Chapter 6 The Return of the Pumpkin Knight
All of a sudden, I came to my senses at the spring I had visited during the day.
The surroundings were pitch black… a sign that the curtain of night had fallen, and the water’s surface, so beautiful before, was now dyed in darkness, completely black.
“…Why am I here?”
I… I was supposed to have been sleeping in the room at the inn.
So why am I suddenly here… Could it be sleepwalking!?
“…No way, I’d like to think that’s not it, but—”
If that’s the case, then why am I here…?
As I pondered this, a soft splash of water echoed—I reflexively turned my gaze toward it, and there, emerging from the pitch-black spring, was the figure of a woman.
“W-What the hell!?”
My scream echoed through the surroundings.
Her long hair hung down, obscuring her face, but perhaps it was better that I couldn’t see it, as her presence was eerie enough to make me think so.
“…Huh?”
I have to escape… That’s what I thought, but my feet wouldn’t move.
As if they were fixed in place, my legs wouldn’t budge an inch… Why, why won’t they move!?
No matter how desperately I tried to move them, they wouldn’t. The woman parted the water, approaching me… and then, crawling out of the spring, she came right up to me.
“Men who cheat will never be forgiven… Never… Absolutely never.”
“W-What are you talking about…?”
Cheating? Wait, could this be… the female ghost from the story that staff member told me about!? But that was supposed to be a made-up tale… It shouldn’t be real.
If that’s the case, then this isn’t reality…?
As my thoughts reached that point, my shoulder was grabbed with a thud.
“You have to save those girls… To prevent a tragedy like mine. I have to deal with you!!”
“Ghh… Let go of me!”
Tch, this woman’s insanely strong!?
I tried desperately to pull away, but it was no use. I tried to shout, but she pressed her hand even harder against my mouth… Damn it, what the hell is this!?
“You bastard… I don’t know what you’re thinking, but don’t force your assumptions on us!”
“Be quiet! You’ll make those girls unhappy… Absolutely… That’s why you have to disappear!”
This thing…
I’d never raise a hand against a woman… but I don’t have to hold back against a monster like this who doesn’t listen to reason.
But my body wouldn’t move at all.
The moment her hand reached for my neck, a crack resounded, and light pierced through the dark space.
“What!?”
The woman’s startled expression was oddly striking, and I couldn’t help but stare, forgetting my fear. But then, someone kicked her face… Huh?
“…Huh?”
It’s worth being shocked twice… No, wait!
I was almost more worried about the woman who got kicked with such force, but landing lightly beside me was Aina.
“Aina…? And—”
Of course, if Aina was here, there was no way she wouldn’t be too. Landing on the opposite side of Aina was Arisa.
“Arisa!”
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Hayato-kun!”
“We made you wait, didn’t we, Hayato-kun!”
Both of them smiled, reassuring me… Wait? Am I the heroine here?
I could think such ridiculous thoughts because I’d calmed down enough, but from my perspective, Arisa and Aina, in their school uniforms, looked nothing short of heroic… School uniforms?
“Why are you in uniforms… Huh?”
…What the heck is going on?
Stepping forward as if to protect me, the two of them exuded an aura I’d never seen before.
“I don’t know who you are, but you seem to be saying some awfully selfish things, don’t you?”
“Exactly. Could you please not hurt someone important to us because of your selfish assumptions?”
“I-I was only thinking of you two—”
With a sharp glare, the two of them stared her down.
Perhaps their expressions were so terrifying that the woman trembled in fear and tried to retreat into the spring, but Arisa and Aina didn’t miss their chance.
“You’re not getting away!”
“No way we’re letting you escape!”
The two of them leaped high into the air, charging straight at her.
I could only watch the events unfold, feeling like I was in some kind of hero anime, but the conclusion came in an instant.
“Anyone who tries to interfere with our love—”
“Gets kicked straight to the River Styx!!”
“Nooooooo!!”
The moment Arisa and Aina’s attacks landed perfectly on the woman—I…
▼▽
“…?”
