I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 85 Rin Asagiri: There Will Be a Next Time?
As the car started, Morita Kaoru, driving in silence, found it difficult to control her gaze. She couldn't help but steal glances at the rearview mirror, for no other reason than to see how this young lady, whom she was becoming more and more familiar with, would behave in front of this young man.

In her eyes, her young mistress was indeed a special girl. And not just in terms of appearance.

However, the handsome young man I had only known for a short time seemed even more special. It could be said that everything changed and became incomprehensible after meeting him, including now.

What were these two trying to talk about? It was an atmosphere she completely didn't understand.

Sitting in the back seat, the seemingly obedient Tsukino Gen could see Asagiri Rin's cold, deep-sea-like profile through the car window.

Is Rin Asagiri a madwoman? At least not now; she doesn't show any obvious signs of madness. However, she's certainly quite bold and lacks the moral constraints and basic boundaries of order that most ordinary people would have.

Or rather, for girls of this status, all standards are tailored to themselves; most universal rules are meaningless when it comes to them.

So if she was really determined to do something to herself, who was an orphan, such as paralyzing her with a stun gun, then handcuffing her, and finally imprisoning her in some dark room, it doesn't seem like such a difficult thing to understand.

Well, thankfully she doesn't actually have one.

As the car gradually left the bustling city area, Tsukino Gen turned his head and looked at the silent girl.

Where are we going?

"Shut up."

However, it was clear that Asagiri Rin didn't want to communicate much with Tsukino Gen at this moment. Perhaps it was because of Morita Kaoru, or perhaps it was because she felt it wasn't the right time to 'draw her sword' yet.

After all, Chinese people always have a strange sense of ritual. They pay attention to the occasion for everything, and key lines and exciting parts should be placed in wonderful and memorable places.

"I can't tell you where I'm going. Can I call the police?"

Gen Tsukino said as if talking to himself, "Mainly because there's nothing much going on right now, and this girl doesn't seem easy to tease today. It seems like everything indicates that this is not an easy night to get through."

Asagiri Rin completely ignored what the other person said until night seemed to have completely fallen.

When the car stopped, we had arrived at a hillside far from the bustling city center, where we could see the bay directly.

This place seems special; Tsukino Gen has never been here before. Just by looking at the greenery and road facilities around here, it's clear that this place is distinctly separated from ordinary people.

The restaurant, resembling a pavilion or courtyard, is nestled halfway up the mountain, adorned with lanterns, featuring stilted eaves and a long wooden corridor.

The restaurant, with its antique charm, seemed to stand in stark contrast to worldly extravagance, as if it existed in another era. Even the waitresses standing outside were dressed in light blue kimonos.

"Is this some kind of opportunity to broaden my horizons?"

Tsukino Gendo asked.

After stopping the car, Asagiri Rin simply said coldly, "Get out of the car."

After saying that, she didn't wait for Morita Kaoru to open the door, but instead opened it herself and got out. The hem of her pleated skirt fluttered slightly with her movements, and although she was still wearing her school uniform, her demeanor made her seem perfectly suited to any occasion.

Tsukino Gen also got off the car.

Night fell in the distance, swallowing the colors left by the fiery sunset, and the sound of the sea crashing against the shore rocks drifted on from afar, like distant drumbeats.

Asagiri Rin, who was walking ahead, led Tsukino Gen directly into the distinctive restaurant. The waiters were quite polite and cautious, and almost always greeted the guests with a 90-degree bow.

No one seemed to be wandering around the corridor, and Asagiri Rin simply gave the receptionist a six-digit number.

That's definitely not a phone number, probably a membership number or something? I don't know, anyway, I'm here to eat for free, they can't possibly rush me out to talk and then expect me to pay the bill, right?

You can question the girl's intelligence, mental state, and the degree of her personality distortion, but don't question her financial resources.

It wasn't until Asagiri Rin led Tsukino Gen to a separate room that this continued.

A wooden sliding door resembling a screen, a low long table resembling a coffee table, and tatami mats.

The room was filled with a faint fragrance of incense, and the waiter politely and respectfully knelt down to pour tea for the two of them.

