After digesting the shocking, explosive news, the group finally reached the top of Enoshima. The scorching air's temperature dropped slightly with the increase in altitude, but it still felt muggy.
"The observation deck is still quite a ways off..."
"Y-Yeah."
Hitori Gotoh and Ryo were dressed more warmly than Nijika and Kita Ikuyo. Even with the occasional breeze on the mountaintop, they were still sweating profusely.
"But being at the summit, this feeling of openness..."
"I feel like my mood has become more positive!"
They stopped walking. A beautiful view lay before them, as if split by a giant axe, clearly divided left and right.
Looking out, two patches of green forest were arranged like bonsai on either side of the azure sea. The white clouds served as rockeries, quietly guarding the bonsai from behind. Golden sunlight scattered across the sea's surface, the waves shimmering as if paved with jewels.
Ryo excitedly clenched a fist: "The best view and the freshest air!"
Hitori Gotoh took out her phone: "L-Let's all take a picture together?"
Nijika borrowed Kita Ikuyo's selfie stick, clipped Hitori Gotoh's phone onto it, and the three of them leaned their heads together, forcing a smile.
"Okay, say cheese!"
"Click."
Kita Ikuyo didn't understand why the three of them had suddenly become so high-spirited:
"Why is everyone so happy all of a sudden?"
A nearby couple soon gave her the answer.
"Look, look! It's so beautiful!"
"Ah... yeah..."
"Hey, why are you spacing out?"
"Sorry, Misako, you're just so beautiful, I got lost in looking at you."
"Oh, stop it, you silly goose~"
"Taku-chan~"
The sickeningly sweet dialogue between the couple caused the faces of the three who were already forcing their smiles to fall, and the color drained from their bodies.
"But doesn't Miss Gotoh have a boyfriend?" Kita Ikuyo's puzzled words successfully brought the color back to Hitori Gotoh, and at the same time, got her kicked out of the "let's pretend we're enjoying our youth" photo-taking trio.
"Oh right, I have a boyfriend too!" Hitori Gotoh slammed her right fist into her left palm in a moment of realization.
She had a conditioned response to seeing couples that triggered her adolescent psychological trauma, completely forgetting that her own boyfriend was right beside her.
"Jhin!" Hitori Gotoh mercilessly abandoned Nijika and Ryo, who had turned to stone, and threw herself into Jhin's arms for comfort.
"Remember me now, do you?" Jhin cupped Hitori Gotoh's soft, smooth cheeks, which felt wonderful to the touch, and kneaded them as she looked at him pitifully. "This is your punishment for forgetting your boyfriend."
Hitori Gotoh let Jhin knead her cheeks, her apologies muffled: "Ah-woo-woo, I'm... s-sowwy..."
"Crack..."
"Ah! Ryo-senpai and Ijichi-senpai!" Kita Ikuyo frantically tried to piece the shattered remains of Nijika and Ryo back into complete human-shaped sculptures. "Jhin and Miss Gotoh, stop adding fuel to the fire and come help!"
Having recovered, Nijika said huffily, "From now on, Jhin and Bocchi-chan are strictly forbidden from hugging inside STARRY."
"Yeah, yeah, the damage you've done to us is too great. It'll take at least five meals to heal my wounds... Ouch!"
Nijika landed a karate chop on the head of Ryo, who was trying to take advantage of the situation.
She wasn't sure when it started, but the interactions between the couple, Jhin and Hitori Gotoh, had become increasingly triggering for the single ones among them. If their interactions before the summer break were just a form of public display of affection, now it was like being roasted over an open fire.
Wait a minute! Before the summer break? A specific period of time?
Nijika felt like she had just stumbled upon something very important. Her suspicious gaze darted back and forth between Jhin and Hitori Gotoh, who had obediently separated.
If she had to say what could have happened during that time to advance their relationship, it would undoubtedly be their first successful date.
That day, Jhin had even shown off some photos from the date in their group chat, although the location and their outfits were highly questionable.
Nijika remembered that after that, Jhin hadn't posted any more news about the date in the group. The massive downpour must have cut their plans short, so they ended the date.
But! What if Jhin and Hitori Gotoh didn't cut their date short because of the rain?
There is only one truth! Nijika put on a pair of oversized glasses that reflected light unnaturally.
They went to a hotel that day!
This answer made Nijika's pretty face flush slightly red. The momentum she had built up to condemn their assault on single people instantly crumbled. She couldn't even bring herself to look at them, hastily ending the topic with, "In the future, overly intimate contact is forbidden inside STARRY!"
The elevator dinged. The silver doors slowly opened from the center, revealing an unobstructed view of Enoshima from this high altitude.
The entire city seemed to have transformed into a miniature landscape garden. The designer had cleverly planted skyscrapers among the green forests, erected a cross-sea bridge, and laid down soft, golden sand near the coast.
Kita Ikuyo skipped cheerfully out of the elevator. "Look, the view from the observation deck is even more beautiful! I have to commit this scene to memory!"
