Volume 4, Prologue

*****

Another day has passed and it was the time for me to go back home. Aya and I spent the day yesterday with a feast with the staffs. Apparently, Aya, Grandma, and the other staffs already planned it out before she even asked me. It was their own way of saying goodbye to me. They always do these things every year whenever I'm here, so I was kinda expecting it. Although I felt it was extravagant of them to do so, I appreciate every effort that they did...

Gen, and the other men, as usual, had a blast that night, and by that, I meant they had been drinking till they can't no more. Grandma usually don't let them loose like that, but since it rarely happens, she let it slide

As for me, I excused myself out in between those times and took a breather outside, Aya eventually joined in on me and we spent the night chatting with each other...

...and right now, Grandma, Aya, and the other staffs are waiting for me to take off

"I'll see you next year then, Amagasa kun"

"You know, if you had a phone, we could message each other"

"You know that I can't buy one! It could distract me from my work"

"Hardworking as ever, huh?"

"I'm doing what I can for my grandparents after all, *chuckles*"

Although she has a lot of money saved up, Aya never really bought anything for herself...I guess she's really going to use it only for her grandparents...

...their grandparents sure must be lucky to have a granddaughter like Aya...

"Shun, didn't you forget anything? Your clothes, equipment, other stuffs?"

"I'm good, grandma. I've already checked it two times last night and this morning"

"That's good. Message me when you get back home, okay?"

"I will grandma. Thank you for everything"

"Its nothing! I'm hoping to see you again next year, Shun"

"You know that I always come here every year grandma, don't worry"

"I know, I know. It's just a habit of mine. You should be going now"

"Thanks again for everything, Grandma, bye everyone!"

As I took the taxi, they waved goodbye at me. I waved at them back as the taxi drove me, far away from the hot spring towards to the bus stop...

*****

...

...

"I'm home...well, no one's home anyways..."

Few hours later, after taking the bus and walking a few miles, I finally got home. My mom wasn't home at that time because of her work, but I always have a spare key to our home, so I was able to open the door

I quickly got in, entered straight to my room and jumped on my bed. I then felt the comfiness of my bed seeping through my whole body...

"Staying at grandma's was relaxing and all, but still, nothing really beats like home!"

I said that as I snuggle myself through the pillows...

...

"Oh yeah, I forgot to text grandma"

I quickly messaged grandma about me getting home safely. A few minutes after, she replied back feeling relieved to hear about it

"Grandma worries too much..."

I smiled as I thought of it and scrolled through the other contacts of my MILE (LINE)...

...

...only to see Hoshizawa's contact info on it

"Oh yeah...I also asked Hoshizawa san about her MILE ID..."

...

...well...its been a day...

...

...should I message her...?

...

...but what should I even say? 

...

...At that moment, my phone got a notification. A message notification from someone, and that someone was-

"Hey, Shun! Are you home?"

"I just got home. Why?"

"Oh, you too? What a coincidence!"

"Wait, Ryu, you guys already gone back home?"

"Yeah. It wasn't that long this time. My dad got called by their company, they said he needs him in there ASAP. So his two week vacation from work got shortened and got cancelled to 1 week only"

"If its that urgent, then I'm sure there's nothing your dad can do about it"

"Yeah, but still, I'm mad you know!"

"Dude, its your dad's job. You could be at least understanding about it"

"Nah you're right, I'm not that mad about it, maybe...only a little..."

At this point, it looks like I'm talking to a girl that has mood swings

"Anyways Shun, my dad gave me a lot of pocket money as an apology"

"What about your family?"

"Mom and sis also got one, but I asked my dad for more"

"Dude..."

"What? Its my way of accepting my dad's apology you know!"

"That's almost extortion..."

"Its not if he's the one who's willing!"

I always knew Ryu has his own logic on these kinds of things, so I didn't even bother to argue...

"*Sigh*...so? You didn't just called me for no reason, right?"

"Well...since I got nothing better to do, and just so happens that you too had nothing better to do, I was thinking if we could hang out with Yuu and the others"

I didn't even told you that I don't have anything to do yet!

