Chapter 8 third quarter

"Hey—it's such an incredible thing." After hearing our brief explanation, Misora ​​frowned. "Aren't we deluded?" I just said it in passing, and the two sisters asked in unison: "Have you been confused?" "Think about it, almost at the same time, in different places, saw the same person with your own eyes, there is no more reasonable explanation other than being confused. Because that is Fushimi Inari, didn't we just discuss Has it passed, foxes can confuse people or something." Speaking of which, whether it is the pointed chin or the slender eyes of this boy, for some reason, his appearance always reminds people of a fox.However, as expected, Mei Xing really said: "That's not the case at all."

"As I said just now, the rumor that foxes can confuse people is only because people associate foxes with Tuzhinitian. From a realistic point of view, we have to regard this as groundless nonsense." "I know, I said I knew. Don't be so serious." "The two of you are really in the same boat. How can this kind of thing require such a lot of brains?" Meixing and I looked at each other and asked: "Then what's your opinion, Misora?" "Isn't this obvious," she said dismissively, and put down the phone, which was hanging upside down on the phone rope hanging around her neck. "It seems that he is a middle school student. Because he is at an energetic age, he ran down the hill and ran to the station. As long as he can jump on the tram that just stops at the platform, the distance will take less than 30 minutes at the fastest. .And I haven't checked the time accurately, but because there are many uphills and steps on the way up the mountain, it is very difficult to climb, so it feels like it takes more time than it actually takes."

"You mean, there is a time difference of about 30 minutes between the time we saw this boy and the time you took the photo?" "That's right, that's what happened." "Well—I think that's a stretch." "—Why? Is there anything else that doesn't match the facts?" Misora's expression changed all of a sudden.It may be Mei Xing's total negative expression that angered her.But if I get angry because of saying this, it makes me feel so silly every time I am categorically dismissed with the sentence "totally wrong". "Let me tell you, whether the boy ran down the mountain or turned into a fox, it has nothing to do with us. So what if we know?"

What Misora ​​said left us speechless.Although the two of us were very excited because we encountered a very incredible situation, as far as this matter is concerned, there is really no need for Meixing to explain the truth as in the past. "I managed to find time to travel to Kyoto, and there are still many places I want to go. Discussing such fruitless issues is a waste of time. While we are talking nonsense, the time is getting less and less moment by moment. " After being told by my sister, my sister fell silent.Smelling a hint of danger, I hastily intervened in the conversation.

"Speaking of which, you still want to go to places like temples, right? That kind of place usually closes earlier than I remember." "Really?" The moment Misora ​​faced me, Misora's expression eased back to the original one. "I also want to see Silver Pavilion Temple, Nanchan Temple and so on." "You want to visit Dongshan area." The mountains that tower over the eastern side of the Kyoto Basin and the area at the foot of the mountains are collectively called Higashiyama.In addition to the scenic spots mentioned by Misora, it is also adjacent to many places of interest such as Kiyomizu Temple and Yasaka Shrine. It is one of the must-see areas for sightseeing in Kyoto.

It's half past two.Lately, Ginkakuji was supposed to close at 5pm.I don't remember when Nanchan Temple closed. I haven't rushed to these two places. We came to a wide parking lot, where buses of various routes gathered.We chose a suitable route and went to Silver Pavilion Temple.I was thinking about how to mediate between the two sisters who were at odds, because my sister was so dejected that she seldom spoke, compared to my sister and I who talked more.Could it be because of my existence that the two of them had a quarrel? ——This kind of thought lingered in my mind, making me sweat in the cool of the bus.

After getting off the car, when we walked through the road of worship lined with teahouses, Misora ​​and I chatted very enthusiastically, and Meixing followed behind us a step away.This situation made me feel bad, but I couldn't find the right time to leave my chattering sister.Since she is Meixing’s younger sister, Misora ​​should be the same age as me, or younger than me. Her straightforward personality and conversation reveal a kind of intimacy of "all ages", and it also makes me feel that I am in a relationship with Meixing. A sense of security that I can't feel in the chat... Her way of speaking even makes me accidentally forget the existence of the person behind me.Oops, this is something bad.

