Chapter 276 Family Trip (9)
Five people camped on a deserted mountain top, with insects chirping all around them and the night sky twinkling overhead.
"It's incredible, as if we are the only ones left in the world." Mrs. Kiyono sat on a chair and looked at the Milky Way.
On the top of the mountain at the end of May, a bonfire drives away the chill.
The flames flickered, illuminating everyone's profile or front face in bright yellow.
"Miji and Xiaolin have finished answering, and now it's your turn, Watanabe-kun." Mrs. Kujo was very interested.
"What do you think of Miki and Kiyono-san?" asked Toru Watanabe.
"Let's talk about this first." Mrs. Kujo looked as if she wanted to talk like this for now, as if she wanted to talk all night long.
Toru Watanabe looked at Miki Kujo and Rin Kiyono.
The nine beautiful girls crossed their long beautiful legs and looked back at him with a smile;
There was a book in front of Qingye Rin, but she didn't read it and just looked at him.
"Let me think about my words."
"Well, this is good for your personal safety." Qingye Rin said seriously.
She and Toru Watanabe laughed at the same time.
Such conversations occurred many times last year.
It happened a year ago, but it feels like a long, long time ago. When I talk about it now, I feel like I’m reminiscing about the past years.
Kujo Miki glanced at the two of them and took a sip of tea.
Watanabe Toru thought for a while and said, "Meiji is arrogant, unreasonable, and cruel. If she doesn't get what she wants, she will be destroyed."
"All shortcomings?" Mrs. Kujo asked curiously.
"Of course she has advantages, but even with these shortcomings, she is also charming."
"Tell me about it." Miki Kujo raised her chin slightly.
"Arrogant, but accommodating to me alone, even eating what I have eaten."
"Ah!" Mrs. Qingye exclaimed softly, with an expression of disbelief on her face.
"Normal between lovers? Probably." Watanabe Toru said with a smile, "Also, she is unreasonable, but after we started dating, she became willful like a girlfriend. As long as I talk nicely, she will agree most of the time. She is cold, but sometimes she pretends to be cold. When she can't help laughing, she is very cute."
"Is there such a side?" Mrs. Kujo asked in surprise.
After listening to Toru Watanabe's words, Miki Kujo recalled the New Year in Iwate Prefecture.
That morning, she rode a motorcycle for the first time in her life, a Honda Cub that she had used for a long time.
The country road; the clear canal beside the road; the white windmill on the distant mountain ridge; the strength of Watanabe Toru holding himself around the waist.
Apart from the fact that the bike went into the ditch at the beginning, nothing serious happened at that time, but she still remembers it very clearly.
"Meiji is a vine with poisonous thorns. If you actively approach it, you will be injured or even die." Watanabe Toru continued, "But if you win her love, she will put away her poisonous thorns only for you, and on the vine, a flower that belongs only to you will bloom."
Miki Kujo looked at Toru Watanabe without saying a word.
"How much do you love her?" Mrs. Kiyono asked Toru Watanabe.
The four looked at him, but Toru Watanabe did not answer immediately.
He took a sip of the black tea and swallowed it slowly.
The warm feeling slowly moves from the throat to the stomach, and then spreads from the stomach to the whole body.
He took another sip and said:
"I can say 'higher than the mountains, deeper than the sea', I can say 'like the stars before my eyes, as long as they exist, I will love Meiji as much as I do', but these are just word games, no matter how beautiful the words are, they cannot describe the depth of love."
After a pause, he continued:
"I don't know how much I love Meiji, but I know that I will never leave her in my life."
"Not bad." Mrs. Kujo smiled, "Meiji, what do you think?"
There was no expression on Kujo Miki's face, not arrogance, complacency, contempt, or disdain.
The empty campground fell into silence, with the crackling of wood fire and the shrill chirping of insects.
"The depth of love is indescribable," Kujo Miki said in the silence, "but if I were to say who loves more deeply, it would definitely be me."
"Oh, Miki is so bold?" Mrs. Qingye covered her mouth lightly.
