[Net King] Pilgrim

When Machida heard Echizen Ryoma trust her familiarity with this place, her irritated mood for the whole night finally showed signs of calming down.

She gently brushed the soft sand with her toes, and curled the corners of her mouth, "I have spent almost half of my time in Shonan since I grew up. Like a little lunatic, even more noisy than my brother and the others."

She turned around and looked at Echizen Ryoma, somewhat relieved, "But I haven't been back for a long time, I'm familiar with it, but in fact, most of them are still walking by feeling."

Although she can talk about Shonan, such as "what kind of flowers bloom in what season, which dessert shop is the most popular", after all, she has been away from this place for a long time, and there is no additional investment after that. More attention.

When the feeling of truly experiencing the things around her faded away bit by bit in the world full of her busy schoolwork, she was not fully sure to put herself in a position of "knowing everything well".

She was standing not far from the sea, wearing a large milky white bathrobe, her whole figure was like a moon reflected in the dark water.

"Not everyone can do things by feeling." Echizen Ryoma took a few steps forward with a calm expression, "And this kind of deep-rooted familiarity is probably the result of accumulating over time, and it's all part of you."

Machida turned his head to look at him with some surprise, the flickering light leaked from his eyes, echoing the lighthouse in the distance.

What she didn't know was that in Echizen Ryoma's life so far, she also had the experience of living and growing up between the two places like her.

When he first returned to Japan at the beginning of this year, he actually tried his best to adapt to the unfamiliar environment around him. Culturally speaking, he's clearly more at home in the sunny orange groves of the West Coast.

He is in the streets and alleys of Tokyo, walking through the streets of Harajuku with huge crowds, experiencing the old folk customs of Asakusa, and seeing the legendary Akihabara otaku, but he still feels that he does not belong.

For a while, he couldn't even find a suitable identity and shelter for himself here.

But then slowly, perhaps because of the accidental entry of tennis, he began to try to live according to the sporadic impressions of this country in his mind and the instincts of his body. In any case, the fact that he is from the Sakura Country will not change. The sense of nationality that continues in the blood is like a natural spring, filtering out the deep or shallow traces left by this land in the depths of his memory.

It was only after he returned to New York on the eve of the national competition that he had inadvertently gotten used to the pace of life in front of him.

Of course, in Echizen Ryoma's view, Machida's feelings about two different regions may not be as complicated as his feelings about two different countries.Furthermore, unlike her, he left clear imprints of his growth in different places. This kind of "just by feeling" brewed by the kindness and understanding brought by time and personal experience is naturally not true. It's just "feeling".

But even if you take a step back.

He ignored her surprised look, but added leisurely: "Or you can come back here from time to time, anyway, Shonan is not far from Tokyo. After all, it is a place where I have lived for so long. It will take a few days to become as familiar as before. Alright."

Machida's expression darkened, and he said bluntly, "Often speaking is a bit difficult for me. I remember the last time I came here was when I was in the fifth grade of elementary school. In order to practice for Brother Saeki, we made an appointment to come back before he left. Take a look at the sea."

After she finished speaking, she spread her hands and placed the wooden frame and clogs on the sand.

"Why?" he asked.

Machida paused when he bent over, and regardless of his unsightly posture, he looked back at Echizen Ryoma, "Because he's going to school in Chiba."

Maintaining this strange angle, he lowered his eyes and looked at her indifferently, "No, you just said that it's a bit difficult to come back from time to time."

"Ah, that." She straightened up, patted the sand that accidentally got on her hands, and answered calmly, "Because there is no extra time, there are so many exams, big and small, and there is still preparation for the competition."

After she finished speaking, she gave him a look of "Do you understand what I mean?" Unexpectedly, the other party frowned slightly and asked, "This takes a lot of time?"

Machida was taken aback for a moment, trying to keep up with his thoughts. She just wanted to nod, but suddenly stopped, and after thinking about it, she replied: "Everyone's situation is different, so I need my words."

As soon as she finished speaking, she realized that what she said was strange. She obviously wanted to express the point of view that "this kind of thing varies from person to person", but now it sounds like "I am not capable and my brain is not good, so it is more difficult to do it." time" feeling?

Echizen Ryoma had already put the items in his hands aside, and asked naturally: "Then what is your situation?"

As if he didn't expect him to continue this topic, Machida was at a loss for words.

What kind of situation...

...the kind that climbs over mountains?Or... the kind that upgrades to fight monsters?

Echizen Ryoma happened to straighten up right now, and met her with a somewhat bewildered look.

