I thought that, but I didn't say it
because I knew she would do it again if I did. It was true that what
said was right too. The driver s look was getting worse. If we stayed
any longer, we might get kicked out. Getting out of the bus quickly
was probably the best. The remnants of the dream which I had almost
grasped escaped to a place that was out of' my reach. I was
completely—awake. I woke up from the dream. "We're up! We're
getting off!" Brushing away hand, with which she tried to pull
me up, I stood up. I didn't really forget anything. In the first
place, I didn't bring anything. Nothing was needed for the Hifuu
club's activities. If I had to say there were things, they would
probably be a pair of eyes and just a little courage. Also, a
partner. This was necessary.
"Thank you very much—!" She
said that well (energetically?), and I jumped off the bus as if to
escape. The automatic door closed with great force less than a second
later, and die bus made a noise and went. We must have made him wait
for quite a while. The only thing I could do was hope that the bus
wouldn't be caught speeding. Although I didn't think there were any
police this deep in the mountains. Where we got off, there was
nothing. At least, nothing modern. There was a mountain, a river, a
forest, a tree, and a dirt road. There were natural things that were
rare now; it didn't look like a food manufacturing plant.
There might
be bamboo shoots or something. That was how much it was of a
countryside. Actually, if we didn't take the bus for a few hours, we
probably couldn't have come here. Even though it was left alone after
the relocation of the capital,' I , couldn't believe that this was
still Tokyo. At least, there weren't any places like this in Kyoto.
It's weird that it takes more time than Kyoto to Tokyo,7 isn't it 7'
.."It's faster than walking the 53 Stations."s Saying that,
opened the thick book she had in her hand. What came out from the
middle of the book was a single photograph. On the back were a map
and address written in her handwriting. The front was, of course, a
picture.
No people were shown. It was a picture of scenery. A picture
of a shrine. 'This—is our destination this time, Maly." Flap
flap. Flapping the photograph, said that. She said that without
faltering, and her words didn't have hesitation, but they didn't have
eagerness or enthusiasm either, they were very businesslike.
Destination?