When I opened my eyes, what spread before me was an unfamiliar ceiling.
“This is… an unfamiliar ceiling.”
I muttered to myself, chuckling at my own words.
I’d always wanted to say that line, just once… Anyway, as I lay there, it all clicked.
(I… I was dreaming.)
Everything I’d seen—the scene where I was attacked by that woman from the made-up story—was all a dream.
Of course it was!
There’s no way a woman would slink out of a spring like that, and there’s no way Arisa and Aina would take her down with superhuman strength.
“…Man, what a dream.”
The second half aside, the first half was genuinely terrifying.
It’s probably that staff member’s fault for telling me such a story… Well, I’m not going to complain if I see her again, though.
“…Hayato-kun.”
“Munya… I love you, Hayato-kuuun.”
I was thinking about the dream, but my attention quickly shifted to both sides.
I turned my head left, then right… Arisa and Aina were facing me, eyes closed, fast asleep.
Sakuna-san was sleeping on the other side of Aina… That’s right.
We’d all slept side by side like this last night.
Yesterday was so much fun from the moment we arrived… The hot springs were amazing, the food was incredible, and even the late-night chats before bed were a blast.
The hot spring trip ends today, but it’s only the start of the second day… There’s bound to be new fun waiting for us today, different from yesterday.
“…That said, forsooth.”
Oops, I slipped into weird speech there, but it’s understandable.
That’s because Arisa and Aina, sleeping next to me… their yukata were quite disheveled, presenting a magnificent sight that made my eyes want to dart in opposite directions.
“Which way to look… Right or left?”
Sure, I’ve had moments like this at home, but this is still an overwhelming feast for the eyes.
As a guy, I couldn’t help but want to sear this into my memory, but first, I had something to say to the two sleeping girls.
“Thanks for coming to save me, both of you.”
It was just a dream, but I’m grateful they came to my rescue… Alright!
I was about to fully indulge in staring at them when Arisa stirred.
“…Oh?”
“…”
H-Here, she’s waking up!?
Luckily, I’d only been looking, so I managed to close my eyes when I noticed her moving.
Arisa’s intuition is so sharp that if she realized I was awake, I’d lose, but for now, it seems I’m safe.
“Hayato-kun… Hehe, you’re still asleep. So are Aina and Mom.”
That’s right, it’s just you and me who are awake.
I can’t see anything since my eyes are closed, but I can tell Arisa’s rustling around… Hm?
“…Hayato-kun.”
Huh… Arisa?
It feels like Arisa, who was moving beside me, is now… on top of me? Specifically, it’s like she’s on all fours, looking down at me… or something like that.
“Hayato-kun… Such a cute sleeping face. I want to etch my presence into you like this… That I’m yours alone.”
(Arisa-san!?)
Arisa pressed her body closer to mine.
She must know that putting her full weight on me would wake me, so she’s holding herself up at just the right distance, touching me… No, rubbing against me…?
It was probably the first time I’d heard her voice like that.
Arisa’s speech is usually cool, with a slight edge of coldness compared to Aina’s… but not only her tone but her way of speaking was a little different.
Her voice, almost like Aina’s when she’s being affectionate, made me feel like I was seeing a new side of Arisa.
“I’m… such a shameless girl. Doing this to my sleeping lover… But, but I can’t help it… My body’s so hot even though I just woke up…”
A sweet… sweet fragrance wafted around.
Was it the scent from her hair, swaying in front of me, or the provocative aroma emanating from Arisa herself!?
After thinking for a while, I realized I’d have to apologize later for being awake and pulled Arisa’s back toward me.
“Eek…”
Her body fell onto mine with surprising ease.
Her face was right next to mine… I gently stroked her head and said,
“You don’t have to worry. You’re my precious lover… My girl.”
Saying “mine” like that, even as a pretense, takes some courage.
That seemed to be enough for Arisa, who clung to me with her hands and feet without holding back.
“Good morning, Hayato-kun… You were awake? You’re awful.”
