Chapter 204: Eaten Alive
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 204: Eaten Alive
“Miyuki, want to go see the observation deck with the others? I heard there’s a cool one nearby.”
Tetsuya approached Miyuki, who was taking a moment to wet her throat after giving out instructions with the homeroom teacher.
I, who had been sitting on the lobby sofa in a near-recline, perked up my ears and listened in on their conversation.
“Sorry. I have something I need to do.”
“Something to do?”
“Yeah. I have to call the ski resort with the teacher and check if all the rental equipment is ready. And some of the kids who aren’t going out might have questions, so I think I should stay put for now.”
“Ah… I see. That’s a shame.”
“I’m really disappointed too. Let’s go later if we have time.”
“Okay. Is there anything I can help with?”
“It’s fine. You came all this way for a trip, so you should enjoy it.”
“It hurts my heart a little that you can’t.”
“I’m going to have a blast starting tomorrow. Don’t worry about me and have fun.”
“I will. Should I send you some pictures?”
“Yeah, that’d be great.”
“Well, I’m heading out then?”
“Okay. Be safe and have fun.”
With a somber wave, Tetsuya left the ryokan with two of his friends.
So he did make some friends. I thought he’d pathetically go out by himself.
I’m not sure if I should be relieved.
“Matsuda-kun, what are you going to do now?”
Miyuki had approached without me noticing and sat down across from me.
I let out a long yawn and answered.
“I’m staying with you.”
“But I’m just going to be sitting here.”
“Then I’ll just sit here too.”
A wide smile spread across Miyuki’s face.
She seemed happy that I wanted to stay with her.
Seeing her so pleased, the foul mood Tetsuya had put me in started to lift.
I was even proud of her for keeping him at a distance while keeping me close.
It was a little annoying how nicely she treated him, but they’ve been childhood friends for over fifteen years… so I guess that kind of reaction is only natural.
Though I’ll make her draw a firm line soon enough.
Miyuki moved to the seat right next to me and asked.
“Matsuda-kun, what are you going to ride at the ski resort?”
“Whatever you’re riding.”
“Want to try snowboarding then?”
“Are you any good?”
“I can get by.”
She was good at snowboarding, though not as good as she was at skiing. Such a humble act.
Is there anything my Miyuki can’t do? I’m getting curious.
“Then you can teach me. I’ve never tried it before.”
“Really? Not even once? You’ve never been to a ski resort with your friends?”
“Nope.”
“I see… Then I’ll teach you well.”
Suddenly, Miyuki’s eyes seemed to burn with passion.
I didn’t want a serious lesson, I just wanted to have a cute, cuddly date with her…
The way she’s acting makes it seem like she’s only going to teach.
“Oh, and give me the key.”
After checking that there was almost no one around, Miyuki held out her hand to me.
I took the key to the room I had booked out of my pocket and placed it on her palm.
Her face flushing, Miyuki quickly stuffed the key into her pocket.
“What time should I go…?”
“Hmm. I’m not sure, but maybe around nine or ten? Let’s just agree that whoever gets there first will leave a message.”
“Okay…”
“Are you excited?”
“Whatever…”
Miyuki snorted as if the idea was absurd, then spread her thumb and index finger and placed them on my chin.
Then she started to rock my head from side to side.
I chuckled at the random gesture and asked.
“What are you doing?”
“Just because.”
She used to freak out if I so much as held her hand where no one could see, but now she’s the one openly showing affection first.
How could I not find her lovely?
“I’m going to call the ski resort in a bit. You’re going to help, right?”
“What do I need to do?”
“Ask if the wear and accessories are all ready, and we need to get a count of the snowboards and skis.”
“Can’t you just ask them on the phone?”
“You can write it down next to me.”
“Fine.”
“Try to write neatly.”
“You can read my chicken scratch anyway.”
“Still.”
“Alright, alright. Stop nagging…”
“Why do you think this is nagging? Aren’t you being a little too cynical?”
“That’s just the kind of guy I am.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No, you’re not.”
Ahh… even just having these trivial conversations fills me with love.
It’s so enjoyable that I can confidently say this would be a very satisfying trip even if we had to go back to the academy right now.
* * *
There wasn’t much to do on the first day.
After a short period of free time, we had dinner, and that was it—a chance to recover from the long journey.
I bought some sake to drink in my room later and lazed around in the warm room until nightfall, when an announcement for a head count made me stir my weary body.
I opened the sliding door and stood in front of it with Chubby.
All the students in the boys’ lodging were wearing yukatas.
It seemed they were trying to get in the ryokan spirit after enjoying the hot springs.
Of course, I was no different, so I had nothing to say.
Before long, the homeroom teacher arrived and started counting heads from the end of the hall.
I had hoped Miyuki and the vice class president would come along, but it seemed they were absent since this was the boys’ lodging.
For a top-tier crappy game like DokiAka, it’s ridiculous how it insists on being plausible at times like this.
While I was lost in thought, the teacher finished the head count, nodded in satisfaction, and spoke.
“Good. I’ll be in the room just to the right of the hallway, so come find me if anything happens. Everyone get some good rest. And if you go out drinking and cause trouble, you’ll get more than just demerit points, so keep that in mind.”
He was telling us to drink in our rooms if we were going to drink.
