Chapter 218 New Year in Iwate Prefecture: Visiting a Shrine (15)
"Go and pay your respects, and you can go back after you're done," said Toru Watanabe.
The three of them walked towards the worship hall at the end of the approach.
In the light of stars and bonfires, people who know each other well are wishing each other a happy new year.
The worship hall was on a flight of more than ten steps, and it was crowded with worshippers. The three of them were at the end of the line.
People standing behind them will subconsciously move a few steps away from them.
The two young ladies did not wear gorgeous and expensive kimonos, but their long-established behavioral habits and their appearance, which was more beautiful than anyone else, naturally gave people a sense of distance.
As for Toru Watanabe...
If that handsome face was generous with its smile, even if he wore modern clothes and sat in the front worship hall, there would surely be many women who would think that there was nothing wrong with it.
Every minute or two, the crowd moved up a step.
Several people stand in a row horizontally, throw a five-yen coin, put their hands together and make a wish, then walk away to the next row.
Watanabe Toru watched this repetitive operation and thought in boredom:
Does God really like this?
For example, if the god Qingye, who is dressed in gorgeous clothes, were sitting in the worship hall and listening to people's wishes one after another, he would definitely be impatient, right?
Most likely they will say: "Please work hard on yourself."
If the god himself were more famous, he might be busy with several shrines at the same time, just like a bank clerk accepting commissions.
When you think about it this way, the worship hall is really a bit like a bank service window, like being visited in prison.
Imagining Kiyono Rin being visited in prison, Toru Watanabe couldn't help laughing.
Kujo Miki looked over, frowned and asked him, "What are you laughing at?"
"Listen to me..." Watanabe Toru told the two of them everything he had just thought of, except for the last sentence.
Afterwards, he added:
"So it's best not to make complicated and trivial wishes. Keep it simple and clear. Once the gods are happy, they might agree. For example, give me 10 billion, immortality..."
"Watanabe-san, do you really understand the meaning of concise and clear?" Kiyono Rin interrupted Watanabe Toru who was dreaming.
"Compared to 'I hope my parents are healthy, my children do well in their studies, and I get a promotion and a raise,' isn't 'give me 10 billion' concise enough?" asked Toru Watanabe.
"You are only being concise and clear in your words," said Kujo Miki.
"Oh, contestant Miki has something to say, please go ahead." During the boring time in line, Toru Watanabe turned into the host.
Kujo Miki folded her arms and said, "For God, a simple and clear wish should be 'to have a doll' or 'to go on a trip'."
"I see." Watanabe Toru nodded, and then said to Kiyono Rin, "Kiyono, what do you think?"
"Same as Kujo-san."
"You two really have a tacit understanding, worthy of being married people."
After saying this, Watanabe Toru was stepped on by Kujo Miki.
"I advise you to be careful with your words and actions, Watanabe Toru." Kiyono Rin also stared at him with a gentle smile.
"I am guilty, I repent, I was wrong, I'm sorry." Watanabe Toru raised his hands in surrender, pretending that his feet were in pain .
He said: "I just want to liven up the New Year atmosphere, don't take it seriously. By the way, I want to interview Miss Meiji, how is the New Year like for rich people?"
"What else can I do? Relatives , work friends, and subordinates come to visit one after another to wish you a happy new year." When it comes to this topic, Kujo Miki's face looks a little gloomy.
It seems that the eldest daughter herself doesn't like the New Year celebrations of rich people.
"It's really hard." Toru Watanabe sighed without any sympathy.
"Speaking of New Year's greetings, I remembered something." Miki Kujo smiled.
"Oh? Please go ahead!" Toru Watanabe was still playing the role of host.
Kujo Miki smiled and spread her hands to Watanabe Toru: "Give me the phone."
“…”
"Hurry up." He hooked his open hand.
Watanabe Toru reached for his cell phone and glanced at Kiyono Rin out of the corner of his eye.
Lord Kiyono had no sympathy at all, and even seemed to approve of Kujo Miki's behavior. He was watching with interest the movement of Watanabe Toru slowly taking out his cell phone.
'God! Whatever God! My New Year's wish is: I don't want a childhood friend, I don't want a childhood friend, and I don't want a childhood friend!'
The phone was handed into the snow-white and slender hands of Miki Kujo.
The screen is already filled with New Year's greetings.
Miki Kujo clicked on Line, Kiyono Rin looked over, and Miki Kujo glanced at her.
"You should need my help." Qingye Rin looked at the screen of his mobile phone and said to himself.
Miki Kujo looked at her deeply, said nothing, and clicked on the first message.
Watanabe Toru: “…”
Ladies and gentlemen, when gods and demons stand shoulder to shoulder, and their hair becomes tangled together in the evening breeze, the world... is hell.
"Who is this Gong Yuan?" asked Kujo Miki.
"The principal of the saxophone section of the wind orchestra." replied Rin Kiyono.
"This?" asked Kujo Miki.
"Ikeda Kazumi, a classmate of Watanabe-san." Kiyono Rin answered.
"You even know this?" Kujo Miki said in an unfriendly tone.
