Page 91
"Let's go back to the hotel."
"My roommate is going out tonight. Do you want to come to my room?" Yukinoshita Yukino made an invitation with appreciation. The phone in her pocket rang with a message notification. After seeing that it was Natsume, she decisively chose to block him first.
"Eh?"
"I live in a double room, don't worry."
The girl who suffered psychological trauma got rid of the shadow briefly after mutual communication and trust. Natsume Rin, who was blocked, was not in a hurry. Since he told his senior that he would continue to pursue Shiina Mahiru, he would definitely stick to it.
Although the relationship between the two parties will definitely be cold during this period, as long as the communication can be opened, anything is possible.
On the second day of the school trip, the girls who usually surrounded him stayed away from him during breakfast and made eye contact with Yukino from a distance. She shook her head slightly, indicating that now was definitely not a good time.
Natsume Rin could only carry the food tray and find the squad leader and the others to sit down.
"You actually come with us, what a miracle!" The squad leader, who was discussing where to go on the last day, widened his eyes when he saw Natsume Rin sitting in front of him.
"Natsume, why aren't you with Shiina-san?" Totsuka Ayaka asked in confusion.
"Class monitor, let me teach you a little trick." Natsume Rin tore the steamed bun in her hand and soaked it in the fish soup, and answered the question skillfully: "When a girl is talking about a private topic, don't sit next to her like you usually do, otherwise you will be disliked."
"And people like me who know how to leave at the right time will definitely gain more favorability when they return."
"Really?"
"Can what I said be wrong? Otherwise, why do you think so many girls like me? In addition to appearance and inner qualities, small details like these are also the key to pleasing girls."
Seeing the monitor's expression change from skepticism to complete belief, Natsume Rin picked up the fish soup with satisfaction and drank it in big gulps.
There is indeed nothing wrong with what he said, but the prerequisite is that the other party really has a unique feeling for you. Otherwise, no matter what you do, as long as you appear at the wrong time, you will be disliked.
Besides, how could one take the settings in galgames like favorability seriously?
"Natsume-kun."
Kasumigaoka Utaha, who also woke up early, ignored everyone around him and squeezed over with her meal tray, "Go shopping with me later."
"Ah? Why?" Natsume Rin, who was struggling with the fish soup, glanced at her senior with little emotion in her tone.
The two innocent boys next to him were speechless when senior sister Kasumigaoka, who was famous for her iceberg beauty in school, sat over. Especially the class monitor who was always good at talking, he was even planning to run away with his plate in his hand.
If you have this attitude, no matter how effective the fortune-telling at the Landlord Shrine is, you will not be able to find your true soulmate.
"Can you find anyone else besides me? Those two over there must still be in the cold war with you." The senior student lifted her hair and looked at Natsume Rin who was struggling with breakfast with interest.
"If you really don't want to eat, forget it. I'll treat you on the way."
"Even if they don't want to pay attention to me, I'm not without friends." Natsume Rin put down the bowl, looked at the prosperous ecological scene inside, and decided not to torture herself anymore.
The only thing suitable for soaking in fish soup is rice, and his attempt this time was a complete failure.
"Are you talking about those two people? They seem to have run away." The senior student kindly patted the empty seat next to her. The seat that was full just now was now occupied by only the two of them.
Natsume Rin, who was concentrating on opposing the fish soup, realized something was wrong. Looking at the two people sitting at the next table and waving at him, Natsume Rin felt a headache.
Why are you so timid?
Senior Kasumigaoka won’t eat people.
"Humph."
An interjection with obvious anger rang in Natsume's ears. Shiina Mahiru, who had just finished her meal, snorted coldly as she passed by him. After attracting Natsume's attention, she left with her head held high.
Yukino, who walked a little slower, also glared at him, as did the senior.
We already knew last night that this guy had a girlfriend, but he still kept pestering me like this. Senior Kasumigaoka is more complicated than the rumors say.
"Good morning, Minister."
"I'm not good." After responding coldly, Yukino followed Shiina's footsteps and left. But after that, Natsume Rin, who had been blocked, appeared in her chat history again.
"I said our relationship would hit rock bottom. Why don't you accompany me shopping today? I found a lot of good places." Kasumigaoka Utaha used a map to show off the travel destinations she had found.
"Senior, please treat us?" Natsume Rin, whose mood had improved again, looked at her.
The reactions of the director and Shiina-san today made Natsume Rin realize that the other party was indeed very angry, but there was a lot of room for recovery.
Natsume Rin was only afraid that Shiina Mahiru would simply ignore him, which would be true indifference, and childish attempts to attract his attention like this would only make him feel at ease.
"I can still afford snacks. Do you want to go to the Philosopher's Path together? I heard that Kyoto's natural scenery is more attractive than its historical landscape."
Utaha Kasumigaoka looked at her phone and was very curious about how the path a philosopher had walked could become a tourist attraction.
"Then why are you hesitating? Let's go." Natsume Rin waved her hand, and the journey began.
The first goal is the Philosophy Path that the senior student mentioned. It is a small path located between several temples and shrines. It got its name because the philosopher Kitaro Nishida often came here to take a walk and think about the philosophy of life.
Because of the cherry trees planted along the way, the beautiful scenery of the road, and the famous tourist attractions surrounding it, it has become a famous road that outsiders cannot miss.
However, after walking for a long time, they finally set foot on this one of the island's 100 famous roads, and they really couldn't feel the atmosphere of philosophy.
Chapter 143 Geisha Performance
"There is no difference at all." Natsume Rin walked on the road, feeling that she had walked for an hour to come here to play and was completely bored.
