The Lie and What Follows

After touring Kiyomizu-dera, our bus, packed with students, headed towards Ginkaku-ji.

We had three more destinations planned for the first day: Ginkaku-ji, which we were currently heading to, and its subdued charm; Shimogamo Shrine, a sacred place for me who follows the mythology of tatami mats, and I intended to fully bask in its atmosphere; and Kyoto University, where, fitting for high school seniors, we would experience a university lecture in a large classroom. Although it might be tough to consider it as a prospective university, it’s nice to get a feel of university life.

During the bus ride to Ginkaku-ji, classmates entertained themselves by passing around a microphone for a karaoke session. I felt sorry for the tour guide who had to sit through this early on.

Naturally, the stylish group stood out. Kondo-kun sang a trendy song effortlessly and received thunderous applause, especially from Kiryu-san… her clapping was so fast, I worried about her getting tenosynovitis.

Surprisingly, the frivolous guy chose a slightly older love song, a heartbreak song, actually. But he sang it very well, capturing everyone’s attention, though his constant glances at Adachi-san were a bit irritating. Adachi-san, however, only looked outside the window.

After his song, the frivolous guy handed the microphone to me, which I promptly passed to Tamura-kun. Nice teamwork. Tamura-kun chose to sing the national anthem. It suited him well.

“Ninomiya-san, aren’t you going to sing?” I asked, having been the relay point for the microphone.

“I don’t really know many recent songs,” she said, appearing to ponder.

After Tamura-kun finished, the microphone was passed back to me again. Why does it always end up with me?

“Here, Ninomiya-san.” I handed her the microphone, realizing she was deciding on a song. A chance for Ninomiya-san’s fans to hear her beautiful voice!

After the solemn atmosphere following the national anthem, Ninomiya-san took a breath and belted out a rock song. Yeah, very dreamer-like.

—

Ginkaku-ji.

We were herded along the viewing route, simply following the flow of students. I admired the skill of ancient craftsmen who used only stones to create beautiful landscapes. Everyone interprets these gardens differently, but I noticed some students getting scolded for attempting mischief, including the frivolous guy. So much for seeing him in a new light.

Reaching the observatory, I had a different view of Kyoto’s cityscape from Kiyomizu-dera. Nice, but the crowd didn’t let me stay long.

“Hey, don’t push. I want to stay here a bit longer…”

We were swept along the route, and the tour ended abruptly.

—

After lunch, we boarded the bus again, heading to Shimogamo Shrine. My excitement was palpable, and even Ninomiya-san seemed intrigued.

“Do you like Shimogamo Shrine?”

“I love it,” I said. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say I adore it. I’d live there if I could.

“That’s unusual,” she said, smiling at me like a grandmother watching her grandson. Another attribute added to Ninomiya-san.

Arriving at the sacred place, we disembarked and headed towards Shimogamo Shrine through Tadasu no Mori. Most students didn’t stop to appreciate the serene atmosphere.

I spent about 20 minutes soaking in the air. “Sorry, Ninomiya-san. You can go ahead if you want. I’ll catch up.”

She looked up, her expression cute as she turned. “It’s fine. I’ll wait until you’re satisfied, but we don’t have much time.”

Really? Are you sure? You might miss seeing the shrine.

“No, that’s not okay. Let’s go now.”

“Okay.”

We walked together along the worship route. Naturally, we were the last ones, as the stylish group had dashed off like marathon runners the moment they got off the bus.

We strolled past various stalls, nearing the end of the route.

“It’s over already,” Ninomiya-san said, sounding a bit melancholic. Maybe she had come to appreciate the place too.

“Yeah. We’ll come back again.”

Next time, I’ll bring Haru. I wonder if she’ll like it.

“Let’s come back, okay?” Ninomiya-san suggested.

That’s a bit mischievous of her.

—

At Kyoto University, our final destination for the day. It’s one of the top universities in the country, and a significant part of the trip was experiencing a university lecture. However, many students were too tired to appreciate this opportunity, sleeping in the large amphitheater-style classroom.

The lecturer, indifferent to whether the students were asleep or awake, continued

with the class. It felt like a couple in a long-term relationship, each doing their own thing.

I listened leisurely to the lecture, feeling quite relaxed. The stylish group beside me was mostly asleep, including Kondo-kun, who eventually succumbed to sleep.

Across from them, Adachi-san, whom I’d assumed was asleep, was actually trying to stay awake and taking meticulous notes.

Impressive. She’s seriously jotting down notes.

I just looked over the distributed materials, as the lecture was mostly an overview without much need for note-taking.

Drawn to Adachi-san’s opposite approach, I shifted my gaze away to avoid staring. Ninomiya-san caught my eye and smiled. I returned a smile, though it was a bit awkward.

Her eyes weren’t smiling.