"Miss, shall we serve the dishes according to your pre-ordered menu?"

The waitress had a gentle smile and a soft voice, giving the impression that even if you shouted, it wouldn't be too noisy.

"Ah."

"Alright, then I won't bother you any longer. Please ring the bell if you need anything."

Morita Kaoru didn't follow them in, and the waiter also left the room. Although the entire restaurant seemed to be made of wood, the soundproofing was surprisingly good. At least Tsukino Gen couldn't hear any noise from the other private rooms unless he deliberately heightened his senses.

In other words, this seems to be a fairly suitable place for conversation.

Gen Tsukino sat cross-legged opposite the girl. He wasn't in a hurry. He slowly picked up his tea and took a small sip. It was green tea.

The girl maintained her cold expression. Instead of looking at her phone or waiting for the food to be served, she stared intently at the handsome young man in front of her, who seemed completely unashamed and unafraid.

Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer and spoke up.

"You used to be so talkative, but now you're not?"

Gen Tsukino looked up and put down his teacup, looking troubled. "Sigh, I'm human too. I get upset when my words don't get a response."

Pooh.

Will you still be sad?
Asagiri Rin couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

"A response? What kind of response do you want?"

"It's nothing. Didn't you keep looking for me? You must have something to say, right?"

Gen Tsukino's expression was undeniably innocent, but in the girl's eyes, it was simply a case of feigning ignorance when he actually knew the truth.

She slightly raised her chin, as if to demonstrate what it means to look down on someone. Lacking height, she compensated with her posture, standing in her habitually superior position, letting the situation tilt in her favor—her most familiar comfort zone.

"Don't you know why I'm looking for you?"

“If you’re short on time, I think it’s better to just say what you mean. This isn’t a movie shoot, there’s no need to use lines that sound like you’re reciting a script.”

The boy was meticulous and even had a tendency to talk back. This annoyed Asagiri Rin.

"What's your attitude?"

She frowned.

Gen Tsukino couldn't help but laugh.

"Just a normal conversational attitude. Our relationship isn't that great; we're at most members of the same club. What kind of attitude do you expect from me?"

The boy's question made the girl feel like she had a fishbone stuck in her throat.

That's right, it's that simple a relationship; it seems like adding any more steps would be forced.

The most crucial point is that this was all his own doing. No, he clearly committed the foul first!
Just as Asagiri Rin clenched her fist, preparing to get straight to the point, there was a knock on the door.

"Excuse me, is it convenient to serve the food now?"

".Come in."

The held-up breath was transformed into a deep breath.

His attempt to cast a spell was abruptly interrupted, but Tsukino Gen seemed oblivious, focusing instead on the dazzling array of dishes on the table. Various small and delicate sushi pieces, along with sashimi that looked incredibly fresh, and beef cooked to about medium-rare, served in a rich and flavorful broth.

It looks like a lot, and the styles are quite diverse. But the amount of food... without exaggeration, Tsukino Gen feels he could clear the table in twenty minutes. Well, not counting the girl in front of him.

Looking at the table, Tsukino Gen didn't rush to pick up his chopsticks. After the waiter left, he smiled and said, "Didn't we order any wine this time?"

When the word "sake" was mentioned, Asagiri Rin's eyes turned cold.

"How dare you say that?"

"What's there to be embarrassed about? It wasn't me who dragged you along for drinks last time."

"Is this why you're so fearless now?"

The girl's tone was unfriendly, but Tsukino Gen had already started eating. The foie gras sushi was quite good. Although Tsukino Gen wouldn't choose to eat Western food or sushi if given a choice, he had to admit that the melt-in-your-mouth texture and the rich, lingering aftertaste were indeed high-class.

"Reckless? Did I act arrogantly?"

"If it were anyone else, you would already be in the bay."

Asagiri Rin said coldly.

Gen Tsukino nodded, then smiled brightly, "It seems I really am a special person to you."

"."

The girl almost broke the chopsticks she had just picked up.

Special? It is indeed very special.

The kind of person you really want to kill. How can someone be so despicable?
"Stop rambling on and on. My patience isn't as good as you think."

