Because of family topics and childhood fun, the atmosphere in the car became much better with everyone talking and laughing.
At 11:30, after nearly three hours of driving, we finally arrived at our destination.
"We're here."
After reversing into a parking space and pulling the handbrake, Kurosawa Hikaru let out a long sigh of relief and finally let go of the steering wheel.
Although he likes Miss Runa's car very much, he still gets tired after driving it for a long time.
"Thank you for your hard work. Where is this place?"
Seeing that he looked relieved, Ninomiya Chizuru expressed her condolences and then looked around through the car window.
This is an open-air parking lot with quite a few cars nearby. At first glance, you can't tell where this place is.
“One of Nagano Prefecture’s famous scenic spots, Asera Valley.”
Kurosawa Hikaru unbuckled his seat belt and introduced himself.
"The valley? Are you going to sketch by the stream today?"
Although this was the first time I had heard of Ninomiya Chizuru, I could get a sense of what kind of place it was just from the name.
She is not a travel expert, so she is not familiar with many scenic spots in the country.
"Get out of the car."
Kurosawa Mitsuru nodded slightly, confirmed the sketching location, took out the key, turned off the car, and pushed open the door.
After getting off the car, he supported his right shoulder with one hand, shook his arm, stretched his muscles, and walked to the rear of the car.
"I'll help."
Chizuru Ninomiya got out of the car and saw his actions and followed him.
They are not here just for tourism this time, but for sketching, so they must bring painting supplies.
When she reached the rear of the car, Kurosawa Hikaru had already opened the trunk.
She took a look and saw several large bags filled with a lot of things.
At first glance, there is a drawing board, a stand to fix the drawing board, a bag filled with many small things, and a tightly packed package
She had taken art classes before, so she had some idea about these things.
"Take this."
Although he was supposed to be a gentleman, Kurosawa Hikaru only had two hands after all, and he couldn't carry everything in one go, so he simply handed the folded fixed stand to her.
"I can still take it."
Taking the aluminum fixing bracket, which was large but very light, Ninomiya Chizuru clamped it on her waist with one hand and stretched out her other hand.
It took three hours to drive here from Tokyo, and she couldn't help along the way and could only watch.
In comparison, Kurosawa had been driving Runa's car for so long that he was already very tired, and it was her turn.
"Then I'll trouble you."
When Kurosawa Mitsuru saw her actions, he thought about it and handed her the bag containing various painting supplies without any hesitation.
This bag contains small items such as paintbrushes, drawing paper, and craft knives. Although there are quite a few of them, they are still relatively light.
Then, Kurosawa Mitsuru picked up the remaining large drawing boards and the package, which were quite heavy.
“Bang.”
After closing the trunk and locking the car, they started walking.
From the free parking lot, it only takes a few minutes to walk to the Asura Valley.
"You seem to be familiar with this place. Have you been here before?"
Because his steps were very comfortable and natural, Chizuru Ninomiya, wearing high heels, carrying a bag and holding a fixed bracket, walked with him, looking at the completely unfamiliar environment around her with some curiosity.
"This is my first time here. I am familiar with this place because I looked up a lot of guides on the Internet before choosing this place. The road to Asura Valley is easy to identify. Just follow the road."
Kurosawa Mitsuru smiled. He used to be buried in his studies and didn't know many things about Japan.
But now the Internet is very convenient, and you can basically get everything done by just searching online.
“Will there be a lot of people?”
Ninomiya Chizuru nodded and looked around.
There were quite a few people around, mostly families or pairs of men and women talking and laughing, probably couples... and some elderly people.
It wasn’t a huge number, but a quick glance at the road showed that there were more than a dozen of them.
“There were quite a lot of people there. After all, it is one of the famous attractions in Nagano Prefecture. There were not only locals but also foreigners.
“Are there a lot of people?”
Upon learning of this situation, Ninomiya Chizuru suddenly became a little nervous and uneasy.
Although Tokyo is a three-hour drive from here, today is Saturday, which is the perfect time for traveling and playing.
Perhaps at such a far distance, the possibility of being recognized has been reduced to a minimum, but after all, it is in a public place and a tourist attraction. If someone knows her, it will be troublesome.
"The Asi Valley is six kilometers long and very wide. We need to find a place with few people along the way. It's not easy to sketch in crowded places."
Kurosawa Hikaru naturally knew her concerns and added.
"Indeed, places with a lot of people are too noisy."
Hearing this, Ninomiya Chizuru immediately agreed.
"When you learned that you were going to a place with fewer people, your first reaction was not nervousness, but relief?" Seeing her reaction, Kurosawa Mitsuru was a little amused and thought to himself.
When girls find out that boys want to take them to places with few people, they usually feel alert and rejecting.
Because unlike boys, girls are often taught many concepts of protecting themselves as they grow up.
If a girl is willing to go to a place with few people with you, it means that you basically have a chance.
Even if she doesn't like you, she trusts you very much and has no wariness towards you. No matter how you interpret it, it's good.
Soon, they walked towards a bus.
"Want a ride?"
