Chapter 20 – 4 People Going on A Trip

Before I knew it, time had flown by—and it was the first day of Golden Week.

This year’s Golden Week was five consecutive days off. I’d heard that people with jobs could extend that by using paid leave.

How envious. If we could do that, we could’ve stayed longer too.

“Hasuse-kun, something wrong?”

“…Nah, nothing. Just… the scenery’s unbelievably beautiful.”

Clear skies stretched endlessly above us.

Below, the gentle murmur of a river echoed.

The lush green forest was filled with birdsong.

Yes—we had finally arrived at Tenkuu Toujikyō.

It took just under two hours to get here by car, courtesy of the Yukimori family. After checking in, we changed into the provided yukata and started relaxing.

Siiip… ahh, this tea’s good.

“Time feels like it’s moving so slowly~”

“It’s been ages since I’ve felt this relaxed~”

Yukimori and Toudou were also lounging around in their yukata.

Of course Yukimori looked stunning, but surprisingly, so did Toudou. The contrast of her blonde hair with the traditional outfit was striking.

A trip with two gorgeous girls… this is a feast for the eyes.

“But hey, chilling is great and all, but let’s hit the hot spring already! We’ve been sitting around for like thirty minutes!”

Kazuki suddenly jumped up.

“Kazuki, you’re loud.”

“Calm down already.”

“She’s right, Tomita-kun.”

“What, just me!? I’m the only one freaking out over staying in a place this amazing!? I’m the only one excited about getting into Tenkuu Toujikyō’s hot spring!?”

Well, to be fair, based on my research, it was a pretty famous onsen.

Still, there’s a certain order to things.

Jumping into the baths right away is fine and all, but relaxing like this is part of the travel experience too.

“C’mon, let’s gooo. Hey, hey!”

“Stop pulling on my yukata, it’s coming undone!”

“I wanna go to the hot spring! Let’s gooo!”

“Fine! I get it already.”

“Yesss!”

Seriously, this guy’s a kid.

Kazuki, practically bouncing at the door, already had his onsen gear ready.

Meanwhile, I hadn’t even packed my stuff yet.

“Hey Yukimori, Toudou, is it okay if we head out to the hot spring first?”

“Hehe, of course.”

“We’ll go after we’ve relaxed a bit more.”

“Got it.”

Grabbing a change of underwear and the towels provided by the inn, I left the room with Kazuki.

Just outside the hallway was a beautiful kare-sansui rock garden.

Apparently, the maple leaves turn vibrant in autumn, creating an even more breathtaking sight.

“This place is seriously insane. All thanks to Yukimori-san, huh?”

“You doubled up on honorifics there. But yeah, I get the sentiment. Renting out an entire annex like this… definitely that backdoor VIP treatment.”

We were in the annex of Tenkuu Toujikyō.

According to Yukimori, the main building was for regular guests, while this annex was reserved for the ultra-rich or celebrities.

It was completely private—only one group allowed per day.

Aside from us, only the staff were present. That seclusion gave the whole place an otherworldly, dreamlike atmosphere.

“But like… it kinda sucks there’s only one room. We’re gonna be sleeping in the same room as those two beauties, y’know?”

“There are plenty of rooms. I told them to set up the futons in separate ones, so it’s fine.”

“I get that, but still. Sleeping in the same space as two beautiful girls from our school? That’s exciting.”

“…Yeah.”

I couldn’t even deny it.

You’d think I’d be used to it, staying over at Yukimori’s once a week. But this was totally different.

A sleepover trip with a luxurious atmosphere like this adds a layer of tension and excitement I can’t even put into words.

“Maybe, just maybe… something could happen. Nah, with those two, not likely.”

“You never know. If something did happen, what would you do?”

“Don’t worry. I brought protection.”

“…You being that prepared is actually kinda creepy.”

“Hey, this is a basic courtesy, okay? That’s what my favorite AV actor says.”

“We’re the same age, right?”

Did he just casually admit to watching adult videos?

But… huh. Courtesy, huh? I hadn’t really thought about it that way. Maybe I got too used to Yukimori taking birth control.

“……Hey Kazuki. You got extras?”

“Knew you’d ask, so I bought some for you too.”

He pulled out a box from his sleeve and handed it over.

I mean… thanks, I guess.

I quickly hid it under my towel and headed into the men’s bath.

Even the changing room was absurdly spacious—hard to believe it was private.

And if the changing room was like this, the baths must be even more impressive.

“Woohoo! This place is huge!”

“Stop yelling.”

“Let me be loud! We’ve got the whole place to ourselves!”

…Fair point. Still not gonna yell though.

I tossed my yukata into a basket and got naked.

Kazuki gave me a surprised look.

“Dude, when did you get that buff?”

“Huh? Oh—probably from work at Yukimori’s place. It’s pretty physical, so I’ve been getting in shape.”

“Ah, makes sense.”

Kazuki, too, was looking pretty well-built. I remembered him saying he was training in preparation for traveling the world.

Seriously, the guy’s crazy dedicated. I could never work out for a reason like that.

Once we were both stripped, we headed into the bathing area.

The massive hinoki cypress bath could fit ten people easily. There were also reclining baths, a sauna, and even an outdoor bath surrounded by nature.

“It’s big, but kinda… understated?”

“That’s what makes it great, Inori-kun. You just don’t get it.”

So annoying.

No—calm down. No need to get worked up in a place like this. Just soak and relax.

I washed up thoroughly, grabbed my towel, and headed for the hinoki bath.

The scent of cypress was soothing. Like it cleansed my soul.

“Ahh… paradise…”

“Man, nothing beats a bath.”

“Agreed.”

The temperature was perfect—not too hot, not too cold.

I could stay in here forever.

As I closed my eyes and basked in the bath, Kazuki spoke up.

“So what’s the plan for the rest of today?”

“Nothing scheduled. We’ll eat dinner, hang out, and sleep. We’re visiting a few spots around Hakone tomorrow and the day after, but I kept the list short so we can relax.”

“Classic Inori—thinking ahead. Trying to do too much just ruins the experience.”

Exactly. A good trip isn’t about how many places you go. It’s about the memories you make.

Though… there’s one event still to come.

Just then—

“Wooooah! It’s huge!”

“Asuka-chan, shhh.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. We rented the whole place anyway!”

I heard Yukimori and Toudou’s voices from the other side.

“The men’s and women’s baths are connected, huh?”

“You wanna peek?”

“Don’t drag me into sex crimes.”

“Just kidding.”