Kyoto

"Is everyone here, Uchida-san, Tanahashi-Kun?"

I hand down the attendance, "The whole class is here, Sensei."

Sensei replied, "I see."

Where at the station, waiting for the bullet train to Kyoto.

Sensei announced, "Everyone, stick with your groups. It will be a two-hour train ride. While we're waiting, make sure you have food and water with you, go to the bathroom, and buy necessary necessities."

Yuuki and I went to the group after being asked by Sensei.

I asked everyone in the group, "Do you have everything that you needed for this trip?"

Itsuki replied, "I've already checked mine."

Nise followed suit, "Me too."

Yuuki came after, "I got mine as well."

Sakura checked her bag again, "Everything I needed is pretty much with me."

Miu also checked her bag, "Same as everyone else, I got my stuff already."

I asked again, "How about food and drinks during the ride?"

Miu replied, "We should buy something."

Nise suggested, "No chocolates please."

Miu asked, "Eh? Why not?!"

Nise explained, "I get dizzy by it. Eating or just the smell of chocolate while on a trip makes me sick."

Miu replied, "Ok, we got it. No chocolates."

I added, "Let's go and buy some snacks."

We went to the convenience store, inside the station to buy food and drinks.

I told the group, "Everyone if you don't have any bento, buy one now. The ones inside the train are really expensive."

Itsuki replied, "Gotchu."

We went around the store to find food and drinks for the ride. Yuuki approaches me, "Shin."

I asked, "What's the matter, Yuuki?"

She whispered, "There's someone following us."

I asked again, "Where?"

She quietly answered, "Inside the store. The guy with the camera."

I looked at it and she's right. It's a middle-aged guy with a camera. I asked, "Are you sure that guy has been following us?"

Yuuki nodded at me and I replied, "Fine, let's just keep an eye on him."

We bought some snacks and drinks for the ride and left the convenience store. I looked behind and the guy with the camera doesn't seem to be following us when we left the store and returned to the rest of the class.

Sensei announced, "Everyone, line up with your groups! Check who's not with you and call them right away. The bullet train will be here shortly."

Everyone lined up as the bullet train arrived on the platform. We entered the train and we went to the farthest seats on the train. Near us is the bathroom, so it wouldn't be a hassle for us.

In a minute, the train started running and the trip starts.

Midway through the trip, Yuuki called me, "Hey, Shin."

I asked, "What's wrong?"

She noticed something bizarre like last time, "Are you on a diet?"

I shook my head, "I'm not on a diet. Why did you ask?"

She answered me, "No, it's just your getting skinnier. Are you sure?"

I shrugged it off, "It must be your imagination."

Yuuki didn't say anything at all after that.

Miu asked, "Maybe Yuuki you're just seeing things because of stress. Must be hectic at the student council, right?"

Yuuki replied, "We couldn't catch a breath at all. Paperwork after paperwork and some of us need to study for the entrance exams."

Itsuki followed, "That's tough."

Nise complained, "Man, we will be busy in the coming months."

Sakura followed, "There are entrance exams. I might not be able to hang out with you guys through the whole summer."

Itsuki followed suit, "Me too."

Yuuki came after, "Oh, same as you guys."

Nise and Miu followed suit, "Me as well."

Sakura explained, "I'll be busy working and studying for the entrance exams."

Yuuki replied, "I think most of us will be busy studying for the entrance exams."

Miu followed, "I might be busy in summer with idol duties"

Itsuki came after, "It will be impossible for us to meet during summer vacation."

Nise followed, "That sucks."

I replied, "I mean, it's fine if we don't meet in summer. We're always together at school anyways."

Yuuki giggled, "You're right."

Miu opened the bag of chips that she bought, "Who wants some?"

Nise reached into the bag of chips, "I want some!"

...

Something feels wrong...

...

I'm getting a bit weak...feeling nauseous. 

...

While they are sharing the chips, I stood up with a bottle of water in my hands.

Yuuki asked, "Where are you going, Shin?"

I replied, "To the bathroom."

I went to the bathroom. I immediately drink some pills and chug the whole water bottle.

"This taste nasty."

My head started to be fine after a few seconds, "Don't tell me it's already starting."

...

I left the bathroom and Sensei is right there, outside of the bathroom.

Sensei asked, "Are you fine, Tanahashi-Kun?"

I replied, "I'm fine. I just needed some rest. I'll go back now."

I left Sensei and returned with the rest of the group and opened my bento box and started eating. After a few minutes, I closed my eyes for a bit. 

"Shin, wake up, we're already in Kyoto."

I hear a faint voice.

"Hey, Shin! If you don't wake up, we're gonna leave you!"

I opened my eyes and it was everyone staring at me, "Good Morning, Shin."

I looked around and the train is already empty beside us. I guess I must have slept throughout the whole trip.

"Sorry, I slept too much."

Miu replied, "It's fine. C'mon, let's leave this already."

We all left the train and Miu shouted, "Kyoto!!!"

Sakura covers Miu's mouth, "Miu, too noisy."

Sensei announced, "Everyone, stick with your groups and the class as well, we're all going to the inn now."

Everyone stick with their groups and ready themselves to leave the station.

Yuuki called me, "Shin."

I looked at her and she started pointing at someone. It's the middle-aged guy with a camera a while ago, but this time he is accompanied by a young guy with glasses.

I replied, "That's the guy earlier."

Yuuki followed, "He is not alone this time. What do we do, Shin?"

I replied, "I don't know but let's just keep an eye on them for now."

Yuuki nodded, "I understand."

