I ended up in a group I didn't get along with 

School Trip: Day two

Morning, huh? It must be morning.

 

Even though my brain understood that, my body felt as heavy as lead and refused to move. I wanted to stay immersed in my dreams, so I burrowed further beneath the covers. I don’t want to get up yet. I want at least another two hours of sleep.

 

“Hioki, come on, wake up.”

 

Unfortunately, my wishes went unanswered. The sounds around me grew louder, and someone began shaking me. When I finally managed to lift my heavy eyelids, the brightness made me furrow my brow. After several seconds of squinting, I blinked until my blurry vision began to clear. I felt around for my glasses, only for someone to gently take my hand and place the thin frames in my palm.

 

“You’re awake? Morning.”

 

Once my vision cleared, I found Watarai smiling softly at me. Combined with the morning sunlight streaming through the open shoji screens, he was practically dazzling.

 

“Hioki! Good morning! You’re late!”

 

The sudden booming voice behind me made my shoulders jump. I turned around to find the head of year standing there with his feet planted firmly apart, looking thoroughly imposing.

 

“…Eh? Ah, good morning. I’m sorry.”

 

Still unable to understand what was happening, I hurriedly greeted him and apologised. Looking around, I spotted our form teacher and Hotta struggling to wake Nakazato and Morisaki, who were still fast asleep. Come to think of it, I hadn’t checked what time the teachers would be making their morning rounds.

 

Unfortunately, it seemed none of us had managed to wake up before they arrived. I made my way to the bathroom sluggishly and got ready. When I returned to our room, Nakazato and Morisaki had finally woken up and were receiving a mild telling-off from the head of year and our form teacher.

 

After seeing off the visibly exhausted teachers, I relaxed and collapsed face-first onto my futon again. I could definitely fall asleep again if I tried.

 

“Oh, wow. Look at that sunrise!”

 

Hotta’s voice made me twitch.

 

Following his gaze, I got to my feet and looked out of the window. The inn stood on higher ground than the surrounding residential neighbourhood. If I looked carefully, I could even see the sea. The townscape glittered beneath the rising sun, making for a beautiful sight.

 

“The morning sun is gorgeous.”

 

“I reckon the morning sun and the colours of sunrise are the prettiest.”

 

“I’m taking a photo.”

 

Nakazato, Hotta and Morisaki had gathered by the window, expressing their admiration for the scenery.

 

“Hioki, come over here too. The morning sun is really beautiful… Hioki?”

 

When Watarai turned towards me, confusion crept into his expression. The other three noticed his reaction and turned around as well, only to look equally bewildered. Well, of course they did.

 

After all, my face had turned bright red. Unable to bear it, I lowered my head and covered my face with my hands. The reason behind my embarrassment only made it worse. After a little while, I heard someone moving across the tatami mats, followed by a gentle hand settling on my shoulder.

 

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

 

I weakly shook my head at Watarai’s question.

 

“Maybe we really should tell a teacher…”

 

Seeing how strangely I was behaving, Hotta also spoke up. The guilt of making everyone worry began to outweigh my embarrassment. Still looking down, I slowly removed my hands from my face. I’m sure it was still bright red. Nobody teased me. They simply waited for me to speak.

 

Right. I suppose I have to tell them. I really do, don’t I?

 

“…Because…”

 

My voice was so faint that it barely seemed capable of reaching anyone in the otherwise silent room.

 

“Hm?”

 

Watarai gently took my hand.

 

“…It’s because…”

 

“It’s all right. Take your time.”

 

No matter how hard I tried, my voice kept coming out ridiculously quiet. Yet all four of them waited patiently. Just say it. You can worry about what happens afterwards.

 

Summoning my courage, I drew a small breath.

 

“…B-because… my… my name is… Asahi.”

 

Well, I’d managed to say it. But hearing myself explain it aloud made the whole thing sound even more ridiculous. Basically, here’s what happened. My name is Asahi, which means morning sun.

 

And because those four kept saying how beautiful the morning sun was, my half-asleep brain had automatically interpreted their comments as compliments about me. Just as I’d feared, silence fell between the five of us. What do I do?

 

Should I say, “Just kidding”? After getting so embarrassed and making everyone worry? I can already picture them throwing me out of the window. Seriously, what am I supposed to do?

 

Somebody help me.

 

“What’s that? That’s adorable.”

 

“Eh?”

 

At those completely unexpected words, my head shot up. But before I could even process what was happening, I somehow found myself wrapped in Watarai’s arms.

 

“You scared me! I thought something much more serious had happened!”

 

“Same here. I thought you had some sort of medical condition.”

 

“God, I got worked up over nothing.”

 

From within Watarai’s embrace, I peered over his shoulder at Nakazato, Hotta and Morisaki. All three were laughing in relief. By some miracle, it seemed I’d got away with nothing more than a little embarrassment. What wonderful people.

 

Their kindness helped me regain my composure, and I pulled away from Watarai. I should probably wash this embarrassment away. Literally. Picking up my towel, I headed back to the bathroom to cool my overheated face.

 

“Good morning, everyone! Did you all sleep well? Although it seems some students were a little too relaxed!”

 

The head of year’s voice echoed through the large dining hall. When his gaze briefly swept towards us, every single one of us looked away in a different direction. We should have just acted normally. Instead, we’d practically confessed, Yes, he’s talking about our group!

 

Breakfast on the second day of our school trip was Japanese-style. The dishes were similar to the makunouchi bento we’d eaten on yesterday’s bullet train, but freshly prepared, piping-hot food had a deliciousness all of its own. While I enjoyed the more luxurious breakfast, my four groupmates picked at their food with gloomy expressions.

 

I had a pretty good idea why. It was probably because of today’s big event, the one all four of them were dreading.

