Chapter 222: If Only Yurine Would Agree!
Pushing open the villa's door, the evening breeze, carrying the fresh, fruity scent of blueberries, rushed in. The coolness seeped into Ryohei's light clothing, invigorating him.
Yurine walked out behind him, her hands clasped behind her back, with a small cloth bag hooked over her finger. She looked up, and the night view of Yukimi Ranch was not a pure darkness. The solar streetlights lining the main road cast a warm, yellow glow, softly outlining the main paths, work areas, and the trail leading to the hot spring.
Above the unlit areas, the entire expanse of the stars was unveiled with astonishing clarity. The night sky was a deep, inky black, scattered with countless glittering stars, so dense they seemed to fill the entire dome. The Milky Way stretched across the sky like a hazy ribbon of light, flowing across the deep blue canvas.
"Ryohei-kun." Yurine's reddish-brown eyes widened in momentary awe.
She quickly walked over to Ryohei, leaned slightly forward, and looked at him, her eyes sparkling with a smile. "I've just found a great selling point for your farm-to-table restaurant that hasn't even opened yet."
"What is it?" Ryohei asked curiously.
"This starry sky!" Yurine swept her hand across the brilliant canopy above. "You can't see a sky like this in the city!"
Thinking of their plan to go camping in Achi Village to see the stars, Yurine's mind sparkled with ideas. "This is also perfect for camping. The environment is beautiful, there's plenty of space, and the temperature is just right right now..."
"Hmm... that's a good idea." Ryohei thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.
Camping would indeed be a unique feature. Their ranch was very suitable for it, and Ryohei himself was tempted to try it out. He had never been camping but was quite interested, which was why he had agreed to go star-gazing with Yurine in Achi Village in the autumn.
Speaking of which, combining "my own property" and "camping," Ryohei couldn't help but recall an image from a certain music anime of a senior camping in her own backyard.
He smiled faintly, his lips curving upward. He suggested to Yurine, "Before the farm-to-table starts, let's try it out ourselves first."
"Sounds lovely. When?" Yurine tilted her head cutely, asking in a gentle voice.
"I want to join too. You'll bring me, right?" Lucoa inserted herself. She wanted to be involved in anything concerning Ryohei—she even wanted to sleep with him at night.
If only Yurine would agree...
"Since you put it that way, how can I refuse?" Ryohei shrugged, looking at Lucoa. It was hard to refuse her, especially since he needed her to open the spatial portals for travel between the two locations. You couldn't just use Lucoa when she was useful and push her away when she wasn't.
"Ehe~." Lucoa gave a deliberately innocent smile upon hearing Ryohei's agreement.
Ryohei smiled back, then looked toward the nearby orchard. After some thought, he said, "Let's make this weekend a team-building trip... The restaurant has new staff, so we can hold a welcoming party too. Participation will be voluntary, of course."
"No one will refuse that," Yurine chimed in.
She wasn't disappointed by the group inclusion; she was used to it. They were always together anyway, even on weekends, usually with Jashin-chan and the others. The difference between a few third wheels and a dozen wasn't that big.
Ryohei, however, was a little disappointed. He had been looking forward to unlocking a new scenario and having some "camping play." Now, that chance was ruined. He could only make a mental note to "retaliate" against Lucoa later, when the opportunity arose.
A severe retaliation!
...
As they talked, they arrived at the edge of the orchard.
Ryohei stepped over the ditch and walked up to a blueberry bush. He pulled a plate out of his dimension and turned back to Yurine and Lucoa. "You two go wash up and change into your swimsuits first. I'll pick the blueberries and join you."
"Then Ryohei-kun needs to hurry. If you're late, you'll miss a lot of the 'perks'," Lucoa said suggestively.
"..." Yurine immediately gave her a side-eye, thinking she'd have to supervise someone later.
Ryohei joked, "I don't want to end up kneeling on the washboard."
"Ryohei-kun has knelt on a washboard before?"
"Is that the focus? Couldn't you tell I was joking?" Ryohei rolled his eyes at Lucoa, then turned to pick blueberries using the light from the nearby streetlights. He carefully selected the large, dark-colored ones covered with a layer of white bloom.
"Come on, let's go shower." Yurine grabbed Lucoa, who looked like she wanted to say more, preventing her from getting a chance to linger and bathe with Ryohei.
...
After about seven or eight minutes of picking, Ryohei left the orchard and casually walked toward the hot spring. The former ranch owner had built a small structure next to the spring, which included a changing room and a shower room. The spring itself was enclosed by a wooden fence to keep out wild animals.
Ryohei soon arrived at the structure. He pushed open the wooden door and immediately heard the whooshing of running water. They must still be showering.
The changing area and the sink were connected, with a rack for clothes nearby. Ryohei went to the sink and washed the fresh blueberries.
Perhaps hearing his movement, Lucoa's seductive voice called out from the shower room. "Is Ryohei-kun peeking?"
"I am not! Don't slander my good name!" Ryohei retorted loudly, exasperated.
"I want some blueberries. Can you bring them over?" she continued.
"You will not!" Yurine's voice immediately followed, which was met by Lucoa's drawn-out, protesting squawk: "Yurine is so bossy!"
...
After a few more exchanges, Lucoa was finally chased off to the hot spring.
Yurine, now wearing a swimsuit, pulled back the curtain and came into the changing area. She glanced at Ryohei, who was brushing his teeth at the sink. She spoke softly, "We're done. It's your turn."
"Mhm." Ryohei replied, picking up the washed blueberries and handing them to her.
Yurine took the berries. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, "Do you need me to scrub your back?" The two of them often helped each other bathe.
Ryohei blinked, not refusing. He said, "If it's convenient..."
...
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