The Elf Is a Freeloader

A stunning autumn sunny mid-September Sunday with blue, clear skies.

The four Yasushi men, who assembled at Aoi's house around 9: 30 a.m., were waiting for a bus to the city hall at the bus stop on the patrol bus at Nikken Station in front of them.

"Sure, there's gonna be a temporary bus out today, right?

"I'm out every year, so you're out this year."

Seeing the queue of people waiting for the bus at the bus stop, Yasushi and Ryu exchange words in a fed up manner.

"But we don't get together this much every year, do we? And from such an early hour..."

The Dream Festival, which will be held today, runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are also relationships where stalls come out, and the busiest shows is around noon.

Yet many have already packed it this year, even before ten o'clock. Moreover, the use of a patrol bus from Nikkan Station probably means that most of the people gathered here are tourists from outside the city.

Even when it comes to festivals, they are small things in local cities. Nationally, visibility and so on equals unlimited zero. In fact, Yasushi and I attend the festival every year, but I've never seen so many people pack it from outside the city.

And yet, how come people have gathered so far only this year?

Furthermore, more than 80% of the tourists here are men.

From the fact that we all have digital cameras and handicams in our hands, I could imagine what they were meant for.

"You mean a festival, and you think 'Mr. Elf' might actually look like him, I'm sure..."

Yes. Their purpose is' Mr. Elf '.

You think "Mr. Elf" might appear as part of the event, more than a festival organized by the city called "Dream Festival".

No, maybe there's also the possibility that a certain mayor was spreading rumors like that in advance.

Fortunately, or whatever, the people gathered here don't seem to notice anything about Elle.

Today Elle magically misled his ears, as usual, and wore a little black edge glasses for disguise, on which he wore Yasushi's hat deep in his eyes. As a result, the fans of "Mr. Elf" around didn't seem to realize that the person in question was right beside them.

"... well, there's an example event..."

Ryu says as tired.

A monster he said before, not in the usual year that Mayor Hagano thinks.

When I found out what it was about, I was greatly surprised not only by Ryu, but also by Yasushi, Aye, and even Elle.

Once Yasushi moved his gaze, a poster affixed near the bus stop caught his eye.

"Ryu's little father, you really do it"

It was the poster that informed the event planned by Mayor Hagano, where the title 'Mr. Elf Contest' was dancing.

The square in front of Nikken-shi City Hall and the parking lot next to it are the venues of the Hakane Dream Festival.

By the time Yasushi arrived at the venue, quite a few people had already gathered.

The performance by the Naruto dance team seems to have begun after ten o'clock, with spectacular performances matching the rhythmic BGM on the stage set beside the main venue, City Hall, and in the corner of the subvenue, City Hall's parking lot.

From the B-grade gourmet stalls, there was a variety of appetizing smells overflowing, and my sober-minded middle-aged uncle and others were quickly tasting them with one hand of beer.

Yasushi goes through those stalls and aims first at the corner where the play-related stalls come together.

A nostalgic street play that has been around for a long time, including water yo-yo fishing and bell throwing on wheel throws. Of all that, it was the goldfish that sparkled El the most.

"Mr. Yastaka!! I love goldfish!! There was goldfish here too!!"

With his sapphire-like eyes glistening, Elle draws your hand and heads for the goldfish.

"You can do it, but only once, okay? If you increase the number of goldfish too much, you won't be able to keep them in your current tank."

"I get it!! Ha-ha-ha, now it's definitely time for one to try!!"

An invincible grin, motivated by your whole body. Make it leak, El.

But.

I couldn't dare to leave such motivation empty, and all Elle had in his hands was one that he could have gotten besides the last time.

After each enjoying a thoughtful and nostalgic play, Yasushi, Aye and Ryu decided to move forward to City Hall, where gourmet stalls gather for lunch.

This stall is hosted and served by local chambers of commerce, youth associations, farmers' associations, etc., so there were a number of faces that Yasushi and the others knew about cutting up the stall.

Something crossed the edge of El's sight as he walked to sew the crowd in exchange for greetings with such people.

I don't know, what do you see now?

Elle stops unexpectedly thinking about it that way. The three of you also turn a suspicious face to Elle, who suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong with you?

Elle's body suddenly rushed out without ever responding to Yasushi asking that.

"Hey!! What happened to you all of a sudden!?"

"I wonder what the Spirit is like again!?"

I recall a liver test I did during the summer vacation and had a similar situation.

