's the case, I'll try to look for sweets that would go well with koicha ♪

Brad: Please do.
Did you not like it, Akira?

Akira: The sweets and matcha were both delicious, but there were too many rules to savor them properly...

Brad: You'll come to enjoy the tea more once you've memorized them.

Akira: Still, Brad. Isn't this tea etiquette kinda inefficient? No matter how much I think about it, that whole turning the bowl around is unnecessary.

Oscar: Oi, Akira.

Brad: It certainly seems inefficient. However, each one of these rules were made in consideration of others.
By learning the tea ceremony, you can be more thoughtful of the people around you.

Oscar: Well said, Brad-sama.

Akira: Hmm, I dun really get it.
But I don't mind drinking the tea you made again! It was quite to my liking!

Brad: Is that right? I'll also invite you again next time.

Akira: Alright!

____________

• Fusuma: a sliding panel, used to serve as a door in traditional Japanese houses.
• Rakugan: Japanese hard candies that are commonly used in the tea ceremony.
• Kaishi: paper used during the tea ceremony as a plate for sweets.
• Usucha and Koicha are two traditional Japanese styles of matcha preparation. Usucha means "thin/weak matcha" while Koicha means "thick matcha".