Tang Ze's former home was in Pontocho. Just as he had said, it was right by the Kamogawa River.
After leaving Gojo Bridge and entering the streets on the other side of the riverbank, Tang Ze quickly felt an indescribable sense of familiarity.
The train station, the shops, the intersections... Though no flashbacks surfaced, that instinctive sense of habit made him relax considerably.
It seemed there really was nothing wrong with this part of his memories.
Because of the cautious, low-key way he had lived in the past, Tang Ze had never strayed from the route between home and school. He never took part in recreational activities, mechanically making the same daily round trip like a ghost.
He truly was not familiar with Kyoto as a city, but these few streets were places where he had lived for many years.
Conan, following behind Tang Ze, observed the surrounding homes and buildings, his eyes gradually widening.
The dark wooden lattice facades and sloping roofs along both sides of the street slowly made him realize something: Tang Ze's family had indeed not lacked material comfort in the past.
"Pontocho is a very famous historic district in Kyoto. Though Tang Ze's home wasn't a traditional Machiya, but rather a newer-style villa..." Heiji Hattori noticed Conan's expression and explained quietly. "Still, the houses here are very expensive."
Being in a historic district meant the houses here could not be bought and sold as easily as suburban plots. Even the newer buildings had mostly been converted from century-old Machiya, and the vast majority had commercial value as well.
Simply living here required no small expense.
"...Could that be why Tang Ze's family's compensation payment has never been settled?" After processing it for a moment, Conan's mouth twitched.
To match the surrounding traditional Machiya style, even