Chapter 187: Returning Home (Long Chapter)
Kyoto is a city where modern architecture, ancient temples, and sacred shrines blend into a single tapestry, masking the lives of the common folk hidden within. For a thousand years, this city has remained fundamentally unchanged, yet it shows a different face every single day.
It has held the title of the imperial capital for a millennium, yet it continues to evolve. People love this place because its roots and essence have been preserved without compromise for so long. No matter what external distortions of power it receives, the core essence remains forever untouched.
Is this considered nostalgia?
No, it has transcended mere nostalgia and begun to evolve toward something more like faith. For the Japanese, Tokyo and Kyoto are two cities that stand apart as truly special.
Humans tend to be reluctant to let go of a happy life that was hard-won. Perhaps for many, maintaining an unchanging state is the choice that is always right...
On the final day of the school trip, in the brief window of time before boarding the Shinkansen, everyone set out to buy souvenirs.
Akishin and Shizuka bought a staggering amount of items. They picked up numerous gifts for Yuika, Kaiko, Mitsuha, and Soichi, spending quite a bit of money in the process. Beyond that, they had to prepare gifts for Shizuka's parents—after all, he had essentially "taken their daughter away" for a few days. They also needed tokens of appreciation for acquaintances and neighbors like Mrs. Miyako and Daiki-san.
By the time the assembly hour arrived, Akishin and Shizuka were hauling two large suitcases.
Hachiman stood at the edge of the crowd, carrying a blue backpack filled with gifts for Komachi. Yukino and Yui stood to his left and right—one cold and poised, the other lively and energetic—each pulling their own white and pink suitcases.
"Hikigaya-kun, good morning. Did this trip to Kyoto leave you with any pleasant memories~?"
Ebina suddenly appeared in front of Hachiman, hiding her hands behind her back. Her smile was calm, but a slight flush crept onto her beautiful face, making her look somewhat bashful.
Hachiman didn't quite dare to meet her eyes. He averted his gaze and muttered, "Ah! Oh, yeah, I guess..."
Dammit, isn't this woman's job already done? Why is she still showing up? Weren't we supposed to have drawn a clear line in the sand by now?
"Is that so? I'm glad!" Ebina looked like a girl in the throes of love. With a blushing face, she thrust something toward Hachiman. "Here! Hikigaya-kun, since I said I'd pursue you, I'm definitely going to do it... This is a gift for you from my trip to Kyoto. Please accept it..."
It was a small, exquisite box, about the size of a palm, featuring a pattern of intersecting black and blue vertical lines and tied with a beautiful red butterfly knot. From the outside, there was no telling what was inside.
Shouldn't you be laughing and chatting with your friends like usual right now? Why did you run back to me? And even gave a gift!
Hachiman signaled to Ebina with his eyes, a silent plea for her to stop.
Unfortunately, Ebina merely kept up her sweet smile. She saw his signal but gave no response. Hachiman couldn't exactly expose the truth in public. There were still far too many classmates watching the scene unfold.
"Well~ Is Hikigaya-kun not going to accept it? It's just a gift between friends." Ebina's eyes began to shimmer with welling tears.
The corner of Hachiman's eye twitched. Since she had put it that way, what choice did he have but to take it?
He reached out and accepted the small box. Ebina's smile instantly widened, her face turning red with a mix of shyness and fearful excitement, radiating a sense of unparalleled happiness. She truly looked like a girl deeply in love.
Without further pestering, Ebina gave a gentle wave and ran back to her own group. Over there, Yumiko, Hayama, Tobe, Ooka, Yamato, and even Saki were waiting for her.
As she returned to the fold, the group hovered over her with concern, and Ebina replied cheerfully. Their bond seemed even stronger than before.
Yumiko glared toward Hachiman with a complicated expression, complaining, "Ebina, you're really serious about chasing that guy! Didn't he turn you down yesterday? Just stop interacting with him from now on, it's so awkward..."
Then came Tobe's voice, thick with resentment. "Exactly, Ebina. You don't know how sly that Hachiman guy really is..."
"That's enough, Tobe. I've told you, don't badmouth Hikigaya behind his back. This wasn't his fault."
Tobe Kakeru currently hated Hachiman more than anyone else in the world. If you thought about it, just as he was about to confess his love, his position had been completely hijacked!
If the result had been Ebina rejecting Hachiman's confession, that would have been fine. But Ebina had actually agreed! She agreed!!
What made even less sense was that even though Ebina knew she had been played, she still insisted she liked Hachiman and would continue to pursue him.
This was no longer just a grudge between love rivals! This was a life-and-death blood feud!
And yet, Tobe didn't dare get angry at Ebina, nor did he feel it was her fault. So whose fault was it? It had to be Hachiman's!
Tobe could only vent his rage on Hachiman, but he couldn't even win a fight against the guy—especially since he had once been neutralized in a single move by Yukino, who was a girl. It was incredibly stifling. Even Hayama, his greatest pillar of support, wasn't helping him and was instead siding with Hachiman...
In the end, he still had to wear a fake smile. He couldn't show any difference in his behavior.