“Good morning, Arisa. I actually woke up a bit earlier… Hate me now?”
“No way. I love you, Hayato-kun. I adore you.”
Arisa lifted her face and leaned in closer… and kissed me.
I’d seen scenes in manga or anime where lovers kiss in the morning, but experiencing a morning kiss firsthand really does lift your spirits.
“…Wait a sec.”
“Hm?”
“You said ‘a bit earlier’… So you saw me… doing all that with my body…?”
“…Yup.”
“Ugh…!”
Arisa’s face turned bright red, and she bolted to the bathroom.
“…Damn, that was insanely hot.”
The sensation of her rubbing against me lingered, and her scent and touch were completely imprinted on me by Arisa… Well, that’s par for the course, but something about the different setting made me hyper-aware of it.
“…Nee-san, I want omurice… Huh?”
“…Aina-san?”
“Hayato-kun…? Oh, good morning… I might’ve been half-asleep.”
“Yeah… Good morning, Aina.”
That was some adorable sleep-talking, though.
A little later, Arisa returned, and by then, Sakuna-san had woken up too.
“Yawn… What a nice morning. Good morning, Hayato-kun.”
“Good morning, Sakuna-san.”
By the way, I have something to say.
It’s not just Arisa, but why do Aina and Sakuna-san… all the women of the Shinjo family have their yukata so disheveled in the morning? It’s probably a lifelong mystery, but I can’t exactly ask them.
“…Hmm.”
“What’s up?”
Aina seemed to be deep in thought.
Crossing her arms, she said,
“I… I feel like I had a weird dream. Some strange woman was attacking Hayato-kun, and Nee-san and I totally beat her up!”
“Oh, you had a dream like that?”
“Yeah… The woman was kinda pretty, but Hayato-kun looked super uncomfortable, so I was like, ‘I’m gonna crush her!’”
“…I think I had a similar dream.”
…Haha, is this some kind of coincidence?
Aina’s practically convinced, and Arisa says she thinks she saw something similar, lost in thought… It’s not something that normally happens, but maybe because it’s us, we’re connected like this. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Hayato-kun?”
“What’s up?”
“Nothing, I just really love you both!”
Seriously, I’m so grateful you came to save me!
Like we did at the hot spring yesterday, I hugged both of them tightly, though I was careful about where I placed my hands.
“Jeez, you’re such a clingy boy, Hayato-kun.”
“Haha, but it’s super cute♪”
Smiling at me, I hugged them even tighter.
Hey, nameless ghost lady! Even after seeing us like this, can you still say those things from the dream? We’re this happy… Of course, I won’t just be satisfied with them smiling. I’ll become a man worthy of them both.
So talk of cheating is none of your business—I’d never betray these two!
As I hugged them, I heard a click from a smartphone taking a photo.
“Hehe, I got a great shot. This’ll be my wallpaper for a while.”
“Oh, send it to me later!”
“Mom, send it to me too, please.”
“Me too, me too!”
Everyone’s thinking the same thing, and our laughter filled the morning.
After that, we got ready, enjoyed a delicious breakfast, and left the room to enjoy the second day of the trip.
Yesterday, we left the room like this and met that boy, but as expected, we didn’t run into him two days in a row.
Still, the day’s just begun, so there’s a chance we might meet him somewhere… Who knows?
(The way he runs up to me the moment he spots me is kinda cute.)
I genuinely thought so.
It’s not like I’m into little kids or anything, but nobody would feel bad being liked like that.
But… now that I think about it, I feel like I’ve been helping a lot of people.
Not that I think I’m some great guy or patting myself on the back for being kind.
Helping that boy, just like helping Arisa and Aina, led to where I am now… It’s a product of chance, but helping others has shaped who I am today. Thinking about it, I can hold my head high and say I’m glad to be me.
I didn’t become this way on my own… It’s because of the people who’ve watched over me.
The faces of my two best friends, who I got close to before Arisa and Aina, immediately came to mind—maybe, just maybe, the greatest influence on me was my connection with them… No, I’m sure of it.
