"What a failure of a day."
"But at least it was fun… no, it wasn't! There weren't any girls at all!"
Shirogane's group was very unsatisfied with the trip.
They had planned to go out and meet girls, but ended up just three guys enjoying Kyoto by themselves like some lemon party.
Shirogane Miyuki's group had four people: Toyosaki, Kazamatsuri, Shirogane, and Tanuma.
Toyosaki and Kazamatsuri thought that with four boys going out together, maybe they could run into some girls and play as a group. If lucky, maybe even get girlfriends.
However…
Tanuma: has a girlfriend.
Shirogane: has a girlfriend.
Half of the group were traitors, so naturally the plan wouldn't work. Tanuma had slipped away early, and Shirogane couldn't possibly hang out with other girls.
"At least there's still a bit of benefit now."
The three sat at the entrance of the women's bath changing room as if waiting for something.
Of course, not to peep—that was illegal.
Shirogane leaned against the wall, watching his two friends and sighing helplessly.
"I'm telling you… your thoughts are far too shameless."
They weren't planning to peep, only hoping to see girls with wet hair fresh from the bath, before drying it.
Women in public always dried their hair before stepping out, so this sight was rare, almost a privilege reserved for boyfriends.
Shirogane naturally looked down on such behavior.
So why was he here?
Because he truly hoped to see Kaguya with wet hair.
'Ah, Kaguya with wet hair… it reminds me of the first time I saw her in spring of first year…'
He thought back, glancing at his two companions staring hard at the girls walking out of the changing room.
Honestly, he really didn't want Kaguya to become the object of these two animals' fantasies.
'When she comes out, I'll just pull her away immediately.'
"By the way, which girl's out-of-bath look do you most want to see?"
"Probably Ki-san."
Shirogane was thinking of how to get Kaguya out quickly, while the two were already chatting away.
"I want to see Kyose-san."
"Actually, Fujiwara's good too."
"But if I had to say… it's still Shinomiya."
"Hey."
Just as they were getting excited, Shirogane suddenly spoke up.
While they looked at him in confusion, Shirogane fixed them with a fierce glare.
"You are not allowed to fantasize about Shinomiya."
"…"
They froze, then instantly understood.
"Sorry, Shirogane, we won't anymore."
"Don't worry."
They probably realized Shirogane's feelings for Kaguya. Even if they didn't know if the two were dating, they stopped pushing that topic.
"…"
Shirogane realized he was extremely possessive.
Since he didn't speak further, the other two resumed their chatter.
"Next year it'll be the first-years' turn for their school trip, right?"
"What, are you into kouhai girls?"
"No, no, not that broad… though Oba-san and Onodera-san are real beauties… wait."
Toyosaki suddenly realized something.
"Next year… that guy will go too, right?"
"Not necessarily. Around next term is Chinese New Year. He'll definitely ditch everything to go back home. Why ask?"
"But think about it, Takamine's a boy, so he'd share the same bath with us…"
"Oh-ho~"
Their talk pulled Shirogane's thoughts back.
He remembered in the first term, when he still lived in a shabby old apartment, Rinji would sometimes come over and use their bath.
After bathing, Rinji would come out without drying his hair.
His slightly long golden hair, wet and clinging to his shoulders, fine features misted with steam, casually tucked strands behind his ear, water droplets on his collarbone…
Slap!!
"Ah!"
Shirogane suddenly reached out and grabbed both their faces.
"Wait, Shirogane, what are you doing?"
"Let go! We weren't fantasizing about Shinomiya!"
"You two…" Shirogane's face flushed as he barked, "are not allowed to fantasize about Rinji either!"
"This makes no sense!! Why would we fantasize about a guy!? We were joking!"
"Even if we did, what's it to you! Shirogane, is your possessiveness genderless now!?"
---
"Kaguya-san."
"Mm, how's it looking?"
"There aren't Shinomiya family members outside the inn for now, and even if there are, they don't seem threatening." Hayasaka sat beside Kaguya with her hair dried and a yukata on. "But since this is Kyoto, seeing one or two is normal."
This school trip had boys and girls lodging separately in the same inn, so besides Kaguya and Hayasaka, there were other girls too.
To avoid being overheard, they spoke in a corner.
Seeing Kaguya somewhat unsettled, Hayasaka asked, "What's worrying you?"
"Mm… actually, earlier during sightseeing, I received a strange text message."
"What?"
Seeing Hayasaka's puzzled look, Kaguya opened her phone and showed her the message.
"It was from an unknown number, asking me to go out tonight."
"Spam?"
Hayasaka took the phone and read it.
[Shinomiya Kaguya, tonight at 8:00 pm. A café 500 meters north of your inn. I need to meet you for something important. It's about the Shinomiya family.]
"…About the Shinomiya family? From the main house?"
"If it were the main house, they would have sent someone I know." Kaguya frowned. "But I don't know who this is."
"…"
Hayasaka looked at the number. It seemed familiar.
She pulled out her phone, compared it with her contacts, and her eyes grew serious.
"Kaguya-san, I'll go with you."
"Eh? You know who it is?"
"Yes. And you've met him."