Natsumi Shima’s POV

It was a slightly chilly Saturday morning, unlike any other. The downbound Shinkansen train we boarded turned out to be surprisingly crowded. In the open-seating car, I noticed the presence of a foreigner dragging a big trunk.

While tourists often seen in the city are mostly from China, Korea, and other Asian countries, today, the passengers in this car were exclusively white tourists, possibly from America or Europe. Most likely a group of travelers who had finished exploring Tokyo and were now heading to Osaka or Kyoto.

”Still, I wonder why they chose Kyoto… Anyway, meeting Takata must be the main purpose.”

I deliberately voiced my dissatisfaction to Rin-chan, who was sitting next to me. Traveling with a cute younger girl like her might seem appealing, but honestly, I wasn’t too thrilled about that aspect.

To begin with, I find Takata, the strict public morals committee head, quite difficult to get along with. While Ui-chan might share some compatibility with her due to their strict sides, I had absolutely no elements in me that could lead to a friendly relationship.

Certainly, Takata’s attitude had changed quite a bit after summer break, but that doesn’t mean my discomfort disappeared.

”Seriously, isn’t it a bit harsh to suddenly disappear from school without an explanation? It’s frustrating to be left wondering without a reason, you know? Hey, isn’t that right? Will you go out with me?”

Rin-chan looked at me with a slight tilt of her head and an upward gaze.

She probably has a habit of coaxing boys like this, but even if she uses that tactic on me, I can’t help but smile wryly.

(But still…)

Looking at her fashion once again, she wore a white turtleneck with a faux leather miniskirt and long boots. She’s incredibly stylish.

On the other hand, I’m wearing a hand-me-down sweatshirt from my big sister (Shiratori’s mother) and baggy cargo pants. The difference in our feminine styles is staggering. It’s like a heavyweight against a Light flyweight in boxing.

(Of course, I don’t dislike dressing well. For example, if I were on a trip with Kijima, I’d make more of an effort. But for sightseeing and walking around like this, comfort takes priority. Even though I envy how cute girls can pull off these outfits…)

But Kijima’s surrounded by cute girls anyway. And Rin-chan is also quite cute.

Of course, this girl is famous for the incident she was involved in, and considering that womanizer Kijima treats such a cute girl with respect, I can’t entirely fathom the situation.

(But… even if it’s just a fa?ade, Kijima seems to genuinely like Rin-chan. He said he wouldn’t change how he treats her until she graduates… but what about after that?)

I inadvertently let out a sigh.

”Still… was it okay for me to come along? I’m happy you invited me, but…”

Now that I think about it, my relationship with this junior named Fukuda Rin isn’t exactly ordinary. Frankly, aside from her name and year, I know nothing about her, yet we’ve already gone as far as a threes*me.

I don’t even know where she lives, yet I’m familiar with her ahegao face. It’s a relationship that’s either quite deep or shallow, I’m not sure.

”O(jiān)f course, it’s fine! After all, there’s no one else besides Natsumi-neechan who would come on a trip with me… Also, there’s a chance, right? Maybe when Natsumi-neechan join me, Kijima-senpai might decide to come too.”

Rin-chan playfully stuck her tongue out as she looked up at me.

”Actually, I did mention it to him. But he’s not coming on this trip because he’s head over heels for me or anything…”

”Huh!? Seriously, Natsumi-neechan? But isn’t Kijima-senpai really cares a lot about Natsumi-neechan? Even at the hotel, he treated you differently from me!”

”Is that so?”

”Absolutely! But, you know, it might be a good thing Kijima-senpai isn’t coming this time. If he were here, we’d probably just stay holed up in the hotel room, ignoring sightseeing.”

Rin-chan and I shared a chuckle as we leaned our foreheads together.

Though I haven’t told Rin-chan, Kijima has actually assigned a bodyguard to us. It’s kind of annoying how cautious he is, but if he’s doing it because he cares about me, as Rin-chan suggests, then I can’t help but feel a little pleased.

I discreetly glanced over my shoulder at the seat diagonally behind us.

There sat a girl wearing cropped jeans, a navy hoodie, and a New York Yankees cap pulled low over her eyes. She’s our bodyguard—Saito Ayumi, a former track team member who now goes by the name “Cockroach.” While she’s not wearing a maid outfit, her hoodie sports features a prominent print of “冥土魂 (Maid Soul)” on the chest.

