The literal vision of a girl Shouichi knew quite well appeared right before him. Ishikawa Misaki wore an elegant flower-pattern yukata. Her obsidian eyes, tinged with a hint of pink, were filled with friendliness and warmth. The girl stood gracefully, slightly shorter than Shouichi, though her voluptuous figure was still evident beneath the fabric. Misaki's twin tails had been replaced with two flower buns, one on each side of her head, creating a cute and youthful appearance.

"Hey! Y~You look beautiful today," Shouichi finally spoke up after a long moment of surprise.

"How sweet of you! You like my clothes, don't you?" Misaki spun around, letting the loose sleeves of her yukata flow dramatically. Shouichi noticed her sweet smile was the same one he had seen the first time they met, full of life and purpose. It sent a tingling sensation through him.

"Yes, it looks great!" Shouichi praised her. Once he regained his composure, it was time to address the "elephant in the room." "How did you know I was here?"

"Hee hee, I'm soooo sorry," Misaki clasped her hands together in an apologetic gesture, though her dry smile didn't seem entirely convincing. "Well, I'm on a retreat from the city... and I saw you on the guest list."

"That's a bit too convenient, don't you think?" Shouichi pressed.

"Senpai, we could stand here chatting all night, but I think..." Misaki spoke softly, yet her bold personality was still very much intact.

"Oh, my bad... Please come in," Shouichi invited her gently.

"Thank you, Shou-senpai. Can I still call you that?" Misaki entered confidently, making herself at home as she sat comfortably on the sofa next to the oversized bed.

"Y~yeah, I don't mind," Shouichi replied, closing the door and sitting across from her.

"Awesome! You're so kind!" She beamed at him with her upturned eyes.

"So, Misaki-chan, please explain..." Shouichi asked with a slightly serious tone.

"Yunohana Ryokan is owned by the Ishikawa family — my family. Tee hee." She chuckled softly.

"Ah, that explains the sudden upgrade to VVIP!" Shouichi finally pieced it together, his mouth dropping open in awe.

"Tada! You caught on quickly as always, Shou-senpai," Misaki confirmed excitedly, raising her arms in the air. "Do you like the room I picked for you? Fufufu."

"It's perfect, Misaki-chan... Thank you."

Misaki shook her head nonchalantly. "Nope, it's the least I can do for you, senpai."

"Would you mind waiting a bit? I've got something special for you," Misaki said gleefully, springing to her feet.

"Huh? Okay. Please don't go overboard, I don't want to trouble you too much," Shouichi replied.

Misaki walked across the room towards a double closet, which concealed a refrigerator beneath it.

"It's our way of welcoming a guest!" Misaki announced, showing Shouichi a bottle of Japanese sake.

"Uh? Is it alcoholic?" Shouichi jumped to his feet, inspecting the bottle closely. It had been a long time since he had seen an alcoholic beverage in Kurohashi town. It was indeed a rare sight.

"Of course not, we can't drink alcohol. We're underage, you know," Misaki said with a bright smile. "You're so naughty, Shou-senpai." Her eyes squinted slyly.

"Let me grab some glasses," Misaki said, placing a small cup on a saucer for herself and another for Shouichi. She then began to pour the liquid slowly until it overflowed into the saucer.

"Misaki-chan, I think you're overfilling it," Shouichi spoke up.

"Oh, hehehe. I did that on purpose to show how overwhelming our welcome is," She explained casually.

"Wow, I didn't know that. But thank you for your kind hospitality!" Shouichi nodded in anticipation.

"Come now, it's 'cheers!' in English, right?" Misaki raised her cup with both hands, prompting Shouichi to follow suit.

"Cheers!" they both said, emptying their cups without hesitation.

"Cough cough! It burns!" Shouichi struggled to maintain his composure as the alcohol hit his throat like a fiery arrow.

"Fufufufu, how naïve of you," Misaki teased, sticking out her tongue playfully.

"Cough* You tricked me, Misaki-chan?"

"Yeah... Hahaha, you should have seen your face. It's red like a tomato." Misaki continued to laugh, almost doubling over.

"That's so naughty of you, hahaha," Shouichi couldn't help but smile, adoring her mischievous nature.

"So how's your trip so far, senpai?" Misaki asked, wiping away a joyful tear with her finger.

"I've enjoyed every moment of it — the multi-course Japanese cuisine, the Takaki dam, the barbecue, including the surprise attack by Misaki-chan," He quipped.

"I'm glad to hear that, fufufu," Misaki replied softly, her gaze drifting. She glanced at the shoji screen, where a thin wisp of steam curled from the hot spring beyond.

"I'm happy too. When I see you today, it's like seeing the soothing sun after a cold night," Shouichi said, describing her in a poetic metaphor.

"Eh? That's so sudden, senpai! I'm flattered," Misaki's face turned crimson, and she hid it with her hands.

"Hahaha, it's payback time," Shouichi teased before turning serious. "But I'm really happy to see the best version of you again."

"Thank you, I've been doing so well with my BDD," Misaki said, referring to her struggle with Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Shouichi smiled widely after hearing the positive news.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"I've been wanting to hear that for so long."

"Really?" Misaki's eyes sparkled with joy.

"Yep, really. I hope you succeed in your treatment, I really do," He reassured her, gently tapping her hands with his finger. His kind words were Misaki's motivation and inspiration to keep going.

After a few moments of silence, the cute girl attempted to speak but hesitated. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. Shouichi pretended not to notice and aimlessly swept his cinnamon-brown eyes around the room, waiting patiently for her to articulate her thoughts.

