CHAPTER 59: 54. KAWASHIMA MIKI IS VERY DANGEROUS

I’ve made up my mind to renovate this shrine... Fujiwara Reya took a deep breath and picked up the coffee cup.

There was no coffee in the cup. He shook his head slightly and placed the cup back on the saucer.

"Director Takeuchi, I’d like to remind you." Fujiwara Reya shifted to a cold tone, staring intently at Director Takeuchi’s face, "My aim is to renovate the shrine, not to expand it."

"It’s about the same thing..." Director Takeuchi held a cigarette in one hand and turned a golden lighter with the other.

"There’s a big difference," Fujiwara Reya said calmly, "I just want Asakusa Shrine restored to its original size, that’s all. There will be no outward expansion, nor will it encroach on the survival space of peers."

"..."

For a moment, Director Takeuchi didn’t know what to say.

After a brief pause, he extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray, looking at Fujiwara Reya while touching his chin bristles, "May I ask, what is your relationship with Natsuki Miko?"

"She is very important to me," Fujiwara Reya said in a calm voice, "she taught me knowledge, the principles of being human, and helped me adapt to this world. If I were to describe our relationship, I would call her like my biological mother."

"Your mother?" Director Takeuchi played with the lighter, carefully choosing his words, "Or perhaps, is Natsuki Miko your mother?"

"Sir, I’m an orphan." Fujiwara Reya responded, "If you have doubts, you can apply to the Police Station to check the citizen information files."

"Haha, just kidding..." Director Takeuchi took a cigarette from the box and lit it, then slightly furrowed his brow, as if finally making a decision, and asked, "Asakusa Shrine’s past, do you know anything about it?"

"I don’t care." Fujiwara Reya shook his head, "The size of the current Asakusa Shrine is determined by me, past matters do not concern me."

"But the truth won’t remain buried forever." Director Takeuchi, contemplating the weight of his words, fingered the cigarette, "Truth is like an ancient city buried in sand. Over time, the sand may accumulate deeper, or it may be blown away, revealing the city. I’m quite certain of this."

"You’re very certain?" Fujiwara Reya repeated his words.

"I kind of know."

"Because the accumulated sand has been blown away?"

Director Takeuchi nodded: "Pretty much."

"Feels like talking about a historical event." Fujiwara Reya laughed lightly.

"In a sense," Director Takeuchi laughed along, "we are indeed discussing history."

The cigarette held between his fingers smoked as he continued, "Even sealed-off memories can’t change history. The existence of Asakusa Shrine is too unconventional. The current situation can be ignored by everyone, but restoring it to its former scale would evoke an ominous feeling of ’oh no, the disasters of the past will repeat.’ Some people won’t be able to sit still. And then you’ll find yourself more frequently in the limelight of important figures, becoming a hot topic for discussion, and facing more obstacles and suppression."

After his lengthy speech, Director Takeuchi intertwined his fingers on the table, sighed softly, "Bringing the conversation to this extent, I’ll be blunt. I don’t intend to hinder you; it’s just that once you take the first step, you can no longer maintain this kind of low-profile life. If you’re a smart person, my words shouldn’t be hard to understand, right?"

Once he finished speaking, silence fell.

A thick, dense silence, the cigarette turning to ashes between Director Takeuchi’s fingers, falling on the table piece by piece.

After thinking for a long time, Fujiwara Reya slightly curled his lips, which could be seen as a smile.

"After Golden Week, I’ll send over the design plans." After saying so, he stretched lazily, as if suggesting everything that needed to be said was already said.

The air at noon was very stagnant, the strong light particles indoors were stirred up like dust by the airflow when the young man turned and left, floating and shimmering.

"Tricky..."

Director Takeuchi sat in his chair, posture unchanged, staring directly at the retreating figure of Fujiwara Reya stepping down the entrance, his eyes devoid of emotion, like looking at a brand new, blank slate.