 

“Do you really hate the free-time activity that much?”

 

Four heads nodded simultaneously. During our free time, we were supposed to explore together with a group of girls. I remembered how absolutely delighted the girls had been when they’d won the opportunity to spend the day with a group full of exceptionally good-looking boys.

 

Surely they didn’t need to be this miserable about it… Or so I thought. But after listening to last night’s romantic discussions — otherwise known as the Great Reopening of Emotional Wounds — I could understand why their shoulders were drooping.

 

“The teachers aren’t going to be watching us the whole time, are they? Why don’t you just agree on a meeting time and go your separate ways?”

 

“…You’ve got a point.”

 

Nakazato answered briefly and fell silent. It seemed to take him a moment to finish processing both the rice in his mouth and my suggestion. Then his expression suddenly brightened.

 

“That’s it!”

 

The moment he saw a glimmer of hope, the atmosphere around the table began to recover, with Nakazato leading the way. Our destination during free time was a theme park that had recently been featured on television. It had only just opened, and the reviews had been pretty favourable so far.

 

“Hioki, you can’t handle roller coasters, right?”

 

Morisaki, who apparently wasn’t much of a breakfast person, put down his chopsticks as he spoke. He was right. I wasn’t good with thrill rides. That was why I’d planned to stay behind while everyone else went on them.

 

When I nodded in confirmation, he tilted his head slightly.

 

“So what kind of rides can you go on?”

 

“As long as they’re not too intense, I’m fine.”

 

“Then why don’t you ride the merry-go-round while we’re gone?”

 

“No, thanks.”

 

I shook my head. Morisaki stared at me as though he couldn’t understand what I was even looking forward to. I instinctively averted my gaze.

 

The truth was that, when we were deciding where to go, there were other destinations besides the theme park. When I mentioned that I couldn’t handle thrill rides, all four of them had considerately suggested changing our destination. But I’d somehow persuaded them by insisting that I’d enjoy myself once we got there.

 

My official excuse was that I didn’t want to spoil the group’s fun just because of my own preferences. The truth? I’d felt pressured by the girls. It hadn’t been my choice at all.

 

“Right, everyone! Have you all finished eating? We’ve got another packed schedule today, so—”

 

As I was considering how to pass the time while waiting for everyone, the head of year’s voice reached my ears. Apparently, breakfast was already over. We would be staying at a different hotel tonight, which meant this would be our last meal at this inn.

 

Thinking about it made me feel a little sad. Unlike last night, I stood up before the dining hall doors were opened. And just like last night, Watarai fell into step beside me.

 

“Let’s sit together at the front of the bus today.”

 

“That’s fine, but… are the other three okay with that?”

 

“Who knows? I’m sure it’s fine.”

 

Watarai answered casually before turning around.

 

“Hioki and I are sitting together on today’s bus.”

 

Rather than asking for permission, Watarai simply informed them of his decision and turned back around. Since nobody complained, I assumed they’d accepted it. Behind us came what sounded like cries of utter despair.

 

They were probably playing rock-paper-scissors to decide who had to sit beside the girls. I couldn’t help smiling wryly at Nakazato’s anguished cries. Then a question suddenly occurred to me.

 

Was sitting beside me actually enjoyable?

 

Generally speaking, if someone talked to me, I’d respond. If I had something to say, I’d start a conversation myself. And if there was nothing to talk about, I simply wouldn’t say anything. That was all there was to it. It wasn’t as though my conversation was particularly entertaining.

 

The more I thought about it, the more mysterious it seemed. I looked up at Watarai walking beside me. Noticing my gaze, he turned his handsome, perfectly proportioned face towards me.

 

Should I ask him? What is it about me that you like? … Nope.

 

Absolutely not. What am I, some clingy boyfriend? In the end, I couldn’t bring myself to ask. Instead, I said something completely different.

 

“I’m looking forward to today.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

His reply sounded genuinely happy. Under the watchful eyes of the inn’s staff, our bus pulled away. They continued waving until we rounded the corner, and I gave a small wave in return before turning my attention to the unfamiliar streets. It had rained last night, but today the sky was perfectly clear.

 

Sunlight illuminated the rain-soaked ground, making it sparkle like the surface of water.

 

“Come to think of it, Hioki, what do you usually do on your days off?”

 

Watarai spoke while I was gazing out of the window. At his question, I let out a thoughtful hum. I didn’t have any particular hobby I was passionate about, so I couldn’t immediately think of an answer. Trying to come up with something, I thought back over my recent weekends.

 

“I go out quite a lot, I suppose. Sometimes I end up carrying my sisters’ shopping bags.”

 

“Oh, you’ve got an older sister?”

 

“Two, actually.”

 

“Ah… that explains it.”

 

He said it almost as though he’d known all along.

 

“What does?”

 

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking aloud.”

 

Watarai smiled, apparently satisfied with whatever conclusion he’d reached. What the hell? Now I’m curious. He sometimes said things that left me feeling strangely unsettled.

 

Like yesterday, when we’d walked through the corridor holding hands. Even when I tried to get an explanation out of him, he’d simply stay quiet and wait for me to give up. Sneaky.

 

Far too sneaky. Just because you’ve got a handsome face doesn’t mean you can get away with everything.

 

“Do you have any brothers or sisters, Watarai?”

 

It wasn’t much of a revenge tactic, but I decided to throw the question back at him.

 

“Yeah, I’ve got a younger brother. He’s ten years younger than me, though.”

 

“Ah… that explains it.”

 

So that was why he was always looking after people. Now I understood why he’d taken such devoted care of me.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“Oh, nothing.”

