The trio's next destination was Meiji Shrine, nestled within Yoyogi Park.
As the largest green space in Tokyo, it was an essential stop for anyone visiting Shibuya.
The park wasn't exactly close to Shibuya Station, so the ever-lazy Kyousuke suggested taking the subway and getting off at Harajuku Station, which would leave them just a short walk away.
However, his proposal was met with firm opposition from both Shouko and Yuzuru.
Shouko reasoned that after a big meal, they needed to walk to avoid gaining weight.
Meanwhile, Yuzuru simply wanted to soak in more of Shibuya's bustling atmosphere.
Since her mother often worked late and her elderly grandmother wasn't suited for long trips, Yuzuru's world had always been limited to their small hometown.
Now that she finally had the chance to explore with Kyousuke, she wasn't going to miss a thing.
Resigned to his fate, Kyousuke warned them that there would still be a considerable amount of walking once they reached Yoyogi Park.
But neither of the girls were deterred.
Thus, their leisurely stroll began. Nearly every store they passed managed to capture Yuzuru and Shouko's attention, leading to multiple detours inside.
Fortunately, they had left early that morning, and despite their frequent stops, they arrived at Yoyogi Park's entrance right at noon.
The Meiji Shrine Outer Garden was lined with lush ginkgo trees on both sides of the pathway.
Though it wasn't peak season, walking through the greenery was still a refreshing experience.
Kyousuke walked on the left, Shouko on the right, with Yuzuru sandwiched between them.
"Hey, Yuzuru, don't you want to take a picture here?"
Shouko, watching as Yuzuru focused solely on capturing the street scenery, hesitated before speaking, her cheeks flushing pink as she did.
"Huh? But I am taking pictures," Yuzuru replied, confused.
She had just snapped a shot of a vintage car parked along the road with the ginkgo trees in the background.
She was still admiring her own excellent composition skills.
Shouko pouted slightly, her lips moving as if to say something, but in the end, she stayed silent, her face growing even redder.
Kyousuke, amused by her shyness, chuckled internally and took the initiative.
"Yuzuru, why don't you take a picture of me and Shouko together?"
"Oh, so that's what you wanted! You should've just said so," Yuzuru said in realization.
Shouko, still blushing, stayed quiet.
Now that Yuzuru wasn't in front of her, she felt too shy to reach for Kyousuke's hand, instead gripping her purse tightly with both hands.
Kyousuke thought for a moment, then casually positioned himself slightly behind Shouko, his body turned at an angle, hands tucked into his pockets.
She stood there in her elegant white dress, looking poised and gentle, while he wore a crisp white shirt and black casual pants, radiating an effortless charm.
The asphalt path beneath them was flanked by rows of towering ginkgo trees, their branches intertwining overhead.
The tranquil atmosphere, combined with the familiar presence of Kyousuke behind her, helped Shouko relax.
A serene smile graced her lips, and Kyousuke mirrored her expression as they both faced Yuzuru's camera.
Click. The moment was captured forever.
With that, the three continued on their way.
Following the southern approach, they eventually arrived at a grand wooden torii gate where the southern and northern paths intersected.
The enormous structure stood tall, with its thick pillars—large enough to require three people to encircle them—rivaling the nearby towering trees.
"They say this is the largest wooden torii gate in Japan, standing at 12 meters tall with a 9-meter gap between its pillars," Kyousuke casually shared the information he had looked up in advance.
"Wow, that's huge!" Yuzuru exclaimed, while Shouko eagerly nodded in agreement.
In Japanese culture, torii gates serve as entrances to sacred grounds, marking the boundary between the mundane world and the divine. Passing through one signifies stepping into a sacred space, where visitors are expected to conduct themselves with respect.
"Let's go."
Kyousuke, ever the pragmatic thinker, wasn't particularly moved by spiritual symbolism.
After a brief moment of awe at the gate's sheer size, he stepped forward, leading the way into the shrine grounds.
The main path was paved with asphalt, with stone-paved pedestrian walkways on either side.
Despite the number of visitors, the atmosphere remained hushed and reverent.
The most distinct sound came from the cawing of crows—Yoyogi Park was home to a massive crow population, and even in the bustling Shibuya Crossing, they were a common sight.
It was only natural that this lush park would be teeming with them.
Suddenly, the soft murmur of flowing water reached their ears.
Shouko paused in the middle of the path and closed her eyes.
She adjusted her hearing aid's volume slightly, focusing all her attention on the sounds around her.
The rustling of leaves in the wind, the fluttering of birds' wings, the distant chirping of insects, the gentle splashing of a stream cascading over rocks…
And then, Kyousuke's voice.
She couldn't hear something as faint as his breathing, but his voice—that was something imprinted deep within her heart.
With her eyes closed, she could almost visualize everything around her through sound alone.
Kyousuke took out his phone and snapped a photo of her at that moment—standing there, eyes closed, immersed in the world of sound, looking as ethereal as a forest nymph.
"Come on, we need to hurry! There's a wedding at Meiji Shrine!"
Shouko was pulled from her reverie by the excited voices of two girls dressed in school uniforms, running hand in hand past them.
"Apparently, a famous baseball player is getting married here today," Kyousuke explained after noticing Shouko's puzzled expression.
Shouko's eyes widened, sparkling with curiosity, and she turned to Kyousuke with a hopeful gaze.
"I want to see it too!" Yuzuru voiced Shouko's unspoken thoughts.
"Then we'd better hurry. Shinto weddings usually start at one o'clock." Kyousuke glanced at his phone—12:45.
"Go, go, go!" Yuzuru cheered softly, grabbing her sister's hand with one and Kyousuke's with the other. Her short legs moved at an impressive pace as she led the charge.
Before long, a white stone torii gate loomed ahead, marking their arrival at Meiji Shrine.
Since they were in a rush to see the wedding, Shouko skipped the traditional purification ritual at the entrance.
Passing through the gate, they reached the South Shrine Gate, where a small crowd had already gathered, some holding cameras.
"Phew, we made it in time."
Shouko sighed in relief, patting her chest—a movement that didn't go unnoticed by Kyousuke.
They quickly moved past the prayer area and arrived at the main shrine building.
A sizable audience had already gathered on both sides, and uniformed personnel were stationed around the area to maintain order.
Kyousuke listened in on the surrounding conversations, picking up details about the wedding.
The groom was a professional baseball star named Seijun Ishioka, while the bride was a moderately well-known celebrity.