The trek back to the inn was a symphony of satisfied sighs and slightly off-key humming. Theo, still humming a tune about ramen-loving carp, nearly walked into a particularly sturdy-looking plum tree. "Whoa there, Theo!" Ayia chuckled, pulling him back from an involuntary embrace with the fruit-bearing branch. "Still dreaming of noodle recipes?"
"Can't help it," Theo mumbled, rubbing his forehead. "That carp was practically radiating culinary genius. I bet it's got a secret technique for making tonkotsu broth that would make even a mountain goat weep with joy."
"Speaking of weeping," Sam chimed in, stretching his arms wide, "my legs are about to stage a full-blown mutiny. I swear, I've walked enough miles today to circumnavigate this whole village. A hot spring sounds less like a luxury and more like a life-saving intervention at this point."