"Hey, this is 'Cizhao Temple', right? Isn't this the Silver Pavilion Temple?" When stepping into the Ginkakuji Temple, Misora ​​looked at the number plate hanging on the gate and asked. "Oh, Ginkakuji is a general name, and the official name including the name of the mountain should be Higashiyama Cizhao Temple. This is a temple of the Xiangguoji Temple School of Linji Zong, which was built under the order of Ashikaga Yoshimasa. Later, in order to echo the Golden Pavilion, It is called the Guanyin Temple as the 'Silver Pavilion'." After passing through the towering outer wall of Ginkakuji Temple, we continued to walk in after buying tickets at the ticket office.The first thing that appeared directly in front of me was a sandy land called "Silver Beach" where white sandstone was paved in stripes.The main hall is on the left hand side. Standing in front of the main hall and facing south, you can see the Silver Pavilion behind a sand pile named "Xiangyuetai" shaped like Mount Fuji.Although it is a silver pavilion, it is not pasted with silver foil. Facing this quiet and natural scenery, I suddenly felt an indescribable sense of loneliness.

"Oh—that's the Silver Pavilion. By the way, Mr. Aoyama is really knowledgeable." Misora ​​approached and looked at me with a smile on her face, almost touching my shoulder.It was probably the smell of laundry detergent, and bursts of fresh aroma accompanied her movements, emitting from the large T-shirt.Unexpectedly, my heart tightened.I scratched my head and said: "It's, it's okay, because I live here." "That's right, no wonder you know such details." "There is no need to understand these things. For example, the correct name of Kinkakuji Temple should be Beishan Luyuan Temple, which was built by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Anyone who has been there should know this."

"Well—I went to the Kinkaku-ji Temple many years ago, but I don't know anything about it." "It's just that you don't remember." "Ah, yes, because I'm stupid and different from my sister." She giggled and fiddled with her mobile phone to take pictures of the Silver Pavilion.I feel that her movements at this time have become a little sloppy compared to when she was in Fushimi Inari Shrine.Many people are like this, only desperately taking pictures at the beginning of the journey, and then give up halfway. Finally, bored, I turned my head behind me.When she met Mei Xing's eyes, she smiled slightly, but immediately returned to her original serious expression.It was a look that looked complicated, boring and lonely.

