Chapter 24: Vol 3, Chapter 1: In the Hot Springs Part 1

Volume 3, Chapter 1: In the Hot Springs Part 1

*****

After our exams had passed, few more days gone by and it was time for summer vacation.

Ryu and his family have some other plans to do in this summer vacation, just like any other summer vacations that they always do

As for Yuu, and Take, they're probably practicing as usual. They did say that every day matters to them, but maybe this summer vacation, they'll do something else?

As for Masa, he said that he'll just spend time in the arcade that we've gone to, to practice using Poncho. I admire his dedication on that one, he's even willing to spend his summer vacation on it too

As for Maria...Who knows?

And as for me, as usual, my mother got a call from my grandma, saying if I'll be going this summer vacation. Although my mother can't go because of her work, I always go to my grandma alone

Whenever its summer vacation, I always go to my grandma's place. That place is her hot spring. Since there are less people who goes to grandma's hot spring in this season, this is the best season for me to stay there

My grandma always tells me that I don't have to help around the chores, but I insist. Helping around helps me whenever I get bored playing video games or surfing through the net in my phone all day

The hot spring is also very far away from our home. It usually takes 3 hours to get there, sometimes even longer than that, but if there's no traffic, it only takes 2 hours. I just kill time with my phone while waiting for my destination

After I said yes and my goodbyes to grandma, I prepared the things that I'll be bringing with me throughout my stay and wait for tomorrow to come...

*****

Today was the day for me to leave and go to my grandma's place. I've brought all the things that I prepared yesterday and called grandma that I'm on the way. She said to me that she and another staff are tidying up my room, but I said that I'll do it instead. She insisted as I said that. this time, she wanted me to enjoy my time staying in her place, that means she doesn't want me to do any chores...seriously...are the staffs also in on this? What's wrong with me helping a little bit?...*Sigh*...

Grandma's staffs and I were in a pretty good relationship. They say that I made the chores easier for them whenever I'm around. The hot spring is big so I do understand how hard it is whenever hot springs are at its peak. The chores that I usually do are general cleaning, checking of each and every materials, checking each rooms, and sometimes reporting to my grandma the summary for the day if she asks for it

Other than that, I usually just hang out in my room and play or watch in my phone, or go outside and take a walk for a bit

"If grandma insists, then I guess I'll just have to follow..."

It sometimes gets boring for me whenever I don't have anything to do at all. I can sleep through the day, but I don't think it'll be a good nap, especially not in the middle of summer, I guess I'll just have to entertain myself with something else...

I brushed off my thinking for a second and waited for my destination

*****

After for some time, I eventually got to the place. I opened the door and excused myself

"Ah, Shun! You're finally here"

"Grandma! It's nice to see you again!"

"I also missed you, my grandson. You coming once every year is too long for me you know? Can't you come more often than that?"

"You know I can't do that right, grandma? I have school to attend to"

"That's what you always say! We'll talk more about that later, for now, why don't you go to your room first and rest for a while? The staff here will bring your items in your room"

"I always told you that its fine grandma, I can do that myself"

"And we always told you that let us do this, Shun dono!"

The one who added "dono" to my name was the other 2 staffs that I know. The one in grandma's left side is a man in his 30's, Gen Mura. He's muscular and has a yellow, intimidating hairstyle and eyes. I was scared of him the first time I visited here and saw him, but after a few days, he wasn't like one of those yakuza or delinquents that I always heard of. He's actually very nice to people but often gets misunderstood by them

"Nice to see you again, Amagasa kun"

The one in grandma's right side, that was smiling and seemingly happy to see me again was Aya Nagisa. Brown hair, brown eyes, refined body, and personality. I'm older than her by a year. We met when she saw me secretly pulling the weeds out in the back of the hot spring. She didn't told it to grandma, instead, she even helped me and talked to me while we we're doing it. She works here to earn money for herself

"Aya san! Nice to see-"

"Aya!"

"Eh?"

"Did you already forget, Amagasa kun? I told you last time to drop the honorifics...and...call me 'Aya'..."

She did told me that the last time I came here, but I swear that I didn't heard her about dropping the honorific...I probably forgot about that part

"Sorry, I forgot, Aya"

"Good!"

She warmly smiled at me as she said that. Even though I only come here once every year, it almost feels like as if I just came in here yesterday because of her

"Ah! Did you really just ignored me, Shun dono?!"

"Your voice is too loud! Gen san!"

"How mean! I was even waiting for you since 3 am!"

"Yeah, yeah, in your sleep, I assume, Gen san?"

"Um, even though he mostly lies all the time, Gen san did woke up at 3 am and didn't sleep after that, Amagasa kun"

"Oh? If Aya says so then it must be true"

"Yes...but..."

Aya leaned closer to me and whispered something to my ear, it was so sudden that I flinched a bit but not too noticeable

"Gen san woke up that early just to pull out all the weeds in the back of the hot spring, I didn't told him about it, but he told me that he did everything that he think that you would do if you get here"

After I heard those words, it was actually touching to hear that Gen did all of those things for me, one side of me appreciated the effort that Gen did, but the other side of me...

