After leaving the Commercial Guild, Fina and I decided to go back to the store.
First, I would check with Karin-san.
"Yuna-oneechan, you're coming up with so many ideas, it's amazing." (Fina)
There was nothing particularly amazing about it.
I simply gave my opinion to the best of my ability while remembering the events in my original world.
Surely the experts would have better ideas.
I was only talking about the basics.
"Fina, you said it would be nice to have a place where people could experience playing Reversi. I think that's a great idea." (Yuna)
Competition corner.
If you've ever been in a card shop or something, you might have thought of it.
Since I had no experience, I didn't think that far ahead.
I had considered it remarkable that Fina had managed to conceive the idea without any knowledge of card shops.
I believed that, in any case, the person who had initially thought of it was amazing.
The same applied to stuffed animals.
It meant paying close attention to the surroundings.
We came back to the store.
It was past lunchtime and the atmosphere inside the restaurant was calm.
"Karin-san" (Yuna)
I called out to Karin-san who was looking around the store.
"Yuna-san, what's wrong? Are you hungry yet?" (Karin)
I'm not a hungry character, you know.
"I need to check with the in-store manager, Karin-san? Consulation?" (Yuna)
"Me?" (Karin)
We moved to a back room so as not to get in the way.
"So, what consultation is it?" (Karin)
I told Karin-san what I talked about with Lianna-san at the Commercial Guild.
"Yes. If you ask me whether I can do it or not, yes, I can. As you can see from inside the store earlier, there are some empty seats. The children are also free, so I think we could at least lend them out. But if it's just for playing against each other, why not just put Reversi on some of the tables? Then I think people who want to play will just sit down. If they're interested, they'll sit down." (Karin)
Certainly, if we kept Reversi on the table, we could avoid the trouble of lending it out.
"It doesn't take much effort to just put it on the table after lunch."
After some discussion, we decided to use a two-player table as the playing space.
Of course, you could also play Reversi while eating.
It was okay to do it while eating pudding or cake, or even bread, pizza, or potatoes.
We agreed that the Reversi stones might get dirty, but we could just wash them after the store closed.
I had gotten permission from Karin-san, so I told Morin-san, who was baking bread in the kitchen.
"I leave the matters inside the store to Karin. If Karin says it's okay, then it's okay." (Morin)
So I got permission from Morin-san.
Next, we headed to Fina's house to meet Tilmina-san.
Tilmina-san and Shuri were returning from shopping.
We then talked about what Lianna-san had said and what we had discussed with Karin-san.
"I want to do it too!" (Shuri)
When Shuri heard about the idea of having the children from the orphanage become opponents, she raised her hand.
"If Tilmina-san says it's okay." (Yuna)
"Mom, I want to do it too!" (Shuri)
She now said the same thing to me to his mother, Tilmina-san.
"Hehe, that's fine." (Tilmina)
Shuri looked happy at Tilmina-san's words.
"But first, we need to get permission from the director and Liz-san, and if the children say they want to do it, is that okay?" (Tilmina)
If the director or Liz-san said it was not okay, then we couldn't do it.
If the kids said they didn't want to do it, we couldn't force them.
I couldn't let Shuri do it alone.
"Tilmina-san, if you have any other ideas, tell me." (Yuna)
"Let see..." (Tilmina)
Tilmina-san was thinking for a moment.
"What if we distributed papers to people who tried it?" (Tilmina)
"Paper?"
"Well, I won't give them a proper Reversi, but I'll give a piece of paper with grids on it. That way they can practice at home." (Tilmina)
They could also do it at home with their father, mother, siblings, and other people after work.
This meant that anyone interested could practice at home.
"Just prepare a piece of paper that is one size smaller than the stone. Of course, one side should be black." (Tilmina)
Once everyone had returned home, they could cut out the pieces and create their own simple stones.
As long as they didn't play in a windy place, they could have a lot of fun with paper.
"If they practice at home, they might feel motivated to enter a tournament, and they might even buy a full-fledged Reversi." (Tilmina)
I see, it's like a sample.
I would adopt Tilmina-san's proposal.
I would draw a picture for the poster and tell Lianna-san about it when I gave it to her.
I headed to the orphanage before it got too late.
We parted ways as Fina seemed to be helping prepare dinner.
When I arrived at the orphanage, they were also preparing dinner, with Liz-san and Neaf-san preparing the meal. Other children were helping out around them.
"Yuna-san, what's wrong at this time of night?" (Director)
The director, who was in the dining hall with a young child, noticed me and called out to me.
"I have a little request, or should I say, a favor to ask of you." (Yuna)
"For me?" (Director)
"The director, Liz-san, and everyone else, I guess." (Yuna)
"Well then, let's have dinner together and listen to the story." (DIrector)
I couldn't disturb the dinner preparations, so I sat next to the director.
Some children were helping with cooking, while others were looking after younger children.
It had been like this for a while, but the kids here really worked hard.
"When the older kids started looking after the younger ones, they asked me to take a break." (Director)
The director looked at the children behind me.
"Even though Neaf-oneechan came, I know that the director and Liz-oneechan are still having a hard time."
"Yeah, so we all talked about doing what we could."
I saw them helping out, but I never thought they would say something like that.
The director was close to tears when she heard those words.
"Director, you're crying again."
"As you get older, your tears become more sensitive. That's really not good."
