Kiyono Lin sat in the chair, watching him crouch there to assemble the fishing rod.

"Why so many hooks?" she asked.

"Maybe it's because I'm a playboy," Dubian Che replied without looking up.

Kiyono Lin glared at him annoyedly.

After Dubian Che had set up the fishing gear and cast the hooks into Tokyo Bay, she started reading a book.

Turning to the first page, she was greeted by the sight of a rose petal, in a light and delicate champagne hue.

Unable to resist, she stretched out her slender finger and gently caressed the tender petal, her stunningly beautiful features softened considerably.

Looking up, she saw a young man mumbling to himself, doubting whether this place was any good for catching fish.

She shifted her gaze back to the book, smelling the scent of distant cherry blossoms and nearby roses, and began reading "A Girl's Harbor":

"This was a certain day, not long after the grand entrance ceremony had ended."

...

After Dubian Che had cast his fishing hook into the sea and stood by the white railing,

He would read a few lines from "The Dancing Girl of Izu," glance at the fishing float, take a two-second look at the glistening Tokyo Bay, and then sneak occasional peeks at the distant Rainbow Bridge.

The rhythmic sound of Kiyono Lin turning the pages of her book drifted to his ears.

Blue skies, white clouds, pink cherry blossoms, green lawns, the warm sea breeze, the genial sun, and azaleas blooming in flower beds in the distance.

Fishing in Tokyo Bay was a true test of patience, but luckily Dubian Che was there to read, so he didn't mind that he ended up only "catching" two pieces of seaweed and a medium-sized sea bass.

But someone else did mind.

"I saw someone caught a little shark, Mr. Dubian," Kiyono Lin said to Dubian Che, who was packing up the fishing gear at noon.

"I forgot to bait the spot; otherwise, never mind a little shark, I could have caught its daddy—the big shark—for you today!"

After packing up the gear, he said, "Next, we'll go to the restaurant I've booked. You can bring your own fish there, and the chef will prepare it for you."

"People usually bring in top-notch fish?"

"Some things are better known than said. That's the secret for your followers to keep their spirits high."

They walked along the railing, strolling beside Tokyo Bay towards the park's exit.

"May I order other dishes?" Kiyono Lin, ever the Literary Girl, held the book close to her chest.

"You can order other dishes, but looking down on my sea bass is not allowed."

"You understand what I'm saying."

"You should feel lucky to have a fish I caught with my own hands, rather than disdain it."

"Don't make it hard for me, Mr. Dubian; you know I only speak the truth."

"What truth?! I think you just want to mock my fishing skills."

"Can't deny that."

"You're not cute at all," Dubian Che said.

Kiyono Lin turned away, a slight smirk in her voice as she said, "Lie."

Behind her, the budded magnolias swayed comfortably in the breeze.

"It's the truth," Dubian Che said without much will to resist, feebly arguing.

Arriving at the roadside, he carelessly plucked an azalea from the flower bed and sucked at the flower's nectar.

While sucking, he said to Kiyono Lin:

"As a child, it felt very sweet, now it tastes completely bland. People are indeed happier when they are young, with fewer worries, contented by a piece of candy for a long while."

"There's also joy in growing up, and people must grow up eventually," Kiyono Lin said.

"True," Dubian Che nodded, "In the village, I was happy everyday climbing trees and catching crabs. Here in Tokyo, there are enjoyable things too."

"Like what?"

"Like inviting Miss Kiyono to fish with me today."

"Was the main point to invite me for fishing?"

"The main point was to invite you to dine."

At midday in spring, Tokyo Bay became stunningly beautiful. The scene of the young man and woman walking side by side seemed like something out of a comic book they had seen before.

Leaving Toyosu Park, they crossed the zebra crossing amid the gazes of passersby. Dubian Che kept his composure, accustomed to such attention.

Kiyono Lin glanced at the bright red azalea in his mouth.

After a five-minute walk, they arrived at the restaurant he had booked in advance.

Dubian Che helped open the door, and Kiyono Lin walked in first. As they passed each other, she commented:

"The azalea."

"Hm?"

At first, Dubian Che didn't respond, then he lowered his eyes as if remembering, and quickly removed the azalea from his mouth.

A waiter led them to their seats, took their orders, confirmed how they wanted the sea bass prepared, and then took the fish away.

"You knew all along?" Dubian Che asked Kiyono Lin about the azalea matter.