If it were closer to the hotel, this kind of scenery and fame would really be worth running over to take a look, but coming here from such a distance is really putting the cart before the horse.
"Quiet." The senior student glanced at him and closed her eyes in a serious manner, as if she could really feel the breath of philosophy.
Natsume Rin was not in a hurry. She just stood there and looked at her, wanting to see how far Kasumigaoka Utaha could pretend.
As expected, how could the senior sister, who usually couldn't calm down, change her personality just because she was standing on the road? She was not someone who could be quiet like Yukino.
Seeing her open her eyes in annoyance, Natsume Rin laughed without hesitation.
"Senior, you don't think about philosophy anymore?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha felt like she had come to a place she had longed to visit, but the experience was not as good as she had imagined. When she opened her eyes, she was laughed at by her favorite junior, and her mood suddenly became bad.
"Philosophy cannot be described in words." She still insisted.
"It's not something you can understand just by standing on an ordinary road. Let's go." Natsume Rin waved her hand, bursting all the bubbles.
There are at least eighty roads like this in Kyoto, if not a hundred. It's really interesting that they became tourist attractions after being associated with celebrities.
After leaving the famous Philosophy Path, the senior student who took the initiative to pull him out couldn't find a suitable place to go for a while. She took a map and wrote and drew on it, thinking that the places she wanted to go might have other defects.
Natsume Rin sat on a bench basking in the sun, holding the matcha ice cream she bought.
People who are not short of money will also like the feeling of being treated. Anyway, if someone offers to pay, Natsume Rin will not refuse.
"We've decided to go here. Let's go."
Having finally made up her mind, Kasumigaoka Utaha pointed to a corner of the map. Natsume Rin leaned her head over, but her eyes went dark when she saw the distance between them.
"Is it necessary to run so far?" Natsume Rin wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Of course it is necessary. According to the travel guide on the Internet, Gion is a place that you must visit."
The impetuous senior student held Natsume Rin's arm. In pursuit of the authenticity of the trip, she ignored the trams that were everywhere on the roadside.
Natsume Rin bit into the ice cream and felt that the money she earned for food today was entirely from physical labor.
……
Gion.
Even in Kyoto, it is a magical place known as 'Old Kyoto'.
There was nothing wrong with the guide that the senior student had found on the Internet. This is indeed a popular check-in spot. Compared to most attractions with modern elements, Gion, which still retains low wooden houses, is indeed more in line with the image of ancient Kyoto in people's minds.
The only problem is that the reason why it is famous is not just because of its simple and quaint decoration.
Natsume Rin was so busy looking at the young ladies in kimonos that could be seen everywhere, and the ancient beauty who was sitting in front of the wooden house and greeting him, that his eyes were not enough.
He felt like he had really traveled back to medieval Kyoto, otherwise why would there be so many geishas?
"Senior, so you like this." Natsume Rin greeted the geisha in red kimono passing by, and when she looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha, her tone was full of respect.
He couldn't even find the good place, and he had to rely on his senior to help him find out.
"...Go to hell, what the hell is this crappy guide for!" Kasumigaoka Utaha went crazy looking at the women on the street.
Of course, this is just a tourist attraction that uses the name of geisha for publicity. Don't be fooled by the fact that there are girls like this on the street. If you follow someone like a pervert, you will be the one who will be in trouble after she calls the police.
The correct approach is to do what Natsume Rin did, find a legitimate geisha shop, and then grab the senior and bring her in.
"Now that we're here, we should at least enjoy the performance." Natsume Rin said with a smile, motioning to the senior to sit down first without being nervous.
He is now very interested in the traditional culture of the island country.
Customers who spend generously are welcome in any store, and soon a mama-san-like figure will come forward to serve them.
Although the lineup of one man and one woman was rare, the knowledgeable service staff had seen all kinds of scenes and could tell at a glance that these were rich young men and women who came here because they were curious about the geishas.
"There should be a ranking internally, right? Is it based on appearance or talent?" Natsume Rin, who came for the first time, was not shy and asked about the topic that interested her.
The mama-san who was obsessed with the boy's beauty smiled charmingly. Although she was not in her prime, her charm as a middle-aged woman might make her more popular with others.
"Young Master, there is of course no such thing as a ranking."
Natsume Rin didn't believe such nonsense and turned to look at her senior.
"Senior, the cost this time should also be charged to you."
"Stop dreaming." Kasumigaoka Utaha, who showed her unfamiliarity from beginning to end, said coldly.
It was shameful enough for her to accompany her junior to such a place, but what would happen if she had to pay?
"What a shame." Natsume Rin sighed and looked at Mama-san again: "Just ask the most expensive geisha in the store to come out. What exactly is this performance?"
The boy's childish words finally put the mama-san's mind at ease. It turned out that he was a child from a wealthy family who came here to experience life.
She lowered her head to his ear, with a charming posture and without any extra movements, and softly explained to Natsume Rin what geisha is now.
In the past, of course, special services had to be provided to dignitaries after the performance, but now that it has become a cultural feature in the scenic area, it is no longer possible to sell one’s body openly like those people in Shinjuku’s red-light district.
So geisha's performance is an art on the surface, but if the customer wants to follow the ancient procedures, the store theoretically does not support it. It depends on the customer's own ability.
Natsume Rin spent a lot of money, and the geisha's efficiency was indeed very fast.
Compared to the superficial kimono girls on the street, the real geishas have thick foundation on their faces and hold a three-string instrument in their arms. After sitting down and bowing to them, they start to sing and play by themselves.
The tone is sad and the rhythm is desolate, giving a sense of the age of mono-awareness.
Natsume Rin touched the senior's arm and whispered, "This is more interesting than you going to the Philosopher's Path and daydreaming."