The morning after the call, I met Kano at the nearest station.
“Yuito, morning.”
”…Morning. Lively early.”
I was still drowsy, she was sparkling.
“Long time since I’ve been to Kyoto — of course I’m pumped.”
“Reminder — the purpose is for me to see Grandma and Grandpa. Don’t lose track of that.”
“Yes, yes.”
(I didn’t trust the yes but pushing would be useless.)
“By the way — how’d you explain this to your family?”
“Friends-and-Osaka overnight trip. Kyoto Station sells Osaka souvenirs, so cover’s solid.”
“You did think about it, then.”
“I prepped friends to corroborate too.”
So the cover was airtight. Especially needed — my brother finding out would worsen his summer cold.
We took the local line to Tokyo Station, then bought Shinkansen tickets at the Green Window (counter — student discount only works there).
“Tokyo Station is packed.”
“Mid-summer break — everyone’s traveling, in and out.”
“Then non-reserved on the Shinkansen would be terrible.”
“Reserved seats — best decision.”
“Yeah, two-plus hours standing would crush me.”
We picked up onigiri, sandwiches, drinks at the konbini on the platform and boarded.
“Two hours — let’s do something together.”
“I want to sleep till Kyoto…”
“Denied.”
I’d known she’d block sleep.
“What do you have in mind?”
“Personality test app — trending.”
“Sure.”
“Question for you: walking along, you find an object. Which? Wallet, key, four-leaf clover, handkerchief.”
I went on instinct.
“Key.”
“Tap and… Key represents intellect. Your destined partner is intelligent, imaginative, and very high-spec.”
“Hmm — that’s literally me.”
She was beaming. The description suited her uncannily.
“Your turn. At a festival you bought a stand food — which? Chocolate banana, cotton candy, candy apple.”
“Cotton candy.”
”…People who look pure but are actually hardcore S. Cotton candy is too big for one bite; only people with conqueror’s intent pick it.”
“Oh — I’m a hardcore S, apparently.”
(She was indeed. She hadn’t noticed?)
“Pretty accurate.”
“Tons more — let’s keep going.”
We were hooked on it.
”…Crazy accurate.”
“Apps got good.”
“Yuito, look — Mt Fuji.”
“So we’re approaching Shizuoka.”
40 minutes had flown. Next stop Nagoya, then over an hour to Kyoto.