“Shouichi-senpai, I... I wanted to return this to you.” Misaki held out the rose gold necklace he had given her at the fire festival.

“You don’t want it anymore?” He asked, puzzled.

“It’s not that... I just feel like I’m not worthy of it... of your kindness.” The girl replied, eyes closed, her hand extended, and her head hanging low as if she were bowing.

“Don’t think like that, Misa-chan,” Shouichi patted her soft, dark-purple hair with slight embarrassment. It felt a bit off to call her by her nickname again. “After all, you’re like a beloved sister to me.”

“S... Shou-senpai,” Misaki’s doe eyes glanced up at him, tears welling up. It was a tear of joy and acceptance.

“Bwwwwwwhhhh!” The girl cried loudly like a little child, and it was adorably pitiful. Shouichi, ever the good brother, consoled her with a soft stroke of her silky hair.

“Feeling better now?” Shouichi smiled gently, continuing the head pat. Misaki glanced up at him and nodded a few times.

“Hehehe, I’ll be going then. Thanks for your continued support, Shou-senpai.” The girl stood up and strolled toward the door, with Shouichi following closely behind.

“No worries. I’m glad I could help, even a little. Misa-chan.” He smiled and opened the door for her.

“Ca~Can a little sister have a good-night hug, please?” Misaki asked shyly, her eyes fixed on the floor. “I know I said it would be the last hug, but...” She mumbled.

“Hahaha, come here.” Shouichi gently pulled her delicate body into a warm embrace. The hug lingered, as though it could last forever, with Misaki nestling closer, soaking in the full extent of his kindness and warmth. Shouichi could smell the familiar scent of her sweet, candy-like fragrance.

Misaki whispered softly, “Thank you…”

“Ahem.” The sudden sound of someone clearing their throat made Shouichi and Misaki break apart immediately. It was Tomako Momo, who had been standing in the doorway for a while, unable to continue watching the two pseudo-siblings.

“Oh, sorry. Did I interrupt you guys?” Momo asked in a monotone, without her usual stutter. That was something new coming from Momo, the embodiment of shyness in Class 2-1.

“No~no! Of course not... Please, enjoy your stay, Shou-senpai, Tomako-senpai!” Misaki quickly bowed to both seniors before galloping away.

“M~may I come in?” Momo gave a dry smile, sending a slight chill through his core.

“Yeah... Please, this way.” Shouichi gestured for her to come in. What a weird night—first Misaki-chan, now Momo-chan, he thought about the unexpected guests.

“Woah... Your room is much bigger than ours. How come?” Momo asked in surprise, sitting on the edge of his bed. “It’s pretty bouncy too!” She bounced on it a few times.

“Hahaha, the funny thing is, Misaki upgraded my room to VIP since she’s the daughter of the hotel’s owner,” Shouichi explained with a shallow smile.

“It’s even more surprising! Your ex, um... your girlfriend... or... um, your sister?” Momo fidgeted, unsure whether to refer to Misaki as his ex or sister.

“Bfffp!” Shouichi couldn’t contain his laughter. “My ex is fine. How long have you been standing in my doorway anyway?” He lay down next to her on the bed.

“Long enough to hear everything,” She said softly, fidgeting with a strand of her short brown hair.

“Really? Man, that’s quite pathetic of me — making up with an ex and all,” Shouichi self-deprecated.

“Not! Not at all! It takes a great amount of courage and virtue to forgive others... I think,” Momo disagreed, shaking her head.

“Right! So... Momo-chan, what’s the occasion?” Shouichi teased with a playful glance.

“Nothing!” Her brown eyes briefly met his before darting away. “I just felt a bit lonely. The night’s still young and all. Don’t you think?” She tried to convince him.

“Well, you could spend a girls' night with your roommate, Ayane-chan,” Shouichi rationalised, then his expression stiffened. “Did Ayane bully you?” He asked seriously.

“No, of course not. She’s nice, but she’s...”

“Eccentric, right?” He interjected with a playful smile.

“A little bit. Hahaha.” She chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. She’s damn cute, Shouichi thought.

***

“Man, it’s quite refreshing to soak my muscular ass in the hot spring. I heard it’s good for muscle soreness or something like that.” Naggi, a muscular boy with curly hair, let his mind wander aimlessly as he walked through the empty hall. After returning from the barbecue by the spectacular Takkaki Lake, his smoky scent was washed away as he entered the soothing onsen. But after a few hours, he was starting to feel thirsty. He told his roommate he would grab some ginger ale from the vending machine at the end of the hallway.

Fortunately, the hotel layout was well-planned to provide the best hospitality experience, and there was a convenient sofa next to the vending machine. After getting his drink, he cracked open a cold one and enjoyed it in solitude on the comfy sofa.

“Wait, that girl... It’s Misaki, right?” He saw a girl in a nice yukata knocking on one of the doors.

“That’s Shouichi’s room? This guy, man... Never gets a moment alone. I wouldn’t be surprised, judging by how popular he is,” Naggi mumbled to himself in envy.“ Hinoda would be fuming if he saw this. Hahahaha,” he chuckled silently.

After a few moments, Naggi saw Misaki leave cheerfully, while Tomako Momo, another cutesy little doll, entered the room.

“What the freak, man. Stop taking all the girls, dude! Jeez, greedy man.” Naggi cursed under his breath before cracking open another cold one. It was extremely refreshing. He then glanced back at the main attraction of the night.

“Now now! That’s too crazy! Morimura Ayane, too?” Naggi was shocked.

“That’s hella unfair, bro. I’m going back to my room to cry,” He muttered in sorrow before heading back to his suite.