As it turned out, the invitation to the Takaki Reservoir was originally sent to Aoyama Shinji, but like wildfire, it quickly spread to other friends. Being the extrovert that he was, Shinji rationalised that a trio would be too small and that he would end up as the third wheel. So, he decided to invite as many people as possible.

Initially, Shinji requested to bring his girlfriend, Ito Emi. Then Emi asked if she could invite her brother, Ito Toru, who in turn wanted to bring his girlfriend, Himemiya Kazumi. With everyone free for the summer break, they all agreed without hesitation.

In the end, the group expanded to nine, including the original trio, Ito Emi, Ito Toru, Himemiya Kazumi, Hinoda, Naggi, and Tomako Momo. After coordinating their schedules, they settled on a weekend trip from Saturday to Sunday. Shouichi was particularly excited about staying at an onsen hotel, especially in one of the premium suites with a private hot spring. The traditional Japanese-style hotel was just like the ones he had seen in movies and anime.

On the first day, Shinji arrived in a sleek black minibus from a well-known Japanese carmaker. The vehicle had a spacious capacity for seven to eight passengers. The designated meeting point was none other than Yoko Sweet Cafe.

"Heyyyyyy!" Shinji called out as he entered the store, radiating confidence in a vibrant blue Hawaiian shirt and stylish sunglasses. Beside him was his elegant girlfriend, Ito Emi, her brown hair and eyes complementing her cream sundress with a flowing skirt and a large straw hat. The couple strolled in gleefully, greeting Yoko along the way.

"My! You both look gorgeous today!" Yoko exclaimed, nearly blinded by their bright presence.

"Thank you, Yoko-san!" they responded in unison. Shinji then pulled out his black card and handed it to Yoko with a smile.

"Would you mind putting everything we order on this card, please, Yoko-san?" He asked politely before winking at Shouichi, Ayane, and Tomako Momo.

"Man… I wish someone would treat me like that," Ayane sighed, nudging Shouichi. She was wearing a gorgeous dark purple sundress with rimless glasses, her jet-black hair framing her face elegantly.

"I couldn't agree more! Fufufu," Momo giggled. The petite girl was dressed in a light blue blouse with black palazzo pants — loose and flowing.

"Man, I'm kinda jealous of Shinji for real," Shouichi muttered, making the two girls chuckle. "God, if I hadn't broken up with Misaki-chan, I'd be in a much better place right now… To be honest, I do feel so lonely." He trailed off, lost in thought.

The group worked together to order sweets and desserts to kick-start the trip. As the son of the shop owner, Shouichi couldn't sit idly by, so he got up to help his mother serve. Dressed casually in a white tee, indigo jeans, and a dark blue long-sleeved shirt, his muscular build was subtly accentuated.

"Darling, you should enjoy your time with your friends," Yoko chided as he grabbed a serving tray.

"Please let me help you, Yoko-san. After all, I'll be gone for two days," Shouichi replied.

"I'll be so lonely, fufufu," She jested playfully before returning to prepare drinks.

As Shouichi came back for another round, he mused aloud, "Come to think of it, we've never been apart since we met. This is actually the first time, right?"

"Um um! You and I have seen each other every day since you arrived in town," Yoko confirmed with a nod, placing a cocoa drink and an Earl Grey teapot on his tray.

"Don't you want to come with us, Mum?"

"Nope! I'd be too old for your age group."

"Come on! Yoko, you can sleep with me. My room doesn't have a roommate. It even comes with a private hot spring!" Shouichi insisted, hoping to change her mind.

"Fufufu, you wouldn't mind me in the bath with you?" Yoko teased softly.

"Wah? I didn't think that far."

"I don't mind, but it's a bit too late for that. I don't want to just leave the store," She reasoned.

"Man…" Shouichi groaned.

"Don't sulk, Shou-kun. I promise I'll go with you next time," She reassured him. "I'll even brush your back for you. How does that sound?"

"Mum!" He whined, his face turning red.

"Thanks, Shouichi-kun." "Thank you, Seito-san," The group chimed in as the beautifully arranged sweets and drinks were served.

"Let's dig in!" Shinji announced enthusiastically as the main sponsor. Laughter and cheerful chatter filled the warm, cosy café.

Once everyone had finished their desserts and drinks, Shouichi wanted to help clean up, but Yoko gently pushed him towards the minivan, sending him off with a smile. Though excited about the trip, he couldn't help but worry about his mother. Thankfully, he had a CCTV app that allowed him to check on her at any time.

