He's grown so much.
I guess you can't really say he's cute anymore.
He's still the same.
He's just a nice pig.
Pigs have no need for the virtue of humility!
He should shove others aside if necessary, in order to win the race!
Oh, well...
Pork Bowl, come here!
Oh, his heart rate's really high...
Eat up.
Ooezo Agricultural High School Dormitory for Future Agriculture Managers
Come to think of it,
I think human kids have a fast heart rate, too.
Mom
Are you coming home for summer break?
During summer break,
I'll lead a peaceful country life by holing myself up in the quiet dorm,
and focusing on my studies, while taking care of Pork Bowl and the horses...
Dorm Closed Over Summer Break [ 7/25 - 8/16 ] The dorm will closed for renovations during this period. Please be sure to account for any valuables. Additionally, please eat all food items by the 24th.
Yeah, the dorm will be closed.
The upperclassmen who live nearby
will take care of the horses for us.
Hachiken-kun, you're not going home over summer break?
Well, um...
Hey, if you don't have anywhere to go, want to come to my place?
My parents won't be there.
The hernia in Dad's back got worse...
Ah, so you need labor.
It's part-time and we'll pay you. What do you think?
Really?!
I'll go!
I'll send you the dates and stuff later.
A part-time job, huh?
It'll be my first time working and earning money.
You're going too fast!
You're getting the red carpet treatment!
Wow! The mountains are so close!
Episode 6 Hachiken Stays with the Mikages
Pa, Hachiken-kun's here!
Yo.
Nice to meet you.
I am Hachiken Yuugo.
I won't hear of it!
Of what?
Sorry, Pa thinks you're going to take Aki away from here.
Oh...
Hachiken-kun, are you the eldest son of a farmer?
No, the second son of a salary man.
What was that?
They looked like hunters sighting prey...
Great-granny, I'm home!
This is my classmate, Hachiken-kun, who's come to help.
Hello.
She's 107 years old.
What?!
Um, was she born during the Meiji era?
Yeah, a living witness of the times when Hokkaido was still a frontier.
Sorry it's all country fare.
Not at all! It's delicious!
Especially the rice!
One of our relatives is a rice farmer, so we get it direct.
And rice balls made by human hands taste great.
It's because they're made with love!
It's well-seasoned because they were made by a seasoned granny!
Oh, Hachiken-kun.
Please tell me what your home phone number is.
I should say hello to your parents.
Oh, uh, that's not necessary!
Um, I've already told them, so...
But, still...
Oh, um...
No one's home this time of day.
Really?
Yes, so it's okay.
Going to work part-time on a friend's farm over summer break. Can't come home.
Unable to Send Message
No Signal
Okay, I'm going to take Pa to the hospital.
Look after things for a bit, okay?
Okay!
Have a safe trip.
Keep your hands off!
Off what?!
Well, let's have you get right to work.
Hachiken-kun!
Um, okay!
This time of day, take him out to the exercise pen,
then take him back into the stables around noon.
You'll have to muck out the stables before then.
I'm taking care of this big one?
He's still only two, so he'll get even bigger.
He's got a long and lean neck and back,
and his rump's nice and long.
He'll grow up to be a great horse!
He has the same look in his eye as those Holstein Club guys...
Oh, speak of the devil, it's the horse buyer.
He's here to see if we have any good ones.
Hey, Prez!
Hey, good to see you.
Hello!
Oh?
Aki-chan, did you already catch a husband at high school?
He's a friend who's helping us out part-time.
Aki-chan, you're the heir! You have to catch a good husband, stat!
It's fine!
Aki's got a good head on her shoulders,
so we can safely leave the ranch to her.
No Signal
Damn, nothing here, either.
No signal... in any direction...
Damn it!
You haven't told your family yet, have you?
You should tell them before it gets complicated.
Well, I tried to text them, but there's no signal.
Well, Icchan's place is higher up, so you might get a signal there.
Oh, Komaba's place is close by?
It's the first place you see after hanging a right out of here...
Hachiken-kun! You're idling!
We can't pay you for that!
Oh, okay!
Hachiken-kun, you can take a break until milking time!
Okay!
When is that?
5:30.
