Chapter 56: The Makeup Exam in the Cicada’s Song

Returning to Tokyo in the afternoon, an unfortunate thing happened.

The microbiology class was taught from April to June, and the final exam was held this morning.

Minamoto Kiyomoto had to take a makeup exam.

He was not sad at all, not because he was sure he could pass the makeup exam, but because someone was more miserable than him and had to take two makeup exams. That’s right, it was the number one in the world, Miss Kamibayashi Miko.

On the train to school, Minamoto Kiyomoto kept a smile on his face, attracting frequent glances from the women around him.

Kamibayashi Miko, who was sitting next to him, raised her hand, made a knife shape, and chopped at his waist.

“Ouch.”

Kamibayashi Miko struck again, this time with force, so Minamoto Kiyomoto was really in pain.

On the Saturday of the makeup exam, the sun was shining so brightly that it made people feel as if the rainy season had already passed.

The Gothic red brick building was dazzling, and the leaves of the ginkgo trees were like small mirrors, reflecting the light.

The two of them walked side by side under the apricot trees. In front of them were two girls holding tennis rackets. It seemed that they were going to the “Goten-shita Memorial Hall” to play tennis.

“It’s a little hot today, and the sun is a little scorching,” Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at the golden sun through the shade of the trees, then turned his head and asked Kamibayashi Miko, “When do you finish?”

“11 o’clock,” Kamibayashi Miko’s voice was as cool as water.

“I’m at 9 o’clock. I’ll wait for you after the exam.”

“If you want to go to the library to read, just go. Don’t say such nice things as ‘wait for me’.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto laughed, neither explaining nor denying.

In the microbiology makeup exam room, including Minamoto Kiyomoto, there were a total of three people.

“You’re also taking a makeup exam?” a boy who had spoken a few words said to Minamoto Kiyomoto, who had just walked in.

“I went to Kamakura for a trip and didn’t take the exam,” Minamoto Kiyomoto sat down in the front row on the far right.

The person picked up his stationery and sat down behind him.

“I didn’t take it either. The manga I’m serializing was due, and I haven’t slept for two days.”

“Manga?”

“A medical popular science manga. There are only three characters in the whole book: a female professor, a male student, and a female student. Do you understand?”

Minamoto Kiyomoto understood and asked again, “Does it make money?”

The two of them chatted. The last student taking the makeup exam was a boy with glasses. He sat in the last row of the empty classroom, his head buried, not knowing what he was writing in the corner of the desk.

After the makeup exam, Minamoto Kiyomoto went to the library.

“Good morning, Minamoto-kun!” The female student on duty at the library greeted him.

“Good morning,” Minamoto Kiyomoto returned the greeting.

Walking between the bookshelves, he hesitated for a moment, then found a book called “The Cultivation Technology of Watermelon” and studied the knowledge of ‘how to prune to concentrate nutrients to produce strong watermelons’.

After reading it, there was still an hour before 11 o’clock, so he took out a pen and paper and wrote a letter to his mother.

“To my most respected mother:”

“Your health must be as good as when I left.”

“After days of rainy season, today is a rare good weather. The glass windows of the buildings are shining brightly in the sun, as if they are burning.”

Writing this, Minamoto Kiyomoto raised his head.

The library’s air conditioner was not on, and the windows were open. The breeze blew the curtains, and the sound of a violin could be vaguely heard.

He lowered his head and continued to write:

“A few days ago, I went to Kamakura. The Great Buddha of Kamakura was very ordinary, but the hydrangeas were very beautiful.”

“I dug up a wall of hydrangeas from Myoryu-in Temple and transplanted it to my current home, right by the hot spring pool.”

“As I write this letter, I have just finished the microbiology makeup exam. I didn’t take the exam because I went to Kamakura for a trip.”

“There was another person in the exam room who also missed the exam because he was rushing to meet a deadline. I wonder which of our reasons for missing the exam is more interesting?”

“It’s almost summer vacation. Is the business at home still good? I’ll be back to help soon. By the way, remember to leave three rooms. The shikigami from Kamibayashi Miko’s house are also coming.”

“The lawn in front of the Yasuda Auditorium is full of early summer alfalfa.”

“I miss the clear sky of Shodoshima very much.”

“Attached are photos of my trip to Kamakura.”

