Chapter 45: Debunking Superstitions With Science
Japan has seven hundred and ninety-one cities, and Nancheng City is just a small town among them.
The special thing about it is that there are particularly many foggy days here.
Whether it's morning or evening, summer or winter, Nancheng City is always shrouded in thick fog all year round, making it hard to distinguish between the sky and the ground. Even the sun doesn't shine brightly, as if it were a red paper pasted in the sky.
And because of this, a strange custom called Fortune Telling at the Crossroads gradually emerged here.
Of course, adults usually don't have the intention to play this kind of game, the main group for fortune-telling are junior high and high school students.
They often choose a foggy day, stand at the crossroads, cover their faces with a backpack or textbook, and ask the first person who walks by to predict their fortune. They tell the other person their situation and judge whether it is good or bad based on what the other person says.
It is said that the results are often very accurate in this way.
The content of fortune-telling for these young boys and girls is usually about romantic relationships.
This is also very normal, you can't just ask "Can I get into Tokyo University," right? Passersby can't give you an exam paper on the spot, so they can't answer your question.
And on such a foggy morning, sixteen-year-old high school girl Tanaka Suzue dressed neatly, picked up her backpack, and hurriedly left home.
"Ringe, breakfast is ready!"
"I'll talk about it when I come back, Mom!"
The place where Tanaka Suzue was going was the streets of the town.
She was going to help her best friend with fortune telling at the intersection.
A few days ago, before the holidays began, a boy from the same grade transferred to the school, named Ryunosuke Morita, a gentle and handsome young man.
He and Tanaka Suzue's best friend, Shibayama Megumi, were childhood sweethearts, but they separated when they were six years old due to their father's job. Now that they have returned, their relationship is quickly warming up, and they are already recognized and envied as a couple by everyone.
For some reason, their relationship has recently deteriorated, Ryunosuke Morita inexplicably started ignoring Shibayama Megumi, even avoiding her consciously.
When Shibayama Megumi talked about this, tears welled up in her eyes, making Tanaka Suzue feel pained.
But Ryunosuke Morita, upon hearing this, still held his head in pain, curled up on the ground in agony.
"I think it's best if we end things like this, so that neither of us have to feel too sad..." That's how he replied.
Even though Tanaka Suzue had feelings for Ryunosuke Morita, she valued her friendship with Shibayama Megumi more. The purpose of this fortune-telling was to help this couple restore their relationship to how it used to be.
Today was a cloudy day, without any sunlight. The mist was especially thick, as if milky white waves had engulfed the entire town, only revealing faint outlines of the houses.
Tanaka Suzue wandered through the streets for nearly half an hour without seeing another soul. On such a quiet morning, not many people were willing to venture outside.
"Oh well, let's try again tomorrow..."
Just as she was about to leave, light footsteps could be heard in the distance.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
The footsteps were steady and clear, growing closer. In the mist, a slender and tall figure began to come into view.
Upon seeing his appearance, Tanaka Suzue couldn't help but hold her breath for a moment.
What a handsome young man!
A light mist curled around him, like a mythical character from a painting. Dressed all in black, he appeared even more mysterious, almost unreal.
It's the handsome young man at the crossroads!
Tanaka Suzue suddenly remembered a news from a few days ago, saying that a first-year girl was found dead at midnight at the crossroads behind the community center, with her throat cut by a paper knife.
Before her death, the girl had called a friend and mentioned meeting an incredibly handsome young man in black clothes at the crossroads who told her, "Your love will not succeed!"
The girl kept repeating this to herself over and over before hanging up the phone.
But maybe she had some mental issues herself... Why would a normal person commit suicide because of some hurtful words?
Wait, why wasn't she wearing any protective gear?
Tanaka Suzue looked up at the sky, unable to see any trace of balloons in this kind of weather.
"I'm sorry to interrupt..."
Just as the Black Clothed Beautiful Youth was about to leave, Tanaka Suzue pushed aside her doubts and approached him.
"I am doing Fortune Telling at the Crossroads now, can you please answer a question for me?"
The young man in black clothes with hands in his pockets stopped walking and seemed to be listening intently.
"Um, it's about my friend because her boyfriend is very indifferent to her, so she feels very troubled, and it seems like her boyfriend also has his own worries."
Tanaka Suzue paused, feeling a bit embarrassed, she pursed her lips and continued, "I want to ask you, how can they restore their previous relationship? You don't need to think too deeply, just tell me what comes to your mind now!"
The young man in black clothes turned around, his pale eyes meeting Tanaka Suzue's, a slight smile appearing on his flawless face, with a hint of wickedness.
"You should..."
"Beep! Beep!"
At that moment, a loud whistle sounded from all directions, drowning out the rest of his words, before finally coming to a halt.
Tanaka Suzue lowered her hands covering her ears, bowed apologetically, and asked, "I'm sorry, can you repeat that again?"
The handsome young man in black clothes twitched his mouth slightly, adjusted his expression, and then revealed an evil smile again.
"I mean, you..."
As a chaotic mix of footsteps, panting, talking, and music sounded, it completely drowned out the words of the handsome young man in black clothes.
Countless figures emerged from the thick fog, dressed in camouflage protective suits, wearing helmets, looking around, chatting and laughing, appearing like an army, although their appearance was not imposing, and their steps were not uniform.
Even the balloons in the sky were more orderly than them!
Is this the self-defense force?
"Oh, little girl, sorry, let me through..."
The handsome young man in black clothes had disappeared long ago, and Tanaka Suzue leaned against the wall, letting the lazy self-defense force members pass by, still feeling puzzled.
Why would the self-defense force come to Nancheng City? And today seems to be a weekend, they should be off, right?!
Her confusion was quickly cleared up.
The sentence should be translated into, "The self-defense team members scattered throughout the streets and alleys, under unified command, lifted their megaphones and shouted loudly together at the awakened residents."
"Respect science, dispel superstitions, use the Internet and big data science to predict fortunes, please visit Uesugi Cultural Hall!"
