I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 27 What are you looking for?
Escaping is exciting.

The escape, which resembled an elopement, was even more interesting under the watchful eyes of the public.

Sakura Kazama, supporting Gen Tsukino's arm, led him out of the private room and into the still bright sunlight.

She felt a secret, smug satisfaction.

He must have been seen helping Tsukino Gen out, right? Now, no other clueless girls should be able to get close to him, right?
And he didn't say anything. I helped him out, and he seemed to enjoy it. Doesn't this itself imply something?
She glanced at him furtively, just as Tsukino Gen was looking over.

"Aren't you going to let go? I'm not an old man, why should I keep supporting you?"

The girl blushed and let go of his hand. The sun shone on the two of them, but it seemed to be no match for the scent she had smelled when she was close to him.

Sunlight itself has no smell, but it takes on a concrete form when it shines on him.

"Weren't you drunk?"

Her voice still had a hint of grievance in it.

Tsukino Gen couldn't help but laugh. "Do I look like I'm drunk? It was just an excuse to leave. I don't believe you didn't see through it."

Kazama Sakura could obviously see through it, but she didn't expose it because she had her own ulterior motives.

"You drank so much just now, are you really okay?"

"What's wrong with beer? I'm not like you, who starts acting crazy after just a little bit of drinking."

"I wasn't acting drunk!"

Kazama Sakura pouted angrily, her cheeks flushed.

I mainly thought about my exaggerated behavior that night. It seemed like I had a little to drink and started acting crazy, saying things I wouldn't have dared to say before, even begging for shelter like a pitiful stray dog.
Even now, thinking about it makes me want to find a pillow, bury my face in it, and roll around like crazy.

"Fine, fine, if you say you don't have it, then you don't."

The boy stood by the roadside, letting the summer wind whip his short hair wildly.

Kazama Sakura glanced at the distance between them, then moved her feet slightly closer, a little bit closer still.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he asked, "Are you going home now?"

The boy glanced at her. "Do you really want me to go back? Then I'll go back."

"I didn't say that!"

"Then what do you mean?"

The smiling boy looked at her, his mischievous eyes clearly revealing his malicious intentions.

She knew perfectly well that she didn't want him to go home, and she knew perfectly well that she wanted to spend more time with him. But she still asked on purpose.

But I still fall for it.

Despite possessing the shyness and reserve typical of girls, she couldn't help but fall for it, pushing her limits time and time again.

Her eyes were misty and blurry, not from crying, just from being confused.

Her pink lips parted slightly, as if the sunlight could shine on the glistening threads within them.

"I want to walk around some more, with you."

"Okay. Let's go then."

The boy answered easily, as if he had expected the answer long ago. And rightly so, his answers were always obvious. So how did he manage to always pretend not to see it and play dumb?

Thinking about this makes me even angrier.

This bustling commercial street is filled with a dazzling array of goods.

It has everything: video games, figurines, cafes, and bars. Although it's not as decadent as the Blue Pond area.

However, there were quite a few people on the road. In this hot weather, countless men and women walked through the streets and alleys, traveling in groups.

Kazama Sakura and Tsukino Gen seem to have become one of them as well.

"Want some milk tea?"

There were quite a few people in front of the bubble tea shop. Kazama Sakura looked over there, and in front of Tsukino Gen, she always couldn't help but want to tiptoe and jump around. It was as if she had become an elementary school student.

"If you want to drink it, just buy it. But do you really want to drink milk tea on such a hot day?"

"Of course it's with ice! How old-fashioned are you?"

The girl said with a smile.

Gen Tsukino shrugged helplessly. "Well, I'm really sorry, I'm not exactly a fashionable person. Are you already starting to look down on me?"

"Yes, yes, it's easy for girls to dislike guys, especially a pretty girl like me."

She proudly tilted her head back, her bright features and sparkling eyes making her look so tempting that you'd want to take a bite.

"You always say I'm narcissistic, but I think you're just as narcissistic."

"I learned it all from you, hehe~"

"Okay, let's go buy milk tea."

The girl bought two cups of milk tea. It was quite hot outside, and there didn't seem to be a suitable place to sit and rest.

So when she saw a movie theater, Sakura Kazama suddenly had a brilliant idea.

"Want to go see a movie?"

"Now?"

"Hmm."

The girl holding the matcha-flavored milk tea nodded repeatedly. "Although I didn't buy tickets in advance and don't know what movies are showing, it should be fine to just sit there, right? Or are you busy and have something to do later?"

As he spoke, his eyes began to look suspicious, as if he were scrutinizing the boy's expression.

A cute attempt.

Gen Tsukino took a sip of his grape-flavored milk tea and said, "Alright, stop testing me. I'm free all day. If you don't want to go home, I can stay with you overnight."

"Who wants to stay overnight!"

Kazama Sakura blushed and argued softly.

"Oh, that's no fun."

"What lewd things are you thinking! Are you going or not?"

The girl blinked her eyes, her rosy cheeks gazing at Tsukino Gen.

Gen Tsukino nodded. "Go, go, do as you say."

"Good~"

Satisfied, Kazama Sakura brought Tsukino Gen to the movie theater. There seemed to be even more people there, countless men and women, all in close relationships.

