Chapter 193: Then This Autumn, Let's Go Together!
Dusk spread gently over the mountain ridges, painting the entire range in hazy, warm colors. Ryohei Tanaka and Yurine sat facing each other on the balcony of the Cloud Top Restaurant.
The tea fields surrounding the restaurant swayed lightly in the evening breeze, their layers of jade-green rising and falling like waves, making a soft rustling sound. The fresh fragrance of new leaves mingled with the aroma of food, winding faintly through the air they breathed, making them feel unconsciously relaxed and content.
"Ah—"
Yurine's body suddenly leaned forward, and she held a piece of fragrant, pan-seared cod in front of Ryohei's mouth.
Ryohei cooperatively opened his mouth, allowing her to feed him.
The moment his teeth bit down, a light crunch echoed in his mouth as the crispy skin shattered like an autumn leaf. Immediately after, the tender, juicy fish meat inside melted gently. The light fragrance of the white tea sauce blended with the fresh sweetness of the deep-sea fish, flowing slowly over his taste buds.
Ryohei chewed lightly, feeling that both the flavor and texture of the cod were excellent.
With a smile in her eyes, Yurine asked, "How is it? Delicious?"
"Delicious. You try mine."
Ryohei used his fork to pull a piece of meat from his beef rib, dipped it in the special sauce, and brought it to Yurine's lips.
It was the slow-roasted Angus beef rib. According to the menu, the dish was slow-cooked at a low temperature for 12 hours, a very labor-intensive process, and was the signature dish of the Cloud Top Restaurant.
"Yours is super delicious too, Ryohei-kun!"
Yurine opened her honey-glossed lips and took a small bite. Her beautiful eyes immediately lit up, and she praised him with a grin.
Hearing her praise, Ryohei felt the food tasted even better, and his mood brightened. He tore off another piece of beef, looked up at Yurine, and asked gently, "Want another bite?"
"Mhm, one more!"
Yurine leaned forward, closing her eyes and opening her small, cherry-like mouth. Seeing her so completely unguarded, Ryohei really wanted to lean in and steal a kiss.
At the same time, on the other side of the restaurant, Lucoa was also beginning her dinner. Seeing Ryohei and Yurine start to eat, she had unconsciously gotten 'hungry' and wanted to eat something too.
Although she couldn't dine with them, Lucoa felt it was nice to at least be able to eat the same food in the same restaurant.
It was just that—
'It's not as good as Ryohei-kun's cooking!'
After a small taste, that thought surfaced in Lucoa's mind.
...
Time flowed by quietly. Dusk settled in, and the light in the sky gradually faded.
The distant mountain ridges were the first to lose their color, turning from dark indigo to hazy silhouettes. The outlines of the tea fields blurred in the dim light, leaving only the soft rustling of the evening breeze.
In the sky, the first few stars tentatively began to twinkle. The air was filled with the cool scent of evening dew.
"7:05 PM..."
Ryohei finished his dinner and glanced at Yurine, seeing she was also nearly done. He casually picked up his phone from the table to check the time, then looked up. "Should we go back to the room first, or head straight to the bonfire party?"
The resort had a bonfire party in the evening that started at 8:00 PM and lasted for two hours. It was still a bit early to go now.
"Either is fine." Yurine elegantly dabbed her mouth with a napkin. As if a thought struck her, she tilted her head and continued, "Why don't we head over now? We can walk around the area to help digest our food."
"Sounds good." Ryohei had been thinking the same thing.
The two left the Cloud Top Restaurant and took the shuttle bus at the entrance to the Dam Recreational Area, which was where the bonfire party was being held.
The firewood for the bonfire was already set up in a large, layered stack, but it hadn't been lit yet. Two staff members stood guard nearby, and a noticeable crowd of tourists had already gathered.
Nearby, there were two rows of stalls strung with LED lights, selling drinks, snacks, and various small trinkets.
Ryohei held Yurine's hand as they wandered around. They found a quiet, dimly lit corner with few people, where they cuddled and kissed, and then admired the starry sky.
Here, far from the city's light pollution, the sky was incredibly brilliant, and they could see countless stars shining.
It had been a long time since Ryohei had seen such a magnificent starry sky.
"Speaking of starry skies, there's a place in Nagano Prefecture called 'Achi Village' that's famous for having especially beautiful stars," Yurine said softly, nestled obediently in Ryohei's arms as she gazed up at the sea of stars.
"Oh, really? Then let's go see the stars together sometime," Ryohei replied. He knew of Nagano Prefecture, but only that it was a place in Japan; he didn't know any specifics. He casually went along with her topic.
But Yurine seemed to have become interested and began to tell him all about it. "It's also a famous camping spot, a land of hot springs, and a 'Peach Blossom Village'! From mid-April to early May is the 'Peach Blossom Season' in Achi Village. The whole area turns into a dreamlike pink ocean. The 'Hanamomo no Sato' has over 10,000 peach trees, and the view is spectacular when they bloom in spring."
"In autumn, you can see the mountains covered in red leaves. And from late October to late November, you can even see a magnificent sea of clouds!"
Now, Ryohei was genuinely interested. Speaking of which, he still had a [Multifunctional Camping Tent (White)] item he hadn't redeemed yet.
'Come to think of it, camping... inside a tent... that's basically...'
'Er...'
Ryohei's thoughts suddenly veered off track, and his expression became a little strange. Cuddling the soft, fragrant Yurine, he felt he needed to temporarily change the subject.
"Have you ever been to Achi Village, Yurine?"
"No, I've only heard of it," Yurine said, turning her head to look at Ryohei's jawline.
Feeling her movement, Ryohei glanced down at her, then leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Then this autumn, let's go together!"
"Okay!" Yurine's eyes lit up with a smile, and she readily agreed.
Suddenly, a wave of noise came from behind them. They both turned to look and saw that the bonfire party had begun.
Ryohei let go of Yurine, took her hand, and they walked toward the fire.
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