I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 214 Heaven and Hell

Does oden have magical powers?

Actually, when it comes to food, Kazama Sakura doesn't think it's particularly delicious.

I can only say that eating it occasionally every now and then is quite nice.

But the boy's words reminded her of what happened to Yamazaki Jihei; it seemed that he had said something similar to her back then.

So the clever girl quickly figured something out.

Sitting at the familiar stall, looking at the nonchalant young man, she thought for a moment and said.

"Did you do something?"

Gen Tsukino blinked. "Does it count if I run over here to see you?"

"You know that's not what I meant. Um, you know about Aunt's matter?"

"How would I know if I've never even met your aunt?"

I should say I've never seen the other person's aunt in her normal state; I only saw her with a bruised and swollen face.

Kazama Sakura looked at the boy suspiciously.

"Then what you just said?"

"Don't think too much. Just know that you don't have to bear everything alone, unless you have your period, then I really can only tell you to drink more hot water."

"Pfft. How can you describe it like that?"

“You know, metaphors for genius are always rather abstract. And that’s exactly the kind of unconventional person I am.”

"Ha ha ha ha."

Sakura Kazama was laughing so hard her stomach almost hurt.

I don't know why, but this boy's narcissism is the least annoying kind. It always makes you happy and doesn't make you feel disgusted at all.

Well, the modeling was way too over-the-top.

Sakura Kazama is a sucker for good looks, and she never boasts about how noble she is about it. She only started to like someone because of their face, not because of any interesting soul.

Of course, it was also because of many things that happened later that this relationship became as steadfast as it is now.

Gen Tsukino served the other person a bowl, and then brought them chopsticks.

"Okay, eat something first. You've lost weight lately."

"Hmm? Have I lost weight recently?"

The girl asked with some delight, for no girl could possibly be unhappy upon hearing that word.

"It's probably because you've grown taller recently, so you look a lot thinner. But one thing is for sure, you definitely haven't been eating properly."

Sakura Kazama stuck out her tongue a little guiltily, but she was actually very happy inside.

The boy was fully aware of his own changes, and it seemed that he could notice any slight change, which was undoubtedly a very satisfying emotional value.

"I've grown a little taller. I've been eating well, and I'm eating very healthily. Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, broccoli..."

"You're a long-term vegetarian, right? Aren't you afraid of having low blood sugar one day?"

"Hehe, it's really easy to gain weight from eating meat."

"If I don't eat with you, will you even eat a few bites of meat?"

"To be honest, that's true."

The girl looked at Tsukino Gen with a pitiful expression.

There was no way around it; despite the boy's favoritism, she couldn't really indulge in excessive eating and let her figure go awry from the binge. It's not that one shouldn't gamble with their nature.

Instead, she wanted to appear perfect in front of this boy every time, whether he was alone, in front of his friends, or even with his female friends.

She had to be perfect, to be the one who could be presented to the world.

Are you implying that I should spend more time eating out with you?

"Really? Hehe."

"Eat quickly, and maybe good news will come after you finish eating."

"Huh? What?"

The girl, puzzled, began to eat, but Tsukino Gen seemed intent on keeping her in suspense and leisurely began to eat as well.

While they were eating, Kazama Sakura's phone suddenly rang.

She hesitated for a moment, then looked at Tsukino Gen, "It's my mother's phone call."

"Sure, answer it. You've been out for so long, I should have called you."

"Ah."

The girl didn't go anywhere else to answer the phone; she just answered it right in front of the boy, as if there was nothing she couldn't say to him.

"Hello, Mom, I'm outside. Yeah, it's Tsukino Gen. See you later."

"Eh?"

"What did you say? An apology? They apologized?"

"About the house."

"That's good, then I can rest assured."

When are you coming back?

The girl smiled, but when she turned her head to look at Tsukino Gen, her face turned bright red. This time, she turned her face slightly to the side, covered her phone, and lowered her voice.

After saying something, he quickly hung up the phone.

Tsukino Gen didn't seem to mind, smiling as he looked at her, "What's wrong? Good news?"

The girl didn't say anything, but moved closer and then hugged Tsukino Gen's arm.

Then she looked up and stared at the boy, "Did you do this?"

Gen Tsukino blinked. "What's wrong? You're acting strange tonight."

"You're the strange one. I was wondering why you suddenly said you wanted to come over, and why you said you could tell I was unhappy. So you already knew what happened, didn't you?"

It would be impolite to deny it at this point, so Tsukino Gen smiled and said, "It's alright. Actually, I didn't know it myself. A friend of mine saw it and told me. I just asked them for a favor."

Kazama Sakura knew that things were definitely not as simple and easy as he made them out to be; he was just using a more relaxed approach.

"Why do you always know these things?"

Sakura Kazama lingered in the boy's embrace, wanting to curl up inside him, holding on tightly. It was as if she was afraid he would disappear if she let go.

