I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 18 The past is the past.

Gen Tsukino didn't rush to push Mizuki Kiyono home.

They walked very slowly, like taking a leisurely stroll.

The two walked through streets large and small, through the bustling city center, until they reached this brightly lit bridge.

The bridge spanning the bay is bathed in neon lights, and despite its nearly 800-meter length, many passersby choose to walk across it.

Enjoy the view of the bay and the lights.

Like a rainbow crossing the bay, it is even more beautiful and dazzling at night.

Countless vehicles crossed the bridge, bringing with them the whistling sound of the wind.

What is life like in an orphanage?

Suddenly, Kiyono Mizuki asked this question amidst the lights on the bridge, her gaze fixed on the darkness in the distance of the bay.

Gen Tsukino gave the young girl, whose hair was disheveled by the wind, a strange look.

"It's nothing special, just eat and sleep as usual."

Did you have any friends before?

"Friends? Hmm. I don't recall any kids my age. Most of them were quite aloof and had a strong sense of self-preservation. I guess everyone felt that even if they were in the same orphanage, they couldn't be friends for long and would eventually go their separate ways, so they were too lazy to build such connections. But I did know one friend from outside the orphanage before."

"Outside?"

Kiyono Mizuki looked at Tsukino Gen strangely, and the boy stopped.

He leaned slightly against the bridge railing.

Gen Tsukino leaned against the railing, his black hair fluttering slightly in the breeze under the bridge, the lamplight illuminating his beautiful and delicate profile.

It made him seem dreamlike and unreal.

"Yes, a little girl from outside the courtyard. I think she moved to the neighborhood with her parents. We met because one of her paper airplanes flew into the courtyard and I found it."

Kiyono Mizuki's expression was a little strange. "It sounds like the beginning of a classic childhood sweetheart story. Did you make it up?"

Why does it smell like vinegar?

"You're the one who's jealous! What happened next?"

Kiyono Mizuki knew that Tsukino Gen wasn't the type to make up stories to make himself seem special, nor did he need any so-called stories to prove himself. On the contrary, Kiyono Mizuki felt a strange sense of honor to hear his stories.

Gen Tsukino thought for a moment, "Later, she would often come to the orphanage to play with me, but there was nothing else. After that, she moved away, and we gradually lost contact."

"Have we never seen them again?"

Kiyono asked, "What is happening?"

"Actually, I saw it later, but there was no difference."

"She doesn't remember you?"

"No, it's just that circumstances have changed, and everyone has become more sensible. They understand which friends they should make and which they don't need to associate with. It's probably better to just pretend we don't know each other."

Kiyono Mizuki pouted. "The fairy tale has become a real story. How boring."

"Alright, you're about to burst out laughing, and you still say it's not interesting?"

"No way!"

Kiyono Mizuki refused to admit it.

Gen Tsukino started pushing Mizuki Kiyono across the bridge again.

His expression showed no disappointment, but rather a sense of calm and acceptance of whatever came his way.

"Actually, most stories are like this, because we eventually find that we live in reality, not in fantasy."

Kiyono Mizuki frowned in displeasure. "Are you some kind of forty-year-old, homeless, childless, and unemployed loser? You're clearly a teenager, why do you talk like an old man?"

"If you don't like it, then don't listen."

Gen Tsukino doesn't tolerate the other person's behavior.

Kiyono Mizuki wasn't angry, of course. The two of them were getting used to each other's way of speaking and their occasional bad temper.

"Anyway, I don't like you talking like that."

I also dislike his seemingly worldly and detached attitude.

He should have fewer worries and be full of hope for the future.

"There's nothing I can do. I've been talking like this for a long time, and I can't change it overnight."

"You should try to change that."

Why must it be changed?

Gen Tsukino lowered his head and asked.

The girl looked up, and there were some obvious white, greasy lines in the gap of the neckline of her T-shirt.

It shone with a beautiful luster in his eyes.

It seems that you can already 'see' the rich milky aroma without even smelling it.

"Because no girl will like you if you act like that. Who wants to be with a guy who's always spouting platitudes? It's better to be a little naive, a little immature, a little youthful."

"I see. Tomorrow I'll trick a girl into coming home for the night."

".as you like!"

Kiyono Mizuki snorted coldly.

Gen Tsukino pushed her all the way home.

We talked about some trivial things on the way, about school and about life.

There's even information about Kiyono Mizuki's past.

It seemed that because of this trip, the girl opened up a lot more.

The vast sky and sea make one feel much more relaxed.

But this doesn't seem to change the fact that she's finally going back to that little box-like home, nor does it change her feeling that she doesn't even want to leave the house without Tsukino Gen.

They pushed the girl into the room.

Gen Tsukino stretched.

"I'm exhausted. Have you gained weight recently?"

Kiyono Mizuki said irritably, "Where have you gotten fat? You weren't carrying me, you could feel it just by pushing the wheelchair."

Gen Tsukino nodded thoughtfully. "So you wanted me to hold you?"

"I didn't say that!"

Kiyono Mizuki blushed slightly.

Gen Tsukino smiled indifferently.

"Alright, you should get some rest. I'm going back now."

"Um"

Kiyono Mizuki watched the boy's back as he gradually walked towards the door.

As if possessed, she blurted it out.

"Wait."

"what happened?"

Gen Tsukino turned around and asked.

Kiyono Mizuki looked somewhat awkward, trying to appear indifferent, but what she said was...

Thank you for taking me out to dinner today.

The sound was still very soft, but it was already clearly audible.

