I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 195 I'm the Rat in Front of You
The iconic tower reflects a blinding light in the sunlight.

Many people were smoking in the designated smoking area.

"We need to go to the fourth floor."

The girl turned her head to look at Tsukino Gen.

The boy nodded. "Are we going to fly up there?"

"Haha, do you really think you're Superman? There's an escalator here."

Holding the boy's hand openly and walking in a public place where young men and women come and go, Kazama Sakura felt that she had been dreaming of this for a long time.

There was a queue on the fourth floor, and it looked quite long. This was because it was summer vacation, so we had to wait patiently.

A diverse group of young people, dressed in different clothes; some looked eccentric, while others were honest and law-abiding.

Kazama Sakura whispered to Tsukino Gen, "I actually wanted to wear those kinds of clothes before, but wouldn't that look weird?"

Her gaze subtly swept over a young girl queuing in the crowd. It was hard to tell if she was Gothic or some kind of so-called "alien" style; in any case, she had a lot of elements, and her accessories looked like they weighed dozens of kilograms. Her makeup was even more heavy and elaborate.

It's practically a new era of Peking Opera facial makeup.

First of all, let me state that Gen Tsukino has no prejudice against this cultural characteristic and respects everyone's preferences. He simply doesn't like it.

You could probably ingest dozens of kilograms of chemicals just by kissing someone.

Should I tell you that you look good in anything right now?

Sakura Kazama blinked. "So you mean you're not going to say that?"

Gen Tsukino smiled. "I still think you shouldn't dress like that, otherwise I might break most of the vows I made to you."

"Ha ha ha ha."

The girl wasn't angry; instead, she leaned against Tsukino Gen and laughed until she was almost too weak to move.

Finally, I got to the front of the line, bought my ticket from the automatic ticket machine, and went inside.

It wasn't too different from what I imagined an aquarium to be; the surrounding aquariums, tanks, and ecosystem boxes still gave me a dazzling feeling.

"Hey, there are sharks too."

"Is that a gray shark?"

How do you know all this?

The girl's eyes lit up.

Gen Tsukino pointed to the display board next to him, "It says here."

"Couldn't you be a little less honest when I'm acting like I adore you?"

Kazama Sakura pouted slightly.

Gen Tsukino sighed, "Sometimes, a smart man can be cute and interesting by pretending to be straight at the right time."

"Uh."

This time, it wasn't Kazama Sakura who reacted, but rather a young couple nearby who had clearly overheard their conversation and looked over in surprise.

I don't know if they're surprised that there are such candid narcissists in the world.

Kazama Sakura blushed and pulled Tsukino Gen aside, saying, "You really dare to say anything out of nowhere."

"Is this nonsense? Do you think I'm embarrassing you?"

"Pfft." The girl tiptoed and helped Tsukino Gen tidy up his bangs, which had grown a bit long. Then she leaned in and boldly kissed his thin lips.

"I really don't know when I'll ever be able to find fault with you."

"I like this sentence."

Go deeper in.

Colorful jellyfish float in the aquarium, each with a slightly different appearance. Some have long 'tails,' while others look like pink dumplings.

"Are jellyfish the only animals that you can find cute even though you can't see their facial features?"

Kazama Sakura picked up her phone, took a picture, and asked curiously.

"It's really cute, I feel like my mouth is watering."

"Giggle, giggle!" Kazama Sakura almost burst out laughing like a goose. "Why does everything look like food to you?"

"Don't you think jellyfish really looks delicious? Maybe it has a texture like squid."

"I've never eaten it, but I don't think most people eat jellyfish, right?"

"SpongeBob won't eat it either?"

"Ha ha ha ha."

The two of them laughed and took photos while browsing.

Nothing particularly noteworthy or remarkable happened during that time. But Kazama Sakura felt that this was probably the normal daily life of a couple.

No need for any dramatic plot twists; just hold hands together in this golden time, passing through many corners, seeing many landscapes and scenes, and saying some meaningless words that may be forgotten after a while.

But no one would think that such time is a waste.

"Wow, this penguin is so cute."

I didn't see any live penguins in the aquarium, but I did see some fluffy penguin plush toys in the souvenir shop.

When Kazama Sakura picked one up, she saw the price next to it.

"This costs four thousand?!"