"Now I hate Gen san even more"

"Huh?! What did I do?! Anya! What did you tell him?!"

...I hate it knowing that There'll be nothing more for me to do since Gen did everything for me...now I'll really get bored even more than usual...

"That's enough chatting both of you, get my grandson's things and put it in his room"

"Understood!"

They both stand firmly infront of grandma, just like a soldier infront of a general or a commander. I feel like I'm in a boot camp after seeing that

"By the way, Shun, Ban and his daughter came here yesterday. They're staying here for a week"

"Oh? Ban san is staying here for a week? That's the first time I've heard of it, he usually stays here 3 days at most"

"It might be because this time, his daughter is with him, anywho, you better greet Ban later on alright? He's been asking about you since yesterday"

"I can already see how that went, grandma, I'll greet him now, what room is he in?"

"He's in the furthest, right side of this hot spring. He chose it because you told him its the best spot for scenery and relaxation, but he's not in there right now, he went out for a walk with his daughter"

"Oh! He really took my suggestion! Nice one, Ban san! I guess I'll change my clothes for now and rest for a bit, grandma"

"You must be pretty exhausted as well so that's what you should do right now"

"I'm not that exhausted grandma, you worry too much"

"I'm just looking out for my grandson, now go to your room. Grandma will make something for you to eat afterwards"

"Okay, thanks, grandma"

After changing my shoes, I walked in to my room, which was in the right side next to Aya's room. Usually, my room is always on the furthest right side, but every night, Aya always comes to my room. She sometimes had a hard time sleeping and sometimes wants to chat with me because her room is far from my room, she usually had to walk before she can come to my room. Because of that, I told grandma to put my room next to hers 

After coming in to my room, I put on my yukata and lied down for a bit, after for a few minutes, what grandma said just now came back to me

"Ban san's daughter...huh?"

I already knew that Ban san had a daughter, but this was the first time I've heard of his daughter coming with him...He always says to me that his daughter is also the same age as mine and will go to Shiri High last time. I wonder...what kind of girl she is...

I eventually slept after thinking about those thoughts...no matter who she is, I'm sure she's also the same as her father...or at least that's what I thought...

*****

2 hours had passed and I woke up from the heat that was accumulating in my room. It was already 1 pm when I saw the time on my phone. I ate the food that my grandma made for me that was next to me. She probably didn't wake me up so that I can get a good nap...

After eating, I left the food to the counter even though the note that grandma left me told me to leave it where I found it. I then walk towards to my old room, the one that Ban san's using right now to greet him

"Excuse me, Ban san?"

I knocked on the door as I said that yet there was no response on the other side

"I guess they haven't come back. Oh well, might as well enjoy this scenery for now"

I turned back from the room and looked at the scenery that I used to gaze off to. It was quite nostalgic. In front of me was a small pond with Sōzu (Bamboo Water Fountain) next to it, and from my left side was a wall of bamboo with trees on the other side sticking out. The sounds of the trees and the bamboo makes one feel relaxed and appreciate the environment.

"Even though I always come here every year, it feels like as if this is my first time experiencing it..."

I looked down as I said that, looking at the ground that Gen had pulled the weeds out

"He really pulled everything out here...*sigh*...he could've left some for me to do..."

I looked to my left, to the bamboo walls and saw some weeds that Gen had missed

"Oh! Guess he really only pulled out the weeds from the back of the hot spring! Glad he forgot the other side!"

I was about to go and pull the weeds to kill time when someone called out my name

"Amagasa kun! There you are!"

It was Aya. Normally, other staffs would tell to grandma what I was doing and get scolded for it, but since its Aya who saw me, she wouldn't tell it to grandma or any of the other staffs

"Aya? Were you looking for me?"

"Yes, grandma said that you just got done handing out your food, so I went around looking for you"

"Is that so? By the way, Gen san missed these weeds here, glad he only did pull out the ones in the back!"

*Chuckles* "You really love to do chores, huh, Amagasa kun?"

"Not really, its just a way for me to kill time, I get bored easily especially when I do something repeatingly for long periods of time"

"I see...I guess I learned something new from Amagasa kun today"

"Something learned from me?"

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*Chuckles* "Nothing"

She blushed and smiled at me as she said that

"Anyways, are you gonna pull all of those weeds out? That's a lot though"

"Well it might take me a while to finish it by myself...unless-"

"I know, I know, I can't say no to you, Amagasa kun"

She smiled brightly again as she said that

Aya and I pulled out the weeds from the side as we talked about ourselves. An hour had passed and before we knew it, we had pulled out the weeds that we thought would take longer than an hour or two

*****

"I can't believe we finished quickly!"

"Me too! I guess we got too deep in our conversation that we haven't even realized about it"

"If you hadn't come, It'll probably take me a while, probably won't even finish it either. Thanks, Aya"

I smiled at her to show my thanks to her

"N-no...it was nothing...I just happen to had free time as well..."

"Well, there's not that much customers in the middle of summer so that's probably why"

As I said that, I saw Aya looking away at me...seemingly blushing? Or maybe embarrassed about something?