This look again.

He glanced at her lazily, not knowing how many times this was her today.

It's not that he has deliberately observed anything, it's just that this day, she often appears with such a confused look.

He remembered that at the observatory in Enoshima in the afternoon, senior Eiji was dancing and chatting about the "causes and consequences" of the trip plan,

It should be when she mentioned that Machida Hisashi's map helped a lot, she stood still and stared at her brother for a while, her thoughts were pulled back and she unconsciously stepped back, almost bumping into him.

And at dinner time, he was sitting next to her at that time, and he almost felt her absent-mindedness the most obviously, from her panic when she knocked over the food, to her flat tone when she talked about the debate, and even to the question he asked at the end. "Is the debate interesting?" She still hesitated.

In fact, the original intention of his question was just doubt and strangeness. After all, her expression and attitude when talking about the debate activities seemed a little too calm.

At least if it was him, he wouldn't be like that when it comes to tennis.

But when he turned his head, it seemed that he accidentally scared her, and he suddenly wanted to laugh at that moment.Laughing at her panic, also laughing at the calmness she has always carefully maintained.

His drifting thoughts were brought back by Machida Kazuki's voice, "There is a mountain in front of me that I really want to climb, but I encountered a lot of resistance on the way up, so I have to do my best to do it."

This kind of analogy is quite appropriate. For the mountain in front of her that is almost soaring into the sky, she has no ladder to borrow. She can only step on the stone steps step by step, relying on her current ability to overcome the long and rugged mountain road.

Echizen Ryoma folded his hands behind his head.Although her way of expressing is a bit cryptic, it is not difficult to understand. The important thing is that it sounds like a rather difficult road, but when she said it, there was not much pessimism in her words .

It's good to have the will to fight.he thinks.

Just like when he first picked up a racket to stand on the tennis court, he met many highly skilled opponents. At that time, they were as difficult to surpass as mountains and mountains for him, but if he wanted to beat them, he was full of energy. Fighting spirit is of course important, but it is not the only factor.

"Actually, if there are too many obstacles on the road, you can also consider bypassing these obstacles and take another path."

Machida was stunned for a moment, seeing that his eyes were closed, he continued to say calmly, "I mean, if your biggest goal is to reach the top of the mountain."

After the last few syllables in his mouth fell, what rushed into her eardrums was a sudden loud roar from a distance, and then in her sight, Echizen Ryoma's profile under the night was covered with strange layers one after another aperture.

The second Saturday in October is a fireworks display in Enoshima. [1]

This was the reaction that immediately popped into Machida's mind when he saw the scene of fiery trees and silver flowers in the sky.

Sure enough, no matter how worried I am, the memory may be almost blurred by the flood of time, but the body is honest.

The gorgeous fireworks are like a waterfall pouring down from the sky, surrounded by meteor-like sparks, blooming and falling straight down, decorating the night sky brilliantly.

"It's the fireworks display in Enoshima." She was completely attracted by the bright sky, and her voice was filled with joy.

On the vast beach spread out around the two of them, several groups of people also gathered together, watching the clusters of small fires that burst in mid-air transform into umbrella-shaped flowers in the distance, and couldn't help but send ups and downs. exclamation.

Echizen Ryoma's eyes were opened by those loud noises just now.Although he was no stranger to fireworks, he rarely felt the hot and dazzling atmosphere intuitively like this time.

As far as he knows, there are grand fireworks shows all over the United States every year. In conjunction with the local festive atmosphere and entertainment activities, if the venue is spacious and well-equipped, there will be quite amazing lighting and music effects.

When he was younger than now and hadn't traveled around because of participating in various tennis tournaments, the only times he could remember watching fireworks was with his parents in Central Park in Los Angeles.

Standing with their backs against the huge circular fountain behind them in the crowded crowd on a sweltering summer night, they are often smothered before the show even begins.

In addition, every time he waited for the performance, Nanjiro would always buy various snacks such as Mexican tortillas from the street and stuff them in his hands. After he expressed resistance several times, his father still enjoyed it.

So for the few fireworks in memory, Echizen Ryoma actually has no special feelings.

Perhaps it is because of such a simple but profound contrast, the refreshing sea breeze mixed with hot flashes blowing over, there is no food that he is not interested in, and there is no sticky and steaming heat, which makes him happy to appreciate the beautiful scenery in front of him at this moment. scene.

He tilted his head slightly, and saw Machida Kazu's plain face and the distant flames glowing together.