Well, since we're already in Ichihara, we might as well go to a local onsen instead of just heading back. Given that neither Issei nor I have ever been here, we heavily relied on Ouroboras' omniscience to guide us to the actual place. However, when we got to the onsen, it had only then clicked for me that an onsen and a hot springs isn't exactly the same thing, though they are similar. There's just one small difference between the two.

"This feels more like a four star hotel with a natural pool rather than a hot springs."

"We never said onsen meant hot springs, though." Issei refuted, "We said hot springs resort. Ergo, yeah, they give you a room to unwind in, among many other benefits."

"The one we are in currently is the Kameyama Onsen, one of the more well-known ones in the area. Known for its fair prices and good reviews, its history stems from..."

"Alright, Ouri, who cares about the history of the damned place?" Issei ignored him in favor of waltzing straight in, "Alright Lune, whip out those pawn hands and Materialize our stay for the day!"

"I will be in charge of the money for today." Ouroboras took out a large wad of cash from his pockets, not even bothering with a wallet, "This respectful establishment is not so lowly to take material items as payment. Now step aside."

Addressing the old lady working there with a very oddly polite tone, and in perfect Japanese mind you, Ouroboras had seemingly booked a stay for the three of us. I say seemingly, because I don't understand a single word he's saying, but it seems Issei does.

"What~? Half pansion? Come on, don't skimp out on us after offering to treat us, that's way too cheap!"

"Insolent brat, I should burn your vasa deferentia off for that greed!"

"Do what you want, just shut up and get us the all-inclusive treatment, ya' deadweight God!"

"Grumble... Fine." Ouroboras rolled his Eyes before turning back to the lady with a peeved look, "On second thought, we'll take that other option."

With a hearty nod and a happy smile, the lady went off into the hallway next to the reception. Motioning for us to follow her, she had taken us to a three beds Japanese style room reminiscent of Ed's house we had built back home. Guess Issei really wasn't lying when he called it traditionally Japanese architecture, but I must admit that we really did mess up a lot of the details that truly make this look immaculate. Nothing too big, but the tatami mats are softer, the walls are nicer, the sliding doors feel more smooth, among other things. I guess you really can't beat the master when it comes to playing on their home field.

"That being the case, calling this a three beds room is kinda wrong though." I cleared my throat awkwardly as I sat down on my futon, "Seeing as we're using these things again."

"They're comfortable." Issei hugged his.

"And traditional." Ouroboras was still standing up though, "No time to rest yet. We need to pay the hot springs a visit, as that is what we came here to do in the first place."

"What's the rush? You booked the entire day, we have time." Issei beckoned him to take a break, "We paid to do whatever we want here, and right now I wanna rest."

"That is not very time efficient of you, Issei Kaido."

"No, I agree with him." I shrugged, "Well, I wouldn't really just go to sleep now that we just arrived here, but I do agree that we shouldn't just go to the hot springs because that's what was written on the checklist. If you only focus on the objective, you'll skip out on all the fun the journey has in store for you."

"...That makes no sense." He furrowed his brows, "If you created this checklist, then you would want it to be done as soon as possible. What if something goes wrong and we are unable to use the hot springs later?"

"Then that's called FOMO, my dear Ouri." Issei got up to dust himself off, "Ahh, alright, I thought of a compromise, so how about this - Let's go buy some snacks and a deck of cards. We'll play that in the room for tonight, put on some music from my playlist and have ourselves a blast. Then, in the morning, when the Sun is out and you can actually see the view outside, we'll go take a dip in the water, sound good?"

"Scarily so..." Ouroboras looked at him suspiciously, "Have you... done this before?"

"I'm just mimicking what me and my group mates did on our last school trip together." He scratched his cheek and chuckled, "Y'know, the one where I got teleported to the Vast World on our way back from there."

Oof, what a heavy topic he so casually brings up all of a sudden. I kind of feel bad for him, but then again he doesn't seem like he's saddened by the event at all. Well, when you think about it logically, he got a lot out of being sent to my world, from an adventure, to life experience, to not one but two girlfriends. Hell, I'd say he did pretty well for himself! Though, he missed out on seeing his family and friends for the past 14 years...

"Lune, you coming?" Issei snapped me back to reality with a holler, "That's right, now that I think about it - Going to a konbini late into the evening is another Japanese splendor to witness! See what I mean, Ouri? Half the fun of the journey is the journey itself!"

"Error, if we assume variable 'Journey' to be only half of the fun of itself, then is this not an infinitely decreasing while loop?"

"Shut up, Robot Boy! And take out that cash you still have in your pockets! Yeah, that's right, you're paying for that too!"

"Eh? Didn't we pay for an all-inclusive stay?" I asked.

"...Well we ain't all-inclusively staying here to go buy the snacks and cards now, are we?"

That's... a fair point, actually. Since the convenience store is not affiliated with the hote-Or sorry, onsen, then it's obvious we'll have to pay for those items out of our own pocket. Kind of a scam when you think about it, but we have infinite money with Ouroboras here, so it doesn't apply to us, thankfully.

