Life In The Reverse World

At their destination, Chouko looked up at the dark green tiles lining the top of the over-three-meter-high wall.

“When I was little and climbed over this wall to run away, it felt like scaling a cliff. Every time I stacked boxes to climb up, I was terrified.”

Harutaki didn’t find it particularly imposing. To him, it was about as tall as a basketball hoop.

“And now?”

“They got rid of all the boxes after I was caught a few times.”

She glanced at him.

“You didn’t jump in like a ninja, did you?”

“Yeah.”

“Eh?”

She had been joking—until she saw him nod, imagining him in a black ninja outfit leaping across rooftops.

“Just kidding. Of course you need this.”

He pulled a compact metal telescoping hook ladder from the bushes and tapped it, producing a metallic clang.

“Small, portable, adjustable for different wall heights. A must-have for travel and burglary.”

“Travel has nothing to do with burglary!”

Once he secured the ladder, Chouko eagerly climbed up. Halfway up, she suddenly realized something and looked down—meeting his upturned gaze.

“Y-You saw, didn’t you…?”

“That’s why I told you not to wear a skirt.”

“Idiot! You didn’t say we’d be climbing a ladder!”

There was no backing out now. She scrambled up to the top and sat on the wall. After he moved the ladder to the outside and climbed down, she hopped down and began pounding his shoulder with her fists.

If you wanted to look, you could’ve just said so…

She was both embarrassed and annoyed, silently grateful she hadn’t worn the “killer lingerie” her friend once recommended.

If he’d seen that, she might have actually dug a hole and buried herself on the spot.

…

Clank.

Clank.

As the orange-red train rolled forward at an unhurried pace, Harutaki and Chouko sat shoulder to shoulder, fingers tightly intertwined. Neither of them spoke. They simply gazed out the window at scenery that was only just beginning to glow with the vitality of early summer.

Perhaps because Golden Week had just ended, and because they were traveling during a weekday work-and-school time slot, the carriage wasn’t crowded. Harutaki quietly let out a breath of relief.

For his “first” date with Shihou, he wanted it to be as perfect as possible. He wanted it to be the kind of day that, years from now, when he looked back on it, would still taste sweet in his mouth, like a piece of milk candy slowly dissolving on his tongue.

Staring at the passing landscape, he found himself vaguely understanding the saying that “everything outside Tokyo is countryside.”

Though rather than outside Tokyo being countryside, it felt more like the moment you left the city center, you stepped into an entirely different world. Without railway tracks and utility poles, you might even mistake it for a place abandoned by time, cut off and lonely.

And this was during the vibrant threshold between late spring and early summer, when all things were in bloom.

After getting off at the old-fashioned Kibuneguchi Station, Chouko led him onto a bus heading north. About twenty minutes later, they arrived at their final stop.

“Kifune Shrine?”

After walking for a few minutes, Harutaki stood beneath a massive vermilion torii gate and looked at the stone monument beside it. Carved into the surface were the characters: 【Head Shrine — Kifune Shrine】.

There were a few tourists around, but it wasn’t crowded. Not enough to disturb their little world.

“I thought, as a local, you’d take me somewhere secret. Some hidden, off-the-map spot.”

“Hehe. There is a secret spot. But I’ll only take you there on our next date, Harutaki-kun.”

Chouko curled her lips into a smug, adorable smile, pretending to be mysterious.

She tugged him forward by the hand. Despite being a Kyoto native for more than three generations, she looked even more excited than he was.

“It’s my first time here too…”

Sensing his confusion, she explained softly.

“…When I was little, I only played at home or around Suishoen. And during school, there was no one to come this far with me…”

Considering that Suishoen alone was around 6,000 tsubo in size, that had probably been more than enough playground for a child.

Harutaki wanted to make a snarky comment but had no idea where to begin.

Is this what rich-girl problems look like? he wondered. If Suishoen were just a bit bigger, maybe they could’ve fenced in the mountain to the north too.

“…And besides, Kifune Shrine is a place you only come to with someone special~”

“Someone special… like those two?”

Following the direction he pointed, Chouko saw two Western-looking men walking arm in arm through the torii.

“Harutaki-kun, you’re the worst… pfft…”

She had meant to complain about his lack of romance, but before she knew it, she burst into laughter.

Honestly, what is with him? Always saying the strangest things that somehow make her laugh.

They took photos for each other in front of the torii, then asked a passerby to take one of them together. Satisfied, Chouko put her phone away and glanced at Harutaki, who was staring into the mountains.

“Alright. Let’s head up.”

“Want to link arms?”

She shot him a look of pure disdain and simply extended her right hand.

