Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16816927860895175888/episodes/16816927863346870954
When was the last time I took a trip?
I don’t remember so recently as to think so.
Even when I was a child, I have no memories of traveling with my parents who were busy with work. If I remember, it was when I was a high school student, when I was invited by Touko san to travel to various places.
“Hey, hey, Ken kun. Where shall we go next?”
“Eh, what do you mean, where….we just went last week, right?”
“That’s right, but I wanna go there again.”
Since then, she has always loved to travel.
There was always a certain place where I could relax, and I often went to the calm mountains rather than the bustling sea.
On the other hand, if there were no people around, she would take my hand and go to the beach to see the ocean reflected in the sunset.
—I like places where there are no people.
I remember her saying that often.
She was not fond of places with many people, whether in the mountains or at the beach, and preferred to be alone in a quiet place.
“I was thinking of going further away than last time. How about Hokkaido?”
“Hokkaido? When you say Hokkaido, you mean Sapporo…..?”
“Hakodate is a good place to start. I saw on TV that the scenery is beautiful at night. Then you might want to take your time and go to Sapporo and head north.”
“But Hokkaido in February is very cold, right?”
“That’s why. It’s for Ken kun’s college celebration !”
“The announcement has not been made yet……”
“I watched you study, so I’m sure you passed. So, please !”
“Well, it’s fine, but….. I’ll have to look for another short-term job.”
“Fufu. As expected of my boyfriend ! I’ll do my best today in return…….”
“What do you mean by that, Touko san !?”
Even when I go to college, I’m sure she dragged me from one place to another.
After all, she really loves traveling.
And yet.
Why?
The last time I remember going on a trip with Touko san was in Hokkaido in February.
We left with happy memories and talked about where to go next.
Forgetting about Jinguuji and Kanzaki, we welcomed our first day as university students with cheerful feelings.
From now on, I will always be with her….
“If it’s Kaga Touko, her parents contacted me to ask her to drop out of school. The reason? …I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you the reason.”
What awaited me at the university was the news that she had dropped out.
Without warning, she disappeared from my life as if she was an idol she had created to comfort me in my despair over the incident.
A week ago, a few days ago, she was still talking to me as if nothing had changed.
We had even discussed where we would go on our next trip. But then, without warning, she……
—No, I think about it now. There were certainly signs.
Yes, that was a few days before she disappeared from my life.
♦
“Good morning, Ken kun.”
When I opened my eyes, I saw Touko san’s face right in front of me.
Her long brown hair was hanging on my face and tickling me. And the room was dark. Dark? Oh, I see.
“Sorry, I must’ve fallen asleep.”
We went to a restaurant in the inn for lunch.
The beef stew was delicious, and I also had a glass of wine, as recommended by Touko san.
“Fufu, I was so surprised. Ken kun became talkative as if he had broken down.”
“R-really? I don’t recall…….”
“I regretted later that I should have recorded it on video. Then you looked sleepy, so I went back to my room and went to sleep.”
“……Sorry about that.”
I really don’t remember anything halfway through.
“I guess Ken kun isn’t a good drinker after all.”
“Normally, I would only go so far…….”
“I’m lying. Ken kun, who is a very timid person,……got drunk and pushed me down…”
“—Eh !?”
“Just kidding. You fell asleep as soon as we got back to our room. fell asleep as soon as I got back to my room.”
With a chuckle, Touko san looks away.
When I sit up, my head hurts a little. And for some reason, my back is cold.
My clothes are wet.
It’s probably sweat. It has cooled down over time.
I wonder if I had a bad dream…….
“Here you go, water, it’s 6:00 p.m. and you’re not hungry ….?”
“Yes……were you working, by any chance?”
I move the blanket off my body and look at the table top.
There was a laptop, documents, and recording equipment brought from home.
“Yes, a little bit. That’s what I came here for, I have to do my job right.”
“I see that you did…..”
“Thanks to you, I got some good audio.”
“Audio?”
When I tilted my head, Touko san put her hand over her mouth and started giggling.
“I’m going to crawl on my sleeping boyfriend at night. Thanks to Ken kun’s realistic sleeping breathing, I was able to get a good sound.”
“Wait, please erase that !”
“No, I’ve already saved it.”
“Did I say anything strange in my sleep?”
I don’t think she really recorded the voice, but I asked her just to be sure.
Then, after a pause, she answered,
“…Who knows.”
Normally, Touko san would have teased me, but she didn’t.
“Besides, you’re not hungry, are you? If you don’t mind, would you like to go to the pool?”
“A swimming pool?”
“Yes, it would be a waste not to use it if it’s there. Besides, I thought a little exercise would make you hungry.”
“Okay, let’s go there. Do they have swimsuits available for rent?”
“Maybe. Well, I brought my own.”
As she said this, Touko san pulled out a small bag from her backpack.
“Perhaps you knew from the beginning that the facility was there?”
“Yes, of course.”
“If you had told me, I would have brought it with me.”
“I thought you’d be more surprised if I kept it a secret. Come on, grab your yukata and let’s go.”
I wanted to look out the window, but Touko san told me to look forward to it when she got back, so I couldn’t see it, so I left the room with my back to the window, which was probably the best view.
Since it was nighttime, more people were staying at the inn, and the place was more lively than in the daytime.
However, since it was a weekday and reservations were required months in advance, the overall atmosphere was quiet and relaxed.
Many people were dressed in yukata.
They were probably going to go to the restaurant after taking a bath in the hot spring.
“Then, I’ll go change my clothes.”
I could borrow a swimsuit.
In the changing room, there were enough people to change.
There were probably not that many people there. I quickly changed and headed for the pool.
“Wow, it’s amazing.”
The ceiling was made of glass, and I could clearly see the stars and the moon.
And the pool, with the bottom lit up in various colors, I thought this was the night pool I had heard so much about.
Well, the clientele was too calm, and it was kind of like a millionaire’s villa, unlike what I had imagined.
Some people are drinking alcohol by the pool……
“–Hey, there, mister. Would you like to swim with us?”
I suddenly heard a voice.
I knew from her voice that I was Touko san.”
“Touko sa—“
When I turned around, I saw her cheeks were slightly reddish and she was smiling at me.
“What do you think……? Does it suit me?”
The night pool illuminated her swimsuit, and she looked even more beautiful than ever.
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