The girl's tone grew even colder, and she no longer cared about eating.

But faced with her change in attitude, the boy's expression became even calmer, and his gaze towards the girl even held an indescribable sympathy.

"Haven't you realized it yet?"

"what?"

“My current attitude is that I will answer whatever you say. But you have never made it clear. In other words, you are the one who is running away, struggling, and trying to retreat. The problem is not with me.”

"."

Watching Tsukino Gen continue to look down, picking up a piece of beef and eating it in a very unrefined way, but which looked exceptionally delicious.

As if a stone had sunk to the bottom of a lake, the girl's inner anxiety gradually subsided.

She wouldn't admit to the other person that they were right, but that didn't stop her from realizing that she was still the one being coy and hesitant.

Am I just someone who can only be led by the nose in front of him?

No.

It shouldn't be like this.

She picked up a spoon, ladled half a bowl of soup for herself, and gently lifted it to savor it.

Once she had swallowed the fresh, sweet soup, her expression returned to normal. She calmly raised her head and gracefully gathered her right side of black hair behind her shoulder.

Why did you kiss me that night?

She said it suddenly.

Upon hearing this, the boy looked up, blinked, and said to her, "Don't try to extort money from me just because I was drunk that day."

"Do you think I need to blackmail you? What do you have that I could possibly take from you?"

Having adjusted her mindset, she was no longer easily embarrassed; this was how she should speak. Why should she care about him? And why feign modesty?

It should be like a tank in a blitzkrieg, charging forward and crushing everything in its path.

Gen Tsukino smiled and looked at the other person, "I really drank too much, I don't remember."

Asagiri Rin sneered, "You're the one who helped me into the car, you're perfectly lucid. Not only Morita, but the surveillance footage in the paper airplane can also prove it. You don't dare admit what you did, so you have such a cowardly side too."

The other woman seemed to possess irrefutable evidence, her posture arrogant, her movements steady, as if she had completely entered her familiar territory, even taking the time to savor her food. Indeed, a girl like that is worthy of being my opponent.

Gen Tsukino's eyes showed admiration, and he nodded.

"Looking sober, including seeing you into the car, only shows my gentlemanly conduct and instincts. It doesn't mean I wasn't drunk. Besides, what difference does it make whether you're sure I kissed you or not?"

The next crucial question was then raised.

What is the essence of persisting in this matter? What is the reason for relentlessly pursuing it? Ultimately, what answer do you want to obtain?

It was as if it had suddenly knocked on the door of Asagiri Rin's heart.

She didn't answer immediately. When faced with a tricky question, she had to stay calm first, such as chewing the food in her mouth calmly and swallowing it. The ripples sliding down her beautiful neck were very alluring, like a beautiful serpent sliding and crawling.

Then she raised her beautiful, deep black eyes.

"Leaving aside the consequences of your offense, I'm quite curious about what made you dare to offend me, and then deny it afterwards? Are you unable to face your own conscience?"

"interesting."

Gen Tsukino put down his chopsticks and looked at the other person with a smile.

“I’m a normal person, going through puberty just like you. I drank and my emotions were amplified. Especially since you’re not some girl who’s impossible to touch, even if I did do it, it would be perfectly normal. Even if it happened a second or third time, it would probably be for the same reason, and it doesn’t mean anything.”

the second time?
the third time?
Does it mean nothing?
He didn't finish speaking; instead, he propped his cheek up with his hand, as if presenting his entire face to Asagiri Rin.

His tone was flippant, as if he were provoking someone.

"Or are you asking this because you want me to take responsibility for it?"

The girl remained silent.

She lowered her beautiful right hand and neatly placed the chopsticks on the bowl.

"Shh."

She gracefully pulled out a tissue and wiped her beautiful lips.

I put down the tissue and tidied my neatly cut black hair.

Finally, he stretched out his left hand and waved it directly at the face that was delivered to his door.

"Snapped."

……

It was my fault for spending too much time on supporting characters; it wasn't that I intended to write them randomly, but they would definitely be used later. However, it did create a negative impression on readers, and I definitely won't write like that again. I'm truly sorry.
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(End of this chapter)