This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame-Chapter 603 - 377. Promise in a Distant Place (8000-word target achieved)_2

After all, such matters already counted as the private affairs of the deceased, and it was impossible to casually show them to outsiders.

But...

Beichuan Si’s serious demeanor made her hesitant to speak.

The light still shining in his eyes.

It definitely wasn’t a malicious gaze intending to dig into someone’s privacy.

That stern and upright look made Inagaki Kaori hesitate, and then she agreed.

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Beichuan," Inagaki Kaori finally agreed.

Under Beichuan Si’s gaze, she re-entered the room where the spiritual shrine was kept, rummaged around briefly, and then walked out carrying a small wooden box.

Inside this...

were the items left by Inagaki Shizuka.

And those items... did they contain a way to break through this impasse?

Honestly, Beichuan Si wasn’t sure.

But there was always room to try.

Inagaki Kaori opened the wooden box in front of Beichuan Si.

The items laid out before Beichuan Si made him squint his eyes.

"What is this...?"

...

It was dusk again.

And the crowd was sparse as usual.

Shindai Kanari looked at this familiar scene, her posture holding the cards unchanged.

Her figure under the setting sun seemed somewhat frail.

She huddled her small body, watching the other side of the street, before finally letting out a soft sigh.

No one came.

Today, once again, no one came.

Shindai Kanari gently patted her own face, using this action to encourage herself.

She was dead after all.

There was plenty of time.

Just keep waiting.

Eventually, she would wait for her.

Wait for her return... to then ask about the promise...

Shindai Kanari’s figure gradually became ethereal, feeling as though she might disappear any second.

But—

With a snap.

A hand appeared on her empty shoulder.

Shindai Kanari, with a surprised expression, turned around.

In her view, Inagaki Shizuka stood behind her, smiling serenely.

Shindai Kanari tensed her small body, looking at Inagaki Shizuka, who was almost the same height, and forced a smile: 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Shizuka..."

"Kanari."

Gold tears suddenly welled up in Shindai Kanari’s eyes.

Six years...

Six years of waiting...

This forced her to stretch out her hands and tightly hug Inagaki Shizuka in front of her.

Inagaki Shizuka just smiled serenely.

She reached out her hand, stroking Shindai Kanari’s head, her expression gentle.

Sorry to have kept you waiting so long.

It seemed like the other wanted to express that.

But Shindai Kanari just shook her head, wiping her tears.

The fact that Inagaki Shizuka could keep the promise and come here was already a surprise.

She carefully took out the cards from the "Hyakunin Isshu" from her embrace.

Arranged them on the ground according to the card game rules.

Then Shindai Kanari looked at Inagaki Shizuka.

The other nodded quietly with a smile.

Their mutual understanding over the years had reached such a level.

No words were necessary.

The tender voice of a child singing the cards resonated.

The one who touched the cards would receive a card, counted as one point.

The one with the most cards won.

Shindai Kanari and Inagaki Shizuka viewed the game with a usual mindset.

As time passed, their game gradually reached its climax.

The last card was clutched in Shindai Kanari’s hand.

The game ended there.

It was a mundane...a nearly undisturbed gameplay.

Who won and who lost didn’t matter at all anymore.

Shindai Kanari just clutched the card, holding the Inagaki Shizuka in front of her, her voice slightly ethereal: "Shizuka... I still have so many things... really so many, many things I want to talk to you about..."

What happened to that little monster from the cartoons we used to watch? What about the hero?...

Did the little flower we planted together bloom? How is the flower garden now?

"And... and..."

Shindai Kanari opened her mouth, her face wearing an excited expression as she reached out her hand towards Inagaki Shizuka—

With a snap.

The next moment.

Shindai Kanari abruptly disappeared on the spot.

Leaving behind only the last card, falling through the air.

The very moment an obsession is fulfilled, a wandering soul receives peace.

In other words...Shindai Kanari had found peace.

There would be no more sightings of her near the longhouse.