 

Imitating Watarai from a moment ago, I gave him a sweet smile. In the end, it seemed I’d managed to get my revenge after all. Serves you right. Now you can be the one left wondering.

 

While I was busy being ridiculously stubborn, someone’s shout reached my ears.

 

“DEER!”

 

…What? Deer? What do you mean, deer? As in, an actual deer?

 

At that single shout, practically everyone in our class pressed themselves against the windows, peering down at the road. Curious, I leaned towards the window too, but I couldn’t see anything resembling a deer from our seat.

 

“Oh, there it is.”

 

Watarai murmured beside me. I lifted my head from the window and turned towards him. He was leaning his head towards the aisle. Oh, over there.

 

Driven by curiosity, I leaned across towards the aisle. At that exact moment— THUNK!

 

“Ow…!”

 

My head collided with Watarai’s forehead just as he was straightening up. We both clutched our heads in pain. This was definitely my fault.

 

“S-sorry!”

 

“No, I’m sorry too.”

 

Completely forgetting about the deer, I settled back into my seat and examined Watarai. Although it was partly hidden beneath his fringe, the area where we’d collided had turned slightly red. Even though touching it wouldn’t make the pain disappear, I reached out and gently stroked his reddened forehead, almost as if I could somehow atone for my crime.

 

How many years in prison would I get for injuring such a handsome man? And I’d gone and damaged his face, of all things. It might be a life sentence. Goodbye, my future.

 

“Seriously, it’s fine.”

 

While I was entertaining these ridiculous thoughts and gently rubbing his forehead, Watarai caught my wrist. For once, he looked a little embarrassed.

 

“Sorry.”

 

I apologised again and withdrew my hand. Maybe he was embarrassed because I’d treated him like a little child. Honestly, I’m sorry for everything.

 

“If I’d been a samurai, I’d have committed seppuku.”

 

“You really don’t need to go that far.”

 

When I delivered my declaration with complete seriousness, Watarai burst out laughing. By the morning of the second day of our school trip, we were surrounded by deer.

 

“Right, everyone! We’re heading towards the main hall now!”

 

Our form teacher’s voice carried across the area. Taking that as our signal, we hurriedly distributed our remaining deer crackers to whichever deer happened to catch our eye.

 

“Come to think of it, there are students from other schools here too. I don’t recognise their uniforms, though.”

 

Hotta looked around as he skilfully navigated the crowded path, avoiding tourists and deer alike. He was right. There were students scattered here and there wearing unfamiliar uniforms.

 

I wondered which schools they attended.

 

“Watch where you’re going, or you’ll bump into something.”

 

While I was distracted by the students from other schools, someone tugged my arm.

 

“Sorry. There are loads of people, aren’t there?”

 

“No, I meant the deer.”

 

“The deer…?”

 

I repeated Watarai’s words. Looking ahead, I saw several deer standing directly in our path.

 

Well, obviously, deer couldn’t speak human languages, and they certainly weren’t going to politely move aside for people walking towards them. I bowed slightly to the deer I would have walked straight into if Watarai hadn’t pulled me away. Whether by coincidence or not, the deer lowered its impressive antlers and bowed back.

 

What an intelligent fellow. Perhaps I could actually communicate with him. Leaving the deer-filled area behind, we passed through an enormous, imposing gate. Beyond it stretched a breathtakingly beautiful garden.

 

“It’s huge.”

 

“Oh, there are koi in the pond.”

 

“Don’t they sell fish food or something?”

 

“Wait, are we even allowed to take photos?”

 

Despite their appearances, all four seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the garden. I know it’s rude, but I’d honestly assumed they wouldn’t be interested in somewhere that was mainly about sightseeing. The moment we received permission to take photographs, they started snapping away enthusiastically.

 

Watching their backs as they took picture after picture, I took out my own phone. Before I knew it, I was completely absorbed in photographing the beautifully maintained scenery. Then, from somewhere in the distance, I heard someone calling my name.

 

Looking towards the voice, I saw Nakazato beckoning to me. Apparently, I’d wandered quite far away from the others without realising it. I shoved my phone into my pocket and hurried towards them.

 

On my way, I passed some students from another school. Their elegant white uniforms and elaborately embroidered school crests suggested they attended a private high school.

 

“Asahi?”

 

A girl’s voice called out just as we passed one another. Hearing that familiar voice for the first time in ages, I stopped walking.

 

“It really is Asahi!”

 

When I turned around, the girl’s face immediately lit up. Her long, glossy black hair swayed as she hurried towards me. She was Anna Ikegaya, a classmate from middle school.

 

I’d once helped her with her romantic troubles.

 

“It’s been about a year, hasn’t it? You’ve grown taller!”

 

Seeing how little she’d changed brought back a wave of nostalgia.

 

“I suppose. Are you on a school trip too, Anna?”

 

“Yep!”

 

“I don’t recognise your uniform. Which high school did you go to?”

 

“Ah! I actually took the entrance exam for a high school outside our prefecture. I really wanted to wear this uniform!”

 

Ikegaya beamed happily, swaying from side to side to show off her elaborate uniform.

 

“Well? Does it suit me?”

 

“…Yeah, it suits you.”

 

“Don’t tell such an obvious lie!”

 

How did she know? To be perfectly honest, I’d never particularly cared about school uniforms, so I couldn’t understand her enthusiasm. Still, I thought I deserved some credit for at least attempting a compliment.

 

“You’re never going to be popular with girls like that.”

 

“Mind your own business!”

 

“Hioki! Hurry up! We’re taking the group photo, so—”

 

Whatever I was about to say to Ikegaya was drowned out by a hurried voice. Turning around, I found Watarai standing there, slightly out of breath.

 

“Ah! Sorry!”