He took her smaller hand in his, and together they passed beneath the torii, climbing the stone steps toward the main hall of Kifune Shrine.

The blue-gray stone steps were slightly uneven but gently sloped. Lush maple trees and thick greenery flanked them at a distance, the tall trees arching inward the higher they climbed, like a vast canopy shielding visitors from the sun and filling the air with cool freshness. Closer to the steps stood rows of vermilion lanterns, matching the torii, lined up like silent attendants awaiting their guests.

Chirp.

Chirp.

Birdsong echoed through the quiet mountain air, weaving together with the stillness of the shrine like stars and moon in the same sky. It naturally calmed the heart.

Though Harutaki had never been here before, he had heard of it.

Kifune Shrine was said to be one of the most spiritually powerful matchmaking shrines in eastern Japan—and one of Kyoto’s three great love shrines.

“Shame we didn’t come at the perfect time.”

Chouko’s voice was soft as a warbler’s call, not disturbing the tranquility but blending into it.

“If we came in winter, the snow would probably be beautiful. In autumn, the mountains of red leaves would be breathtaking. In summer, the famous kawadoko dining by the river would be perfect for cooling off… And the Kifune Festival isn’t until June.”

“I think having you here is enough.”

After Harutaki said that, silence fell again—until Chouko let out a small laugh.

“Ugh… that’s way too cheesy. I’m getting goosebumps.”

But even as she said that, she thought… maybe that wasn’t so bad.

“If it were me, I could just come with Izumi instead. We wouldn’t need you, Harutaki-kun~”

“Perfect. I’ll hold you on my left and Nogami-san on my right, like walking two cats to the shrine.”

“I’m not a cat!”

She retorted in adorable Kyoto dialect, then suddenly added in a softer, almost wistful tone:

“But… being a carefree cat like Kinako wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Yeah. I’d like that too.”

To wander freely like a cat. Padding through busy streets or quiet ones alike. Leaping onto low walls, balancing elegantly across narrow paths like tightropes. Stretching lazily on rooftops beneath the sun.

As he described his yearning for a cat’s life, he added:

“House cats don’t always have that freedom. But stray cats? They’ve got the full package.”

“Hehe. Careful, stray tomcat. You might get caught and neutered~”

Chouko grinned mischievously and poked his side with her elbow.

He shuddered.

“If I’m getting neutered, I’ll at least have a few litters with you house cats first.”

“You—cats—?”

“I mean, cats like you—”

Before she could press him further, he abruptly quickened his pace up the steps, forcing her to hurry after him.

…

Clink.

Clang.

Clink.

Clang.

Since Chouko had no money on her, Harutaki took two five-yen coins from his wallet—coins symbolizing “good connections”—and together they tossed them into the offering box. They rang the bell and prayed for blessings from Konohanasakuya-hime, the deity enshrined here for matchmaking.

He had originally wanted to try Kifune Shrine’s famous water fortune first, but Chouko dragged him straight to the inner matchmaking shrine instead. She insisted that if they prayed first, they’d definitely get good results in their fortunes afterward.

Isn’t that a bit superstitious?

He wanted to say that—but considering everything that had happened in his own life lately, he didn’t have much ground to stand on.

After praying, they returned to the water fortune stall in front of the main hall. For 400 yen, they each received a seemingly blank sheet of paper.

The special feature of the “water fortune” was that you dipped the paper into the shrine’s sacred water, and the fortune would gradually appear.

It was far more interesting than the usual random draw at shrines. Though Harutaki couldn’t help feeling slightly pulled out of the atmosphere by the QR code printed in the corner, even if it was meant to help foreign visitors translate the results.

Splash, splash.

A moment later, they lifted their papers from the cool water and read the faint lettering.

“Yes! I told you praying first would bring good luck!”

Chouko pumped her fist excitedly and proudly showed him her Great Blessing fortune.

【Direction: Northeast.】

Guess I really should go back to Tokyo.

【Health: Excellent condition.】

Ever since recovering from her bad cold, she’d been following YouTube workout videos at home.

【Childbirth: Healthy twins.】

Tw… twins…

Her cheeks flushed pink like the rising dawn, golden light flickering in her eyes.

【Love: Only through your own effort will your wish be fulfilled. Love must be pursued, not waited for.】

So I need to try even harder?

【Wish: Heaven helps those who help themselves.】

Self-help?

【Moving: Safe and smooth.】

【Lost item: You may stumble upon it when you least expect it.】

She didn’t recall having lost anything in the first place.

【Career: Family is the foundation.】

Maybe it means family matters most?

