Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

A Candadin man experiences FUNDOSHI, Japanese traditional male underwear, swimming suit and custume for festival.

Read Chapter 1 first.

"Hi, May I help you?" a very poweful voice from a middle age man was heard.
Inside was small dining place with several tables and a counter. Over the counter was the big fat middle age man who seems like the restaurant master.

"Long time no see, Gen-san" said Yuriko. They seems to be aquaintances.
"Hi, Yuri-chan, Such a long time we haven't seen each other. Is that a guy the rumor tells your Canadian husband?"
"Yes, his name is Jacques."
Jacques smiled at Gen-san and greeted saying "Nice to meet you, I'm Jacques."

"Oh, you really chose a very nice guy, didn't you. You have great talent of choosing a quality man."
Yuriko looked a little embarrassed by his words.
"Now get in. Jacques-san. I treat you dinner. I've got a great fish. This is celebration for reunion with Yuri-chan and meeting with her new partner, Jacques-san, a very handsome husband."
Jacques thought localies are nice. They seems not type of outsider hater as Yuriko described. He thought he would be getting along if he could try politely.

After Jacque and Yuriko sat down at a table, Gen brought sake and glasses to the table and poured sake into their glasses.
"How is Taro doing these days? I heard he went to England" said Yuriko.
Taro. Very first name he heard. Who is he?
"Well, he was such a stupid boy. After all, he went back to Japan. He tried to imitate what you are doing and study abroad. But he could never get used to living in foreign country."
"Does that mean he went back here?"

Yuriko sounded kind of strange whe she said that. What is wrong with her?
"Yeah, he knows you came back. But he is so ashamed of seeing you. You came back home with such a handsome husband. He can never see you."
Suddenly sound of door opening was heard.
"Hey, speaking of" said Gen.

"Taro, long time no see" said Yuriko. In front of her was young boy who looked the same age as she. He really looked local young boy with cute face. The face resembles the restaurant master, meaning son of the master. The height was as tall as Yuriko. Not big but his body was muscular.

"Yuri-chan" said Taro. He seems very close to her. Taro looked at Jacques.
"Is he your husband?"
"Yes, he is. His name is Jacques."

Taro looked at him very strangely. Jacques smiled and said "nice meeting you." He should have said "I've heard so much about you" in that situation but he never heard of him. Why didn't she ever talk about him? The answer to the question was known by his face and action he took right after this. 

"Yuri-chan, why are you doing this? Do you want to make me more miserable than ever? You are Japanese girl but why did you marry a foreigner?"
"Taro" said Yuriko looking so guilty.
Behind Yuriko Gen said "Taro, shame on you. It can't be helped. She got really crazy about this foreign guy. That is the way it is. You should grow up". Taro started to drop tears from his eyes.
Then Gen shouted angrily "You do such a shameful thing as being Japanese boy, Nihon Danji." Taro immediately stayed away from the place and ran away.
Yuriko looked at him running away and dropped tears as well.
"What is wrong, Yuri?" said Jacques.

"Ha, ha, ha, Jacques-san, you make both Japanese girl and boy cry. Sucha a naughty guy!" said Gen. His words made them uncomfortable.
"Let's go out," said Yuriko. She took Jacques's arm and got out of the restaurant. They walked for a while and got in dark beach.
"Tell all about this" Jacques asked Yuriko.
Yuriko told him all about what just happened. 

Taro and Yuriko were friends from childhood. Taro and Gen were local fishermen and managed the restaurant "Nihon Danji." From childhood they promised to marry when they grew up. But thing has changed since Yuriko was awarded scholarship to attend college in Canada by winning English speech contest in high school. She wanted to enroll college after high school graduation but enrolling in Japanese college is too expensive. Scholarship was free and enabled her to attend foreign college and speak English. She thought it would be beneficial for her life. Then she flew to Canada telling Taro to be patient until her graduation of the college.

But she met Jacques in Canda and got married to him. One of the reasons she never wanted to go back home was Taro's presence.
Taro got so shocked when he heard the news Yuriko got married in Canada. He once thought of flying to Canada to get back Yuriko. He decided to study English hard to confront Jacques but he was very poor in English. He saved money for studying English in England. Then he went there and studied some English for a year but he came back after he found he was never good at English. Now he saw her again in hometown very miserably.
"Sorry, I never told you that."
"It is OK. I understand why you never wanted to" said Jacques kindly thinking what a trouble he got, so that he should not see Taro again while he was in this town.  

Continued to Chapter 4.