Monogatari Series - Volume 30 - Chapter 1.04

004

On our honeymoon trip, Kanbaru Suruga accompanied us as well.

Why, you may ask?

Before I could even raise the question, my wife—Araragi Hitagi—had already factored her in as a member of the trip, as if she were another character among the list of suspects in a mystery novel.

By the time I had carefully planned the three-day, two-night itinerary, including destinations within Tochigi Prefecture, and even woven in some glamping in Nasu Highlands—she had nonchalantly changed the lineup to make it so.

It was a decided matter.

Hitagi-san, who famously had her own father tag along on our first date, has transcended six years of time and changed her family name, but it seems her mental resolve remains unyielding.

“Well, I did say earlier that I often go to the observatory, but I haven’t been able to hang out with Kanbaru much lately. Despite finally getting to work in Japan, I’ve been swamped with settling into the Japanese branch, and Kanbaru has her studies to focus on… Even I couldn’t help her with the grueling exam preparations to become a doctor, so all I could do was watch over her from afar.”

“Oh, right, Kanbaru is aiming to become a sports doctor, isn’t she? That’s why she enrolled in the medical school of a physical education university.”

Compared to me, who struggled with entrance exam studies just to attend the same university as her, the motivation behind her ambitions was worlds apart. Speaking of which, what happened with that? Being abroad, I’ve been oblivious to any news. It would’ve been nice to ask her during the wedding (Kanbaru served as Hitagi’s bridesmaid, even though it was a traditional Japanese wedding).

“Now she’s in her fifth year, and since it’s medical school, she won’t graduate until the year after next. But she does have various internships and such.”

“Seems like everyone’s constantly doing internships when they’re young.”

“While she continues to pursue her dream of becoming the sports doctor for the professional basketball team she had always hoped for, it seems the team itself is looking for someone with experience. The fact that she participated in the Inter-High in high school wasn’t all in vain. To become a sports doctor, she’ll need to work for more than four years after obtaining her medical license, so the road ahead may be long. That being said, if she pushes herself just a tad, she’ll be able to join our honeymoon trip without a hitch.”

“It sounds great, but it’s like our gears don’t fit together. Who’s spinning their wheels here—me, or you? I think uou’re pushing it a little too hard. Regardless of our plans, it feels like it was a given that Kanbaru would join us on our honeymoon.”

“What’s wrong with that? It’s like an American family sitcom. I’m even considering the possibility of sharing a house with Kanbaru.”

“Even though we aren’t living together?”

“There’s a lot to catch up on. Koyomi, don’t let your old, outstanding junior becoming a renowned future doctor shake you up; celebrate her accomplishment properly.”

I feel like this wouldn’t exactly qualify as a honeymoon anymore, but more like Kanbaru’s consolation trip… No, it’s not that I don’t want to celebrate her new beginning. On the contrary, I’m filled with the desire to celebrate.

Isn’t the honeymoon, which originated with Sakamoto Ryouma, fundamentally something that a married couple goes on alone?

“What’s this? You’re the type to brazenly challenge the notion of married couples having the same surname, and yet you’re so quick to grovel before such a trivial bit of common knowledge?”

“Well, when you put it that way, it does sound pretty weak…”

“Rather than going on two trips, wouldn’t it be nice to wrap it up in one go?”

“You’re just trying to save yourself the hassle. Both the honeymoon and the consolation trip?”

“Oh no, actually, I’m quite satisfied with the interesting plan of taking Senjougahara to Senjougahara. Not a hassle at all. I just want to let my dear junior participate in this fun experience too.”

When bundled together as a cute and amusing plan, the nuance of the two-night, three-day trip changes a bit—but if they’re up for it, I would be happy too.

Such a production, which would culminate in taking away Hitagi’s name, is the most painful and the one thing I must not do, as it would leave me with nothing but self-indulgence.

“I knew that Senjougahara was in Tochigi Prefecture, but it’s my first time going there, and I didn’t even know that the stars were so beautiful. Having lived as a Senjougahara for nearly a quarter of a century, I consider this a life-long mistake and a loss I wish to recover as soon as possible. So, I’m in quite the high spirits. Even as she is, Hanekawa-san will still help us, won’t she?”

“She’s like… a genuine revolutionary, you know?”

Her style is different, as are her principles.

“If only we could get in touch with her, I would have loved to invite Hanekawa-san to the Haney-moon, as well.”

“Are you trying to be witty?”

That Hanekawa was no longer the Hanekawa we once knew.

Again, all records of her were erased two years ago.

Now she existed only in our memories.

“That said, if we count the participants, we can’t overlook the fact that even you aren’t alone. Wouldn’t it be nice to travel with one companion each?”

Oh, she found the blind spot before the blind snake stone was found.

If you’re asking why, it’s because my shadow-dwelling companion, Oshino Shinobu, formerly known as Heart-Under-Blade, would inevitably accompany me on my trip to Tochigi Prefecture. So closely intertwined were we that the realization eluded both Shinobu and me.

If Shinobu was to me what Kanbaru was to Hitagi, then there could be no objection.

Besides, it would be easier to fight at any time.

Because a fight to the death may await us at our honeymoon destination with a nine-tailed fox scheming to destroy Japan.

A doctor plus a vampire.

Healers and fighters… more indispensable than even a thermos or a smartphone.