I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me - Chapter 42

Chapter 42   Hot Spring Trip 2

The inn was far more elegant than I had imagined.

The front desk, where we checked in, had a traditional Japanese wooden structure, yet it exuded a subtle Western vibe. It was a perfectly balanced blend of Japanese and Western styles, and both Ayaka and I found ourselves gazing at it in awe for a while.

And as for our guest room—

“It’s huge, seriously!”

For two people, it was way too spacious. The room was divided into a tatami room and a sunroom, which was typical, but the scale was completely different.

“The living area and bedroom are separate… Ah, and the open-air bath is on the first floor.”

“This room is incredible…”

I couldn’t help but voice my amazement.

This room had two floors.

The bath was on the first floor, and the bedroom was on the second. Naturally, since the bath was part of the guest room, only those staying in the room could use it. The first floor featured a large open terrace, and even from the indoor bath, you could enjoy a sweeping view of the sky.

“This feels like the kind of room they’d use for a TV shoot. Bet celebrities stay here.”

I couldn’t hold back my honest thoughts.

I could start to understand why some people might feel the urge to post pictures of this kind of room on social media. I mean, it’s definitely something to brag about. But realizing I even had that thought showed how unfamiliar I was with places like this. And while it was true, admitting it to myself was a bit irritating, so I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

As I headed down the stairs, I found myself at the changing area.

Though I couldn’t see it right now because of a partition, the open-air bath was probably just beyond it.

I saw Ayaka, who had arrived there before me, reading something.

When I peeked over her shoulder, it seemed like she was checking out the details about the open-air bath.

“Huh, granite… no wonder it feels so luxurious.”

“I’ve only ever heard of it. Is that kind of stone only used in fancy places like this?”

“How should I know?”

“Then what was that comment for…?”

I sighed, and Ayaka laughed lightly.

“In fancy places like this, it’s always safe to act like you know what you’re talking about and show some admiration.”

“Safe… really?”

“As long as you don’t start questioning me, I won’t slip up.”

Ayaka pursed her lips and stepped into the bath area.

Inside was an indoor bath, and outside, an open-air bath. These two were exclusive to the guests of this inn.

The indoor bath wasn’t filled yet, but it was easy to tell it was big enough to swim in.

“It’s too big for just one person to use.”

When I muttered that, Ayaka agreed.

“True, but isn’t it a luxury to have such a large space all to yourself?”

“Yeah, it is. It’s not often you get an entire hot spring to yourself.”

“Exactly. I’ve always wanted to sit right in the middle of a giant bath like this.”

That did sound liberating.

I recalled a time in my childhood when I swam in a nearly empty public bath. Back then, I had no awareness of being considerate of others, but now I do. I’d thought I’d never get a chance to do something like that again, but in this place, there’d be no one to bother.

“…Are you thinking something weird?”

“Yeah, I was thinking about doing the crawl stroke.”

When I confessed honestly, Ayaka gave me a look like she was totally put off. Her face was saying, “Are you serious?”

“I want to, but I won’t actually do it.”

“Yeah, right… You’re kind of crazy sometimes.”

“That’s rude!”

I’m not such a child that I’d swim in a fancy place like this. I just felt a bit nostalgic for my younger days.

I followed Ayaka outside, and the sunlight reflected brightly off the open-air bath. Ayaka stretched her body and took a deep breath.

“Hmm, this feels amazing. It was worth coming all the way here,” Ayaka said, stretching contentedly.

“We haven’t even done anything yet.”

“There you go again, saying stuff like that. You should just go with the flow sometimes.”

Ayaka sighed, adding with a smirk, “You’ll have a hard time if you keep that up.”

Adapting your words to align with others’ opinions is an essential skill for navigating society, even among students. There are countless situations where, even if you disagree, it’s in your best interest to agree. Knowing when to adjust your words is key to getting by. Ayaka is good at that.

After all, people would rather be around those who agree with them than those who oppose their fun ideas. But that only works up until a certain point in a relationship.

“We’re close enough that it’s fine, right?”

“I don’t mind… oh, right, it’s just the two of us today.”

“Exactly.”

If someone else were with us, I might have chosen my words more carefully. It’s not that I can’t be considerate of Ayaka either. But if I can’t be honest with her when it’s just the two of us, then when can I be? You need someone in life with whom you can always be yourself.

And for me, that person has always been Ayaka, ever since high school.

“Alright, let’s take it easy today too.”

“Yeah.”

Ayaka smiled warmly and headed back inside. After taking one last look at the open-air bath, I followed her. Just before stepping indoors, I felt a soft breeze brush against my skin. The rustling of the spring wind through the branches left a gentle, comforting sound in my ears.