Although the entire grounds of Rokuon-ji are designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site, an important historical structure among them—
the present-day Kinkaku (the Shariden) was in fact completely destroyed in the Kinkaku-ji arson incident of Shōwa 25 (1950), and was later rebuilt in Shōwa 30 (1955).
It was precisely this incident that Mishima Yukio used as the model for his famous full-length novel, "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion."
And the best time to visit Kinkaku-ji is in the afternoon, when the sun blazes high overhead.
The sunlight strikes the Kinkaku, plastered all over with gold leaf, making it glitter brilliantly, and its reflection shimmers across the rippling waters of Kyōko Pond.
But unfortunately, one cannot get close to the Kinkaku.
Visitors can only follow the designated route along the edge of the pond, gazing at it from afar—they cannot approach it, much less go inside.
Tsushima Kagami stood outside the railing, looking across the water at that golden pavilion.
Aside from the fact that it was indeed a little dazzling to the eyes—
he actually even thought the Kinkaku was a bit small, not grand enough.
They really ought to make a whole building complex and cover all of it in gold leaf.
Then he'd be able to sincerely blurt out a "Whoa!"
After taking in the sights for a while, Tsushima Kagami and the others came to the goshuin office and Fudō Hall.
Over at the goshuin office there was still a long line, with visitors waiting to request a goshuin seal.
The Fudō Hall side, by contrast, was a bit more peaceful—a small stone shrine enshrining a stone statue, with an incense burner set out before it, wisps of incense smoke curling upward.
The group noticed that here, too, one could draw an o-mikuji fortune.
A wooden fortune-stick cylinder sat on the table; give it a shake, and a bamboo stick would fall out.
A number was written on it, and you'd then take the fortune slip corresponding to that number.
It was the same procedure as before at Inari Taisha.
"Kagami, why don't you give it another try?"
Ijichi Seika nudged him, a mischievous little smile in her eyes.
Because that morning she had dragged him into drawing a fortune, and the result had been a "Curse Followed by Blessing"—
which had left her blaming herself ever since.
She wanted to see him draw again here.
Maybe this time he'd pull a lucky fortune.
And then it would all even out.
"I'm definitely not drawing again."
"What if I pull another curse?"
"This is Rokuon-ji, after all."
"I've heard most temples across the country share the same Kannon Hundred Fortunes set."
"And there really are curses in there!"
"Some temples have even added a Great Curse!"
This time Tsushima Kagami had absolutely no intention of drawing again.
Come on—what with the transmigration and the system and all.
Telling Shizuku ghost stories now and then was fine,
but what if some shrine or temple fortune actually came true?
If it dumped a huge one on me, I really couldn't handle it right now.
At the very least, I'll wait until my system is all maxed out before talking about it!
At this point Ijichi Seika grabbed hold of Tsushima Kagami and started shaking him too.
"Just draw one more time, come on—"
"Maybe your luck will turn this time!"
"If you don't draw, I just keep feeling like I've ruined things for you."
"If I pull another 'Curse,' then THAT's you ruining things for me!"
Tsushima Kagami shot back.
"Aww, it won't happen."
"Nayotake and I will draw together with you."
"And what if the two of you snatch up the 'Blessings' again?"
"Then wouldn't my odds of getting a 'Curse' be even higher?"
"But if you don't draw a 'Blessing,' I'll feel sad about this morning."
"And if I pull a 'Curse,' won't you feel even sadder?"
"Seika-chan, let me off the hook and let yourself off too!"
Tsushima Kagami smiled, hands stuffed in his pockets, and no matter how Ijichi Seika shook his arm, he didn't budge an inch.
In the end, her tone unconsciously took on a few notes of wheedling.
Tsushima Kagami remained unmoved, his deep gaze fixed on the distance.
A sigma man will never fall into a woman's trap!
At this point Ijichi Seika stamped her foot, then leaned in close to Tsushima Kagami's ear and said,
"Draw, and I'll wear that outfit!"
Tsushima Kagami immediately turned his head.
