Chapter 114 My friends and I will continue to get better, so please die!
Chapter 114 My friends and I will continue to get better, so please die!
Kyoto belongs to the Osaka metropolitan area, one of the three major metropolitan areas in Japan. The Kyoto that people usually mention refers to Kyoto City under the jurisdiction of Kyoto Prefecture. It had another more well-known name in ancient times - Heian-kyo.
Yes, it is the mobile game "Battle of Onmyoji" that was popular for a while next door, and the SSR that you can get by clicking on it, and the one you get is the Onmyoji of Arakawa.
Japan's administrative divisions are based on the prefecture system, with cities, towns, and villages below it. The prefectures are of the same level, namely, there is 1 metropolitan area, Tokyo, 1 prefecture, Hokkaido, 2 prefectures, Osaka and Kyoto, and 43 counties.
The administrative level of these guys is equivalent to that of the neighboring provinces, but of course the land area is far from comparable to that of those neighboring provinces.
For example, Tokyo is comparable to Shanghai, so don't think of it as a big province.
The administrative levels of the cities, towns, and villages below are similar to the cities, counties, and towns next door, but the actual land area can be viewed at a smaller level.
For example, Kyoto City is equivalent to the neighboring city in terms of administrative level, and its actual area is equivalent to one of the districts of that city.
Kyoto Prefecture = HZ City, Kyoto City = Saiko Ward, that’s all you need to know.
Kitagawa Hide and his group arrived at Kyoto Shinkansen Station just at lunchtime, then took the JR subway line to Kyoto University Station and walked a few hundred meters to the main Yoshida campus.
Considering that the drive lasted more than two hours, and Shizuko Kawaide and Rena Saito had not eaten anything, Kitagawa Hide originally wanted to treat them to an authentic Kyoto meal.
Who would have thought that the big boss Shizuko Kawaide was inexplicably attracted by the aroma of the eel restaurant above Kyoto Station.
Inside the eel restaurant.
"Wow, is this eel rice?!" Shizuko Kawaide took off her sunglasses, her eyes shining, completely losing the image of the cold female boss in the company.
When she arrived in Kyoto, fewer people recognized her, and she no longer had to be as nervous as she was in Tokyo, where even having a meal with a male employee could be photographed by gossip reporters and widely publicized.
And without the protection of the family bodyguards, she can also do things that she wants to do but cannot do.
"I'm ready to eat~" Shizuko Kawaide clapped her hands, picked up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of tender and delicious eel, and stuffed it into her mouth.
Kitagawa Hide really had no interest in eel rice, as he had eaten enough of it in his previous life. He preferred the refreshing side dishes and fried food that came with it, but when he saw the big boss looking so moved that he was in tears, he started to eat with relish as well.
It seems that Shizuko Kawaide has never eaten these common people's meals before, and each experience is unique to her.
This reminded Kitagawa Hide inexplicably of the Yamato Nadeshiko-like chaebol daughters in Japanese dramas. It seemed that even the angle of the upward curve of the corners of their mouths when they smiled was strictly regulated, and they always used that light white plum scent.
I have lived like an exquisite doll since I was a child. I really don’t know whether this kind of life is suffering or enjoyment.
He stuffed a mouthful of eel into his mouth.
Damn, that's sweet!
Kitagawa Hide then remembered that this was in Kyoto and this was Kansai eel rice, which was much sweeter than Kanto eel rice.
The so-called division between Kansai and Kanto is actually a cut made at the three checkpoints of Tokaido Suzuka (Mie Prefecture), Hokuriku Road Fuwa (Fuwa, Gifu Prefecture) and Higashiyama Road Arachi (Fukui Prefecture) on the map of Japan. The area to the lower left is Kansai and the area to the upper right is Kanto.
The more famous places in Kanto are Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, etc., while Kansai is famous for Kyoto, Osaka, Wakayama Prefecture, etc.
When watching Japanese dramas and anime, you can always hear characters speaking with a Kansai accent. They look rustic and are always looked down upon by people in Tokyo. However, there are very few scenes in the dramas where people call themselves Kanto people.
