Episode 169: Have a Good Trip

While Sara-san was in the bath, I opened the closet to pull out the spare futon and laid it down next to my bed.

Honestly, I wanted to sleep on the floor and have Sara-san sleep in the bed… but I knew if I said that, she’d definitely turn me down.

「Sorry to keep you waiting.」

Sara-san, emerging from the dressing room, looked a bit surprised.

I’d heard the noise earlier, so it seemed like she made good use of the things I’d prepared.

「Um… Kazunari-san, that hair dryer is…」

Before Sara-san went into the bath, I’d prepared a curling hair dryer for women at the vanity. It looks like she definitely noticed it.

「I prepared it so you could stay over anytime, Sara-san.」

I’d bought it in secret, but since I don’t use a dryer at all, and it was for a woman, I had no clue what was good. I just chose it based on online reviews.

「Thank you. I’ll definitely use it every time I stay over from now on. …May I take this as an appeal from you, Kazunari-san, that I can stay over whenever I like?」

「Eh!?」

I hadn’t thought of anything quite that bold, but seeing Sara-san say that looking so happy, I felt like it was okay if she saw it that way.

「Fufu… I’m just joking. But as long as you’re okay with it, Kazunari-san, I’m ready to stay over whenever.」

She seemed to be in a really good mood today, even making jokes she doesn’t usually say.

If it comes to that, I’m afraid I’m really going to end up totally acting spoiled with Sara-san… though it might be a bit late to worry about that.

「Oh, thank you for the futon. But…」

Sara-san thanked me for the laid-out futon, but then she headed toward my bed, folded up the whole set, and lifted it to line it up right next to hers.

I’d debated if I should do that while laying it out, but I didn’t want to look over-conscious and get shocked if I was wrong, so I didn’t… but I guess it turns out like this after all.

「This will do. Now, I’m sorry, but tomorrow is an early start so we should probably…」

Apparently, the meeting time for the second years tomorrow is earlier than usual school hours, so of course the wake-up time will be early too.

「Ah, right. I mean, you don’t really have to make breakfast tomorrow…」

「That won’t do. Preparing your meals is something very important to me, Kazunari-san.」

Considering the meeting time, I didn’t think I could let her prepare breakfast…

But Sara-san, who cut off my words with a smile that left no room for argument, looked like she absolutely wouldn’t back down on this.

「Sorry, and thank you.」

「Yes, leave it to me. Now, it’s a bit early, but let’s go to sleep.」

Sara-san, satisfied with my reply, used the remote to dim the lights and got into her futon first. Once she was lying down, she made sure to leave plenty of space and waited for me.

To be honest, with two futons side-by-side, there was plenty of room… but since our pillows were right next to each other, I had to slide into that spot.

I turned the room lights completely off and crawled into that space. As if she’d been waiting for this, she immediately pulled my head into a hug against her chest.

Whenever we sleep together, Sara-san always holds me like this.

「…I’ll be lonely, but it’s only for a week. I’ll call you every day.」

She said that while slowly stroking my head.

「I’ll be fine. It won’t be like last time. I’ll be right here waiting for Sara-san to come back. So, Sara-san, you have to make sure you enjoy the school trip. I’m looking forward to hearing all your stories.」

I managed to say it as brightly as I could so Sara-san wouldn’t worry and could enjoy the trip.

「…Yes, I promise. I will enjoy it to the fullest.」

And so, while talking about nothing in particular, we both eventually drifted off. Our last night before the school trip came to an end.

By the way, when I woke up the next morning, for some reason I was the one holding Sara-san, and Sara-san, who had apparently woken up first, was smiling happily against my chest.

After finishing breakfast and all the preparations, we left the house earlier than usual.

We walked together to the rattling sound of the trunk case Sara-san was dragging, and we met up with Natsumi-senpai at our usual convenience store, who was also rolling a trunk case.

「Sigh… You really should have taken today off.」

Seeing me there, she seemed to realize that Sara-san had been looking after me right up until the morning of her busy school trip.

Natsumi-senpai let out a massive, exasperated sigh… but if she found out that Sara-san actually stayed the night, I wonder what she’d say.

「I couldn’t do that. Taking care of Kazunari-san is my top priority.」

「Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the feast first thing in the morning. Let’s just get going.」

The three of us headed toward school, with Natsumi-senpai skillfully moving the conversation along.

Natsumi-senpai was so excited, she was passionately talking about everything she wanted to do on the trip, while Sara-san gave heartwarming nods.

As we walked, I could see the buses lined up in front of the school’s main gate even from a distance.

Looking closer, several female students were waving their hands energetically toward us. Were they classmates?

「Sara, looks like they’re calling for you. Let’s go!」

「Yes. Well then, Kazunari-san, I’m heading out.」

「Have a good trip, Sara-san! Natsumi-senpai!」

When I called out and gave a small wave, Sara-san also gave a small wave back with a smile.

And then, just as I thought she’d started walking toward the bus while rolling her trunk… Sara-san suddenly turned around and let go of it.

She rushed back to me, leaning in for a light hug, and used that momentum to bring her face close.

Chu.

「I’m off, Kazunari-san.」

Feeling something soft on my cheek, I was frozen by the surprise attack. She gave me one last greeting with a beaming smile and then started walking again.

「Hah… honestly, I don’t know what happens next.」

Natsumi-senpai let out a deep sigh and then started walking after Sara-san.

And what entered my field of vision was the sight of those female students who had been waving just a moment ago… they were all frozen solid.

「Good morning, everyone.」

Even though Sara greeted them, no one replied.

Because all four of them were frozen.

I looked around to check if anyone else had seen that, but it looked like we were in the clear.

「Um, everyone?」

「「「「Hah!?」」」」

Looks like they all came back to reality.

「Good morning.」

「M-Morning, Satsukawa-san.」

「Satsukawa-san, morning. M-More importantly, that thing just now…」

「Wait, was that… was that a kiss?」

「Okay, stop right there. You guys didn’t see anything… got it?」

When I cut off the talk, everyone went dead silent.

I could tell they were itching to ask, but this topic is dangerous.

「Hey, Satsukawa-san, I’m totally looking forward to the girl talk tonight, okay?」

I guess after seeing that, there’s no way to fully stop the curiosity of young maidens.

「Girl talk?」

「Yeah, yeah! We’re all gonna talk about the people we like and stuff… you definitely have to tell us about just now!」

「About just now? …Are you referring to Kazunari-san?」

「「「「KYAAAAAA!!!」」」」

「She used his name! His first name!」

「This is insane, the Goddess having a lover is too much of a scoop!」

Man, Takanashi-kun is in for a rough time at this rate.

The buses started pulling out in order.

I waited further back so I wouldn’t get in the way.

Luckily the departure was early, so I was able to see them off.

Bus after bus pulled out in class order. Next was Sara-san’s class bus.

I didn’t know where the seats were, so I hoped it was on my side as I watched… and then I saw Sara-san by the window looking out, and our eyes met.

「Have a good trip!!」

I waved my hands high and shouted, even though I knew she couldn’t hear me.

Sara-san pressed herself against the window until the last possible second, appearing to say something to me… then she passed by and was gone.

Have a good trip, Sara-san.