I feel a little depressed.If I were caught between two women in a dilemma, it would sound like I was popular, which would be nice; but in fact, I came here on my own initiative, which makes people speechless .I wanted to go to Mei Xing's side, but I didn't know how to talk to her. Before hesitating, we had already finished walking around the temple. After going out of the gate, it didn't take long to come to the path of worship that I passed by when I came here.On both sides of the downhill road, there are teahouses and specialty shops lined up next to each other. Misora ​​walked down lightly.There is no way to see how tired she is after climbing the mountain. "Oh, you are so young, you are enviable." I chased after the figure in front, and at the same time pretended to be talking to myself in order to reduce the damage I caused to Mei Xing when I ignored her just now. "Oh, young?" Reluctantly got a response, but Meixing's answer was so vague that it was immediately drowned out by the hearty yelling of the pickle seller.It was not easy for the two of us to talk, but her attitude was stiff and absent-minded. At the intersection of Prayer Road and Lake Biwa Waterway, Misora ​​chose to turn left.She wanted to take the philosophical path, and then go to Nanchan Temple for a stroll.I wanted to tell her that the distance would take about thirty minutes, but I had a premonition that she would not listen to my words and stop. "Uh—I'm sorry just now." I walked to the same place a few steps later than Misora, and when I turned the corner, I apologized to Misora ​​beside me. "Huh? Why do you say that?" She asked with her eyes wide open. "Because I was only focused on chatting with Misora ​​just now, and left you aside..." I couldn't go on talking here, because Meixing covered her mouth with her hands and laughed. "Is it that ridiculous?" "Hahaha, I'm sorry. I'm really a despicable woman for being jealous of my own sister who only came to see me for a day or so." My face was hot and red all of a sudden.It didn't seem to be because of the slanting light of the slowly setting sun.The beads of sweat oozing from his forehead probably have nothing to do with the scorching heat, and they are also different from the cold sweat that just shed on the bus.How I wish I could melt away on the spot like a sticky piece of iron. On both sides of the trickling waterway, the green leaves of the rows of cherry blossom trees are almost suffocating.As we all know, this is one of the few famous cherry blossom viewing spots in Kyoto, and there will be a large number of tourists who come to enjoy the cherry blossoms in spring.Once the philosopher Nishida Kito was immersed in thinking while walking on this road, which is where the elegant name "philosophy trail" comes from. "It seems that I feel too good about myself. I thought that I must be partial to Misora, which made you unhappy." In order to hide my shame, I said in an angry tone.Mei Xing walked past the coffee shop along the way, and her eyes were attracted by the delicious-looking apple pie displayed at the door of the shop. "I'm sorry for worrying you. However, you misunderstood, and you helped me by being with Misora." "how do I say this?" "Because you are talking with her, I can concentrate on thinking." I am very satisfied with this answer.Looking at Misora ​​who is taking pictures of the trees on the other side with the camera in the distance, I smile from the bottom of my heart.Regardless of whether it is beneficial or not, as long as an incredible phenomenon occurs before your eyes, you must find out the truth.This is the woman named Chirma Miho. "You're talking about the fox boy. I thought you'd already done some self-reflection. Who knew you were also an unrepentant person." "If I casually infringe on the area that others want to keep secret and make the person very angry, I should make a deep reflection..." This is probably what she felt after her personal experience, but she did not continue on this topic go on. "However, it is speculated that the whereabouts of the boy who appeared in two places at the same time did not endanger Misora. The reason why she became angry and changed her face was just because she was unhappy because her statement was denied. According to my judgment, no It would be wise to ignore her." "The boy can complete the movement in the time difference between the two appearances. Misora's statement still doesn't work, right?" "We have already got the exact time, and we can be sure that the time when we saw the boy appear was around one o'clock in the afternoon. Assuming that as Misora ​​said, it takes 30 minutes to reach Kyoto Station from the first peak, then if we calculate it backwards, she Just reached the first peak 30 minutes after being separated from us." "That is to say, it took her 30 minutes from the Ousha Shrine to the first peak. That would be difficult, unless she tried her best to climb up." "So," I asked expectantly: "What do you think, Mei Xing? Do you have any clues?" "No... I haven't figured it out yet." Mei Xing tapped her temples with the second knuckles of her fingers. When her brain is working, it is often accompanied by the action of grinding coffee beans with a hand grinder.But so far, I've seen her win a few times against odd events without the aid of a grinder.Although she doesn't have to rely on the help of the grinder, it seems that today's bright mind is not as sharp as usual. Since her sister's debut, Mei Xing's state has been in chaos.At this moment, let her see that I am more useful than a grinder, why not do it?In fact, there is one thing I can't help but want to say. "I thought of a little—" She looked up at me with some excitement, "What did you think of?" "Isn't that boy the same as the fox in Fushimi Inari Shrine?" "I've said it before, it's just legends about foxes deceiving people..." "No, that's not what it means," I held up the index