"Oh, by the way, Rikkun, why didn't you contact me the other day? I sent you a postcard before Golden Week announcing a class reunion in August! I wrote my contact info on it, didn't I?"
"Ah… well, I meant to reply, but I was busy and forgot. Besides, I thought maybe a class reunion is a bit much at this age."
"Oh? When I was cleaning your room the other day, I think I saw it placed carefully on your computer desk."
"! Mom, don't say unnecessary things…"
"Eh, Oba-chan, is that true? Rikkun, it's your personal decision whether to go or not, so it can't be helped, but you have to at least tell me if you're attending or not. The deadline for RSVPs has already passed, but I'll use my authority to squeeze you in. So, are you going or not? Which is it?"
"Ah~… well, even if you pressure me like that all of a sudden…"
The center of the topic (?) is Riku-san, but he's completely overwhelmed by the two women showering him with words like a machine gun.
A class reunion, huh. For me, who has constantly been transferring schools, it's a completely unrelated concept, so I don't need to think about it. But for Riku-san, who probably lived in this town until he was in elementary school, it must be a difficult decision whether to participate or not.
Though still young, he's at an age where you could call him 'round thirty'. I imagine most people have some kind of job and are working hard every day.
Riku-san must have been working hard at his previous job too, but now he's quit and is living at home… that might make him feel a bit guilty.
I remember my mom used to go to her class reunions often, but she said some people would say thoughtless things, and she would occasionally grumble about it.
"Besides, Shizuku, when did you come back here anyway? Didn't you go to Tokyo for university and then get a job there?"
"Um… w-well. A lot of things happened with work and family stuff. I think I came back around last winter. So, I thought I'd take the opportunity to help my parents. I'm like a waitress who also does deliveries and shipping. You're in a similar boat, Rikkun."
"Now that you mention it, that's true… but you know, I'm like this right now."
Shizuku-san is a year younger than Riku-san, but looking at them side by side, Riku-san looks much older. It's probably partly due to her natural good looks, but Shizuku-san's expression is bright and lively, while Riku-san looks haggard and tired from his unhealthy lifestyle of staying up late.
To think they look so different in appearance even though they're almost the same age.
…Thanks to Umi, my daily habits are gradually improving, but when I think about what would have happened without her, I have to be more grateful than ever to my caring girlfriend.
"By the way, Shizuku, I feel bad for stopping you, but shouldn't you be getting back to work soon? Your shift as a waitress is about to start, right?"
"Oh, you're right! I got so caught up in our fun conversation that I lost track of time. Well then, I'll be getting back to work, so I'll see you later. …Rikkun, I'll show you my waitress uniform when you get to the inn, so look forward to it."
"Seeing my childhood friend's uniform at this age isn't going to do anything for me. Come on, hurry back to your post."
"Hmph. Geez, Rikkun, you're as shy as ever… Obaa-chan, Sora-san, Umi-chan, Maehara-kun, I'll see you all later."
"Yes. Come visit anytime. Of course, next time, come to our house too."
"Yes, thank you very much."
With a deep bow, Shizuku-san drives away in the light truck with "Shimizu" written on the side, heading towards the inn.
With the unsettling atmosphere between Sora-san and Mizore-san, I was wondering what would happen for a moment… but thanks to her, nothing happened, and we had a lively time.
She was like a storm, yet she also had a sunny disposition… Her appearance was completely different, but I felt like she overlapped a little with Amami-san's image.
After clearing away the empty sushi container, Umi and I were sipping our after-meal tea when Riku-san let out a big sigh.
"…Phew, finally over."
"Good work, Riku-san. You probably talked enough for a whole week, didn't you?"
"Nah, more like a month. Damn, that Shizuku. I get where she's coming from, but I never thought she'd act the same as she used to. We're childhood friends, but it's been over ten years."
"…Big brother, for someone who says that, you didn't look too displeased when Shizuku-san was teasing you. You were grinning from ear to ear."
"Huh? No way. She's a grown woman now, but she's still calling me Rikkun… What a handful, really. Well, if anything, Shizuku feels more like a little sister to me."
"…Hmph. Well, I'm not interested in your love life, Big brother, so I don't really care."
Umi seemed to stop prying any further there, but like me, she must have sensed something.
A childhood friend from a young age, who adores him like an older brother, and is also cute… Even if she's like a little sister, it wouldn't be strange for there to be other feelings involved.
