Chapter 244: A Private Meeting
Arashiyama, a famous spot in Kyoto.
The bamboo forest here was very beautiful.
The well-known novel character Hikigaya Hachiman had once triggered his "self-destruction" move at this very place — under the night sky, with faint shimmering lights, Lord Hachiman had spoken a confession that made the entire audience take a deep breath, drawing all the firepower to himself, creating a world where no one was hurt.
He is truly a hero!
ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧
'Ishigami will definitely make a pilgrimage here.' Sakurai Saki looked at the bamboo forest beside him, muttering in his heart.
He had already been wandering around with this group of boys for the entire morning — first to Higashi Honganji, and then here, Arashiyama.
Now the group was preparing to head to the next sightseeing spot, Togetsu Bridge.
"Really beautiful, Arashiyama." Shirogane Miyuki snapped pictures with his phone, like an elementary school kid on a field trip, utterly thrilled.
Half an hour later.
"Really beautiful, Togetsu Bridge."
In the afternoon.
"Really beautiful, Yasaka Shrine."
After saying that, Shirogane sighed.
"Why is it only us guys going around like this? There's not a single girl from our school in sight!"
Toyosaki Saburou scratched his head: "Oh right, where are Sakurai and Tanuma?"
"..."
The air instantly froze.
"They escaped!! Those two Riajuu traitors!!" Kazamatsuri Gou gnashed his teeth.
"Sakurai!!! Get back here, damn it!!!"
((ᕙ( ᗒᗣᗕ )ᕗ))
Toyosaki Saburou tilted his head back and howled, making nearby tourists turn their heads.
"They already have girlfriends, spending this long with us is more than enough." Shirogane Miyuki tried to console them.
"Umu, true enough."
Thus began the sightseeing time of the lone-wolf bachelors' club.
...
By evening, when they returned to the hotel.
"Surprisingly, it was kind of fun."
"Yeah."
"Not having girls with us… actually doesn't matter."
The three of them began comforting themselves.
So what had Sakurai Saki been doing all afternoon?
He had messaged his girlfriend, but found that Ai-chan's group was quite far away, so he gave up the idea of meeting her.
Coincidentally, there was a wagashi shop run by his family nearby, so he dropped in for a visit. Nothing unusual — his mother was the same as always, gentle, quietly focused on making wagashi.
If not for the fact that Sakurai Saki had already promised he would try his best to participate in group activities, he probably would have been forced by his mother to stay home and spend the night.
By the time he returned to the hotel they had booked, night had already fallen.
The boys' room was a three-person room. The moment he swiped the card and opened the door, Sakurai saw Kazamatsuri Gou and Toyosaki Saburou peeking at him suspiciously, as if plotting something.
Just with a quick guess, he already knew — probably about him ditching the group to hang out with a girl.
And indeed, his guess was spot on.
A few seconds later.
The two of them immediately grabbed his arms from both sides, "Spit it out! Who were you with this afternoon?!"
"I just went back home for a bit. If I really have to say it, then I was with my mom. My hometown is Kyoto, you guys know that, right?" Sakurai replied helplessly.
Was he really going to be interrogated by classmates like a criminal just for visiting his own mother?
"Your mom, huh. Then that's fine."
They let him go right away.
They had never met Sakurai's mother — if they had, they would probably be jealous.
"Just now you guys were holding towels, were you heading for a bath?" Sakurai asked curiously.
"Too shallow."
(˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵)
"Too simple."
(≖⩊≖)
Both of them spoke mysteriously: "Of course it's for something more meaningful."
(˵ ¬ ¬˵)
Sakurai propped his chin with his hand: "Don't tell me you guys are planning to peek into the girls' bath."
The girls' bath — a sacred place, containing countless things boys would never normally get to see.
"Just a warning, if you get caught, the odds are high you'll be expelled."
"..." Kazamatsuri Gou patted his shoulder: "As if we would really go watch something like that."
Toyosaki Saburou also nodded in agreement: "Of course we know that."
Sakurai: "…Toyosaki, that's not what you said back during swimming class last time."
This guy had a record, so one couldn't be careless.
"Whatever, it doesn't matter if you're not coming, we already invited Shirogane."
"Exactly. We'll go admire the breathtaking sight of girls fresh out of the bath, if you won't come then suit yourself."
Sakurai suspiciously watched the two leave the room, but he had no intention of going with them.
A moment later, his phone vibrated.
Sakurai took it out and looked, only to be surprised to find that the sender was Shinomiya Kaguya — this truly shocked him.
Normally, Shinomiya Kaguya never sent him private messages. If there was something to say, she would choose to send it in the Student Council group chat.
Shinomiya Kaguya: Sakurai-san, please come to the lounge in the hallway, I have something I want to talk about.
Sakurai Saki held the phone, pondering for a few seconds.
Sakurai: [Orca umu.gif]
He left the room and went to the lounge. Beside him were a few ping pong tables, several students swinging paddles back and forth, but in Sakurai's eyes, it was nothing more than "chickens pecking at each other," utterly boring.
Glancing around, he quickly spotted Shinomiya Kaguya sitting in a corner. She had just finished bathing, wearing a yukata, her damp hair still shimmering, clearly not yet dry.
"What do you want to talk to me about?"
Sakurai sat down across from her.
Several students passing by immediately slowed down, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two.
Even the ones who were enthusiastically playing ping pong pretended to wave their hands, acting like "too hot, can't keep playing" to cover up their nosiness.
The next second, Shinomiya Kaguya's eyes swept around with a blade-like chill. It felt as if with just a little more killing intent, she could kill someone right on the spot.
Kaguya: ( ◺˰◿ )
All the "extras" scattered at once.
"Ah, so hot, I'm drenched in sweat, let's go soak in the onsen."
"Umu umu, let's go."
"Yeah, let's go."
In an instant, the lounge became quiet.
Seeing that the surroundings had quieted, Shinomiya Kaguya finally spoke:
"Hayasaka said she wants to quit, did you know about this?"
Hearing that, Sakurai Saki showed clear surprise.
"So you really didn't know."
At first, Kaguya had thought that Hayasaka Ai wanting to "break up" with her was instigated by Sakurai.
Because, even after Kaguya said she would find someone else to share the workload, Hayasaka still firmly refused. In Kaguya's mind, only Sakurai could have made Hayasaka abandon her maid duties.
But seeing his reaction now, she began to realize — this might be more complicated than she thought.
"I also once really wanted her to quit, to live the life of an ordinary schoolgirl, but she has her own reasons." Sakurai said, his tone calm.
Lately, he had been learning to restrain his own arrogance.
For him, forcing his will upon others was the height of arrogance.
Even though Hayasaka Ai was his girlfriend, there were things he didn't want — and would never — force her to do.
"Then… the lead has been cut off, what should I do now?" Shinomiya Kaguya let out a faint sigh.
"Just ask directly—" Sakurai began, but she cut him off right away.
"I already asked. But when I looked at her… it felt like she was hiding something from me."
Hearing that, Sakurai also fell into silence, unable to find an answer.
He didn't truly understand his girlfriend. Even though he knew her true face when they were alone, the thoughts inside her head, he could only ever guess at, never fully grasp.
"Tomorrow, let's follow her!"
Shinomiya Kaguya suddenly declared.
Sakurai Saki gave a slight nod.
He was just as curious as Kaguya.