CHAPTER 306: 130. RENOVATING THE ANCIENT TEMPLE_4

——With an air of casual, anytime, anywhere freedom, doing as he pleases, yet appearing immediately when needed.

With this clarified, Kasahara Fumi began to ponder another question.

Fujiwara Reya’s handsome face and healthy, robust physique could certainly be the source of his likability, but that’s not enough. Now, he is displaying his charismatic side, wielding a force of light—how incredible!

"What are you daydreaming about?" Fujiwara Reya quipped, winking playfully at her, his clear eyes shimmering with mischief.

"..." Kasahara Fumi opened her mouth, looking a bit embarrassed.

Given her personality, it was hard to say something like, "I was just moved by you, so I plan to confess." Yet in his gaze, she discovered a reflection of herself, a shadow where she tasted a kind of exhilaration, as if she had been stripped bare in his eyes, feeling both ashamed and relieved.

Kasahara Fumi found it hard to untangle her current emotions.

All in all, he clearly knew she was up to something behind his back but still filtered out all the dirt and accepted her gladly. Thus, she inexplicably believed she would never forget this feeling of emotion and trust.

Of course.

Unfortunately, she did not know that although Fujiwara Reya seemed harmless on the surface, he was secretly contemplating how to retaliate for her deceit in a way that would embarrass her, or she might have gone berserk and attempted to murder her brother-in-law on the spot.

The drifting clouds flowed gently in the sky, marking a day in August. The temple was devoid of visitors and monks, with shadows of trees and the cross-shaped white flowers of clover swaying in the wind.

The two lay and sat idly, staring at the distant sea.

"Great!" Fujiwara Reya said, smiling meaninglessly.

"Hmm." Kasahara Fumi did not smile.

This was their time, a brief and meaningless moment that left a vivid impression. Feeling the sunshine and the breeze, it gave a sensation of enjoying a truancy at school, as comfortable as a freshly washed shirt touching the skin. This kind of aimless, mind-clearing, brief moment was very refreshing and precious—an unimaginable experience.

At one in the afternoon, Abbot Kiyoka, who was renovating the temple, came to the side hall after an investigation.

Before stepping into the entrance, he instinctively turned back to glance at the vast ocean below the mountain.

Currently a monk, he was once an agent of Task Force Nine. In his youth, a disagreement led to a conflict with his superior, driving his decision to leave Task Force Nine and become a Spirit Exorcism Detective. After living a nomadic life for over a dozen years, he devoted himself to this ancient temple at the age of forty, immersing himself in Buddhist Law. As days passed by, he suddenly realized how quickly time had flown by.

Throughout his life, he had made many choices, and it wasn’t as if he had no regrets. However, he was content with his current situation, perhaps because he had already taken root in the restoration of this ancient temple.

Now accustomed to life in the temple, he no longer pursued change, feeling there was nothing wrong with letting the days pass by peacefully.

But such a life could not continue indefinitely.

Abbot Kiyoka gazed at the sea, then looked down at his cloth shoes, sighing.

He did not regret selling the Huang Song jade and using the money to organize a grand summer festival in Minami-Izu Town that would be talked about for years... though he felt guilty for scaring the townspeople and saddened by the loss of two monks. Regarding the summer festival, all he felt was remorse.

"Oh..."

Abbot Kiyoka sighed self-deprecatingly.

Expecting the big shots from Tokyo to understand or even resonate with his inner thoughts might be somewhat unrealistic. He held no hope for his impending fate, just like the waves below. Whether crashing to pieces on the rocks or landing smoothly on the sand, he would let it be.

"Master Kiyoka, please come in."

The voice directly resonated in Abbot Kiyoka’s ear.

It was a female voice, clear and bright, like a chill spring passing through the listener’s heart.

Unconsciously, Abbot Kiyoka looked up towards a corner of the side hall courtyard.

Beneath the tall and lush Bodhi tree, a youth happened to get up from a reclining position, brushing the grass off his body and straightening himself. Beside him, a woman with a cool and elegant demeanor sat gracefully, as if a proper maid accompanying a young master on an outing.

"Amitabha~"

Abbot Kiyoka softly chanted a Buddhist name and walked into the courtyard.

"Whish—"

The previously silent courtyard was suddenly filled with the flapping of cicadas. The sheer number of cicadas startled Abbot Kiyoka. He was also startled by the flapping sound, like flocks of frightened sparrows taking flight.

Abbot Kiyoka looked up at the old Bodhi tree, where cicadas continued to take off.

It was the boy, so the cicadas didn’t fly away... Abbot Kiyoka’s gaze moved towards Fujiwara Reya as he approached. The closer he got, the more he could sense the astonishing aura from him—a steady demeanor like a mountain, an easy-going attitude, and matched with handsome looks, exuding an unusually charming warmth.

Standing in front of the boy, Abbot Kiyoka stood still, unspeaking.

After a moment of silence, Fujiwara Reya scratched his nose and started, seemingly troubled: "Master Kiyoka, unwilling to meet me?"

At this, Abbot Kiyoka bent over, palm to palm in a gesture of reverence.

"Welcome!" His posture was upright, and with a calm and strong voice he said, "This humble monk, Aoba, welcomes Director Fujiwara to our temple. This way, please."

With that, he turned aside and led the way.

"Thank you, Master, for the invitation." Fujiwara Reya stood up and followed the abbot, with Kasahara Fumi behind him.

Compared to when they first met, his expression had changed slightly. Although still straightforward and kind, his face carried a confident smile, similar to a spirited young man displaying a naive fearlessness when facing a problem.