 

I’d completely forgotten that I was supposed to be hurrying back. And now he’d actually had to come looking for me. I felt terrible. I turned back towards Ikegaya, intending to quickly end our conversation, but Watarai, who’d supposedly been in such a hurry, spoke first.

 

“A friend of yours?”

 

“Eh…? Ah, yeah. A friend from middle school.”

 

I nodded rather awkwardly and glanced at Ikegaya. She was staring at Watarai with her mouth slightly open. Then she muttered something under her breath.

 

“Oh my God. He’s seriously gorgeous.”

 

It seemed her inner thoughts had escaped. While Ikegaya stood there looking utterly enchanted, Morisaki and Nakazato arrived as well, having followed Watarai to find me. Predictably, the moment Ikegaya saw them, her inner thoughts started spilling out all over again.

 

“Oi, seriously, we need to get going.”

 

Hotta, the last to arrive, was the only one who reacted differently.

 

“Hotta!”

 

“Oh, Ikegaya! Long time no see.”

 

“It’s been ages! How’ve you been? Wait, I didn’t know you and Asahi were friends.”

 

“We only got to know each other on this school trip.”

 

“Really? What brought you two together?”

 

“Anna, sorry, but we really have to go.”

 

Sensing that their conversation was about to drag on, I hurriedly interrupted. I knew this was my fault, but we really needed to get back. Ikegaya made a dissatisfied noise at being interrupted, but apparently remembered that she was on a school trip herself and glanced back towards her friends.

 

“Well, see you! Sorry for holding you all up!”

 

Her glossy black hair swished as she turned away.

 

“Asahi! I’ll message you again, so stop leaving my messages unread!”

 

Her cheerful voice rang through the crowd. She’d probably interrogate me about Watarai and the others until she’d satisfied her curiosity. What a nuisance. Maybe I’ll just leave her messages unread again.

 

“Seriously, I’m sorry. Let’s go.”

 

I called to the four of them, and we headed towards the place where our classmates had gathered. Our form teacher was waiting there with her arms crossed.

 

“You’re late! It’s a good thing the photographer hasn’t arrived yet, but… what were you doing?”

 

“Ah, well… I was helping a girl.”

 

Wanting to avoid any unnecessary trouble, I blurted out a lie on the spot. Our form teacher narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Then she tilted her head towards the four boys standing behind me.

 

“Really?”

 

Standing beside her, I silently pressured them. Please. I’m begging you. Just nod.

 

Thankfully, the four exchanged glances before nodding as requested. Our form teacher stared at me silently for a while. Then she gave my arm a playful nudge.

 

“Not bad!”

 

I’d just been praised for lying. I felt a little guilty, but it was better than getting told off. After watching our teacher head towards the photographer, who had finally arrived, I turned towards the four boys.

 

“Thanks. You saved me.”

 

“You owe us one.”

 

Morisaki raised his index finger with a mischievous smile. Well, this time it really was my fault, so I couldn’t complain. As for Watarai, if I included all the trouble I’d caused him since yesterday, I probably owed him about ten favours by now.

 

“Time for the photo! Everyone, line up!”

 

Our form teacher raised her hand beside the photographer. Time continued to tick away. Before I knew it, there was less than an hour left until today’s big event.

 

“Make sure you’re all back at this station in four hours! Right, you’re dismissed!”

 

And just like that, our free time had begun. Several groups besides ours had apparently decided to visit the theme park. On the road leading towards the entrance gates, I spotted students wearing our school uniform everywhere. The four boys I’d been worried about had looked gloomy immediately after we were dismissed, but their spirits steadily improved as we approached the park.

 

“I really want a hot dog.”

 

“I want churros.”

 

“Nah, it’s got to be popcorn.”

 

Hotta, Nakazato and Morisaki were openly staring at their phones while walking. It was nearly midday, so naturally, food had become the main topic of conversation.

 

“Hey, hey! We want to go to the haunted house. Will you come with us?”

 

One of the girls suddenly interrupted.

 

“Eh? Can’t we just split up at the entrance and meet back there afterwards?”

 

At Nakazato’s response, the girls exchanged glances before continuing.

 

“This theme park’s really popular, so apparently the teachers are going to be patrolling it too. If they catch us splitting up, we’ll get told off!”

 

“Exactly! Please!”

 

They pressed their palms together, looking up at the boys pleadingly. Come to think of it, I’d completely forgotten about the teachers. What if they caught us going our separate ways?

 

Would I be sentenced to riding the spinning teacups with the head of year?

 

“It’s fine. It’s only a haunted house.”

 

Surprisingly, the person who broke the silence was Morisaki. What? What’s got into him? I couldn’t believe it.

 

Of everyone here, he’d been the one I’d expected to refuse most strongly. Judging by their expressions, Watarai, Hotta and Nakazato were equally surprised. I was just beginning to admire how much Morisaki had matured in such a short time when he added:

 

“But you’re all walking in front.”

 

What an incredibly unmanly thing to say. Naturally, the girls immediately protested. Morisaki gave the girls who were complaining a puzzled look. Well, of course he did.

 

It wasn’t as though they genuinely wanted to visit the haunted house in the first place. In the end, we gave in to the girls’ enthusiasm and agreed to go. I hadn’t told anyone, but I wasn’t particularly good with horror attractions either.

 

If they found out, they’d probably tease me. Besides, I hadn’t expected us to visit the haunted house at all. This was a serious miscalculation. While I was busy planning how to survive the haunted house, we’d somehow arrived at the entrance gates.

 

The moment we stepped into the park, cheerful music greeted us.

 

“Let’s get some ears!”

 

An excited Nakazato pointed towards a nearby shop. Following him inside, we entered a shop filled with soft, relaxing music.

 

“Hioki, these are yours.”

