Chapter 233 Meet at Toyosu Park

"Are you free today?"

"What's up?"

"The weather is nice, how about going to Toyosu Park to read books? You bring a copy of "Love's Exile" and I bring a copy of "Paradise Lost", and we can take turns reading."

"So you like reading this kind of literature."

"No, I'm just interested in the heroine Rinko."

"Really? Unfortunately, I have no interest in Watanabe at all."

"Please explain clearly! You are not interested in Junichi Watanabe, right?"

"Not interested in Watanabe"

"I don't lie, and I don't tell the truth, Ms. Kiyono, you are amazing ! I deliberately didn't say 'I'm interested in the heroine Rin' to tease you, but you teased me instead!"

"I'm a little surprised that you didn't say it. It doesn't fit your character as a playboy who likes to tease girls."

"I only teased Seino-san."

"Yes, that's right."

"What are you talking about? I've never had that kind of personality!"

"Anyway, you were going to say 'I'm just interested in the heroine Rin' at first, then hesitated for a while, and then remembered that you have a girlfriend, so you changed 'Rin' to 'Rinko', expressing your infinite love for me in a tactful way."

"...Are you monitoring me? Or are you really a god? And what is 'infinite love'?"

"I know exactly what you are thinking."

"Piety: She is the most special, above all else, she is my God, Kiyono Rin"

"My believers, tell your God, what time is it?"

"At 9 o'clock, I'll treat you to lunch. You can eat the fish I caught myself."

"Fishing? Isn't that reading?"

"Eh? Didn't I tell you? I took a book with me when I went fishing."

"You don't tell lies, and you don't tell the truth, Watanabe-kun, you're amazing."

"Proud: "The Great Toru Watanabe""

"Cold Eyes: Toru Watanabe"

“Paul Ekman’s Lying?”

"Praise: The well-read Toru Watanabe!"

"Ms. Kiyono, I think you need to learn from me how to compliment others."

"oh?"

"How about 'Even your fingertips have a beautiful color'?"

"Today I'm going to read Yasunari Kawabata's book."

"Well-read R-san! Look, how's my way of praising people?"

"If you are caught quoting a famous quote, pretending it's your own strategy is indeed a good way to ease the embarrassment and make people less annoying."

"Nine o'clock, Toyosu Park, one of the boats must sink in Tokyo Bay today!"

"expect"

Watanabe Toru wore a T-shirt with an abstract painting on it, over a red and black shirt—the front was still open—and navy blue casual pants.

After changing clothes, I picked up a book by Yasunari Kawabata from the bookshelf.

When I passed the living room, I saw champagne roses on the table. They were delivered today.

He went out, picked up the rose, and tucked the neatly trimmed branches into the book.

It was like a rose had grown out of the book.

Watanabe Toru thought about it, took out the flower again, picked only one petal and left it on the page of the book.

I put on my shoes at the entrance, carried the fishing tackle box that I had prepared long ago, and set off.

Take the Sobu Line to Yurakucho and get off at Toyosu Station.

Traffic control has been implemented in many areas of Tokyo today as the marathon starts today.

The weather was very good, clear, windless, and a great day for sunshine.

Walking out of the station, not far ahead, there was a bench under the shade of a beech tree where Kiyono Rin was sitting reading a book.

A blue and white windbreaker, light blue jeans, and beautiful black hair falling to the waist.

Her outstanding beauty and mysterious temperament make it impossible for people to approach her.

The sun rises, and its light covers the eastern hemisphere, but in the eyes of passers-by nearby, it seems as if the sun rises for Kiyono Rin alone, and all the light is focused on Kiyono Rin alone.

And the beech tree.

They are roadside trees that can be found everywhere, but that one alone seems to have been planted specifically to provide her with shade.

Toru Watanabe stepped forward.

"The Dancing Girl of Izu?" He looked at the book in her hand.

"Have you seen it?" Qingye Rin raised her pretty and fair little face.

"It's also interesting to take this opportunity to review the books I've read." Watanabe Toru took out the book he brought with him, "Have you read it?"

"Girls' Harbor?"

"It tells a delicate story: Michiko first became sisters with Yoko and declined Katsuko. After Michiko and Yoko spent a happy time together, she was attracted to Katsuko when they went on vacation. In the end, the three of them became good friends."

"Your ideas are really simple." Qingye Rin took the book and stood up.

"Simplicity refers to thinking about life and is a state of mind. It is not ignorance, but a state of life after getting rid of the hustle and bustle and washing away all the dross." Toru Watanabe has also taken "The Dancing Girl of Izu".

"It seems that you have a problem with your comprehension ability. Then I'll be frank with you - you are too naive."

"Innocent, pure-hearted, sincere, without any affectation or hypocrisy..."