"Yes," Kiyono Lin nodded.

"Why didn't you remind me earlier?"

"It's not a big deal, and I wanted to see you lose face."

"...Are you a sadist, Mr. R?"

"I don't think so." Kiyono Lin propped her chin in her hand and pondered, "I just want to bully you and see you embarrassed. I'm not interested in how others fare."

"And that's not sadistic?"

"What does it matter if it is or isn't? You seem pretty happy. Do you like it when I tease you?"

"I... definitely do not." Dubian Che lacked confidence.

He stole a glance at Kiyono Lin's expression, wanting to know if his statement was true or not.

Kiyono Lin took a sip of her lemon water and picked up "Harbor of Girls".

"..."

It seemed he'd been read like a book.

Without an answer, Dubian Che boredly surveyed the restaurant.

The snow-white, gleaming tablecloths, the considerable space between each table.

Even though it was high noon, all the lights were on, and without music playing, the low and pleasant murmur of conversations gave the restaurant an even more tranquil atmosphere.

One could tell from the pages of wines on the menu and the sommeliers specifically there to pour that this place was pricy.

The two had previously spent a total of 1946 yen at Shixiang Pavilion, but this place was entirely different.

However different, for Dubian Che and Kiyono Lin, it was still a restaurant they'd stroll into whenever they pleased, without considering the cost.

Price was not within their considerations.

After a while, the waiter brought the steaks, cooked to perfection.

And there was lightly seared abalone, accompanied by sliced sudachi.

Kiyono Lin closed her book, carefully placed it aside, and began to enjoy her veal steak.

"What have you been up to lately?" asked Dubian Che.

"Shopping, buying clothes, shoes, mostly just reading books and watching movies at home."

Kiyono Lin cut her steak with precise and graceful movements, the act of forking the perfect bites of steak into her mouth was enticingly attractive.

"Not gone on any trips?"

"This season, the Island Country is crowded everywhere. The whole world comes to see the cherry blossoms, and I don't feel like traveling abroad."

"Same here, mostly just staying at home."

Kiyono Lin took a sip of her lemon water, "Haven't you gone to see your Meiji?"

"Meiji, my Meiji is abroad now."

"So is that why you came looking for me?"

"What logic is that?" Dubian Che asked oddly, "I mentioned buying roses to her, and I actually wanted to invite you both to recreate 'Harbor of Girls' today, but she went abroad."

"Didn't she say anything?" Kiyono Lin looked at him with a meaningful eye.

"You're so concerned about her, you should go find her yourself," Dubian Che said with a laugh.

Kiyono Lin ignored these deliberately teasing questions and continued to focus on cutting her veal steak.

Dubian Che took a bite of his steak, and the waiter presented the perfectly steamed sea bass, which smelled incredibly fresh.

"Miss Kiyono, try this. It was personally caught by a handsome Tokyoite. If auctioned, it would certainly be pricier than Buffett's lunch."

"One can't buy a lunch with me, even if they were rich."

"Please save your self-love for when school starts. Take a break during the holidays."

Kiyono Lin didn't pay attention to Dubian Che, took a sip of water, then used her chopsticks to pick up the pristine white fish meat and place it inside her soft cherry-colored lips.

It was less about her tasting the sea bass and more about the sea bass experiencing her tongue—such was the extent of Kiyono Lin's beauty.

"How is it?" asked Dubian Che.

"The skill is average, and the ingredients are subpar."

"The chef is going to come after you with a knife."

"No worries, you'll take the hit for me."

"Friendly reminder: I was just told that the ingredients I provided are subpar. Guess whom I'd help?"

"You'd help me," Kiyono Lin replied with casual confidence.

"Correct!" Dubian Che clapped lightly, his face admiring.

Kiyono Lin was indifferent to his exaggerated performance and stared past Dubian Che.

"What are you looking at?" Dubian Che turned his head.

A family of three, followed by Mayi Asuka.

Moreover, sometime when no one noticed, the restaurant had started playing TV, at a very low volume, currently broadcasting the final moments of a marathon.

"I recognize him," Dubian Che pointed at the first black man crossing the finish line, "Rileesa, who once ran with me."

"It'd be more fitting to say 'I used to run with him,' given your achievements in running," Kiyono Lin said as she locked eyes with Mayi Asuka looking in their direction.

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