Genya Tsukino looked over and saw penguin plush toys of different sizes, from small to large, but their postures and expressions seemed to be the same, yet their prices had increased exponentially.

"It seems more expensive than a live one. How about I get you a live one?"

Kazama Sakura quickly grabbed Tsukino Gen's hand and led him outside.

"Live animals require care, while dolls are much easier to care for. But these are too expensive; I feel like anything becomes less appealing once it's priced exorbitantly."

"That's not necessarily the case."

"Ok?"

"For example, I would find it cute if you had hundreds of millions of dollars stuck to your side."

"So I'm only worth a few hundred million?"

The girl feigned displeasure and pouted her red lips.

Gen's eyes widened. "How many more do you want? I can't afford any more than that!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

They left the aquarium hand in hand, having stayed there for an hour or two, which was already worth the ticket price.

As soon as they stepped outside, the two hadn't even had a chance to discuss where to go next.

Then I saw a somewhat familiar figure coming towards me.

"Eh? Kazama. Tsukino-kun?"

"Senior?"

Gen Tsukino recognized the group as the short-haired senior from the confectionery club, whom Sakura Kazama had met in that karaoke room.

And coincidentally, there was an acquaintance among the crowd.

At this moment, his expression seemed to be somewhat out of control.

Watanabe Kakeru.

This still very popular senior from the kendo club, who is also a loyal 'fan' and ardent pursuer of Kazama Sakura, is currently in the crowd.

Just moments ago they were chatting and laughing, but when they saw Kazama Sakura and Tsukino Gen openly holding hands as they walked out of the aquarium, their expressions froze instantly.

It felt like being instantly assaulted by a cold air current that was more than ten degrees below zero.

The senior student was also visibly surprised, but her expression wasn't like that of the men and women behind her—it wasn't one of envy, jealousy, or anything else. She simply smiled with delight.

"So you two came here for a date?"

Kazama Sakura was a little embarrassed. Although she wasn't ashamed to admit that there was nothing wrong with her relationship with Tsukino Gen, on the contrary, she felt a little like showing off, as if she had gotten a huge advantage. However, there were too many people around, and she wasn't the type of girl to do that.

She blushed slightly and asked, "What are you all doing here?"

The short-haired senior explained with a smile, "They're all friends from our senior year. The new semester is starting soon, and we'll be graduating soon, so we were planning to travel around. I didn't expect to run into you guys! Wow, you're so lucky, Kazama-kun~"

"No, senior, don't talk nonsense. You guys go have fun, we won't bother you."

This shyness made Kazama Sakura want to escape quickly, but she never let go of Tsukino Gen's hand.

She also noticed Watanabe Kazuya staring intently at her from the crowd, but she had nothing to say to him, Kazama Sakura.

Tsukino Gen thought Watanabe He's expression meant he was about to do something, but to his surprise, Watanabe He didn't say a word until Kazama Sakura hurriedly pulled him away.

As the crowd gradually formed a queue.

The short-haired senior glanced at Watanabe He beside her.

"You scared me to death! I thought you were going to do something, Watanabe-kun."

Watanabe He shook his head, his expression somewhat forlorn.

"What can I do? It's not something I can change by doing anything."

He also realized that feelings are something that cannot be forced. Can you force your heart to lean to the other side? Just like no matter how much he tried to convince himself, he still felt a sting when he saw her appear in front of him together.

The short-haired senior chuckled, covering her mouth. "Is Watanabe going to openly congratulate her?"

"I would never wish her well. In fact, seeing her makes me incredibly sad. I can't really adjust my feelings right now."

"Why don't you go back and heal your wounds quietly?"

"No need. Just let me stay like this for a while, playing the victim and playing the victim."

"Hahahahaha."

The chance encounter was nothing to worry about.

After stepping down from the tower, Kazama Sakura let out a long sigh of relief.

She looked at Tsukino Gen, "Aren't you scared?"

"What are you afraid of?"

"Quite a few people saw us just now. You know, girls really love gossip. They not only like to eat melons, but they also like to spread the news. Maybe by the time school starts, rumors about you and me will be all over the school."

Kazama Sakura gazed at Tsukino Gen with a smile. Clearly, she wasn't afraid of this situation; in fact, one could say she was somewhat looking forward to it.