 

While I was admiring the neatly arranged merchandise, Watarai placed a headband on my head. I glanced into a nearby full-length mirror. A pair of pale brown ears, decorated with darker markings, had appeared on top of my head.

 

They seemed to be modelled after a ginger tabby cat. Watarai put on a pair of reddish-brown ears himself, then tilted his head and looked at me in the mirror.

 

“What do you think?”

 

“They suit you.”

 

When I told him so, his face immediately brightened with a delighted smile. The other three appeared to have finished choosing as well. Hotta had dog ears, Nakazato had bear ears, and Morisaki had black cat ears perched on their heads.

 

After leaving the shop, we headed straight towards the food stalls… Or rather, we were supposed to. Apparently, creating memories was more important to them than satisfying their hunger, because they immediately started taking photos. I dutifully accompanied them throughout their impromptu photo session until they were finally satisfied.

 

Only then did we manage to head towards the food stalls. Along the way, several members of the park staff called out to us. As expected of a theme park.

 

The staff were excellent at creating a lively atmosphere, and their enthusiastic greetings naturally lifted my spirits too. With a hot dog purchased from one of the stalls, I settled into a seat on the terrace. As luck would have it, the parade was just beginning.

 

Costumed characters whose names I didn’t know marched past, accompanied by performers carrying musical instruments. Loud, colourful music filled the park. The surrounding visitors were waving and clapping along, creating a wonderfully lively atmosphere. While I was distracted by the parade, someone gently tapped my shoulder.

 

“You’ve got ketchup on your face.”

 

I turned to find Watarai pointing towards the corner of his own mouth. I stuck out my tongue and tried to lick it away. Apparently, I’d got the wrong side, because he smiled and laughed.

 

“The other side.”

 

I tried sticking my tongue out towards the opposite corner, but I couldn’t tell whether I’d managed to clean it. Giving up, I reached for a paper napkin. Before I could grab one, Watarai had already wiped the ketchup away with a tissue.

 

Ah. That’s a bit childish, isn’t it? Feeling embarrassed, I glanced towards the other three.

 

Fortunately, they were all engrossed in watching the performers and didn’t seem to have noticed our little exchange. After finishing our slightly unsatisfying lunch, we headed straight for the roller coaster. Personally, I thought going on such an intense ride immediately after eating sounded like a wonderful way to throw up your entire lunch.

 

But I supposed youth would somehow see them through.

 

“Seriously, are you going to be all right on your own?”

 

“Don’t let any of the teachers catch you.”

 

“The queue might be pretty long.”

 

They sounded like people leaving a child home alone for the very first time. I nodded in response to Nakazato, Morisaki and Hotta’s worried questions. Then I heard the girls calling them over.

 

“Message me if anything happens.”

 

With those final words, Watarai followed the other three towards the queue. I’d probably only have to wait about thirty minutes. Without a care in the world, I opened the park brochure and examined the area surrounding the roller coaster. My eyes wandered across the map until they landed on an advertisement for a limited-edition milkshake.

 

Immediately captivated, I started walking towards it. Or at least, I tried to. Because something suddenly tugged at my trousers. What the hell?

 

Some kind of pervert? It wasn’t as though this area was deserted. Quite the opposite, actually. We were right beside the roller coaster, so it was particularly crowded.

 

Whoever this was, they were being ridiculously bold. I turned around, only to find nobody standing behind me. And yet the tugging continued. From below.

 

Lowering my gaze, I discovered a little boy standing there, clutching the hem of my trousers.

 

“Mummy…”

 

“…I’m afraid you’ve got the wrong person.”

 

For some reason, I found myself speaking unusually politely to a small child. The boy, who was probably lost, screwed up his face as though he were about to burst into tears. Well…

 

I suppose I should help him find his mother. I’ve got time to spare while the others are queuing anyway. I was about to send a quick message to our group chat, just to let everyone know, but apparently the little boy couldn’t wait.

 

He tugged at my trousers again, even harder this time. Please stop. If you pull my trousers down in front of everyone, I’ll be the one who gets labelled a pervert. Giving up, I put my phone away.

 

Holding my trousers securely in place, I crouched down until I was at the boy’s eye level.

 

“Up!”

 

Before I could even speak, his little chubby arms wrapped themselves around my neck. Apparently, that was what he’d been trying to tell me by pulling on my trousers. I’d never picked up a child before, so I awkwardly slipped my hands beneath his arms and lifted him.

 

He was heavier than he looked. From his newly elevated position, he began turning his head this way and that, looking around curiously.

 

“Where did you come from?”

 

“Home.”

 

“Ah… that’s not quite what I meant. Where did you lose your mummy?”

 

“Over there.”

 

The boy pointed towards an area further inside the park. Trusting my remarkably uninformative little navigator, I headed in the direction he’d indicated. Meanwhile, the boy seemed fascinated by my headband.

 

He stared intently at the ears on my head. Eventually, his little hand reached upwards.

 

“Ah! Don’t do that!”

 

The headband fell to the ground. I crouched down to retrieve it, but apparently the boy was unhappy about being put down. His eyes filled with tears as he wrapped himself around my leg.

 

“Upppp!”

 

He’d finally started whining. When I held my arms out to him, he immediately reached up and wrapped his arms around my neck again. He’s actually kind of cute.

 

By the time I’d finished soothing him, we’d reached the area he’d pointed towards. Children around his age were riding a miniature train or getting thoroughly soaked in an interactive fountain. I didn’t know what colour clothes his mother was wearing, how long her hair was, or anything else that might help identify her.

 

Still, I searched for a woman who looked frantic or seemed to be wandering around in distress. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anyone who appeared to be his mother. With no other choice, I decided to head towards the information centre. To check the map, I sat the little boy on an empty bench nearby.