"Really?"
Ijichi Seika suddenly flushed, and nodded.
"Fine then."
What Ijichi Seika was referring to was that earlier, back at school, Hiroi Kikuri and PA-san had brought out a photo the three of them had taken together when they first met.
Back then, Ijichi Seika was dressed in classic gyaru style.
Compared to Hiratsuka Shizuka's earlier delinquent look,
clearly the blonde Ijichi Seika was a more natural fit for the gyaru style.
And Tsushima Kagami had drawn plenty of two-dimensional gyaru.
When he saw Ijichi Seika's gyaru outfit, he felt a rare urge to draw a three-dimensional one.
But the several times he asked whether Ijichi Seika could put that outfit on again and model for him, he was refused.
She said it was all just nonsense from back when she didn't know any better, and it was embarrassing to look at now.
Like looking back on your cringeworthy chuunibyou phase after entering high school or university.
But seeing something he wanted to draw and not being able to draw it really left Tsushima Kagami itching inside.
He never expected that today, out of guilt, Ijichi Seika would relent.
From now on I've got to make you feel a little more guilty!
"I just don't believe my luck is really that bad."
"Boys who love to smile never have luck too bad!"
And so he let himself try drawing once more.
Tsushima Kagami looked at that fortune-stick cylinder, still feeling a bit of resistance inside.
The shadow of pulling "Curse Followed by Blessing" that morning hadn't yet faded.
It sounded nice—no actual curse—but in practice it was hardly any different.
As Tsushima Kagami kept gripping the cylinder, a queue of people waiting their turn slowly began to form behind him.
Ijichi Seika and Shimizu Nayotake propped him up, one on each side.
Like a marionette on strings, Tsushima Kagami had his wrist controlled by the two of them, shaking up and down.
At last a bamboo stick clattered out of the cylinder.
Seeing that Tsushima Kagami was taken care of,
Ijichi Seika and Shimizu Nayotake finished drawing too.
The two of them went off and exchanged their numbers for fortune slips.
This time, both Shimizu Nayotake and Ijichi Seika again got Blessing fortunes.
Holding their slips, the two leaned together, chattering away as they discussed them.
"Heh, a Blessing again—good, good."
Ijichi Seika patted her chest as she looked at her "Blessing."
Then she looked over Shimizu Nayotake's "Blessing."
"The explanation on yours says all your wishes will come true."
"Not bad at all!"
In the Kannon Hundred Fortunes, among the hundred slips, many of the blessing-and-curse grades repeat.
But because the numbers differ, each identical "Blessing" or "Curse" actually carries a different Chinese poem and a different interpretation.
The same goes for shrine o-mikuji.
The two of them now leaned over toward Tsushima Kagami as well.
Ijichi Seika lowered her head to look at the fortune slip in Tsushima Kagami's hand—that single, enormous "Curse" seemed to give off a black glow.
It stung her eyes painfully.
"No way…"
Even Shimizu Nayotake was stunned.
To draw the worst fortune twice in a single day—Shimizu Nayotake felt that Master Tsushima Kagami had it harder than even she and her mother.
For a moment neither of them knew what to say.
Tsushima Kagami pinched that slip, saying nothing for a long while.
The wind blew over, and a corner of the slip fluttered gently, as if struggling to fly away.
"Tie it over there."
Ijichi Seika, a little awkwardly, pointed once more to the dedicated fortune-tying rack beside them.
She walked over and took away Tsushima Kagami's slip.
She carefully tied that slip onto the rack.
Just then, Sayuri came walking over together with Yukinoshita Shizuku and Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Huh, did you all draw fortunes again too?"
"I drew one just now as well."
"It's a Great Blessing!"
As she spoke, Sayuri even took out her own slip and deliberately waved it in front of Tsushima Kagami.
Ijichi Seika and Shimizu Nayotake smiled together, slightly awkward.
Tsushima Kagami came back to himself and turned to look at Sayuri and the others.
"Sayuri, how about we don't reduce your exercises after all."
____
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