Chapter 185: The Arrival (Long Chapter)
The third day.
Today was the day for individual activities.
The students were no longer restricted by their classes or assigned groups. They were free to choose whether to spend their time with club mates or partners; even the scope of their activities wasn't limited to Kyoto. If they wanted to head out to Osaka, Nara, or anywhere else, they were permitted to do so.
In short, today was a day of total freedom.
And yet, Shizuka was still lazing around in bed.
"Shizuka, get up. The sun is already shining on your butt."
The light rain from last night had burned away the clouds. Today's sky looked as if it had been washed—a clean, crystalline blue without a single cloud in sight. Kyoto was welcoming a clear day, a rare occurrence for this season.
A sun like this wouldn't feel scorching; it would only bring a gentle warmth to the chilly autumn. Everyone had been gone since the crack of dawn, leaving only Shizuka still idling in bed.
She was likely sleeping in a daze, still under the impression that she was at home.
"Ugh~~" Under Akishin's persistent nudging, Shizuka opened her eyes groggily. Catching sight of that familiar, intimate face, a perfect smile spread across her beautiful features. "Akishin, hug me... hug me so I can wake up~"
She really was half-asleep. Who knows what time she actually went to bed last night!
Inside the room sat a mahjong table, littered with pieces that hadn't been tidied up yet. The floor was reasonably clean, but the moment one entered the room, they could catch that specific scent born from a cocktail of various odors.
Akishin was somewhat familiar with this smell—the kind produced when many people stay in a closed room for a long time, snacking and drinking alcohol, leaving trash and half-empty bottles scattered on the floor before crashing. Snack bags, leftover booze, the scent of human bodies... the molecules of all these things diffused and fermented until the next morning, resulting in a scent that was purely a chemical reaction.
Even with the windows open, the smell lingered.
If nothing surprising had happened, this place must have been a total mess last night. It was only after the others woke up in the morning that the floor was straightened out and mopped clean.
If one looked closely, there were still damp patches on the floor that hadn't dried yet.
Shizuka was staying in a four-person room with a total of four beds; she wasn't sleeping on the floor. She occupied the innermost bed, and the other three female teachers had already left.
It wasn't that they had abandoned her, but rather because Akishin had arrived. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have stepped foot in this room in the first place.
Faced with Shizuka's spoiled attitude, Akishin smiled and let out a sigh. He leaned down to pull back the blanket, gazing at Shizuka who was dressed in white pajamas, before gently gripping her slender shoulders and pulling her into a hug.
Shizuka actively cooperated with her lover, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She truly relished these interactions with Akishin, being pampered by him. It felt wonderful, like a cat getting its chin scratched.
However, Shizuka was still in a daze. As she held Akishin, she seemed inclined to fall right back to sleep.
"Shizuka, do you know where you are?"
"Aren't we at home? It's a day off... sleep... just a bit longer. Akishin, come here... sleep with me..."
Shizuka murmured sleepily, her breath tickling Akishin's neck, carrying a faint hint of alcohol. She clung to him and fell backward, trying to pull him down to sleep beside her.
"..."
Akishin stared at the beautiful face so close to his own, smiling silently. Then, he took aim at those tempting red lips and kissed her. It wasn't just a brief peck like the ones they shared at the start...
Shizuka responded subconsciously a few times before it finally clicked. Her eyes snapped wide open, becoming fully conscious, and she stared into Akishin's dark eyes, which were filled with amusement just inches away.
"..."
"..."
Shizuka recoiled instantly, her face flushing a deep red that was visible to the naked eye. Her slender white fingers pointed at Akishin as she struggled to find words. She glanced left and right, and after realizing no one else was there, she let out a breath of relief.
"This early in the morning, what are you doing?! What if someone saw us?"
Shizuka lowered her finger and exhaled, finally returning from that state between dreams and reality, no longer claiming they were at home.
Akishin spoke up. "Wasn't it Shizuka-chan herself who asked for a kiss?" He feigned ignorance, taking a moment to lick his lips.
"I asked you to kiss me!!?"