As soon as the teacher returned to his room after the warning, the hallway grew noisy as students brought out the alcohol they had bought.
Then, as if by prior agreement, they started piling into a few rooms to settle in.
“Matsuda, want to drink with us? Takumi said he wants to hang out with you in his room.”
Chubby said, holding a large black plastic bag.
After seriously trying to remember who Takumi was, I shook my head with a smile.
“I’m good.”
“You’re just going to stay here then?”
“Nah. I’m gonna go for a little walk.”
“…In this weather? Dressed like that?”
“You think I want to freeze to death? Of course I’m going to bundle up. Let’s drink together tomorrow if we have time.”
“Oh? Alright.”
Looks like this bastard Chubby has gotten pretty comfortable around me.
He used to stutter like a coward whenever I called him, but now he’s so confident.
I threw on a coat and, pretending to go outside, rounded the corner of the hallway. I left the area where my classmates were staying and entered the room I had booked separately.
Miyuki hadn’t arrived yet, so I left her a message and called the lobby to ask for some sake that gets sweeter when heated, a tokkuri to hold it, and a portable burner.
I had just received the items from the staff and was warming the sake in a hot water bath when,
Screech.
The sliding door opened quietly, and Miyuki came in.
“I’m here… What are you doing?”
Her voice was low, as if someone might be nearby, and her cheeks were slightly flushed.
A faint smell of alcohol suggested she’d had a quick beer with her friends.
I glanced once at Miyuki’s thin, snow-white ankles visible beneath the seam of her light yukata before answering.
“Warming up some sake. What did you tell that Miho girl?”
“Just… that I was going for a little walk and then watching a movie…”
Our excuses are similar. Is she starting to take after me?
No, maybe I’m the one starting to take after her.
“Did you drink?”
“Yeah. A can and a half of beer.”
“Why?”
“They kept insisting, so I had to.”
With that, Miyuki pattered over and sat comfortably across from me.
She stared intently at the tokkuri in the middle of the pot, where bubbles were rising, before looking up.
“Have you ever drunk it like this?”
“Once in a while.”
“This is my first time trying sake…”
“Your dad never gave you any?”
“Beer, maybe, but never sake…”
“Really? You’ll like it.”
Confident that the sake was warm enough, I carefully took out the tokkuri.
After checking that it was pleasantly warm, I poured a little sake into Miyuki’s cup.
“Try it.”
“Already? Without any snacks?”
“Just take a little sip. To see how it tastes.”
“Why do I have to taste it? You can do it, Matsuda-kun.”
“Stop being difficult and just drink it.”
At my words, Miyuki pouted, slowly brought the cup to her lips, tilted it to taste the sake, and then…
“Oh…?”
Her eyes widened. She smacked her lips and took another sip.
“Why is this sweet?”
“It’s good, right?”
“Yeah. It’s really sweet…?”
Judging by the smile on her lips, she seemed to like the sake.
A sense of pride swelled in my chest. This is why you have to be prepared.
Miyuki, who had already drained her cup, wore an expression of pure delight as she held out the empty cup.
“More.”
“You need to drink slowly. What are you doing?”
“What can I do? It’s delicious. Hurry up and give me more. You fill your cup too, Matsuda-kun.”
Is she trying to go hard like she did with the highballs on Christmas?
My plan was to slowly set the mood, talk, and then naturally lie down together or get in the open-air bath. This makes things a little difficult.
“I’ll order some snacks, so just wait until then. I need to heat this more.”
“Will it get sweeter if you heat it more?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then I want to drink it now.”
“Don’t be a brat. You have to drink slowly so you don’t get too drunk.”
At that, Miyuki let out a long, disappointed sigh through her nose and adjusted her posture.
I let out a soft laugh watching her stare at me with such intensity, then beckoned her over with my hand.
Miyuki lifted her hips and came over to my side, dragging her cushion with her.
The way she seemed a little disheveled when she came in, and her actions now…
I’m starting to suspect Miyuki didn’t drink a can and a half of beer, but more like five.
This is a new side of her. It’s nice, like she’s a little rascal.
With that thought, I pulled the approaching Miyuki into a hug and slowly, languidly… began to rock back and forth, as if we were in a rocking chair.
Swoosh.
In response, she placed both her legs on my thighs and settled into a comfortable position.
I gently patted the back of the girl who had wrapped her arms around my neck and completely entrusted her body to me.
“Be honest. How much beer did you drink?”
“…Three cans…”
“The big ones? Or the 350ml ones?”
“Yeah… Sorry.”
She finally fesses up. I had a feeling she’d drunk a lot.
So she said one and a half because she wanted to enjoy drinking with me.
She was pretending she hadn’t drunk much because she was afraid I’d just tell her to go to sleep if I saw her condition.
“What’s there to be sorry about? As long as you had fun with your friends, that’s all that matters. Let’s just have a little sake and then rest.”
“But I want to drink it all…”
“Not all of it. How about we drink just enough so you won’t suffer from a hangover tomorrow?”
“Okay…”
Miyuki squirmed on top of me, wiggling her body to press even closer.
She’s being extra adorable today. If she keeps this up, I won’t let her sleep, even if it means we can’t properly enjoy the ski resort tomorrow.
I’ll spend the whole night kissing and devouring her, getting her completely worked up.