This was also a good thing for Shindai Kanari.

Empty now stood only Jing Inagaki, her gaze mournfully observing the scene.

She clutched a song card, her eyes half-closed.

After a while... she too transformed into the purest soul thought and disappeared...

The surroundings of the longhouse were utterly silent.

The night had fallen imperceptibly.

The evening breeze was gentle, rustling the landscape trees on either side of the road.

The rustling sound made the night very quiet.

The silent moonlight scattered.

The indigo night sky was studded with stars.

Everything was spotlessly clean.

In such an atmosphere.

The longhouse of the Inagaki’s didn’t look as menacing and frightening as usual but radiated a feeling of home... a comforting feeling.

Time passed by yet again.

When the street lights flickered and pedestrians had all stopped to go home and rest,

a small figure reappeared at the side of the path.

She was holding a large stack of song cards, tightly embracing them.

Braided hair... tattered red and white cotton coat... a round little face.

It was none other than Shindai Kanari, previously believed to have found peace.

She gazed at the spot where she had just been playing with Jing Inagaki, only to start crying after a long time.

Shindai Kanari cried somewhat inexplicably, unsure herself why she was so sad.

Only she understood the reasons behind it.

In fact.

Shindai Kanari had long known.

The fact that Jing Inagaki was dead.

The fact that she would never come here again.

The fact that no matter how long she waited, it was an act without meaning.

Yet, even knowing this, she continued to wait.

Always waiting.

In her heart, she always harbored a sliver of fantasy.

Perhaps Jing Inagaki had defeated the illness and was living somewhere.

But the recent sighting of Jing Inagaki shattered that mere illusion.

Because the Jing Inagaki she saw just now... seemed very real.

But in fact, Shindai Kanari knew clearly.

It was merely a vivid illusion... just an illusion.

She didn’t want to disappoint the person who had arranged this act to give her peace.

So she pretended to have found peace and performed the disappearing act.

Because that was perhaps the greatest way to express gratitude to that person, wasn’t it?

Shindai Kanari was such a tender and understanding child.

Even if her understanding only made people cherish her more...

"Brother Beichuan, thank you."

Shindai Kanari gathered her strength and bowed to the other corner of the street.

Indeed.

She only had to think briefly to understand who was helping.

These past few days, she had only encountered Beichuan Si, who possessed special abilities.

He was the only one capable of such things.

Considering what he had done,

Shindai Kanari didn’t want him to feel his efforts were all in vain.

She was grateful to Beichuan Si.

She also didn’t want to trouble Beichuan Si.

After all, this was her own issue.

Shindai Kanari was a very patient girl.

She would continue to wait.

Even if the path ahead was utterly devoid of hope, she would continue to endure it.

Just as she hid everything when she suffered domestic violence from her father, not wanting to worry others.

Yes, she would keep on doing this.

Even if what lay ahead was endless loneliness and a future nearly impossible to see.

"But is that really okay?"

A cold voice suddenly rang in her ears.

This startled Shindai Kanari, who was immersed in her grief.

She turned around in astonishment.

It turned out that Beichuan Si had already been standing behind her without her knowledge.

His expression remained calm.

His clear black eyes watched Shindai Kanari.

Under such a gaze, Shindai Kanari couldn’t help but clutch the cards closer to her chest.

"Kanari, do you really think it’s good to continue like this?"

Beichuan Si asked again.

This time, he posed the question directly to Shindai Kanari.

Indeed.

This had all been arranged by Beichuan Si.

The illusion presented before Shindai Kanari was crafted together by Magong Yongshi, Nishijou Kurenai, and Shenzhu Shihui.

That Jing Inagaki was indeed a fake illusion.

These couldn’t give Shindai Kanari peace.

But at the moment when Shindai Kanari reappeared, Beichuan Si’s suspicions had been confirmed.

Yes, he had figured everything out.

Shindai Kanari’s obsession.

Her promise with Jing Inagaki.

These, in the eyes of Beichuan Si...

Were no longer unknown!