Night had fallen. Ueno Park was enveloped in a gentle tranquility. In this quietness, Shun sat on a bench. His figure looked especially peaceful under the dim streetlights.
His gaze was gentle and profound, as if he was pondering something, or perhaps simply enjoying this rare moment of peace. His wife, Ana, was leaning against his shoulder at this moment. Her light breathing was almost inaudible in the night air. Her head gently rested on Shun's shoulder, her long hair cascading down like a waterfall, swaying lightly with her steady breathing.
Ana's face looked especially serene in the night. Her eyelashes cast faint shadows under the weak light, as if they were a work of art bestowed by nature.
Suddenly, Ana frowned. Her hazy pink eyes slowly opened. She lifted her head with a trace of confusion.
"Shun, did I accidentally fall asleep just now?" Ana had still gone to bed very late last night. As for the reason… those who understood would understand.
"Sleeping so late last night and then waking up early today — feeling sleepy is normal."
"Mm, this is all your fault anyway." Ana had just woken up from her dream. Her voice carried a trace of hazy laziness, sounding both confused and cute.
"Alright, alright. Then tonight let's just sleep obediently, okay?" Shun patted Ana's shoulder and spoke like he was coaxing a child.
"No way!" Ana refused without even thinking. Having tasted the sweetness, she didn't want to let it end like this.
"What time is it now?" Ana rubbed her eyes and looked at the sky in confusion. She remembered that when she was still awake, the sky had still been bright. "Why is it already dark outside?"
"It's already past six," Shun patiently explained. "After all, it's winter. It gets dark early. Ueno Park closes at eight. If you want, we can still stay here a little longer."
However, as night fell, the lights in Ueno Park gradually turned on, but they also brought a chill. Shun and Ana decided not to linger. They decided to go taste some Far East specialty ramen as dinner.
They chose a ramen shop that was quite well-reviewed locally. The interior was simple yet warm. The wooden tables and chairs and the Japanese hanging scrolls on the walls created a traditional atmosphere. The air inside the shop was filled with the rich aroma of bone broth, making one's mouth water.
Shun and Ana ordered two bowls of signature ramen. One was classic tonkotsu ramen with rich soup and chewy noodles. The other was seafood ramen with a delicious broth and plenty of seafood.
However, it was still somewhat different from what Shun had imagined ramen to be. After all, those anime described ramen as a delicacy among delicacies, but after he truly learned about the most classic tonkotsu ramen, he found that it was just like this.
After leaving the ramen shop, they looked up and saw the Tokyo Skytree shining brightly in the night sky. Although for some personal reasons, Shun was more accustomed to calling it Tokyo Sky Tree.
Ana's gaze was also attracted by this tallest building in Asia. She recognized it and suggested, "Let's go take a look at the Skytree? It's near Asakusa, not far from Ueno."
Shun smiled. Recalling their previous promise, he said softly, "Of course we're going. Didn't we already agree on it long ago?" He remembered very clearly that it was Ana who had proposed this plan back then.
Along the way, Shun and Ana's itinerary went exceptionally smoothly. They easily arrived at the 350-meter-high Tembo Deck of Tokyo Skytree.
Standing here, their view suddenly opened up. The former tallest building in Tokyo — Tokyo Tower — now looked somewhat small against the backdrop of the Skytree, but its iconic red-and-white body still shone brightly in the night.
From this height, the night view of Tokyo's more than twenty wards unfolded before their eyes like a brilliant painting. The brilliantly lit streets were like flowing galaxies, winding through every corner of the city. The lights of the high-rise buildings intertwined with the stars in the sky, forming a moving urban night scene.
The 350-meter-level observation deck still felt a bit low, so they paid a bit more to go up to the over-400-meter Tembo Galleria. Not only could they overlook every corner of Tokyo, they could even see other cities in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Those brilliantly lit areas shone like scattered gems in the night. In the distance, only a hazy black silhouette of Mount Fuji remained, standing quietly on the horizon.
"Want to go even higher to take a look?" Shun suddenly extended his hand, easily picked Ana up, and whispered close to her ear.
When Ana heard Shun's words, her heart stirred. She guessed that the "even higher place" he mentioned should refer to the 634-meter top of Tokyo Skytree — a place that ordinary people couldn't reach. She knew this would require some unconventional methods.
The afterglow of the New Year was still present. There were still many couples on the Skytree. Shun and Ana blended in among them without any difference and didn't attract any strange looks.
"Okay." The moment Ana agreed, the two figures disappeared into the crowd. In the next instant, they were standing at the very top of the Skytree.
Upon reaching the top floor, without the glass blocking the view, the field of vision became even more open. It felt as if the entire world was unfolding beneath their feet. However, the night view of Tokyo had already been fully appreciated by Shun and Ana on the previous observation decks.
The cold winter wind blew fiercely. Shun couldn't help but slightly shrink his neck, feeling the sea breeze coming from the direction of Tokyo Bay.
"As expected, the top of Tokyo Sky Tree isn't warm at all," Shun said while sitting on the high platform at the top, without any surprise.
"Feeling cold?" Ana noticed Shun unconsciously shrinking his neck. She extended her own hand and covered Shun's hands with her small, warm hands, transferring her body heat to him.
"It feels much better now." Shun smiled slightly. In truth, he didn't feel that cold. This temperature was nothing compared to the severe cold of Siberia that he had once experienced.
"But if we're talking about the warmest place in the world…" Shun's gaze gently fell on Ana's profile. His voice was filled with deep affection and warmth, as if he was telling a secret.
He couldn't help but lean in gently and tenderly kiss Ana's cheek. This action was full of love and cherishment. "Perhaps the warmest place in the world isn't the top of Tokyo Sky Tree, but by the side of the person you love."