Chapter 146: Hearts Connect
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 146: Hearts Connect
"Wow, it's been a while since I've been here."
The ones who entered the bathhouse were Fuma-senpai and the other young women of the village.
Although most of the young people had left for the cities, there were still some who remained in the village to carry on their traditional family businesses.
And it seemed most of them had gathered here now.
"Yukika, did your boobs get bigger again?"
"Huh? How can you tell...?"
"How can I tell? Forget how, they look like they've gone up two cup sizes since I saw you last year."
"Really? Let me feel!"
"Kyaa!"
'Her chest has gotten bigger than last year.'
As a man, it was information I couldn't ignore. I listened intently while hiding behind a rock, observing their movements.
A total of five women had entered the bath.
The group was varied, ranging from women Fuma-senpai's age to some in their early thirties who gave off the distinct air of married women.
And aside from Fuma-senpai, I'd never met any of them before.
Fortunately, they were just chatting near the entrance and didn't come close to the rock I was hiding behind.
But since they were all former ninja, their hearing was bound to be sharp, so I couldn't risk moving carelessly.
Thanks to that, I was completely trapped.
Meanwhile, after lightly washing themselves, they entered the hot spring one by one.
Splash!
Ripples spread across the water's surface each time someone new got in.
I swallowed hard and shuffled a little deeper behind the rock.
Thankfully, the thick steam and their chatter masked the sound of my movements.
"Speaking of which, Yukika, I heard you brought a potential groom back from Tokyo?"
"Oh, I saw him yesterday. He's really tall, isn't he? He reminded me of Uncle Kotaro in his younger days."
"They say a daughter is always drawn to men who resemble her father."
"So, what's he really like? Does he have a good personality?"
Fuma-senpai couldn't hide her flustered expression under the barrage of questions coming from all sides.
"Th-There seems to be some misunderstanding. The guy I brought is just a junior from school. We're not in that kind of relationship."
At that, the oldest-looking woman of the five gave a strange smile.
"Isn't that a bit of an obvious lie? If you two were nothing to each other, you wouldn't have brought him all the way to the village."
"...This was all done with the Elders' permission. Really, there's nothing between him and me."
"Hmph~"
One of them hummed, as if she found this amusing.
It was the woman who looked to be around Fuma-senpai's age.
"Then is it okay if I make a move on him? His sturdy build is exactly my type."
"Wai- that's!"
"You just said you two were nothing, didn't you? Why so flustered?"
"......"
Faced with a perfect counter, Fuma-senpai was left speechless.
"Hehe, stop teasing her. What do you expect from Yukika?"
"It's just frustrating to watch from the sidelines, that's all."
"Well, she has a point."
Just as the girls' talk, which consisted of them ganging up on Fuma-senpai, was underway...
Clatter!
"Who's there!"
At the sudden suspicious noise from the changing room, one of the women pulled a shuriken from between her breasts and threw it.
'Why did that come out of there?'
The question popped into my head automatically. A moment later, the shuriken hit the changing room door dead on, and a sharp "Heek!" of someone sucking in a breath could be heard from inside.
Simultaneously, the women's gazes turned sharp.
"Let's go!"
"A peeping tom, in this day and age!"
"When we catch him, I'll grind his bones to dust!"
And with that, they all leaped out of the hot spring.
"......"
I'm saved.
Thanks to some unknown peeper, I now had a chance to escape.
Thank you, Peeping Tom!
Splash! Splash!
"Kim Yoo-Sung, are you okay?"
Instead of following the others, Senpai glanced around before approaching and peeking her head out from behind the rock.
"Ah, yes. Luckily, I wasn't discovered."
I said, about to thank Fuma-senpai, when I realized she was currently naked.
"Your chest is a little...."
"Ah, sorry!"
As I hastily averted my gaze, Fuma-senpai, as if finally realizing her own state, turned beet red and immediately crouched down.
An awkward atmosphere flowed between us.
I spoke while still looking away.
"Um... if you could just move aside a little, I'll hurry out of here."
"Ah, okay."
Fuma-senpai obediently nodded at my request and turned her body to the side.
After thanking her, I was slowly taking a step to get out of the hot spring when...
Screech!
"Yukika, you're not coming!?"
One of the women I thought had gone to chase the peeper had returned.
"I'm coming now!"
Having ducked into the hot spring in a panic, I felt a rush of heat to my head.