“An afternoon with the sun shining in the library, holding a cup of iced milk tea (I’m going to buy the iced milk tea now).”

“Minamoto Kiyomoto”

Putting the letter in the envelope and putting back “The Cultivation Technology of Watermelon,” Minamoto Kiyomoto left the library.

◇

The makeup exam for the Department of Language and Culture in the Faculty of Letters was held in a first-floor classroom with floor-to-ceiling windows.

The windows were bright and clean, and the neat and modern desks and chairs had a very Western classroom style.

Kamibayashi Miko sat in the front row on the far left, her left hand supporting her head, her right hand holding a ballpoint pen, looking out the window boredly.

The spotless blue sky and white clouds, the quiet campus under the sun, there was still half an hour before the end of the exam.

In her unfocused vision, a figure appeared.

He was holding a book in his right hand and a cup of iced milk tea in his left. His attitude was calm and unhurried, his expression leisurely and contented, and he was handsome.

Under Kamibayashi Miko’s gaze, he walked past the floor-to-ceiling window.

When her vision could no longer catch him, he walked back backwards.

Not satisfied with just walking backwards, he started to do Michael Jackson’s moonwalk halfway through.

When he reached Kamibayashi Miko, he suddenly turned his head, took a sip of iced milk tea, and showed an exaggerated expression of deliciousness.

Kamibayashi Miko looked at him as if she couldn’t see him.

The person looked left and right, found a chair, placed the book and milk tea on the chair, then lifted his trouser legs and started to breakdance.

In the exam room, someone noticed.

Outside the exam room, there were also onlookers.

Kamibayashi Miko had seen this breakdance before. A few days ago, when she came back from Kamakura and passed by Shibuya, she saw someone performing on the street.

He should have remembered it at that time.

The body that Shirako had helped him stretch was indeed very flexible, and he could do any movement with ease.

The handsome dance moves, the long legs, suddenly accelerating, suddenly slowing down, the visual effects and fluency were perfect.

Even without sound, it could still make people dance to the rhythm.

Most importantly, the dance conveyed what the dancer wanted to express—look at me, Miss Kamibayashi who is taking a makeup exam, blah, blah, blah.

Kamibayashi Miko sneered coldly.

The next moment, the person performing the breakdance suddenly held the back of his head, showing the painful expression of a normal person being pinched by a crab.

He opened his five fingers towards the exam room and made a gesture of ‘okay, okay, I’m leaving’, ‘I’m sorry, I was wrong’.

The person who was breakdancing left. Kamibayashi Miko’s ballpoint pen tapped the snow-white exam paper.

When the time was up, with the invigilator’s “everyone, hand in your exam papers to me,” the exam was declared over.

Kamibayashi Miko held her pen and paper. As soon as she walked out of the classroom, she saw Minamoto Kiyomoto.

“Miss Kamibayashi, you’ve worked hard!” he said loudly, took the pen and paper from her hand, handed her a cup of iced milk tea, and then opened a box of Hokkaido three brothers potato chips.

Kamibayashi Miko took the milk tea without being polite.

“Are we eating lunch at home? Or are we eating out?” Minamoto Kiyomoto held the textbook and shaded Kamibayashi Miko from the sun.

The female classmates who came out of the same exam room as Kamibayashi Miko looked at the two of them with excitement.

Kamibayashi Miko took a sip of milk tea, took a potato chip from his hand and ate it, then glanced at the textbook that was shading her from the sun.

“You’re exaggerating,” she said, then took another potato chip.

“It’s what I should do. Miss Kamibayashi is the most precious treasure in the world. She absolutely cannot get a tan,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said.

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. Just repay me with love.”

“I don’t have that kind of thing,” Kamibayashi Miko took another sip of iced milk tea.

It was almost July, and the temperature at noon was 31 degrees. In addition, she hadn’t drunk any water all morning. This cup of milk tea came at just the right time.

“No one has it at the beginning. Love needs to be nurtured. If you don’t mind, I’d be happy to be your gardener. I just read ‘The Cultivation Technology of Watermelon’.”

Kamibayashi Miko raised her hand and chopped at his waist with a hand knife.

She found that with her rule of only being able to say five sentences in ten minutes, it was impossible to defeat Minamoto Kiyomoto in language. She could only resort to force.

