Sleeping Time I

On the Fire Festival night...

Yamamoto Yoko, Morimura Ayane, and Seito Shouichi squeezed into the cramped seats of a mini truck, uncomfortable as it might be, there wasn't much choice to begin with. The vehicle itself, ideal for small businesses in Japan, featured a long cargo bed that offered ample storage space but compromised on passenger capacity, making it difficult to transport more than a few people at a time. 

"I'm truly sorry, Shou-kun. I know it's a bit cramped but hang in there, alright?" The female driver reassured the boy with graphite-black hair before getting her attention to the street.

Tonight, the streets were alive with the bustle of vehicles returning home from the fire ceremony at Kagehiro-jinja Temple, rumbling noises from their engines echoing in the otherwise quiet and empty road.

"Ahh..." The jet-black-haired girl, Ayane, moaning sound escaped in her throat as the wheels rammed an uneven surface, her rear was pressed against Shouichi's lap. 

"It's fine… mom… ugh…" It was the boy's turn to groan as Ayane's bums bounced on his lap. Shouichi was beyond embarrassed, almost unable to contain his urges.

***

"My, do you have someone to pick you up, Ayane-chan?" A flashback from 15 minutes earlier replayed in Shouichi's head when Yoko asked Ayane at the stall. 

"Well, I don't wanna bother Namie-san… I mean my driver." Ayane replied, rubbing her forearms.

"Would it be okay if you stay with us tonight? I can give your parents a call, your mother's name is Kaoko-san, right?" Yoko asked her, slightly sparkling in her brown eyes. 

"I, um, don't mind that at all. Also, my parents are out of town at the moment. But is it really okay with you guys?" Ayane reconfirmed, uncertain of her kind offer, especially Shouichi's opinions.

"Mom… That's kinda weird~" Shouichi rejected the idea bluntly, not overly rude, but got interrupted by his mother. "Of course! We can go to eat late-night ramen! Don't worry my house has 4 bedrooms, we could take one each. No problem!" Yoko joyfully clapped her hands.

"That sounds wonderful, Yoko-san. I'll just let my carer know, right away," Ayane replied, not looking at Shouichi, then she rapidly tapped her phone to relay the message to Namie.

"Wonderful my ass!..." Shouichi snapped, but the girl did not even heed his voice. He instead turned to his mother, agitated in his motions, "Yoko-san! This is beyond foul!"

***

Shouichi clenched his jaw, maintaining his composure as the mini truck jolted over the rough rural streets of Kurohashi. The bumpy ride caused his friend's rear to inadvertently press into his lap, each jolt magnifying the awkwardness of the situation. Veins bulged on his neck and forehead, his patience tested by the unforgiving terrain. He hadn't anticipated just how bad the streets would be in this rural town, and the discomfort was becoming impossible to ignore.

"Hey! We've arrived!" Yoko exclaimed gleefully. Shouichi observed that the ramen shop was especially crowded for the night. Without wasting a second, the three stepped down from the vehicle and headed to the empty seat. 

"Welcome, welcome! Beautiful youngsters!" The owner greeted them with a loud and friendly voice. He was an old man in his 50s, slightly overweight with belly fat and dressed in a white jacket and a white hat, a little bit stained from working with the soups and noodles throughout the day. 

"My, my! I'm not that young, mister." Yoko replied dismissively, flattered by his sweet talk. 

"Here's the menu, dear patrons. Let me know if you would like to order anything." He laid down the menus in front of the group, and his unwavering smile made them feel extremely welcome. The chef went back to his stove and served delicious-looking ramen to other customers. Meanwhile, the trio was still discussing what they should order. 

When the chef returned, with his ever-service smile, "I'd like to get spicy miso ramen, please!" Ayane was the first to finalise her decision, he nodded twice, rubbing his hands in anticipation. 

"Well… I'd get the same, please." Shouichi put down the menu and ordered.

"My! Nothing beats spicy ramen after a long day at work. I'd like to have the same please." Yoko followed suit, discarding whatever she initially planned.