 

Predictably, he immediately started fussing again. After a moment’s hesitation, I settled him on my lap and opened the brochure. He clung to me like a koala.

 

The married couple sitting beside us gave me such warm, affectionate smiles that I felt rather embarrassed. According to the map, the information centre was quite a distance away. Actually, it was practically on the opposite side of the park, near the entrance gates.

 

I should have headed there from the beginning. Picking up the boy again, I began making my way across the park. Completely oblivious to the strain he was putting on my arms, he continued looking around excitedly, turning his head this way and that.

 

Watching him, a thought suddenly occurred to me. Why had he chosen me?

 

“What is it about me that you like?”

 

The question I’d been unable to ask Watarai earlier slipped out effortlessly when I was speaking to a child.

 

“Mummy…”

 

“I’m not your mummy.”

 

Unfortunately, his answer wasn’t particularly helpful. Weaving my way through the crowds, I eventually spotted the information centre up ahead.

 

“We’re nearly there.”

 

I spoke to the boy, but he didn’t respond. All I could hear was the steady rhythm of his breathing.

 

I’d thought he’d gone unusually quiet a little while ago, but I hadn’t expected him to have fallen asleep. Surely they’d need his name and address to make an announcement over the park’s speakers. I gently shook him and patted his back, but he showed absolutely no sign of waking up.

 

My arms were approaching their limit. Scolding my protesting muscles, I somehow managed to open the door to the information centre. Inside, a woman was having an earnest conversation with a staff member.

 

“Ah!”

 

The staff member exclaimed when they noticed me. Following their reaction, the woman turned around too. The moment she saw us, relief flooded her face. She hurried towards me.

 

“That’s my son! I’m so sorry! Where did you find him?”

 

“Um, I met him over by the roller coaster.”

 

“We’re nearly there.”

 

I spoke to the little boy, but there was no response. All I could hear was his steady breathing. I’d thought he’d gone rather quiet halfway here, but I hadn’t expected him to have fallen asleep. They probably wouldn’t be able to make an announcement over the park’s speakers without knowing his name and address. I gently shook him and patted his back, but he showed absolutely no signs of waking up.

 

My arms were reaching their limit. Urging my protesting muscles to hold on a little longer, I opened the door to the information centre. Inside, a woman was deep in conversation with a member of staff.

 

“Ah!”

 

The staff member noticed me and let out a cry of surprise. The woman turned to look in the same direction. The moment she saw us, relief spread across her face, and she hurried over.

 

“That’s my son! I’m so sorry! Where did you find him?”

 

“Erm, I met him near the roller coaster.”

 

“Thank you so much…! He suddenly disappeared, and I had no idea where he’d gone.”

 

Tears welled up in the mother’s eyes as she murmured, “Thank goodness.”

 

“I’m sorry. He’s fallen asleep…”

 

I glanced down at the little boy. His mother smiled awkwardly and reached out to take him. At that very moment, perhaps sensing that someone was moving him, the boy woke up and suddenly burst into tears at a volume no one would expect from someone who had just been asleep.

 

He clutched my clothes tightly and tugged at them. His mother looked equally bewildered by his sudden panic. The little boy showed no signs of calming down. Just as I was beginning to wonder what on earth to do, the smartphone in my uniform pocket vibrated.

 

The incoming call reminded me of my current situation. Oh, crap. How much time had passed? Worse still, I’d come all the way here without sending a single message to the group chat.

 

“I’m so sorry…! Would you mind if I answered this while holding him?”

 

“Yes! Of course! I’m terribly sorry for causing you so much trouble.”

 

His mother bowed her head quickly. I bowed again, then shifted the still-crying boy in my arms and swiped across my phone screen.

 

“Hell—”

 

“Hioki! Where the hell are you?!”

 

Watarai’s frantic voice came through the phone.

 

“Sorry, I came to hand in a lost child.”

 

“A lost child? Are you at the lost child centre?”

 

“Yeah, but he doesn’t seem to want to leave me.”

 

“…All right. I’m coming over there now, so don’t move. Whatever you do, stay where you are.”

 

The call abruptly ended. Was he angry? He was angry, wasn’t he?

 

There were messages from Nakazato and the others in the group chat too. Watarai, in particular, had been sending notifications practically every minute. A sigh escaped me as guilt settled heavily in my chest.

 

A few minutes passed while I held the sniffling boy. Then the sound of the door opening cut through the tense atmosphere. My eyes met Watarai’s as he stood in the doorway.

 

He was out of breath, and his hair was a mess, yet somehow even that looked as though it had been deliberately styled. He was dazzling.

 

“Hang on, are they filming a drama or something?”

 

“Oh, no. I think I’m about to fall in love.”

 

I overheard the two women working at reception whispering to one another. Being handsome really did make everything work in your favour, didn’t it? While I was admiring that completely irrelevant fact, Watarai glanced at the little boy and approached us.

 

“May I touch him?”

 

Watarai sat down beside me and addressed the boy’s mother.

 

“Eh…? Oh, yes! Of course!”

 

The mother, who had been staring in fascination at the handsome young man who had suddenly appeared, hurriedly nodded. He was asking to touch her child, not her, but both she and the reception staff had turned bright red. Completely oblivious to the adoring looks directed his way, Watarai gently stroked the little boy’s head.

 

The boy immediately lifted his face. His eyes filled with fresh tears, and he looked ready to burst into another round of crying. Rather than speaking straight away, Watarai met the boy’s eyes and smiled. Then he gently wiped away the tears spilling from those large eyes.

 

“You did really well, being on your own like that.”

 

The way he behaved was like something straight out of a television drama.

 

“Your mum’s here now, so everything’s all right, okay?”