Unfortunately, the Sanshiro Pond could not be carried around.

“Did you learn anything from reading that book?” she asked, eating potato chips and drinking milk tea.

“When the melon vines bloom, you have to pinch off the extra flowers and only leave one on each vine, so that you can grow big, sweet, and firm watermelons—from this, it can be seen that if you are dedicated, love can also be big, sweet, and firm.”

“Are you dedicated?” Kamibayashi Miko held back and didn’t ask.

If she said it, it would give Minamoto Kiyomoto the illusion that she cared.

“I mean in terms of cultivation,” she corrected.

“The same principle applies. You also have to be dedicated,” Minamoto Kiyomoto replied. “I’ve decided that for the next period of time, I’ll focus all my efforts on the ‘Divine Power Transformation Curse’.”

Kamibayashi Miko took a potato chip and gestured for him to continue.

“If I can manifest a yokai, then in a short period of time, I can use external forces to display the strength of a Kosen.”

The “Divine Power Transformation Curse” required three conditions.

First, the remains of a yokai;

Second, the capacity to suppress the yokai’s will in the remains;

Third, after the yokai appeared, the ability to control its strength.

Minamoto Kiyomoto met the first two. Although the third was impossible, where there’s a will, there’s a way. The “anti-aging curse” was also improved with the combined efforts of the three of them.

It didn’t matter if he failed. Researching curses was not a waste of time anyway, as long as he didn’t slack off in his divine power cultivation.

If “standing with a knife, looking around, and being full of satisfaction” was the style of a cultivator;

Then “a man values perseverance, what does success or failure matter” was the breadth of mind and magnanimity of a cultivator!
After finishing the Hokkaido three brothers potato chips and drinking the milk tea, Kamibayashi Miko wiped her hands with the handkerchief Himemiya Izayoi had given her and took back her book.

The two of them walked on the sidewalk. The sun was scorching, and some cicadas could be heard.

“Why didn’t you ask about my father?” she looked at Minamoto Kiyomoto.

“As long as you’re not using me, it doesn’t matter whether I know these things or not. It won’t affect our relationship. Besides, everyone has secrets. Izayoi has them, and so do I.”

“You have secrets?” Kamibayashi Miko turned her head to look at him, her tone saying ‘how dare you’.

“…Miss Kamibayashi, I’ve vaguely discovered before that you’re definitely the type who doesn’t allow your children to lock their doors.”

“What’s that?”

“Nothing. By the way, let’s buy some fruit for the little butterfly on our way back,” Minamoto Kiyomoto walked towards the fruit stand on the side of the road.

Returning to Hakusan Shrine, after borrowing the remains of the red and black evil dragon from Kamibayashi Miko, Minamoto Kiyomoto immediately threw himself into cultivation.

That woman had originally planned to sell it to him, but he resolutely refused to buy it.

Before cultivating the “Divine Power Transformation Curse,” he first continued to sort out the insights he had gained from his trip to Kamakura.

Sitting cross-legged on the terrace of the wooden house he had built with his own hands, the Buddha’s light of the “Mahavairocana Sutra” hung behind his head.

Before parting with Itomi Sayaka, she had asked Minamoto Kiyomoto a question: “Why is your Mahavairocana Sutra cultivation so fast?”

It seemed that the other members of the ninth group had mentioned this question to her.

Minamoto Kiyomoto had answered her at that time that it was because he read books.

This was of course a reason, but it was definitely not the main reason. Even the level of talent was not.

Hinayana Buddhism, to save oneself; Mahayana Buddhism, to save the world and people. This was the reason why he had advanced so quickly.

Protecting the world was his selfish desire, but whether it was selfish or not was not important at all.

Ksitigarbha saved the hells, and Guanyin saved the suffering. The purpose was to become a Buddha.

Minamoto Kiyomoto became more and more peaceful and serene. His whole body had a taste of precious light, as if he had become a Buddha statue.

The second halo of light behind his head became clearer and clearer, gradually illuminating his whole body and turning into a barrier.

His mood became calm, and he was in a state of great freedom and great bliss.

The sky gradually darkened. Minamoto Kiyomoto digested all his insights and slowly opened his eyes.

