blogombal Page 24
Page 24
Yuki Takada hung up the phone and found Miwako Sato staring blankly at the cherry blossom tree outside the window.
The train happened to pass through a cherry blossom grove, and the pink petals were swept up by the wind.
Suddenly, he remembered the feeling of his hair brushing against Takada's cheek when Takada rushed over to shield him from the flying shards of glass during the chaos.
"Takada-senpai, does your wound still hurt?"
Sato Miwako suddenly turned her head and her gaze fell on his arm wrapped in gauze.
"It's nothing, just a minor injury." Yuuki Takada forced a smile, trying to appear relaxed, but accidentally aggravated the abrasion on his face, causing him to wince in pain.
Miwako Sato couldn't help but laugh out loud, and pulled a small box of band-aids from her bag:
"At the station clinic just now, the doctor said you need to put one on your face too."
She leaned closer, her fingertips gently brushing across Yuuki Takada's cheek, carefully placing a band-aid on his brow bone.
“Actually, if you get injured, maybe we shouldn’t go to Kyoto and should just go back,” Sato Miwako said softly.
"Don't worry..." Yuuki Takada moved his arm again to comfort him, "Look, it's just a minor injury, nothing serious, you don't need to worry about me at all."
“Even if I had encountered that situation, anyone else would have made the same choice as me.”
A soft announcement played in the carriage, reminding passengers that they were about to arrive at Kyoto Station.
In the distance came the sound of a bento cart, its metal wheels rolling on the floor with a regular clicking sound.
"Gulu."
Yuuki Takada gave an awkward laugh. "When we get to Kyoto, let's go get some ramen first."
He was hungry after working for so long.
Sato Miwako packed her bag, saying this with particular delight:
"I know a shop near Kiyomizu-dera Temple that makes a really good soup base."
Yuuki Takada nodded, looking out the window at the gradually denser buildings.
The roaring sound has long since ceased, replaced by the hustle and bustle of the city streets.
He suddenly realized that perhaps a peaceful daily life is never something unattainable, just like the aroma of hot cocoa filling the carriage at this moment, ordinary yet reassuring.
The train slowly pulled into Kyoto Station, and a sweet Japanese announcement came over the loudspeaker.
Yuuki Takada stood up and reached out to help Miwako Sato lift the somewhat worn brown backpack.
The backpack strap left faint red marks on his palm, but the feeling was more reassuring than when he held the gun.
“Let’s go,” Sato Miwako smiled at him, a glint in her eyes, and said softly, “Let’s go see spring in Kyoto.”
Chapter 36 Qingshan Temple
Kyoto city.
After exiting the platform, Yuki Takada and the others, led by Miwako Sato, arrived at a ramen shop.
I found two empty seats and sat down. Then I ordered two bowls of beef noodles and waited at the table.
Seeing that it was still early, Yuuki Takada simply asked Miwako Sato, "Anyway, we still have plenty of time. After we finish our ramen, where would you like to go? I'll go with you."
Soon, a steaming bowl of beef noodles was served, and the rich aroma of the broth dispelled the fatigue from the journey.
Looking at the clear, bright soup and the chewy noodles in front of him, Yuuki Takada said softly, "I'm going to eat now."
The two ate quietly, with only the soft clinking of their bowls and chopsticks.
Sato Miwako swallowed a mouthful of noodles, wiped her mouth with a tissue, and paused slightly upon hearing what Takada Yuuki had said earlier.
She raised her eyes, her gaze seemingly piercing through the slightly noisy air of the ramen shop, landing on the street scene of Kyoto outside the window, a scene rich in the charm of an ancient capital.
"Hmm..." She hesitated for a moment, her fingers unconsciously twirling the ends of her hair, her eyes filled with a barely perceptible expectation and a hint of hesitation, "Now that we've finally made it to Kyoto, why don't we go visit Kiyozan-ji Temple later?"
"Kiyoyama-ji?" Yuki Takada was somewhat surprised, but then nodded knowingly.
As an ancient capital with a history of over a thousand years, Kyoto has no shortage of solemn ancient temples.
Besides, they are currently at the closest point to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, so going there might be a good option.
He took a sip of soup and said, "Okay, after we finish eating, I'll accompany you to Kiyomizu-dera Temple."
Miwako Sato nodded and continued eating the ramen in her bowl.
Suddenly, Yuuki Takada's vision blurred, and his attribute panel reappeared in his mind.
Host: Yuuki Takada
Age: 25 years old
Position: Police Inspector
Combat: 80 (This skill level improves, allowing for the unleashing of corresponding power and the development of combat instincts during battle.)
Speed: 80 (Increasing the speed value will allow you to reach the pinnacle of agility, enabling you to move nimbly through confined spaces, as elusive as a ghost.)
Disguise: 90 (The higher the disguise ability, the more perfectly one can imitate the appearance, voice, and behavior of others.)
Apprehended: 100 (The apprehended value has increased, significantly enhancing the ability to track and predict criminals.)