 

The boy blinked at Watarai’s words, looking completely bewildered. It was as though his little brain was slowly processing the situation, one piece at a time. He looked at Watarai, then at me, before cautiously turning around.

 

“MUMMY!!!”

 

As though everything that had happened until now had been a lie, the boy launched himself into his mother’s arms. Apparently, he’d panicked and started crying because he’d mistaken his own mother for a stranger. He’d been clinging to me the entire time, unable to get a proper look at her face, and his own crying had drowned out her voice. As a result, the misunderstanding had continued.

 

Honestly, it was an almost miraculous combination of circumstances. I felt as exhausted as if I’d been on one of the rides myself. Leaving the mother and child to finish the remaining paperwork, my little lost-child rescue adventure finally came to an end.

 

Of course, helping a lost child didn’t mean my own mistake had suddenly been forgiven. (…This is awkward.)

 

I couldn’t even bring myself to look at Watarai walking beside me. Anything I said now would only sound like an excuse. While I desperately searched for the right words, Watarai spoke first.

 

“Don’t worry. We haven’t told the teachers you went missing.”

 

“…Eh?”

 

I looked up in surprise at his unexpected words.

 

“You’re not angry?”

 

I’d been expecting him to tell me off. After all, I’d caused everyone so much trouble… especially Watarai.

 

“I panicked a bit, but you’re safe, so I don’t care about anything else now.”

 

“Eh? Ah… I… right…”

 

Oh, God. I’d forgotten how to speak Japanese.

 

Sometimes I almost forgot, but Watarai and I hadn’t originally been close. We’d only gradually begun to grow closer during this school trip. I wasn’t even sure whether I could call us friends yet.

 

So why did he care about me so much? Why was he so kind? Why me, of all people?

 

“What do you even like about me?”

 

I surprised myself with the words that slipped out of my mouth. We still had another day of the school trip to get through. If things became strained between us now, awkward wouldn’t even begin to describe it.

 

But I couldn’t take back what I’d already said.

 

“Who knows? I wonder.”

 

Completely unconcerned by my worries, Watarai tilted his head and smiled. Huh? Was that all? Apparently, his kindness was far more spontaneous than I’d realised.

 

Once I understood that I’d simply been overthinking things, the tension drained from my shoulders.

 

“Honestly, Hioki, you’re always disappearing on us!”

 

“The least you could do is send us a message!”

 

Nakazato deliberately pouted, while Hotta exaggeratedly tapped the screen of the smartphone in his hand.

 

“It was seriously stressful. For Watarai, anyway.”

 

Morisaki gave Watarai a meaningful glance, but Watarai merely frowned at him in confusion. I really was sorry… That being said, although I knew I needed to reflect on what I’d done, if I had stopped to contact everyone, I would have ended up returning to them looking like some pervert who’d been flashing his underwear.

 

Would that really have been any better? There was no way I was telling them about that, though. They’d never let me live it down. I silently vowed to take that particular dilemma to my grave.

 

Just then, the girls returned, having fixed their hair and make-up after the roller coaster.

 

“Hey, let’s go to the haunted house!”

 

Oh, right. I’d forgotten.

 

Now that I thought about it, that was what we’d been planning to do. Unfortunately for me, the haunted house was close to the roller coaster, so we arrived far too quickly. It was modelled after the sort of abandoned hospital you often saw in horror attractions. Even the exterior was designed to be terrifying, and the screams echoing from inside only heightened the atmosphere.

 

“Enjoy yourselves, and be careful!”

 

Perhaps a lot of people gave up before going in, because, to my absolute horror, our turn seemed to come around in seconds. In reality, we’d been waiting for several dozen minutes. But to someone like me, who’d spent the entire time mentally making the sign of the cross, it might as well have been a single second. After some discussion, it was decided that the boys would lead the way.

 

With Nakazato at the front holding a torch, we shuffled into the dark building in a long line. Everything in sight was terrifying. Beyond an open doorway, curtains blocked the view, and what looked like a human silhouette moved behind them. From a room with an illuminated OPERATING sign came the sound of eerie groaning.

 

I walked along with my knees trembling. Suddenly, a long, drawn-out creeeeak came from behind us as a door opened. I cautiously turned around, but all I could make out was a dark figure.

 

Nakazato pointed his torch towards it. Standing there was a person… or something resembling one, with their neck bent at an impossible angle. It was making strange noises, something between “Ah” and “Gah”.

 

Three seconds of terrified silence passed. Then its head suddenly spun all the way around. And, as if that wasn’t horrifying enough, it started running straight towards us.

 

“AAAAAH!”

 

The girls screamed, and everyone immediately broke into a run. Whatever order we’d been walking in was completely forgotten.

 

I sprinted down the long corridor in a blind panic. It was so dark that I could barely see where I was putting my feet. The only things guiding us were Nakazato’s torch and the occasional flickering light overhead.

 

BANG! A deafening explosion-like noise pierced my ears. When I looked up, I spotted a narrow beam of light cutting through the darkness. I ran towards it with everything I had.

 

Before I even realised what had happened, I’d burst through the exit. The dark interior was gone, replaced by the lively surroundings of the amusement park. I took a deep breath, desperately trying to calm my ragged breathing.

 

“Hioki, are you okay?”

 

No. I absolutely was not. Nevertheless, I put on the shoulder bag Watarai had brought for me and gave a small nod.

 

“We could probably manage one more ride.”

 

Hotta checked his wristwatch, speaking so casually that you’d never have guessed he’d just experienced the same terror as the rest of us. I just wanted to go home. There were thirty minutes left until our free time ended.

 

We needed something we could ride now, preferably without having to queue for too long. I glanced around. And found myself making eye contact with a horse. That’s right.