The root cause is the strong regional discrimination in Japan.
Osaka and Kyoto in Kansai are equivalent to Beijing and Tianjin, while Tokyo and Kanagawa in Kanto are similar to Shanghai and Hangzhou. The two sides "sympathize with each other", while other areas in Kanto extremely discriminate against the Kansai region and look down on it from the bottom of their hearts.
Over time, the two sides are now completely different in everything from cultural customs to eating habits, and no one likes the other.
The dispute over eel rice in Kansai and Kanto is similar to the "sweet and salty" dispute between rice dumplings and tofu pudding next door, which is enough to make people on both sides pick up stools and fight each other.
But no matter how badly they fought, Kitagawa Hide just didn't like to eat it.
Because the base flavor of eel rice is still sweet, which cannot be changed, and he really hates sweet food!
In short, the boss was very happy with the meal. After eating and drinking, Kawade Shizuko touched her slightly bulging belly and smiled at Kitagawa Hide with satisfaction, "Thank you, Mr. Kitagawa, for the hospitality!"
"As long as you are satisfied." Kitagawa Hideta's teeth were itching and she responded with a forced smile.
When it was time to pay the bill, the waitress suddenly recognized Kitagawa Hide and screamed, attracting countless people to watch. The store owner immediately waived the bill for the three of them and invited Kitagawa Hide to take a photo together in front of the store, saying that he planned to hang the photo on the wall as a commemoration in the future.
Not only the shop owner and the waitress, but the people who gathered around were also startled, saying "Ahhhhh" while covering their mouths with their hands, and their eyes almost popping out.
Those who didn’t know would think they saw aliens in the eel restaurant.
The Japanese are not good in this regard. They like to express their emotions in an exaggerated way in all matters. Everyone looks like they are trying too hard, as if there is no point in living without an expression.
As more and more book fans came over to ask for autographs and take photos, Kitagawa Hide was a little overwhelmed. In his panic, he was even secretly touched on the butt by a beautiful fan!
Considering the big boss's situation, Kitagawa Hide had to take the two of them and retreat quickly, otherwise he would have to ask the eel rice boss for copyright fees and mental damages!
Not to mention that his butt was touched, once this photo is posted, this store will probably become popular in Kyoto Station! That's a lot of money!
The three of them got on the subway in a mess. After hearing about Kitagawa Hide's embarrassing experience, Kawaide Shizuko laughed so hard that tears almost fell like little pearls. It was obvious that she was very happy today, feeling more relaxed and happy than ever before.
"You, you have to adapt to this identity, Mr. Kitagawa~" After sitting down, Shizuko Kawaide was still smiling, a little out of breath.
Kitagawa Hide quickly unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and handed it to the big boss. This was an important partner for at least the next ten years. Money was easy to talk to, so he had to work hard to coax him.
After serving the big boss, he very gentlemanly opened a bottle for Saito Rena. A man's demeanor must be maintained at all times!
"Thank you, Kitagawa-kun." After taking a big sip of mineral water, Kawaide Shizuko finally calmed down, and then whispered to Kitagawa Hide who was standing beside her.
At this time, there was only a faint and beautiful smile on her face, as if she was slowly turning back into that cold female boss.
The way we address each other changed inexplicably, from Kitagawa-sensei to Kitagawa-kun, which made us more friendly.
Kitagawa Hide smiled and said, "It's just a meal and a bottle of water. President Kawade took such good care of me, this is nothing."
"You know that's not what I'm talking about." Kawade Shizuko blinked at him, then let out a long sigh and leaned back in her seat happily, "I haven't laughed so happily in a long time."
Isn't it just someone touching your butt?
Are people's sense of humor so low nowadays?
Kitagawa Hideo responded without words, turned around to look at Saito Rena, and found that she was also smiling and nodded: "I want to thank you too, Kitagawa, really."
"This?" Kitagawa Hide didn't remember that her sense of humor was so low.
"After meeting you, my life has been getting better step by step, and I smile more. I am really happy today!" Saito Reina took another sip of water, lowered her head and said softly, "Anyway, thank you very much, Kitagawa, let's continue to work hard together in the future!"
