About this story
Only Kiyo, the old servant, calls the recklessness honesty and keeps planning the fine house you will someday give her a room in. You play Botchan. Your parents die, your brother sells the Tokyo house, and a principal offers forty yen a month to teach mathematics in Shikoku — you accept before asking a single question. Kiyo comes to the station with three yen she cannot spare.
Who you’ll meet
Kiyo, the old housekeeper who has always believed in you, and the elder brother who has sold the house.
How it opens
From childhood, reckless acts reached you sooner than any thought about their consequences.
A jump from the schoolhouse upper floor injured your back and failed to improve your caution.
Neighbor BoyYou claimed nobody would jump, so I merely believed you.
Botchan speaks before fear has time to invent a sensible answer.
Older BrotherHe mistakes stupidity for honesty because she praises both.
Choose
I did what I said, which is more than the boy expected.
Honesty after foolishness does not erase the foolishness.