Gen shrugged. "I don't know either. Maybe it's just that we're so destined to be together. I always seem to know when you're in trouble. Maybe it's a sign from fate." "Then we really are destined to be together."

Kazama Sakura blinked and said.

Tsukino Gen looked at the other person with amusement, "Feeling relieved now?"

The girl's eyes were like bright pearls; she didn't know how to describe her feelings. It seemed that nothing that had happened to her could be described as unbelievable, especially given the existence of this boy.

It is a miracle among miracles.

What exactly needs to be done to preserve such beauty?

"Now that you're by my side, I feel guilty."

Why should you feel guilty?

"Because I feel I'm not good enough for someone as wonderful as you."

She said it from the bottom of her heart.

I didn't drink alcohol; it was purely an emotional outburst. The price of this感动 (gǎndòng, feeling moved/touched) was that I felt unworthy of such a great gift, and that no matter how hard I tried, I would feel guilty and ashamed.

Gen Tsukino understood this principle, of course. He withdrew his hand and gently stroked the hair on the other person's head.

"There's no such thing as being a good match or not; matters of the heart are never about whether someone is a good match or not."

"What's the problem?"

"Do you like each other?"

Look into the boy's eyes.

She whispered, "I love you so much, I love you more every day than I did yesterday."

Gen Tsukino took a deep breath. "Kazama-kun, saying something like that at a time like this, do you not want to go home?"

She saw the desire she longed for in the boy's eyes.

That look in their eyes is more real than any verbal promise or vow.

So she gently leaned close to Tsukino Gen's ear and whispered, "Mom just asked me when I'm coming home, and I said I'm not coming home tonight."

"Ok?"

Gen Tsukino looked at the other person with slight surprise. Of course, he understood what those words meant, and his surprise was genuine.

How does this girl know so much now?

Not only is her figure evolving, but her charm also seems to be improving.

Did I lead her astray?
A pure white flower was transformed into a beautiful rose. People were amazed by the rose's charm when it bloomed, but no one cared how many white flowers in the mountains would wither and fall after a heavy rain.

Perhaps this is the meaning of my meeting her.

The girl's cheeks were rosy, and her eyes were alluring and dreamy, even though she hadn't been drinking. Yet, she seemed to have the hazy, flushed look of someone who was drunk.

"So, could you let me stay tonight?"

What else is there to say?

Gen Tsukino finished all the oden in a few bites, then took out his phone.

"Boss, pay the bill!"

Kazama Sakura couldn't help but laugh at Tsukino Gen's anxious expression.

"What are you laughing at?"

You seem to be in a hurry.

"Really? I just ate a bit too much, my stomach is a little bloated, I'm a bit sleepy, and I'm feeling a bit unwell, so I want to find a place to rest as soon as possible."

The girl still held the boy's hand, not minding at all that her increasingly well-developed chest was pressing against his arm. They were already in an intimate relationship, and these sweet moments were commonplace.

"I've heard that people tend to talk a lot when they're lying."

"Really? I've always talked a lot of nonsense because I'm emotionally unstable and have personality flaws. Sometimes I need to confide in someone, and sometimes I prefer to remain silent in a crowd."

When was the new persona created?

"You're asking so many questions, you sound like you're drunk?"

"Ha ha ha ha."

Laughing on the street, we didn't walk too far before finding the nearest nicely decorated hotel.

Of course, Tsukino Gen wasn't like those impatient young people who couldn't wait to book a room by the hour every day. He first checked the room to make sure there were no hidden cameras before sitting down on the sofa.

Sakura Kazama was a little nervous when she came in, after all, she didn't have that much experience. Her flirtatious words just now were just empty talk.

"By the way, you told your mom you weren't going home, and she actually agreed?"

Gen Tsukino was still somewhat curious.

Sakura Kazama nodded, her face slightly flushed. "Yeah, it's probably because I told her beforehand that I was with you. So this time she didn't ask me what I was going to do. She just wanted me to..."

"What do you want from me?"

The girl glared at Tsukino Gen with a hint of shy anger, "You want me to be careful with safety measures!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

"You know perfectly well, why did you ask? You're so mean!!"

The girl rushed up and punched the boy in the chest.

Instead of letting her do as usual, Tsukino Gen grasped her wrist and looked into her bright eyes.

"If one day you discover that I am not the Tsukino Gen you imagined, but actually a very bad person, perhaps not even the kind of bad person in the ordinary sense, what would you do?"

Kazama Sakura resolutely broke free from his hand, instead cupping the boy's cheeks and kissing him forcefully.

The world is spinning.

The whole world seems to be turning upside down.

He heard a girl's soft, murmuring voice.

"It doesn't matter, wherever you are is my paradise. So even if what follows is hell, I'll go with you."

The whole world turned off its lights.

Then it sank.

……

(End of this chapter)