That's how naturally Riku-san seemed to be smiling when he was talking with Shizuku-san.
I wonder if he himself realized it.
"…Well, we've finished eating, so let's get checked in too. Grandma, Mom, you're back after a long time, so don't fight too much, okay?"
"Oh, honestly, what a thing to say. As if your mother-in-law and I fight every day… that's not true at all. Right, mother-in-law?"
"That's right, Riku. It's not a fight, it's just a part of her education. I'm just lecturing my daughter-in-law who's still sulking like a child even though she has a grown son and daughter."
"…"
"…"
"No, that's what I'm talking about…"
Seeing Sora-san and Mizore-san with blatant "we're doing this on purpose" smiles, Riku-san held his head in his hands. And Umi too, as if to say, "This is hopeless."
…You know, when they go this far, it almost creates the illusion that they actually get along well, but I'm sure they're being dead serious.
I'm worried about leaving the two of them alone in this house, but as an outsider, I have no right to interfere, nor the courage to do so.
Leaving the rest to Riku-san, Umi and I decided to get in the car first.
For Umi and me, our first day is really just beginning.
A few minutes later, Riku-san, who had somehow managed to get the two of them to promise (at least formally) not to fight, got into the car, and we set off for "Shimizu" once again. Though, since it's already visible from the Asanagi house, it only takes about five minutes by car.
We crossed a bridge over a river flowing through a mountain valley, then drove up a slope to the inn "Shimizu," built on the mountainside.
Seeing it up close, it looks more solid and luxurious than I expected. The grounds are well-maintained, and it feels more like a building with history than just being old. Personally, a place like a business hotel would have been enough, so I'm even more indebted to Sora-san and Daichi-san for letting us stay at such a nice inn.
As we approached the entrance, a woman in a waitress uniform, perhaps having prepared for our arrival, ran up to us.
Although her sleeveless T-shirt and jeans from when she was carrying the beer case gave a different impression, it was undoubtedly Shizuku-san.
"Welcome, customers. There is a dedicated parking lot at the back, so please use that. …Fufu, Rikkun, how do I look? Does it suit me?"
"You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, I guess."
"You're not being honest… well, anyway, once you've parked, please come to the front desk. I'll show you to your room."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll go park, you guys take your luggage and wait in the lobby."
"You don't have to tell me. Maki, let's go."
Umi and I unloaded our luggage and went inside the inn first. The lobby's interior must have been renovated, as the walls are pure white and beautiful, and the hall, laid with carpet, is kept clean without a single speck of dust.
It's a more luxurious and proper inn than I expected.
"Fufu, welcome to 'Shimizu'. We had a cancellation, so it's a rare day with no other guests. It's just the three of you today. You can use the large public bath or the open-air bath whenever you like… oh, but we don't do mixed bathing, so just be aware of that. Okay? You two lovebirds?"
"We're well aware of that… right, Umi?"
"…Shizuku-san, is there a private bath in the room by any chance?"
"You want to be with me that badly?"
If it were a private room for each of us, it would be fine, but since Riku-san is staying with us, that would be difficult.
Of course, it's not that I don't want to take a bath with Umi or anything like that.
And unfortunately (?), it seems the room we're staying in tonight doesn't have a bath. Depending on the room type, some have private open-air baths, but the price is more than three times as much.
…So, if we have the chance to visit again, it'll have to be after we've saved up enough money.
Shortly after, Riku-san, who had parked the car and entered the lobby, checked in with us, and we were guided by Shizuku-san to the room where we would be staying for the night.
"Here you go. It might be a little small for three people, but it has the best view of all the rooms around here."
We were shown to a Japanese-style room on the third floor of the building's guest room area. Opening the shoji screen at the back of the room revealed another space with a small table and two single-person sofas on either side, allowing for a leisurely view of the lush nature outside the large window. The downside is that it will get dark as evening and night approach, but it should be a great view when the morning sun begins to rise.
"Oh, by the way Rikkun, what time do you want dinner? You just ate a little while ago, so should we make it later?"
"Hmm… well."
Riku-san looked at us, so I nodded in response.
We're still growing, so our usual time is fine, but it's probably better for Riku-san to wait a bit.
"Alright, just as you said, let's make it later. I'm going to take a nap now… so, how about around 7:30 PM?"
