Ah~~I really miss it~~

“Stretching refers to stretching the nail leather, that is, the leather on the surface of the shoe, to the midsole.

In the shoes we usually wear, the place where the upper and sole are connected is generally very soft, and the presence of the stretch plays a role in cushioning and stabilization.

You can also understand it as fitting the ground and upper part of the shoe, and the midsole and upper are prepared in advance.”

According to his knowledge, Nako clumsily pressed the ready-made shoe last onto the midsole, and then covered it with a layer of leather.

The metal tool, bird-beak pliers, held in the hand, stretches the leather toward the bottom, and then secures it with special sewing needles.

It was extremely laborious to stretch the leather, which almost exhausted Nako's pride in physical strength as a member of HKT48. It felt like he was pulling with all his strength and then forcibly fixing it.

"If you really put your feet in, it would be extremely painful if it was wrapped so tightly, right?"

Nako gasped and asked, his hands already flushed red from the excessive exertion.

This is the first time I have experienced such heavy work in more than ten years of life.

"Can't we just sew it up without putting in the last?"

"No." Kawano Koji, who was teaching him one-on-one, shook his head slightly.

“Here we must use the stretchability of the leather to create a shape that perfectly fits the user’s footsteps, otherwise it would be meaningless.

So no matter what, the shoe last must be placed inside until the leather is fully stretched and formed."

"Is that so?" Perhaps because he understood how much effort Takiichi put into making a complete pair of shoes, Nako didn't allow himself to give up halfway.

"How long will it take to keep?"

"If it is a shoe last that has been made a long time ago, it can be used at any time. The current one is new, so the shoe last needs to be stored for a month."

"So long?"

Nako opened his mouth. The pair of shoes on his feet were products he only received after half a year after that separation.

I originally thought that both of us were too busy, so it would be difficult to just spare the time to meet and promote this opportunity.

But...now I finally understand.

If you follow what Kawano Koji said, it takes a lot of time and effort to operate, but when you see the decent shape after completion, an indescribable sense of accomplishment will arise spontaneously.

Taki-san...I have decided to be the first person in the world to make shoes for you.

What Sakura didn't do before, I can now do it.

After being roughly familiar with the whole process, Nako, accompanied by the president, selected the most popular styles among boys in the current shoe industry, and the materials were also made of the best leather.

Looking back at the previous semi-finished product, there are wrinkles in many places.

Nako puffed up his mouth, feeling an unprecedented challenge.

Of course, it is just a sample to experience the process of making shoes. This kind of thing is definitely far from the real product.

"Are shoes really just made of leather sewn together with thread?"

Getting rid of those emotions that affected his mind, Nako asked like this.

"That's right." Kawano Koji nodded.

"Leather, thread, and wax. In principle, you can make a pair of shoes with these things."

"Huh? I originally thought that today's shoes use adhesives and the like to shorten the construction period."

In this way, it means that there was a special smell that I often smelled in that room in the past.

There are also leather and silk threads that can be seen everywhere, which are indispensable tools that Takiichi uses to make shoes.

No wonder Sakura has been there many times over the years and has also stayed there.

But he had never set foot in the room where he made his shoes.

"Of course, ordinary workshops and manufacturers often use such things in order to take into account factors such as cost, which is understandable."

Kawano Koji sighed softly. Whenever his eyes lingered on the model shoes, Nako would notice that he was treating these shoes as his own children.

Wasn't Taki-san like this in the past?

Therefore, every girl who can wear the shoes made by him feels extremely proud.

In all these years, no girl has worn out her shoes.

Unless the size of the soles of the feet, like height and weight, has changed from before, most people will still wear a pair of shoes for a long time.

Among such people, Sakura is always the one who has the most shoes to wear.

Because for more than ten years from childhood to adulthood, no matter what time of year it is.

Whether it is sports shoes, boots, or simple sandals, the efforts of a shoemaker are indispensable behind them.

I feel extremely happy just because of a pair of shoes. How did Sakura take it for granted?

At this moment, the president's words attracted her again.

"But here, or in the eyes of real shoemakers, what we use is still the old method of making shoes using only leather and thread."

"This...why exactly?"

"Why do you think it is?" He asked back, causing Nako's brain to freeze.

She asked the other party to give herself some time and think hard.

After roughly sorting out some fragmented fragments in the memory bank, Nako spoke.

"The simplified operation is based on the original complex procedure...that is to say.

One is to know the original meaning of this process and actively choose a simple method based on this, and the other is to only know the simplified method and think it is the original operation. There is a difference between the two.

"

"Yes, that's the truth."

Kawano Koji looked at her with bright eyes, and then laughed, "I didn't expect you to be able to answer so thoroughly."

"No...I also heard it from other people's mouths." Nako explained.

"By chance, I saw this passage in my friend's personal notes.

Because I was deeply impressed, it suddenly occurred to me just now. This passage was mentioned many times when he was discussing making toy airplanes with his former girlfriend in private. And..."

Nako paused for a moment, then lifted his chin with his little hand and tilted his head to look out the window at the distant sky.

"My friend, he is very good at cooking. When I get along with him, he often puts on a cooking show.

The teachers there will be very enthusiastic in teaching you how to make soup stock with kelp and dried bonito, but at that time, my friend will say that if he is too busy, he can use the soup stock bags or stock powder on site instead.

I wrote this sentence down and went back to ask my mother at home. She replied that although dashi powder is also preferable, it is important to know that the real dashi is cooked with dried bonito. This is very important."

Similarly, recently Nako is also trying something Sakura has never done before, learning cooking.

From what she knows, Sakura is now a complete cooking idiot.

Apart from being able to make simple rice balls, I can't do anything else.

But she is the kind of person who can survive even if she doesn't know how to cook.

Not because she can use the money to order takeout or eat a meal cooked by her family.

But...in the years of living in Tokyo, or in the years of knowing her.

Until he broke up with Takiichi, he would show up at that fixed place on time every day with a handmade bento.
Chapter completed!