Air Groove Side
After breakfast, we're heading to Chiba Shrine for our first visit of the year. Usually, we'd go to a shrine near Tracen Academy, but since we're staying at Yahagi's house, we're visiting a local Chiba shrine.
CB: "Hehe~ Yahagi, how's this? I showered, so I smell like you now♪"
Yahagi: "Didn't expect you to actually do it… Your energy never ceases to amaze."
Air Groove: "Hmph. Then I'll use the house toiletries for tonight's bath."
Yahagi: "You don't have to."
Air Groove: "'When in Rome, do as the Romans do,' right? That's all."
Fuji: "Hehe, true. Gotta follow the house rules."
Yahagi: "There's no rule saying you have to use our shampoo or conditioner."
Chiba Shrine
Fuji: "What a grand shrine. So much charm."
CB: "Yeah, bigger than the one near Tracen Academy."
Yahagi: "It's one of Chiba's larger shrines, so it gets a lot of visitors. Wanna pray first or try omikuji?"
Fuji: "Let's start with omikuji. First luck test of the year!"
Air Groove: "Sounds good. Omikuji, then prayers."
We head to the omikuji stand. I can't help but wonder if Fukukitaru's around at a place like this.
"Shake the omikuji stick."
CB: "I don't do this often~ Wonder what I'll get?"
Air Groove: "As long as it's not great misfortune…"
Fuji: "Nobody wants that."
Yahagi: "Even bad luck's a downer."
No great misfortune or bad luck, thankfully. The best was "good luck," but no bad omens is a win.
We line up to pray, waiting our turn. Being approached by others is unavoidable—last year's Triple Crown Uma Musume is here, after all. It's odd to say myself, but I did win the Triple Tiara.
Our turn arrives. Five-yen coins for indivisible luck, as they say.
Clink clank!
May this year be free of misfortune and full of good.
CB: (May I achieve great race results and get closer to Yahagi♪)
Yahagi: (May our team become even stronger.)
Fuji: (May I race well this year too. And…) glance
Yahagi: "…Hm?"
Fuji: "! (N-No, it's nothing!)"
Yahagi: "?"
After Prayers
Air Groove: "That was a good visit."
CB: "Yup♪ Good omikuji and proper prayers."
Fuji: "Gotta make our wishes come true."
CB: "Hey, it's almost noon. Wanna grab tea somewhere?"
Yahagi: "Girls' outing? I'll—'You're joining, Yahagi.' Wait, I—'Yahagi-san, you'll come, right?' …Fine—'Yahagi, we don't care about trivial stuff.' Alright, I'm in."
Café
Yahagi: "Two coffees, one tea, one cocoa. Two shortcakes, one Mont Blanc, one tiramisu."
"Got it."
Air Groove: "Nice find, this café."
Yahagi: "Yeah."
Fuji: "Great selection too. Lucky we found it. Yahagi-san, did you know this place?"
Yahagi: "Nope. I rarely went to cafés."
CB: "But a couple years ago, your glasses pics went viral, right?"
Yahagi: "Forget that. No clue why those blew up."
Fuji: "They were cool, though. I get why they trended."
Air Groove: "Then let's see it now. Yahagi, got your glasses?"
Yahagi: "You think I brought them?"
CB: "No worries if you didn't! You're plenty cool without them!"
Yahagi: "Don't yell in here—it echoes. You'll bother the staff and customers."
CB: "Ehehe~"
…CB-senpai's right. Yahagi's plenty… rugged without glasses/// They're just a tool, after all.
Fuji: "So, what now? I've got glasses here, just saying."
CB: "Put 'em on♪"
Air Groove: "It's been a while. Show us the glasses look."
Yahagi: "So I'm wearing them anyway…"
Shrine visit and café vibes.
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