Chapter 87: Fieldwork

Kai

I waved bye to Rena and the kids. They had packed me a little lunch. Most of it was candy, but their encouragement alone was fuel enough!

Although, where would I begin looking for a job? What jobs even paid the best? Maybe a store clerk would work? Although, most of the stores in town appeared to be family owned and operated. Would they accept an outsider like me?

Apart from a few shops and the local tavern, there wasn't much in terms of employment prospects. It wasn't like I could go to the capital. I had no car of my own.

I continued pondering as I walked toward the center of town.

My eyes darted towards a pretty big farm. Several workers were tilling the land. Some drove machines, but most were doing it the old-fashioned way, with hoes.

"What are you looking at?" a familiar voice called out.

I turned and saw Rena's friend.

I leaned forward. "Eh? You work here?"

He scoffed and turned away. "Work here? No. More like I'm forced to do this stuff. My pops owns this farm."

I whistled. "Had no idea you were rich."

He grumbled. "Ya city folk really think that owning a lot of land makes one rich, don't ya?"

I scratched my head. "But doesn't land equal wealth?"

He huffed. "It does, but here in the countryside it works a little differently from your city developers. Here we live off of the land directly. Whatever we sow, we get. Now if you excuse me, I got work to do. I can't be caught slacking."

I smiled. "You're a harder worker than I expected, Yayoi."

He looked over his shoulders and narrowed his eyes at me. "Hmph, I don't wanna hear that outta a boy who hasn't worked a day in his life!"

It was my turn to narrow my eyes back at him. "While I might not be paid for it, I do a lot of work."

He sighed and looked down. "True, like caring for Rena."

I scratched my face. "Well, I don't consider that work, but you could say that."

He chuckled and continued walking. "You really are an odd one, Kai."

I jumped over the short fence and ran after him. "Say, need some help?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You really are weird. Why would you work for free?"

I crossed my arms. "Well, maybe not free. I was actually thinking of getting a job."

Yayoi snorted. "You? A job? In manual labor? Haha! Funny joke, kid."

Who was he calling kid? We were the same age!

"Yayoi!" A booming voice echoed throughout the fields. The other workers gave us short glances before return back to work. They actually looked scared as they sped up their own work.

A large man in a pair of overalls stomped over to us. He carried several bags of manure. 

"Quit slacking off and get back to work."

Yayoi lowered his head. "Yes, father."

"Sorry, it's my fault," I said, "he was going to go back to work, but I took his time."

The red-haired man glanced over and me. "And who the heck are you?"

"I'm Kai. I was hoping to get a job here!"

He smirked like his son had earlier. "Really? No offense, son, but your musculature isn't impressive."

I stepped back. "W-well. I am more of a books kind of guy."

He hummed. "That so?" His green eyes darted back to his son. "Then, how about you tutor my boy on the side?"

Yayoi coughed. "What?"

He huffed. "You're doing awful in school, boy. Your mother is worried. If I don't do something, she will take it off on me for making you help out in the field."

"But I like this stuff," he protested.

He laughed. "Do you, now? I think ya just like it better than opening up a book. Although can't blame ya. Those thick rectangles are a pain in the behind."

"Prisms," I said.

Yayoi's father tilted his head. "Hmm?"

I smiled. "Books are closer to prisms than rectangles. They're three dimensional too. A thick triangle would just be super wide."

Yayoi wrinkled his nose. "Wow, you are more of nerd than that dweeb, Souta."

I frowned. Why did he have to be so rude to Sou? Maybe we needed to invite him to our next get together. Then they could grow closer like my sister with the others.

Yayoi's father nodded. "That does it. Kai. You will tutor my boy."

"But, Dad!"

"No buts, son. If I don't do this, my butt will be on the line. Ya know how scary ya ma can get."

Yayoi lowered his head and sighed. "F-fine."

I stared at the field and stole a bag of manure from Yayoi.

"Hey! What are you doing?" he yelled.

"Helping you. The field work needs to get done too, right?"