"Understood. I'll let my fa… I mean, the head chef know."
"I think it's fine to say 'dad' in front of us. And speaking of which, since it's been a while, should I go say hello to your aunt and uncle?"
"It's okay, don't worry about it. My mom has a local commerce association meeting tonight and will be late, and my dad is shy, just like someone I know."
"…Who's this 'someone' you're talking about?"
"Nfufu~ now, who could that be~?"
As expected, watching their exchange from the side makes it clear.
Riku-san and Shizuku-san are not just 'childhood friends.'
Riku-san, perhaps out of embarrassment, can't quite look the younger girl he's reunited with in the face and gives curt replies.
And Shizuku-san, with a gentle smile, gazes at the older boy who, despite his age, reacts like a middle or high school student, as if reminiscing.
Is this really how childhood friends who have been estranged for over ten years act?
"Just get together already" Umi's whisper that only reached my ears.
Well, it might not be our place to say.
"Anyway, I'm going to sleep until dinner, so you guys make yourselves at home. You can take a bath first, kill time by wandering around outside, or play the games you brought."
"What's with that bossy tone, Big brother… Anyway, Maki, what should we do? There's a TV, but nothing interesting is on at this time, and I brought my portable game console, but it doesn't feel right to play it here."
"Hmm, you're right…"
Taking a nap with Riku-san is an option, but perhaps due to the excitement of our first trip in a while, my eyes are still strangely wide awake, and it's still too early to feel like taking a hot spring bath.
"Since we've come all this way, why don't we take a walk and look around outside? We can't go too far with the time we have, so it'll just be around the inn… Shizuku-san, are there any good spots?"
"Oh, sure. In that case, how about the mountain path behind our property that we manage? It takes less than an hour to walk at a leisurely pace, and there's a spot where you can see a waterfall with hot spring water flowing. Oh, and of course, it's quiet, so you two can be all lovey-dovey?"
"…We'd appreciate it if you didn't go that far out of your way for us."
Shizuku-san's unnecessary meddling aside, a walking course of that length would be just right physically. It's my first time here, and Umi's first time in a while, so I want to burn the scenery around the inn into my memory, not just the inn itself.
…Of course, if we wanted to be lovey-dovey along the way, we could.
So, accepting Shizuku-san's proposal, we decided to take a walk on the course around the inn for some light exercise before bathing and dinner. The start and end points of the course are the parking lot where Riku-san parked earlier, and it's just a walk along a well-maintained, safe path.
However, it's still a mountain path, so there are some ups and downs, and apparently, wild animals unique to a land surrounded by nature, such as tanuki and monkeys, sometimes wander in, so as the sign at the entrance clearly states, we should be careful.
"Shall we go, Umi?"
"Yeah."
Holding hands firmly so as not to get lost, we start walking the course.
Although the path is well-maintained, if you stray even a little, you'll be in a dense thicket, so we interlace our fingers tightly to keep from being separated.
"…Maki, it's so quiet."
"Yeah. Just the faint sound of the river and birds chirping in the distance…"
Normally, it wouldn't be strange to see other guests walking here, but today, we're the only ones staying.
Riku-san is probably dreaming in his room right now, and Shizuku-san and the other employees should be busy with their duties inside the inn.
No one will see whatever we do here.
"Hey, Maki."
"Yeah. We're finally, truly alone."
"We are. …Maki, can I get a little closer?"
"We're still near the entrance, isn't it a bit soon? Maybe after we walk a little more."
"It's fine, it's fine. Don't worry, we're mostly out of sight from the building now!"
With that, Umi throws her arms around me with the force of a tackle.
Even though we had managed to find snippets of time alone before leaving and during our break at the service area, this is the first time we've been truly undisturbed (I think).
Normally, when we hang out at my place, we're all over each other whether we're playing games, watching movies, or even eating, so today felt like we've been holding back.
So, even if it's for a short time, we have to enjoy this moment to the fullest.
"Haa, Maki's heartbeat is so calming… Since it's so quiet around, I feel like I can really focus on just you."
"Umi, could you not listen so much today… it's, uh, embarrassing."
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, right? It's not strange for a closet pervert like you, Maki, to get a little turned on when you're this close to your girlfriend."
"That may be true, but… you know, we're outside."
We hug at my place or hers, and when the mood is right, we even kiss like we did this morning, but being outside gives it a different feeling.
