Seishun Buta Yarou Series - Volume 12 - Chapter 5

Last Chapter - Holy Night

Sakuta was looking up at the half-moon at the heart of a natural landscape painting, framed by the awning above and the blinds on either side.

The moon floated alone in a jet-black sky.

Like the moon, Sakuta was alone in the outdoor bath.

No sounds of human life.

Like he was alone in the world.

All he could hear was the gentle breeze.

That and the windswept leaves.

And the bubbling of the water flowing into the bath.

These gentle sounds were a balm for the soul.

“This is great.”

The words slipped out of him.

The view from the deck was picturesque, and the natural hot springs flowed into the bath attached to their room—both were his alone.

How could he not enjoy it?

They’d dropped Sara back at Fujisawa Station and headed to the inn in Hakone. Mai had called ahead to let them know they’d be late.

It was almost eight when they arrived, but the staff welcomed them warmly.

Sakuta and Mai sat down to a luxurious meal and, after a brief break, went to enjoy the hot springs.

“Having an outdoor bath in your own room…what could be better?”

When they’d arrived, the second he saw the exterior, Sakuta felt like nobody would ever stay here alone. That impression only got stronger as he stepped onto the grounds, when he saw how big the garden was, and when they reached the room.

He was astonished that the room came with a private outdoor bath, but the biggest surprise was that the room had a second story. The first floor was a living room, and the bedrooms were upstairs. Each “room” in this place was practically a house.

He quietly inquired as to the price, but Mai merely said it was a suitable match for her birthday present.

Sakuta chose not to press for specifics. Some things were best left unknown. He was here already, so he might as well enjoy it. There was no point holding back now. They had to take full advantage of the money spent.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, the sliding door rattled open.

These glass doors divided the room from the deck.

“Well? How’s the water?” Mai asked. She was in the yukata and haori the inn provided. Her hair was freshly washed and done up in a loose bun.

“It’s great.”

“Good.”

“How was the big bath?”

“I had the place to myself, so it was quite relaxing.”

“Maybe I’ll go have a swim later.”

The bath in their room was hardly big enough. It was exactly the right size for two grown-ups to stretch out in. On his own, Sakuta could spread his limbs all he wanted.

“Don’t. I’d rather not be banned.”

She looked at least 50 percent serious.

Perhaps she thought he was in a mood to actually do that. She had a point; if she hadn’t said anything, his base instincts might have taken hold. The thrill of this stay was totally going to his head.

“If you’d get in with me, I’d have nothing to gripe about,” he said.

He cast a baleful glare back at the room. Mai’s manager, Ryouko, had just come in. Her face was flushed from the heat, and she was fanning herself with one hand.

“Ryouko checking in ahead is the only reason our reservation didn’t get canceled.”

Mai’s look clearly meant “Be grateful.”

“I am grateful!”

But said aloud, it sounded more put out than he’d expected.

“I guess it’s fine. It’s cold, so not for long.”

“What, really?”

He looked shocked, and Mai took off her tabi socks and stepped barefoot onto the deck. “Chilly!” she said, and she tiptoed over to the edge of the bath. She sat down sideways on a dry section of the bath’s rim. As she did, she grabbed the hem of her yukata and deftly pulled it up to knee height. A daring move that made his heart skip a beat.

Oblivious to his response, Mai proceeded to put her feet knee-deep in the bath.

Her legs dangled to one side, gleaming.

The way her hair was done seemed oddly sexy.

Seen through the steam rising off the bath, Mai had a very mature allure.

“Enough for you?” she asked, careful not to get her yukata wet.

“Um, Mai.”

“What? Is that a no?”

“The opposite. Nothing could be better.”

He was so excited he gave her two thumbs-up.

“Don’t make waves. You’ll get me wet.”

Mai raised one leg just enough to kick them back his way.

The spray caught him in the face.

“Oof!”

He wiped the water away. Mai was laughing.

“Oh, right. We just got a text from Futaba,” she said, pulling her phone out of her haori pocket.

“What’d she say?”

“If you’re with me, she wants to steal a minute. Wanna give her a call?”

Mai held out the phone.

“This is probably about you-know-what,” he said.

And that meant he didn’t really want to call. But when he took the phone, it was already ringing.

He held it to his ear, listening.

She picked up quick.

“Hello, Futaba speaking.”

She sounded polite, likely because given the number, it could have been Mai herself.

“Uh, it’s just me,” Sakuta said.

He heard a huge sigh. Not relief or disappointment. This was a warning she was about to grumble.

“Azusagawa, did you put that idea in Kasai’s head?”

“What’d he do?”

If Toranosuke’s dream came true, Rio had given him her answer today.

“I told him I couldn’t date a student, and he asked me to reconsider once he’d been accepted to his first choice.”

“Huh, smart move, Kasai.”

“It sounded like one of your lines, so I figured you put him up to it.”

“I wouldn’t have gone with reconsider. I’d have said ‘Go out with me then.’”

That was actually the line he’d fed Toranosuke. The boy must have found that too pushy and had softened it up a bit. Perhaps he simply couldn’t bring himself to actually say the words.

“Then you’d better step up.”

“How so?”

“You think I can keep teaching him after that?”

“It could be awkward, yeah.”

If he passed the exam, he’d planned to ask her out again. But it was Rio’s job to teach him what he needed to do that, which was a major conflict of interest.

“So you’d better take over and ensure he passes that test.”

Ominous.

“But wait, wasn’t his first choice…?”

“Same school I’m at.”

A national college with a very high rejection rate. Sakuta could never have made it in.

“That’s all. Tell Sakurajima I’m sorry for interrupting. Bye.”

“Wait, Futaba…”

The line went dead. She’d already hung up. And the call length had been exactly one minute.

He silently handed the phone back to Mai.

“What’d she say?”

“Sorry for interrupting.”

“Okay.”

Not just that, obviously, and Mai knew it. But she didn’t ask the rest.

She probably thought she didn’t need to.

They were at a hot springs in Hakone.

Sakuta and Mai together.

Not just them, but still…a tranquil moment together.

And she wanted to revel in it.

So did Sakuta.

But nothing lasts forever.

“Okay, get out before you catch a cold,” Ryouko said, disturbing their peace. She was giving them a look from the sliding door. It was very much the warm gaze of a grown-up chaperoning a giddy young couple.

But that only highlighted how fulfilling this moment was.

“Thanks for today, Mai.”

She looked momentarily thrown but didn’t ask for what. Instead, she smiled and said, “You’re welcome.”

They were happy.

This was their happy place.

That night, sleeping forlornly alone in the first-floor living room, Sakuta had a dream. One so real it felt like it was actually happening.

Many a young person shared the same dream.

A ton of students at Sakuta’s college.

A bunch from Minegahara High.

Tomoe among them.

And Rio.

And Nodoka.

Kaede had the dream, too.

And Uzuki.

And Ikumi.

And Sara with them.

Kento, Juri, and Toranosuke all had the same dream.

When she woke up the next morning, Mai alone had seen nothing in her sleep.