While we were listening to such wonderful stories, the children who had been working at Bear's Relaxing Shop returned home.
"Welcome back."
"What, Yuna-oneechan?"
"Why is Yuna-oneechan here?"
"I have something to tell you all." (Yuna)
"What what?"
More and more gathered around me.
"We'll talk about Yuna-san at dinner, so get ready." (Director)
"Oka~y" (Children)
The children working at Bear's Relaxing Shop put their bags on the table.
The bag smelled like bread.
Apparently it was leftover bread from the store.
Any bread that remained unsold at the store was used to feed the orphanage.
By the way, if the bread sold out, Karin-san and the children in the store bake new bread for dinner and breakfast the next morning.
Bread making would be a good practice for Karin-san and the children.
This kills two birds with one stone as the bread made during practice wouldn't go to waste.
By the way, it seemed that Morin-san was watching over them.
Which bread should I have today?
Dinner preparations were finished and everyone gathered together to eat.
I would join in.
This bread was made by the children.
Compared to Morin-san bread, it felt a bit lacking.
But it was definitely delicious.
"So, Yuna-san. What's the story?" (Director)
"Are you talking about good food?"
"Sorry, it's not food. I have a consultation? Request? to ask of everyone." (Yuna)
"Consultation?"
"Request?"
I explained that there was a Reversi tournament and that I wanted everyone to come to the shop and teach the customers the rules and play games with them.
"Everyone can play Reversi, right?" (Yuna)
"I'm the best."
"Don't lie. You lost to me the other day."
"Just once."
"Well, I've won that one too."
"Calm down." (Director)
When the director spoke up, it got quiet.
"Yuna-san is in trouble. If you start fighting, I won't let you do it." (Director)
"Sorry"
"Sorry, teacher."
Everyone apologized to the director and the room became quiet.
"But will we be playing Reversi at the shop after taking care of the bird?"
"Since everyone is like that, I was hoping we could take turns, is there anyone willing to do it?" (Director)
"I'll do it~"
"Me too."
"Because I'm no good."
"I don't do it much either."
Of course, we wouldn't force them.
Some people wanted to do it, some didn't.
I was not really keen on doing that.
"Director, Liz-san, Neaf-san, what do you think? I'd like to hear from anyone who wants to do it." (Yuna)
The children's feelings were important, but I also needed permission from the three people who were looking after them.
"That's true. As long as it's not a nuisance, I think it's fine. Interacting with people is a good learning experience." (Director)
Said the director.
"That's true. I guess it's fine if not everyone is there. There are other things to do besides looking after the birds." (Liz)
Said Liz-san.
"I feel the same way as you two. I was worried because the children who work here don't have much contact with other people, unlike the children who work in the shops." (Yuna)
If they didn't have much interaction with other people, they would end up like me.
"Also, I'm worried that it might be unpleasant for the children who work in the store. They'll be working while their friends play." (Director)
Now that she mentioned it, that was certainly true.
It was like telling the kids who took care of the birds to play Reversi because the kids working in the store were busy.
"I want to play Reversi too."
"Me too"
The kids who worked in the store also said they want to do it.
That's right.
While they were working, their friends were playing Reversi.
But that didn't mean I couldn't do their job.
But I also understood the feelings of the children who worked in the store.
"Well then, how about we take shifts?" (Yuna)
"Shifts?"
"It won't be crowded during the Reversi time slot. So, I think it should be fine for about two people." (Yuna)
"REALLY?!"
The children who worked in the store were happy to hear my words.
"It's just my idea. I'll have to discuss it with Morin-san and Karin-san. If they don't give their permission, then it's not okay." (Yuna)
I would have to consult with Karin-san and Morin-san again.
For the time being, it was decided that four to six children from the orphanage would be dispatched in shifts every day.
I decided to leave it up to Liz-san to decide the order of shifts.
Author's Note
The tournament will be held based on ideas from not only Yuna but many other people as well.
*Today is the update day for the comics "Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear" and "Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear Gaiden" on PASH UP! neo. If you have time, please take a look.
*The next post may be delayed. Please understand if that happens.
*Posting will be done every 4 days (planned).
*If I take a break, I will inform you in the postscript, and if I am suddenly unable to post, I will inform you via X (formerly Twitter). (I'm sorry if I can't)
*The 133rd chapter of the comic "Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear" is currently available on PASH UP! neo (also available on NicoNico Manga and Piccoma)
*Episode 23 of the "Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear" spin-off is currently available on PASH UP! neo (also available on NicoNico Manga and Piccoma)
If you have time, please check out the comic version.
[Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear to be released]
Book 21 released on February 7, 2025. (Next volume, volume 22, in the works)
The 12th volume of the comic was released on August 3, 2024. (The release date for the next volume, 13, has not yet been decided.)
Comicalized Gaiden Volume 3 was released on December 20, 2024. (The release date for the next volume, Volume 4, has not yet been decided.)
The 11th volume of the paperback edition was released on October 4, 2024. (The deadline for the campaign to win a big acrylic stand featuring Yuna and Shuri on the cover is January 20, 2025. 20 lucky winners will receive a prize.) (The release date for the next volume, 12th volume, has not yet been decided.)
*Thank you to everyone who reports typos.
Some of the kanji have been corrected to match the book, so please understand that there are some parts that have not been corrected.