Fortunately, it wasn’t because of that incident.
But Kitagawa Hide couldn't figure out how they suddenly got involved in working together from what happened just now. Japanese women are sometimes so delicate that Kitagawa Hide, a straight man, can't really grasp it.
He could only respond with a "hmm".
After a while, Kitagawa Hide felt that it was time for him to say something positive, and was about to speak, but unfortunately the subway arrived at the station and the announcement voice sounded, interrupting the atmosphere.
He had no choice but to stand up and help the two ladies clear the way and squeeze out of the subway first.
It was already 2 p.m. when the three of them walked to the Yoshida Campus of Kyoto University. After school at 4: p.m., a large number of people would flock to the lecture hall of the Faculty of Literature main building to attend the exchange meeting.
Originally this was just an internal exchange meeting between students from Kyoto University and the University of Tokyo, but with the help of Ichiko Sadatsugu, it has become a literary feast, and everyone is looking forward to Mutsuro Takahashi's speech.
Upon learning that Kitagawa Hide and others were coming, Agatsuma Yumeko and Jabami Rei immediately skipped class and secretly waited at the gate.
Seeing Kitagawa Hide, whom she hadn't seen for more than a month, Agatsuma Yumeko pursed her lips, and all her longing turned into a hug. She didn't care that Saito Rena and the others were beside her, and she pounced over and rubbed Kitagawa Hide like a cat.
"I miss you so much, Xiujun~" Mengzi almost offered her sweet lips to Kitagawa Xiu to taste, but she gave up in the end. She felt embarrassed with so many familiar people around.
Kitagawa Hide was intimate with her for a while, then pulled her to the lecture hall with everyone else. On the way, Jabami Rei excitedly talked about the sensation caused by those new haiku. After Takeuchi Osamu handed them to Ichiko Sadatsugu and others, he heard that Takahashi Mutsuro had studied all night and was amazed!
She had heard Ichiko Sadatsugu belittle Kitagawa Hide in Professor Takeuchi Osamu's office with her own ears, and had been angry about it for a long time. This time she had the opportunity to vent her anger, and seeing that the other party was as socially doomed as herself, she was indescribably happy.
As they were chatting, Jabami Rei suddenly realized her own identity and the true identity of Kitagawa Hide, and was embarrassed again.
Her face was slightly red, and she flashed to Mengzi's side and whispered: "Don't, don't misunderstand! I, I'm just curious about their reactions afterwards, not because you can vent your anger..."
Almost no one heard the rest of the sentence. Jabami Rei felt embarrassed. She had prepared herself so many times in her mind, but still couldn't completely match Kitagawa Hidekazu with her idol. She had no choice but to take a step forward and go to the classroom first.
Kitagawa Hide is no longer surprised by her "tsundere and sharp-tongued" personality. It's a good thing that she didn't fly to outer space after that social death, otherwise he would have to help Yumeko consider issues such as oxygen tanks and aviation suits, haha.
Anyway, as long as she doesn't continue to hinder the good things between himself and Mengzi like before, she can say whatever she wants and do whatever she wants.
When the group arrived at the lecture hall, most of the seats inside had been occupied. Kitagawa Hide and a few others sat among the students. He deliberately put on Kawaide Shizuko's sunglasses, and the others sat separately to appear less conspicuous.
Jabami Rei sat next to Kobayashi Tomoyo and Chizuru Hui. These two Kitagawa fans who were the second and third best at Tokyo University thought that the haiku saint of Tokyo University was my wife Yumeko. They even imagined that Yumeko would sign a contract with a big publishing house in the future, and they would have endless snacks to eat!
As time went by, more and more people showed up and there were more familiar faces.
With a pale face, Ichiko Sadatsugu was supported by Ishihara Shintaro as he walked into the lecture hall. Behind him were a group of special guests, all of whom were right-wing scholars and writers.
Even if these people have no grudge against Kitagawa Hide, they have been affected by the popularity of "I Am a Cat" - they basically support the acquittal of the American soldiers who committed the crime and sing a different tune from the Tomiichi Murayama cabinet.