Yuuki and I are behind the group while we kept a keen eye on the two guys while we were on the way to the inn. Sakura and Itsuki are in front of me while the two exciting and energetic Miu and Nise are in the very front of the group.

"Sakura, Itsuki."

They both turned around and Itsuki asked, "What's wrong, Shin?"

Yuuki explained, "Someone is following us."

Sakura replied, "Don't tell me," as she turned around and looked at Miu and Nise and looked at us, "They might be here because of Miu."

I followed, "So they noticed who's Miu."

Yuuki added, "This is bad news."

Sakura requested, "Can you guys keep this a secret from Miu?"

Itsuki asked, "Why though? I thought no more secrets."

Sakura explained, "Out of all the people who are looking forward to this trip, it's Miu. She rarely has any free time to hang out with anyone because of her idol duties. As much as possible, I want to repay Miu by letting her have fun."

Itsuki, Yuuki, and I looked at each other, "We understand."

Sakura smiled, "Thanks, guys."

We all entered the inn and Sensei announced the schedule of the first day, "The class will be going to Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, and after that is Fushimi Inari Shrine. We will have a little break after that and, we will go to Nijō Castle. We'll go back to the inn after that. Dinner will be served when we returned. You'll take a bath at the onsen here. After that, we will give you guys an hour of free time before bedtime." 

That's quite a rough schedule.

Sensei asked the whole class, "Did you get all of that?"

One female student asked, "Sensei, is the onsen here an open bath?"

Sensei replied, "It's an open bath."

One male student asked, "Is the onsen a mixed bath?"

All of the girls glared at him.

Sensei shook his head, "Don't be ridiculous."

Everyone laughed at it.

Our first spot was the famous Kiyomizu-Dera Temple. 

Miu excitingly yelled, "It's so tall!"

Nise followed, "The view is great here!"

I looked at the view and it's just amazing. The whole view is filled with cherry blossoms. The temple looks like floating from the cherry blossom that surrounds it.

Yuuki, holding her phone out, "Everyone, let's take a picture!"

Miu asked, "Who should hold the phone out?"

I replied, "Have Itsuki hold it."

Itsuki followed, "Yeah, let me do it."

Yuuki gave the phone to Itsuki. We took a selfie and...it flashed?

Itsuki asked, "Yuuki, did you turn the flash on?"

Yuuki replied, "I did not. Plus, the flash is on the other side of the phone."

Itsuki asked, "Then, where did the flash come from?"

I looked around who was near us. I whispered to Sakura, "Do you see the two guys?"

Sakura looked around and whispered, "Over there, in the corner."

I looked at it and it was the two men who'd been following us. The glasses guy and the camera guy.

Sakura asked, "What should we do, Shin?"

I replied, "I don't know but let's just keep an eye."

Yuuki asked, "What's wrong?"

I explained, "The two guys. They are also here in the temple. Right at that corner."

Yuuki looked at them, "The flash, it might come from them."

I asked, "What should we do?"

Yuuki replied, "Let's tell Sensei about this at the inn. For now, don't let Miu be left alone at any time."

Sakura and I nodded at her plan.

I went to Itsuki and whispered the plan to him.

Itsuki asked, "Why don't you tell Nise as well?"

I replied, "I can't. Miu is literally next to her. I'll tell him back at the inn."

We left the temple and were on the way to Fushimi Inari Shrine, one of the most well-known shrines in Japan.

I asked Itsuki, "Itsuki, can you look behind us if they're still following us?"

Itsuki looks behind, "I don't see them right now but I have a bad feeling about this."

In less than an hour, we arrived at the shrine. Nothing really happened at the shrine and everything went normally as it is. After we toured the Nijō Castle, we went back to the inn.

Itsuki and I went and talked to Nise, "Nise, we're in trouble."

Nise asked, "What is it?"

Itsuki and I explained to Nise about the two guys and the plan to protect Miu without her knowing it.

Nise replied, "I understand. You guys keep an eye on the two guys, I'll keep an eye on Miu."

We went and ate dinner and after that, the onsen. The baths for the boys and girls are split.

Some of the boys are planning to peek at the girls' bath and I don't want to be part of that. I went ahead first since I don't want to be seen and I also don't want to be in trouble later but I somewhat crossed paths with Itsuki and Nise, who are all going to the bath.

Itsuki puts his hand on his forehead, "You know what? Let's just go in. We already know each other secrets."

Nise replied, "What about me?"

I replied, "Just don't get any funny ideas."

Itsuki followed suit, "What Shin said."

We entered the changing room. As I was putting the towel on my lower body and Itsuki can't help to notice it, "Shin, are you losing weight?"

I replied, "You think so? I think I haven't."

We entered the onsen and soaked ourselves with hot water.

Nise stretched, "I feel alive!"

Itsuki followed suit, "This is really refreshing!"

I added, "I know right?"

The bath feels really good. After a while, we left the onsen and changed to the yukata that the inn offered.

During our free time, Yuuki approached me, "Shin, let's tell Sensei about that."

I nodded at her and we went where Sensei is.

Yuuki said, "Sensei, there's a problem."

Sensei asked, "What is it?"

I replied, "We have a stalker problem."

Yuuki explained, "There are two guys who'd been following our group throughout the whole day. They are probably after Miu."

Sensei replied, "I see, they are after Chiba-san. I assume she already told you about her work."

We nodded at Sensei.

Sensei asked, "Does Chiba-san aware of the stalkers?"

I replied, "She doesn't know about it."

Sensei stands up, "I understand the situation. I'll talk to her agency about this."

Yuuki and I bowed to Sensei, "Thank you, Sensei!"

That's somewhat relieving to hear.

Well, that's what we thought.