Shizuka's eyes widened as she stared at Akishin, caught between disbelief and uncertainty. Was there a faint memory of it? Or was there not?
Akishin nodded convincingly, doubling down. "That's right. You told me to kiss you, and you tried to pull me into bed to sleep with you. You wouldn't let me go, hugging me tight, and you even said you'd love me forever and wanted to be my wife in the next life, too."
"!!?"
Shizuka's face turned even redder. She seemed to have a slight shadow of a memory regarding that part, but she couldn't remember specifically what she had said.
Slap!
She cupped both hands over her face, far too embarrassed to show it.
Fortunately, only Akishin was there to see.
She quickly pulled her hands away and climbed out of bed, her cheeks a burning crimson. Akishin handed her clothes from the other side of the room.
Shizuka glared at Akishin, trying to maintain a stern front. "I need to change. Get out, hurry." In truth, her heart was racing with embarrassment.
She didn't even know why she felt so shy. They had slept together at home for so long, barely short of being completely naked, and yet she was still this bashful?
Maybe it was the fact that they were out in public? Yes, that had to be it!
"It's not like it's the first time I've seen it anyway."
Akishin muttered softly under his breath. He had seen Shizuka in just her underwear several times back at the house.
Those words reached Shizuka's ears.
Akishin immediately ducked to avoid a flying pillow, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him.
Not long after, Shizuka emerged, her face still slightly flushed and now fully dressed...
...
The inn provided increasingly convenient services. Workers in the tourist area even helped transport luggage. Before tourists checked in for the night, their bags were sent ahead to the next lodging, sparing them the hassle.
The destination for today was Kyoto's number one tourist spot: Arashiyama.
Naturally, tonight's lodging was located there as well.
Arashiyama was a famous scenic area in Kyoto. There were cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, red maple leaves in autumn, and white snow in winter; it offered a different charm in every season. Besides that, it also boasted hot springs, gathering all of Japan's aesthetic beauty in one place.
Akishin and Shizuka finished their breakfast at the inn and happened upon Hachiman, who had also woken up late, and Yui, who hadn't left yet.
The four of them decided to go sightseeing together. After Yui contacted Yukino, they left the inn and began their walk.
Kyoto's streets were laid out neatly like a chessboard—straight roads with ninety-degree turns. Only the different buildings in the surroundings could be used to roughly distinguish one's location.
Yui stepped forward boldly, unafraid of getting lost.
Midway through, Yukino joined them. The five of them explored the Kyoto streets, which were rich with an ancient atmosphere, and bought plenty of snacks.
Akishin and Shizuka walked behind, watching the three in front share food. Yui couldn't finish a bun and split it in two, giving half to Hachiman. Then she pulled out another one, split it, and gave half to Yukino...
"Which of them do you think will make it?"
"I don't know. If both of them like Hikigaya, I actually feel like Hikigaya doesn't deserve it."
"Your little student is quite exceptional."
"But he won't be able to bear the love of two exceptional girls. Oh, maybe even more than two..."
"Are you thinking too far ahead?"
"... No, I just feel sorry for those girls in the future... What if we just take Hikigaya out first? I think that's a great idea."
"This is their business. As teachers, we just need to watch from the back. But isn't this kind of situation something that should only appear in a novel?"
"Who knows?"
"I still hope they're all happy. As happy as we are."
"Shizuka..."
"Are you going to say I'm a good teacher? Of course I am! In Sobu High, there's no teacher better than me..."
Sighing in unison, the two teachers worried about the future of those three students, yet there was no clear path forward.
Matters of the heart were always the most troublesome!
After finishing their walk and filling their stomachs, the next step was to climb Arashiyama—more specifically, to head to Tofuku-ji on the mountain, which was a popular spot for viewing maple leaves in Kyoto.
As a side note, they really had been visiting a lot of temples these past few days.
But it couldn't be helped; Kyoto was practically made of temples!
Monks in Japan were essentially aristocrats, the kind that didn't have to pay taxes. Furthermore, the land belonging to monks was private family property, basically an inheritance spanning hundreds or even thousands of years.