"Officer Akiyama is the best!" Shouichi thought, his admiration and affection for the female cop evident. If not for the age gap, he might have even made a move on her.

The minivan's interior was spacious, with plush cushions that made the ride smooth and comfortable. Behind the wheel, the silver-haired Shinji blasted his favourite rap tracks alongside CCK's hits. Every now and then, Emi would sing along.

"Wow, Emi-chan! Your singing is amazing," Ayane praised her from the second row, sitting to Shouichi's left.

"I agree! We should go to karaoke sometime," Momo added with a smile from his right.

"Thanks, Senpai!" Emi beamed from the front passenger seat.

"Guys… you know this minivan has three rows, right?" Shouichi grumbled, uncomfortably sandwiched between the two girls.

"Stop complaining! We wanted to be huddled together. It's way more fun, right?" Ayane retorted, turning to Momo for support. The petite girl nodded eagerly in agreement.

"Yeah! Bro, you shouldn't whine about it. I'd swap places with you in a heartbeat," Shinji chimed in from the driver's seat, smirking through the rearview mirror.

Shouichi sighed. This was going to be an interesting trip.

"What did you just say?!" Emi shouted, pinching his cheek in jealousy. Shouichi couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she pouted like that.

"Sowwy!" Shinji quickly apologised for his slip-up.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The view from the side of the road gradually changed. At first, it was an urban landscape filled with buildings and bustling streets. But as the minutes passed, the scenery transformed into open fields and farmlands, eventually giving way to dense bushes and towering trees. The lush greenery exuded a sense of peace and tranquillity.

"We're having lunch at the hotel first, so we might as well check in while we're at it," Ayane said, taking charge as the main organiser and point of contact for the hotel.

"What's the name of the place again?" Shinji asked, leaning forward as if that would help him listen better.

"It's… um… Yunohana Ryokan."

"Oh! I've been there before," Shinji said.

"Really? Don't tell me your old man owns this place too," Shouichi quipped.

"Hahaha! Of course not," Shinji chuckled as he tapped his navigator, quickly pulling up the route to the hotel.

A soft "Zzz" escaped from the petite girl beside him. She had dozed off the moment she closed her eyes. The ride must have been way too comfortable for her, Shouichi thought. Initially, she leaned against the window, but when the van hit a rough patch in the road, her small frame bounced, and her head swayed before resting against his shoulder.

"…Tsk…" Ayane shot him a withering glare, as if he'd done something wrong.

"I didn't do anything!" Shouichi defended himself with a weak smile.

Then, another bump in the road sent Momo's head tumbling down onto his lap.

"Damn it, I'm cooked," Shouichi thought. As expected, Ayane immediately gestured with two fingers to her eyes before pointing at him — a clear signal, Don't try anything pervy, or I'll sack you.

To be completely honest, Momo's warm, soft face resting on his thigh was… stimulating in a way he wasn't proud to admit. The pent-up frustration from that AV viewing with Suzuki hadn't fully subsided. I should've taken care of it beforehand, he cursed himself.

"Eh?" Shouichi murmured as he suddenly felt a familiar weight on his other shoulder. Ayane had rested her head against him too. The familiar vanilla scent of her shampoo was dreamy and alluring, sending another wave of heat through his body.

"You're hard, aren't you?" She whispered into his ear.

"I'm not!" He shot back, lying through his teeth.

"…"

The next thirty minutes were pure torture as Shouichi battled to keep his moral compass steady.

When they finally arrived at the hotel, he let out a quiet breath of relief. The ryokan was built on a large plot of land, enclosed by a high wooden fence. In front of the entrance, a beautiful garden spread out, filled with an array of colourful flowers swaying gently in the breeze.

"Wow! The flower fields!" Emi exclaimed, clinging to her boyfriend.

"Right? I wanted to surprise you," Shinji said with a smirk.

"They're gorgeous!" Momo ran forward, crouching to admire the blossoms up close. She gently brushed her fingers against the petals, her blue blouse fluttering slightly.

"I'll handle check-in," Ayane announced, making her way towards the main building with a clear reception sign hanging above the entrance.

"I'll come with you," Shouichi said, quickening his pace to catch up.

"Thanks!" Ayane looked at him in surprise before breaking into a smile.

"No worries. I don't want you to do all the heavy lifting," He replied.

"Hehe, you're too kind," She chuckled.

Inside, the ryokan was decorated in a traditional Japanese style, complete with shoji screens, tatami mats, and elegant ikebana floral arrangements. The air carried the fresh scent of hinoki wood, adding to the calming atmosphere.