"Not only do I know the names of all of Watanabe's classmates, I know yours as well," Kiyono Rin said in a nonchalant tone.
"this?"
"Asuka Mai, principal of the wind section and bass section."
"this?"
“This is a boy.”
"this?"
"Koizumi Aona, Watanabe-san likes his favorite teacher."
"Kiyono-san, could you please not use such ambiguous adjectives? It's just my favorite teacher!"
Miki Kujo glanced at Toru Watanabe and continued to scroll down.
The two young ladies who had no respect for Watanabe Toru's privacy fell silent and looked at him at the same time.
"What, what happened?" Watanabe Toru panicked.
But if I think about it carefully, Asuri Mai is already there, so there seems to be no need to panic.
Miki Kujo tapped the screen with her finger, and a youthful, lively and ambiguous voice sounded.
"Tetsu-kun~ Happy New Year~"
"Tetsu-kun~ Happy New Year~"
Kujo mother! Kiyono mother! What are you doing!
As a mother, can you please keep a little distance from your son-in-law?
"You have a good relationship with them." Miki Kujo said meaningfully.
"..." Watanabe Toru explained, "Because of you guys, the relationship between us is good. My direct relationship with them is really ordinary."
Kujo Miki snorted, "You're on your own," and continued to flip through the pages.
"this?"
"Hayami Kaoru, wind section, principal of oboe and bassoon section, current head of the section."
In the chat that was 'meaningless but not boring at all, and even exciting', it was the turn of the three to pay their respects.
Toru Watanabe put three five-yen coins into the cash box.
'God, I'll give you one more chance, open!'
[New product: Sunny Doll]
[Sunny Doll: Hanging on the eaves, the local weather will be sunny]
I always feel like it's something incredible but completely useless.
[Skills: Beginner - Border Defense Service (100), Master - Child Nutrition and Health Care (1000), Proficient - Dodge (10,000), Master - Sanda (100,000)]
[Players redeem <Mastery Level·Dodge>, deduct 10,000 points]
Watanabe Toru tried <Mind Reading>, <Physical Recovery> and the like, but he failed <Physical Recovery>, and <Mastery Level Mind Reading> was not as powerful as his instinctive ability to read people's expressions.
He is not interested in other professional knowledge.
There are <Self-discipline> and <Extensive knowledge and strong memory>, and you can learn whatever you want by yourself, so I simply chose <Dodge> which allows you to attack or retreat.
The mission of New Year's shrine visit was completed, and the three of them left the shrine and came to the approach road filled with lanterns.
In the night, the light of lanterns illuminates the silhouettes of pedestrians.
"What wish did you make?" Toru Watanabe asked as they walked.
"I don't believe this." Kujo Miki said bluntly.
"Where's Kiyono-san?"
"It's no big deal." Qingye Rin didn't want to say.
"Then let me tell you my New Year's wish. My wish is that everyone in the Human Observation Department can have better relations and work together..."
"Shouldn't you call your father?" Kujo Miki looked over and interrupted Watanabe Toru.
"I almost forgot." Toru Watanabe took out his cell phone and called his father.
It was very noisy on the other end of the line.
After hanging up the phone, Watanabe Toru said to the two of them, "It sounds like he's reluctant to leave. Should we go slowly? Let him play for a while longer?"
The two had no objection.
On both sides of the shrine, there are various shops with a wide variety of goods.
There are also shops opened by the shrine itself. High school girls who come to work nearby wear red and white shrine maiden costumes and sell mascots such as arrows to ward off evil, bamboo rakes, tumblers, and amulets.
Passing by a barbecue stall, the skewers stuck around the charcoal fire attracted attention on the cold winter night.
Grilled meatballs, rice cakes, fish, beef, corn and more.
The two young ladies didn't want it, so Watanabe Toru bought himself a roasted corn that was a little black and couldn't wait to take a bite.
It smelled so good that even the girls around were drooling and they immediately bought all the corn at the barbecue stall.
After the barbecue stall, there is the chocolate banana stall, and then the shooting stall.
"You two," Watanabe Toru stopped and raised his index finger with the hand that wasn't holding the corn, "Give me one chance, just this once."
"Explain clearly." said Kujo Miki.
"My only wish for the New Year is to look cool in front of you!" Toru Watanabe pointed at the shooting stall.
The two looked towards the stall.
There, several high school-age girls laid their upper bodies on a table where prop guns were placed, so that the muzzle of the gun was as close to the target as possible.
"I don't think there's anything cool about this kind of activity." Qingye Rin crossed her arms, not interested in any of it.
"Have you forgotten that I helped you get the dolphin at the arcade?!" Watanabe Toru raised his index finger and gave him this look.
Qing Ye Lin turned her eyes away slightly, and said in a slightly unconfident voice: "But it's okay if you want to play, I can be a spectator."
"Is it my turn to allow this kind of thing, Kiyono-san?" Kujo Miki narrowed her eyes and looked at Kiyono Rin.
Qingye Rin brushed her long hair off her shoulders.
"Battle mode, on!" Toru Watanabe voiced her movements.
