novelhk Page 85
Page 85
"It's just a shooting game," Yuto said, feigning composure, but the upturned corners of his mouth betrayed his inner smugness.
"Hmph." Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at Eriri's happy expression and gave a soft hum, but her eyes were also filled with laughter.
Megumi Kato smiled and clapped.
Holding the giant capybara doll, Eriri was content, and the four of them continued to stroll around the festival.
"Shall we go scoop up some goldfish next?" Eriri suggested.
"Sawamura-kun, are you sure? I remember you seem to be not very good at this," Utaha said.
"(Two) Thirty-nine) I'm so nagging! I'm lucky today, I'm sure I'll make some money!"
However, reality is cruel. Eriri carefully chases the goldfish in the pond with a paper net, but the net always breaks at the crucial moment.
"Ugh! It's broken again!" Eriri stomped her foot in frustration.
Five minutes later, she had used up five paper nets but hadn't caught a single goldfish.
"Pfft." Shi Yu laughed mercilessly.
"Junior, why don't you give it a try?" Shiyu handed a paper net to Yuto.
Yuto looked down at the paper net in his hand, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu.
He knew the trick to catching goldfish: you can't use a paper net to chase them; you have to use the buoyancy of the water and your technique.
He inserted the paper net diagonally into the water, slowly approached a goldfish, and then quickly and gently scooped it up.
A small red goldfish was successfully scooped up and put into a plastic bag.
“Wow…” Eriri exclaimed again.
Yuto, in one go, scooped up three goldfish before the paper net broke.
"Here you go." He handed the bag containing the goldfish to Eriri.
"Thank you..." Eriri took the bag, looking at the little goldfish swimming inside, a happy smile on her face.
“Itsuka-kun, you’re very skilled,” Kato Megumi said.
"I used to play this a lot when I was a kid." Yuto Itsuka couldn't say that he learned it through practice in a simulator.
As evening approached, the festival drew to a close.
“Let’s go to the shrine to pay our respects,” Shiyu suggested.
The four of them walked through the bustling stalls and arrived at the main hall of Otonashi Shrine. Compared to the noise outside, it was much quieter here.
They took turns dropping coins into the offering box, ringing the bell, then clasped their hands together and closed their eyes in prayer.
After the worship ceremony, the four prepared to leave.
"What wishes did you make?" Eriri asked curiously.
"It won't work if you say it out loud, Sawamura-kun," Utaha laughed. "But judging from your devout look, are you hoping to improve your drawing skills? Or are you hoping your figure will..."
"No, that's not it!" Eriri immediately retorted. "My wish was... was..."
She glanced at Yuto, her cheeks slightly flushed, and didn't continue speaking.
"My wish is that 'Love Metronome' can be successfully adapted into an anime," Shiyu said frankly.
"How greedy! Where's Kato?" Eriri looked at Kato Megumi.
"I hope we can always be happy together like this," Hui said softly.
Where's Yuto?
"Me? I hope for world peace," Yuto replied casually.
"Tch, so perfunctory." Eriri pouted.
Just then, a sharp whistling sound suddenly came from the sky.
"Bang!" A huge firework burst in the night sky, illuminating the entire shrine.
"It's fireworks!" Eriri exclaimed in surprise.
Fireworks soared into the sky one after another, their colorful lights weaving a magnificent picture across the night.
The four stopped and looked up at the sky.
The light from the fireworks shone on their faces, flickering on and off.
Eriri's eyes reflected the fireworks, sparkling with excitement.
A faint smile played on Shi Yu's lips, her eyes deep and thoughtful.
Kato Megumi gazed quietly at the sky, her expression gentle.
Looking at this scene, Yuto Itsuka felt a long-lost sense of peace and contentment.
This is what summer should be like.
The fireworks lasted for more than ten minutes. As the last firework disappeared into the night sky, the crowd gradually dispersed.
"Let's go back," Yuto said.
The four of them returned to the inn along the same route they had come from. Eriri, carrying a capybara doll in one hand and a goldfish in the other, walked away contentedly.
It was already late at night when I returned to the East Sea Pavilion.
"I had so much fun today," Eriri yawned. "I feel like I've forgotten all the fatigue from this morning."
"Really? Then when we go to Kinosaki Coast tomorrow, make sure you don't get too tired to walk again," Shiyu said.
"Tomorrow is for tomorrow!"
"Get some rest," Yuto said. "Goodnight."
Goodnight, Itsuki.
Goodnight, junior.
Goodnight, Yuto.
……
……
[P.S.: After the training camp ends, I'll speed things up a bit and finish writing the Kasumigaoka route, which I haven't progressed on much before.]
[I might write a few more short stories during summer vacation, then fast forward to the start of school, where Mai joins the fray.]
Volume 1: Chapter 104: The more a person resists, the more they need companionship.
The fourth day of the Izu stay, Monday.