"Right away! Boy and girls!" The chef replied with joy, as he turned to repeat the order loudly to his crews behind the counter.

Just after 10 minutes, three bowls of spicy ramen with miso-based broth arrived at their counter table. Its smell dispersed in the air, wonderful and drool-inducing. Just their dense aroma alone was enough to determine that they were going to be sublime for taste. 

"Thanks for the meal!" The group said in unison before starting to chow down on the ramen loudly. 

"Ah! It's so spicy yet it's sooooooo tasty." Ayane moaned in pleasure, cupping one of her puffed cheeks. 

"Haha right? This is the first time, my taste buds are burning," Shouichi added while occasionally sipping a cup of water beside him.

"They called it a painful pleasure. Hehehe!" Yoko interjected and giggled. 

Not for long, the trio managed to finish the spicy ramen down to the broth, empty out the bowls, filling up their stomachs with satisfaction. They were shuffling around, ready to leave as Yoko motioned the waiter for bills.

"Thank you so much!" Yoko received her change from the friendly shop owner and soon they left.

***

It turned out the ramen shop was just a 10-minute drive from Yamamoto's residence, which made the trip less sufferable. They arrived at the house shortly afterwards, and Shouichi opened the door to let the two ladies pass through. Then Shouichi and Ayane leisurely went to sit on the sofa while Yoko told them she was going to prepare the bath.

Ayane moved around the cushion, finding her comfy spot, and somehow decided it to be next to Shouichi.

After a while, Yoko poked her head out of the bathroom on the ground floor. "Ayane-chan, please feel free to take the bath first. It should be ready in roughly 15 minutes." 

"Thank you, Yoko-san. You are too kind." Ayane bowed slightly at the lady, showing gratitude. 

"Also, please change into the clothes I provide in the bathroom, okay?" Yoko smiled gently at her.

"Understood!" Ayane replied gleefully. 

It was Ayane's first time visiting the Yamamoto residence, despite knowing Yoko for nearly a decade. The house was surprisingly spacious yet sparsely furnished, its emptiness resonating in the quiet air. The couch they sat on was modest, far from luxurious or expansive. As Ayane swept her curious eyes to gauge the surroundings, the scattered details painted a clear picture: this was a home that had accommodated solitude for a long time.

"Ayane-chan, would you like to watch something?" Shouichi asked her while handing her a remote controller.

"Nah, I'm good. Put on some music I guess?" She suggested with an indifferent shrug. 

"Good idea." Shouichi opened the music app and let it run autonomously. Without a doubt, his playlist was of the popular pop songs.

"Say… How is your preparation going for the mid-term?" Ayane asked curiously out of the blue, fidgeting her fingers.

"Well… I just started a week ago. But I've managed to summarise all the notes." Shouichi naturally replied. Not looking up at her as he casually scrolled through social media with his smartphone to pass the time.

"Nice..." 

"What about you, Ayane-chan?" He asked politely, still keeping attention on the phone. 

"Oh, I have already finished my reviews in advance during normal study sessions," She replied nonchalantly. 

"So you are not lying about being the rank 1, huh?" Shouichi probed, smiling as he unintendedly glared at her violet-purple eyes. 

"Definitely not." Ayane poised herself straight, confident to the point of almost conceit. 

Then her fingers nervously played on her braided her, struggling to get words out, eventually, she asked, "Say… Shouichi, what would you like to do in the future?" 

"Hmm… I dunno. I haven't really thought about it yet." Shouichi replied honestly. Noticing her quiet request for his participation, Shouichi put down his phone on the table, and the girl had his full attention now.

"Do you want to go to Tokyo University? … or something?" Ayane asked sheepishly, it was clear that she had been staring at him with passion in her complexion from the start. 

"Oh, you meant, the uni… I think I'll go back to Australia or something," Shouichi replied with a mock seriousness yet his lips curled up a little. 

"Oh really? What about Yoko-san? Are you really going back after the graduation?" Ayane burst out questions in quick succession, her eyebrows furrowed in discontent. Shouichi noticed a sudden sorrow in her beautiful eyes.