Come to think of it, my first kiss with Umi was on the way home from the Christmas party last year, but the flow of a confession leading to a kiss and a kiss just for the sake of being lovey-dovey are different in meaning, even if the act is the same… or am I overthinking it?
"A-anyway, let's head for the top of the mountain path first. There should be a place to rest there, and the view should be nice."
"I see, prioritizing the mood, huh. You're surprisingly a virgin… I mean, a romantic, Maki."
"Isn't 'romantic' just fine there? Well, the other part is also true, though."
My partner for that is already reserved by the beloved girl in front of me, but I wonder when that will be.
I do have that certain something hidden in my bag, just in case… but surely, my first time won't be outside, that's… no, let's just focus on walking for now.
Is it the sense of freedom from being on a trip that's making me act this way… I feel like both Umi and I are being bolder in our actions.
I realized when I pulled away from Umi that I had been holding her tightly too.
Mainly, around her waist.
"…Fufu, you're so lewd, Maki."
"S-sorry."
As we parted, Umi whispered secretly in my ear.
As expected, no matter how much time passes, I don't think I can ever win against the girl in front of me. Well, I'm happy about that in its own way, so it's not so bad.
Once we switched back from lovey-dovey mode, we resumed our walk.
A mountain path like this is similar to the one behind our high school grounds, but if you look closely, you can see differences in the plants growing there and the insects that occasionally cross your field of vision.
My memory from reading picture books as a child is vague, but they all seem to be things that can only live where there's clean water and well-preserved nature. The same goes for tanuki and monkeys; once a large-scale development by humans happens, they can no longer live in the surrounding area as they used to.
It was purely by chance that we were able to come to this place, but I feel like I'm having a more valuable experience than if Umi and I had just gone on a trip to a tourist spot.
I'll have to thank Daichi-san properly again later for suggesting we come along.
After walking for about ten minutes while chatting with Umi about the various things we found on the mountain path, we climbed a staircase that was probably the steepest part of the walking course and reached the "summit" Shizuku-san had mentioned.
"Phew, that was pretty tiring for a walking course."
"Right? Oh, Maki, isn't that it? Look, the place where the hot spring water flows."
Beyond a metal fence, what looked like hot spring water gushing from the source was flowing down like a white thread.
Considering the mountain's elevation, this point is probably only a few dozen meters high… but the beautiful nature seen from there, and the townscape that stands in harmony with it, can be said to be sufficiently moving.
"It's beautiful, Umi."
"Yeah. …Are you talking about me?"
"I was talking about the scenery. …Well, I think you're beautiful too, of course."
"Oh? Thanks. You look extra cool today too, Maki. Ha, could it be that this place is already under some kind of illusion?"
"Suddenly we're in a fantasy world."
I was sure I looked the same as always, but Umi… for some reason she looks thirty percent more radiant.
From the time she went out of her way to pick me up this morning until now, Umi has always been mindful of her appearance in front of me. She quickly fixes her hair with a hand mirror in her spare time so it doesn't get messy, and diligently wipes away any sweat with a handkerchief to avoid sweating as much as possible.
If I'm not being conceited, it's so that I'll always praise her for being "cute" or "beautiful."
Thinking that makes me love Umi more and more. The nature spreading before my eyes is nice, but my consciousness gradually turns to the girl next to me.
"Umi, um,"
"? What is it, Maki?"
"Thank you for all your hard work for me since this morning. Honestly, I'm really happy."
"Oh, Maki-kun, are you trying to sweet-talk me into something perhaps? It's not even dinner time yet."
"Half of it is my pure feelings, or rather, my thoughts. …The other half, well, maybe there's a little bit of that."
"Something lewd?"
"…Yeah."
"I knew it. Well, I like you for being your usual self, Maki. But as a woman, I sometimes wish you'd convey it through atmosphere instead of words."
"Atmosphere… um, what do you mean by that?"
"I mean, I want you to show me through your actions, not your words."
"…So, like making a move, the way you always do, Umi?"
"Yep. Something like that."
"I see… well, in that case,"
I mutter "sorry" in my heart and gently pull Umi closer. Unlike when I usually hug her, I wrap my arm around the middle of her back, between her waist and her bottom.
There might be a better way to do this, and it might be a bit obvious, but for an inexperienced high school student, this is probably about it.
