Because Hitori spent too much time packing her luggage, the two of them had to rush frantically, just barely catching the Shinkansen for which they had long ago reserved tickets.
"Doesn't Asakura-kun have a flying car? Then why are we taking the Shinkansen?" Hitori asked Asakura in a small voice, slumped in her seat.
"Because this feels more like a trip," Asakura replied without hesitation.
"Is that so..." Hitori mumbled, tilting her head.
Admittedly, the vintage Ford had an unparalleled advantage for short and medium-distance travel—it could ignore terrain and obstacles to fly in a straight line to its destination. Only long-distance trips requiring airplanes would make it pale in comparison to modern technology. However, driving the vintage Ford directly to the destination always gave Asakura the feeling that he was on a mission rather than a vacation, which is why he decided on the Shinkansen as their mode of transport.
"So where is this train going? To that seaside town you mentioned, Asakura-kun?" Hitori watched the scenery flash by outside the window, feeling a rare spark of excitement.
"No, we have to stop by Shizuoka Prefecture first," Asakura answered while stowing the luggage on the rack.
"Eh?"
"Didn't I tell your parents back at your house? We won't be alone on this trip; there are other travel companions."
"Wh-Who is it?" Hitori asked curiously.
If it was Shizuoka, then it wouldn't be the members of the Magic Club, right? Wait, did that mean she had to travel with strangers? At that thought, Hitori instinctively began to shrink back.
"They're members of the Magic Club," Asakura continued.
"Huh?" Hitori froze for a moment, her mind racing with wild guesses.
That makes sense. It's summer break, so normies would definitely be running around everywhere like Cantonese twin-tailed elves. It wouldn't be strange for them to show up in Shizuoka.
She then asked, "Wh-Which member of the Magic Club?"
If it was Chihaya, Yuigahama, or Yanami, that would be fine; they all seemed very gentle and easy to get along with. Chihaya, in particular, always gave her a similar vibe to Kita-Kita. Ruri-chan and Kaju were both juniors; although she'd feel pressured as their senior, she would at least be mentally relaxed since they wouldn't take advantage of her. But if it was that Ms. Yukinoshita or Ms. Asagumo, she felt this trip would turn into a total interrogation...
"It's a secret." As if seeing through the girl's anxious state of mind, Asakura deliberately gave a mischievous grin and placed his index finger vertically in front of his lips in a "hush" gesture.
"..."
Inside Hitori's heart, the monster "Bocchizilla" roared in dissatisfaction, trampling a city while shouting, 'Why?! Asakura is so mean!' However, the girl herself didn't dare say a word. She just nudged Asakura twice with her shoulder in a fit of pique.
The damage remained at zero.
While Hitori found the Shinkansen experience somewhat novel—evidently, she didn't ride it often—Asakura was much more composed. Having been used to high-speed rail in his previous life, a Shinkansen without a "Train Hero" was just another ride.
"I feel like I'm accidentally exposing my age again..." Asakura mumbled pointlessly, but after waiting a while without a retort from Hitori, he turned his head. He discovered that Hitori, sitting by the window, had curled up in her seat and fallen asleep at some point.
Sunlight poured through the wide window, with dappled light and shadows swaying between the seat and the glass. Perhaps not wanting to trouble Asakura, the girl's head hadn't leaned toward him but was resting against the window frame. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, like a bird gently folding its wings. The warm golden light fell upon her profile, outlining her soft features and casting a gentle glow on the tip of her nose and the corners of her mouth.
Her breathing was light and even, her chest rising and falling slightly in a steady rhythm. A few strands of hair drifted in the airflow, occasionally brushing against her cheek without waking her from this quiet dream. Her head was tilted slightly, her lips pursed as if clinging to some lingering excitement, and the curve of her eyes looked supple and serene.
Against the backdrop of the rushing scenery and the shifting light outside, she seemed to become the center of this small world—so peaceful, quiet, and beautiful that one couldn't help but hold their breath while gazing at her. Compared to her usual shrinking violet act, perhaps this was Hitori's most authentic self.
She probably hadn't slept well last night because she was too excited about the trip, which is why she fell asleep so shortly after boarding the Shinkansen. In a way, this sense of things never going quite as planned was very "Hitori style."
Looking at her peaceful and cute sleeping face, with the sunlight resting just on the corner of her lips, a sudden impulse rose in Asakura's heart, like a breeze grazing the surface of a lake, creating ripples that could not be stilled. He leaned in instinctively, his gaze following the slight rise and fall of her chest before landing back on those perfectly pursed lips.
Even though they had shared a brief taste a few days ago and it hadn't felt like much, for some reason, the urge to take those cherry-blossom petals into his mouth and savor them was intensifying again.