(I mean, where on earth did she get that…)

When our eyes met, she motioned with her chin for me not to stare. She’s still officially missing, and her discovery by someone who knows her would naturally cause a commotion.

Considering that, Saito and Rin-chan are in the same year. It wouldn’t be surprising if they recognized each other’s faces. For Kijima to assign someone as a bodyguard who would be recognized, it seemed somewhat unnatural for someone as cautious as him.

”Is something wrong?”

Rin-chan noticed me glancing behind us, prompting me to hurriedly respond.

”O(jiān)h, no… uh, I was just thinking. By the way, this is my first time in Kansai, so I’m looking forward to it.”

”Really?”

”Huh? What is it?”

”Well, Natsumi-neechan speaks with a Kansai accent…”

”Really? My grandpa’s from Wakayama, I heard, so he might have a bit of a Kansai intonation.”

”Intonation, huh…”

For some reason, Rin-chan looked distant.

”Um, Nee-chan… by the way, is there anywhere you’d like to visit in Kyoto?”

”Where I want to go? Hmm… Your usual places like Kiyomizu-dera Temple or Kinkakuji. I don’t know… Oh, but it’d be nice to find something delicious to eat.”

I mentioned, and Rin-chan gave my shoulder a playful pat.

”If that’s the case, then there’s Iwakura in Sakyo Ward, which is where Takaka-neechan’s family lives.”

”Iwakura?”

”Yes, apparently it’s a tourist spot related to some person named Tomomi Iwakura.”

”Who’s that? Tomomi-chan… Could she be an idol from the Showa era?”

”Probably.”

”Well, anyway… What about you, Rin-chan? Is there anywhere you want to go in Kyoto?”

”Places I want to go? Um… well, places like Kiyomizu Temple or Kinkakuji are okay… But, if you’re asking about a place I really want to go to, it’s not exactly that…”

”Then where?”

”Well, on the way to Iwakura, there’s a famous ramen battleground at Ichijoji.”

”Ramen? Coming to Kyoto for ramen…”

”You see, Kyoto is an old city, so those ramen shops must have a long history, probably. Like, some of them might have been around since the Heian period, or something.”

”Seriously!?”

”They’re probably even mentioned in The Pillow Book or The Tale of Genji. Like, ‘At Ichijoji’s ramen, rich and chewy, it’s delicious.’”

(No way, though. I mean, I tried to play along, but there’s no way that happened.)

As I nodded along, I could see Rin-chan’s eyes were somewhere else.

”Um, umm, sis. By the way, I heard that Natsuki-neechan speaks with a Kansai accent.”

”Really? Grandpa’s from Wakayama, so he might have a bit of a Kansai intonation.”

”Intonation…”

For some reason, Rin-chan looked distant.

”Uh, well, sis… by the way, is there anywhere you’d like to visit in Kyoto?”

”Visit? Hmm… Not your average places like Kiyomizu Temple or Kinkakuji. I don’t know… Oh, but finding something delicious to eat would be nice.”

I mentioned, and Rin-chan gave my shoulder a playful pat.

”If that’s the case, there’s Iwakura in Sakyo Ward. Apparently, it’s a tourist spot associated with someone named ‘Iwakura Tomomi’.”

”Who’s that? Tomomi-chan… Could she be an idol from the Showa era?”

”Probably.”

”Anyway… What about you, Rin-chan? Any places you really want to go in Kyoto?”

”Places I want to go? Um… well, popular spots like Kiyomizu Temple or Kinkakuji are fine, but if you’re asking about somewhere I really want to go…”

”Where?”

”Well, on the way to Iwakura, there’s a famous ramen battleground at Ichijoji.”

”Ramen? Coming to Kyoto for ramen…”

”Yeah. You see, Kyoto is an old city, so those ramen shops must have a long history, probably. Like, some of them might have been around since the Heian period, or something.”

”Seriously!?”

”They might even be mentioned in The Pillow Book or The Tale of Genji. Like, ‘At Ichijoji’s ramen, rich and chewy, it’s delicious.’”

(No way, though. I mean, I tried to play along, but there’s no way that happened.)

But it’s true that many Japanese tend to forget that ramen is actually a Chinese dish.”

While we were having that conversation, the train announcement notified us of our arrival at Kyoto Station.