“Hayato-kun, you’re making a face like you’re thinking of someone other than us.”
“Muu… Who is it?”
“Don’t worry. It’s a guy.”
“…Huh?”
“…Huh?”
“Let’s not do that reaction, okay?”
I’d cry if you misunderstood me like that, you know?
Laughing it off as a joke, I couldn’t hide my excitement for the fun awaiting us on the second day of the trip.
“So, shall we head to the main street?”
“Yeah. Mom, don’t get lost, okay~?”
“I’ll be fine… Do you really have so little faith in me?”
“I trust you, you know,” I said with a wry smile, giving Sakuna-san a gentle push on the back.
We were heading to a street just a short walk from the inn, where many stalls were supposedly lined up.
This fairly well-known hot spring inn, with plenty of tourist attractions nearby, made it a logical spot for vendors to set up shop.
(I explored the tourist spots around the inn yesterday, so today might be a lighter sightseeing day.)
It feels a bit lonely to think that, but I decided to enjoy today by savoring the joy of leisurely sightseeing with the people I care about.
“Hayato-kun! You’re falling behind!”
“Should we hold hands~?”
Oops, I got lost in thought for a moment and almost ended up being the one who got separated.
With a wry smile, thinking this doesn’t bode well, I apologized and quickly caught up to them. Aina gently grabbed my hand as we walked.
“Aina, I’m fine, you know.”
“It’s not about that. I just want to hold your hand.”
Oh, that’s what she meant… Well, I guess I want that too.
To show we were on the same page, I squeezed Aina’s hand back, and we stepped into the bustling crowd.
The street, usually filled with cars, was packed with people. It seemed they imposed traffic restrictions on busy holidays, as there wasn’t a single car in sight.
“Oh, how cute!”
Aina’s voice rang out.
Following her gaze, I saw a line of ducks waddling along, drawing fond smiles and photos from many onlookers.
A small child tried to approach and touch them, but, as expected, their parent stopped them.
“They’re a family, aren’t they?”
They’d probably scatter if you got too close… But to walk through such a crowded place, maybe they’re used to people?
“Hey, hey, they’re coming closer!”
“They’re heading straight for Hayato-kun, aren’t they?”
“Huh?”
No way, I thought, observing the ducks’ behavior. Sure enough, the lead duck, likely the parent, was marching straight toward me.
The ducklings trailing behind were probably just following their parent… but still, they were coming right at me.
“Maybe they like Hayato-kun?”
“Uh, but we’ve never met before.”
What kind of conversation are we even having?
As we talked, the line of ducks continued straight toward me, drawing curious stares from other passersby.
Finally, the ducks stopped right in front of me.
“…Uh?”
The lead duck looked up at me, letting out a cute quack as its throat quivered.
Could it be they just want to pass through where I’m standing?
“‘Get out of the way, punk, my kids can’t pass,’ is that what they’re saying?”
“No, I don’t think that’s it…”
No, that’s definitely it.
Fine, I’ll step aside then. I moved one step to the left—and the ducks just stared at me… Huh?
“Guess that’s not it.”
“Then maybe this way!”
I moved to the right this time!
But again, the ducks just looked up at me, unmoving.
“Guess that’s not it either. Maybe there’s something about you, Hayato-kun?”
“If there’s something, just tell me…”
This is starting to feel a bit creepy, even scary.
Could it be some evil spirit is clinging to me, and these ducks can see it, so they’re following me with their eyes…? No way, could that ghost woman from the dream still be haunting me!?
I instinctively glanced behind me, but of course, there was no sign of anything like that.
“…Hey, you guys, do you want something from me?”
I crouched down to their level, but the ducks didn’t flinch at all.
They just kept staring at me… Could I maybe touch them? I reached out—not to touch them, just to hold my hand in front of the parent duck’s face.
“Oh!”
“…So cute.”
The parent duck pecked at my hand with little tch-tch sounds.
It reminded me of a cat rubbing against you, though it was a bit prickly.
It didn’t hurt, but it felt like a light massage.
