Chapter 203: Not a Bad Healing Youth Story
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 203: Not a Bad Healing Youth Story
Our academy wasn't the only one heading out on a school trip, so Tokyo Station was bustling with students from various schools.
The ekiben stalls were especially crowded, but I managed to push my way through the sea of people and buy two.
One of the ekiben I bought was kamameshi, a Japanese-style rice dish cooked in a small pot.
It was topped with beef, quail eggs, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and chestnuts... like a compromise between health and taste.
The other was a standard eel rice bowl.
I headed to the meeting spot and sat down quietly in front of Miyuki, who was talking with our homeroom teacher. When she came over, I held out the two ekiben.
"Pick one."
"Hmm... I'll have the eel."
"Why?"
"What do you mean, why...? You told me to pick. Did you want this one?"
"No. Just kidding."
"Oh? What kind of lunchbox did you get, Tetsuya?"
Just then, Tetsuya arrived with his own ekiben, and Miyuki directed her question to him.
The guy's face lit up when he compared his lunch to Miyuki's.
"I got the same one as you, Miyuki."
He seems happy that it's like they have a couple's lunchbox... It's making me sick.
I feel like garnishing that bastard's ekiben with the contents of my stomach.
The rapidly souring scent of youth... Fucking sucks.
As the meeting time approached, students began to gather one by one.
Seeing the ekiben in their hands, our homeroom teacher let out a small laugh.
It seemed he found it both funny that every student had bought one and also a bit touching, in a youthful way.
"I told you all there would be food, but you still insisted on buying ekiben. Everyone, form two lines."
After a headcount, we boarded the train.
I expected Tetsuya to start whining for Miyuki to sit with him, but surprisingly, he sat with a friend he seemed to get along with.
And his expression froze solid the moment I took the seat next to Miyuki.
It looked like he hadn't expected me to be so blatant about it.
Bet you're burning up inside, huh? But what can you do?
He doesn't even have the guts to make a move on Miyuki, and despite supposedly liking her, he gets all goofy the moment Renka is even a little nice to him. He's just reaping what he sowed.
He should just be brazen about playing the field like me.
Deciding to ignore the guy for the duration of the train ride, I turned to Miyuki, who was fidgeting in the window seat.
"What are you doing?"
"Matsuda-kun, you're so big the seat feels cramped."
"So, is it uncomfortable?"
"Not really. I can just do this."
Miyuki placed her leg on my thigh.
She's so cute, the way she glances at the person in the next seat and subtly adjusts her position.
I chuckled at her unusually affectionate behavior today, then unfolded the table and placed our ekiben on it.
Miyuki tapped the string underneath the lunchbox.
"Is it a self-heating one?"
"Yeah. But let's trade."
"Why?"
"Yours looks tastier."
"We can just share."
"I guess so?"
"Yeah. But are you telling me to eat the one that doesn't taste as good?"
"Mine is healthier, so I'm just looking out for you."
"You've got a smooth tongue. That..."
Miyuki trailed off and looked around.
Then she leaned slightly toward me and lowered her voice.
"Did you... make the reservation?"
"I did."
"Yeah... Good job."
Perhaps thinking that "good job" sounded a little strange, Miyuki cleared her throat softly and opened the bag she'd placed on the floor.
"Open your bag too, Matsuda-kun."
"What for?"
"....I'm going to move my clothes and toiletries over."
"Clothes and toiletries?"
"The stuff we'll need there... Hurry up and open your bag..."
Her voice was full of shyness, as if she knew exactly what was going to happen tonight.
She soon took out a pouch containing spare underwear, disposable shampoo, and body wash, and started moving them into my bag.
What happens when a model student gets naughty?
I think Miyuki is the answer.
So typical of the well-prepared Miyuki.
After quickly transferring her things, Miyuki looked much more relieved and tapped my arm.
"Let's turn the seats around."
"Now?"
"Yep."
"You should've done that before we sat down."
"Let's do it. Come on, get up."
Miyuki playfully slapped my thigh a few times with an affectionate touch, then stood up and rotated our seats.
Now we were facing Bread Girl and the Vice Class President, who were sitting behind us.
"Hi!"
The Vice Class President greeted us cheerfully, while Bread Girl gave a timid little wave.
And me, the protagonist, surrounded by three girls... This is hot. So hot.
Now the scent of youth is starting to smell sweet again.
The inside of the train was incredibly quiet.