There will be such a strange incident again, but you will find yourselves in a difficult position.

But this time it looks a little different than last time.

Rushing out, Elle suddenly kneels a little further away from you. I could see a small shadow shaking across its back from your place.

"Children...... maybe?

"Maybe you're not lost?

Once they met each other, they hurried to Elle. If I approached him, he still seemed lost, as Ryu expected.

Is it about five years old? It is painful to see both eyes red with tears and still desperately indulging in tears at all.

"What's your name, young lady? What about your father or your mother? Aren't you with me?

Elle kneels down to the height of her gaze in front of the lost - it was a girl - and asks gently as she strokes her head.

"Eh... me, eh... I'm out of touch with your mother..."

The little handkerchief on the eye is quite damp. Apparently, I've been walking around for a long time looking for a detached mother by myself.

"It's gonna be okay, okay? We'll find your mother soon. Ryu!"

"Whoa!"

Ryu lifted the girl gently and put her on her shoulder with the shoulder car's instructions intact.

At this time, Aye is no more beside them. We headed to the headquarters where we run the festival to let them know about the lost girl.

The girl's mother must also be looking for my child who is detached. Unlike a child, an adult would first take a trip to a place where he would keep a stray such as headquarters.

I hope you do the same, but they don't choose it.

Yanggui and Ryu asked aloud to those gathered at the festival, with the lost girl on their shoulders.

"Eri's mother, are you there -? Eri's here. Yo!

"Eri stays here! Mother, where are you?

The two slowly walk through the festival venue with the girl on their shoulders as they gather their surrounding gaze.

Ryu shouldered the girl because tall he could see better from afar.

Three people who act with a well-shared role, without a word or consultation, as if they had even met in advance.

Elle, who sent a warm gaze on the back of Yasushi and Ryu walking in front, raised his voice so that they could not beat each other.

"Eri's mother! Where are you? Eri's here!

That's how the three of us walk in search of our lost mother.

The girl who was crying at first also seemed to like it over Ryu's shoulder, and after a while she started looking around with a pleasant smile on her face.

Looking for a lost mother, a smartphone in Elle's pocket signaled an incoming call.

If you take it out and check it, the caller will call.

If Elle rushes to put his smartphone in his ear, he will hear a vibrant voice of aye from beyond. Having spoken to Aye two or three words, Elle hung up the call and informed you of the content of the conversation.

"Mr. Yastaka! Mr. Takashi! Eri's mother has been found! They're waiting for Eri in a place called Unayhonb!

"Right. Have you contacted HQ?"

"Whoa, let's head to HQ right away! Eri, you'll see your mother soon!

After speaking to reassure the girl on her shoulder, the three hurried to the tent where the operational headquarters were located.

"Mother, I'm glad you found me."

Elle remembered her mother, who had bowed her head many times to herself, as she carried lemon-flavoured shake ice into her mouth, and the girl who was happily holding hands with that mother and waving her little hand flat.

What they are now in is an empty space near the adjacent Farmers Association building, a short distance from City Hall.

He sits directly down where the concrete is laid, and the four of them flaunt the shaved ice.

This shaved ice was a treat for the reward of finding a stray and the uncle of the face-to-face management committee.

There is also food bought in the street, and they are eating a little late for lunch.

They are eating shaved ice ahead of other foods because, of course, if we put them behind us, they will melt.

There are those around them who have likewise designated this place a resting place, sitting back thoughtfully carrying street food into their mouths, or interested in chatter.

From afar I hear constant rhythmic music. The songko dance is still going on.

Each team's creative Naruto dance literally adds flowers to the festival every year.

"Well, and"

Listening to such music, Ryu stood up, coarsely cleaning up the food he bought in.

"It's about time it started."

Nodding at his words, the health and wellbeing rise.

Only one person, Elle, sighed in a depressing sigh, though.

"... what the hell do you do? Well... what's the 'Mr. Elf' contest...?

"It's a costume contest, so to speak, about how close you can get to the image of 'Mr. Elf'."

"A costume contest......?

You don't seem to understand very well, El.

It feels a little odd that someone else would disguise herself as "Mr. Elf".

How you are seen by others. I care when I say I care, and I'm afraid to know that.

"Well, it's just a festival project. I don't think you have to worry so much about that."

"Yes, yes. Yasushi is right. It's not like El's going to make an appearance."

"That being said, I still care."

With that said, the four walked out to the venue of the 'Mr. Elf' contest.