Yukino blinked her big eyes.
Spending more time with Yukima Azuma, she realized that maybe
She was slowly making up for the emotions she'd missed out on during her student days.
Back then, whenever she sat in a car,
Yukino never had the mood to admire the passing scenery.
Most of her energy was devoted to books or work documents.
Even if she happened to glance outside once or twice, her mind was still occupied with other thoughts.
She never understood those classmates who liked to just stare out the window.
Like the girls who sat in the front row but never paid attention in class
Instead, they'd be busy watching the boys playing basketball during gym period.
After gazing at the scenery for a while,
Her eyelids, lacking sleep, began to rebel.
At that moment, she felt a warm hand gently resting on her cheek.
Yukino felt herself leaning against a sturdy shoulder.
Smelling that familiar scent,
She unconsciously drifted off to sleep.
-
...
Looking at the girl soundly sleeping against his shoulder,
Yukima Azuma was in a fantastic mood.
Casually pulling his phone from his pocket, he flipped to the front camera and took a selfie with Yukino.
Then sent the photo to Mrs. Yukinoshita.
After the message showed "read,"
A long while later, a single word appeared in the chat: "Umu."
Yukima Azuma's lips curled into a smirk.
Classic robot.
But thinking again
Just a few more days, and he'd get to watch that beautiful robot lady try to coax her daughter.
Yukima Azuma's mood lifted even more.
...
As they neared the hot spring ryokan in Beppu,
Yukino woke up.
Looking outside, the scenery had completely changed.
Yukino blinked, then softly began humming a cheerful tune.
It was a song familiar to the current generation in Japan
The theme song from a morning drama series that aired ten years ago.
Turns out, even Yukino watched drama shows back in elementary school.
Yukima Azuma also hummed along with her.
Their two voices harmonized.
"Hope you two have a lovely trip,"
The driver said, stepping down to open the door for them, smiling a bit stiffly.
She had already eaten way too much dog food during the ride.
As a professional driver.
Naturally, she had picked up plenty of couples before.
All ages, even all gender combinations.
Some were way bolder
She'd even once witnessed an icha-icha couple right on the spot.
( )
But this level of sweetness between these twoshe'd never seen before.
The two of them merely sat there, yet it felt like they were a perfect embodiment of "a match made in heaven."
Just humming a song together was so harmonious, so perfectly matched
It was enough to make a bystander feel full just from second-hand romance.
...
After collecting their luggage,
Yukima Azuma and Yukino walked hand-in-hand into the ryokan they had booked entirely for themselves.
Rolling in her suitcase, Yukino opened the door to their room.
But the moment she pushed it open, she paused in surprise.
"Are these our company's products?"
In the ryokan room, with just a glance, it was easy to spot various smart furniture items from Laplace neatly arranged throughout.
Chapter 299: Yukino is Very Clear-Headed
Chapter 299: Yukino is Very Clear-Headed
Hearing Yukino's question,
Yukima Azuma glanced over and immediately noticed the prominent Laplace logo on the side of a piece of furniture.
He pulled out his phone and opened the Laplace smart furniture app to try connecting.
In no time, it showed a successful connection~.
He turned the phone around to show Yukino.
Yukima Azuma was also a bit surprised and gave a slight nod.
"Looks like it really is."
The ryokan they chose for this trip wasn't part of the Hinatsuru chain.
Not because they were deliberately avoiding it.
There was a Hinatsuru family location in Beppu, after all.
But since it was just part of the ryokan chain and not the headquarters area, the quality wasn't exactly as impressive as expected.
Moreover, the ryokan they were currently staying at
Was built right next to one of Beppu's famous natural hot springs.
The natural hot spring they could enjoy here was something unmatched by other places.
Laplace mainly focuses on major provinces like Tokyo, Chiba, Osaka.
In the Beppu area, their promotion wasn't too aggressive.
Encountering furniture from their own company here
Both of them were a bit surprised.
After all, Laplace's furniture had only been on the market for a short while.
Out of habit, he opened the app and skimmed through a few furniture settings for the room.
Yukima Azuma waved at Yukino, then headed back to his room.
The two of them weren't staying in the same room.
