Was she serious?
While Nifuji might appear to show an exaggerated reaction, it couldn't be helped, especially when Chika told him that she planned to come to Hagurosan Yunokami Shrine.
"Yup!"
As Chika nodded, Nifuji fell into a silence as he read the introduction of this shrine.
Hagurosan Yugami Shrine was established in the Tenpyo period during the year 729-749 by Gyoki (a Japanese monk from the Nara era). It is also one of the Dewasanzan (an Area consisting of three mountains with three different shrines on each), and is also worshiped in the same way as Uka-no-mitama-no-mikoto and Shusaijin.
Those trivial asides aside, the problem was that this shrine was located on a hill that could only be reached by climbing over 1,200 steps!
1,200 steps of stairs!
Yes, Nifuji had to repeat it since it was tough!
Walking 1,200 steps aside, climbing 1,200 steps of stairs was a different matter!
Then again, he had to admit that the thought of climbing the stairs as he walked through a forest to an ancient shrine seemed like a certain ritual, or he might awaken something within him.
It might sound like he believed in the supernatural, something that couldn't be proved by science, yet the power of belief was necessary sometimes, especially when his mind was at its lowest, as he doubted himself, or faced those that he wasn't sure that he could do.
"Fufu... are you afraid, Onii-chan?"
Facing Chika's tease, Nifuji was silent and asked, "You are more or less a shut-in. Do you think you can climb them?"
"....." Chika.
Yes, she might have trained in kendo during high school, but as she became a university student, all of her days were spent indoors, as she was a mangaka, and she did most of her work at her own home, so she knew that her stamina wasn't as good as before, but—
"I can do it!"
Nifuji was about to say something, but then, he stopped his lips, then said, "Okay, then. Let's climb."
"...o-okay!"
As Chika made up her mind to climb up the stairs, Nifuji sighed inwardly, thinking that he had almost shown the common reactions of many people toward those who had shown their determination to change.
Impossible! What are you doing? What if you fail? Who do you think you are? Shouldn't you do something like that? Idiot!
Those words were the reason many people couldn't pursue what they wanted and buried their dreams deep in their hearts.
Moreover, as Nifuji had decided to support Chika with her career, if he decided to reject her and make her down just because of her decision to climb up this shrine, how could he have a face for what he had said?
Frankly, inwardly, he wondered whether it was possible for Chika to climb up 1,225 steps of stairs to reach the shrine, but when this action was compared to her dream to be able to live by using her manga, he felt that this was nothing.
Or rather, if she didn't even have the courage and determination to climb up this shrine to the end, to do something that she had decided to do till the end, then, he knew that it was impossible for her to reach her dream.
Probably, many might say that this decision to climb up the shrine had nothing to do with her manga, as manga was related to a talent.
If one had no talent, it was impossible.
Yet, even if one has no talent, they have to work hard.
Even if one had no talent, as long as they worked hard enough, they would be able to reach the level of a professional. They might not become the best, but it was impossible for them to live by their manga.
However, Nifuji had to say that the path of a creator was tough. It was like a business, as no one was sure whether one could make a profit all the time. At one time, people could be at the top, but at another time, people could be at the bottom.
Chika was about to chase such a life, an unpredictable one, where one couldn't be sure about their future.
'This is also the reason why many start to get into politics.'
Yup, by leveraging their popularity, many creators would enter politics, making sure their lives were comfortable and pleasant.
Yet Nifuji couldn't blame them; life was tough.
If one couldn't be at the top, they could only be at the bottom.
While Nifuji was sure that his life would be comfortable due to the system, he wasn't sure what would happen to Chika, as she had no system, and even if she did well before, like now, all of her works are then rejected.
Would she be kept rejected no matter how long she tried?
Nifuji wasn't sure, but no matter what, he knew that he would be by Chika's side, supporting her, since he knew well that she had become an important person within his life.
"557 steps."
"Come on! You can do it. It's close!"
"There are 700 or so more steps!"
"It's close. Keep walking, and you will soon arrive."
It was about 673 steps, but Nifuji wouldn't mention it since he knew that numbers would dampen Chika's spirit.
"But, I am tired!"
"Don't think about it. Just think about walking."
Chika felt that her legs were about to give out, shaking so much that she felt it was better to give up, but as she was with Nifuji, she felt like he gave him a power, as he also walked with her.
Yes, like her, she knew that Nifuji spent most of his time at the office, but well, she suddenly recalled Nifuji's body, which she loved to touch, and—
"Did you go to the gym, Onii-chan?"
"I do."
"As expected!"
"Stop talking, or you will drain your stamina."
"I-I will stop talking!"
However, when would they arrive?
She thought so, as many emotions were felt within her, since the 1,225 steps were just too much!
Sometimes, she wondered why she did this; it was stupid, yet she kept walking till, in the end, when she was about to reach the end of the stairs, she started to think about how it would end.
After all, sometimes, people just give up when they are about to reach their success.
If they stuck for a while instead of giving up, their success was about to come their way, but as they quit, in the end, they got nothing except being tired.
However, Nifuji knew that nothing was useless; everything had a meaning, even if it was a failure, since a failure also taught people what they should do, so they wouldn't fall into the same things again.
Regardless, as they were about to reach the finish line, they looked at each other and smiled.
"ARRIVE!" 2x
Finally, after a long walk, they arrived at the top of the hill, reaching the shrine.
They had reached the summit!
Only—
"Hahahaha... what is this? We can't see anything!! Hahahaha..."
It was so stupid that they started to laugh.
On the summit, nothing could be seen except for the forest, and they couldn't even see the scenery of the beautiful city over the hill, yet even so, did they regret it?
No.
Nifuji stretched his arms, feeling the cool temperature and the fresh air of the hill as he heard Chika's voice, "Onii-chan, let's do it again if we are here."
"Okay."
It was stupid, yet somehow, they just couldn't stop trying.
"By the way, Onii-chan."
"Hmm?"
"Carry me when we walk down, okay? I can't walk anymore!"
While she said so, Chika clung to his legs, crying, and showed a cute, spoiled expression.
"..." Nifuji.
Yup, a younger woman was just too spoiled!
Yet, she is cute!
So, in the end, Nifuji could only grit his teeth, showing his manliness to Chika!
"Don't worry. I will carry you."
"I love you, Onii-chan! Onii-chan is so handsome!"
As she kept praising him, Nifuji patted his legs lightly, telling them to work for a bit as he would give them a moment of rest later.
Still, without a doubt, this trip had a lot of meaning for them.
"By the way, Onii-chan?"
"Hmm?"
"Let's take a trip again, okay?"
Nifuji showed a soft smile and said, "If you are rejected again, okay?"
"You bully!"
While they had their banter, without a doubt, this trip would be in their memory forever.