The power represented behind these temples could, to some extent, influence Japan's future direction...
Since Tofuku-ji was somewhat far from central Kyoto, most of the Sobu High school trip students hadn't come here; other students were hardly in sight.
The most famous thing about Tofuku-ji, aside from the red maple leaves, was the Tsutenkyo Bridge.
Tsutenkyo Bridge was a stone bridge that spanned a small stream and merged with the temple. Standing on the bridge and looking out as far as the eye could see, one could witness a vast expanse of red leaves, which complemented the quiet atmosphere of the temple, giving off an elegant and captivating impression.
The peak period for viewing maples had already passed, yet the Tsutenkyo Bridge was still packed with tourists coming and going. One could only imagine how crowded it must have been during the peak.
Akishin was subconsciously reminded of the Great Wall in China.
"Ah, it's Tobe!"
Miraculously, they spotted Tobe and Ebina there.
The two of them stood in front of a vast stretch of red maple leaves to take a commemorative photo. The one serving as the photographer was Hayama Hayato. Beside them stood Miura Yumiko, looking every bit like her usual queenly self.
"Hayama and the others are here too, huh..."
"They've probably been together this whole time; we just didn't see them at breakfast."
"Yeah. If Tobe and Hina were left to do things on their own, the atmosphere might get awkward every now and then. Having Hayama-kun and the others around makes things more relaxed."
"... But if that's the case, the result will most likely just stay the way it's always been."
The three from the Service Club observed Hayama's group of four, discussing the outcome of the matter—even though the setting had shifted to Kyoto, those four were still hanging out together as usual, or Yui could just as easily join in.
What Miura Yumiko wanted to preserve was also the relationship between these four.
As for Ooka and Yamato?
Hachiman reckoned those two were different from these four.
"But, it's impossible to separate them, right?"
Yukino's words cut through Hachiman's train of thought.
"True. If Ebina gets suspicious, it'll be a real pain."
"From the level of excitement of the people around them, we can tell if someone is getting ready to confess. The people surrounding them will cheer, teasing the one about to confess... before being asked out privately by the other party, there are usually signs like this."
"Is that from your personal experience..."
Hachiman ignored the question and continued. "For the party receiving the confession, that feeling is very unpleasant."
Yui threw out a question. "Why?"
"Because it's like being pulled onto a stage to act in public. It's like a public execution. No normal person would feel happy about it." Yukino spoke with a hint of resentment; she had clearly experienced this sort of thing before.
Beautiful girls were never short on pursuers.
Perhaps Ebina had also had a similar experience, which made her so sensitive to the behavior between boys?
In any case, Ebina was clean and cute. If one just looked at her appearance, she was a recognized black-haired beauty that any normal boy would like.
"But, they don't seem to have made any progress..."
Even though they wanted to set the mood for the two of them, there was still the obstructive group like Hayama at the scene.
This Hayama guy seemed to be constantly getting in the way.
As they spoke, they drew closer. Hayama and the others noticed them too, and the two groups merged into one.
"Hikigaya-kun, good afternoon."
Yumiko greeted Hachiman.
Hayama and the others gave surprised looks, while Yui and Yukino beside Hachiman looked on in bewilderment.
To anyone else, this was a perfectly normal occurrence, but when it came from Miura Yumiko, it was highly unusual.
Typically, Miura Yumiko almost never took the initiative to greet someone she wasn't close with.
"Ah! Oh, hello."
Hachiman responded to Miura Yumiko uncomfortably. Noticing the stares, he fired back with his usual dead-fish-eye gaze that ignored them all.
Miura Yumiko's face flushed slightly, yet she remained haughty. She returned to Ebina's side without any intention of explaining herself.
However, she still carefully watched Hayama's reaction. Seeing Hayama remain warm and natural, her mood instantly dimmed by a level.
Akishin, watching this unfold from behind, let out a smile. Shizuka gave him a confused look...
After that, the two groups took in the sights together.
During that time, Hachiman was pulled aside by Ebina; nobody knew what they discussed. Later, Hachiman mentioned that Ebina had sought him out to confirm the request for help.