Well, not exactly two completely separate rooms either.
The living areas of the rooms were connected, but the bedrooms were still separate.
Their relationship was ambiguoussomewhere between more than friends but not quite lovers.
They held hands, but hadn't seggs.
( )
Yukino adjusted the room a bit.
After putting her luggage down
She took out the clothes she brought from the suitcase.
Picking up a yukata, she stood in front of the mirror and tried it against herself.
Her eyes landed on a backless sweater she had somehow packed without really knowing why.
After buying it, she had never even tried it on once.
And yet, somehowwho knows what possessed hershe'd ended up putting it into her suitcase during the trip prep.
"So... did I want to wear this for him to see?"
Azuma: )
Curse Chef: )
Gourmet Readers: )
Yukino: ( oo) !!
Women dress up for the ones they like.
That reason was obvious.
But being aware of that fact isn't so common.
No matter how thick or thin one's skin may be, there's still embarrassment.
But Yukino is the kind of person whose rationality is downright frightening.
Back when she was in school, she'd even dissected her own psychology more than once.
Because of that, even though her cheeks were already flushed red
She was still clearly conscious of what she was feeling deep down.
Of what sort of emotions and desires she held for Yukima Azuma.
...
About fifteen minutes later
"Yukino, your face is a little red."
After organizing his room, Yukima Azuma walked into the shared living area and noticed Yukino's slightly flushed face.
( //>///
After all, as her name implies, Yukino's skin was pale as snow.
So just a little bit of red would show up very clearly.
Not knowing the reason, Yukima Azuma reached out and touched her forehead.
Then he touched his own.
Finally, he decisively brushed up Yukino's bangs and pressed his forehead against hers.
Looking at the boy so close in front of her, their noses practically touching
Yukino's cheeks, which had just started to cool down a little, flared up even redder.
(///// " )
However, she didn't push him away.
Yukino softly said:
"Maybe it's just because the room's a bit warm."
Sensing that her body temperature was still normal, Yukima Azuma nodded.
"Umu, well, we are near the hot springs, so it is a bit warm."
After moving past the blushing moment
Yukima Azuma just started admiring Yukino's yukata.
The blue-and-white yukata was cinched and decorated at the waist with a deep blue sash.
The sash was tied into a large butterfly bow at the back.
Having grown used to Yukino's usual "office lady onee-san" style
To suddenly see her in this soft, gentle yukata look
It was truly a visually striking shock.
"Sometimes I'm honestly a little jealous of yukatas," Yukima Azuma teased.
( )
Hearing that, Yukino couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
"What kind of weird joke is that and anyway, it's not like I'm wearing nothing underneath."
Yukino laughed for a bit, then suddenly remembered the traditional way of wearing yukata.
A bit embarrassed, she crossed her arms over her chest and glanced away.
"Eh! So you're not?!"
The traditional way to wear a yukata is without underwear underneath.
But just now, Yukima Azuma had completely forgotten about that.
Yukino's beauty generally inspired admiration rather than lustful thoughts.
Even so, Yukima Azuma clutched his head and exaggeratedly pretended to be in anguish
As a show of respect.
Looking at Yukima Azuma's seemingly devastated appearance,
Yukino pressed her cherry lips together, saying nothing, but her fingertips unconsciously fidgeted with the edge of her yukata.
No one could tell what she was really thinking.
...
After chatting for a while,
The two of them stood up and left the room.
Now that they were at a hot spring ryokan
The first activity was, of course, to enjoy the hot spring bath.
It was currently afternoon.
The sun had already passed its peak and was slowly setting in the west.
Starting the soak now would be perfect for enjoying both the late afternoon and the sunset views.
This hot spring ryokan was built right next to a rare natural spring source.
In fact, it only served a small number of guests.
The hot spring area didn't separate male and female baths or offer any mixed-gender options.
It was simply several hot spring pools sourced directly from the natural spring
Reserved for guest use.
Yukima Azuma had booked out the entire ryokan for a few days.
Many guests often did the same.
So the use of the hot springs was entirely up to the guests' discretion.
Before arriving here, the two of them had already discussed it.
Back then, Yukima Azuma said they could bathe in two separate pools.
