A Small Story from the End of Spring: The “Flying” 5000 Yen Bill and the Perfect Outcome
Welcome to Ho Duy Loi’s Japan Diary. Today is May 14, 2026, and spring is drawing to a close over here…
May 14, 2026 – Japan It’s already the end of spring here, dear readers! In the early morning, it’s still a bit chilly—the kind of cold that makes you just want to sleep in rather than go to work. But the moment the sun comes up, you start feeling exhausted after just a short while of working. This kind of weather might look poetic, but only those of us working on construction sites truly understand how draining it actually is. It is definitely no walk in the park!
The “Energy Recharge” Journey and the Japanese Electrician
This morning, by around 9:00 AM, I was already feeling pretty worn out. Even though I was working in the shade and not directly under the burning sun, the exhaustion just hit me out of nowhere. Pushing through until the 10:00 AM break, I walked over to the vending machine to buy a sweet bottle of mineral water for myself and a milk coffee for the Japanese electrician I work with.
I am his assistant, and he is the main technician; wherever he points, I follow. The only catch is that despite living in Japan for six years, my Japanese is still pretty shaky—sometimes I get it, sometimes I don’t. There are many times he says one thing and I just stand there looking completely blank, which honestly makes me feel a bit down.
During our 3:00 PM afternoon break, I went to buy drinks again. I got myself a Coca-Cola, while he stuck with his usual milk coffee. But interestingly, he seemed a bit hesitant about me buying the drinks. He told me that since I don’t make a lot of money, I shouldn’t keep spending it on him, and that it should be him buying drinks for me instead. Come to think of it, when I first joined Miyake Company, he did buy me drinks quite a few times.
Buying drinks from vending machines is admittedly pricey, but two bottles of milk coffee don’t cost much. It’s the thought that counts. On these hot days, having a cold drink really helps you recharge so you have the strength to keep going.
It’s been so hot lately that I’ve made up my mind: from now on, I must always keep some sweet drinks on hand to stay energized. Otherwise, passing out in the middle of work would be a disaster—I might even get sent back home early!
The Story of the Dropped 5,000 Yen Bill and the “Poor Kid”
After heading home, having dinner, and finishing the dishes around 8:30 PM, I hopped on my bike and rode to the supermarket to buy drinks for the next day. Buying them from the vending machines (Jidouhanbaiki) is just too expensive, and it hurts my wallet.
As I was crossing the red bridge and had just made a right turn, my eyes lit up. I spotted a folded piece of paper lying all alone on the road. Judging by the pattern and color, I immediately guessed: “Wow, that’s a big bill! Must be 1 man (about 1.65 million VND based on the current exchange rate)!”
The road to the supermarket near 9:00 PM, everything quiet until I spotted a strange object on the road.
I turned my bike around to take a closer look… As it turned out, it wasn’t 1 man, but a 5,000 Yen bill (about 825,000 VND). The bill was folded into four. Thinking it probably belonged to some kid who accidentally dropped it, I automatically muttered to myself: “Poor kid.”
The 5,000 Yen bill lying quietly in the middle of the night…
I didn’t pick it up. I just stood there, pulled my phone out of my pocket, and snapped a photo as a memory. In my head, I thought: “I’ll just leave it here. Maybe in a moment, they’ll realize they lost their money and run back to look for it.” While I was standing there, a car drove past, and the wind blew the bill slightly into the curb. I took one last look at it and continued on my way to the supermarket.
The Perfect Outcome
After buying four bottles of drinks, on my way back, I couldn’t help but wonder if the bill was still there. Deep down, I kept hoping the owner had returned and found it.
The haul after my late-night trip to the supermarket. These 4 bottles of sweet drinks will be my “weapons” to fight off the scorching heat on the construction site tomorrow.
When I got back to the exact spot… I looked around, but the bill was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Even though I couldn’t be sure if the rightful owner picked it up or if someone else walking by took it, I felt happy knowing that it was no longer lying in the middle of the street, waiting to be run over and torn to pieces by cars.
It was just another ordinary workday, yet it left me with a small story to remember—a reminder that life still holds so many interesting little moments.
