In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 147

Chapter 147: Hot Spring Trip

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“We’re here. Oh, they’re both asleep. Looking at them like this, even the way they sleep is identical.”

When they arrived at their destination and Yuko looked back at the rear seat, she saw Kousei and Yuusei sound asleep, leaning against each other.

Fortunately, their beautiful faces were free of any drool or other messes—perhaps a benefit of protagonist-level charm. Two stunningly handsome boys asleep, nestled close like twins. It was the kind of scene that would make any woman passing by swoon—or spark a blaze of desire.

“I kind of want to keep watching them, but I can’t just let them sleep forever.”

“I’ll take a picture for now. Onii-chan was up late last night doing practice questions, and he fell asleep the moment we got in the car.”

“I’ve been thinking that Yuusei looked sleepy all morning—that explains it. But how did you know that, Yui?”

“I-It was just a coincidence! Oh, right, I noticed when I got up to use the bathroom at night.”

“Well, let’s go with that. But try not to stay up too late, okay? Also, could you send me that photo?”

“Sure thing! But I’m surprised even Dad fell asleep. Is it jet lag?”

“The jet lag should’ve passed by now. Maybe he got sleepy because of Yuusei. Kousei-kun is a total kotatsu addict—he falls asleep the moment he gets warm.”

“Onii-chan’s the same way. The two of them are like cats.”

There was a reason the two women were sitting in the front seats and the two men in the back. It was stipulated by traffic laws. In this world, men weren’t allowed to drive on public roads. They couldn’t even sit in the front passenger seat. During the revision of current laws, there had naturally been fierce debate, as the changes significantly infringed on men’s rights.

However, once large-scale, scientifically grounded studies were presented, public opinion shifted.

・Public Road Observation via Fixed-Point Cameras

“According to gaze-shift analysis, men seated in the front seats frequently drew the attention and fixed stares of drivers in oncoming and adjacent vehicles, significantly increasing the risk of sideswipes and collisions.”

“Vehicles with male passengers were commonly followed, or subjected to reckless lane changes—dangerous driving behavior became notably more prevalent.”

・Co-Rider Experiment with Men

“Having men in the passenger seat led to frequent occurrences of excessive tension in female drivers, overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, drops in blood pressure, increased heart rate, and lapses in attention. In the worst cases, it resulted in fainting.”

As it became clear that the most common causes of traffic accidents involved men—either as distractions or due to lack of attention—the legal revisions were passed on the grounds of ensuring the safety of the public. To compensate men for this curtailing of their rights, the government provided benefits such as free public transportation passes, taxi tickets, and public access to vehicle testing tracks.

“Wow, such a lovely place. What a gorgeous ryokan.”

“Thanks for driving, Yuko. Sorry I fell asleep.”

“Onsen, onsen! I can’t wait for the open-air bath.”

Is this really okay, with exams coming up? But I also don’t want to miss this rare chance to spend time with Dad, since we never know when he’ll be back in Japan. 

And so, I brought my study materials and decided to join the family trip.

The ryokan was a long-established hot spring inn on a hilltop. Its main building featured nostalgic Western-style architecture, while the guest rooms were in a modern structure. There were large indoor baths and open-air baths built along a rock terrace, plus a few detached suites known as “vip lodges.”

“We’ll be staying in one of the detached lodges, separate from the main building. It’s like a single-story house. Meals will be brought to us, so we can enjoy quality family time in peace.”

The lodge they were led to was a refined fusion of traditional sukiya (a type of Japanese design) architecture and modern design. It had a private open-air bath, a hinoki indoor bath, a jacuzzi, a sauna, and even its own garden. All the tubs were fed with water directly from the source. The spring was a sulfate spring with the following benefits: healing cuts, improving peripheral circulation and sensitivity to cold, alleviating depression, treating dry skin.

Drinking the water apparently helped with constipation too. The hotel provided high-grade linens and amenities on par with a luxury hotel, and Yui was overjoyed to see that.

The lodge’s facilities alone were amazing, but they also had access to the large communal baths and open-air baths. There were reserved spas and hot stone saunas as well, offering a modern luxury experience.

This place is amazing. So many baths. But will I actually have time to study? Studying is super important. After all, the entrance exam’s is just in two weeks. But still, I have to enjoy the open-air bath while I’m here. I want to go in as many times as I can.

I’ll let Mom and Dad have first dibs on our lodge’s bath, and I’ll head straight to the big communal bath. Since my growth spurt, the bathtub at home has felt small. I bet it’ll feel amazing to stretch out my arms and legs in a huge tub.

Surrounded by nature, the ryokan even offered morning baths accompanied by birdsong.

“Until mealtime, everyone’s free to do what they want.”

“Onii-chan, do you want to take a bath right away? Or go explore the main building first?”

“I’ll do both—head to the main bath in the main building and explore on the way.”

“What about clothes? Are you going like this?”

“No, I’ll change first.”

When it comes to hot spring inns, there’s only one answer: the onsen yukata. 

They asked our sizes when we checked in, and by the time we were shown to the lodge, everything was already prepared.

“Such cute yukata! Yukata, obi, haori… Yeah, they’ve got a full set for each of us.”

