After the closing ceremony, I was surrounded by adults: Minato, Suzuki, Nakakura, and a man named Morita.

"Hello, my name is Morita."

He is a former company employee who just took early retirement last year.

"I'm unemployed now, but I practice kendo as a hobby."

"Morita Sensei is a 6th dan."

Suzuki was humble when introduced to him.

"I've been stuck at 6th dan for ten years now. I can't even pass the 7th dan exam."

"Ahahaha," Morita laughed to himself.

After the children and their guardians had gone home, five men started a party at a pub in front of the station. Everyone was wearing a suit except for Morita, who was wearing a polo shirt. Suzuki's suit seemed to be small, as the fabric felt tight. He was wearing a modest ring on the ring finger of his left hand.

"I work in the tax department of the ward office. Until last year, I was working in lifelong learning support."

"It must be tough working in a government office with so many transfers."

Nakakura said while taking a bite of fried chicken.

"Well, yes. But it won't be outside the ward, so it's convenient for running the dojo."

"Even though he's in charge of running the place, he only charges 500 yen a month. I don't know if he's a nice guy or what."

Suzuki smiles and sips his beer as Nakakura points at him.

"Actually, it would be fine if it was free, but Nakakura-san keeps nagging me to charge him money."

"If it's free, you'll be more careful."

The two seem close, probably because they are close in age.

"Have you been coming to the dojo for quite some time now, Nakakura-san?"

"Me? Since the dojo was founded, I guess it's been five years. So, I've been practicing kendo for five years now."

"Have you never practiced kendo before then?"

"Yes. I played baseball when I was a student."

Nakakura slapped his big belly.

"Do you usually work for a company?"

"Yes, I am a humble office worker."

"Oh no, please tell me the truth."

Minato interrupts from the side.

"I'm the division manager of a large company. I make 100 million yen a year."

"You idiot. Even the executives don't get paid that much."

Regardless of his annual salary, it seems that he is indeed the division manager of a large company. The business card I received from Nakakura did indeed say that he was the division manager of a major general trading company. Compared to Nakakura's workplace, Shimae Shoji is a company that can be easily blown away. Looking more closely, Nakakura's suit and leather shoes were unassuming yet well-made.

"I started kendo with my son. I thought it was a good idea to exercise every once in a while. I recently passed the second dan level, which made me really happy."

"I want to pass the seventh dan exam soon too."

Morita groaned.

"The seventh-dan examination is in four months. Good luck."

"Of course. It's my only hobby."

He responds to Suzuki's encouragement and sips his cold sake. Minato steals the sake bottle and sips some himself.

"Morita-san also worked for a company, right?"

"It's not a famous company like Nakakura's, though. I designed refrigerators."

Although his gaze is gentle now, the sharp look he sometimes gives off suggests his stubbornness and strictness as an engineer.

"I started kendo when I was a university student. Even if you're weak, if you keep doing it for a long time, you can reach around sixth dan."

Minato interrupted the conversation after ordering an extra bottle.

"You're not weak. Morita-san, you're actually quite competitive in matches."

"What kind of matches will you be playing?" I was about to ask when Suzuki cleared his throat.

"Well, let's get to the point now."

Suzuki's face looked a little stiff. Looking around, Nakakura, Minato, and Morita also looked nervous. It seemed he was the only one who didn't know the situation.

"What is the main issue?"

"I'd like Urabe-san to participate in next month's dojo competition."

"yes?"

"Next month there will be a competition between dojos in the capital, but as you can see, there are only four adults in our dojo. If things continue as they are, we will have to compete in the adult division as a team of four. Urabe-san, please lend us your strength."

Apparently, the dojo competition to be held next month will be divided into age groups, and the adult division will require teams of five adults only. Four people can participate, but one person will be penalized, putting them at a huge disadvantage. I was shaken by this sudden proposal.

"Even if I go, I don't know if I'll be of any use..."

As I hesitated, the four of them came closer and closer to me.

"Urabe-san, you're a fourth-dan, right? I'm still a second-dan."

"I'll be turning 60 soon."

"It's okay. Judging from today's movements, I think it's okay."

"Let's do kendo together again."

Minato's words felt strange.

"together?"

"That's right. We were doing kendo at the same time, in the Inter-High School Championships in our third year of high school. We were at different schools then, but this time we're on the same team."

Minato's words deeply moved me. This must be fate.

"Are you sure you want me?"

"of course"

Suzuki said, offering a handshake. Thinking it was a little cheesy, he shook his offered hand. Nakakura rejoiced, "Now all five of us are here!", while Morita openly confessed his true feelings, saying, "Now we won't have to forfeit one more match." Minato nodded in satisfaction.

From then on, he went to the dojo frequently in preparation for the next month's tournament. He always attended practice twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and pushed his body to the limit. He even turned down invitations from his colleagues to play futsal. On Sundays, he read kendo magazines and participated in barbecues hosted by the children and parents of the dojo.

His kendo sense gradually returned. At first, he would use up all his strength just by assuming the upper stance, but after two or three practice sessions, he started to get the hang of it. He was also gradually able to compete with Minato and Suzuki in ground practice, where he had been easily beaten.

After three weeks had passed, Shinoda asked curiously.

"Urabe-san, have you lost weight?"

"I've lost two kilos. I recently started practicing kendo again."

Shinoda stared at his body and then muttered.

"Something seems to have tightened up, Urabe-san."

"Why are you so arrogant?"

While pretending to poke Shinoda on the head, I was secretly a little happy.

That day, after working up a sweat at the dojo, Minato and I went to an izakaya. Nakakura and Morita were absent, and Suzuki also left, saying he had something to do.

"Do you know Suzuki-san's family situation?"

Minato was sipping cold sake with a flushed face.

"What about family circumstances?"

"It seems Suzuki and his wife are on the verge of divorce."

It was the first time I had heard that story.

"Actually, I didn't hear it directly from him. I overheard him on the phone at the dojo the other day. He was talking about custody, so the talks may have progressed quite a bit already."

Starting with Suzuki, Minato began talking about the private lives of his kendo friends.

"It seems Nakakura-san is under a lot of stress at work. He said this himself. He wasn't a big fan of alcohol to begin with, but when he was younger he couldn't say he couldn't drink when he was entertaining clients, so he forced himself to drink and eventually got used to it. He said that even now he has frequent social interactions and doesn't have time to lose weight."

"Morita's daughter got married five years ago, and he's been coming to the dojo to ease the loneliness she feels. His wife came to the dojo once and said something like that. Apparently his wife is currently hospitalized, so he took early retirement to focus on caring for her."

Minato was silent for a moment, then muttered something.

"Me too..."

After saying that, Minato said, "Nothing," and took a sip of his sake.