"Good afternoon, dear guests. Welcome to Yunohana Ryokan. How may I assist you today?" A receptionist in a pastel blue yukata greeted them with a warm smile.

"Good afternoon, miss. We'd like to check in and have lunch at the dining hall. Is that possible?" Ayane asked with confidence.

"Of course. Do you already have a reservation with us?"

"Yes! We booked five suite rooms under the name Seito Shouichi," Ayane replied promptly.

"Did she just use my name without asking?" Shouichi thought to himself.

The receptionist nodded and began tapping away at her kiosk.

"Oh! All five suite rooms come with private onsens, is that correct?"

"That's right," Ayane confirmed.

"Alright, I see that one of the rooms has been upgraded to the VVIP suite," The receptionist added, turning to retrieve the keycards.

"Eh? What's that?" Shouichi whispered to Ayane, but she only shrugged, just as clueless as he was.

"Here are four twin-bed suites and one VVIP suite for Master Seito Shouichi," The receptionist said with a gentle smile.

Shouichi exchanged a look with Ayane before hesitantly accepting the VVIP key card.

"Do you have any luggage with you?" The receptionist asked.

"Yes, we have a few bags."

"In that case, please have someone wait at the drop-off point. Our staff will assist with your belongings," She beamed. "Thank you for choosing Yunohana Ryokan for your stay."

When Shouichi and Ayane returned to the others, their expressions were filled with questions. Normally, an unexpected upgrade would be considered a pleasant surprise, but for Shouichi… nothing too good ever happened in Kurohashi without a hidden catch.

"Did you set me up?" Shouichi ran a hand through his graphite-black hair, walking alongside Ayane.

"What?" She looked at him, confused.

"I mean, did you request the upgrade?"

"Awww, Shouichi-kun, you should trust me more… like how you trust Suzuki-san," Ayane teased.

"What?! Akiyama-san?" Shouichi felt his stomach drop. Does she know about the AV thing?! How?!

"Yeah, like at the warehouse last time," She continued casually. "You always apologise and obey her like a good little boy."

"Ohhh…" Shouichi let out a small sigh of relief before defending himself. "Well, she is a police officer. Legally speaking, I have to follow her orders, right?"

"Eh? You talk like you admire her…"

"Huh?"

"You never admire me like that…" Ayane murmured under her breath, gazing off to the side.

"Well…" Shouichi was taken aback. He couldn't help but reply in his mind, "Man, I do admire and praise you a lot, but I don't wanna say it aloud. Your ego and confidence are already overwhelming enough."

"Hey! Don't you try anything funny~." Ayane turned to reprimand him but was interrupted by new arrivals. Ito Toru, Himemiya, Hinoda, and Naggi were chatting gleefully in front of the blissful garden.

"Hiyah!" Kazumi, the enchanting gyaru in a crop top and high-waisted shorts, waved at them. Her blonde hime-style cut cascaded over her chest.

"Hi, Shouichi, Lady Ayane." Toru greeted them with his usual calm demeanour. The captain was dressed in a white tee and black trousers.

"Morimura-san! Shouichi!" Hinoda and Naggi followed suit, both sporting casual outfits similar to their captain's. Hinoda wore a black graphic tee, while Naggi opted for a blue one.

"Sup, guys? How was the ride?" Shouichi asked.

"It was great! We took a little detour for a supply run." Naggi, the curly-haired bloke, grinned.

"Oh?" Ayane raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"So for dinner, we're doing a BBQ!" Hinoda, the short-haired boy, clarified.

"Damn! That's awesome!" Shouichi exclaimed. "A proper barbie, just like in Australia. I wasn't expecting that on this trip."

As the main organiser, Morimura Ayane began handing out the key cards to each member. Since it was the most economical option and suited the availability of the suites with private onsens, they had decided to pair up for the rooms. This arrangement ensured everyone could enjoy the luxury of the onsen while keeping within budget.

"Hinoda-san and Naggi-san, here's your key card."

"Himemiya-san and Ito-senpai."

"Emi-chan and Shinji."

"And Tomako-chan, do you mind if I hold onto our key card?" Ayane asked her roommate for the night.

"No, that's fine." Momo shook her head, her shoulder-length brown bob swaying with the motion.

"With that settled, shall we head to the dining hall?" Ayane spoke loudly enough for all eight members to hear.

"Let's go!"

"Oz!"

"Yes!"

The excited responses rang out as the group made their way inside.