Compared to inconspicuous small cities like Misaki and Fuyuki. Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is a completely different world.
It comprises 23 special wards, 27 cities, 5 towns, 8 villages, as well as the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands, with a total area of 2,155 square kilometers and a population of approximately 10 million (as of 1998). It is one of the most populous cities in the world, the largest city in Asia, and the second-largest city in the world.
Here, the hustle and bustle contrast sharply with tranquility and harmony. In Tokyo, you can experience what it means to be in a crowd, witness the continuous flow of people, and truly embrace the fast-paced lifestyle.
"There are so many people." Shiki, wearing a loose kimono, looked at the crowds of people coming and going around her and softly uttered, "Just like ants."
"Yes," Mikiya gently smiled. To him, no matter how many people there were, they were merely background. The girl before him was the only one who truly mattered. "Although I don't think 'ants' is a good term."
"Then how about using insects to describe it?" Shinji took out a few coins, threw them into a vending machine, and casually selected a few cans of drinks.
"I was about to say, Shinji, that's..." Mikiya was about to retort, but he saw Shinji throwing two cans of drinks over. Almost instinctively, he responded with a "Thank you" and handed one can to Shiki.
"I think Shinji's description is quite accurate," Touko said, standing in front of a subway sign, feeling puzzled about which route to take. "There are just too many people, like a swarm of locusts. That's why I don't like big cities. It's such a hassle to find a way, and there's always traffic congestion. It's impossible to drive."
"Have a drink to cool off," Shinji said as he pressed a can of iced coffee against Touko's face. "I'll help with the search too... This maze-like map is making me dizzy. Ah, when will we have Google Maps? Mikiya, why don't you start a networking company and name it Google?"
"Although I don't know why, I just feel like there's something wrong with that name," Mikiya sensed a hint of malice inexplicably.
"I agree. You're teasing Mikiya, aren't you, Matou?" Shiki's intuition was remarkably accurate.
"Miss Shiki is mighty, I admire you, so I will call you big sis," Shinji exaggeratedly bowed.
"Let's just forget about that way of addressing me," Shiki waved her hand in distress.
"No, only through this way can I express my deep admiration, like the rushing waters of a river, incessant—"
"Call me whatever you want, just please shut up."
As soon as Shinji showed signs of opening his mouth and couldn't stop talking, Shiki quickly stopped him. She was least adept at dealing with this kind of familiarity, with excessively talkative people. They annoyed her just by looking at them.
Interestingly, this troublesome emotion proved Shiki's acknowledgment of Shinji. Shiki's view of emotions was akin to that of animals, unrelated to liking or disliking. She first divided people into those she could be with and those she didn't want to be with. Even if she disliked someone, she would accompany them to the end if they were deemed compatible. For her, Touko was disliked, Shinji was troublesome, Sakura was liked, and both Fujino and Kirie gave her a sense of kinship. As for Mikiya, she said, "I don't know," but she valued him greatly, to which Shinji responded with a dismissive "Heh."
Having gained the upper hand, Shinji was in a great mood. He gave a thumbs-up to Mikiya and continued to immerse himself in the grand endeavor of finding the correct routes.
Soon, with the efforts of Shinji and Touko, the two of them found suitable departure times amidst the dazzling array of train lines.
"Let's take this one. Hurry up. If we delay until after school, we'll have to wait until tomorrow. I don't know the exact location of his house."
In this way, with a mix of haste and slowness, the group arrived at the front gate of a relatively remote town's middle school, which fell within the jurisdiction of Tokyo.
The middle school itself was nothing special—conventional gates, traditional school buildings, and similar iron fences. It appeared so ordinary, just like the lives of ordinary people.
Shinji double-checked the name of the school and nodded. "This is it. It's currently 3:22. Middle school students usually finish school at 3:30. If there's an HR (homeroom meeting), it might be delayed a bit. Let's wait here for a while."
"Hey, Matou, you should tell me who we're here to see by now," Shiki crossed her arms and looked at Shinji with a sidelong glance.
"Sorry, still not gonna tell you," Shinji shook his head. "It wouldn't be fun if I tell you now."
"I'm telling you, you..." Shiki's eyelid twitched uncontrollably, once again confirming the troublesome nature of this brat.
"Shiki, calm down. I believe Shinji has his reasons for doing this," Mikiya gently patted Shiki's shoulder, calming her emotions.
"I must say, Mikiya, you're impressive," Shinji chuckled. "Here's the deal: let's have a little competition. Let's see who can find the person we're looking for first."
"Who are you referring to?" Mikiya asked.
"Of course, it's you and Shiki. Touko and I already know the target."
"Are you saying you don't plan on telling us the features? How are we supposed to find them then?" Mikiya furrowed his brow.
"We don't need to tell you the features. Once you see them, you'll know."
Shinji's confident tone piqued the curiosity of Shiki and Mikiya.
"Interesting."
"Just to clarify, do Shiki and I know this person?"
"No, you don't know them, but you have a significant connection."
"I see. Well then, let's see who finds them first, Shiki."
"Sure thing, Mikiya."
"All right, let the competition begin," Touko watched the interaction between the two employees with great interest, lazily snapping her fingers.
A few minutes later, the school bell rang with a jingle, indicating the end of the day's academic classes for the middle school students. It was now time for various club activities. Extracurricular activities for Japanese students were quite diverse, and the majority of high school students didn't rush home immediately after school.
However, the person Shinji was looking for was an exception. Due to health reasons, they never participated in club activities and always headed straight home. That's why Shinji chose this time to find them.
Amidst the gaze of the four individuals, the school security guard opened the iron gate, and a few students trickled out of the school gate.
Among them, there was an inconspicuous boy, with his head down and carrying a backpack, all by himself.
His short black hair was unkempt, giving him a somewhat messy appearance. His large, old-fashioned black-framed glasses covered half of his face, obscuring the boy's features that lay somewhere between delicate and handsome.
It was this seemingly unremarkable boy who caught the attention of both Shiki and Mikiya.
"Mikiya, you only have Azaka as a sister, right? No younger brother?" Shiki asked.
"No, I don't. He should--"
Just as Mikiya was about to ask if this was the person they were looking for, he suddenly noticed Shiki's widened eyes. Her slightly disheveled black pupils gathered and focused, emitting a mysterious color he had never seen before.
"Shiki, what's wrong?"
Shiki let out a snort, and a chilling smile formed at the corner of her mouth, sending shivers down someone's spine.
"This person is one of my kind."
=====
Support Me At Patreon.com/AbsoluteCode