1 A trip to the mountain

A ray of warm morning sunshine poured into my face when my room's curtain opened by someone.

"Good morning Ikki, time to wake up",

I hear a gentle and soft voice of my mom entering my ears.

"Morning mom, what time is it now?"

I lazily replied to her greeting while rubbing my eyes 😪 and stretching my back while yawning.

"It's already past seven. Get up and take a bath, your dad, grandpa, and your little sister already wake up an hour ago"

"It's not my fault mom. Dad asked me to help him in the workshop until late at night, and I still feel tired"

"No, No, no excuse, young man. Your dad also sleeps late but he can wake up earlier than you. Get up young man, don't you want to go to find the ingredient in the mountain? If you get there late, there's nothing to find there"

"Gosh! I almost forget that. Thanks, mom, I'll take a bath now"

My mom only chuckled at seeing me run to the bathroom, fortunately, no one occupies the bathroom so I can use it freely. After taking a bath and changing clothes, I go to the dining room, my family already there having breakfast.

"Good morning grandpa, dad, Miyu"

My grandpa, Hiroshi Isaku, his age already past the sixties but he still looks healthy, fresh, and energetic. He is known as an experienced farmer in my hometown. From him, I learn about farming and plantation. It's quite useful for an apprentice chef like me because I can see the quality of vegetables, which one that still fresh and have good quality and which one is bad.

My dad, Kenji Isaku, working as a blacksmith and has his own workshop where he made the ironwares. He actually wants me to inherit his workshop and work as a blacksmith like him, but I already have a dream to be a famous chef, so I had to refuse his intention. Fortunately, he's not against my dream to become a chef, so when he asked me to help him at the workshop like last night, I don't have the heart to refuse it.

My little sister Miyu, she's eight-year younger than me and a student in an elementary school at grade four. She's cute and likes sweets. That's also my motivation to become a chef, to make delicious sweets for my cute little sister.

"Morning Ikki, take a seat and have breakfast"

My grandpa replies to my greet and ordering me to sit.

I sit on my chair and receive my rice bowl from my mother. Today's breakfast menu is a common Japanese traditional menu, miso soup, grilled fish, steamed rice, nori, and Japanese pickles, made by my mother. Although I can make delicious dishes and sometimes cook for my family dinner, my mother cooking stills the best in my heart. We don't speak during breakfast, my grandpa teaches us this habit to honor the food we eat. After finishing his breakfast, grandpa leaves the house to his farmland. It's almost harvest time and he must make sure his crops in top quality before selling it to market. My sister Miyu, also already finishing her meal and help my mother to wash the dishes.

That's left me and dad at the dining table, we both already finished our meal and when I about to leave, my dad said something to me.

"Sit down Ikki, I have something for you"

He grabs a box from under the table and gives it to me.

"What is this dad?"

I'm a little surprised by this sudden gift because my dad rarely gives a gift to me, only on my birthday he gave me a present.

"Open it and see yourself" my dad reply with a smile on his face.

I open the box and look at its content. What I see is a complete kitchen knife set. I pull one of it and see my name engraved on its blade.

"Wow, my own kitchen knives! Thank you, dad"

"Do you like it?"

"I like it very much, dad. This is a fine knife"

"Hahaha …. You also take part in making of those knives Ikki. That is what we working on last night"

"Really? My friends at school definitely will envy when they see this knife set"

"Ikki, I make those knives not for you to show off but to help you achieve your dream" my dad look at me with frowned brows and strict tone on his voice.

"Sorry dad, I don't mean to show off but if my friend want this kind of knives I'll promote your workshop certainly"

"Hahaha … you still have that sweet talking skill. Alright, if your friends want the same knives set, they can come to me"

"Can I get some commission from that?"

"Tsk this kid … I give you commission if you help me at the workshop. How about that?"

"Sure dad, but only if I'm on vacation"

"Alright alright … Aren't you having your own plan today? If you cancel your plan I will drag you to the workshop and help me temper the iron until dusk"

"Noooo … Who said I'm canceling it. I just want to prepare before going"

"Be careful on the mountain, and I want a delicious dinner tonight from whatever you get in the mountain"

"Okay, dad"

After reply to my dad's advice, I run to my room to preparing my things for the trip to the mountain.

In my room, I'm looking at the things that I will bring to the mountain. A portable stove with butane canned gas for the fuel, my knives set that I just received from my father, some energy snacks, chocolates, some drinking water, lighter, some plastic bags, some spices like salt, pepper, cinnamon, sugar, soy sauces, tomato sauces etc. Well, because I'm planning to spend the day on the mountain, of course, I'll have my lunch there. I also brought my phone because I save many recipes there, although there's maybe no signal on the mountain.

After putting them all in my backpack I bid farewell to my mother and go to the mountain.