"Something like this, maybe?"
"Fufu, well, I'll allow it. …For now, there's a bench over there, let's sit down."
"O-okay."
Led by Umi's hand, I sit down on a nearby wooden bench. It's probably wide enough for three or four people, so even if we were to lie down a bit… no, what on earth am I thinking.
Immediately, Umi wraps her arm around my waist this time. Is this what they call a good atmosphere? She's a little different from the "girl" I usually play around with.
"Maki, your breathing is getting heavy."
"Well… maybe it's because we were just walking up a mountain path?"
"You think so? For someone who was just walking, your breathing seems a lot heavier."
"You're one to talk, Umi."
Since we're pressed against each other, it's not just my heartbeat, but of course, the beating of Umi's chest is also clearly transmitted.
I can feel my body getting hotter from the inside, but my head is still a little calm.
This foot path can be used by people other than hotel guests, but I wonder if the locals don't use it that much. For now, all I can really hear is the sound of water falling from the waterfall and our breathing.
I'm not going to do that in a place like this, but still, I think I can be a little bolder than usual.
…Or rather, if the mood is this good, I want to do it too.
"…Umi,"
I murmur the name of my beloved girlfriend, pull her closer with one arm, gently cup her white cheek with my other hand, and slowly bring my face closer.
I intended to convey "Can I kiss you?" without words… but Umi giggles and quietly closes her eyelids.
Apparently, that means OK.
Feeling Umi's breath tickle my lips, I slowly bring my face closer…
And, not on her lips, but a little below, I kissed her on the nape of her neck.
"Hya…!?"
At that moment, Umi let out a cry and her body trembled.
It seems she was expecting a kiss on the lips, and a cute scream escaped her mouth from being caught off guard.
"…Maki~"
"Sorry… we always kiss on the lips, so I thought I'd try somewhere different for a change. …Um, did you not like it?"
"...…Idiot."
Umi says that and puffs out her cheeks, but it seems she doesn't mind the act itself, and I let out a sigh of relief internally.
"But Maki, kissing me there all of a sudden is gross. It was hot before, so I've been sweating a bit."
"It's fine, really. It was a little salty, but well, it's yours, Umi."
"…Somehow, Maki looks even more perverted than usual."
I'm usually good at hiding it or holding back, but in my head, I'm always thinking about this kind of stuff, and I do have the desire to do it.
The taste of Umi's sweat that barely touched the tip of my tongue when I kissed her is probably gross like she said, and not delicious, but it's not like I hate it either.
It's rather exciting in this situation.
"Umi, can I continue?"
"…You're a pervert, and on top of that, you're mean."
"Sorry, sorry. …But, you know, just sometimes."
Continuing, I bring my face closer to Umi's body and keep kissing her.
Umi's body, which was stiff when I first surprised her, seems to have gotten used to it, and now she's completely relaxed and entrusting everything to me.
Umi's white skin, tinged with a faint crimson, was cute, beautiful, and strangely alluring.
If I were to look at us from a bird's-eye view right now, I'd probably be thinking, "What on earth are these guys doing in a place like this?" Even on a deserted mountain path surrounded by nature, it's still technically in public.
I wonder how much time has passed since we went out for a walk. It's getting dark soon, so I know we should head back.
However, I'm not sure if I can return to the inn in this halfway state and act calmly in front of Riku-san and Shizuku-san as if nothing happened.
I pull my lips away from Umi's body for a moment, then slowly move the hand that was around her waist to her side.
In this position, we would usually tickle each other's sensitive spots and laugh while squirming, but this time it's a bit more sexual.
"…Ff."
Umi, who immediately understood my intention, lets out a giggle, but her demeanor doesn't change.
In the past, I've buried my face in Umi's chest and acted like a child several times, but today is the first time I've touched her directly with my hands for a different purpose.
My heart is already pounding as fast and loud as it can.
Slowly, I reach for Umi's full breasts. If I wanted to prioritize the atmosphere, I should probably touch her casually while kissing her, like in a love scene from a movie or drama, but my hands are trembling too much from nervousness for me to be that skillful right now.
Considering the future, it might be better to get used to this kind of thing little by little.
"Umi."
"…Mm."
Somehow managing to control the trembling in my hands, I first gently place them on her mounds.
