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Dad, we have a problem.

Kotoha, how many times have I told you?  You can’t come into the shop while I’m
preparing food.

I know, I know, but I need to talk to you.

Okay, what’s wrong?

You know Yamada, right?　My classmate? He has already been there.

Where?

The Expo!

The what?

The World Exposition, right here in Osaka.
It started this week on Yumeshima Island.

Oh, that. Okay, take your school bag and go
upstairs. Your mother is waiting for you.

Dad!

What? I’m making bentos.  I have to deliver 10 of them in 30 minutes.

Yamada told me there were flying cars.

Huh?

He saw them at the Expo. Cars that fly in
the sky. Can you believe it? You can deliver food in a flying car.!

Oh, I just remembered. I need to put air in
your bicycle tires. They are flat.

Dad, Yamada said that one of the overseas
pavilions is a must see. Was it Azerbaijan or Uzbekistan? Anyway, he said it
looked really cool and that you can learn about sustainability.

Is that right? Honey, can you buy onions
and eggs when you go to the supermarket?

And dad, he told me there was a rock from
Mars.

It came to Earth over 10,000 years ago, and
then it was found in Antarctica about 25 years ago.

Honey, did you hear me?

Dad, it’s the first time for the rock to be shown in public. Dad, are you listening to me?

I hear you. Why are you telling me about
this Expo?

I have to go.

Oh.

You don’t have to take me this month. It
can be on a long weekend or during the summer vacation and I don’t care if we
go in the morning or late at night. I just want to go, please.

What about the bento shop?

You can take a day off.

We are only closed on the
first three days of January. It has been like that ever since your grandfather
opened this shop. You know that.

But the expo will
be finished by then.

I’m going to go to the supermarket now.

Fine. I’ll go with my friends. Bye.

Isn’t there something we can do?

Honey.

She wants to go so much.

Don’t worry. I already bought the tickets.

Really?

Did you know my father closed this shop one
time outside of January?

No.

In 1970, Osaka held an expo for the first
time. He took a day off and took mom and me to the Expo, so I thought I would
do the same.

Why didn’t you tell her?

I’m going to tell her on her birthday next
week, so let’s keep it a secret until then, okay?

Of course, Kotoha is going to be so happy.