同窓会 Reunion

五月晴れの今日、旭中学校卒業以来35年ぶりの同窓会がある。チエ子はなぜかこれまでほとんど参加することが無かった。今回、幼馴染ひな子の誘いもあって仕方なくの参加になったが、最初は正直あまり気がのらなかった。実家である料亭の若女将として多忙な日々を過ごしていたが、娘の明日子が嫁ぎ、夫の直（すなお）も東京単身赴任中もあって時間に余裕ができたのもあるが、五十路を迎え、チエ子自身が母、妻、女として心の余裕、何かしらの自信が芽生えていたことが、参加を決心した一番の理由であった。チエ子にとっては同窓会は辛い思い出しかなかった。チエ子25歳、初めての同窓会で同級生からの差別とも取れる言動に深く傷ついたのだった。

It’s a sunny day today, Chieko is going to a junior high school reunion for the first time in 35 years.  She hasn't ever joined and enjoyed it. However, Hinako, who is her best friend, takes her to a junior high school reunion. To be honest, she felt confused about that at first. Actually, Chieko has still been busy running her own business which is a Japanese restaurant. Otherwise, she has some time as her daughter got married and her husband lives alone in Tokyo with his work. The main reason is that she feels more confident as an independent woman, a wife and a mother. That exactly made her change her mind that she should go there. Chieko has a sad memory about the last reunion. Some old classmates bullied her when she first took part in the reunion. She was 25 years old that got hurt by their harsh words.