...

...well...he's not wrong...

"I don't mind, but where?"

"Hmm..."

"..."

Ryu took a few seconds before he spoke again

"...How about the beach?"

"Huh? The beach? With only us guys?"

"What? you got a better idea?"

"Not that! don't you think the beach is more of a girls' thing?"

"I don't think so...?

"..."

I was about to suggest another place when suddenly Ryu suggested something

"...Then how about we invite Hoshizawa san and her friends?"

"Dude, do you even have their MILE IDs-"

-Oh wait, I do have her MILE ID...

...

That's it! This is also my chance to take her out!

"Yeah, we can do that, I'll ask Hoshizawa san about it"

"Oh? In that case, I'll leave it to you then-wait, You have Hoshizawa san's MILE ID?!"

"Ah...well...yeah...kind of..."

"..."

I shouldn't say to him about how I got it, otherwise he'll be asking questions left and right!

...and also, this is the part where he'll flip again, isn't he?!

"I'm not even surprised at this point! I envy you that you got Hoshizawa san's MILE ID before I got hers!, but this time I'll let it slide. I'll let you take care of messaging Hoshizawa san for me then, Shun!"

Oh...wow...he didn't flipped out this time...

"Yep, leave it to me"

"Alright, Imma chat Yuu and the others if they want to go with us"

"Sure"

After some exchange of messages, I set off to message Hoshizawa while Ryu set off to chat the others...

"Hey, Hoshizawa san, its me, Shun. I just wanted to say that Ryu and I are planning to go to the beach. We wanna ask if you and your friends also want to come with us? You can say no if you don't want to"

...

...and send! -wait what...

...

..."read" ?...

...

...she already had seen the message the moment I sent it...

...

...was she by any chance...was about to chat me...?

...Or was it a coincidence...?

...

She then replied back to me

"Yes! I will! ☺️ I'll ask my friends if they want to come with us. Thank you for inviting us!"

Whoa- there's that emoticons again...

...girls really are something else with their emojis...

"That's great! I'll message you again after Ryu and I decide which beach we'll go to"

"Actually...Amagasa kun..."

"Yeah?"

"My father knows a place, can we go there instead?"

"Well, as long as we can have fun in there, then I guess Ryu and the others wouldn't mind"

"Thank you! ☺️"

...

I switched back to Ryu and messaged him about it

"Ryu, Hoshizawa san said that she'll go and ask her friends about it, and apparently, her father knows a place. I think we should take up her offer"

...

After a few minutes, he replied back

"Sure! Yuu and others are also In too! I'm sure they don't mind about the place as well"

"Yeah, I already said that to her too. All that's left is food, beverages, swimsuits, and such"

"Oh yeah...I didn't accounted anything for those..."

As I was about to reply on Ryu's statement, Hoshizawa messaged me

"Amagasa kun, my friends said that they'll be going with us! And also, don't worry about our food and stuff"

...Eh?

...its as if Hoshizawa saw our messages just now...

"O-Oh, okay. Thanks, Hoshizawa san!"

"☺️"

I switched back to Ryu

"Apparently, we don't have to worry about that anymore"

"Eh? Why do you say so?"

"Hoshizawa san said to not worry about it. I think they'll be handling it"

"What? Are you really okay letting the girls handle it, Shun?"

"I mean, don't girls usually good with stuff like those?"

"I guess you're right...we can cover the beverages at least"

"Sure, we could do that"

"And bout that...you're gonna pay with me right, Shun?"

"Huh? Aren't you the one who's got their money doubled here?"

"C'mon! You know I'm saving it up for chocolates, right?"

Then why are you even setting a meetup in the first place?!

"*Sigh* fine, we'll split it equally with us boys"

"Now that's my best friend! I'll tell Yuu and others to bring money then!"

After that, the plans to go to the beach were settled to happen a day after tomorrow due to the girls demands needing some time to prepare. We didn't ask what that is and instead agreed with it...

...While us boys spent the next day doing our thing, the girls spent that day doing their own thing...

*****

End of Prologue