But that was only for a moment. As the train started moving along the tracks, everyone's excitement grew, and they began to chatter. The car our class was in quickly became boisterous.
The smell of food wafted through the train, probably because many hadn't eaten breakfast.
Our seats were no exception. As soon as we departed, we pulled the heating strings and ate our ekiben in a cheerful atmosphere.
Miyuki picked up a few pieces of her eel and placed them on top of my kamameshi.
Watching her, the Vice Class President scowled as if it was an eyesore, while Bread Girl kept choking every time she brought her spoon to her mouth.
Somehow, it felt peaceful.
After eating and laughing their heads off, Miyuki and the others eventually ran out of steam, and their conversation died down.
After that, they followed the conductor's announcements, marveling at the beautiful scenery outside the window, before dozing off one by one.
Most of the other students were the same.
It was inevitable, since they'd been chattering excitedly since the morning.
Miyuki, who had been chatting with me off and on while watching Bread Girl and the Vice Class President fall asleep, let out a long yawn.
"I'm gonna get some sleep..."
Her eyes grew hazy. She blinked a few times, lifted the armrest between our seats, rested her head on my shoulder, and soon fell asleep with her mouth slightly open.
Even though other students could see, she had openly borrowed my body for a pillow. I draped my coat over her and looked out the window.
The train passing through a forest where snow was gently falling.
The quieted train car, and Miyuki, lost to the god of sleep, giving off her unique plum scent.
It was a scene straight out of a healing story. Taking a break like this isn't so bad.
* * *
The lodging our academy had booked was a ryokan with a hot spring.
It was on the expensive side; just as you'd expect from a prestigious academy, they don't skimp.
After arriving in Hokkaido, we took a shuttle bus to the ryokan. Following Miyuki and the Vice Class President's instructions, we received our room keys.
"You have to leave your key at the front desk when you go out. Remember that, and don't lose it. Unpack your things, and we'll meet back here in an hour."
Miyuki explained kindly as she handed me my key.
I exchanged a look with her and spoke quietly.
"Who's your roommate?"
"Miho."
"Who's that?"
"You don't even know your classmates' names? Anyway... Matsuda-kun, you can figure out the rest. Give me the spare key during free time."
"Got it."
I gave Miyuki a toothy grin, then went to the counter, pretending to ask a question, and picked up the key for the room I had booked separately.
Afterward, I went into the room I was supposedly staying in.
My roommate was Chubby, who had served as an excellent shield for me before we changed seats.
He was already inside. I gave him a simple greeting, tossed my bag down, and quickly washed up.
Then I lay sprawled out on the tatami, chatting with Chubby and texting with Chinami to pass the time. When it was almost time to meet, I went out to the lobby.
I walked over to Tetsuya, who was carefully examining a Hokkaido tourism pamphlet in the lobby.
"What are you up to?"
"Just checking if there's anything to see. What are you doing today? They said we have free time right away."
"How much free time do we have?"
"Until dinner, so... about three hours left."
"Really? Then I'll probably just walk around the area or soak in the hot spring. What about you?"
"Me? I heard there's an observation deck with a great view nearby, so I was thinking of going there."
As he said that, Tetsuya glanced at Miyuki, who was coming down the ryokan stairs.
She was laughing and talking with her friends.
Dressed warmly in layers with a beanie on her head, she looked quite cute.
"Is that so? Alright."
"They said we're going to the ski resort tomorrow... Did you know Miyuki is an amazing skier?"
Of course I know, you fucker.
And she's not an amazing skier, just better than average. He's exaggerating.
Pretending to know nothing, I widened my eyes and said.
"She's a good skier?"
"Yeah. Miyuki goes to the ski resort with her family every winter."
"I didn't know that. Are you any good?"
"I'm not great, but I know how to ski. I've gone with Miyuki's family a few times."
I don't like how he's trying to show off how close he is with Miyuki's family.
Of course, he might have just been answering my question with pure intentions, but knowing what a snake Tetsuya is, that's probably not it.
"What about you? Are you good?"
At Tetsuya's follow-up question, I shook my head.
"I've never skied before."
"Really? You can learn from an instructor this time. It's a lot of fun, you'll like it."
But I'm going to learn from Miyuki... He's just pretending to be helpful.
I ended the conversation by patting the back of the guy who was putting on a whole one-man show, and when Miyuki called for everyone to gather, I obediently walked over.