That way, even if they couldn't see each other clearly due to the steam, they could still talk freely.
In the end, though Yukino had looked as red as an apple...
She suddenly, boldly said that bathing together would be fine.
Of course, not nakedYukino wore a swimsuit.
()
...
Outdoor Hot Spring
Yukima Azuma squatted beside the spring pool and dipped his hand in to test the temperature.
It felt just right for human body temperature.
Moreover, the spring water had a crystal-clear jade green hue.
The color of hot springs is often influenced by the minerals in the water source.
Some types have very unusual colorslike blood-red hot springs, often used as a marketing gimmick.
However, those kinds of springs tend to slightly compromise aesthetic appeal.
This one before them, though, was beautiful.
As for "aesthetic," you ask?
Azuma: ( _ ) Staring intently, unblinking.
Yukino had sunk her snow-white neck into the water, even her chin submerged, blowing out a stream of bubbles.
Yukima Azumacaught in the actawkwardly pulled his gaze back.
But really, with scenery like this, it was hard not to look.
If he didn't sneak in a few more glances, it would've been a waste.
After the initial awkwardness passed
The two gradually grew comfortable in the moment.
Soaking in the warm spring water, they began chatting casually again.
Chapter 300: Time Is Still on Our Side
After blowing bubbles in the hot spring for a while
Once they got used to the situation, the awkwardness began to fade.
Yukino was the first to start a conversation.
"Lately, a lot of people online have been urging you to write more, Azuma."
It had been several months since volume two of the Youth series was released.
As a phenomenon-level work,
It was only natural to be urged for new chapters.
Yukima Azuma's lips twitched.
"Why should I keep writing? Didn't I just finish one?"
Surely, every author must've asked themselves this at some point.
"Didn't I just update? Why are they already asking for more?"
(`)
Seeing Azuma's utterly aggrieved expression,
Yukino couldn't help but laugh softly.
"Those readers, huh? They probably wish you'd write a hundred thousand words every day."
Yukima Azuma leaned his head back, looking as if he might sink right into the hot spring.
Actually, in Japan, releasing a volume every few months is a fairly standard pace for light novels.
Many light novels, even if the manuscript is done, still have to wait for a printing slot.
The reason the Youth series was now being so heavily demanded
Was mainly because Azuma had finished volume two way too fast.
But then, volume three had no updates whatsoever.
It was frustrating for the readers.
The anticipation had reached its peakonly to be met with complete silence.
After all, the quick release of volume two had been a fluke.
If that incident with Mommy Guardian hadn't happened
Yukima Azuma might've delayed things indefinitely.
After all, the whole reason Yukima Azuma started writing
Was simply to show off his "Super Adorable Saint Megumi-chan-sama" to the world.
Super Adorable Saint Megumi-chan-sama: (*)*.
He'd already won over Kato Megumihow about you guys, otaku-san?
Azuma to otaku readers: ()
And now he was being hounded for more chapters.
A taste of karma, perhaps.
Seeing Yukima Azuma like that, Yukino laughed softly again.
But then, as if she suddenly remembered something, her smile slowly faded.
The truth was, Yukino hadn't brought up light novels just to urge him to write more.
The reason she steered the conversation that way
Was because she wanted to talk about Kato Megumi.
Or rather, she wanted to know more about the girls surrounding Yukima Azuma.
That 600-page love letter addressed to the real-life heroineof course Yukino had already seen through it long ago.
She'd never brought it up before
Because of her state back then.
After leaving the Yukinoshita household, she'd been like a drifting leaf, lost with nowhere to belong.
Meeting Yukima Azumawas already an indescribable joy for her.
Later, once the aftermath from the Yukinoshita family had been settled, and after hearing Yukima Azuma confess his feelings to her multiple times
Naturally, Yukino had been moved.
However, back then, Laplace Corporation had just been founded and was still weathering storms.
To her, it was Yukima Azuma's labor of love.
Yukino threw herself into work, hoping to build Laplace into something strongto repay his kindness.
It wasn't until now
That Laplace had reached its first true moment of stability.
And Yukima Azuma had pulled her out of the hustle and bustle, bringing her to this secluded hot spring retreat