“Although the stream is six kilometers long, it is even longer if you walk along the road, so it is better to take a bus directly to each station.”
Kurosawa Mitsuru nodded and took her into the car.
There were already some passengers on the bus, including Japanese and some foreigners.
As they arrived, everyone looked over and paid attention.
Whether it is Kurosawa Hikaru or Ninomiya Chizuru, their looks are so outstanding. The key is that they are very elegant and have a strong presence, making it hard not to notice them.
"Artist?"
"Probably not. I didn't see any camera."
There were even boys who thought Chizuru Ninomiya was too pretty and determined that they were celebrities, but this was quickly denied by their girlfriends who were traveling with them.
There were many empty seats in the car. Kurosawa Mitsuru found an empty spot and let her sit inside before sitting next to her.
The seats were not very far apart, so the two people sat very close to each other and didn't speak.
Not long after, the bus departed.
Along the way, Ninomiya Chizuru couldn't help looking at the scenery outside the window because it was her first time to this place and she hadn't read any guide.
Unlike going to an amusement park, which is mostly the same, this kind of tourist attraction still gives people a sense of freshness.
As for Kurosawa Hikaru, he was also looking out the window with his head tilted.
To be more precise, he was looking at Ninomiya Chizuru who was looking out the window.
Her profile is very beautiful, with delicate and small ears, slightly curly blue hair, fair and delicate skin, and a charming fragrance emanating from her whole body.
The scenery outside the window, combined with her like this, is so beautiful that it seems like a scene from a movie.
“You’ve come to the right place.”
Seeing her like this, Kurosawa Hikaru was very happy.
It has to be said that the dating mission is like a beacon, guiding him to experience many things he never thought of before.
If the mission target had not been specified, he might never have come to Atera Valley in his life, let alone invite Miss Ninomiya to come along.
Soon, when the bus stopped at the third stop, they got off together.
"Where to go next?"
Ninomiya Chizuru asked while holding her things and looking at the road along the way and the bus going away.
“Walk along the way, see the scenery, and find a place to stop.”
Kurosawa Mitsuru looked around and said the same thing.
Unlike the entrance, after getting off the bus halfway, they arrived in the mountains and forests.
As far as the eye can see, there are many trees and valleys, and a clear, winding stream that is clearly visible through the leaves and forest.
Ninomiya Chizuru could hear the implication of his words, which was that he wanted to find a good location with fewer people, and nodded tacitly.
Two people were walking on the road, looking at the stream all the way, and seeing people from time to time.
Asi Valley is open to the public. No tickets are required and no one will supervise you. All you need to do is be aware of protecting the environment and not litter.
This place is no different from a valley in the countryside. It has not been overdeveloped and is a completely natural place.
Listening to the sound of the stream, Kurosawa Mitsuru observed the stream through the leaves and forest. After walking for five minutes, he finally found an open and deserted place.
"This place is nice, let's go down and take a look."
Kurosawa Mitsuru saw the location and made a suggestion.
"good."
Ninomiya Chizuru nodded slightly, and then followed him into the irregular wild road.
The so-called wild roads are mountain roads that have not been developed and are naturally formed.
Such roads have a characteristic that they are narrow, steep and hidden.
"Come."
Kurosawa Hikaru knew that she was wearing high heels and that it was difficult to walk on this mountain road, so he walked in front of her and stood firmly, then turned sideways and stretched out his hand to her.
Ninomiya Chizuru, who was trying to walk down, saw him extending his hand to her, and without much hesitation, she shook his hand naturally.
Holding hands, this is not holding hands, but it is walking together.
Following behind, Ninomiya Chizuru looked at the road while watching him holding her hand, and a sense of security and joy surged in her heart.
Soon, they passed through the woods and mountain roads and arrived at the valley.
"… "
Arriving at the edge of the valley, stepping on the uneven gravel, Ninomiya Chizuru looked at the scenery in front of her, feeling a little dazed for a moment.
This place is like a paradise, far away from the hustle and bustle of the world, isolated from the world, quiet and comfortable.
The stream meanders down, the crystal clear water flows past, and the rocks under the water are arranged in an irregular manner without any decoration, giving people a sense of the beauty of nature.
The sound of flowing water is like the flow of thousands of things, which can wash away all worries.
How long has it been since she last traveled? The last time was during a school trip in high school.
She had taken family trips before, to Hokkaido and Kagoshima, but they were not purely touristy.
Because her parents will go to visit someone, and as for the family trip, it is just a side trip.
But this time it was different, she came here for fun, and she was with Kurosawa Hikaru.
"It's so beautiful here." Realizing this, Chizuru Ninomiya turned around, looked at Kurosawa Mitsuru, and exclaimed.
"It is very beautiful indeed."
When Kurosawa Mitsuru saw her clear and beautiful eyes, which were filled with joy and admiration, he looked at the stream again and felt very happy.
Both she and the scenery here are beautiful.
It took three hours to drive, seven minutes to sit in the car, and five minutes to walk. It was really worth it to reach this place after such a long journey.