Gen Tsukino shook his head. "This isn't a rumor, so what's there to be afraid of?"

"But... Asagiri-san will find out too."

She held the boy's hand as they walked, swaying it with each step, like two elementary school students walking home from school, displaying an intimate and childish behavior.

Gen Tsukino let the other person shake his hand, looking at the sunlight and the road ahead that were gradually becoming less dazzling.

"It's like you didn't know before. This isn't an anime. You can't tell about our relationship without seeing concrete evidence."

That's a very insightful statement, but...
Kazama Sakura looked at the boy strangely, and Tsukino Gen, sensing her gaze, turned to look at her as well.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No, I was just looking to see if the words 'scumbag' were written all over your face. Your words make it impossible for me to find a reason to excuse you."

That's right.

Some things, though seemingly predictable, are not surprising.

For example, there's the complicated relationship between him, himself, and that woman, but he can't really let go of it. He can only make up some reasons that he can barely believe to justify himself, and maybe that will make him feel a little better.

But isn't this bastard being far too blatant?

How am I supposed to find a reason for this?

Gen Tsukino smiled and said, "Because there's no way to pretend, this is just who I am. So there's still time to think things through, and it's not too late to regret it, so there's no question of blaming anyone."

Kazama Sakura, of course, knew what Tsukino Gen meant by regret.

The reason we went on a date today is because of this.

His calm expression seemed to be stating an undisputed fact: she, a young woman in the prime of her life, was an outstanding girl in every way. Perhaps she should consider more.

For example, the future, whether it's worth it, and whether it's really necessary to lower one's self-esteem to this extent.

It seems that no matter what story it's placed in, it would have a touch of sadness.

But he probably didn't know that she had already thought these questions through very clearly, and even if no one else understood, she had already convinced herself. More than these embarrassing moments, she cared about whether she had given it her all.

Did I give it my all?

This is not a repayment for my own experience, but a heartfelt gesture.
Facing the setting sun, the girl turned slightly onto the wide road. Her long, ink-black hair rippled gently, like lotus leaves on a lake.

"Has Ah-Xian ever done anything he regrets?"

she asked with a smile.

That smile is beautiful, and the sunset light against the backdrop makes it even more unparalleled.

It's just that the meaning of that smile is a bit hard to understand.

Gen Tsukino simply answered the question, "I might have done it, but I have an ostrich mentality. I convince myself that regretting certain outcomes might not have been better, so I gradually forget about them. I don't dwell on those experiences that I might regret."

"So," the girl's voice was soft, as light as a swing, "isn't it normal for things to happen that you might regret? Besides, why assume I'll definitely regret it?"

Her gait seemed to express her feelings.

It resembled a joyful dance, as if the dancer was completely free.

She wasn't bound by anything, so she had to make certain decisions.

She did it simply because she wanted something.

"Because it's you, I won't regret it."

"And I will work hard so you won't regret it."

Gen Tsukino couldn't help but laugh, but his eyes softened, unlike his usual indifferent or bland gaze.

"What do I have to regret? It's not like the guy gets the advantage in this kind of thing. In fact, as long as the person is right, you can accept anyone, even if they're a little low-class."

"You're not that kind of person."

The girl spoke with absolute certainty.

"What if I'm a particularly cunning conman if I just believe him?"

"Then please lie to me for a little longer, a little less than forever, but a little longer than a moment."

What can be less than forever, yet longer than a moment?

Gen Tsukino looked up and sighed, "This might be a bit difficult. Lying is for fun, right? It's no fun if it's like a job."

"Pfft, you're not happy with what I said?"

The girl jumped for joy.

The boy didn't stop her; instead, he seemed to be led by the rhythm, and his steps were forced to flutter.

“It’s not that I’m unhappy, it’s just that in the face of your brilliance, I feel like a rat in the sewer, unable to see the light.”

"It's okay, it'll be dark soon anyway."

"Is this how you comfort people? Unbelievable."

"Okay, I'll give you a kiss~ Ouch, don't dodge!"

The tower, bathed in the setting sun, casts its towering shadow.

The streetlights, gradually brightening as the light dimmed, watched over one pair of pedestrians after another.

Even without a direction, we are still moving forward.

……

(End of this chapter)