Because right before my eyes was Fuma-senpai's pale navel.
Squeezing my eyes shut and singing the national anthem in my head, I waited for this ordeal to pass, only to realize at some point that my mind was growing hazy.
'Come to think of it, I've been in the hot spring for nearly an hour.'
It seemed I'd been soaking in the hot water for too long.
My thoughts didn't continue any further.
Like a fluorescent light flickering out, everything went black.
*
"......"
When I opened my eyes after fainting, the first thing that entered my vision was a large shadow.
And I belatedly realized that the shadow was Fuma-senpai's chest.
"Kim Yoo-Sung, are you awake?"
"Ah, yes."
I was currently resting my head on Senpai's lap.
Lying on what looked like a veranda, no less.
When I hurriedly tried to sit up, Fuma-senpai gently pressed on my chest.
It was a simple gesture, but in my weakened state, I couldn't break free from her lap.
"You seem to be exhausted from being in the hot spring for too long. Just rest easy for now."
Fuma-senpai said, fanning me from above my head.
I felt like I was being unintentionally pampered.
My limbs went limp, and for a while, I just accepted the lap pillow from Fuma-senpai.
Then, a thought suddenly occurred to me, and I asked.
"Who was it that dressed me after I fainted?"
The fanning stopped as if by magic.
I didn't need to be told to know who it was.
"Actually, you don't have to tell me. Nope."
Instead of dwelling on the uncomfortable truth, I decided to pretend I didn't know.
Flutter, flutter.
Only then did Fuma-senpai's fanning resume.
She seemed relieved.
The only other time I'd ever had a lap pillow was from my grandmother when I was a child, so this felt quite novel.
Lying still like this, I felt sleepiness creeping over me.
I wasn't sure if it was because my body had gotten younger or because of the comfortable atmosphere, but I felt like I could fall asleep again at any moment.
Just then, Fuma-senpai asked in a gentle voice.
"Kim Yoo-Sung, what do you want to do for dinner?"
"...Ah, right."
I'd completely forgotten.
Probably because so much had happened in such a short time.
"I'll just skip it today."
It's not like I'll die from skipping one meal.
Besides, I didn't have any muscle to lose anymore.
"If you get hungry later, just let me know anytime. I can whip up a simple late-night snack for you."
"Yes. Understood."
After that short exchange, silence fell once more.
But unlike before, it was a strangely comfortable silence.
We remained on the veranda like that for a long time.
*
I woke up from my sleep to find it was still dawn, before the sun had risen.
As I rubbed my tired eyes and sat up in my futon, I saw Saya floating in mid-air.
'She's a restless sleeper.'
With that thought, I folded my bedding.
I could have slept a little longer, but to maintain my usual routine, it was important to wake up at a set time like this.
I quietly left the room to at least wash my face and saw the dim sky.
Judging by the time, it seemed to be around 4 or 5 in the morning.
When I went to the well I'd spotted yesterday, someone was already there.
Fuma-senpai's grandfather was there, shirtless, pouring water over his back.
Despite his considerable age, his muscles were as defined as a young man's.
"Good morning."
When I gave an awkward greeting, Fuma-senpai's grandfather glanced at me and asked in a calm voice.
"Is your body feeling any better?"
"Ah, yes. Thanks to your consideration, I'm doing fine."
"It must be inconvenient with your body suddenly becoming smaller. I wish you a speedy recovery."
"Thank you for your concern."
That was the end of the conversation.
After wiping the water from his body with a towel, Fuma-senpai's grandfather quietly left the well.
I stared blankly at his retreating back for a moment before remembering why I'd come here and hastily drew some water.
*
It was now the third day since I'd started staying in this village.
My stay had unintentionally been extended, but everyone treated me so comfortably, without any sign of being bothered, that I was able to feel right at home.
Hayate and Swift Thunder, the secret martial arts of the Fuma Clan, were fundamentally based on the same Martial Principle (Muri).
The only difference was whether you used them with your bare hands or with a sword.
Fuma-senpai, who had already mastered Swift Thunder (Jinrai), stuck right by my side as I learned Hayate, kindly teaching me everything I didn't know, one by one.
Thanks to her, despite the short time, I was able to make decent progress.
I was starting to get a rough feel for how to use Kamaitachi.
I felt like I could master it with just a few more days of practice.
A strange sense of conviction washed over me.