and pinky fingers of both hands, likening them to two foxes. "The teenagers are twins, aren't they just like the foxes on both sides of the entrance of the hall?" Specifically, facing the main hall gate of Fushimi Inari Shrine, the fox on the left holds a key, and the one on the right holds a gem.Without this difference, the two foxes are so similar in appearance that it is difficult to tell them apart. "In other words, the boy we saw at Kyoto Station is the same as the one in Misora's photo?" "Yeah, but because they look so much alike, we think it's the same person. If that's the case, it's understandable that they went to the same high school and went on vacation trips together. Even if we could wear our own clothes It looks different, but unfortunately they are wearing school uniforms." I saw Meixing nodding frequently, which made me more confident than usual. "How? I'm finally right this time, right?" "It just doesn't feel right to me." ... Occasionally, I also want to be like Misora, unscrupulously having an awkward fight with Meixing. "Huh? Why do you say that?" "Mr. Aoyama, do you have any clues as to why the boy was staring at us?" I shook my head.Because of the boy's unique temperament, I have long since neglected to study the meaning contained in his eyes.He did, however, make a point of staring at us from outside the store.It's not surprising if there's no reason, but there must be a reason that seems more natural. "You mean you know why?" "It's just speculation, I think so." She took the phone out of her handbag.Seeing that she deliberately turned the screen down, I guessed what she was trying to say. "You mean the phone case?" "Yes, the boy in the photo is looking at the camera. This is probably a coincidence. Because this kind of thing is very common, when you realize that someone is taking pictures, you will be involuntarily affected and look at the camera." In front of Misora ​​who was making a "V" gesture, the boy was looking at the person taking the photo, and this scene was captured.The person from the small shop who helped to take pictures was holding the phone, which should be the side with the lens—that is, the back of the phone with the iridescent phone case facing the boy. "When we were eating, I put my phone on the table for the convenience of contacting Meixing. Could it be that the boy saw this scene and thought he had seen this phone case before? Maybe he was confirming the owner of this phone case Is it the same person? Because this phone case is very fancy, it is easier to leave an impression on people.” "Well, there's some truth to that... I see, that's why you don't think he's a twin." "Since I have an impression of my mobile phone case, it cannot be another person. Moreover, according to our estimation, Meixing took a commemorative photo first, so after seeing the boy at Kyoto Station, we quickly went to Fushimi Inari This line doesn't make sense either." There is such a possibility.It seems that during the period of silence just now, she was indeed thinking repeatedly.I can infer from the aspect of time, and I can definitely deny this possibility.If the time difference between going up and down the mountain is not taken into account, even if the boy reached the first peak from Kyoto Station in 30 minutes, then the time for Misora ​​to return to Kyoto Station is not enough. The Philosophy Path winds slowly and extends southwards.Misora ​​sometimes runs a few steps, sometimes stops, and occasionally turns around to show us, but she has become a small dot like a feather louse on a landscape painting.On the west side, even the pedestrian street adjacent to the residential area has a foreign name, which makes people feel that the interest in it is constantly emerging like a gratifying summer weed, which is really a bit funny. The carp swimming in the ditch looked very cool. While envious, I wiped the sweat off my eyebrows with the back of my hand. "However, in this way, it seems difficult to figure out the incident this time." "No." Unexpectedly, she answered so firmly, I was a little at a loss. "You figured it out?" "Yes, this puzzle is milled to perfection." Meixing squinted her eyes, staring at the end of the road. She said just now that she hadn't figured it out, but now she has full confidence.So, isn't it because of my reasoning that she figured it out? So, I became greedy, trying to get her to admit that I was more useful than a grinder. "That means, thanks to me..." "It's really a philosophical trail. It used to be called a 'thinking trail', and it's a perfect place to think." I drooped my shoulders dejectedly, at this moment, a voice came from afar: "——Really—, sister, you are too slow!" I also looked forward, and Misora ​​was waving desperately at us.She was standing at the southern end of Philosophy Lane.Turn right at the end of the road, and then go left for a few hundred meters, you can pass through Yongguan Hall into the territory of Nanchan Temple. "It's over—!" Meixing put her hands to her mouth and shouted.The younger sister also shouted back in the same gesture: "If you don't hurry up, there will be no time—!" "Let's go quickly." Saying this, Miho sped up her pace a little, and before she was about to approach Misora, she said something only for me. "I want to take back something I said earlier." "what?" "Maybe I should reflect on what you said." A few hours later, after a successful visit to places like Nanzenji and Kiyomizu Temple, we returned to the "pure" cafe Talleyrand. "Oh—Xiao Meikong, welcome, it's hard work coming from afar." Uncle Mogawa cheerfully greeted Misora ​​who walked in front and opened the gate first.Because of his earnest invitation, Misora ​​is having dinner here tonight.Usually, it is rare to see him working so actively, but tonight the old man put on a neatly pressed apron, pulled himself together, and did all the pre-dinner preparations and other tasks by himself.I