Episode 44 - Past Arc EP3: Autumn in Kyoto – School Trip

When Shota came to, he found himself standing on the grounds of Kiyomizu Temple—one of Kyoto’s most iconic historical sites, known for its wooden stage that juts out over a scenic hillside.

The autumn sky stretched high and clear above, and the colorful leaves swayed gently in the breeze. With each step along the stone paths, the murmurs of tourists echoed around him, along with the faint, elegant voices of maiko—apprentice geisha in traditional kimono and makeup. From the vivid red main hall, he could look out across the entire cityscape of Kyoto, Japan’s former imperial capital, filled with ancient temples, shrines, and seasonal beauty.

Just then, a girl in a sailor-style school uniform appeared—

Ryoko, now a second-year high school student, standing against the backdrop of the autumn foliage.

She had matured beautifully since the last time he saw her. The navy skirt and white-collared blouse blended seamlessly into the Kyoto scenery. Her faint smile carried a softness and serenity unlike any of his past memories of her.

But Shota could feel it.

(Ryoko… she’s having fun. But somewhere deep inside, she’s uneasy.)

A slight tremble in her heart reached him. The familiar traces of loneliness and anxiety, once buried deep, now gently wrapped around Shota’s chest.

Unaware of his presence, Ryoko ran over to her classmates.

“Let’s get some dango—those sweet dumplings on sticks!”

“We have to take pictures from the Kiyomizu stage, right? The view’s amazing!”

Laughing with her classmates, she seemed to be enjoying every moment of the school trip—a tradition in Japanese high schools where students travel in groups to historical and cultural sites, often including Kyoto.

Kinkakuji, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Arashiyama—Kyoto’s most famous landmarks, each with centuries of history—

Shota followed along as Ryoko made her way through them all.

As they traveled through Kyoto’s famous sites, Shota followed her quietly. Her smile looked genuine now, as if she no longer struggled to contain her emotions the way she once had.

(I’m glad… Ryoko’s really enjoying herself.)

And yet, Shota could still sense it.

Behind her smile, a flicker of fear. A shadow of something that haunted her.

That night, in the inn—

“So, that classmate guy was seriously hot!”

“Whoa, you’ve definitely got a chance!”

“What about you, Ryoko? Do you like anyone?”

The girls were having a lively conversation about love. Ryoko laughed along, joining in casually.

“Me? Hmm…”

As the chatter continued to heat up, someone suggested:

“Hey, since we’re in Kyoto, want to sneak out for a nighttime stroll?”

The girls slipped out of the inn and wandered into the quiet streets of Kyoto. Their footsteps echoed against the stone paths in the dimly lit hanamachi (geisha district).

“Wow, this place has such a vibe.”

“It’s kind of thrilling, huh?”

Then—

“Hey there, girls. Out for a walk this late?”

Several men emerged from the shadows. They looked like local yakuza.

“Uh… well…”

This wasn’t just some casual flirting. Their stares were sticky, predatory.

Ryoko and her friends froze as a chill ran down their spines.

“How about we have a little fun?”

“Please stop…”

The moment Ryoko said those words—something snapped.

BOOM!!

The men were violently thrown backward, as if struck by a powerful unseen force.

At the same time, an overwhelming wave of emotion surged into Shota’s chest:

—I’m scared.

—Help me.

—Please, someone…

But it didn’t stop there.

Even her friends were swept up in the flood of Ryoko’s emotions.

“What was that just now!?”

“Ryoko, what did you just do!?”

Gripped by fear, the girls instinctively stepped away from her.

“No! I didn’t mean to—!”

Ryoko tried to explain, but no one would listen.

One by one, her friends fled the scene.

“Wait…!”

She reached out—but no one reached back.

Shota watched, feeling the despair in her heart crush his own.

(Ryoko…!)

She was alone again.

Wandering the streets of Kyoto without strength, without direction.

Anxious. Isolated. Regretful. Terrified.

Negative emotions swirled like a storm.

Shota could feel them too—pouring straight into his soul.

And then, at that moment—

—A gentle scent drifted through the air.

Sweet, nostalgic, familiar.

(This scent…)

Ryoko stopped in her tracks.

She looked up toward a narrow alley leading deeper into Gion.

It was the scent of her mother.

Her eyes widened in shock.

“…Mom?”

Her whispered words melted quietly into the stillness of the night.