A Trip to Takaki Reservoir (2)

"What did you just say?!" Emi shouted, pinching his cheek in jealousy. Shouichi couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she pouted like that.

"Sowwy!" Shinji quickly apologised for his slip-up.

The view from the side of the road gradually changed. At first, it was an urban landscape filled with buildings and bustling streets. But as the minutes passed, the scenery transformed into open fields and farmlands, eventually giving way to dense bushes and towering trees. The lush greenery exuded a sense of peace and tranquillity.

"We're having lunch at the hotel first, so we might as well check in while we're at it," Ayane said, taking charge as the main organiser and point of contact for the hotel.

"What's the name of the place again?" Shinji asked, leaning forward as if that would help him listen better.

"It's… um… Yunohana Ryokan."

"Oh! I've been there before," Shinji said.

"Really? Don't tell me your old man owns this place too," Shouichi quipped.

"Hahaha! Of course not," Shinji chuckled as he tapped his navigator, quickly pulling up the route to the hotel.

A soft "Zzz" escaped from the petite girl beside him. She had dozed off the moment she closed her eyes. The ride must have been way too comfortable for her, Shouichi thought. Initially, she leaned against the window, but when the van hit a rough patch in the road, her small frame bounced, and her head swayed before resting against his shoulder.

"…Tsk…" Ayane shot him a withering glare, as if he'd done something wrong.

"I didn't do anything!" Shouichi defended himself with a weak smile.

Then, another bump in the road sent Momo's head tumbling down onto his lap.

"Damn it, I'm cooked," Shouichi thought. As expected, Ayane immediately gestured with two fingers to her eyes before pointing at him — a clear signal, Don't try anything pervy, or I'll sack you.

To be completely honest, Momo's warm, soft face resting on his thigh was… stimulating in a way he wasn't proud to admit. The pent-up frustration from that AV viewing with Suzuki hadn't fully subsided. I should've taken care of it beforehand, he cursed himself.

"Eh?" Shouichi murmured as he suddenly felt a familiar weight on his other shoulder. Ayane had rested her head against him too. The familiar vanilla scent of her shampoo was dreamy and alluring, sending another wave of heat through his body.

"You're hard, aren't you?" She whispered into his ear.

"I'm not!" He shot back, lying through his teeth.

"…"

The next thirty minutes were pure torture as Shouichi battled to keep his moral compass steady.

When they finally arrived at the hotel, he let out a quiet breath of relief. The ryokan was built on a large plot of land, enclosed by a high wooden fence. In front of the entrance, a beautiful garden spread out, filled with an array of colourful flowers swaying gently in the breeze.

"Wow! The flower fields!" Emi exclaimed, clinging to her boyfriend.

"Right? I wanted to surprise you," Shinji said with a smirk.

"They're gorgeous!" Momo ran forward, crouching to admire the blossoms up close. She gently brushed her fingers against the petals, her blue blouse fluttering slightly.

"I'll handle check-in," Ayane announced, making her way towards the main building with a clear reception sign hanging above the entrance.

"I'll come with you," Shouichi said, quickening his pace to catch up.

"Thanks!" Ayane looked at him in surprise before breaking into a smile.

"No worries. I don't want you to do all the heavy lifting," He replied.

"Hehe, you're too kind," She chuckled.

Inside, the ryokan was decorated in a traditional Japanese style, complete with shoji screens, tatami mats, and elegant ikebana floral arrangements. The air carried the fresh scent of hinoki wood, adding to the calming atmosphere.

"Good afternoon, dear guests. Welcome to Yunohana Ryokan. How may I assist you today?" A receptionist in a pastel blue yukata greeted them with a warm smile.

"Good afternoon, miss. We'd like to check in and have lunch at the dining hall. Is that possible?" Ayane asked with confidence.

"Of course. Do you already have a reservation with us?"

"Yes! We booked five suite rooms under the name Seito Shouichi," Ayane replied promptly.

"Did she just use my name without asking?" Shouichi thought to himself.