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Walking through the chilly winter night, hopping and skipping to get to the store as soon as possible before the cold started to bite us in the butt, we had found ourselves a nearby half convenience store half gift shop type of thing, which was exactly the place we were looking for. Inside it worked a very polite young fellow who actually knew how to speak Entropic, albeit with a pretty noticeable accent to it. Still, it always feels refreshing talking to someone in your own language when abroad. As for why he knew Entropic, I assume it's because he gets a lot of foreigners just like us, who booked a stay in the onsen and felt a craving for snacks and other doohickeys.

"Good evening." He said the moment he saw us.

"Ah, evening." I replied back, a tad surprised that he actually said something I could understand, "We're just looking around."

"Mhm, tell me if you need anything."

And needed anything we did not, because the cards were literally right beside him on the counter. I at first thought they belonged to him, so I felt kind of awkward about just grabbing them or even asking about them for that matter, but Issei soon proved my suspicions right as he pointed to them and asked to buy them.

"Yo, these cards are for sale, right? We'll take them, and..." He waved his finger over some of the snacks on display before settling for a colorful looking box, "This for me."

"Then I shall take the same as well." Ouroboras took another of the same packaging.

"Hey, come on, where's the fun in zero variety?" Issei lightly scolded him, "Come on Ouri, pick something else."

"But I want this one, because I will not be eating that many, so I know I can give you the rest when I am done."

"It's Pocky! Who the hell buys two Pocky boxes?! God, just pick another one."

At this, the shop keeper and I exchanged glances before he weakly tried to de-escalate the situation.

"Sirs, please. There is no need to..."

"Fine, then I shall choose the one most commonly loved by men in their thirties." Ouroboras picked another bag, "Plain salted chips."

"What?! That's bland as hell!" Issei shouted, "You're at an onsen, pick something more adventurous!"

"What's wrong with salted chips?" I quietly asked.

"Stay out of it, grandpa!"

"Wuh-Grandpa!?"

Those words sting, donkeynuts! And what the hell do you have against salted chips!? I like salty things, and I always did even as a kid! Does that make kid Lune a grandpa? Methinks not, bitchboy! Besides, the chips we have back home aren't nearly as thin as these ones, so I'm just really curious to try them!

"Meil..." I smirked at him.

"Ouroboras, but yes, Lune Grimheart?"

"Buy 5 bags of chips. Nothing but salt."

"Oh come on!" Issei cried out, "You're not gonna be able to eat all those! Your mouth is gonna bleed after the first two, much less five!"

"Oh right, then we'll get this drink too." I picked up a dark plastic bottle with a Blue ribbon on it.

"Pepsi and chips, truly a fine choice." Ouroboras shined a smug, toothy grin at Issei, "Perfect for ADULTS who still contain just enough youth in them without taking it too far with their childish sweets."

"Pocky is a staple!"

"Sirs, please..." The shop keeper hid behind his chair in abject fear of what we might do to his store, "I am sorry, but buy our wares and leave. I beg of you."

Oh great, now we traumatized the poor dude. I bet he'll wake up in a cold sweat recalling this very night for the next couple of weeks at least. Or maybe not, but that's the best way for me to describe the face he's showing us right now. I do feel bad, but there's nothing I can do about it. Issei called me an old man (even though we're the same age), so I just had to fight back somehow. And if that means buying and eating 5 whole bags of chips, then so be it. Now back at the hotel room we're staying at...

"Burp, no more..." I cried out, "Issei, help us with these chips, man. Come on...!"

"I told you it'd be too much." He happily ate his Pocky stick thingies, "Hey, want one?"

"Actually yeah." I went to reach into the box with my hand, "I could use some chocolate to wash away all the salt-"

"Ah, not from the box." He cheekily perked his lips out, presenting me the other half of the Pocky stick he had put in his mouth, "Pocky is meant to be eaten like this, y'know? It's the whole allure of the damned thing~!"

"Eugh, disgusting!" I backed off immediately, "There's no way you're supposed to share it."

"Actually, that is indeed what people do with Pocky." Ouroboras concurred, much to my horror, "Though I imagine only couples do that, or people who are not at all uncomfortable with possibly sharing a kiss among them."

"Ouri~, you gonna have some or what~?" Issei seductively, yet jokingly, called out to him, not expecting anything to happen.

"Mn."

"Ahp-!?"

Something no one had expected, the Sun God had without hesitation lunged towards the unwary man offering the Pocky to him from his lips. Aggressively chomping off the chocolate end poking out of his mouth, though leaving a hefty distance between their lips, he had successfully stolen a bite without it turning into a bromance scene.

"Got any more?" He smirked before putting his hand in the bag of chips again.

"Just take it normally from the box, you stupid God!"

Issei was bright Red, though whether this was because of rage or a newfound confusion in his heart remains unknown.

"Alright, time for some cards." I reached for the deck before falling flat on my belly, "Brurp! Ah, that felt good."