"Are you in a hurry?" Director? asked.

"Yes." Fujiwara Reya did not look back.

"Why don’t you stay a little longer, think it over?"

"Sorry, I have to hurry to buy a grave plot." Fujiwara Reya said, waving his hand without turning back, "See you in May, Director."

Grave plot?

Director Takeuchi was taken aback.

It wasn’t until Fujiwara Reya disappeared at the doorway that he digested the word, puzzled: This seems rather resolute, no need to take on the lone hero act, if it’s dangerous, you can run...

"Knock knock~"

There was a knock at the door, the young woman guarding the entrance opened it.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

A rhythmic, clear and crisp sound of high heels hitting the floor resonated within the room, its charm lingering on.

Director Takeuchi looked up.

A woman in a black business suit approached, with a delicate, fair and round face, long jet-black hair tied back. Her eyebrows were long and thin, nose delicately pointed, lips moist and glossy, her gaze deep and sharp.

A slender waist, a full round chest; a black short skirt paired with black stockings and black pointed high heels.

Both her appearance and attire emitted an intense charm unique to mature women.

"And you are?" Director Takeuchi slightly frowned.

He doesn’t remember knowing such a beautiful woman, nor having any appointments today.

"Hello Director Takeuchi~"

Kawashima Miki smiled intellectually, sitting opposite him, crossing her well-proportioned and long legs.

A strong fragrance wafted, and Director Takeuchi sniffed sharply, feeling slightly lightheaded.

"I was introduced by Governor Mizutani," Kawashima Miki maintained her smile, speaking in a gentle voice as if a breeze crossing a bay, "I want to acquire the land where Asakusa Shrine is to develop commercial facilities. Governor Mizutani said you are responsible for matters like this, which is why I intruded so boldly, hoping Sir Director wouldn’t mind."

"Not a bother, not at all..." Director Takeuchi hastily shook his head, feeling his cheeks and head get a little warm, as he stammered an explanation: "It’s just that religious land has strict usage restrictions and can’t be used for commercial development..."

"I’m aware, which is why I hope Sir Director can give me some guidance." Kawashima Miki said, casually swiveling her chair, lowering her left leg and crossing her right.

The airflow stirred by her movement carried a rose fragrance.

Director Takeuchi, intentionally or not, caught her motions with the corner of his eye, while feeling the air in his chest turn suddenly heavy.

Attraction...

He thought of the word attraction.

"Sir Director has quite the taste." Kawashima Miki subtly surveyed the office, casually pointing to the stainless steel desk lamp on his table, "I really like this. It seems Sir Director and I share the same taste."

"Thank you, thank you," Director Takeuchi nodded hurriedly, "Being able to please you makes me very happy."

"Yes, very much." Kawashima Miki focused on his face, her lips slightly lifted.

Her lips slowly unfurled like petals, forming a charming dimple beside her mouth; in the dimples’ contrast, her eyes sparkled, and with an admiring expression, she asked, "If possible, might I be allowed to visit often?"

"Sure, sure, no problem..." Director Takeuchi nodded while speaking in a dry voice, "Regarding your question, it’s not impossible to resolve, Shintoism has strict rules, and no priest is allowed to use Divine Power against ordinary people. If such rules are violated, they’ll be expelled."

"Thank you, Sir Director."

Kawashima Miki responded with a smile.

What an utterly charming face, smiling as if you’d want to keep her here forever.

After she stood up and left the office, Director Takeuchi gasped several times, slumping into the back of his chair, gazing at the blue sky outside the window.

Being unable to become a priest might not be a bad thing for you, oh right, when’s this woman coming next, I’d better dress up carefully... Imagining the scenario of the second meeting, feeling as if he handed off the issue while meeting a stunning beauty, Director Takeuchi finally breathed a sigh of relief and raised his sleeve to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

Outside, a jet plane flew across the sky, leaving a long contrail that split the sky into two halves.