No Signal
Um, I think I'll take a walk around the neighborhood.
Okay, take care.
Watch out for bears!
Okay!
I'll be back by milking time.
"The first place"...
How many kilometers away is that?
Crap!
There it is.
Caution: Bears
This... can't be Komaba's place...
So cold...
What're you doing here?
Komaba!
I was trying to get to your place, but it's taking forever!
Oh, right. You're working at Aki's place.
You need something from me?
Mikage thought my cell might get a signal at your place.
I wanted to send a text.
We don't get a signal, either.
Damn it!
Let's see.
Oh, there's a signal.
I just gotta press the middle button?
Dear friend... my signal tower...
But what are you going to do?
It'll be pitch black soon.
Oh, crap...
I totally missed work.
Man, they'll be so mad.
Idiot!
They've got to be worried about you!
Just come over and call them!
Komaba Ranch
Sorry!
I'm really sorry!
I didn't mean to ditch the evening chores!
That's not the point!
We were so worried...
Gramps, Hachiken-kun's at Icchan's place.
Oh, good!
We'll come get you once we're done with the barn work.
Oh... Okay.
Sorry.
Thanks.
Are you our brother's friend?
Hello!
Hi.
Um, are you Komaba's little sisters?
I'm Nino.
I'm Misora.
I can't tell them apart...
Nino, Misora!
Hurry up with the hay!
Okay!
I was able to contact Mikage-san's place!
Thank you so much!
No problem. Sorry I couldn't do more.
Not at all!
Oh, she's such a klutz with her feet! Jeez!
Is your mom always handling it alone?
Yeah, we don't have the money to hire help.
We only have about twenty or thirty cows,
which is about what one person can manage.
I'll help, too.
Thanks, but we can't pay you.
There's no way I can accept money.
I just have to give this to the grown-up cows?
You're going to help?
Thanks!
Are you guys doing this kind of work all the time?
Do you know about labor laws?
And there's something called the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child...
Nope, don't know!
You're a real nerd, Mister!
Don't tell them things they don't need to know!
Whoa!
The cows here are super friendly, aren't they?
They're all old, so they're used to people.
Old?
Mom cares about them,
so we don't get rid of them unless we really have to.
I thought farm animals just got processed without a second thought.
Each farm decides for itself.
Know anything about Tamako's family farm?
No.
It's a giant farm that's really systematic.
That farm is like a milk factory—rather impressive.
You should ask her if you can visit sometime.
Like the chicken coop?
Hachiken-kun, thanks for your help!
Please stay for dinner.
Oh, please don't mind me!
Girls, come help make dinner!
Okay!
They're starting now?!
Um, I've been thinking...
Isn't it strange to run a business this way?
You're torturing yourself 365 days a year,
when no matter how much you work, it won't bring you any money,
like it's just the thing to do...
Hachiken!
Sorry! I said too much!
Come with me.
What's this?
A bull pen. Like the name implies, it's a pen for cows.
Mom likes to let the calves roam here.
Why do you have this?
Dad built it.
Hachiken, can you go stand in the batter's box?
Here?
Yeah, hold a bat.
Hey, is this how you hold a bat—
Oh, it's better practice when there's an actual batter.
Try to take a swing while you're at it!
No way, no way!
I can't hit it!
We're just getting warmed up!
Just give it a try.
Yeah, like that!
Wait, why're you practicing after working all day?!
If I don't do at least this much, I can't go to nationals!
Oh, right. You couldn't go this year.
I'll go to nationals and, if I'm lucky, I'll go pro.
Weren't you going to take over the family business?
I will!
I'll renovate the barn with the contract money,
and let Mom take it easy!
Once I retire,
I'll carry on the business and make it a much bigger farm!
Everyone's so into their shining dreams, damn it.
What're you getting angry at us for?
Baseball and farming?
You're too greedy, you bastard!
What's wrong with being greedy?!
I'm going to reinvigorate... our business!
I hit it!
Bastard... Now I'm serious!
Hello!
It's Aki-chan!
Yo.
Oh?
He helped me practice.
You shouldn't force people help you practice, Icchan.
My back... my arms...
Hey there, Komaba-san.
Welcome!
Sorry our part-timer caused trouble.
