Tadashiki Chizu No Uragawa Yori

[Machine Translation] Koichiro is definitely qualified to be happy," says Koichiro, who works in place of his unemployed father while attending a regular high school. In January 1994, Koichiro realizes that the 80,000 yen he had saved through hard work is missing and asks his father about it. Koichiro admits that he has spent the money without any apology, and then he says something more shocking than he had expected. Koichiro impulsively punched his father and left him lying in the snow, fleeing his hometown. However, the little money he had on him quickly dwindled, and his life as a fugitive became increasingly difficult. When he finally runs out of money, he decides to give up everything. ... What's the Reason? In the corner of a park, a hand is extended to a homeless man. A young man repeatedly meets and partes with others. After overcoming the cruel reality, he decides to return to his hometown, but what awaits him? What awaits him is a story that won the 36th Novel Subaru New Writers Award.

「耕一郎は絶対、幸せになる資格があるからね」定時制高校に通いながら、無職の父に代わり働く耕一郎。一九九四年一月、彼は苦労して貯めた八万円が無くなっていたことに気づき、父に問い質す。すると、金を使ったことを悪びれもせずに認めた上、予想を超える衝撃の言葉を言い放った。衝動的に父を殴り飛ばした耕一郎は、雪の中に倒れた父を放置して故郷を逃げるように去る。しかし僅かな所持金は瞬く間に減り、逃亡生活は厳しくなる一方。遂に金が底をつき、すべてを諦めようとしたそのとき―。「...なに、訳あり?」公園の隅、ホームレスの溜まり場から、ひとつの手が差し伸べられる。青年は、出会いと別れを繰り返す。残酷な現実を乗り越えた先、故郷へと帰る決意を固めた彼を、待ち受けていたものは―。第36回小説すばる新人賞受賞作。