Just by touching, I can tell how incredibly soft they are. I already knew they were soft, warm, and smelled good, but feeling them with my hands makes me realize once again how lucky I am to be Umi's boyfriend.
"Hey, Maki, you know,"
"Hm?"
"If we keep this up, we might be in a bit of trouble."
"…I know."
Right. We only intended to flirt a little at first, but I can tell both Umi and I are already quite light-headed with excitement.
I understood that we should probably stop here, but every time I think I want to do just a little more, just this one more thing, my rational thoughts slip further away.
I thought we'd be fine, but I can't stop the pleasant things that loving couples do.
"…Maki, what should we do? Or rather, what do you want to do, Maki?"
"Hmm… well."
If you ask me what I want to do, there's only one answer.
…There's only one, but the situation is a bit problematic.
First of all, we're outdoors. It's good in that there's no one to interrupt, but making Umi lie down on such a hard surface… well, unless you have some special tastes, it's probably a no.
The first time should be normal. If this were my room, we would definitely go ahead, but that's not the case right now.
"Fufu, Maki, the muscles all over your face are twitching, it's a little creepy."
"S-sorry. But this time, the conflict is just too intense."
The command from my head to calm down and the pure desire welling up from my lower body are at war, and I don't know what to do.
Umi is watching me and waiting patiently.
To be honest, I want to do it. If I reach out now, I'm sure the gentle Umi will accept me.
"Umi, um, I, I want to—with you—"
"…Yeah, what is it?"
"Umi, that, right now, here—"
—Rustle!
""!!??""
A sound that broke the silence until now made us jump up and instinctively look around.
Perhaps a nearby tree was shaken, as the sound of rustling leaves, like when a strong wind blows, comes from the direction of our gaze—down the path on the return route.
"Maki, that was—"
"Y-yeah. Umi, get behind me."
I immediately have Umi get behind me and I stare intently in the direction of the sound.
I don't sense a person, so maybe a wild animal has wandered in. If it's a small animal, we probably don't have to worry too much, but there's a possibility of a tanuki or a monkey, so we have to be careful.
Is that the sound of footsteps? The sound of stepping on leaves gradually got louder. It's coming towards us.
I'm about to panic from the suddenness of it all, but having someone to protect behind me, I'm able to think surprisingly calmly.
We were interrupted at a very good moment, but we can think about that later.
"Umi, can you carry your things?"
"Mm. Let's just slowly go back the way we came."
In times like these, the best thing to do is to leave the place slowly so as not to provoke the other party.
We fixed our disheveled clothes from our earlier skinship, stood up, and naturally, while pretending not to notice whatever was in front of us, we started walking down the mountain path at a slightly faster pace.
Just as Umi and I were about to let out a sigh of relief, feeling the rustling sound of leaves gradually fade away…
—…~n, scary~… where are you~…
Such a voice came from the area where we had just been.
"…Umi, was that"
"Yeah. It sounded like a small child's voice, right? I definitely heard it. It sounded like they were crying…"
As I thought, it wasn't just my imagination. In that case, considering the situation, it must have been that child who made the noise earlier.
If it were an adult, it would be different, but it's difficult to sense the presence of a child, especially a very young one.
But then, why is a child here at this time? Even if a local child got lost, it's hard to imagine parents letting them walk alone in a place like this.
…It seems we can't just leave so easily anymore.
"We should go check on them, right?"
"Yeah. I mean, if they're really lost, we can't just leave them."
So, we returned to the summit once more and approached the direction of the voice.
—hic, sob.
While hearing the continuous sobbing, we peek through the shade of a tree towards the bench and discover a small, young child crouching beside it.
Probably a boy.
"Umi."
"Yeah. Let's try talking to him."
We immediately run over to the boy's side, and noticing us, he quickly looks up at us.
"…Who are you, mister and missus?"
"We're guests at the nearby inn. You know, 'Shimizu,' the big building down this path. What are you doing here all alone? What's your name?"
"…Reiji."
The boy answered Umi's question. Perhaps feeling a little less lonely with us here, he seems to be gradually calming down.
I wipe his tears and snot with a pocket tissue I had, and while waiting for him to stop crying, the boy tugs on my hem.
"? What's wrong?"
"…Do you know where my papa is?"
"Papa? Um, you mean your papa, Reiji-kun? Did you get separated from him?"
"…"
He shakes his head, so it seems it's a little different from being separated.
