After that, Maya showed them the settlement’s water source—a deep well—as well as the food storage facilities.
The well was fitted with a pump whose craftsmanship impressed even Jin, and the storage facility was a cold storage room.
Once the tour was finished, the group returned to the heart of the settlement.
"Now then, here’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. I'll show you the bicycle."
Maya led Jin and the others toward a corner of the settlement.
"This is my house. And this here's the bicycle."
"Oh...!"
Jin’s eyes widened. It was unmistakably a bicycle.
The wheels looked to be about twenty-four inches, and the overall size was close to what was commonly called a city bike. It was fitted with iron tires that featured a block tread pattern.
The frame was a diamond type made of joined triangles, meaning one would likely have to swing a leg over the back to mount it. Noting the design, Jin looked at Maya and saw that she was indeed wearing trousers.
It lacked a gear-shifting mechanism, but according to what he had heard, there were no steep slopes in the area, so it was likely sufficient. Since the saddle was equipped with springs, he surmised the ride quality would be decent enough.
The brakes were particularly noteworthy. They were proper rim brakes, and the pads appeared to be made of leather. The system was operated by wires leading from brake levers on the handlebars.
There was also a luggage rack for carrying loads. While it was the size of a standard city bike, its overall construction was that of a sturdy utility cycle.
"This is amazing. When was this made? And by whom? The chain is so solid, and even the saddle's structure is..."
"Um, Jin-han?"
"The materials have been carefully selected, too. Look at how the spokes are tensioned in the rims!"
"Excuse me..."
Maya tried to speak to Jin as he obsessively inspected the machine, but he didn't seem to hear a word she said. Seeing this, Elsa stepped in to help.
"Maya-san, once Jin-nii gets like that, the smart thing to do is just leave him alone for a while."
"Ahaha, Jin is the same as always!" Saki laughed.
"Onii-chan is acting like a child," Hanna added.
Seeing them all laughing at Jin’s behavior, Maya let out a sigh and gave a wry smile.
"Goodness, I didn't realize Jin-han was such an odd one. Well, whatever. I'll treat you all to some tea. Sit there and wait a bit."
After seating Elsa and the others on an outdoor bench, Maya went into the house and started boiling water. Jin, meanwhile, was still tinkering with the bicycle.
"There’s some play in the bearings. And it hasn't been greased at all. Oh boy, there's rust forming. 'Surface Treatment'."
He had finally crossed the line into full maintenance mode.
"Whoa, it really does have ball bearings inside. They're a bit worn, though... I'll at least adjust them."
"Hehe, I've never seen Jin quite like that before," Saki remarked.
"Mhm. I think... he finds it nostalgic," Elsa said.
"Onii-chan looks like he's having so much fun!"
Just then, Maya emerged with the tea.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
She had a cup ready for Jin as well.
"Father, the tea is ready," Reiko called out.
Only then did Jin finally stop his work.
"Yeah, I'm coming....Well, that should about do it."
Jin cleaned his grime-covered hands with 'Cleanup'.
"Maya-san, I went ahead and serviced the bicycle for you."
"Really? Thanks much, I appreciate it. Well, come and have some tea."
"Thank you."
Jin took a sip of the tea to moisten his parched throat.
"Is this... barley tea? No, it's Job's Tears tea, isn't it?"
"Job's Tears? No, it's Yokunin tea," Maya corrected him.
"Yokunin? Oh... Yokuinin!"
"Eh? Ah, yeah, I think that's what it was. Yokuinin tea."
With Job's Tears, the hulled seeds are referred to as Yokuinin and used for medicinal purposes. They were known to be effective for removing warts and were also believed to help with acne, breakouts, and skin whitening. Jin knew this because the girls at the orphanage back in his old life had been obsessed with it for a time.
"It's delicious," Elsa said.
"Yeah, it's really tasty!" Hanna agreed.
"So it's good for the skin? How interesting!" Saki noted, looking intrigued.
After finishing their tea, Maya decided to try the bicycle Jin had serviced.
"Whoa! It's true! The pedals feel so light now!"
"It's my first time seeing such a thing. It's mysterious," Elsa said.
"Hehe, Jin, I wonder why that thing doesn't just fall over?" Saki asked.
"That looks like so much fun! I want to try riding it too!" Hanna cried.
The sight of a vehicle with only two wheels moving without toppling over seemed magical even to Elsa and Saki, who only knew of the concept through Jin's stories.
"Hanna, your feet won't reach the pedals yet, so you can't ride it alone. Let's ask Maya-san if you can ride on the back later," Jin suggested.
Given the height of the saddle, Jin judged it would be impossible for Hanna. While there was a technique called triangle riding where one pedaled from the side of the frame, it would be far too difficult for a beginner like her.
"Jin-han, thanks a bunch! It's in tip-top shape now!" Maya shouted as she rode back with a beaming smile.
"I'm glad to hear that. Do you mind if I take a short ride?" Jin asked.
"I don't mind at all, but Jin-han, do you actually know how to ride one?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
"Well then, go ahead."
While the women watched with concern, Jin placed one foot on a pedal, kicked off the ground with the other, and sent the bicycle forward. Before his momentum could fade, he swung himself onto the saddle and began pedaling with practiced ease.
"Oh! Jin-han, you're actually good at this!"
"Jin-nii is skilled," Elsa observed.
"Hehe, I'd like to try riding it too," Saki said.
"Onii-chaaan!"
Hanna ran toward him. Jin brought the bicycle to a halt and helped her onto the luggage rack. Unlike modern Japan, there was no one here to scold them for riding double.
"Hold on tight, okay?"
Jin cautioned her. If she wasn't holding on, she might tumble off when they started moving.
"Okay!"
Feeling Hanna's confirmation and the grip of her small hands around his waist, Jin began to pedal slowly.
"Whoa!"
Hanna let out a cheer at the refreshing sensation of speed, which felt entirely different from riding a horse. Since she was sitting sideways on a rack made of iron, without even a zabuton to cushion her, Jin was worried her bottom would hurt and kept his speed to a gentle crawl.
"Onii-chan, thank you!" Hanna said as Jin finished a lap of the area and let her off.
"Make sure you thank Maya-san too."
"Yes! Maya-san, thank you very much!"
Maya smiled brightly and patted Hanna on the head.
"You're very welcome. Hanna-chan is such a good girl."
Then Elsa, who had been waiting patiently, turned to Jin.
"Jin-nii, give me a ride too."
Jin nodded and glanced at Maya for permission.
"It's fine by me! Give everyone a ride," she said with a laugh.
And so, Jin ended up riding around with Elsa, then Saki, and eventually even the owner herself, Maya.
"My, I've never ridden on the back of someone else's bike before, but it's quite relaxing," Maya remarked.
Jin was also in a fantastic mood, having thoroughly enjoyed his first bicycle ride in a very long time.