V1C2 Part1

Translated by Lemon Edited by Lemon

Chapter 2: Atami, Mt. Fuji Part 1

“Well, for now, let’s get ready for the trip.”

At Nanase’s suggestion, we took the Keihin Tohoku Line to Tokyo Station.

The Yaesu underground shopping mall in Tokyo Station is a huge shopping mall, so to speak.

Many stores were still open, as it was one of the most famous terminal stations in Japan.

Nanase first purchases a carry-on suitcase for the trip. Then she buys underwear, clothes, cosmetics, and I don’t know what it is, but she buys a lot of stuff. How did she get this much money?

I wondered, but resolved myself that her parents must be wealthy. And in no time at all, Nanase was fully equipped, as if traveling abroad. To avoid being questioned, she changed her uniform into plain clothes.

A high neck knit and plaid shirt.

Underneath, she was wearing skinny denim and short black boots.

It’s a stylish fashion that emphasizes ease of movement but also makes the most of the style.

I was naturally attracted to Nanase, a beautiful girl who is as good as any idol, in her casual clothes…

“What are you staring at?”

“I-I’m not looking at you, okay?”

“You don’t deny you’re looking.”

“Well, we’re walking together, so you’re in my line of sight.”

“What kind of quibble…is that? Oh right, so where are we going first?”

“Umm, where shall we go?”

“Where were you planning to go?”

“Somehow, I thought I would get on the train I wanted to get on and get off at the place I wanted to get off at, depending on my mood.”

Nanase frowned dubiously.

“At least decide on a destination. Even if you go from Shinjuku to Ikebukuro, it takes about 5 minutes depending on whether you take the Saikyo Line or the Yamanote Line, you know?”

“You don’t have to stick to anything minute by minute.”

Unlike me, who is a person who does not care about details and just takes action anyway, Nanase seems to be the type of person who carefully plans and makes a move. It is the exact opposite of what I am.

“Is there anywhere you want to go, Nanase?”

“Me? Umm…”

Nanase folds her arms, ponders for a moment, and then speaks plainly.

“Like heaven?”

“In this life, please.”

“… Then, maybe Atami?”

“You’ve made a pretty tough choice.”

“I-It can’t be helped. When I travel, I only think of hot springs, so it just fell on me.”

“Did it spring up only in hot springs?”

“You think you’re good at this?”

“I don’t think so, so let it slide.”

“Only for the free-flowing water?”

“That’s pretty good.”

Nanase sniffed with pride. Can you even make such a gesture?

“All right then, let’s go to Atami.”

“Eh… Is that okay? So easily?”

Nanase rolls her eyes, like a child who’s been given an unexpected reward.

“If you want to go, you go. That’s the kind of trip I’m talking about.”

“It’s a bit of a messy trip.”

“Call it a dangling trip.”

In addition to the purpose of this missiont, I also wanted to respond to Nanase’s request as much as possible.

I’m sure she’ll enjoy it more that way, and her emotions will be more positive.

“I remember Atami can be reached from Tokyo by the Ueno Tokyo Line, right?”

“Let’s take the bullet train. That’ll save us an hour.”

“You’re in an absurd hurry.”

“Time is money, you know. You should buy the time that money can buy.”

“The person who was just about to lose that time is saying something.”

“I’m in living mode right now. And I’ve pushed the values of the dying mode to the margins.”

What the heck is this mode? Well, I’ve got the money there, too, and since I’m here, why not?

We headed to the JR ticket counter to buy our express tickets.

◇◇◇

“Uwaaa~ ”

I sat on an unreserved seat on the Kodama train departing at 2:12 a.m. for Shizuoka on the Tokaido bullet train.

My voice naturally bursts out in amazement as I watch the night scenery whiz by through the bullet train’s window.

“You’re like a kid having a blast at the amusement park.”

Nanase, sitting on the aisle, said in disgust.

“Don’t you get excited too, bullet trains? Like the speed of screwing everything up, or the richness of a collapsible seat.”

This is a far cry from the Yamanote Line, which stops every few minutes and the seats are cramped in vertical rows.

“It’s not a surprise, that’s the kind of thing it is.”

“Oh, you’re cold as a rock.”

“What did you say?”

“No, nothing. Anyway…”

I say this as I sit back in my seat and think.

“I never thought I’d actually go.”

“What? You’re not happy?”

“Not that I’m complaining…but my head hasn’t caught up with the situation.”

When I stopped the most beautiful girl in our grade from committing suicide, we ended up traveling together.

What a title for a light novel.

“I’m aware of the drastic decision I’ve made.”