Yep, it's definitely the hormones' fault!
Asakura's shadow gradually covered the girl's face until the tip of his nose was just a hair's breadth away from her breath. Right at that moment, the girl's eyes snapped open without warning, startling Asakura.
However, unlike what he had expected, Hitori didn't panic. Her sleepy, turquoise eyes reflected Asakura's image, and a silly, unsightly grin spread across her face.
"Hehehe... Does Asakura-kun like me that much~? Honestly, I have no choice then A little smooch is okay too~~"
She clearly wasn't awake yet. But a hero (gentleman) cannot retreat in the face of battle! So, Asakura kissed her without reservation.
The window reflected the two figures, their breaths quickening as their lips entwined. After a rather long and deep kiss, Asakura finally pulled back. By now, the sleepiness in the girl's eyes had vanished, replaced by a stunned, wooden expression.
"Are you awake now, you little pervert?"
"Ah-Wahhh-Wahhh-Wahhh-Wahhh..." Hitori wailed while covering her face. "I... I actually..."
Her brain was a total mush, incapable of functioning. She didn't even realize why Asakura's face was so close when she woke up; she just kept replaying her own words in her head, getting repeatedly pummeled by her own sense of shame.
I actually said that to Asakura because I wasn't awake! Doesn't that make it sound like I was specifically inviting him?! Now the 'little pervert' label is never going to come off!
"Don't worry about it," Asakura patted her shoulder. "I actually quite like this side of you."
"L-Like it...?" Hitori, who was about to melt from embarrassment, looked at Asakura.
"Hitori, since you're being so proactive, maybe we're a perfect match."
"Waaaaahhhh..." Hearing Asakura call her proactive, Hitori clutched her head and wailed again.
"There are other passengers in the carriage. If you keep this up, you'll bother them," Asakura said solemnly.
"Mmph, sorry... B-But..." The girl looked a bit aggrieved.
"But as your boyfriend, I have to take responsibility. Next time you scream like that, I'll have to be the one to plug your mouth."
"Pl-Plug it with what?" Hitori asked tremulously.
"Guess. ☆" Asakura winked.
"...Your hand?" Hitori asked hopefully.
"Guess. ☆ Again. ☆"
"Eeeek—" Hitori almost let out a cry of despair, but immediately realizing that would lead her right back into the lion's den, she clapped her hands over her own mouth and swallowed the scream.
Asakura looked disappointed.
"Hitori, do you hate doing that?" After the Shinkansen had traveled for a while longer, Asakura suddenly asked the girl, who was still covering her mouth.
"It's... it's not that I hate it..." Hitori peeked at Asakura. Seeing that he didn't look angry, she lowered her hands and whispered, "It's just... surprise attacks... are a bit much to handle... and I was in such a rush leaving today... I didn't even... put on lip balm."
"So can I do it now?"
"This is a surprise attack! Listen to what I'm saying!" The girl said with a rare mix of fluster and annoyance.
☆
"We're finally here..." Hitori walked off the Shinkansen, looking drained of life.
"We're finally here~" Asakura walked off the Shinkansen, looking refreshed and invigorated.
The contrast between the two was so great that bystanders couldn't help but wonder, 'What on earth did those two do on that train?'
"So, who exactly is the person traveling with us this time...?" Hitori asked Asakura. She had asked this several times on the train, but Asakura had brushed her off every time, keeping the mystery alive.
"She should be here by now. Just follow me." Asakura didn't answer directly but led the girl out of the station first.
Not long after exiting the station, Asakura's eyes lit up. "Oh, over here, over here!" He waved toward the road near the seaside. "You're quite early."
Hitori looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a cute girl with long pink hair and turquoise eyes running toward them with boundless energy.
"The... the attributes overlap!" Hitori said in shock.
"It's okay. Nadeshiko is much more sunny and cheerful than you."
"A... A complete upgrade?!" For some reason, this seemed to deal even more damage to Hitori.
"Allow me to re-introduce you," Asakura said to the approaching Nadeshiko. "This is my girlfriend, Hitori. Hitori, this is Kagamihara Nadeshiko from Motosu High School. Like you, she's an unofficial member of the Magic Club."
"By the way, my school isn't here in Shizuoka. I'm just back in my hometown for summer break!" Kagamihara Nadeshiko happily reached out her hand to Hitori. "Hello, Ms. Gotō~"
"So... so bright... I'm going to melt..."
Looking at Hitori, who was trembling like a vampire caught in the sun, Asakura couldn't help but want to facepalm even as he found it amusing. It seemed the road to getting his girlfriend used to socializing was going to be a long and difficult one.