CH 21

I didn’t think it was possible, no way.   “Hey, are you listening to me? ”   I’ve been having a lot of bad luck lately. Why do I always get the worst?   “Kazama, where would you go in Kyoto? ” 

I didn’t think it was possible, no way.

“Hey, are you listening to me? “

I’ve been having a lot of bad luck lately.

Why do I always get the worst?

“Kazama, where would you go in Kyoto? “

Now. We’re in the middle of a meeting with the six members of our group.

Of course, it’s about the field trip.

At first, I see three gals in front of me.

Well, except for Karen, the other two are in a bad mood.

They are probably, or I should say definitely, pissed off, wondering why they have to be in the same group with such a bunch of people.

I understand. That’s right. This combination is not normal.

This combination caused a stir. It was already buzzing.

Normally, this would be impossible.

Normally.

But how could this happen?

Tokia and Rem, who were sitting next to me, were looking down at the ground without opening their mouths.

Hey, what’s wrong?

I didn’t see any of the ramblings that you were worried about, and I didn’t hear any abusive language either.

Somehow, I get it.

I get it, but it’s a little too much to be a borrowed cat. (Japanese idioms used to refer to situations in which someone hides their true personality and acts all quiet when they are in an unfamiliar place.)

“Anyway, have you been to Kyoto?”

I have… It’s just not with my real body.

“Kyoto is…I don’t think so. Unfortunately “

Inevitably, the answer has to be this.

No, not everyone has been to Kyoto.

What’s that? What’s that look in your eyes?

In front of me is Karen, who is staring at me with a terrifying look in response to that lie.

Really, what’s that expression?

I’m not lying. It’s not a lie. ‘He’ went there, but ‘I’ didn’t.

“Hmmー, how about here?　Maybe this is a good place for you? “

Karen says, pointing toward a photo in a brochure.

Is that a view of the Kamogawa River?

“Wait, what’s that, Karen? What are they doing taking us to the Kamogawa River? I’ve been there too, but it’s full of couples. Pfft, are you pretending to be a couple so you can give them memories to last a lifetime? “

“Pfft, what’s that? That’s funny.”

Indeed, it was all couples.

Well, maybe it depends on the time.

Also, I knew it, those two girls at both ends were abusive…

“Maybe this place would be niceー.”

Uh, that place?

This time she points her finger at a picture of a large torii gate.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha shrine…

“Wait, Karen. That’s a famous date spot too. What? Are we going with these guys this time? It’s kind of fun. Besides, we can take a lot of good pictures there!

“Certainly, there is a good place for taking picturesー”

Hey, this vibe.

No, I have a bad feeling about this.

I am very, very uncomfortable right now.

“Then my last suggestion, I think this is a good place, how is it?”

And then she points again, not at a brochure, but at a picture she had in her phone folder.

“Eh? What’s this place? I don’t know this place. What, it seems really nice. Where’s this place?”

“No way, it’s so mystical. I want to go! I really want to go! I’m dying to try to go to that place!”

I’m pretty sure.

I’m sure it is. It’s the reason why.

Why has Karen been suggesting places to me for a while now…

That’s right. They are all places where Karen and I had been dating together back then.

Especially the last place in the picture on Karen’s phone is in an area that most tourists would never know.

I know it because my grandmother, who has lived there for a long time, told me about it, but as far as I could remember, it was not on the Internet.

“I guess this place is off-limits for the two of you.”

“What? Karen, let’s go. No, you can’t just show us and say that. No, no, no!”

“Karen, seriously. Please tell me. I really want to go, I want to go, I want to go! “

And again, Karen, you’re staring at me like that…

“I’m sorry. I guess I can’t tell you. Because this is one of my very special places.”

Why are you so serious?

And what’s so special about this place?

Karen.

I knew it, you…

“Haa…Well, I’ll let you off the hook this time, but promise me you’ll tell me one day, Karen.”

“That’s right! By the way, what’s going on? Are those two alive? “

Huh? Are they alive?

What are you two gals talking about?

Oh…

Tokia and Rem…

Are you okay?

What? Seriously, you’re still alive, aren’t you? Crippled?

?

Somehow, even Kanna was limping on the other side of the room.

What the heck is this?