"It's deep into autumn.
I wonder what my neighbors do."
Nah.
Hinata lives next door.
I came to hang out with Hinata after school today.
Autumn scenery is all around us.
It feels nice.
Welcome, Aoi-chan.
Thanks for having me.
Here you go. Earl Gray.
Thank you!
Huh?
Coffee?
Yup. Dad got me into it.
I tried mountain coffee one day, and I was hooked.
Mountain coffee?
Drinking coffee on the mountains.
That's exactly what it sounds like.
The coffee you have on the mountain peaks, with the wind blowing on you, is exquisite.
I think I'll try it sometime.
Hinata is going to do something that grown-up?
I want to try mountain coffee, too!
Can you drink coffee, though, Aoi?
It's fine!
Let's do mountain coffee!
O-Okay.
Okay, I'll teach you how to make coffee.
Thank you!
Come with me.
Okay!
What's gotten into her?
What Does Coffee Taste Like?
Thank you, especially for lending me the equipment.
I chose the beans that I like personally.
You should try some different ones if you don't like those.
Okay.
Keep Sunday free, Hinata.
It's coming out.
That's not something I see you do often.
I'm doing mountain coffee with Hinata.
It's practice for that.
I wish you would work just as hard on your studies.
Oh, I think it's ready now.
That looks good.
Let's try it.
So bitter!
I wonder if I made it wrong.
Let's see.
My, it's delicious.
Really?
It's rich and smooth.
Weird.
I chose the beans that I like personally.
Maybe they aren't the right beans.
All right.
I'll go buy some tomorrow.
I can't sleep.
Is this the power of caffeine?
One sheep, two sheep...
I've never been in a coffee shop before.
Oh?
You can't even walk into a coffee shop?
You're such a child.
Shush, jeez!
I can.
I can go in.
All this?
These are all beans?
Willow Blend, Kenya, Guatemala...
Arabica?
Wait, sausage?
High roast, unwashed...
I can't!
Aoi-chan!
Hey!
Kaede-san and Yuka-san.
And that's why I'm learning about coffee.
Mountain coffee?
Lucky.
I want to go hiking, too.
Once we're done studying.
We're getting to page 137 today.
You monster.
Monster coffee.
Did you say something?
Nothing.
But Aoi-chan, don't you usually have tea?
I do.
Coffee is...
So bitter.
It is at first.
You'll come to like it when you get used to it.
Why don't you try some sugar or milk?
Café au lait would be good, too.
Latte art and stuff.
But...
You put milk in it? You're such a kid.
I feel like trying black to start with, like a cool person.
I don't think you could enjoy
drinking something you don't like just to look cool.
I think you're cooler if you can say you like what you like,
no matter what anyone else says.
I like the mountains more than studying.
How's that? Am I cool?
Be quiet.
Why don't you try looking for the right coffee for yourself?
I will.
109 sheep, 110 sheep...
Then, the next Sunday,
Hinata and I set out to Nishi-Agano Station on the Seibu-Chichibu Line.
Didn't get enough sleep?
Nah, I'm fine.
Hanno
Ikebukuro
Mt. Tenran
To the Kanhasshu Observation Platform we go.
Agano
O-ichou
Nishi-Agano
Chichibu
Takayama Fudo-son
About two hours away
Kanhasshu Observation Platform
That's where we'll do mountain coffee.
Takayama Fudo Panorama Course
Kanhasshu
Aoi, want me to carry the coffee gear?
Why?
No reason.
Only if you want me to.
Yes, please, then.
Sure.
Okay, let's go.
Thanks.
Takayama Fudo-son
One of the three great Kanto Acalas
Takayama Fudo-son.
I never knew there was such an amazing temple here.
So many stone steps...
Since we're here, we should go visit it.
Okay.
It's so high up.
Take a look, Aoi.
I'll never look!
Kanhasshu Observation Platform
I bet you could make good coffee with this.
Whoops...
Now, then, just a little farther.
Let's do this!
Kanto Social Path
Kanhasshu Observation Platform
Then, two hours after we started climbing...
We made it!
Kanhasshu Observation Platform
Saitama Prefecture Environmental Agency
It's such a nice view.
They don't call it the Kanhasshu Observation Platform for nothing.
All right, I'm going to make some coffee.
That does it for hot water.
Next, the beans...
Something like that?
Want me to help with anything?
Nah, don't worry.
Really?
Close the lid on the grinder, put the handle on it, and turn.
Which one is Mt. Fuji?
There.
Once the coffee's done grinding, put a filter on top of the dripper,
and put the grounds on top.
A little hot water,
and let steam for thirty seconds or so.
Add more hot water.
There. Done!
It's ready!
Here you go.
Thanks.
How is it?
Yeah, it's nice and light.
I like this, too.
Really?
I'm glad.
The richness spreads through my mouth, and the scent has depth.
But...
It's still bitter.
I wonder if this is what adulthood is like.
I don't get it yet.
You looked like a pro, Aoi.
You must have practiced a lot last night.
I bet that's why you didn't sleep well.
That was just because of the caffeine!
Want me to carry the coffee gear?
Oh, so that's why she...
Okay, let's go.
I made Hinata go out of her way for me.
What's up?
Um, er...
There's a lot to learn about coffee, huh?
Don't worry, you'll get the taste eventually.
You think so?
That's how it goes.
Hey, what's that?
It's milk.
It's huge!
Wait, why?
Why?
Because black is so bitter.
What?!
You might as well make it taste good, right?
What's gotten into her?
Come on!
You called me a kid for putting milk in it!
I never said that.
Here, you can have some, Aoi.
There's no sense in trying to be more grown-up than I am.
I guess I'm still a kid.
Oh, that goes for Hinata, too, though.
To Be Continued
To be continued.