"Not bold, to be honest." Kujo Miki's expression was calm, "In terms of the depth of love, men can't compare to women. For example, I and some other people, once we have chosen someone, we are so persistent that we will either burn everything in the world to ashes, or burn ourselves to ashes."
Watanabe Toru's heart skipped a beat and he looked at Kujo Miki.
Kujo Miki was also looking at him.
In those clear and cold pupils, the flames of the campfire flickered, as if something was really burning mercilessly.
"You smell like hot pot. Let's go take a hot spring bath." Mrs. Kujo suddenly stood up.
"Change directly into pajamas this time?" Mrs. Qingye agreed without asking why.
"Well, I'm tired from walking today. Let's rest early and go boating and exploring tomorrow."
Qing Ye Lin took out clothes from the tent, saw Watanabe Toru sitting there without moving, and asked him: "Are you not going?"
"Wait a moment." Watanabe Toru replied softly.
"Um."
After they left, Toru Watanabe sat alone in the empty campsite.
There was silence all around and he was all alone.
…
On the morning of May 29th, Toru Watanabe opened his eyes.
There is a low tent above my head, the sound of birds singing can be heard by my ears, and I can smell the fragrance of green grass.
He stood up and walked out of the tent. The sky was vast and the white clouds looked like a few strokes of paint casually painted by a painter on the blue sky.
The boredom from the first cold war with Kujo Miki last night was swept away.
Today is our anniversary, so we must be in a happy mood.
After stretching a little, he began his morning run along the ridge while checking his one-year anniversary sign-in rewards.
[Number of days to sign in: Kujo Miki·One year]
[Players get sign-in gift packs]
【Money: 2 billion yen】
【Charming 50% off coupon*1】
【Intelligence 50% off coupon*1】
[Item: Beloved Rose]
[Skill: Command (Beginner)]
Toru Watanabe clicked on the item and skill descriptions.
[Beloved Rose: Kujo Miki's guardian flower, the seeds are dripped with the owner's blood, planted in the garden, and protected for a lifetime]
[Command (Beginner): You can command lives with 1-2 points of intelligence]
Watanabe Toru ran towards the forest, where the tree trunks were straight, thin and tall. The skylight shone through the dense leaves like a laser.
He looked at the bird on the branch: "Come here. (command)"
The bird flapped its wings and landed on Watanabe Toru's outstretched fingers.
When he returned to the campsite covered in dew, Qingye Rin was already up.
She took her clothes and was about to go to the hot spring to take a bath.
"Yesterday we took a car and climbed a mountain, and it's a good thing you managed to get up," said Toru Watanabe.
"I can't sleep in this new environment." Qing Ye Lin looked at the beautiful bird on his shoulder, "Even the birds are starting to lie?"
"Why not say 'Even birds can't resist your charm'?"
"It depends on the person. So, what's going on?"
This little bird is very beautiful. Its whole body is red, except for a yellow feather on its head. It holds its head high and chest out, like a queen wearing a crown.
Watanabe Toru found it with great difficulty.
"I don't know the principle, but it seems to understand my commands," said Toru Watanabe.
"It seems that you really are mentally ill." Qingye Rin looked at him with worried eyes.
“…”
Watanabe Toru turned to the bird and said, "Baby, go to the sky and take a turn. (Command)"
The bird chirped twice, flapped its wings, and rushed into the sky at an extremely fast speed.
With the blue sky as the background, its swooping, soaring and rising figures are pleasing to the eye.
After a while, the bird landed on Watanabe Toru's shoulder again.
Qingye Rin put her hand on her chin and pondered: "Koizumi Aona traveled through time and space, your body was occupied, you turned into a cat, and you commanded birds. Are you really a superpower?"
"Aren't you the same? Kiyono-san who can see through lies." Watanabe Toru said with a smile.
"We two are indeed different." Qing Ye Lin put down his hand and smiled beautifully, "What are you going to do with this bird?"
She didn't care about people with super powers, but the fact that Watanabe Toru was of the same kind as her made her happy.
"Today is the anniversary of Meiji and I dating, and I'm going to give it to her."
