袢 (ba-n） 60stars Astrology " Comrade Lavrentij " ③

60 Stars Astrology 

English　Version

By　TOKYOｰTANUKI

袢(ba-n）　60stars Astrology

" Comrade Lavrentij " ③

Chapter III: The Blackboard

Spring came late to Tbilisi.
Inside the factory, it still felt like winter.

Before the morning shift,
someone had written upon the blackboard.

1+((1+0)+(1+1))×((1+0)+(1+0))=7

A little below it,

1+((2)+(2))×((2)+(1.5))=15

And beneath that,

> 15 = 5 + 5 + 5

......No one knew who had written it.

The workers gathered.

"Seven."

"Fifteen."
"Three fives."

Someone laughed.

No one looked at the parentheses.

The factory bell rang.

Only an old man remained before the blackboard.

A young worker called to him.

"What are you looking at?"

The old man never took his eyes from the board.

"The birth.
The birth of the numbers."

The young man laughed.
"Fifteen is fifteen.
What's the difference?"

The old man gave a slight nod.
"Their upbringing, too."

The bell rang again.
The workers returned to their stations.

The old man reached out once,
touching one of the parentheses with his fingertip.

A trace of white chalk drifted quietly to the floor.

(To be continued)



Tanu-chan💓　　TOKYO-TANUKI💛