In Tokyo: They are heavily dependent on me

Chapter 110. Humid and Hot Temperature

After walking for about thirty minutes after leaving home, what came into view was a railway track winding along the road, leading to who-knows-where.

It seemed that this wasn't the first time Shoko had gone out at night like this. Walking at the front, she looked quite content, standing on the railway tracks with her arms outstretched like a child who hadn't lost her childishness, swaying her body from side to side as she slowly walked straight ahead.

Since it was the early hours of the morning, and there was no one specifically guarding the railway in this rural area, if it were Tokyo, walking on the tracks would undoubtedly result in being chased away by staff. But now, they could do all this openly, and the feeling of being able to freely touch taboos unexpectedly made Kaoru feel quite good.

The damp air after the rain enveloped me, carrying the scent of damp earth and the fresh fragrance of green plants. Continuing along the railway tracks, I was free from mosquitoes, and the evening breeze was soothing.

Unlike Tokyo, despite the absence of streetlights and large-scale modern facilities, the moonlight still illuminated the cobblestone path beneath my feet. Kaoru recalled an article she had read on Yahoo! that mentioned the starry night sky in rural areas, whereas Tokyo's night sky was completely black and devoid of any beauty due to severe pollution.

Unsure of her purpose, Kaoru idly kicked at the pebbles by the roadside. The pebbles rolled clumsily into the distance, eventually disappearing into the dense bushes by the roadside.

Wandering aimlessly along the railway tracks, not knowing where they led, Kaoru felt a strange, indescribable feeling as she experienced all of this.

"arrive."

After walking a distance, Xun looked up and noticed that abrupt scene.

—Amidst the station, which is supported only by a simple wooden frame, stand modern facilities that seem out of place with the surrounding environment.

A vending machine that is emitting a faint glow.

"Would you like something to drink, Hoshino-kun?"

Glass walked up to the vending machine, inserted banknotes, and bought coffee as usual. Then she turned her head to look at Kaoru's spot.

"If possible, just give me the same one."

"no problem."

click -

The canned coffee was opened, Xun took a small sip, and then let out a satisfied sigh.

"They've been resurrected..."

"Please sit here, Hoshino-kun."

Even in a simple, somewhat rudimentary station, there are wooden roofs that provide shelter and benches for passengers to rest on. Kaoru and Shoko sat on the same bench, which creaked and groaned under their weight, making one worry that it might fall apart at any moment.

Why are there vending machines here?

Feeling the low temperature of the aluminum can reaching his palm, Xun asked curiously.

"Even in rural areas, there are students, right? This is a train station where students wait for the tram, so it's normal to have vending machines here."

"I see."

Kaoru understood.

"Are you interested in high school life in the countryside, Hoshino-san?"

When the topic came up, Shoko seemed to become very interested. Sitting on the bench, she began to swing her legs back and forth, and a smile appeared on her face.

"I'm quite interested in what the teacher wants to say."

"Really? That's great!"

Shoko inhaled air into her lungs, as if preparing herself for what she was about to say. She raised her face and gazed at the moon hanging overhead. The moonlight shone on her face, giving her a melancholic and beautiful feeling.

"In the countryside, there's much less fun compared to Tokyo. People talk about seemingly boring topics, but they still manage to chat about them with great interest. For example, the train was delayed because it accidentally hit some wild animals in the mountains, the new coffee shop that opened in town is expensive but the only one within a dozen kilometers, and the mysterious tale about the abandoned tunnel that 'makes you age faster if you enter.' Living in such a boring place, any transfer student can become the hottest topic in the class within a few weeks. If the transfer student is from a city like Tokyo or Osaka, all the students in the school can't help but come to see them. If they are as good-looking as Hoshino-kun, that's amazing. They will gain a lot of little and big female fans from both lower and upper grades in a short time."

Shoko talked a lot in one breath, and feeling her throat getting a little dry, she started drinking coffee. Her words, spoken with a serious attitude, contained no exaggeration whatsoever.

It was the first time Kaoru had ever heard about life in the countryside. She listened intently, staring at Shoko's profile as if she were mesmerized.

"Shoko-sensei...do you like it here?"

After realizing what was happening, my body had already asked the question as if possessed.

Shoko tapped her cheek with the index finger of her right hand, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Well... I'm not really sure. Although the atmosphere in the countryside is nice, and it's much quieter and the air is fresher than in Tokyo, it's very troublesome. It's not just troublesome in one aspect, but troublesome in every aspect. For example, there are trains and buses that only come every thirty minutes. Because I'm of marriageable age, I often get talked about. My cell phone signal often disappears. Shopping is also inconvenient... There are so many troubles I can't even begin to describe."

"Really... there are a lot."

Realizing that she had been staring at Shoko's face for a little too long, Kaoru anxiously looked away, praying that the other woman hadn't noticed her groping behavior.

"Well then, I also have a question for Hoshino-kun."

After finishing her coffee, Shoko casually tossed it into a public trash can marked "Recyclable," then slapped her hands onto her legs and turned her face sharply toward where Kaoru was sitting.

"Does Hoshino-san like Tokyo?"

"I don't like this one."

"Why did you answer so quickly?"

"Because...it doesn't feel like home."

Although being with Rin feels like home, that's a completely different story.

The reason she feels at home is simply because of Rin, and has nothing to do with the city she lives in.

"yes."

Shoko seemed to understand the meaning of those words. She stopped talking and looked up at the clear moonlight overhead. Suddenly, as if she had made up her mind, she leaned her upper body closer.

The soft touch on my lips... lasted only a brief three seconds.

A faint salty taste filled my mouth, and I could feel the texture of my teeth and the temperature of my body with unparalleled clarity.