“They really don’t run away, do they?”
“Yeah… Is there something about me?”
I can’t imagine there’s anything about me that would attract these ducks… but I tried spreading my palm and placing it on the ground.
The parent duck climbed onto my hand.
When I lifted it, the ducklings behind started pecking at my shoes, as if saying they wanted to be picked up too… Oh, come on! What’s going on here?
“Well, that’s certainly unusual.”
“Huh?”
A voice that wasn’t ours interrupted… Wait, that voice!
“You’re from that time…”
Slipping into the scene, as if emerging from nowhere, was the female inn staff member we met at the spring.
Her appearance reminded me of the dream, but there was no point in complaining about it, so I kept quiet… though I did shoot her a resentful glance for telling me that story.
“…Did I do something?”
Who knows…
The woman looked troubled but continued, stroking the head of the duck perched on my hand.
“These ducks often stroll around here. But they don’t usually get attached to strangers like this—though, on rare occasions, there are people they take to.”
“And that means?”
“It means you’re a very kind person. Are you the type to help someone in need right in front of you?”
“Well… Depends on the situation, I guess.”
She nodded at my response.
“I see. But your reaction tells me enough. You’ve probably helped a lot of people. I won’t pry for details, but the fact that these ducks are drawn to you is proof enough.”
“…Huh.”
Sure, if someone’s in trouble in front of me, I’d want to help.
But it’s not like I’d do it for just anyone—it depends on the time and place… But yeah, come to think of it, I did help a bunch of people before this trip.
The most recent was that boy, and before that, helping Arisa and Aina… Talking to my two friends, and even helping Saeki was part of it.
So these ducks think I’m kind and got attached to me? What is this, a manga?
“Then it’s true. Hayato-kun’s helped so many people… We know that better than anyone.”
“Yeah! Haha, these ducks are pretty sharp to notice Hayato-kun’s kindness!”
Arisa and Aina said, petting the ducks.
The fact that they showed no wariness toward their hands… could it be because they’re my friends? This is starting to feel like a truly strange experience.
“To be liked this much by animals is pretty amazing, you know.”
“Is it… really?”
Sakuna-san also called them cute and started petting the ducks.
After playing with the ducks for a while, we left the scene with a strange sense of reluctance.
“Things like that, and just being in a different place from usual, make for some pretty mysterious experiences, don’t they?”
“For us, it’s like we’re getting the spillover from Hayato-kun’s good deeds.”
“Yeah♪ But in the end, we got to experience it because Hayato-kun was here.”
“Exactly. Thanks to you, Hayato-kun.”
Stared at with bright smiles, I scratched my head with a chuckle.
“Do good deeds come back to you, maybe?”
“Perhaps. We have a lot to learn from you, Hayato-kun.”
Sakuna-san patted my head gently.
It’s like her motherly aura has been polished even more during this trip… Polished motherly aura? What does that even mean?
As we continued our sightseeing, the next thing that caught our eye was a local hero show.
“A hero show?”
“Oh, they have those here too?”
Is this one of those things?
Like the Whatever Squadron Whatever Ranger shows on TV?
I’m not really into tokusatsu, and I’ve never seen a stage show like this… Hmm, there’s quite a crowd.
Since I don’t usually watch this stuff, it’s only natural my attention was drawn to it. We decided to watch the hero show from the back.
“Guhaha! You so-called heroes will never defeat us! Victory always belongs to us, the forces of evil!”
“No way! We’ll definitely take you down! We’re the Veggie-Loving Squadron, VegitaRangers!”
VegitaRangers…?
It’s got a surprisingly catchy ring to it, but… sorry, isn’t it kind of lame?
The setup pitted the black-clad boss of an evil secret society against the heroic VegitaRangers… I see, the VegitaRangers, which I thought were lame, are apparently super popular with kids around here.
“Go, VegitaRangers!”
“I love cabbage, carrots, and eggplants!”
“Mom praised me for eating my veggies!”
No matter the type of hero team, a champion of justice standing up to evil must be cool to kids.