Yayoi's father nodded. "I see. Ya plan to lessen this lazy bones' workload so he can finish faster, right?"

I gave him a thumbs up but soon regretted it as I felt my body tilt. Thankfully, something firm broke my fall.

"Dweeb, be careful," Yayoi said.

I turned and realized his chest had broken my fall. He hadn't even moved an inch. Was I that lightweight? Maybe I should've eatten more like Rena suggested.

"Sorry," I said, gulping as I adjusted the weight of the bag.

Yayoi sighed. "I think having you around will just slow me down."

I frowned. "But I want to get stronger too. I can't tutor you all the time. You'll eventually graduate."

Yayoi's father sighed as he turned away. "If that boy can't get his grades up soon, he will fail."

I glanced at Yayoi who had his head turned away from us.

"Don't worry, Mister! Will make sure he graduates with the rest of us!" I said, smiling.

Yayoi sighed and continued on his way. "I don't need ya to help me."

I gripped the bag firmly and followed after him.

Yayoi turned around and sighed. "If you're gonna help me, let me first teach you hold to carry things. The way you're carrying that bag, you're gonna break your back."

I gulped. I didn't want that! We already had enough medical bills to pay...

"Alright," Yayoi said, a hint of irritation in his voice. "It's simple. You just need to use your knees to lift, not your back." He demonstrated, bending his knees and keeping his back straight as he lifted the bag.

I watched, trying to memorize his movements. It looked easy enough when he did it, but I had a feeling it was going to be a different story when it was my turn.

"Okay, your turn," Yayoi said, setting the bag back down.

I took a deep breath, positioning myself in front of the bag. I bent my knees, keeping my back straight just like Yayoi had shown me. I reached down, gripping the bag tightly, and lifted.

Immediately, I could feel the difference. The weight was still there, but it was more manageable. I wasn't straining my back like before.

I nodded, trying to follow his instructions as best I could. It was hard, but I managed to lift the bag without straining my back.

"Better," Yayoi said, giving me a nod of approval. "Now, let's get back to work."

I smiled and nodded again, following after him.

As the day winded down, I found myself out of breath and muscles ached in places I never knew existed. Yayoi, on the other hand, seemed as though he had barely broken a sweat.

"Done for the day," he announced, wiping his brow with the back of his shirt, revealing toned abs. Would I get s figure like that if I continued working here?

I collapsed onto the ground, the bag of manure I was carrying tumbling from my grip. "Thank... goodness..."

Yayoi chuckled, extending a hand to help me up. "You did good for a first-timer."

I gratefully took his hand, pulling myself up with a grunt. "I feel like I'm going to pass out..."

Yayoi laughed, patting my back. "That's just your body getting used to the work. You'll get used to it."

"Easy for you to say," I muttered, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension. "You've probably been doing this since you were a kid."

"True," he admitted with a shrug. "But everyone starts somewhere. You'll get the hang of it."

I nodded, not entirely convinced. I was a bookworm, not a farmhand. But if this was what it took to help Yayoi and earn some money to help Mom pay for Rena's medical bills, then I was willing to try.

"Alright, my turn to teach you!" I said, sitting up.

He blinked. "Huh?"

I smiled. "Did you forget? I'm gonna tutor you!"

He crossed his arms and sighed. "I seriously don't need your help."

I hummed. "Rena told me you were really smart, so it is a bit shocking that you're doing badly."

He blushed. "S-she said that?"

I nodded. "Yeah. She mentioned how you helped her out before." I furrowed my brow. "The real reason you're doing badly is because you keep skipping, isn't it?"

He turned away, not saying a thing.

I patted his back. "Then, let me at least teach you some better study habits."

He scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. "Do you really want to be a glorified babysitter?"

"If that's what it takes for you to graduate with us then yeah!"

He turned away. "Y-you really are on odd one."

I blinked as I noticed his ears were almost as red as his dad's hair.

He must've been embarrassed. Hehe. Yayoi sure could be adorable at times.