can understand his love for the children of his relatives, but this enthusiasm should be used in the usual business. "Long time no see, uncle!" Misora ​​walked straight to the bar and sat down. "What's the matter, you haven't changed at all since we met before. I thought you'd be closer to the kingdom of heaven in the past two or three years." "Hehehe, you girl is still so ignorant. You must be exhausted from running this day, you can treat this place as your own home and relax. Let me use my housekeeping skills to cook you a delicious meal. " Uncle Mogawa scolded Misora, even though he couldn't restrain the smile on his lips, a few minutes later, he brought the Neapolitan pasta that he was proud of.This is probably his tried and tested specialty.I should have thanked him for preparing a copy for us, but Mei Xing and I looked at each other and could not help but smile wryly.Had I known this, I should have skipped pasta for lunch. In the Kansai region, pasta seasoned with tomato sauce, that is, Neapolitan pasta, is sometimes called "Italian (Italian)".For example, if you order "イタリアン" at INODA, a well-known coffee shop in Kyoto, you will get Neapolitan pasta.However, since Uncle Mogawa was not from Kansai—his Kyoto dialect was learned from his deceased wife—the name Spaghetti Neapolitan was used in Talleyrand. Neapolitan pasta should be called Talleyrand's signature dish. If you think that because this dish is seasoned with tomato sauce, it will not make much difference where you eat it. Howe is literally delicious.It may be that the sauce is a little burnt, or a small amount of chili is added to enhance the taste. Sourness, sweetness, and some kind of aroma are mixed together to form a high-end three "flavors".In the adjustment of the heating time, it is necessary to keep the crispy taste of vegetables such as onions, bell peppers, and carrots, and to preserve the original sweetness of the ingredients so that they are perfectly blended with the sauce. mix together.The production of this noodle embodies the unique research and persistence in the tradition. It is really a delicacy that you will never get tired of eating. The four of us sat around a table, talking and enjoying Neapolitan pasta.Uncle Mogawa prepared a can of beer and whiskey and soda for us to have a toast.By the way, I have seen brandy bottles in this store before. The name "pure cafe" originally refers to a single-style cafe that does not serve alcohol. It seems that alcohol is still allowed here, right?But if it's because it's outside business hours, it's a different matter. When Uncle Mogawa was eating, he kept saying "There are desserts" on his lips, but as soon as he drank the wine, his face immediately turned red. After eating, he leaned the back of his head on the back of the chair and fell into a sound sleep .He was the first to suggest drinking, and he didn't seem to be able to drink very much.Instead, the barista heads to the kitchen and slices what I expect to be an apple pie.Misora ​​watched her cut while ordering: "Let's have a cup of hot coffee." Looking at her drinking for granted, it seems that she is not a minor.I remembered that Mei Xing was only four years old when their mother remarried, so Mei Kong should not be more than four years behind the current 24-year-old Mei Xing.I've pretty much figured out the age issue, so I'm not going to ask the ladies. "Meow—" Charles walked over, wrapping around Misora's calf.Animals seem to have a unique intuition that humans do not understand. According to my observations in this store, when Charles faces a customer who likes cats, even if it is the first time we meet, he will approach him without any scruples. Can keep an appropriate distance from people who don't like cats.This time is no exception, Misora ​​belongs to the former.She scooped Charles up in her lap and started stroking his heaped back.Girls dressed in black and white love black and white cats. "What's the arrangement for tomorrow? I'm going to stay here tomorrow, so I can't accompany you." The American star barista asked her sister while loading coffee beans into the bean bin of the hand-operated bean grinder.After a while, a rattling sound echoed in the dark room. "Hmm - I haven't decided where to go tomorrow, let's see how I feel tomorrow, meow -" "Hahaha, there are countless places of interest in Kyoto. Although I live here, there are still many places I haven't visited. You can't finish visiting in two days and one night." "That's not the case." Originally, he planned to say something innocuous, but Mei Xing flatly denied it. "Huh? Is there something wrong with what I just said?" As if the chatting and drinking just now were just a play on the spot, she swept her piercing eyes at her younger sister. "Hey, Misora, what is the purpose of your visit to Kyoto? The main purpose other than sightseeing." "...Why do you ask?" Misora ​​stopped while stroking Charles' hand. "I guess you have other secrets. I don't want to rashly interfere with your privacy, so I originally wanted to keep silent. However, now that I realize that I have been deceived, I think I should also have the right to accept an explanation." Regarding Meixing's sudden attack, I am completely confused about the situation.However, the face of the younger sister who had been silent all this time suddenly lost all color, and it could be seen that she seemed to have remembered something. Silence lasted for several minutes.Finally Mei Xing seemed impatient to wait, sighed and said: "Since you don't speak, I can only ask you to answer. Where did you go and what did you do in the two hours after you separated from us? You deliberately concealed that we arrived in Kyoto early and used these little tricks .” Before my brain could catch up, she revealed the unbelievable truth that shocked me: "The photos of Fushimi Inari Shrine you showed us during the day—all of them were taken yesterday?"