The sight of little kids cheering, proudly declaring they’ve learned to eat their vegetables, was so heartwarming that I couldn’t help but smile.
“So wholesome.”
“Yeah… Did we have times like that too?”
“It’s a bit different, but you two had your innocent moments like this.”
Arisa and Aina seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere too.
Children’s smiles make everyone smile… Not just us, but the kids’ parents and even other passersby were smiling, creating a warm space.
“This… This is… Argh! This aura of smiles is too much of an attack against us! Bring the hostage!”
The moment that line was shouted, a boy was dragged onto the stage.
Looking incredibly anxious and on the verge of tears, it was the same boy we reunited with yesterday.
“…H-Help, Onii-chan!”
“Huh…?”
And then, unbelievably, he reached out to me for help, our eyes meeting.
What… what do I do? I couldn’t do anything and stayed rooted to the spot, but then someone who seemed to be a staff member approached with a microphone.
“The VegitaRangers alone can’t stand against them! You there, who that boy called out to for help, could you lend us your strength!?”
W-Wait, it’s going there!?
My eyes widened in shock, but this must be a standard part of the show, as no one in the crowd looked surprised, just watching with curious, expectant eyes.
“…Sorry, it’s fine if you don’t want to.”
The staff member whispered to me. As expected, it seems I have the option to refuse.
But I had no intention of refusing.
This would be the second time helping that boy, but more than that, I absolutely couldn’t ignore someone reaching out for help like that.
“Hayato-kun…”
“You’re going, right?”
“…Be careful.”
“Don’t make such serious faces, okay?”
I’m not heading into a life-or-death battle, so all three of them don’t need to look so worried.
I was led by the staff toward the stage—or so I thought, but then something unexpected was handed to me.
“Please wear this and go out. Is that okay?”
“…No way, seriously?”
It was a mask modeled after a vegetable.
The other VegitaRangers were also wearing vegetable-themed masks, but the one I was given was, of all things, a pumpkin mask… Looks like I’m fated to be tied to pumpkins.
“Pumpkin Knight-sama!”
“So cool!!”
“Go for it, Hayato-kun!”
Arisa, Aina, and Sakuna-san cheered excitedly… What the heck!
Sure, there wasn’t a pumpkin among the heroes on stage, but… fine, whatever!
I let out a sigh and put on the pumpkin mask.
The moment I did… that feeling, like I could see through everything, enveloped me.
“…This is.”
“Should I just go out like this?”
“Y-Yes!”
Tilting my head at the oddly nervous staff member, I stepped onto the stage… but for some reason, everyone fell silent, staring at me.
Wondering if something was off, I checked but found nothing, so I headed toward the boy still reaching out to me… Wait, what?
“I-I can’t win! I can’t defeat this Pumpkin-sama!”
“…Huh?”
“Let the kid go! We were wrong… We made a mistake!”
“…What?”
What’s going on? I thought for a moment, but maybe this is part of the performance?
Since someone like me, who doesn’t know the script, is going up on stage, it makes sense to wrap it up quickly… Oh, I get it now!
“Onii-chan!”
The boy jumped into my arms, so I gently patted his head.
“You okay?”
“Yeah… You saved me again, huh?”
“Yup. Well, this kind of connection isn’t so bad, right?”
“Hehe, yeah!”
After that, I took the boy and stepped off the stage, but then the leader of the VegitaRangers, TomatoRanger, came up to me.
“Hey, if you live nearby, would you consider joining us?”
“Sorry, no way.”
I don’t live anywhere near here, and besides, it’s way too embarrassing, so I firmly declined.
“Hayato-kun~!”
“Good job!”
“You were so cool!”
“Haha… I didn’t really do anything, though.”
All I did was go up on stage, and the bad guys surrendered on their own, so it ended.
“Onii-chan… You’re even cooler when I can’t see your face?”
“Hey, are you saying my face isn’t cool?”
“No way~! You just looked super strong!”
Oh, I see, I see.