Then Hayama also wanted to find Hachiman to say something, but he was rejected by Hachiman. He truly had no desire to interact with Hayama, the reason likely being their match back then.
Besides, no matter the outcome of the event, Hayama's only use was to be a hindrance.
Afterward, Hayama and his group left Tofuku-ji first. Akishin's group of five took another route, heading to Kitano Tenmangu first.
Except for Akishin, Shizuka and the other three performed prayers at Tenmangu, bought protective charms, and also bought Ema to write their wishes on—it was clearly a place to 'pray for education,' yet Shizuka still wrote about love...
Finally, they went to see the confession site: a bamboo forest that was white with hints of pale green, with lanterns placed on the ground.
The setting sun began to sink in the west. The lanterns on the ground emitted a warm glow, illuminating the entire bamboo forest like a scene from a dream, subconsciously reminding one of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, and then of Kaguya-hime's departure...
A gust of cold late-autumn wind howled past.
That feeling vanished!
As they walked and played, time slipped away unnoticed.
When night fell, the time for the final appointment arrived.
...
On the bamboo forest path, the light of the lanterns flickered here and there.
Every few steps, a white lantern illuminated the dark green bamboo forest. The moon hung high on the horizon, a thin halo of light encircling it.
This was the tenderness born from the environment.
This was the stage specifically prepared for Tobe.
To finalize this stage, everyone had told a little lie.
Yui made up a random excuse, inviting Ebina out of her room and asking her to come here.
Ooka and Yamato likely weren't here purely to support their friend, but rather out of a desire to watch the show, though that wasn't reflected on their stiff faces.
Miura Yumiko had come as well. Miraculously, she wasn't standing with Hayama, but had come to stand behind Hachiman—after learning of Hachiman's plan, she had come to witness Hachiman's 'sacrifice' for herself.
Hayama wanted to support Tobe but couldn't bring himself to do it, yet he had still come.
Yukino's expression looked colder than usual, but as she looked toward Yumiko beside her, a hint of strangeness appeared in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Yui found a support; she held tight to Yumiko's arm.
Akishin and Shizuka had come too. Normally, teachers shouldn't be present for a situation like this, but Akishin and Shizuka weren't ordinary teachers. When they weren't in the classroom, to these students, they looked more like friends...
Everyone stood at the deepest part of the bamboo forest path, waiting for Ebina's arrival.
Tobe took deep breaths over and over, staring ahead with a look of utter dread. His nerves were shot, causing his entire body to go stiff.
When Hachiman approached and patted him once, he nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Tobe!"
"Hikigaya-kun... what do I do, what do I do? I'm so nervous right now~"
Hachiman asked in a serious tone. "I'm asking you, if you get rejected, what will you do?" If there was any other better possibility, he didn't want to use his own method either.
"Saying that before I even confess, isn't that a bit much?"
"Don't worry about that. Answer me first. Ebina will be here soon." A question that sounded almost like a reprimand. Hachiman stared intensely at Tobe.
The dead fish eyes vanished, replaced by the sharpness of one holding a blade. He should have felt afraid, yet Tobe instead put on a serious face.
"I won't give up, of course. Usually, I'm pretty careless, but this time, I'm serious."
"... Is that so? Then you'll have to try until the very end of everything."
Hachiman turned and walked away. Behind him, Totsuka Saika said gratefully, "Hikigaya, thanks. You really are a good guy!"
Just don't blame me later.
Hachiman returned to his original position with his hands in his pockets.
Yukino glanced at him briefly, her brow furrowing slightly.
Yui stared ahead with a simple nervousness.
Yumiko looked at Hachiman's back with complicated feelings, seemingly wanting to say something, yet the words remained unuttered. She looked toward Hayama's position as if seeking support, but only saw Hayama hanging his head helplessly.
Akishin slowly narrowed his eyes.
Shizuka leaned against the bamboo fence with her arms crossed, like a parent waiting for test results outside an exam room.
Everyone was waiting.
As another minute passed, Ebina's figure appeared at the far end.
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