He felt an inexplicable sense of exhilaration, as if he had suddenly taken off his heavy winter clothes and stepped into spring in thin clothes. His body became comfortable and light.

Between his breaths, there was a faint, clear air, like a blooming lotus flower, clean and flawless.

The second turning of the “Mahavairocana Sutra,” ‘unconditioned nirvana,’ could destroy both body and mind, allowing everything to change between ‘nothingness,’ and the Buddha-nature would remain permanent and unchanging.

Minamoto Kiyomoto could not reach that realm now. Even if he displayed the Mahavairocana Dharma Body, he could not exert its full power.

But even so, after cultivating the second Buddha’s light, his body had also changed, such as his mouth always being fragrant, and so on.

Looking at the time, it was almost dinner time. Minamoto Kiyomoto picked some tender cucumbers from the vegetable garden and ran to Kamibayashi Miko’s house.

“Shirako, take these and cook them.”

“You want to eat for free just by bringing these things? No way!” Shirako saw through his intentions at a glance.

“In July, you’re going to my house. At that time, you and your Lady Miko will not only eat for free at my house, but also live for free at my house,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said.

“It’s your honor that Lady Miko is willing to live in your house. Remember this July and tell your descendants about it in the future,” Shirako snorted and raised her small face.

“Yes, yes, it’s my honor. Hurry up and cook. I have something to discuss with Lady Miko.”

Shirako was about to say something. Minamoto Kiyomoto picked up a cucumber, broke it into two pieces, stuffed one piece into her tender little mouth, and ate the other piece himself with a crunch.

Shirako glared at him, took a fierce bite of the cucumber, and turned to go to the kitchen.

Minamoto Kiyomoto ate the fresh cucumber and walked to the veranda. Himemiya Izayoi was also there.

The two of them were exchanging cultivation experiences. Kamibayashi Miko could only say five sentences, so most of the time, she demonstrated directly.

Minamoto Kiyomoto leaned against the porch, watching the two of them.

Kamibayashi Miko sat cross-legged under the wind chime. Himemiya Izayoi leaned against the pillar, her left leg bent, her right leg dangling on the veranda.

The gentle setting sun enveloped their bodies, just like an ancient painting of a court lady.

After it was over, Himemiya Izayoi sized him up, smiled sweetly, and said, “You seem to have become cleaner.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto sat down opposite her.

“Smell it. Is it as simple as becoming cleaner? Ha—” he breathed on her face.

“Go to hell!” Himemiya Izayoi pushed his shoulder and turned her face away.

“I’m being serious. Smell it quickly,” Minamoto Kiyomoto forcibly brought his face closer.

“You just ate a cucumber and you’re breathing on my face… huh?” Himemiya Izayoi’s delicate nose sniffed twice.

“Does it smell good?” Minamoto Kiyomoto asked proudly.

“Did you spray perfume in your mouth?” Himemiya Izayoi tilted her head with a grin and deliberately said so.

“You don’t know what’s good for you,” Minamoto Kiyomoto turned around again and faced Kamibayashi Miko. “Miss Kamibayashi, you…”

Kamibayashi Miko waved her hand, and Minamoto Kiyomoto flew out like a dandelion seed and fell into the pond with a splash.

“Why?” he poked his head out of the pond and asked with confusion.

“I don’t want to smell it.”

“I didn’t ask you to smell it. I wanted you to guess what’s going on!”

“Oh.”

“Oh? What does ‘oh’ mean?” Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at Kamibayashi Miko with dissatisfaction.

“Alas,” at this time, Himemiya Izayoi lay down comfortably on the veranda. “I really want to go to the seaside soon and lie comfortably on the beach for a few days.”

“You should buy a wide-brimmed white sun hat,” Kamibayashi Miko said.

“A sun hat? I only have sunglasses. I’ve never bought a sun hat.”

“I’ll lend you one,” Minamoto Kiyomoto climbed out of the pond.

“That’s a hat for working in the vegetable garden. I don’t want it,” Himemiya Izayoi swung her legs, which were sticking out of her yukata, happily and leisurely.

“Let’s go buy one when we’re on vacation,” Kamibayashi Miko said.

During dinner, Shirako also joined the discussion. The few of them talked one after another, and everyone’s hearts were filled with anticipation for the sea.

(End of Chapter)