As for revenge? He had seen that cold look in Akishin's eyes yesterday!
Ebina adjusted her glasses, a glint reflecting off the lenses as she countered, "No, no, no, Yumiko, you're wrong. Me liking Hikigaya-kun is my business. Whether he accepts me or not is his. They don't conflict. If I felt awkward over something like that, then I wouldn't be worthy of chasing someone as amazing as him..."
Hearing this grand declaration, the other girls nearby flocked to her, showering her with praise.
"Hina, you're so cool! Actually having the guts to confess to Hikigaya-kun..."
"I know, right?"
"Not really. I failed yesterday, so I just have to try harder..."
The news that Ebina had confessed to Hachiman and failed had already spread by this morning. Not just Class F, but the other classes knew as well.
However, they didn't think Hachiman was being arrogant. Naturally, they assumed that since Hachiman had won the Gyokuryu-ki, it was perfectly normal for him to receive confessions. They didn't mock Ebina either; instead, they praised her courage for stepping forward to a stage they themselves didn't dare to reach.
It was similar to Hayama. Many girls claimed to like him, but was it true love? No.
Their mindset was: Ah! Hayama is so great and handsome, and so many people like him, so I'll like him too. I won't lose out, and this way I can hang out with the other girls who like him...
That was the first point. The second point: Hayama is talented and good-looking, he's perfect boyfriend material, and everyone is chasing him. If I manage to get him, wouldn't that prove I'm better and superior to everyone else!
It was more a thirst for status than anything else.
In conclusion, if they didn't get Hayama, they lost nothing. If they did, it was a massive win. It wasn't that they truly liked Hayama; it was that he was a prestigious "item" to have as a boyfriend. Hayama was essentially no different from a piece of jewelry or a luxury brand bag.
This wasn't meant to belittle Hayama; it was just human nature. The only one who truly liked Hayama might be Miura Yumiko.
Unfortunately, Hayama didn't feel the same...
At this point, Hachiman was far superior to Hayama. Their natures were similar, but Hachiman lacked Hayama's softness. His habitually cold expression kept those who weren't close to him at a distance...
Back to the matter at hand.
Hearing those words of praise, Yumiko only felt a deep exhaustion in her heart. She let out a sigh. Dammit, why did it turn out like this! It's all that guy's fault!
She shot another angry glare at Hachiman, who was standing a few meters away.
Hachiman: "?" Hey, this has nothing to do with me. I'm a victim too.
"Hachimaaaan~~"
Turning around, he saw Yui puffing out her cheeks and glaring at him. Yukino wore a slight smile, but her eyes were chillingly cold—which actually felt much scarier.
His own teacher was smiling sweetly, as if she were in a great mood. Hiratsuka-sensei had a distinct smirk on her face.
Hachiman immediately tried to explain, "That's just her acting. She's still playing the part because she's afraid the plan will be exposed."
The events of last night had indeed spread, but the one who had leaked the news was Ebina herself. Tobe, Ooka, and Yamato hadn't dared to breathe a word after Akishin's warning.
Furthermore, the situation involved Hayama.
Ebina spread the word that she had failed her confession, but she omitted any mention of Hachiman's initial "confession" being a ruse.
In doing so, the matter became: 'Last night, Ebina confessed to Hachiman, and Hachiman turned her down.' It was a simple, clear event with no messy strings attached.
If the old, unpopular Hachiman had been confessed to by a girl as cute as Ebina and rejected her, he might have been crucified by the public, and Ebina herself would have been dragged into the mess.
But now, things were different. People viewed it as normal. In fact, if he had accepted the confession, that would have been the surprise.
Yukino chuckled softly. "Oh! So Ebina is just acting? Well then, all of you should be up for an Oscar..."
She felt a flicker of annoyance, though she wasn't quite sure why. Regardless, when Ebina had interacted with Hachiman earlier, a surge of irritation had flared up in her heart.
Shizuka glanced at Yui, then at Yukino, and finally toward Saki and Ebina, who were glancing this way from a distance. She let out a soft sigh and smiled.
Akishin asked, "What's wrong, Shizuka? Any regrets about the trip?"
"No." Shizuka shook her head, looking at him seriously before breaking into a happy smile. "I just feel lucky that you aren't the protagonist of a teen drama. In those stories, it's usually the supporting characters who end up the happiest."
Akishin: "..."
Glancing at Hachiman, who was still frantically explaining himself to Yukino and Yui, he wondered if Shizuka's words meant he lacked his student's "charisma."
Amidst the chatter, their transport home arrived. Everyone dropped their topics, looking forward to returning to their own beds, and boarded the train for the journey back.
When they had arrived, they were bursting with energy. On the way back, the atmosphere was subdued. Everyone was exhausted. No matter how beautiful a place is, nothing beats one's own home. After a few days away, everyone had begun to miss it.
Six hours later, the group returned to Chiba.
Akishin and Shizuka hailed a taxi and got out in front of Chishimaya.
"Chishima-sensei, Hiratsuka-sensei, welcome back."
"Uncle Chishima, Aunt Hiratsuka, welcome back~"
"Eh! Why are you all here?"