 

A merry-go-round. I climbed onto a shiny, glittering horse and let myself be carried along to the cheerful music. It had been ages since I’d last ridden a merry-go-round.

 

“Hioki, look over here.”

 

Watarai, who was riding the horse beside mine, was pointing his smartphone at me. Instinctively, I held up a peace sign. But no matter how long I waited, he didn’t lower his phone.

 

“I’m filming a video.”

 

You could’ve told me sooner! I had even less idea what to do in a video than in a photograph. I gave Watarai a suspicious look when I noticed the smug expression on his face.

 

He chuckled and turned his attention back to his phone. I wasn’t the sort of person who enjoyed being teased without getting my own back. So I took out my smartphone too and captured Watarai within its rectangular frame.

 

The setting sun illuminated his beautifully defined profile.

 

“I never look that good with the rear camera.”

 

Noticing that I was filming him, Watarai gave me an awkward smile.

 

“You always look handsome.”

 

I told him exactly what I thought. His ears turned red, as though he was embarrassed. Time really did fly when you were having fun. By the time we were making our way towards the exit gate, Nakazato murmured quietly,

 

“That was fun.”

 

Everyone nodded in agreement. Come to think of it, I hadn’t looked at any souvenirs. But there was no time left to browse properly. Oh, well.

 

I could always come back another time. As we passed through the gates, I narrowed my eyes at the familiar streets beyond. Hello again, reality. The bus journey back to the hotel was so quiet that you could hear people sleeping.

 

It seemed all my classmates had thoroughly enjoyed their free time. Even Watarai, sitting beside me, had unusually fallen asleep. He normally seemed so mature, but his sleeping face had an innocent, youthful quality that suited his age.

 

“All right, everyone, time to wake up! We’ll be arriving at the hotel soon. If anyone near you is still asleep, please wake them up.”

 

Our homeroom teacher’s voice echoed through the bus microphone, and the previously quiet vehicle gradually filled with noise. Watarai continued sleeping, completely undisturbed by the commotion around him. When I gently shook him, his brows drew together in a deep frown, and his eyelids slowly lifted.

 

“Morning.”

 

“…Mornin’.”

 

Apparently still sleepy, he stared blankly at me for a moment before his eyes slipped back behind his eyelids. As the bus gradually slowed down, I hurriedly shook him awake once more before he could drift all the way back into dreamland.

 

“Could I have a word with Nakazato’s group?”

 

Our homeroom teacher stopped us on our way into the hotel. When I turned around, I noticed that her expression was somewhat troubled.

 

“Actually, there’s been a mistake with the bookings. Your group was assigned a four-person room instead of a five-person room. Would one of you be willing to move to another group’s room?”

 

Her brown-framed eyebrows drooped apologetically. I see. So, basically, we were one bed short.

 

I was a little curious about which group I’d end up joining, but if it was only for one night, I didn’t think it would be a problem. I opened my mouth to volunteer, but Watarai interrupted before I could speak.

 

“Is there any problem apart from the number of beds?”

 

“Eh? No, I don’t think so. As long as everyone’s happy with it.”

 

“Then it’s fine.”

 

Hang on. What about my opinion? Besides, the five of us hadn’t even discussed it yet.

 

I looked towards the other three, but there was no sign of disagreement on any of their faces. And so, with the decision apparently made, I had no choice but to accept that the five of us would be staying in a four-person room. We passed through the hotel entrance and headed towards Room 507.

 

Apparently, our suitcases had already been taken up to the room. When we unlocked the door with our key card, we discovered that it really was a four-person room, exactly as our teacher had said.

 

“So, who’s sharing with whom?”

 

Hotta immediately brought up the bed situation. There were four beds in the room. There were five of us.

 

Someone would have to make a sacrifice and share a bed with another person. Sleeping on the floor was technically an option, but that seemed far too cruel.

 

“I move around too much in my sleep, so count me out.”

 

“Me too!”

 

Morisaki and Nakazato were the first to raise their hands. I swallowed my complaints at their complete unwillingness to compromise. Judging by what I’d seen this morning, there was no doubt I’d be kicked out of bed if I shared with either of them.

 

I’d rather avoid that if possible. Those of us remaining exchanged glances. Considering their heights, pairing Hotta with Watarai was out of the question. Which meant the remaining possibilities were either Hotta and me, or Watarai and me.

 

“Why don’t the two who sat together on the bus just share?”

 

Morisaki, who had been watching the discussion, pointed at Watarai and me.

 

“I don’t mind.”

 

Watarai nodded without hesitation. Seriously? Was he really okay with it that easily? He was going to be sleeping pressed up against another guy, you know?

 

“What about you, Hioki? Are you okay sharing with me?”

 

“Eh…? Ah, I don’t mind either way.”

 

For some reason, Watarai was looking at me with an unusually serious expression. Before I knew it, I was nodding.

 

“Right, that settles it!”

 

Hotta, who had successfully secured the last bed to himself, broke into a delighted grin. Meanwhile, I was the only one who still couldn’t quite process what had just happened. All I could do was stand there in a daze.

 

Before I knew it, lights-out had arrived, and my uneasiness still hadn’t gone away. I lay on the bed, staring at the perfectly white ceiling, when Watarai returned, the last to finish showering. Not wanting to get in his way, I pressed myself as close to the wall as possible to make room for him.

 

“You don’t have to move that far over.”

 

Watarai climbed onto the bed and tugged at my arm. As expected, a bed was naturally cramped with two boys lying in it. Even the slightest movement meant our bodies would touch.

 

Everyone seemed to have exhausted themselves having fun today. After a little casual conversation, they drifted off to sleep one by one. And so, taking the utmost care not to disturb the person beside me, I gently closed my eyes too