"I thought that you wanted to rest."
Nifuji sat on the bench in the park, as he looked at Fuji, who sat beside him, then turned his gaze to the tanuki, who jumped around, playing, as it chased the butterfly. It was peaceful, but he wanted to have something more intense somehow, especially since it had been a while since he had met Fuji.
Fuji felt her face burn hot as she turned red. "...later, okay? I want to relax for a bit."
"Okay." Nifuji nodded, then looked at Fuji again. "Do you want to have lunch together later?"
"Your treat?"
"Yeah." Nifuji nodded. "Where do you want to eat?"
"Give me a surprise." Fuji's mind was at a standstill, and she desired something that could make her feel vibrant so that she could write something.
"Let me check."
Nifuji didn't reject Fuji's challenge, and just took his smartphone to check the map of the area, to see whether there was an interesting restaurant that offered unique foods.
"What are you going to check?"
Fuji moved closer, leaning on him, making him able to smell her scent.
'It's like the scent of early April and cold water.'
It felt like clean linen, cold water, and the first light of day. It isn't heavy or demanding; it's airy and polite.
It is just "bright." It's the scent of someone who just stepped out of a cold shower—sharp, revitalizing, and effortlessly chic.
Nifuji glanced at Fuji, who somehow, also glanced at him, and as their gazes met, she looked away shyly.
"Stop looking at me."
"Aren't you looking at me, too?"
"I can, but you can't."
"You are unreasonable."
Yet Fuji giggled, loving this small banter that made her monochrome days vibrant.
"Though, do you often visit this park?"
"Hmm?" Fuji looked at Nifuji, then nodded. "Yup, she loves it."
While she said so, she looked at the tanuki, which noticed her gaze, so it stopped flying and just looked at its master curiously.
Nifuji didn't look at the tanuki. Instead, he closed his eyes, thinking to search for a place to eat later, and decided to rest. "It's a good park."
Since we are looking at Kinuta Park through the lens of that Luminous & Fresh atmosphere you like, the park takes on an entirely different character. While many Tokyo parks feel "lived-in" and busy, Kinuta has a specific architectural and natural clarity that feels very "white tea and citrus."
The park is uniquely shaped, divided by the Yatogawa River. This creates a natural "sound barrier," where the sounds of Setagaya fade, replaced by the rustle of leaves and birdcalls.
On the west side, it features the massive Family Park—a rolling sea of grass that looks like a Windows desktop background. Because there are no fences or paved paths cutting through the center, it feels infinite and airy.
On the east side, it's more "Woody and Earthy." It's heavily forested with oaks and camphor trees, providing a darker, cooler canopy that feels more grounded.
Unlike many famous parks, this park has a slightly "wilder" edge that lends its fresh scent profile.
The grass caught his attention; Nifuji could tell it had been a former golf course, so the drainage was excellent, and the grass was lush. On a dewy morning, the scent of crushed clover and cool earth is overwhelming in the best way.
At the northern tip, he saw a protected area humans could not enter. This allowed a density of "green" scents (moss, decaying wood, wild ferns) that he couldn't find in urban plazas. It adds a "crisp, botanical" layer to the air.
Moreover, it was located near the Setagaya Art Museum, and this museum wasn't just a box for art; it defined the park's sophisticated vibe.
The museum used a lot of exposed concrete, glass, and geometric tiles. This "cool" stone aesthetic balanced the "warm" greenery of the park.
Also, there are areas where the museum's architecture dips below ground level, creating pockets of stillness where the air feels cooler and the light is filtered. It is the most "Luminous & Fresh" spot in the park—quiet, grey, and green.
"It's called a sunken garden."
"Is it?"
Fuji leaned back, feeling relaxed somehow, which was something that she hardly felt after she became a writer.
Unlike in the past when she was a student, where she could just stay at home, or school, or any place, just read, spending her time with books, but as she grew into an adult, she needed to work, and among all the choices, she chose to become a writer.
Yet, being a writer wasn't as easy as she thought it would be.
Fuji loved books, but to write one was a different matter, and just love alone wasn't enough to continue to write.
Some people might say she had passive income because her previous books were still in print, so even if she didn't work, it was okay, but that wasn't the case; she had to keep writing if she wanted to live.
Even if she knew that no one urged her, it felt like a voice kept screaming at her to keep writing, and writing, making her feel that every day was like a marathon, as she had to keep running, or else, she might be swallowed up by something, which exhausted her.
Yet, when she met him, it changed, as she felt like something had changed, and it felt like the world told her that it was okay to rest.
"Early April."
"What?" Nifuji looked at Fuji with a confused expression.
"In April, the Cherry Blossoms will be beautiful."
"Is it?"
"Yes, the trees have massive, low-hanging branches that sweep down toward the grass. When they bloom, it will feel like we are standing or sitting directly under a "floral tunnel." Also, its scent when it is mixed with the cold morning dew is nice."
Nifuji smiled and said, "Let's see it together next year."
"...."
Fuji blinked her eyes, feeling her heart bloom, as she showed a beautiful smile. "Yeah..."
Yet, while Nifuji was happy with her reply, he suddenly noticed a man who looked at them with a strange expression.
"Fuji, did you see that man? He kept watching us."
"Huh?"
Following his words, Fuji turned her gaze, and was dumbfounded since the suspicious man that was mentioned by Nifuji, her lover, was—
"...dad?"
"...." Nifuji.
Yup, the suspicious man was Fuji's father.