Being called strong doesn’t feel bad at all, so this kid’s pretty great, isn’t he? I patted his head again.
“Thanks for saving me again, Onii-chan! Um… if we meet again, will you play with me?”
The anxious boy… Honestly, I couldn’t make any promises.
We live in different places… so there’s no way to know for sure when or where we might meet again.
Even so, I knew the words I should say in a moment like this.
“Of course. See you again.”
“! Yeah! Bye-bye!”
With that, the boy ran off to his parents.
His parents glanced over and bowed to me, so I bowed back.
“That kid really seems to like you, Hayato-kun.”
“That makes me happy… I hope we can meet again.”
“You will, I’m sure. To that kid, you’re a hero, Hayato-kun.”
A hero… huh.
If I wanted to be someone’s hero, it would be—
“Of course, you’re our hero too.”
“Our hero, you know!”
…Yeah, I want to be their hero.
I want to be the man they rely on, the man they need… That’s my goal, the person I want to become.
“You can do it, Hayato-kun,” said Sakuna-san.
“Sakuna-san… Yes!”
How did she know what I was thinking? Well, it’s not surprising anymore.
It wasn’t just Sakuna-san who could read my thoughts from start to finish—Arisa and Aina seemed to understand just as well.
“Alright, that was unexpected, but let’s keep enjoying ourselves! Let’s go, Arisa, Aina! Sakuna-san, you too!”
“Hey, wait, Hayato-kun!?”
“Let’s go~!”
“Youth is wonderful, isn’t it?”
And so, we enjoyed the second day, and time flew by in a flash.
There were so many fun events, and by the time we were buying souvenirs for friends, we “kids” were completely exhausted from all the excitement.
“Let’s take a break~…”
With Aina’s tired voice, the three of us plopped down onto a bench together.
Arisa and Aina sat on either side of me, leaning against the bench as if melting into it.
“You all got a bit too carried away, didn’t you?”
“Yeah… we did. But it was so much fun.”
Soon, it would be time to head back.
To be honest, there were still places we hadn’t visited, and so many things we wanted to enjoy together… but time is finite.
“Hayato-kun? What’s wrong?”
Perhaps noticing my somber expression, Sakuna-san peered into my face as she asked.
I hesitated for a moment before putting my thoughts into words honestly.
“Well… It was just so much fun, you know? It’s inevitable, but a one-night, two-day trip feels almost too short for how much I enjoyed it.”
Yeah… I wanted to keep enjoying it, that’s how much fun it was.
Being with them every day is no different from usual, but because we’ve grown so close, the affection I felt… being surrounded by that warmth felt almost like—family.
“It’s been a while since we went on a trip like this… and being surrounded by the people I love felt like being with family.”
“Hayato-kun…”
“Family…”
The two of them tightly gripped my hands.
Feeling the warmth of their hands, I continued.
“I’m not saying I thought I’d never feel this again. But I never imagined I’d feel this warmth again as a high schooler. Well, it’s happened plenty of times since meeting you all, but that’s exactly why it was so fun and made me so happy.”
Pausing for a moment, I concluded with these words.
“Meeting all of you… I’m really glad it happened.”
The moment I said that, Arisa and Aina threw their arms around me tightly.
Then Sakuna-san, looking emotional, hugged me too… Alternating between happiness and being squeezed to death, I was genuinely overjoyed to be cared for like this.
“Let’s come back together again.”
“Absolutely!”
“We’ll make it happen again, for sure.”
I nodded wholeheartedly at their gentle words.
Thus, the hot spring trip we’d been looking forward to ended in complete satisfaction, and I made another precious memory with the girls I love.
“By the way, the VegitaRangers were pretty cool, weren’t they?”
“Yeah! I thought the name had some real flair!”
“Oh, you two thought so too? Actually, so did I!”
“……………”
Huh? Was I the only one who thought it was a bit lame for even a second…?
…??
The VegitaRangers aren’t lame—they’re cool…? Wait, what?
On the drive back, I kept questioning my own sense of taste.
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