【Studies: It’s fine to learn casually.】

Heh heh. Chouko let out a smug little hum through her nose, thinking that she really was a genius after all.

【Travel: Smooth journey ahead.】

“Harutaki-kun, what about yours? Lemme see~”

Just as Harutaki was staring at his fortune slip, lost in thought, Chouko suddenly snatched the paper charm from his hand and began reading it aloud.

“‘Minor Blessing’…?”

Hadn’t they prayed first?

She frowned and read on.

【Health: Excessive sexual desire may also harm your health.】

Wh-What desire!?

She peeked at Harutaki. He didn’t seem particularly bothered.

【Childbirth: Too many children may become a burden.】

Too many… How many counts as too many?

Three? Four?

Naming them would be a hassle…

【Love: Though it may seem like a long-distance race with no road ahead, as long as you don’t stop moving forward, a path may yet unfold.】

Does that mean Harutaki’s journey in love is going to be difficult?

But… if she just puts in enough effort, won’t she succeed?

For a moment, she couldn’t quite figure out what the fortune was trying to say.

【Wish: Heaven helps those who help themselves.】

Eh? It’s exactly the same as mine!

I guess this is what they call having the face of a married couple…

The thought made her giggle to herself.

…

Was it because he hadn’t properly paid respects to the Dragon God enshrined at the main shrine?

After reading Harutaki’s fortune, Chouko couldn’t quite understand why it wasn’t Great Blessing or at least Blessing. But since Kifune Shrine didn’t offer an interpretation service for fortunes, she had no choice but to drop the matter—

Well, Minor Blessing was still a blessing, after all!

Afterward, the two of them stopped by the souvenir shop near the main shrine. Since he had quite a few people he was on good terms with and needed to buy gifts for, Harutaki ended up purchasing a whole stack of omamori. He and Chouko even exchanged love-luck charms on the spot…

Even though the money still came out of his pocket.

Nothing else among the souvenirs particularly caught his interest, but at Chouko’s suggestion, he bought a canvas bag jointly released by Ichizawa Shinzaburo Hanpu and Kifune Shrine for 7,000 yen.

The beige canvas bag had three rectangular tags embroidered on its upper right corner: “Origin,” a sun, and the Yatagarasu. The latter two symbolized illuminating the road ahead, guiding one’s direction, and bringing hope.

He figured he’d give it to Ayaka as a grocery bag.

…

Just as they were about to leave the shrine grounds and head to the next sightseeing spot, Chouko suddenly seemed to remember something and dragged Harutaki back again.

“Ema…”

“Mm-hm! Money!”

Lending money to a little rich girl was a first-time experience for Harutaki.

With great momentum, Chouko demanded a Noguchi Yukichi from him, then went to the shrine staff’s booth to buy two trapezoid-shaped wooden ema plaques and borrow a marker.

Popping off the cap, she cradled one ema in one hand and began writing on it—

【To always live happily together with Harutaki-kun, Izumi, Sae, Minako, and everyone else ♡】

“Your turn, Harutaki-kun.”

After handing him the marker, she didn’t step away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, craning her head forward to see what he was writing.

【Excellence in both letters and arms, admired with blazing passion!】

“Pfft—so chuuni!”

Chouko couldn’t help teasing him.

“Mine’s already pretty normal. Don’t say that…”

Harutaki pointed at the wooden plaques hanging on the ema board, telling her to take a look herself.

【Money luck exploding like a dragon!】

【Shoot me with the arrows of love!】

【Money money money money money!】

【Big promotion, give me hope!】

“Uwa… so… so gross…”

After reading them, Chouko genuinely couldn’t think of anything witty to say. “So gross” was the only way she could describe her feelings.

…

Aside from spending 300 yen to fill a bottle with “sacred water” to take home and boil for drinking, Harutaki and Chouko completed everything at the main shrine and the auxiliary shrine before setting off for their next destination.

They passed by two towering cedar trees that had grown together for over two thousand years. It was said they symbolized a husband and wife living long together. Because the two trees shared a single root, they were called the “Connected Cedars.”

After reading the informational sign in front of the trees, Chouko suddenly turned back, tugged at Harutaki’s sleeve, and asked softly,

“Harutaki-kun will stay with me forever, right?”

“If… I mean, if…” Harutaki cleared his throat before continuing, “What if one day I’m not by your side?”

“Then I’ll go find you.”

She grinned, tugging on his sleeve again as she broke into a light run.

“Come on, let’s go to the next place! I can’t wait anymore~”

Staggered slightly by the sudden pull, Harutaki looked at the cheerful Chouko ahead of him and couldn’t help feeling, for some reason, like he was taking a child out on a trip.