"Can it understand Meiji's words?"
"Isn't it all right if I let it listen ? Wait, did you just call her Meiji?"
"It's just a name. I still call you Watanabe-san." Qing Ye Lin didn't care. "Our two families have a good relationship. Her family is full of Kujo. If I don't call her Miki, how will others know that I call her that?"
"So, she used to call you 'Rin'?"
Qingye Rin nodded.
"We have such a good relationship." Watanabe Toru said, "Miji only calls me by my name occasionally. I envy her."
"That's a lie. You're just like me. You don't care about what you're called." Qingye Rin affirmed.
"It's really boring to talk to you."
"That's also a lie."
"Finish."
Toru Watanabe walked towards the campfire, preparing to make a fire to cook, while Rin Kiyono went to the hot spring to take a bath.
When the bonfire was lit, the bird hid far away and stood on the roof of the tent of Kujo Miki and her friends.
Just as I was adding firewood inside, I heard the sound of a curtain being opened behind me.
Watanabe Toru looked back and saw Kujo Miki coming out in pajamas wearing long sleeves and long pants.
"You got up so early today?"
"I can't sleep."
"What's wrong?" Watanabe Toru asked with concern.
"Nothing. I'm just not used to having people around me." Miki Kujo said coldly. She twisted her neck and took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air.
Toru Watanabe took out a lunch box, added purified water into it, and put it on the campfire to boil. Then, he lit the gas stove and prepared to fry the salmon.
"By the way." He turned down the fire and turned around and said, "I have a gift for you."
"Um."
"Come down. (Order)" Toru Watanabe shouted, and the bird flew into his hand.
"I found it in the forest during morning exercise. It can understand my commands." Watanabe Toru ordered the bird again, "Listen to us from now on, okay?"
The bird spread its wings and chirped twice.
"You try it." Toru Watanabe said to Miki Kujo with a smile.
Miki Kujo looked at him coldly. What happened last night was still not over in her mind.
'I will never leave her in my life' - She is no longer the same person she was during last year's school trip. She is no longer satisfied with this and wants more. She wants the true love of Toru Watanabe.
"Go to her shoulder. (command)"
The bird flapped its wings, flew up from Watanabe Toru's shoulder, drew a beautiful arc, and landed on Kujo Miki's shoulder.
Kujo Mei turned her head and looked over her shoulder.
The bird tilted its little head and looked at Kujo Miki.
"Give it a name?" Toru Watanabe turned up the heat and continued to fry the salmon.
Kujo Miki looked at the bird and said, "Go down."
The bird flew off her shoulder and fluttered back to Watanabe Toru's shoulder.
"Go back. (Order)"
The bird fluttered back to Kujo Miki's shoulder.
"Go down."
The bird returned to Watanabe Toru's shoulder.
"Go back. (Order)"
The bird landed on Kujo Miki's shoulder.
"Down……"
"Alright, alright." Watanabe Toru said quickly, "Although it's just a bird, you can't bully it like this. It's one of my anniversary gifts for you. If you're angry, kick me or pull my ears."
Kujo Miki didn't look at him, she just stared at the bird.
"From today on, you will be called the Queen." She stroked the yellow feather with her hand, "Come to my hand."
It was unclear whether the "Queen" spread her wings or not. It seemed as if she jumped lightly and landed on the slender white fingers of Kujo Miki.
"What kind of prop is this?" asked Miki Kujo.
"The bird... The Queen is not a tool, it may be a fairy of this mountain."
"Maybe?" Miki Kujo snorted as if with contempt or anger.
"Go wash up quickly. Oh, and wake them up too."
The two ladies woke up, and the three of them took their clothes and went to the hot spring.
We were divided into two groups when we went there, and came back together.
Breakfast includes fried fish, vegetable salad, rice, and miso soup, a very simple island-style breakfast.
In the early morning at the top of the mountain in late May, the air was cool and the miso soup was just right.
"My skills are just average, don't look down on me," said Toru Watanabe.