This scene made the girl standing next to the boy feel as if she had become that kind of relationship with him.

Don't ask why I feel like I'm stealing; sometimes when you're out and about, you have to rely on your imagination to figure out who you are.

I chose a modern urban romance film that just came out this year. Tsukino Gen isn't really interested in this genre. But young girls love this kind of thing. I even bought popcorn and cola.

It's considered a standard set of equipment.

The middle seats were pretty good; the two of us sat side by side. The theater was almost full, after all, the male and female leads of this movie were the most popular stars right now.

Do you know this female lead?

Kazama Sakura, who was standing next to her, asked in a low voice.

Gen Tsukino shook his head. "I don't know him. Why?"

"You don't know Mochizuki Miki? I love her so much!"

Kazama Sakura, standing next to her, seemed a little excited.

Tsukino Gen asked curiously, "Should I know?"

"Of course! Almost everyone knows her, right? Ads everywhere, she's the spokesperson for countless high-end luxury brands. She's only 26 years old this year, and she's already trending as a sensation across Asia. She's amazing."

As we were talking, the movie started, and the first thing that appeared on the screen was a long close-up shot.

The visuals have a cinematic quality, with well-adjusted filters and color tones.

This woman, with her mature and sophisticated charm, seems to have been born with a world-weary face.

It's as if the camera is staring right into your eyes, peering into your heart.

Especially the beauty mark under her left eye, which seems to make people remember her appearance at first glance.

It certainly has unique advantages.

"She's very beautiful, isn't she? And she has such a great presence. I've heard she's quite famous in the lesbian community, practically a top-tier goddess."

"A lesbian community? You have that kind of fetish."

With just one glance, Tsukino Gen seemed to have missed the point.

The girl blushed slightly. "What kind of fetish is it? I just happen to know it."

"You always know these useless things, no wonder your grades are so bad."

"Why do you have to say these things when we're out having fun? It's so annoying."

"Does this mean I won't tutor you anymore?"

This was something I had promised this girl a long time ago, but it seems we haven't had a chance to start yet.

For Kazama Sakura, tutoring grades didn't seem to be that important, but this was a perfectly legitimate opportunity to spend more time alone with him.

So she immediately pouted, "No~ you promised me."

"You really do want everything."

"Of course, I'm greedy too."

She nodded slightly, secretly pleased; she was indeed very greedy.

For example, at this moment, she really wanted to turn her head and lean on the boy's shoulder.

She wanted him to put his arm around her shoulder, just like the men and women around her.

Wouldn't watching a movie this way make it more immersive?

But Tsukino Gen, who is usually so unruly, is now behaving like a proper gentleman, leaning back in his chair, drinking milk tea and watching a movie.

It seems like this is the only way to justify the movie ticket she bought. Movie tickets are really not important, you idiot!
Feeling somewhat conflicted and even a little itchy, Kazama Sakura barely paid attention to the movie.

She felt her heart beating faster and faster, as if she was becoming increasingly unable to suppress the restless desire within her.

Until she finally caught the moment when Tsukino Gen reached for the popcorn, she held her breath, stared at the screen without moving, and reached out purely by feeling!
As her hand reached inside.

They weren't looking for popcorn, but...
Eh?
strange?
Why isn't that familiar warm touch there?

This popcorn bucket isn't very big!
Where's the hand?

That's a huge hand!
until.

What are you looking for in the popcorn?

The boy's mischievous laughter reached her ears, and Kazama Sakura subconsciously turned her head to see him looking at her with amusement.

The hand he had been desperately searching for was now on the edge of the popcorn bucket, seemingly waiting quietly, like a trap set by a skilled hunter.

The girl blushed instantly and couldn't help but pull her hand back to scratch her neck, as if she suddenly felt itchy all over.

"No, I wasn't looking for anything, just eating popcorn."

"Anyone who didn't know better would think you washed your hands with popcorn. How am I supposed to eat that?"

Hearing Tsukino Gen say that on purpose, the girl, who was holding back her anger, couldn't help but retort angrily, "All you care about is food! I'll just go out and buy it for you."

"Why are you getting so impatient?"

As he spoke, Tsukino Gen reached out his hand.

Sakura Kazama thought the other person wanted popcorn, so she handed over the popcorn bucket.

Unexpectedly, Gen Tsukino took the popcorn bucket and put it down.

Then he took the girl's soft, delicate, and exceptionally tender little hand in his.

"Eh?!"

Kazama Sakura's eyes widened in surprise.

She stared blankly at Tsukino Gen, then at her hand being held.

His gaze shifted back and forth between two locations.

The young man gave her a gentle and peaceful smile, "Since you treated me to a movie, I'll let you touch me for a while. Don't thank me too much."

"As if nobody cares."

The girl turned her head away with a disdainful look.

Gen Tsukino smiled.

"Then let go."

The girl immediately intertwined her fingers with Tsukino Gen's, not caring whether her palms were sweaty.

Is it sticky now?

She can't miss it.

Just as one cannot miss the sound of cicadas in summer, nor the heavy snow in winter, one cannot miss the warmth of his palm.

What's the movie about? It doesn't matter anymore.

They would make a great movie, wouldn't they?
……

(End of this chapter)