Upon hearing this, Tsukino Gen walked towards the girl.

Under the somewhat flustered gaze of Kiyono Mizuki, he bent down and grabbed the armrests of the other's wheelchair with both hands.

Suddenly, Kiyono Mizuki had to lean back in her chair.

Nevertheless, he could not escape the oppressive feeling emanating from this boy.

That familiar scent and burning body temperature seemed to instantly surround me.

His face looked even more handsome up close, his deep eyes like magical whirlpools. It made her feel instantly dizzy and lightheaded.

I didn't even have time to ask him what he was doing.

Tsukino Gen's flippant voice rang out.

"Is saying thank you enough? Is there no reward?"

Kiyono Mizuki's eyes welled up with a misty haze. She timidly avoided his gaze, yet it felt as if she were locked on, unable to escape.

She felt like a little white rabbit in a cage, unable to escape from a powerful hunter.

What reward do you want?

They even forgot to refute or refuse.

Or rather, she had no room to refuse him.

They can only give whatever they want.

She felt she had done the best she could, and as a girl, she had almost abandoned most of her reserve to express everything.

She tried hard to maintain a cold expression, but was on the verge of collapse.

That doesn't match what she said at all.

But at this time, Gen Tsukino's wicked intentions continued.

He simply smiled, looking at the other person with a flippant gaze, "What do you think?"

He just doesn't say it directly; he continues to mentally manipulate this girl.

Even though I'm already in this state, he still has to play tricks on me like this!

Kiyono Mizuki was extremely embarrassed and annoyed.

But this ambiguous atmosphere is still brewing, making it so addictive.

Up close, his face gives off a delicious and appetizing feeling.

She closed her eyes resignedly and leaned forward.

"Ugh."

A soft sound.

A collision as light as a dragonfly skimming the water.

The girl, her cheeks already flushed red, shoved the boy in front of her away.

"Get out of here!"

They didn't dare look him in the eye.

Even though she was the one who initiated the kiss on his cheek, it seemed as if she was completely forced, and her words were insincere.

Gen Tsukino, not daring to push his luck any further, straightened up with a smile.

"Good night."

Without waiting for the girl's response, he walked out the door.

As soon as the door closed, Kiyono Mizuki seemed to wake up from a dream.

She touched her almost burning cheeks.

And those alluring, rosy lips.

Somewhat annoyed, yet helpless, he lowered his head.

"That jerk is so annoying."

Back in his room, Tsukino Gen prepared to directly refine the recently abundant spiritual energy.

As for the lingering warmth on my face... well, I'll leave it for now.

I haven't had time to enter a meditative state yet.

Suddenly, his phone rang to an unfamiliar number.

After hesitating for a moment, he answered the phone, "Hello, who is this?"

"it's me."

A cold, clear voice came from the other end of the phone.

The moment he heard it, Tsukino Gen made a judgment, and the expression on his face became quite interesting.

"Asagiri Rin?"

".Um."

How did they get my phone number?

Gen Tsukino asked directly.

The other party was silent for a moment, then said, "That's none of your business. I have my own way of doing things."

But the response was indifferent.

It's as if they're trying to distance themselves from themselves in every way.

"Is something wrong?"

"Did you do what Jihei Yamazaki did?"

The other party became even more direct.

Gen Tsukino remained completely calm, leaning lazily against the wall as he spoke.

"What does this have to do with me? Are you thinking too badly of me?"

“Someone saw you enter his office and talk to him on the day he died.”

"He is my homeroom teacher, and I am usually in the top three of the grade, so it's normal for him to talk to me."

"It's because of that girl named Kazama Sakura, isn't it?"

The other party spoke even less nonsense, and didn't even bother with beating around the bush, getting straight to the point.

How did you find the key to the problem in such a short time?

Gen Tsukino had to admit that the other person was still just as perceptive, no more intelligent than before.

"I do not know what you're talking about."

Gen Tsukino, of course, did not admit it.

But the girl on the other end of the phone didn't seem to care about any of that.

She just said it in a cold tone.

“I know your capabilities very well. It’s something you can do to make it look like an accident and leave no evidence. And he’s definitely not a good person. The school won’t let the police focus too much on the school anymore. Soon they’ll have to classify it as an accident.”

"Is this the result of your interference?"

Gen Tsukino showed no gratitude whatsoever; instead, he asked a playful question.

The other party was silent for a moment.

Then, her voice remained like a cold, stagnant pool.

It did not cause any ripples.

"You just need to pay a little attention to the policewoman who will be investigating at the school in the next couple of days."

"Asagiri Rin, are you trying to make amends to me?"

Gen Tsukino, however, directly countered with a question.

The other person paused.

"That's not what I meant. You're overthinking it."

"Really? Then don't do things that are easy to misunderstand. I hate people who are inconsistent. You can forget the past, or pretend you don't know me. I won't blame you. But doing things that are inconsistent and easy to misunderstand makes people feel heavy. Of course, if you're just being self-righteous, then pretend I didn't say anything, and I have no obligation to play along with your emotions."

"I won't make this call again, you can rest assured."

"Bye."

Gen Tsukino hung up the phone on his own initiative.

Put down the phone.

When you enter a meditative state, the rustling of grass in the wind is accompanied by the surge of invisible spiritual energy.

At the other end.

The aloof girl, after hanging up the phone, still maintained an expression as unapproachable as a glacier.

She gripped her phone tightly.

Then, with a cold expression, he deleted the number he had just saved.

It was as if nothing had happened, as if the call had never taken place.

past
It has passed.

……