"Shouko-chan, what we said just now doesn't seem to be the main point. The last sentence is, right…?"
Watching Shouko-chan deny it with a blushing face and wave her hands, Ajitani couldn't hold back. She lifted her small face and softly snuggled up to Shouko-chan.
"…Are you really not going?"
Ajitani and Takagi exchanged glances, communicated with their eyes, and nodded simultaneously. "Mm-hmm."
"Shouko-chan, when the time comes, you can just go with Miyamura. I'll help you report it to Nanase-sensei."
"But we might stay overnight at Tsuna's grandpa's house then."
"Stay overnight too?" Ajitani was slightly surprised. "Then Miyamura's grandpa will have to tell Nanase-sensei about this."
"Of course, you also have to tell Nanase-sensei before you leave."
"Alright then…" Seeing that they didn't want to go, Shouko didn't force them.
Not long after, Shouko's other three roommates also returned to the room. Everyone was familiar with each other, and soon they were playing and laughing together.
———
"Ding-dong…!"
A group message notification sound from LINE was particularly jarring in the already quiet boys' dormitory.
"Mine, mine."
Nishikata put down his game console, fumbled for his phone on the table, and was about to unlock it to check when his shoulder was patted by Tsuna.
"No need to look. Nanase-sensei sent a group message in the class chat, telling us to go to the dining hall for dinner."
As his words fell, the other four boys in the room also got up to confirm Tsuna's statement.
Seeing this, Nishikata said nothing more, put away his phone, and went to the dining hall with them.
They walked through a Japanese-style long corridor with bamboo lanterns, turning countless corners.
Just as the group was getting a bit lost, a waiter in a dark blue, fine-striped yukata exited a room. Under her guidance, after the last turn, they finally saw the warm curtain of the dining hall.
"Uh… Is it just our class?"
Walking to the dining hall entrance, Nishikata paused, his gaze sweeping over the students inside, who were all from their school. He turned back, a little puzzled, and asked.
"This dining hall can't fit so many people. We probably have to eat in two shifts."
Tsuna said this as he squeezed past him, his gaze already firmly fixed on the table where Shouko was sitting.
Next to her was the noticeable Ajitani, waving at them incessantly, making it hard not to notice her.
The school trip included three meals, and considering nutritional balance, the hot spring inn's dining hall provided fixed meals.
Rice, miso soup, grilled saury, fried pork cutlet, plus a small plate of mixed greens were all arranged on a tray, making it convenient for students to take directly.
There was also plenty of rice, but only one serving of side dishes.
"I can't even imagine how lavish tonight's dinner will be."
"…"
As soon as Tsuna and Nishikata sat down with their trays, they heard Ajitani mumbling this sentence while chewing her food.
For a moment, it was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic or speaking the truth.
"Ajitani-chan, do you have any plans for the afternoon?" Shouko began to ask as soon as Tsuna sat down.
However, her thoughts were clearly not on the conversation. Her small eyes secretly scrutinized the fried pork cutlet on Tsuna's plate.
She was secretly calculating what "reasonable" reason she could find to make it change hands smoothly.
Seeing that Shouko's eyes were almost glued to the fried pork cutlet, a knowing smile flashed in Tsuna's eyes.
"Afternoon? Does sleeping count?"
While the attention of the people around the table was on Ajitani's talking face, he subtly tilted his plate and used his chopsticks to gently push three pieces of pork cutlet to her side, leaving only one on his plate.
"Tsuna, why are you giving them to me? Don't you want to eat them yourself?" Shouko leaned into his ear, asking softly, though the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl up.
Tsuna raised an eyebrow slightly, his lips silently opening and closing at her: Then should I pick them back up?
"Okay," Shouko replied obediently, her small head even nodding twice symbolically.
But those three fragrant fried pork cutlets still remained firmly in her bowl. Instead, the mixed greens in front of Tsuna were piled into a small mountain in the blink of an eye.
Her empty plate only had dipping sauce left, and she even very thoughtfully drizzled some dipping sauce on top of that "small mountain," as if afraid Tsuna would find the taste bland.
"…"
"Thud…!"
"Ugh… Tsuna, you're bullying me!"
Shouko covered her head, looking at him with a wronged expression, her eyes trying desperately to squeeze out some tears.
Unfortunately, Tsuna knew her little tricks too well. Without even lifting an eyelid, he reached out and accurately pinched one of her soft cheeks, pulling it outward without mercy.
"I'm wrong, I'm wrong, I was wrong, Tsuna!"
Shouko mumbled incoherently while twisting her small head, trying to escape the devil's grip, her cheeks kneaded out of shape.
Tsuna ignored her act. The force in his hand did not decrease but increased, pulling her soft cheeks a little more to the left and right, completely immersed in the fun of "playing" with them.
"Eh? Class rep, didn't you agree with Shouko to accompany Miyamura to see his grandpa tomorrow?"
The two who were still bickering were drawn by Nishikata's exclamation from across the table.
Shouko took the opportunity to slip away like a loach, smoothly escaping from someone's "devil's grip," not forgetting to rub her red, abused cheeks.
"No," Ajitani shook her head, meeting Nishikata's puzzled gaze. "Shouko-chan is going with Miyamura to meet his family tomorrow. Why would we go?"
"Ah…?"
"Wait…" Ajitani narrowed her eyes at him. "You little rascal didn't agree to Miyamura, did you?"
Nishikata nodded hesitantly.
"When Miyamura casually mentioned it, I agreed without thinking. I didn't expect you all to disagree this time."
"Tomorrow…"
"I was even thinking of going to Miyamura's grandpa's hot spring inn to see it and stay for a few days."
"…"
Ajitani, who had been interrupted, was about to continue speaking until she heard his last sentence, and her heart wavered a little.
"Miyamura's grandpa's hot spring inn?"
Takagi swallowed the food in her mouth and looked at Shouko across the table, who was angrily chewing her fried pork cutlet, and asked confusedly:
"Shouko-chan didn't mention any hot spring inn to us at the time, only that she was going to see Miyamura's grandpa and stay overnight…"
Shouko, who had been fiercely chewing on the fried pork cutlet, suddenly looked up when she heard her name mentioned.
A circle of eyes around the table was staring at her.
Instantly, a hot flush rushed up her cheeks.
Tsuna's voice sounded calmly from the side, neither high nor low, but like a stone thrown into water.
Instantly, the scorching gaze that made Shouko want to burrow into the ground shifted completely to his unruffled face.