Weapons: 80 (The higher your weapon proficiency, the more significantly your accuracy, rate of fire, and reload speed will improve.)
Reasoning: 80 (Improved reasoning ability; able to quickly sort out complex clues, see through the surface of things, and reconstruct the whole picture of an event from the details.)
Not bad……
Fortunately, he had the advantage of the attribute panel; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to successfully defeat Mishima Yasuharu in the Shinkansen train in the previous episode.
After all, without an attribute panel, his fighting skills were practically trash within the Black Organization.
Even Vodka, one of Gin's henchmen, probably doesn't have the confidence to beat him.
After a satisfying meal, Yuuki Takada paid the bill, and the two of them walked out of the ramen shop contentedly.
The two walked along the smooth stone path towards Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
In late spring in Kyoto, the sunlight gradually became scorching, no longer as warm as before, casting dappled light and shadow through the gaps in the branches and leaves of the trees on both sides of the road.
The air was filled with the unique atmosphere of the ancient capital.
The faint scent of grass and trees, and the distant, faint aroma of incense, were enough to make him feel a brief moment of tranquility.
"There are quite a lot of people here." Yuuki Takada looked at the increasingly dense crowd ahead, most of whom looked like tourists, their chaotic chatter filling the air.
He instinctively turned to the side, shielding Sato Miwako from some of the crowd.
“Yes, Kiyomizu-dera Temple is always so lively,” Miwako Sato replied softly.
Their gaze, however, was drawn to the faint outline of a cluster of vermilion buildings in the distance.
She seemed to quicken her pace more than usual, walking forward with a sense of anticipation already high.
Along the gently sloping ramp.
Climbing up the famous "Kiyomizu-zaka" here, you'll find rows and rows of shops selling local products, pottery, traditional snacks, and more.
Various signs swayed gently in the breeze.
A dazzling array of Kyoto ware, exquisite Japanese-style trinkets, and enticing matcha sweets—everything exudes the unique charm of Kyoto.
Sato Miwako's gaze would occasionally be drawn to a delicate hairpin or a ceramic cup decorated with Kiyomizu-dera Temple patterns, but she never stopped walking.
"Don't you want to take a look?" Yuuki Takada noticed her lingering gaze.
"I'll see when I get back." She shook her head, but quickened her pace a little. "I want to go to the temple first."
Yuki Takada didn't say anything more. He glanced at the hairpin and ceramic cup that Miwako Sato had clearly put her eyes on and was delighted with, and decided to buy them for her.
Seeing Sato Miwako not far away, Takada Yuuki quickened his pace and followed her.
Maintaining a just-right distance allows me to keep an eye on her without appearing overly intimate.
He could sense that ever since the suggestion to visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple was made, Sato Miwako was no longer the melancholy she had felt on the Shinkansen train; instead, she was filled with joy.
Finally, after passing through the Renwang Gate and continuing up the stone steps, the world-famous "Qingshui Stage" suddenly appeared before our eyes.
The massive wooden structure hangs precariously on a steep cliff, supported only by huge beechwood pillars; its grandeur and perilousness are breathtaking.
The vermilion palace looked particularly solemn under the clear autumn sky, while in the distance, the Higashiyama Mountains of Kyoto were ablaze with autumn colors, creating a scene that looked no different from a beautiful painting.
"Indeed... seeing such a scene for the first time was truly shocking."
Looking at the scene before him, Yuuki Takada sighed sincerely.
Below the cliff lies a dense maple forest. Although it is not yet the peak of the season, there are already scattered yellow and red leaves, which certainly inspire endless imagination.
Miwako Sato did not respond immediately.
She walked to the wooden railing at the edge of the stage, gently placed her hand on it, and gazed at the distant, rolling mountains and the rooftops of Kyoto below.
A gentle breeze blew by, lifting a strand of hair at her temple.
The morning light outlined the contours of her profile, her expression serene and profound.
Lost in thought, I seemed to be shut out by the noise of the surrounding tourists.
Yuki Takada stood a little behind her to the side, without disturbing her.
After all, given what the two of them went through before they arrived, it would be quite good if Sato Miwako could remain calm at this moment.
Following her gaze, Yuuki Takada saw the buildings of Kyoto spread out in the light, a blend of ancient and modern, filled with a tranquil sense of all-encompassing harmony.
Time flows exceptionally slowly here.
Chapter 37 Apology (Please continue reading)
After a long while, Sato Miwako spoke softly, her voice so faint it was almost carried away by the wind:
“Standing here, I feel like… many of my worries have been instantly blown away by the wind.” She turned her head slightly to look at Takada Yuuki, her eyes clear, and said, “Takada-senpai, thank you for accompanying me to Kiyomizu-dera Temple.”
Yuki Takada felt a slight jolt in his heart.
"It's nothing. It just so happens that we're arriving a little earlier than planned, and the area isn't open yet, so it won't be a problem if we're late," Yuuki Takada said nonchalantly.
Sato Miwako, however, seemed to have made up her mind and turned around to face him.