I want to get the details of the situation somehow, but it's difficult to ask a young child to explain things in order.
From his appearance, he's probably about three or four years old.
"Maki, for now, let's take this child back to the inn. We can't make a judgment call, and if he's lost, there might be a search party out for him."
"Yeah. …Reiji-kun, let's worry about your papa later and come back to a safe place with us. Um, can you walk a little more?"
"…"
Reiji-kun silently shakes his head and clings to me.
It seems he's taken a liking to me, but staying here isn't good, so I have no choice but to carry him back.
It's my first time carrying a child and I'm nervous, but since Reiji-kun won't let go, I have to do my best to carry him down.
The fact that Reiji-kun is lighter than I expected is a silver lining.
"…Mm, papa…"
"Oh my, looks like he fell asleep once he felt safe. Fufu, he called you papa, Maki."
"I think it's a little too early for me to become one… well, it's easier to carry him if he stays quiet like this."
Honestly, I'm not good with small children, but if they're this quiet and obedient, I think they're cute.
He's nothing like the hopeless crybaby and spoiled child I was back then.
Occasionally, Umi and I would check on Reiji-kun to make sure he hadn't started crying again, and after about thirty minutes, we walked down the course and returned to the goal, "Shimizu's" parking lot.
A lot happened and it took quite a long time, but for now, I'm glad we were able to return to where we started without any incident and before it got dark.
"Maki, good work. You must be tired from carrying Reiji-kun. I'll take over, so you can rest for a bit."
"Thanks. …Maybe it's because I was on edge, but I feel suddenly exhausted."
"Me too. Let's eat, take a bath, and just go to bed early tonight. I have to help my grandma with her chores tomorrow, so I have to get up early."
Since I'm an outsider, Sora-san told me I don't have to participate in that. So, I can slowly recover my strength.
Tomorrow, Umi and I are planning to play in a river with clean water that's said to be on the outskirts of town.
…For some reason, this trip seems to have a strong connection with the outdoors. Or is it just my imagination?
"Nn…"
"! Reiji-kun, are you awake? We've arrived at the inn, so please be patient about your papa for a little longer."
"…Okay. Miss, I don't need to be carried anymore."
"Ah, wait—"
Reiji-kun, now awake, gets down from Umi on his own and starts toddling across the parking lot by himself.
We can't have him getting lost again, so we immediately chase after him, and a loud voice comes from near the main entrance.
"Reiji, Reiji, where are you? Please, if you're nearby, answer me."
"Reiji-kun, Reiji-kun~!"
The two people calling out into the distance were Shizuku-san and Riku-san.
They're calling Reiji-kun's name in a quite panicked state… While Umi and I were wondering what was going on, Reiji-kun started running towards the two of them—no, to be precise, he ran straight for Shizuku-san.
"Mama!"
""…Eh?""
Reiji-kun definitely said that. Seeing Shizuku-san, he definitely said "Mama."
"Um… Umi, what in the world is going on?"
"Hmm… I wonder what it is. What is it, really?"
I thought he was separated from his father, but Shizuku-san is his mother… I can't even process what's happening…
"! Reiji, I always tell you not to wander off on your own… Mom was so worried."
"I'm sorry. …But, Papa is."
"Papa? There's no way your father would come to a place like this… ah, could it be, the car parked in the parking lot… Rikkun, could it be?"
"! I see, so Reiji-kun misunderstood…"
Shizuku-san and Riku-san's conversation is complete gibberish to us who can't read the situation, but it seems we have no choice but to ask the two of them for the details later.
"Shizuku-san, Big brother."
"Umi-chan… and Maehara-kun. Could it be that you two were the ones who found my son…"
"Yes. We happened to find him alone during our walk… um, Reiji-kun seemed to be looking for his father, but…"
"…Right. You two are like saviors to me and Reiji, so I'll be sure to explain everything properly later. Reiji, come on, you have to thank the nice lady and gentleman."
"…Mm."
As soon as his mother was by his side, he seemed to switch to shy mode, and Reiji-kun, while hiding behind Shizuku-san, gives us a small bow.
Reiji-kun was probably at fault for not listening to his mother in this case, but for now, I'm glad nothing serious happened.
And I feel like I'm starting to vaguely understand why Shizuku-san, who was said to be working in the big city, came back to this place in the prime of her working years.