Chapter 289: Hayasaka Ai's Growth
The campfire party ended smoothly, followed by a courage test. Sakurai Saki and Hayasaka Ai took a walk around; since they had marked the route during the day, they didn't get lost. Fear? Impossible. Sakurai Saki considered himself very brave.
At least that's what he thought—only that once outside, his legs felt a little weak. No big deal. Umu, believe it.
Everyone has one or two weaknesses. Fear of ghosts and a pollen allergy—Sakurai Saki felt there was no need to specifically overcome those. A person doesn't have to be perfectly flawless; it's good to leave others a little kindness.
...
Returning from the freezing outdoors to the ryokan, Sakurai Saki took off his scarf.
"Going to the hot spring?"
Shirogane Miyuki asked. He hadn't joined the courage test and had come back right after the campfire.
It was now 9:30 p.m.
"I heard the hot spring here is outdoors?" Sakurai Saki asked in return.
"Umu, the men's and women's baths seem to be different springs."
"How luxurious." Sakurai Saki started gathering a change of clothes.
Since he was here, of course he had to try it—besides, they'd already paid.
After picking out fresh clothes, Sakurai Saki and Shirogane Miyuki headed toward the hot springs.
The entrances to the men's and women's baths were side by side, separated by an ostentatious wall. On the way, Sakurai Saki overheard plenty of grumbling from the boys, complaining there wasn't even a gap in that wall. Who knew what they were planning.
Peeping is obviously something boys would think about? But this isn't an anime; doing that in real life could get you reported to the police and hauled away.
In front of the hot spring there was a small activity area with a few ping-pong tables. The vending machine there even sold milk in glass bottles—but cold milk. Sakurai Saki had no intention of drinking cold milk in winter.
Right at the entrance, Shijo Maki and Kashiwagi Nagisa stepped out wearing yukata.
"Haa, that felt so good."
With her hair down, Maki looked almost unrecognizable—so different from the usual tsundere.
"Her looks leveled up a lot," Sakurai murmured sideways to Shirogane.
Shirogane glanced a few times and nodded. "Yeah."
Compared to twin tails, long straight black hair was indeed more beautiful.
The two girls greeted them, chatted a bit, then left.
According to what they said, the hot spring here could make the skin smoother.
"Maki, I might not come back to the room tonight."
"Why?"
"I booked a private room."
Not lingering at the door, Sakurai Saki and Shirogane Miyuki entered the men's hot spring.
They stepped into the changing room.
Shirogane Miyuki clenched his teeth. "I knew it. From the start of the campfire that guy Tanuma disappeared, and so that's where he went…"
Shirogane: ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)
"He's got a girlfriend," Sakurai Saki said as he took off his shirt.
"Don't you have a girlfriend too? Why didn't you go?"
Sakurai: (≖ - ≖)
If I could have, I'd definitely have gone—wasn't it because there were no vacancies?
Today only one guest had checked out, and when Sakurai asked, he was told the room was already booked.
He had wondered who reserved it. Didn't expect it to be Kashiwagi Nagisa.
"Haiya, thank goodness—as long as I don't have to sleep alone tonight in a triple room, or I might cry," Shirogane Miyuki said in a tired voice.
"We're best friends, i never gonna give you up."
"Hmph, like hell I believe you, you monkey!"
...
After washing their bodies, the two of them carried a single towel each and stepped into the hot spring.
In a Japanese onsen, you must wash thoroughly before soaking, and you're not allowed to bring anything in—at most just a towel and a small wooden bucket. Wrapping a bath towel around yourself is absolutely forbidden. And there's nothing to be embarrassed about; everyone around is the same gender.
The open-air hot spring steamed thickly. The boulder in the center didn't look like an artificial rock; the décor kept a natural style with few traces of human construction—except for the "Maria wall" separating the men's and women's baths.
At the moment, there weren't many people in the water.
Lowering his legs in, Sakurai Saki adjusted to the temperature and sat down.
"Hoo~."
Shirogane Miyuki sank in beside him.
"Haa~."
The day's fatigue melted away, his mind relaxing as though floating among the clouds.
From the women's side came the playful voices of the girls, like teasing fairies that stirred wandering thoughts.
On the other side of the wall... is freedom....
Several boys pressed themselves against the wall, even trying to climb the two-story Maria wall—naturally, they failed.
"This thing is way too high!!"
"I've seen in manga, those dividing walls are wooden with lots of gaps."
"That's just manga for fan service, idiot! Look at reality! Even the walls blocking Titans weren't this over-the-top!"
Sakurai Saki narrowed his eyes and leaned his head against a rock.
Shirogane Miyuki looked at the group of boys and couldn't help but feel a strange admiration—knowing they couldn't see anything, yet they still had to try.
We're born free. All of us. Free. Some don't believe it, some try to take it away.
Fight. Fight. Fight. FIGHT!
SHINZO WO— SASAGEYO!!!
"Shirogane, don't do anything stupid."
"..." Shirogane Miyuki felt a twinge of guilt.
He really had been tempted to give it a try.
...
On the women's side, the décor was more refined compared to the roughness of the men's bath.
Hayasaka Ai and Shinomiya Kaguya, freshly washed, were about to step into the spring.
The moment Shinomiya Kaguya entered, the previously lively bath instantly quieted. After more than ten seconds, when Kaguya had settled into a corner, conversation resumed, but at a much softer volume.
Seeing this, Hayasaka Ai couldn't help but marvel that Kaguya-sama's power as the "Ice Princess Kaguya" had not diminished.
It wasn't fear so much as reverence. But the result was the same—distance.
"Ai-san, come closer."
"Yes, Kaguya-san." Hayasaka Ai sat down right beside her.
They sat very close.
Shinomiya Kaguya's gaze fixed on a certain part of Hayasaka Ai, staring.
Kaguya: (∗´ര _ ര`∗)----------------( • ) ( • )
Something was off! Very off!
Kaguya couldn't place it at first, then realization struck.
Size! That was it—the size didn't match!
"Too big," Shinomiya Kaguya murmured.
What on earth had she eaten to grow so much in just half a year?
"Kaguya-san, you mean these?" Hayasaka Ai lifted her breasts, half-floating above the water, and gave them a little shake.
Kaguya: (ꐦ○_○）
She's flaunting it, right? Definitely flaunting it?!
Damn Hayasaka! Somehow you'd gone up a size without me noticing!
Though still smaller than Secretary Fujiwara, Kaguya felt the difference between her and Ai-chan was now like watermelon to apple!
"I don't know when they got bigger—we're still in our growth years, so it's normal. Kaguya-san, don't be discouraged. Even if they don't grow, some guys still like the smaller type…"
Kaguya: (///ಠ益ಠ///)
Hayasaka Ai hadn't finished speaking when she saw Kaguya's face flush with embarrassed irritation.
Ai-chan obediently shut her mouth.
A few seconds later,
She leaned close to Kaguya's ear.
Whisper… whisper… whisper...
After hearing Ai-chan's words, Kaguya couldn't hold back and exclaimed in shock, "It was because Sakurai-san massaged them to grow!!??"
In an instant, the entire women's bath fell silent.
Even the men's bath next door went quiet.
Hayasaka Ai covered her face and sank under the water—she had no face left to show.
Hayasaka: ( //>///
"...Sorry," Shinomiya Kaguya said apologetically.
"It's fine. After all, Kaguya-san, this isn't the first time," Ai-chan surfaced, cheeks crimson.
After years as a maid, she was already used to the slightly thoughtless side of Shinomiya Kaguya.