Qing Ye Lin sighed as if she couldn't do anything about him: "Watanabe-san, please have some self-awareness."

"Eh? Could it be that my simplicity and innocence just now are scolding me?"

The two walked side by side towards Toyosu Park.

The sky is so blue, the trees are so green, and the smell of Seino Rin shampoo is so fragrant.

After entering the park, they walked across the lawn filled with children and adults, and went down the slope lined with cherry trees until they arrived at the edge of Tokyo Bay.

There is no beach here.

There is a concrete promenade underfoot, and Tokyo Bay is separated by a guardrail.

Looking left and right along the guardrail , we can see that many people choose to come here to fish in this weather.

Toru Watanabe chose a seat with a bench.

Rin Kiyono sat on a chair and watched him squatting there assembling the fishing rod.

"Why so many hooks?" she asked.

"Maybe it's because I'm a playboy." Watanabe Toru answered without even looking up.

Qing Ye Lin glared at him unhappily.

After Watanabe Toru assembled the fishing gear and threw the hook into Tokyo Bay, she began to read.

When I opened the first page, I saw a rose petal, a champagne color that was neither too strong nor too light.

She couldn't help but stretch out her slender fingers and gently stroke the delicate petals. Her beautiful eyebrows softened a lot.

Looking up, I saw the young man in front of me mumbling to himself, wondering if he could catch fish in this place.

She retracted her gaze, smelled the scent of cherry blossoms in the distance and roses nearby, and began to read "Girl's Harbor":

"It was one day not long after the grand entrance ceremony."

…

After throwing the fishing hook into the sea, Toru Watanabe stood by the white railing.

He read two lines of "The Dancing Girl of Izu", looked at the fishing float for two seconds, looked at the sparkling Tokyo Bay for two seconds, and then glanced at the Rainbow Bridge in the distance twice.

Next to my ears, I could hear the sound of Kiyono Rin flipping through books at regular intervals.

Blue sky, white clouds, pink cherry blossoms, green lawns, warm sea breeze, gentle sun, and azaleas blooming in the flowerbed in the distance.

Fishing in Tokyo Bay is a test of one's patience. Fortunately, Watanabe Toru came here to read a book, so he didn't mind at all that he only "caught" two pieces of kelp and a medium-sized sea bass.

But some people care.

"I saw someone caught a small shark, Watanabe-san." At noon, Kiyono Rin said to Watanabe Toru who was packing up fishing gear.

"I forgot to make a nest. Otherwise, let alone the little shark, I will catch the little shark's father - the big and small sharks - for you today!"

After packing up his fishing gear, he said, "Next, let's go to the restaurant I have a reservation at. There, you can bring your own fish and the chef will help you cook it."

"You usually bring the top-quality fish?"

"Some things are better to know, there is no need to speak them out. This is the secret to keeping your followers happy."

The two walked along the guardrail, along the edge of Tokyo Bay, and headed out of the park.

"Can I order other dishes?" Qingye Rin held the book in her arms like a literary girl.

"You can order other dishes, but you can't look down on my sea bass."

"You don't understand what I'm saying."

"I caught this for you myself. You should feel happy about it instead of feeling disgusted."

"Don't embarrass me, Watanabe-san. You know I only tell the truth."

"What truth?! I think you just want to mock my fishing skills on purpose?"

"There's no way to deny it."

"You're not cute at all," said Toru Watanabe.

Qingye Rin turned her head and said with a slightly smug smile, "A lie."

Behind her, the magnolia buds were swaying leisurely in the wind.

"It's the truth." Watanabe Toru tried to argue without much resistance.

When he came to the roadside, he picked a rhododendron from the flower bed and sucked its nectar.

While inhaling, he said to Kiyono Rin:

"It felt so sweet when I was a kid, but now it tastes nothing. It's true that people are happier when they are young, when there aren't so many things to worry about. A piece of candy can make you happy for a while."

"Growing up has its own joys, and people always have to grow up," said Qingno Rin.

"That makes sense." Watanabe Toru nodded. "When I was in the village, I had a lot of fun climbing trees and catching crabs every day. After coming to Tokyo, I still have fun."

"Like what?"

"For example, you and Kiyono-san are going fishing today."

"Are you really asking me to go fishing with you?"

"It's mainly to treat you to a meal."

At noon in spring, Tokyo Bay becomes very beautiful, and the scene of the boy and girl walking side by side seems like a scene from a cartoon I have read before.

When leaving Toyosu Park and crossing the zebra crossing, passers-by cast their eyes at him, but Watanabe remained calm, as he was used to this kind of thing.

Qingye Rin glanced at the bright red azalea in his mouth.

After walking for five minutes, I arrived at the door of the restaurant where I had made a reservation in advance.