"You're probably tired after what we just did, why don't we rest in my room for a bit?"

"S-sure..."

She said while looking down

As we passed the room that I used to stay from, Aya got confused

"Um... Amagasa kun? Aren't we going to your room?"

"Mm? Yeah, why?"

"We just passed it..."

Oh, yeah, I haven't told her about that

"Oh, about that, I changed my room"

"Eh? But didn't you always say that you like it in there because of the scenery?"

"I did, but I don't want to cause trouble for you. You always come to my room every night when I'm here, right? That's why I changed my room, now its next to your room"

"I see, so you changed your room next to mine- eh? EHHHHHH?!?!"

Her expression changed, from smiling, to a shocking reaction. I was a bit confused as to why her reaction was like that

"N-n-n-n-next to mine?"

"Next to your room, yeah"

Her expression changed once more, from getting shocked about it, to now getting flustered all of a sudden...I wonder if she thinks that its her fault for making me change rooms?

"I don't think that you should worry about me changing rooms, Aya. I wanted to do it so that it'll be more convenient for you"

"Huh? Oh...no...its not that..."

"Do you perhaps...don't want it?"

"I didn't said anything like that! I do want it!"

She leaned closer to me as she said that, after her realizing it, her face redden and distanced herself away from me

"I'm glad, I'll be using this room from now as well, and I'm pretty sure Ban san will use my old room from now on too"

"Ban sama? He's here?"

"Eh? Grandma said he was here since yesterday"

"I didn't know, I was sick yesterday"

"So that's why. Anyways, Ban san is staying here for a week this time"

"A week? That's the first time I've heard Ban sama staying that long"

"It may be because Ban san is with his daughter"

"Ban sama has a daughter?"

"Oh yea, You don't know about that too, yeah, he has a daughter, same age as me"

"Same age as you...? Somehow, I don't like what I'm feeling right now..."

"Your feeling? What?"

"Nothing"

She said while looking away from me...I wonder what she meant by that?

As we about to go to my room, someone called my name

"Shun! Finally I got to see you!"

That man that called me, was no other than Ban san. Black hair, black, and intimidating eyes. He's also muscular but not as muscular as Gen. The first time we talked was when I saw him near the entrance of a bath. He was in deep thoughts at that time and myself just couldn't help it but talk to him about it, at first I was terrified of him, just like when I first met Gen, but after a while, he was just a kind father who looks out for his daughter. At that point, I told to myself that his daughter must be lucky to have a father like him, and also, I told to myself that I would never judge a person by his or her looks ever again

"Ah! Ban san! Long time no see! I see that you're still lively as ever!"

"I sure am! It's because of your suggestion! That room over there really is the most relaxing room ever!"

"I knew that you would like it, Ban san, you're a man of a culture"

"HAHAHA! You think highly of me too much! Do you have time right now, Shun? I want to introduce you to my daughter"

"Sure, Ban san...but..."

I looked at Aya, who kept silent since Ban san and I talked

"Aya! You're here as well! I didn't saw you yesterday"

"Oh, sorry, Ban sama, I was sick yesterday so I couldn't come"

"So thats why, anyways, this is a perfect timing! Since you're already both here, why don't we go to my room and introduce you both to my daughter? I'm sure she'll love to meet you!"

"A-are you sure? Ban sama?"

"Any friend of Shun's is also a friend of mine! Don't be shy around me, Aya!"

"T-thank you very much, Ban sama"

I saw Aya smiled after what she heard from Ban san. It must've felt good for her to hear those words to other people she thought she won't have a chance to get along with

"Father? I'm done ordering some food"

"Oh, about that, sorry but, could you add more to that order?"

"I don't mind father but, why?"

"As you can see, we'll have some guests into our room"

"Guests?"

As Ban san make way for her appearance, I was shocked. Black hair, black eyes, beautiful looking face...yeah...no doubt... I've seen her from my school before...multiple times...

That girl was none other than...

"H-Hoshizawa san?!"

"A-Amagasa kun?!"

"Eh? You two know each other already?"

"Ahaha..."

I chuckled it off as Ban san asked us both...of all people...Ban san's daughter was none other than that Hoshizawa...

I was shocked, still I am, but I felt like I need to break the tension that was happening

"Hoshizawa san, I didn't know your father was Ban san!"

"Y-yes...me too...I didn't know you were the one that my father was talking about..."

"Well aren't I'm glad! It seems like I don't even need to introduce you two! Anyways, Miu, could you add more to our order?"

"Huh? S-sure! Father!"

Hoshizawa ran off as fast as she could. I'm sure she acted that way because it was embarrassing for her to be shown by her classmates on summer vacation with her father...maybe...

"What's wrong with Miu? She never acted that way"

"Ahaha...shall we go now, Aya?"

Meanwhile, Aya was looking at Hoshizawa the whole time. I wonder why

"Aya?"

"Eh? Ah, yes, lets go"

Ban san, Aya, and I had gone to Ban san's room and chatted on many things for a while, while waiting for Hoshizawa to get back

*****

End of Chapter 1

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