Drenched in the Green of Kenrokuen, a Sweet and Bitter Sense of Guilt

[Character Introduction]
・Wataru Kenroku: A university student lost in the beauty of Kanazawa, struggling with his future career path.
・Hapil: A mysterious rabbit with long white ears that appeared in the green garden.

[The Ancient Capital Where the Wind Blows, Swaying Green Leaves and Lost Paths]
The trees cast deep shadows, as if to block out the intense early summer sun.
Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
Wataru Kenroku, a third-year university student, stood frozen in front of the historic Kotoji-toro lantern.

The tourists around him were all smiling, holding up their smartphones to capture the fresh greenery in photos.
However, Wataru's heart remained gloomily overcast.
With the footsteps of job hunting approaching, he couldn't find what he truly wanted to do.

As he swiped his smartphone screen, the trending term "guilty consumption" danced across his social media timeline.
It seems to be a trend of indulging oneself by intentionally eating high-calorie foods.
"Do I even have the right to indulge myself right now?"
Wataru sighed softly and turned off the screen.

[The Veranda of a Teahouse, a Sense of Guilt and Golden Healing]
Tired from walking, Wataru ducked under the noren curtain of an old teahouse in the garden.
He ordered the Kanazawa specialty, "Gold Leaf Soft-Serve Ice Cream."
What was brought before him was a dazzling pure gold leaf wrapping rich milk soft-serve.

When he took a bite, the cool, high-quality sweetness spread throughout his mouth.
Even though the gold leaf itself shouldn't have a taste, a luxurious feeling slowly filled his heart.
This might be the most luxurious and slightly guilty "guilty consumption" for him right now.

"It's delicious..."
As he surrendered himself to the coldness and sweetness, he felt the tension in his shoulders melt away.
It was as if Kanazawa's rich traditions were soaking from his stomach into his heart.

[The Green Lawn, Telepathy from a Long-Eared Companion]
It happened while he was resting on a bench in the shade of the trees at Chitosedai after finishing his ice cream.
From the azalea bushes, an unnaturally white and round bottom peeked out.
A rabbit with long, swaying ears popped its head out.

When the rabbit came to Wataru's feet, it looked up at him with round, red eyes.
A lovely voice, like the ringing of a bell, echoed directly inside the head of the surprised Wataru.

"Hey, Wataru. Why do you have such a self-reproachful look on your face?"

Wataru looked around, but no one else noticed the rabbit.
"I'm anxious about my future. Everyone around me is moving forward, but I feel like I'm the only one standing still."
When Wataru replied in his heart, the rabbit—Hapil—twitched its nose and smiled.

"Standing still isn't a bad thing. Even the trees in Kenrokuen have a time when they carefully take root, which is why they can become such a beautiful green. The time you spend eating things that your heart finds delicious will also become nourishment for your future. Please love yourself more."
[The Scenery Starts to Move, Time to Take a New Step]

Hapil's words landed deep in Wataru's chest.
He didn't need to rush to become something.
First, he just needed to accept himself as he was now and proceed carefully.
"Thank you, Hapil."

The moment Wataru whispered this aloud, Hapil hopped away happily and disappeared into the depths of the green.
As if it had been an illusion from the start.
When he looked up, the dappled sunlight was warmly illuminating his palms.

The beautiful fresh green breeze of Kanazawa gently pushed Wataru's back.
Wataru put his smartphone in his pocket, looked firmly ahead this time, and began to walk.