Yuika, Kaiko, Miyamizu Mitsuha, Soichi, and Mitsuryou Hotaru—who was being led by Yuika—were all standing in front of Chishimaya's doors.
Akishin blinked, a flash of surprise in his eyes as he looked at them.
Shizuka turned and explained, "I sent them a message saying we were back." She then looked at Yuika's group and laughed helplessly. "I only messaged you an hour ago to let you know. How long have you been waiting? Well, since you're here, come and help with the luggage. We brought gifts for everyone."
"We only just got here. Today's a holiday anyway." In truth, they had been waiting for half an hour. They all lived in the same area, so they had come together.
The four of them swarmed the back of the taxi, helping Akishin pull out the bags. Shizuka brought out the keys to open Chishimaya.
"Here, Hotaru. This is a gift for you. You hold onto it yourself, okay?"
Akishin handed a bag of Kyoto-exclusive candies to Hotaru, who was also trying to help.
"A gift for Hotaru." Hotaru took the candy. Seeing the colorful fruit drops inside the transparent bag, her face lit up instantly. "Thank you, Uncle. Hotaru loves Uncle the most."
"Haha, Uncle loves Hotaru the most, too."
Akishin laughed as he patted Hotaru's small head, then looked toward the clothing store. "Where's your mother?" It was strange not to see Mrs. Miyako.
"Mom is recommending clothes to a customer."
"I see."
Chishima nodded. Although Miyako's clothing shop looked old, the items she sold were mostly high-end brands. The customers who came were generally wealthy, so they naturally required proper attention.
He turned back to grab the last suitcase—the largest one—thanked the taxi driver, who was looking on in surprise, and headed into Chishimaya.
On the door of Chishimaya, the "closed for five days" notice was still taped up. Perhaps because an angry customer had tugged at it, only half of it remained; the other half had vanished somewhere.
He did feel a bit guilty toward the regulars. When Shizuka eventually resigned, he would just close the shop. He would be going to help at the Hiratsuka Group anyway. It seemed all his desires from his previous life were coming to fruition in this one.
"Ugh~ Home really is the most comfortable place. Kyoto is great, but it's enough just to visit."
Shizuka stretched her body in the activity room, then crawled into the Kotatsu, squinting her eyes with a look of pure bliss.
Yuika and the other girls helped tidy up the luggage.
Two minutes later, Akishin brought in seven cups of tea and some snacks he had prepared earlier. A glass of fruit juice was placed in front of little Hotaru.
"You're right. Home really is the best."
Akishin sat at the head of the table, echoing her sentiment. Kyoto was beautiful, but they couldn't truly blend into it; there was a sense of a barrier. Those ancient buildings and grand temples, centuries or even millennia old, were breathtaking at first glance, but after seeing them a few times, they felt ordinary—boring, even.
In the end, it was just architecture. It couldn't provide that "hometown feeling."
"Fuu~"
Everyone sipped their tea while huddled under the Kotatsu. Smiles were all around; the atmosphere was happy and peaceful as they enjoyed this simple tranquility. Yuika and the others had come precisely to feel this kind of peace and joy that came with being around their teacher. Here, they could let go of all their worries and think of nothing at all.
"Sensei, Sensei, was Kyoto fun? Were there lots of temples? Did Sensei take photos...?"
Soichi's eyes darted around. He stole a glance at Yuika. After finding no warning gaze from his older sister, he immediately turned to Akishin with excitement, firing off questions about Kyoto one after another.
Akishin laughed. "Soichi, you like Kyoto that much?"
Soichi held his teacup, showing a rare burst of the energy typical of a boy his age. He spoke with longing, "It's not that I like it, it's just that I've seen so many photos online. Lots of people say it's wonderful, so I really wanted to go see it."
He had specifically looked up information about Kyoto because Akishin was going there, and he had been captivated by the "ancient civilization" of the place. He was used to a big city like Chiba; most famous spots had already been seen. Now, he was curious about those ancient towns. Besides that, he actually harbored a longing for Tokyo as well.
It was just that he was too young, and his family was going through a tough time, so he didn't dare to have excessive thoughts. But looking at photos was fine.
"I see. Well then, one day Sensei will take you all to play in Kyoto." Akishin nodded with a smile, his eyes full of care. He then reached for his bag, pulled out a camera, and handed it to Soichi. "There are photos in here. A lot of them."
There were two types of photos in the camera: pure scenery and photos of himself with Shizuka. He had already separated them; the ones he showed Soichi were the scenery shots.
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The protagonist for these few chapters is actually Hachiman, you know~
The storyline has reached its final stage, yet this poor author is still pushing forward.
Even so, writing this is very enjoyable.
Covering up some regrets, then creating new happiness, and injecting personal understanding. Although there is still much that could be written about Akishin, like his path as a Swordmaster, or games of Go...
But if I think about it, those are just extra decorations.
The main goal of this book is to give a beautiful love story to the sweet Shizuka and to heal Shizuka's regrets.
Now that has been achieved. Shizuka has her perfect Akishin...
This isn't a farewell for the ending, just a little complaint for today (laughs).
Actually, there really is still much that could be written...
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