I put on my yukata, left side over right, and tied the obi around my waist with the knot in the back. Yui tied hers in a butterfly knot at the front. We both put on the outer haori to complete the look.

“Onii-chan, you look so cool.”

“Yui, you look super cute in your yukata too.”

We were complimenting each other, but Yui really was cute.

“Let’s take a photo before we head out.”

Snap, snap— we took family photos. Yui said she wanted to send some to her friends and upperclassmen at school, so we took a few without our parents, too.

“Okay, let’s go!”

“Yeah!”

We took the promenade to the main building. First, we checked the facility map.

“Gift shop, lounge, library, onsen pool, spa, large communal bath… I guess these are the ones that matter for us?”

“Then how about this course: check the cake set at the lounge, peek into the library, stop by the gift shop, and finish the round at the big bath?”

“Cake first, huh? Sure, let’s go with that.”

It was so like Yui that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hmm… It’s a bit pricey.”

“It’s what they call hotel pricing. It’s a luxury ryokan, after all.”

We’d checked in at 3 PM, so maybe Yui was feeling a bit peckish?

“Want to get something?”

“No. If I eat now, I won’t have room for dinner, so I’ll wait.”

That was smart. Dinner would be a lavish onsen kaiseki meal. The library felt more like a salon than a typical reading room. It was cozy, but the selection was a bit limited. We sampled some hot spring manju at the gift shop—they were delicious, so we decided to buy some as souvenirs later.

“Is it okay if we meet up in an hour?”

“Sure, if that works for you, Yui.”

Since the baths were separated by gender, we parted ways in front of the noren curtains.

“Whoa, could this be… all to myself?”

From the modern and luxurious changing room, I headed into the large public bath. As expected, there was no one else around. Maybe because it had just been cleaned? After washing my body at the washing area, I decided to warm up in the indoor bath first.

“Fwaah… This feels amazing.”

As my body was enveloped with a splash by the large amount of hot water, the heat gradually seeped in. The sensation of my muscles slowly relaxing was so pleasant that all the strength drained from my body.

“This is bad, I might fall asleep.”

I had slept soundly in the car, but maybe I still wasn’t quite rested enough. To wake myself up a bit, I figured I’d head straight to the outdoor bath. Since one wall of the large bath area was made of glass doors, I could already see the open-air bath just beyond.

The open-air bath had large rocks placed along the edge of the tub, with moss and ferns growing lushly around them, surrounded by rich greenery—making it feel just like a forest bath. On the other hand, the women’s side at the moment was apparently designed more rustic, as if carved right out of a rock wall, and even featured a small waterfall. I had heard that they switched the men’s and women’s baths twice a day—after checkout and again at night during cleaning time—so we’d be able to enjoy both sides during the trip.

“I guess I’ll get out soon.”

It was still a little early, but I didn’t want to keep Yui waiting. I could always come back to the large bath again after dinner.

“Sorry, Onii-chan, did I keep you waiting?”

“No, I just came out too.”

Yui was pretty considerate, so she usually acted early in situations like this. In the end, we came out at almost exactly the same time.

The entrance to the large bath doubled as a rest area, with sofas for meeting up, massage chairs, and even a fresh juice counter marked as a limited-time offer. Oh, and the prices were pretty reasonable. 

Yeah, I’ll come back for a drink later.

On the way back, we passed by several groups of women likely on their way to the large bath, and I got openly stared at each time—but no one made a scene, and we managed to return to the annex before catching a chill.

The kaiseki-style dinner we enjoyed as a family was beautifully presented, with colorful appetizers and small dishes, and everything from the sashimi to the meat and tempura was top-quality. We indulged to our hearts’ content.

After dinner, we lounged around for a bit, played in the jacuzzi at the annex, then headed back to the large bath one more time before calling it a night.

Huh? What about studying? Well, I did some in the morning… so it’s fine. Time to sleep.

My stomach was full, my body had turned completely relaxed and floppy, and I drifted off to sleep in a state of bliss.

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Yuusei didn’t notice, but after he had left, in front of the men’s bath noren(traditional Japanese fabric dividers), an employee on temporary patrol had blocked access, and a tug-of-war of words unfolded between the staff and a crowd of pressing female guests.

“Can’t something be done already?”

“Please wait until after the cleaning period, as per our regulations.”

“But the dashi(soup stock) will wash away!”

“Is there a way to stop the natural hot spring flow?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Then forget cleaning, just let us in!”

“I’m sorry, but that’s against regulations.”

“Then hire me as a cleaner! I won’t miss even a single hair. You don’t have to pay me—actually, I’ll pay you!”

“Please, we can’t have you making such unreasonable requests.”

“It’s unfair that only the staff gets to go in~!”

“Just a little peek, just let me peek for a second!”

“I want the Prince’s dashi~!”

The staff of the long-established inn managed to hold the line and successfully blocked any intrusions, but by the time cleaning ended at 2:30 AM, a line of women had formed waiting for entry, prompting the distribution of numbered tickets. Incidentally, because it was a continuous flow of natural hot spring water, the entire bath had been refilled with fresh water during the cleaning period, and the bathing area was thoroughly polished to a sparkling shine.

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T/N: Yuusei’s dashi is crazy LOL