"It doesn't matter. Even if the picnic food tastes average, it still tastes delicious." I don't know if Mrs. Kiyono's words can be considered a compliment.
"Let's put aside the breakfast issue. What's the story behind this bird called 'Queen', Mr. Watanabe?" asked Mrs. Kujo.
"I met you in the woods while jogging in the morning. Maybe you knew that today is the anniversary of Meiji and I dating, so you came to congratulate us?"
"You sound so romantic, it's just a bird." Miki Kujo said while eating fried fish.
"This is just one of the gifts," said Toru Watanabe.
"Oh?" Mrs. Kujo was curious, "What else?"
"Please allow me to keep this a secret."
"Only tell Miki?" asked Mrs. Kiyono.
"Just tell Miki." Watanabe Toru affirmed.
The topic returned to the "Queen".
The two ladies were very curious about it. They asked what kind of bird it was and where it was caught. Finally, they decided not to rush to build villas and camping sites, but to catch a few birds to take home as pets first.
After breakfast, the five of them took a walk to the lake.
Walking along the ridge, the sky is high and the land is vast, as if walking at the end of the world.
The "Queen" disappeared one moment and then came back from an unexpected direction, chirping happily to Kujo Miki.
After walking for more than ten minutes, we saw a hillside full of wild flowers.
White, yellow, blue, and pink, one next to the other, the entire hillside is covered with them, it's dazzling.
"After lunch, come here to paint and take a nap!" Mrs. Kiyono said happily.
"Be careful or the bees will sting you." Mrs. Kujo joked.
"I have a straw hat, I'll cover my face with it when the time comes."
"What about flying in through the brim of the hat?"
"How can there be such a smart bee?"
"Look at the Queen, this place might be spiritual, the animals are very smart."
The two ladies talked happily.
Kiyono Rin was too tired to talk; Kujo Miki said nothing, thinking about something; Watanabe Toru fell behind, sometimes looking at the scenery, sometimes looking at Kujo Miki's beautiful back.
When you reach the highest point of the ridge, there is a downhill slope in front of you, and at the bottom of the slope is the lake.
The lake is as calm as a mirror, and the water is blue, reflecting the blue sky and piled white clouds.
The simple scenery is pleasing to the eyes and refreshing.
"A lake on the top of a mountain." Watanabe Toru said to himself.
"Well, this used to be a volcano." Mrs. Kiyono said, "Not bad, I asked you to buy it."
"Generous." Toru Watanabe expressed admiration.
"Did you do that on purpose? Why don't you praise me for my good investment vision?"
"We haven't made any money yet . What if we lose money?" said Toru Watanabe.
“If it loses money, it will be turned into a private campground and villa.”
"Very generous!" Toru Watanabe expressed his admiration again.
Everyone went downhill and came to the lake.
The lakeside is pebbly and there is no silt. Occasionally, waves hit the rocks and wash them smooth and translucent.
Standing close by, it feels like you are facing the sea.
"Let's take a boat ride." Mrs. Kujo led the way, and the five of them walked to where the boat was docked.
Two wooden boats, each with life jackets and oars.
"We will form a group of two young women, and you can form a group of three, is that okay?" said Mrs. Kujo.
According to the ladies' idea, it would be best if Kiyono Rin and Kujo Miki could be in the same boat, but without Watanabe Toru, that would be impossible.
"I'll be in the same group with you guys." Qing Ye Lin said, "Today is their dating anniversary, let them be alone for a while."
Mrs. Kiyono looked at Mrs. Kujo, and Mrs. Kujo thought for a moment and said, "Okay, Xiaolin, you and I..."
"Wait." Kujo Miki suddenly said, "You come with us."
Qingye Rin looked at her in surprise.
She suggested that the two of them be alone, feeling that something was not right with her today, but she didn't expect that Kujo Miki was even more abnormal than her.
Not only Kiyono Rin, but even Watanabe Toru and the two wives were shocked by Kujo Miki's words.
Qing Ye Lin came back to his senses, nodded and said, "Okay."
Toru Watanabe looked at Miki Kujo, and Miki Kujo looked at him deeply.
