A lot of people did gather at the door of Camphor Tree Shopping Mall today.
Normally, most students would still huddle up in their Dormitorys to sleep at this point, especially on such a cold winter morning, no one wants to go out in the wind.
But today is different. There are many people sitting on the bench at Lobby on the first floor. There are also scattered seats in Dessert Shop and the cafe next to it. Everyone is holding hot drinks and blowing on the heater in the store. No one is in a hurry to go out.
It seems that they are all here for today's Clearance Auction.
Kazehara Tetsu walked towards Lobby with the flow of people, and his eyes scanned around, but he didn't see any Auction venue layout.
In the open space in the center of the first floor, there were only a few people walking back and forth. There was no stage set up, nothing placed, and there was no sign of any activity starting.
He stopped and turned his head to look at Kushida Kikyo beside him.
"Why hasn't it started yet?"
"Ah."
Kushida Kikyo blinked, as if he just remembered something, with a slightly embarrassed look on his face, "I forgot to tell you, Auction doesn't start until ten o'clock."
Kazehara Tetsu took out his phone and looked at the time.
The numbers displayed on the screen didn't even reach nine o'clock yet.
He was silent for a while and put the phone back.
"Then let me ask you, why are you running out so early?"
Kazehara Tetsu Get up early. I originally planned to go shopping outside. No matter how you spend your time, it won't be a waste.
But Kushida Kikyo is different. She came here for Auction. She knew it would only start at ten o'clock, but she dragged him here after eight o'clock. What was the purpose?
"Auction is certainly a thing."
Kushida Kikyo folded his arms and did not answer directly. Instead, he gave up and said, "But I still want to take advantage of the time before Auction to do something else first."
"What's the matter?"
"Just go with me."
She smiled and said, turning around and walking towards the escalator, "Follow me. You'll know when you get there."
Kazehara Tetsu stood there and glanced at her, but followed her without asking any more questions.
The two people took the escalator upstairs, then walked around a row of shops. In a relatively quiet corner at the end of the corridor, Kushida Kikyo stopped.
She pointed forward.
"This is it."
Kazehara Tetsu looked in the direction she pointed, and saw a medium-sized stall there, covered with dark purple velvet, with several things on it, including a round crystal ball and a stack of cards with their backs facing up.
There is a wooden sign hanging behind the stall that reads "Fortune-Telling"."
"Isn't this Fortune-Telling's stall?"
He was somewhat impressed by this stall.
When it first opened last year, this place was very busy. Many students came to Fortune-Telling specifically to ask about their luck in exams, their relationship, and whether they could be promoted to another class in the future. There was always a queue in front of the stall.
But after a year, after the fresh and warm energy passed, fewer people came to visit, and now the stall was even more empty, with not a single customer at all.
"You didn't notice the small words on the wooden sign." Kushida Kikyo leaned over and pointed to the smaller line of words under the sign.
Kazehara Tetsu lowered his head and saw that the line of small letters read, Fortune-Telling can only be performed by a man and a woman together, which is intended to indicate the depth of fate between Fortune-Telling.
He turned his head and looked at Kushida Kikyo next to him who had a "please compliment me on my cleverness" expression.
"So, you had no intention of coming here at all Fortune-Telling..."
"Yes."
Kushida Kikyo didn't deny it this time, simply nodded, "Originally I planned to go for a meal, but as soon as I saw you in the elevator, I changed my mind."
"This stall requires both men and women to do fortune-telling. I can't do anything if I want to come in alone. You have already come to my door. It would be a pity if I didn't seize this opportunity."
Kazehara Tetsu was speechless for a moment by her logic.
"Then tell me, what do you want Fortune-Telling?"
"Of course I came to see if there is any love between us."
Kushida Kikyo answered confidently, "Our current relationship is neither good nor bad. I have to figure out what it will be like in the future."
Kazehara Tetsu was a little surprised, "You still believe this kind of thing? I thought people like you would only believe what you hold in your hands."
"It's one thing to believe it or not, it's another thing to try it."
She pulled his sleeve and tugged towards the stall, "It's still early anyway, so sitting is just sitting. Just play with me, okay?"
As she spoke, she dragged him to the stall.
There was an elderly woman sitting behind the stall, wearing a plain kimono, with her eyes closed and twisting a string of Buddhist beads in her hand.
Hearing the footsteps, she opened her eyes, her eyes fell on the two of them, and she showed a gentle smile.
"You two want Fortune-Telling?".
"Hmm."
Kushida Kikyo nodded and glanced at the small sign next to the stall, "I remember it starts at nine o'clock, right?"
"Exactly."
The woman raised her head and looked at the clock on the wall, "There are still two minutes left. Since you two are here and are the first guests today, just wait a moment."
There is no one else in front. When these two minutes pass, they will be the first Fortune-Telling of the day.
The two people sat down on the small stools in front of the stall.
Kazehara Tetsu originally wanted to have fun, but when he got to this point, looking at the mysterious deck of cards and crystal ball, he didn't say anything to spoil the fun, and just sat quietly aside.
Soon, the clock on the wall reached nine o'clock.
"Okay."
The woman picked up the stack of cards and spread them out on the velvet cloth, moving slowly and slowly, "You two think Fortune-Telling is the fate between each other, right?"
"Yes." Kushida Kikyo sat up straight.
"Then draw three cards each."
The woman divided the cards into two piles and pushed them in front of the two of them. "Thinking of you both, don't hesitate to draw them according to your heart."
Kushida Kikyo first drew three cards, opened them one by one, and placed them in front of him.
Kazehara Tetsu also drew three cards and turned them over.
The woman looked at the two rows of cards and was silent for a while. She lightly tapped her fingers on the cards. Her brows furrowed slightly at first, and then slowly relaxed.
She raised her head and looked at Kushida Kikyo.
"Girl, the cards show that your fate has not been easy along the way. There have been many twists and turns, and there have been some embarrassing days. However, these difficulties have passed."
The woman clicked the last card, "Although there are occasional twists and turns on the road ahead, the general direction is good and the result will be good. It is a fate that is bitter first and then sweet."
Kushida Kikyo was startled when he heard these words.
She lowered her head and looked at the three cards in front of her, but she thought of something else.
At that time, she was still holding on to Kazehara Tetsu, treating him as a threat that she had to guard against, and he in turn held her secrets.
There was no fate between the two. They were clearly on guard against each other. To put it harshly, her situation at that time was not much different from that of his slave.
But it's different now.
All the plots hidden in the dark were revealed, and the handles held by each other became useless waste paper. The two people went from being wary to the inexplicable relationship they have now.
She has even repaid his so-called service debt, and it should be a legitimate date when they meet again.
"Bitter first and then sweet..."
She repeated it softly, slowly raising the corners of her mouth, "It sounds pretty accurate."
The woman smiled and turned her attention to the three cards in front of Kazehara Tetsu.
This time, she looked at it longer.