Episode One Hundred and Thirty-Five
Descending the driveway facing the car park, a drinks vending machine and bench stood by the roadside.
This seemed to be the end of the hike.
Ibara and Runa sat there with a sports drink and a mineral water respectively.
“Shigure-san! Over here, over here!”
Ibara, who had spotted me first, waved her arms vigorously in the bright, pouring light.
I managed to raise my right hand.
I’m… exhausted.
My calves felt like lead weights, stretched tight and heavy.
But it was a pleasant kind of tiredness. A healthy fatigue I hadn’t felt in ages.
Straightening my back as if to put on a brave face, I began walking down the slope.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I must have kept you waiting quite a while, huh?”
When I said that, Ibara met Runa’s gaze and smiled warmly.
“Mm-mm, not really that long. From about halfway through, Runa-san and I were just walking normally too.”
“Exactly.”
…Huh?
“But I was surprised, though. Runa-san, even though you’re an adult, you kept up properly. I thought it’d be a piece of cake.”
“Only at the start. Most of the way, I was the one making you wait for me, Ibara-chan.”
Runa-san. Ibara-chan.
Huh. Were these two ever this close?
Haven’t they… kinda become friends?
Not that it matters. Not at all.
What is this… fuzzy feeling I’ve got?
“So, who won in the end?”
“‘A draw’.”
“A draw.”
“We walked to the finish line together at the end. Well, I suppose I’ll let Ibara-chan have it then.”
“Ah, well then, I won’t hesitate.”
Ibara nodded with a deadpan expression and gave a slight bow, saying “Thank you very much.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Runa glanced over at Shizuku.
“So, that’s why we’re sleeping together tonight, Shizuka-chan.”
“Huh? Ah, yes! ……Yesss!”
Behind me, Shizuku made a small victory fist. What is this girl?
Anyway, that settled the bed assignments.
Checking my phone, it was just past three o’clock.
Unlike the hiking trail with its dense trees, there was nothing here to block the sunlight. The summer sun seared the back of my neck.
Heat haze danced on the asphalt.
It was hot.
“We’re sweaty anyway, shall we head straight to the hot springs?”
Runa grabbed the collar of her shirt and flapped it, sending a breeze across her chest.
That kind of gesture was so typical of a university student.
“There’s a festival starting this evening too.”
“A festival?”
“Hey, Ame. You didn’t read the message I sent, did you?”
She pointed at the roadside noticeboard.
A poster was stuck there. Fireworks bursting into the night sky and the words ‘Summer Festival’.
“I sent you a message saying we’d borrow yukata at the hot springs and go straight to the festival.”
“Huh, did you? …Ah, right. Sorry, I skimmed over it.”
A yukata, eh. How many years has it been?
While I look forward to wearing it myself, today, I’m especially looking forward to seeing Ibara in hers.
But before that, I really need to wash off this sweat.
So, we head for the hot springs.
In terms of scale, it’s more akin to a spa resort – a fairly large hot spring facility.
When we ask to rent bathing sets and yukatas at reception, Ibara looks at the price list and exclaims.
“What exactly is this ‘private bath’?”
“Ah. This is a family bath intended for couples or those with small children.”
“For families, is it?”
Her tawny eyes flickered, seeming to want to say something.
I couldn’t help but interject.
“Excuse me. Could we use that too?”
“Huh?”
The receptionist’s eyes widened for just a moment, then she continued as if nothing had happened.
“—Yes, of course. Would you like to make a booking?”
“I’d like to.”
“We have a limited number available, so let me check the bookings… Yes. Right then, from now, we have availability from 15:45. Each session is 50 minutes, is that acceptable?”
Glancing sideways, I saw Ibara nodding vigorously.
“Yes, that’ll be fine. For two people, please.”
I paid the admission fee and yukata rental fee together.
Yukatas hung in abundance at the front desk. The younger ones dashed over, full of excitement.
Meanwhile, Runa approached me, narrowing her eyes as if she had something to say.
“…What?”
“Nothing. I just… I can tell you’re loved and cherished.”
“Oh, stop teasing me.”
She thrust the band with the locker key at me, almost forcing it on me. Runa gave a wry smile and wrapped it around her wrist.
“But I think you’re right. You are lovers, after all.”
“…That girl used to be in showbiz.”
“You shouldn’t be embarrassed.”
“It’s not like that—”
Well, maybe it wasn’t entirely like that.
But it was true that I wanted to keep it hidden.
Even if the other person was a woman of the same sex, a best friend, or a younger sister.
I didn’t want to show the secret of Ibara.
I wanted to keep it just for myself.
“Ah, but—”
Runa lowered her voice.
“Just because it’s the two of you alone doesn’t mean you can do naughty things.”
“Of course I wouldn’t!”
I shouted in a whisper. Hearing something, Ibara, holding a yukata, looked over.
She put the yukata back on the hanger rack and came over at a trot.
Taking my hand, she said.
“Shigure-san, let’s pick one together.”
“Right.”
She grabbed my arm with a firm tug. Her face drew near.
Between her skin and her clothes, I caught a scent of sweat, stronger than usual.
“Shigure-san. That earlier… made me happy.”
“…You’re welcome?”
“Looking forward to bathing together, aren’t we?”
“We’ve bathed together several times before, haven’t we?”
“Even every day would be fine, you know?”
“I don’t think my body could handle it, so no.”
“Eh?”
She chuckled softly, like a young dove cooing.
“Well then, instead, today I’ll wash Shigure-san’s body thoroughly for you.”
Hang on.
“Er, I’ll pass.”
“No way.”
Ibara looked up at me with eyes so lustrous they sent a shiver down my spine.
“Because today, Shigure-san was being mean to me. Deliberately getting all lovey-dovey with Runa-san and stuff.”
──She’s onto me!
“Come on, pick your yukata quickly. We only have fifty minutes.”
“Um, Ibara. Just because it’s private doesn’t mean it’s not a public place, right?”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re right—”
Ah, I have a bad feeling about this.
A private bath just for the two of us. It was the right choice, but perhaps a careless one.
At the very least, I must ensure it doesn’t turn into something like that last trip.