Only Jhin followed behind Kita Ikuyo, gazing at the stunning scenery in the distance. The other three entered the air-conditioned observation deck, no longer caring about anything else.
"Ah~ The AC feels so good!"
"This is bliss."
"It sure is."
Kita Ikuyo was suddenly speechless. "We came up here to see the view, right?"
"Looks like Kita's had her fill. Let's head down," Nijika said, clasping her hands behind her head. Her tired body was being healed in the cool, air-conditioned space.
"Huh?" Kita Ikuyo couldn't believe her ears. Hadn't they just gotten up here?
"Y-Yeah."
"It's so nice and cool up here."
"I'll go with the group."
Kita Ikuyo clenched her little fists in frustration and shouted, "You damn indoor-types!"
Nijika took out her phone and checked the time. "It's not good to stay out too late. Shouldn't we be heading back soon?"
"Then let's pay our respects at the shrine one last time before we go back."
Kita Ikuyo's suggestion was met with unanimous agreement.
The shrine was surrounded by numerous red and white flags. The central building was enclosed by a white plaster wall, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
Looking at the information on her phone, Kita Ikuyo explained to the others, "This place enshrines a goddess named Myōon Benzaiten. She is the goddess of music and arts."
"Then we have to pray for our band to shine in the future."
Coins clinked as they were tossed into the offering box. Hitori Gotoh clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, her expression exceptionally serious and earnest.
...
"Bocchi-chan, you were praying so seriously just now."
"Eh?"
"And for a long time, too."
"What did everyone wish for?"
Jhin shrugged. "My wish was for your performance to go smoothly. What about you, Nijika?"
"As for me, I thanked the gods for our successful performance and asked for their continued blessings." Nijika raised her hands high, feeling re-energized. "I'm going to practice twice as hard when we get back!"
"I-I see." Hitori Gotoh just couldn't bring herself to say it.
That her wish was for Jhin to turn eighteen so they could get married right away...
In a spacious and bright studio somewhere, a woman wearing black rimless glasses and a sexy office lady uniform glanced over alluringly and muttered to herself, "Huh, isn't that the excellent employee? Is that his girlfriend next to him? To think she'd make a wish like that."
"As a goddess, I really should reward him for his performance. I'll help his little girlfriend's dream come true this time."
"Oh my, there are four girls making wishes? Which one is the girlfriend again?"
"Whatever, whoever it lands on, it lands on."
"Hey! The world parameters on my side are acting up again, come help me!"
With a casual wave of her hand, this laid-back goddess sent a pink light from the shrine into the body of one of the Kessoku Band members before going to help her colleague adjust the parameters.
The group boarded the subway home as the sun set. Nijika yawned; as an indoor-type, today's physical activity had far exceeded her limits.
Ryo leaned against the partition, drowsy. "Wake me up when we get to Shimokitazawa station."
"Honestly, you guys..."
Out of the five of them, only Kita Ikuyo and Jhin didn't look tired. Kita Ikuyo was a bit disappointed.
"I was hoping to check out Kamakura and have dinner with everyone."
"Maybe next time. They're all really tired today," Jhin said, rubbing Hitori Gotoh's shoulders to keep her from falling asleep and hitting her head on the railing.
"I've decided! I'm going to hang out with everyone from Kessoku Band for the entire winter break!" Kita Ikuyo had already thought of a ton of places to make youthful memories. "Where would you like to go, Jhin?"
"I don't mind going out every day, but I can't say the same for those three indoor-types."
Jhin didn't want to rain on the excited Kita Ikuyo's parade. "Winter break is still a long way off. Let's take our time thinking about it."
"Okay."
"Kita, if you're feeling sleepy, you can take a nap too. I'll wake you all up when we get there."
"Don't worry, Jhin. This is far from tiring for me," Kita Ikuyo said, full of confidence in her stamina as a cheerful girl with a packed schedule.
"That's good..." Seeing that Hitori Gotoh had already leaned her head on his shoulder and fallen asleep, Jhin spoke up. "You didn't really get to have as much fun as you wanted today, did you?"
"Not at all! I was just happy to be able to hang out with everyone."
"It's okay, they're all asleep."
"..." Kita Ikuyo fell silent. Jhin was right. This outing with everyone hadn't been as fulfilling as she had imagined. Perhaps it was because, aside from her, no one else really liked outdoor activities.
The tips of her shoes kept tapping together and parting in the shadows, tapping and parting. Kita Ikuyo didn't know how to express her inner feelings.
"It might be a bit inappropriate for me to say this," Jhin said as he gently stroked Kita Ikuyo's smooth red hair, "but next time, if you feel like you haven't had enough fun, just say so. I'll stay and hang out with you."
The tips of her feet, which had been together, didn't part again. They pressed down slowly, then drew together. Kita Ikuyo nodded and replied with a barely audible, "Okay."
___
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