"Alright, alright," Watanabe Toru stuffed the corn into Kujo Miki's mouth, "all you have to do is look at me with admiration!"
Miki Kujo glared at him, then out of boredom took a bite of the corn in her hand.
Toru Watanabe was paying the boss without knowing his corn on the cob had been eaten.
The three high school girls were about to leave, but when they turned around and saw Toru Watanabe, they decided to stay.
"The aim seems to be a little off." One of the girls couldn't help but remind.
Watanabe Toru nodded expressionlessly, looking a little inhuman - he didn't dare to laugh casually.
Instead of getting angry, the girl became excited and spoke out all the experiences she had just summarized in one breath.
Only after Miki Kujo's sharp eyes shot over did the girl purse her lips embarrassedly.
The girl's companions laughed at her teasingly, and in the middle of winter, the girl's ears turned red.
Toru Watanabe loads rubber bullets into the prop gun.
Holding the spear in one hand, he aimed at the best prize, a Hatsune Miku figure.
"Saints," Watanabe Toru said in a low and solemn voice, like a church choir, "believe in the grace of God. God will not abandon us. Please give me the strength to defeat the enemies of my country."
Miki Kujo, who was eating corn, stopped chewing.
Before she could speak, Qing Ye Lin said: "I advise you not to ask."
As the person who has spent the longest time with Toru Watanabe and knows him best, Kiyono Rin could probably guess that it was definitely another line from the anime.
"Snap!" The eraser accurately hit Hatsune Miku's head under the box.
"Must be knocked down." The boss ruthlessly stated the shooting rules again.
"...How is that possible! Don't you know the power of your broken gun?"
The young boss shrugged his shoulders with an arrogant attitude, saying, "This is the rule. Don't let me talk too much in this cold weather."
"I don't believe it." Watanabe Toru took out the money, "Give me 1,000 yen!"
He was too confident just now and only bought one round.
"Watanabe-san, stop embarrassing us." Kiyono Rin's ability to pour cold water on others is despairing.
"I don't believe it, I can still do it!"
"That's enough, you're just a kid." Miki Kujo returned the corn to Toru Watanabe.
Watanabe Toru had no choice but to put down his prop gun and follow the two beautiful girls. Before turning around, he said to his boss:
"You're lucky to have the New Year. If I were alone, I would have bankrupted you today."
"Poor guy." The boss looked down on guys who only bought one shot, and he hated handsome guys even more.
Even the high school girl just mentioned bought five.
The three of them slowly came to the shrine's social affairs office.
Toru Watanabe went in and called for help.
There were many men with red faces gathered here.
There was a long table in the middle of the living room where they were eating and drinking. Loud laughter could be heard from time to time in the room, and the atmosphere was lively.
The heating wasn't on, but even Toru Watanabe, who had just walked in, felt so hot that he wanted to take off his coat - it was that lively.
"Dad, he's gone." Toru Watanabe found his father, leaned over and whispered.
"Oh? Here you are, good!" Watanabe Tsuneo didn't drink any alcohol, but was holding juice in his hand.
"Hengxiong, is this your son?" the person next to him with a red face shouted.
"I won the gold medal in the national wind instrument competition, ranked first in the mock exam, and my girlfriend is a young lady from Tokyo!" Watanabe Tsuneo didn't drink, but his neck turned red because he yelled so hard.
"That's great! He has a bright future!" someone said.
Some people also say, "Women in Tokyo are all vixens, you will definitely be deceived in the end!"
"That's right, how about a blind date with my daughter?" someone else said.
While dealing with these drunkards, Watanabe Tsuneo walked out of the social affairs office with his son.
When the door was closed, Toru Watanabe heard someone shouting to them, "Who's leaving before dawn?!"
Then there was the sound of slamming the table, followed by a drunken “Bagayalu!”.
After leaving the shrine, the surroundings suddenly became quiet, the sky was cloudless, and the stars were clear.
The air is cooler, but also clearer.
The four people who had just come out from the fire and the crowd hurried into Kcar.
On the way back, Toru Watanabe was still talking about what happened at the shooting stall.
"It's not a big deal. Why are you talking so long?" Miki Kujo wanted to cross her legs, but unfortunately the space in the back seat was limited.
Her unsuccessful attempt to block the fight was seen by Qingye Rin.
One of them looked at him with contempt, while the other looked at him in confusion, and they glared at each other.
"It's so embarrassing." Watanabe Toru held up the car window with his left hand. "Why is it that other male protagonists have others come to them to show off, but for me, I took the initiative to ask for it, but I still failed."
"You really think you are the male protagonist, Watanabe-san. Your shamelessness is beyond my imagination." Qingno Rin exclaimed.
"What qualifications do you have to criticize me?" Watanabe Toru complained, and then continued to complain, "It's all your fault for pushing me, otherwise I would have made that guy bankrupt."
Amid his complaints, the Kcar drove towards Mizawa Village.
After the New Year, they will return to Tokyo.
◇
"Buzz~"
In Watanabe Toru's pocket, the silent phone vibrated slightly and the screen lit up.
"Tōru, I've found a house."
