"Haha, I do think my luck is pretty good," the wealthy heir laughed boastfully, flashing a row of straight, pearly-white teeth.
He casually slung an arm around Shizuka's shoulder, failing to notice the way his girlfriend's body went noticeably rigid at his touch.
"Attention, passengers! The bus will remain here for four hours. We depart again at 2:00 PM sharp, so please make sure you aren't late," the driver's booming voice echoed from the front of the bus.
The group filed out one by one. Compared to the previous observation deck by the coast, Enoshima Shrine was significantly more bustling.
Lush green trees lined the stone-paved path, and the air was filled with the chatter of tourists and the general clamor of a popular sightseeing spot.
Hayashi Shuichi and his group had started out walking together, but before long, the crowd had separated them. Now, only Eri Kisaki remained by his side.
"Don't worry about them!"
Seeing Hayashi Shuichi looking around anxiously for the others, Eri puffed out her cheeks in a small pout. The slight, coquettish gesture made her look exceptionally endearing.
With the others gone, Eri allowed herself to be more forward. She clung to Hayashi Shuichi's arm, her soft chest pressing gently against his sleeve.
"Narumi and little Rei are being watched over by Ms. Chikage. As for the others, they aren't children; they won't get lost."
Her voice carried a faint, spoiled lilt.
"Or is it… that you just don't want to be alone with me?"
"That's not it at all!"
Hayashi Shuichi shook his head quickly. Realizing that he truly hadn't spent much quality time with Eri lately due to the constant stream of incidents, he pushed his worries aside. He let her keep her hold on his arm, and the two began to stroll slowly along the stone path.
Satisfied by his compliance, a sweet smile played on Eri's lips as she unconsciously leaned even closer to him.
Ancient cherry blossom trees lined the path to Enoshima Shrine. Though the blooming season had passed, their dense foliage still intertwined overhead, forming a vibrant green canopy.
A light breeze swept through, causing the leaves to rustle in a melody that harmonized with the distant tinkling of wind chimes. Weathered stone lanterns stood along the roadside, their moss-covered bases speaking of the passing years.
"Shuichi…" Eri suddenly tightened her grip on his arm.
Her eyes were shimmering with a watery light. She stood on her tiptoes, her red lips hovering so close they nearly brushed her childhood friend's earlobe. "It's been so long since it was just the two of us. Tonight…"
Before Eri could finish her sentence, a figure suddenly darted out from behind a nearby cherry tree.
"Shuichi!"
It was Yukiko. Her honeyed, sweet voice sent a jolt through Hayashi Shuichi's entire body.
Seeing Eri clinging to his arm, Yukiko refused to be outdone. She immediately seized his other arm, her own ample curves pressing firmly against him.
"I've been looking for you for ages!"
"Is that so?"
Hayashi Shuichi froze in place, caught between two distinct yet equally soft sensations.
"Yukiko, where did you disappear to just now—"
"You vixen!" Eri gritted her teeth, her face flushed with annoyance. "Can't you see we're on a date?!"
Yukiko remained unfazed, instead tightening her hug on Hayashi Shuichi's arm and giving it a playful, coquettish shake. "A date? I didn't hear anything about a date. Shuichi, are you two on a date?"
"You!" Eri's face turned livid.
"Shuichi, let's go over…" Yukiko began to tug his arm, clearly intending to pull him away.
But just then, Reiko came sprinting over. Without a word, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Hayashi Shuichi's waist from behind.
"Onii-chan! Let's go pray together! I heard the Goddess Benzaiten here is really effective for blessings related to love!"
Surrounded by the three girls, Hayashi Shuichi was plunged into an unprecedented predicament.
Feeling the curious stares from surrounding tourists, he tried to struggle free, only to find that all three girls simultaneously increased their grip.
"You guys… stop this…"
"Shuichi, you should spend today with me!" Yukiko pouted, her voice turning into a whine. "I was away filming for so long; don't you think you owe me some compensation for all that time we spent apart?"
"He already promised to go on a date with me!" Eri retorted angrily.
"I don't care! Onii-chan isn't allowed to leave me behind!" Reiko pressed her face against her brother's back, rubbing against him stubbornly.
The three of them bickered back and forth, none willing to yield an inch.
Caught in the middle, Hayashi Shuichi stood there helplessly, watching this sudden "tug-of-war" unfold.
"Uhm… everyone, please calm down…"
He tried to mediate, but his voice was completely ignored.
Just as he was nursing a growing headache, unsure how to handle the conflicting invitations, Furuya Rei's voice called out from ahead.
Hayashi Shuichi looked up to see his disciple standing a short distance away, waving frantically with a look of extreme urgency. "Master! Come quick! Narumi is missing!"
"What?!" Hayashi Shuichi felt a surge of genuine shock.
The three girls were also startled, and they reflexively loosened their hold on him.
"I have to find Narumi first, otherwise I won't be able to face Mr. Aso later," Hayashi Shuichi said, quickly striding toward Furuya Rei.
He had assumed Narumi was truly lost, but as soon as he reached his side, he noticed Furuya Rei winking at him.
"Master, we haven't checked that way yet," Rei said, pointing randomly in one direction while lowering his voice to a whisper. "Heh heh, disciples are quite useful after all, aren't they?"
Before the girls could catch up, Furuya Rei stepped out to intercept them, pointing in the exact opposite direction.
"Mistresses, let's go look for her over there."
"But Shuichi went that way…" Eri frowned.
"Master is very capable; he can handle it on his own," Rei interrupted smoothly. "Narumi is so timid; who knows how scared she is right now. We should hurry and find her."
Thanks to his disciple's intervention, Hayashi Shuichi finally managed to escape the three girls. He continued alone along the sightseeing path.
Soon, he reached a secluded area behind the shrine. Tourists were sparse here, and the only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind.
There was someone else here, however: the young lady, Tomoko.
She was standing beneath an ancient cherry blossom tree, looking up at the sunlight filtering through the branches.
Because of the way Hayashi Shuichi had mouthed a response to Mouri Kogoro in the elevator the night before, Tomoko's impression of him wasn't particularly good.
Upon seeing Hayashi Shuichi, her expression immediately shifted. Her refined face took on a cold, aloof mask, and her red lips pressed into a hard line.
Hayashi Shuichi didn't pay it much mind and was about to turn and leave, but just then, a woman's angry shout erupted nearby:
"What do you think you're doing?!"
Hayashi Shuichi recognized the voice—it was Shizuka, the twin girl with the ponytail from the bus.
He stopped in his tracks, alert. After pinpointing the direction of the sound, he immediately ran toward it.
Tomoko had heard the commotion as well. She frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then followed close behind Hayashi Shuichi...
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