Traveling With a Beautiful Girl - Chapter 15: It Didn't Work.

“It didn’t work out.”

Upon hearing Ruka-san’s words, I gasped for breath.

I couldn’t utter the next words.

I couldn’t figure out what to say to a girl who had just been rejected, my thoughts swirling around in confusion.

“So, that’s how it is, huh…”

It seemed that Nanase felt the same way.

Her usual assertive demeanor was nowhere to be found, and her aimless gaze wandered around.

“Well, it can’t be helped!”

A cheerful voice cut through the awkward atmosphere.

Clapping her hands together with a refreshing smile, Ruka-san said,

“Even though the result was disappointing, I’m glad I confessed! Tonight, we’re going to party and blow away these gloomy feelings!”

Raising her fist to the sky, she cheered.

Nanase stared at her in disbelief.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Ruka-san-san tilted her head in confusion.

“You were rejected, right? Yet, how can you be so calm?”

“I’m not calm.”

Ruka-san immediately replied.

“Of course, it’s a huge shock. Even though I knew, it was sad, and my heart felt crushed. But…”

With a grin, she displayed a smile that seemed to blow away all the negative emotions.

“I just can’t let myself get down and wallow in self-pity. If I failed, I failed! I’ll drink, make noise, forget about it, and move on quickly! That’s my motto!”

Laughing, Ruka-san put her hands on her hips and spoke.

Her bare feet added to the impression of a tomboyish leader triumphantly standing on a pipe.

It wasn’t just empty bravado; she genuinely believed it.

That mindset, somehow, seemed dazzling to me.

“That’s right…”

With that, Nanase fell silent.

She made a grim face, as if she didn’t want to see something.

“You’re really positive, Ruka-san.”

I couldn’t help but express my honest impression.

“Hmm? Do you think so?”

“I do.”

At least if I were in the same situation, I would probably drag it out for a month, eventually going on a soul-searching journey.

“Maybe, I just don’t think about anything at all!”

As she said, Ruka-san relaxed her face, looking completely thoughtless.

“Oh, right!”

With a light bulb going off above her head, Ruka-san made another seemingly thoughtless suggestion.

“Why don’t you two come on a drive with me right now?”

“A drive?”

“That’s right, a drive! The staple entertainment of the countryside!”

“I didn’t know that.”

I learned something new.

“Wait, do you even have a license…”

Twinkle☆ Ruka-san brandished her driver’s license and struck a pose.

“I got it with my 3rd year repeat power!”

Now that I think about it, she’s a 6th-year high school student.

She looks like a high school girl, so it feels out of place.

“What do you think? I want to go because it seems fun.”

When I asked, Nanase made a bitter face as if she had swallowed a bitter pill.

With her arms crossed and a serious expression, she pondered for a while before finally exhaling.

“…Well, why not?”

It was surprising.

“Yay! Thank you!”

Ruka-san jumped with joy.

“I’ll be right back! My house is just around the corner, so wait for me! I’ll bring the car in a flash!”

Leaving those words behind, Ruka-san ran off.

“Ah! I forgot my shoes!”

She came back.

Equipped with loafers in both hands, Ruka-san took off again.

Where does all that energy come from?

“I didn’t expect you to agree.”

“To be honest, I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but I don’t have any plans after this, and Takahashi-kun, you want to go… Well, I thought it might be nice to keep her company and console her a little.”

…I see.

A smile formed on my lips.

She’s not straightforward, but deep down, she’s kind-hearted.

“Thank you.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

Pouting, Nanase looked away.

“While we’re at it, let’s ask her to take us somewhere in the car.”

“Is there anywhere you want to go?”

“Hell.”

“Let’s stick to the real world, please.”

We went through this routine yesterday.

“I guess I have no choice.”

Nanase started tapping on her smartphone.

Her search addiction was still going strong.

“Oh, surprisingly, Mount Fuji is nearby.”

“Wow, that’s great! We need to buy climbing gear.”

“Are you serious?”

“Just kidding.”

“When you say it, it doesn’t sound like a joke, Takahashi-kun.”

“Are you calling me an idiot indirectly?”

“I thought it would be too harsh if I said it outright.”

“You’re being mean enough as it is!”

“Well, either way, it’s the same. You idiot.”

“If you keep saying such impious things, you’ll end up in hell.”

“Oh, your sense of humor isn’t too bad.”

I’ll show this girl to Yama-sama (King of Hell).

“Hey!”

A silly car horn sounded.

As we turned around, we were astonished.