The press conference held by Tomiichi Murayama that day was equivalent to supporting Hide Kitagawa and slapping them in the face.
Naturally, they began to hate this new writer who had just emerged this year.
After the protagonists of the literary exchange meeting all appeared, groups of students also came in one after another, filling the entire classroom.
"There's actually a reporter from the Yomiuri Shimbun." Shizuko Kawaide said in a low voice, somewhat surprised.
Last time I gave a lecture at the University of Tokyo, I was unable to invite reporters from these major newspapers to follow up on the report. I have to say that Ichiko Sadaji and his team really have great connections.
Kitagawa Hide felt even happier.
He hoped that the matter would get bigger and bigger, otherwise it would not be a big enough sensation when he went up there.
"Ahem." Ichiko Sadaji stepped onto the stage, coughed a few times, and began his opening remarks in a weak voice, "Thank you everyone."
Beichuan Xiu yawned. He hated this kind of official jargon the most. He remembered that before the military training in college, everyone had to listen to their leaders fart under the scorching sun. The feeling was similar to now.
About twenty minutes later, Ichiko Sadaji finally finished speaking, and the literary exchange meeting officially entered the topic.
The first part is for outstanding students from both universities to share their long literary reviews, with four people from each side. The sharing session format is a bit like a debate.
The people who came on stage from the University of Tokyo were my wife Yumeko and four others, which surprised Kitagawa Hide a little.
He also heard a lot about Jabami Rei, Kobayashi Tomoyo, and Chizuru Hui when he and Yumeko cooked porridge and talked on the phone every night.
In his impression, Jabami Rei is a venomous woman and a tsundere who has been socially dead, Kobayashi Tomoyo is an avid haiku fan, and Chizuru Hui doesn't seem to be very smart.
Among these three people, in Kitagawa Hide's mind, only Jabami Rei has good academic ability. Unexpectedly, the entire Tokyo University Kitagawa fan group is actually a group of hidden academic masters!
The four of them all chose works by Hideo Kitagawa, which lived up to their group name.
The situation at Kyoto University was very interesting. Two people chose haiku by the haiku master, and two people chose Kitagawa Hide's book.
However, the first two praised haiku, while the last two criticized Kitagawa Hide.
"They seem to be picking on you on purpose, Kitagawa-kun." Shizuko Kawaide frowned as she listened.
In fact, she may be the real Tokyo, or even Japan's most enthusiastic Kitagawa fan.
When she heard that someone was actually criticizing her idol, and they were just a few young kids, Shizuko Kawaide's face suddenly became much gloomier.
"It's understandable. After all, their literature department director is always finding fault with me." Kitagawa Hide was hoping that they would continue to make trouble, and said indifferently.
This debate was full of tension. It was obvious that Yumeko and her classmates were more powerful and academically competent than their opponents. Kyoto University was quickly defeated, but the host shamelessly said it was a draw and brushed it off.
After the students left the stage, Agatsuma Yumeko secretly made a "yeah" gesture to Kitagawa Hide from a distance. Kitagawa Hideya responded by raising his finger, then clasped his hands together to express his gratitude to Jabami Rei.
The latter deliberately turned his head away from him, pretending not to care.
After the appetizers, the first main course finally arrived.
As soon as Mutsuro Takahashi, who was over 70 years old, appeared on the stage, the students suddenly became quieter and looked at the former Showa haiku master with respect.
From this we can see that poetry deserves to be at the top of the literary contempt chain.
Kitagawa Hideya sat up straight and listened to how this heavyweight would brag about himself.
"Thank you all for coming." Takahashi Mutsuro sat down, adjusted the microphone, and spoke in a deep and powerful voice, "As I said before, I came here to introduce a brand new literary genre to you."
"Not long ago, the master of Haiku from the University of Tokyo published three new works. Due to time constraints, we were unable to make them public. Today, we will present them to you for your appreciation."
As Mutsuro Takahashi spoke, he asked a female student to push a large white board over. On it were the three haiku written by Kitagawa Hideaki, as well as the most famous one, "Tanka of the Thunder God"!
(End of this chapter)