Watanabe Toru helped to open the door, and Kiyono Rin walked in first. When the two passed each other, she said:

"Azalea."

"Um?"

Watanabe Toru didn't react at first, then he lowered his eyes as if he remembered and quickly took the azalea out of his mouth.

The waiter led the two to their seats, took their orders, confirmed how the sea bass would be cooked, and finally left with the fish.

"You knew it a long time ago?" Toru Watanabe asked Rin Kiyono about the azalea.

"I know." Qingye Rin nodded.

"Why didn't you remind me earlier?"

"It's not a big deal, and I want to see you embarrassed."

"…You are a sadist, right, R-san?"

"It probably doesn't count." Qing Ye Lin put his hand on his chin and pondered, "I just want to bully you and see you lose face. I'm not interested in what other people do."

"That's not enough?"

"So what if it counts, so what if it doesn't? I see you're quite happy, don't you like me scolding you?"

"I... didn't." Watanabe Toru didn't have much confidence.

He stole a glance at Kiyono Rin's expression, wondering whether what he said was true or false.

As a result, Kiyono Rin took a sip of lemonade and started watching "Girls' Harbor".

“…”

It seems that it has been guessed.

Unable to get an answer, Toru Watanabe could only look around the restaurant bored.

The tablecloths were shiny white, and there was a considerable distance between each table.

Even at noon, all the lights were on, there was no music, and the guests' low and comfortable conversations made the restaurant even quieter.

In fact, from the pages of wine on the menu and the waiters who are responsible for pouring wine, you can tell that this restaurant is not cheap.

The last time they ate at "Shixiang Pavilion" they spent a total of 1946 yen, which was completely different from this.

However different it is, for Toru Watanabe and Rin Kiyono, it is a restaurant where they can eat whatever they want and walk in casually on tiptoe.

Price is not a factor they consider.

After a while, the waiter brought the steak, which was grilled to perfection.

There is also lightly grilled abalone with sliced tangerines on the side.

Qingye Rin closed the book, put it aside carefully , and began to enjoy the veal steak.

"What are you doing recently?" asked Toru Watanabe.

“Shopping, buying clothes, buying shoes, but mainly reading books and watching movies at home.”

Kiyono Rin's knife skills are precise and elegant, and the way she uses the fork to put the perfect size steak into her mouth is tempting and beautiful.

"Didn't you go traveling?"

"During this season, the island country is full of people. People from all over the world come to see the cherry blossoms. I don't want to go abroad."

"I'm pretty much the same, staying home all day."

Qingye Rin took a sip of lemonade: "Didn't you go find your Meiji?"

"Meiji, my Meiji is abroad now."

"So that's why you came to see me?"

"What's your logic?" Watanabe Toru asked curiously, "I told her about buying roses. I wanted to invite you two together today to perform a real-life version of "Girls' Harbor", but she went abroad."

"She didn't say anything?" Qingye Rin looked at him meaningfully.

"Since you care about her so much, just go find her yourself." Watanabe Toru said with a smile.

Qingye Rin ignored this deliberately teasing question and continued to concentrate on cutting his own steak.

Watanabe Toru took a bite of steak, and the waiter brought steamed sea bass, which smelled quite delicious.

"Ms. Kiyono, try it quickly. This was caught by a handsome guy from Tokyo himself. If it were put up for auction, it would definitely be more expensive than Buffett's lunch."

"You can't buy lunch with me even if you have money."

"If you want to be narcissistic, please wait until school starts. You can take a break during the holidays."

Kiyono Rin ignored Watanabe Toru, took a sip of water first, then picked up the snow-white fish meat with chopsticks and put it into her soft cherry-colored lips.

It would be more accurate to say that the sea bass was tasting her tongue rather than her being able to taste the sea bass. How enviable - this is the extent of Kiyono Rin's beauty.

"How is it?" asked Watanabe Toru.

“The cooking skills are average and the ingredients are too bad.”

"The chef is going to take out the knife and kill someone."

"It doesn't matter. You will block the knife for me anyway."

"Warm reminder: You just told me that the ingredients I provided were too bad. Guess who I should help?"

"Help me." Qingye Rin said it with confidence and without hesitation.

"Correct!" Toru Watanabe clapped softly with a look of admiration on his face.

As for his exaggerated acting skills, Qingno Rin did not comment and stared behind Watanabe Toru.

"What are you looking at?" Watanabe Toru turned his head.

A family of three, followed by Asuka Mai.

Also, the restaurant had turned on a TV at some point, with the volume very low, and was broadcasting the final moments of the marathon.

"I know him." Toru Watanabe pointed at the first black man who crossed the finish line. "Lilesa, I used to run with him."