Today's itinerary is the Kinosaki Coast. Compared to the relaxation of Mount Omuro and the tranquility of Lake Ichigo, the Kinosaki Coast is famous for its magnificent cliffs and surging waves.
The four of them took the Tokai Bus from Ito Station to Kinosaki Coast Station.
"Sawamura-kun, you look great today." Kasumigaoka Utaha looked Eriri up and down. "Is it because you slept soundly last night while hugging the plush toy your junior won?"
"N-No, that's not true!" Eriri immediately retorted, but her ears turned slightly red. "I just... I just went to bed earlier last night!"
"Really? I think I heard someone laughing like an idiot in the middle of the night."
"You bullshit!"
Yuto Itsuka and Megumi Kato sat opposite each other, already used to their daily bickering.
"Itsuka-kun, the fireworks last night were beautiful," Kato Megumi said softly.
“Yes, that’s right.” Yuto nodded. “It’s rare to catch a festival like this, we’re lucky.”
When the train arrives at Kinosaki Coast Station, you will need to walk a distance to reach the coastline after getting off the train.
Walking along the forest path, you can smell the salty sea breeze and hear the sound of waves crashing against the rocks.
"Wow, what huge waves!" Eriri stood on the observation deck, watching the surging waves crashing against the black volcanic rocks below, sending up white sprays several meters high.
Kinosaki Coast is a lava coast formed by volcanic eruptions, characterized by its rugged terrain and spectacular scenery.
“The scenery here would be perfect as a scene for the final battle in a novel.” Kasumigaoka Utaha stood on the edge of the cliff, the sea breeze blowing through her long hair. She squinted her eyes, seemingly deep in thought.
"Kasumigaoka-senpai, it's dangerous standing so close to the edge," Kato Megumi warned.
"It's okay, if I fall, junior will come to save me, right?" Utaha turned to look at Yuto and gave him a seductive smile.
"I'll call an ambulance for you," Yuto said expressionlessly.
"How indifferent."
The four walked along the coastal trail, their destination the famous Kadowaki Suspension Bridge.
When they arrived at the suspension bridge, Eriri stopped in her tracks.
The Monwaki Suspension Bridge spans between two cliffs, measuring 48 meters long and 23 meters high, with the turbulent sea below. The bridge surface is made of wooden planks, which sway slightly when you walk on it, especially when the wind is strong, making you worry about being blown off.
Eriri's face turned a little pale.
"Sawamura-kun, are you afraid of heights again?" Shiyu laughed. "Who was it that insisted they weren't afraid when we were on the cable car yesterday?"
"This is different from a cable car! This is swaying!" Eriri gripped the railing, too afraid to go forward.
"Coward." Shi Yu shook her head and stepped onto the suspension bridge first.
Kato Megumi followed behind her, her steps steady.
"Let's go, Eriri." Yuto walked to Eriri's side. "Hold on tight to the handrail, it's okay."
"But...but..." Eriri looked at the rolling waves below the bridge, her legs feeling weak.
“I’ll walk ahead of you,” Yuto said, stepping onto the suspension bridge.
The suspension bridge swayed slightly with his steps, making creaking sounds.
Eriri took a deep breath, finally mustered her courage, and followed Yuto carefully onto the bridge.
"Don't look down, look at my back," Yuto said without turning his head.
Eriri stared intently at Yuto's back, gripping the railing tightly with both hands, and moved forward step by step.
When we reached the middle of the bridge, a strong gust of wind blew, and the suspension bridge swayed even more violently.
"Ah!" Eriri screamed in fright, crouching on the bridge, too scared to move.
“Eri?” Yuto stopped and turned to look at her.
"I...I'm too scared to go..." Eriri said, her voice trembling with tears.
Yuto sighed, walked back to her side, and reached out his hand: "Take my hand."
Eriri hesitated for a moment, then reached out with trembling hands and grasped Yuto's hand.
His palms are broad and warm, giving people a sense of security.
"Stand up and walk slowly." Yuto pulled her along and continued walking forward.
With Yuto's help, Eriri finally crossed the suspension bridge.
"Phew..." The feeling of her feet being firmly planted made her breathe a sigh of relief.
"Sawamura-kun, you're even more timid than I thought," Shiha teased, having already reached the other side.
"Stop nagging!" Eriri shook off Yuto's hand, her cheeks flushed.
"Is that so?" Shi Yu's gaze swept between the two of them, and she smiled without saying a word.
The four of them spent half a day exploring the Kinosaki coast, taking many photos and enjoying the magnificent sea view.
In the afternoon, they returned to Ito City, rested briefly at their hotel, and then began packing their luggage in preparation for returning to Tokyo the next day.
……
Tuesday, the last day of the Izu training camp.
In the early morning, the four bid farewell to the Tokaikan and took the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Inside the train carriage, Eriri and Shiho were both leaning back in their seats catching up on sleep; it seemed they had stayed up late again last night.
Kato Megumi was quietly watching the scenery outside the window.
Yuto Itsuka took out his phone and began organizing the photos he had taken over the past few days.