The receptionist nodded and began tapping away at her kiosk.

"Oh! All five suite rooms come with private onsens, is that correct?"

"That's right," Ayane confirmed.

"Alright, I see that one of the rooms has been upgraded to the VVIP suite," The receptionist added, turning to retrieve the keycards.

"Eh? What's that?" Shouichi whispered to Ayane, but she only shrugged, just as clueless as he was.

"Here are four twin-bed suites and one VVIP suite for Master Seito Shouichi," The receptionist said with a gentle smile.

Shouichi exchanged a look with Ayane before hesitantly accepting the VVIP key card.

"Do you have any luggage with you?" The receptionist asked.

"Yes, we have a few bags."

"In that case, please have someone wait at the drop-off point. Our staff will assist with your belongings," She beamed. "Thank you for choosing Yunohana Ryokan for your stay."

When Shouichi and Ayane returned to the others, their expressions were filled with questions. Normally, an unexpected upgrade would be considered a pleasant surprise, but for Shouichi… nothing too good ever happened in Kurohashi without a hidden catch.

"Did you set me up?" Shouichi ran a hand through his graphite-black hair, walking alongside Ayane.

"What?" She looked at him, confused.

"I mean, did you request the upgrade?"

"Awww, Shouichi-kun, you should trust me more… like how you trust Suzuki-san," Ayane teased.

"What?! Akiyama-san?" Shouichi felt his stomach drop. Does she know about the AV thing?! How?!

"Yeah, like at the warehouse last time," She continued casually. "You always apologise and obey her like a good little boy."

"Ohhh…" Shouichi let out a small sigh of relief before defending himself. "Well, she is a police officer. Legally speaking, I have to follow her orders, right?"

"Eh? You talk like you admire her…"

"Huh?"

"You never admire me like that…" Ayane murmured under her breath, gazing off to the side.

"Well…" Shouichi was taken aback. He couldn't help but reply in his mind, "Man, I do admire and praise you a lot, but I don't wanna say it aloud. Your ego and confidence are already overwhelming enough."

"Hey! Don't you try anything funny~." Ayane turned to reprimand him but was interrupted by new arrivals. Ito Toru, Himemiya, Hinoda, and Naggi were chatting gleefully in front of the blissful garden.

"Hiyah!" Kazumi, the enchanting gyaru in a crop top and high-waisted shorts, waved at them. Her blonde hime-style cut cascaded over her chest.

"Hi, Shouichi, Lady Ayane." Toru greeted them with his usual calm demeanour. The captain was dressed in a white tee and black trousers.

"Morimura-san! Shouichi!" Hinoda and Naggi followed suit, both sporting casual outfits similar to their captain's. Hinoda wore a black graphic tee, while Naggi opted for a blue one.

"Sup, guys? How was the ride?" Shouichi asked.

"It was great! We took a little detour for a supply run." Naggi, the curly-haired bloke, grinned.

"Oh?" Ayane raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"So for dinner, we're doing a BBQ!" Hinoda, the short-haired boy, clarified.

"Damn! That's awesome!" Shouichi exclaimed. "A proper barbie, just like in Australia. I wasn't expecting that on this trip."

As the main organiser, Morimura Ayane began handing out the key cards to each member. Since it was the most economical option and suited the availability of the suites with private onsens, they had decided to pair up for the rooms. This arrangement ensured everyone could enjoy the luxury of the onsen while keeping within budget.

"Hinoda-san and Naggi-san, here's your key card."

"Himemiya-san and Ito-senpai."

"Emi-chan and Shinji."

"And Tomako-chan, do you mind if I hold onto our key card?" Ayane asked her roommate for the night.

"No, that's fine." Momo shook her head, her shoulder-length brown bob swaying with the motion.

"With that settled, shall we head to the dining hall?" Ayane spoke loudly enough for all eight members to hear.

"Let's go!"

"Oz!"

"Yes!"

The excited responses rang out as the group made their way inside.