“I’m glad to see you’re aware of that.”

“The decision to accompany a pervert who suddenly embraces me.”

“That way!? That was a situation that had to be handled.”

“I’ve been feeling oddly fidgety for a long now, but is that simply how things are?”

“No no no, something like that…”

… There might be. Of course, I’m nervous about standing shoulder to shoulder with the most beautiful girl in my class. But, more significantly, I believe I’m on pins and needles wondering how to properly communicate with the person who was about to die only minutes before. My every word could change Nanase’s mind. And thinking about that makes me feel like I’m going through a minefield.

“You don’t have to be so uptight.”

Nanase says, as if she read my mind

“… You notice that?”

“You are easy to understand. It’s uncomfortable to be cared for, so treat me normally. Don’t worry, I won’t die for now.”

Her words made my heart feel a lot better.

“I appreciate you saying that.”

“Be grateful.”

Just a little bit, Nanase lifts the corner of her mouth. The dainty smile was unintentionally stunning.

“Now you’re staring at me.”

“No, that’s…inevitable.”

“Inevitable? What do you mean?”

Nanase comes closer to my face.

“T-that’s…”

“That’s?”

A mischievous, devilish smile loomed before me. My head bobbed languidly as a gentle, sweet aroma wafted across the air. Apparently, Nanase is pleased when she has an advantage over others.

That’s no good, in many ways.

“T-that’s right! If you want me to treat you normally, you should do something about the ‘you’ thing.”

When I forced her to change the subject, Nanase blandly frowned.

“You want me to call you by your nickname? I don’t want to, we’re not a couple.”

“I’m not suggesting that we close the distance that much.”

“What is someone who just now physically closed the distance to zero saying now?”

“Kuh… That return is not even a spurious one.”

“But, right… surname calling, that was a blind spot.”

“Blind spot is an exaggeration to say.”

“I didn’t have anyone to call by my last name, so I basically called everyone ‘you.’ ”

Indeed, I have never seen Nanase talking to other classmates in the classroom.

She is a talented girl who boasts of being the top student in her year in both grades and sports, and she is a solitary, beautiful girl who goes her own way, without congregating with anybody. To put it another way, she’s a high-spec blob.

“Are you thinking of something rude?”

“That’s not true.”

I suddenly thought. Nanase’s mannerisms may be due to the fact that she is simply not good at communicating with others, and the term “you” may be a term of endearment that comes from Nanase’s unique sense of distance.

“Takahashi-kun?”

“Hah?”

“I’m gonna throw you out the window.”

“Why!?”

“Because you react like you’re only using half of your brain when I’ve just had the courage to call you by your last name. Did you erase it?”

“That’s a scary thing to say, isn’t it?”

“Ah, I wonder if it was never there to begin with?”

“No, If you didn’t have it, you wouldn’t be able to speak in the first place…”

“That’s true, too.”

For a moment, Nanase’s expression shadowed.

“… Well, you see… But you call me by my last name.”

I think there was an oddly implied pause, but maybe I’m imagining it.

In any case, when my last name was called, an announcement was made that the train was approaching Atami Station. It was really just a moment, and once again I marveled at the speed of the bullet train.

The cool air caressed my cheeks as I got off the bullet train, passed through the ticket gates, and exited the station.

Perhaps it was the proximity to the ocean, or perhaps the temperature was lower than in Tokyo. Despite the fact that it was a tourist destination, it was late at night, and the plaza in front of Atami station was deserted.

“Oh…”

I blurted out owing to the scenery reflected in my field of vision. Despite the fact that Atami has a strong image of being a hot spring resort, I had the impression that it was more urban than I had thought. Older buildings with large signage reminiscent of the Showa era were intermingled with newer buildings that house McDonald’s and FamilyMart.

To the right of the station, facing the station, were two entrances to a large shopping street, and to the left was a line of cabs, even though it was late at night.

My heart naturally fretted at the situation of being away from my parents’ eyes.

“I never thought that my destination would change from the underworld to Atami.”

I ignored Nanase’s mutterings.

“For now, let’s stay at the inn today and prepare for tomorrow. It’s a quirky weekday, so I’m sure some of the hotels are available.”

“I reserved a business hotel in front of the station earlier, so let’s go.”

“Aren’t you too well-prepared?”

“Your lack of planning is too much. I took two rooms, so don’t get your hopes up, okay?”

“What do you think I am?”

“Lust.”

“That’s not even a person, just a concept!”

“You’re being too loud, don’t you have any manners? Now, let’s go.”

“Whose fault is it?”

With a sigh, I followed behind Nanase as she rolled her carry-on case.

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