It was the school's last summer vacation.
I was talking with the old man, as usual.
"Ippei, how old are you?"
"Huh? I turned 18 last month."
"Oh, I see. You're 18 already.
That means you're old enough to receive Barber Misaki's "adult services."
"Adult services?"
"That's right. It's the special service you get if you go to Barber Misaki and ask them to make you look more handsome."
"Special...service?"
After that exchange, I began to think of the lady at the barber shop as a "woman"...
A small fishing village that could disappear any day. That's where I was born and raised.
There are no kids my age and no young men.
A village with a rapidly aging population.
At the top of the hill opposite the harbor, there's an abandoned building, a run-down movie theater, and my favorite barber, Barber Misaki. (Actually, Barber Misaki is the only barber in the village.)
The lady at the barber, a familiar face since I was a child, was about the same age as my mother. There were times when I even thought she was my mother.
And now, this lady was offering adult services...? Really? Really? A lady as kind as a Meriken-aji...?
But I couldn't contain my feelings anymore.
"Auntie, please make me a handsome man!"
I finally said it. Those magical words that would take me up the ladder to adulthood.

(Translated from the official site]