It's fine!
He helped us out, too!
I'm so sorry for the trouble...
Oh, Hachiken-kun, are you hungry?
I've got just the thing.
Oh? Something tasty?!
Deer.
We hit one on our way here.
I'll leave half of it with you guys.
Yay, venison!
What, you don't like venison?
Well, it's not whether I like it or not.
It's more about my sensibilities...
Well, let's get this cleaned up.
Hachiken-kun, want to try butchering it?
Butcher the deer, and get it ready to eat.
Me?
Yeah, give it a try.
No, no, I can't!
I've never learned how to butcher deer, either.
Hachiken-kun.
Are you going to learn everything about life at school?
I drained the blood right after we hit it, so it should be fine!
Even if you gut it, there shouldn't be a lot of blood.
H-How should I...
First, you insert the knife like this into the gut,
slice it across like this,
then dump them out,
and splat!
That doesn't help at all.
Right...
Compared to Pork Bowl, this is like a total stranger.
I can do this!
I can...
Darn, you looked at its eyes.
Too bad.
This should take care of it.
This makes it feel like we took it hostage!
Oh.
Komaba, you've done things like this before?
Well, there are lots of deer around here.
I learned by watching other people.
You don't mind it?
Well, that's not the point...
If this was the only food available,
at least you could let people eat something tasty, you know?
If this was the only food available?
It could happen.
If you don't wanna, don't push yourself.
Give me the knife.
Ichirou.
This is Hachiken-kun's job.
'Kay.
Job...
We can't pay you for that!
Right!
I came here to work.
What'd I do all day?
Why am I here?
So you basically came here because you lost.
That's stupid.
Am I going to run away again after running all the way here?
No!
It's still warm...
If I run away now and let someone else do this,
I don't have the right to eat Pork Bowl...
We make our living with horses...
Okay!
I'm going to try!
Um, can you teach me how to do this?
Oh? Okay!
First, you open up the gut.
Be careful not to damage the innards.
Okay.
Wh-What an awful sensation...
Don't look away!
You'll cut yourself!
Once you remove the guts, put them in this bucket here.
Next, skin it.
Back in the old days, you could get money for the pelt.
Oh, I hear the brain is considered a delicacy.
We'll remove the head.
Yeah, insert the blade between those bones.
The head's heavy. Be careful.
Okay.
There, good.
Good, good.
Well, that's about it.
Half of it is for Komaba-san's family!
Yes, sir!
Good job.
Good job!
Why don't you go wash your hands?
You're amazing, Grandpa.
Why?
Hachiken-kun named one of the pigs being raised for slaughter at school,
so he's been feeling unsure about the whole thing.
Today, thanks to you, I think he made progress.
Huh? What're you talking about?
I was just bullying him a bit for the slacking he did today.
Besides, butchering meat takes energy.
Mikage-san!
Please have dinner with us!
Barbecue!
Man, I'm starving!
Thanks for the food!
When Pork Bowl becomes pork, could you eat it?
Thanks for the food...
I scrubbed them so hard, too...
Until I finished junior high,
I had to earn to my keep, back home, by getting good grades.
Today, I wasn't much of a help at all at your place.
That's why when you were more worried about me than my work
I was a little surprised.
You shouldn't be!
There are lots of bears around here, and we're deep in the mountains!
Yeah...
Komaba got mad at me, too.
Icchan's dad died because he worked too hard.
His mom's doing a bit too much work, too,
so that's where he's coming from, I'm sure.
I see.
That makes me feel more down!
I was so foolish!
It was my fault, too.
I shouldn't have just blurted out that you might
get a signal at Icchan's place.
Were you able to send the text to your family?
Yeah, thanks to your suggestion.
Great!
Yeah...
Wow!
Isn't it beautiful?
It's like this year-round.
Wait, are we having a moment?
A starry night sky...
and on the truck bed, there's only Mikage, me...
and a dead bear.
What a big catch today!
Yeah, totally!
This story is a work of fiction. The people and groups are fictitious, but the themes relating to food and life are firmly based in reality. Visiting the places and facilities used as models can be dangerous and may result it contracting diseases from the animals. Please enjoy this story as a work of fiction.