Ch.269School Trip (8)

We disembarked at Kyoto Station in perfect unison.

The scenery that unfolded before us was visibly different from Emoshita. The platform, built with a red color scheme, exuded an antique atmosphere.

Everyone already seemed excited.

“Shota. Are you going to keep wearing that?”

Umi asked, looking at the area around my pants.

“Yeah. It’s completely dry now.”

I shrugged as I answered. The fabric felt strangely stiff and crisp, as if it had been starched, but it was bearable enough.

“Ah. Shota. Wait. Your fly is open.”

Umi suddenly said.

“Huh? Really?”

I immediately tried to check my pants.

“I’ll fix it for you.”

Umi smiled and approached my waistband.

But… my fly was perfectly fine.

“Sniff… haah…”

Umi took the opportunity to take a peculiar whiff.

“You little minx! What kind of trick is this?!”

I immediately tried to push Umi away.

“Tch.”

Umi clicked her tongue and backed off. Well, this level of teasing was just our usual lovers’ quarrel.

“Alright! Pass these itineraries all the way to the back!”

The teacher called out loudly while distributing printed schedules.

Since the third day would be free travel, the first two days would proceed under the guide’s supervision.

“This is intense…”

I muttered unconsciously while looking at the schedule. There was absolutely no free time except for meals.

“This is crazy… Golden Pavilion 10 minutes… Silver Pavilion 10 minutes… then 30 minutes for lunch… then straight to Fushimi Inari Shrine by subway… then exploring around Kyoto University… Kiyomizudera. That’s here too. But only 15 minutes.”

Eri said. There was nothing we’d get to enjoy leisurely for more than an hour. It was an incredible schedule broken down to the minute.

“Yeah. That’s because there’s no budget.”

During my school days, I would have complained about this… but now that I’m an adult inside, I understood. Taking a leisurely tour would cost that much more. Squeezing everything into a two-day sampler was the best approach.

“Ugh… what the heck.”

Umi seemed quite disappointed. Well, it’s understandable since this was her first field trip since entering high school, and her first school trip with her boyfriend.

“Umi. Let’s think about the school staff who worked hard to arrange this schedule.”

I immediately started kneading her chest.

Knead-! Knead-!

“Wait. Wouldn’t you normally pat someone’s head in this situation?”

Taiga’s objection came from nearby. Hey, this is what Umi likes best.

“You’re right! Anyway, I don’t know anything about history, and I don’t really get excited about temples!”

Umi immediately tried to change her stance. Right. We’re just going through the motions anyway.

“Now then! Let’s go! Make sure to follow the guide’s instructions!”

The teacher promptly led us forward.

Certainly… do men change when they fall in love? Somehow, the servility that had been hovering around the teacher’s soul seemed to have disappeared. He radiated the distinctive confidence of someone in a relationship.

We followed the guide along the transit line toward our destination.

I had visited Kyoto several times in my original world. It was my favorite place I’d been to. For one thing, being a tourist city, it had many “wa-Japanese” elements designed to satisfy foreigners.

“Wow! Look at that foreigner!! He’s dressed like a ninja!”

Kana excitedly chattered beside me. Kana… she came here because she loved Japan too. That’s why her eyes were shining.

A large white man was striking poses while wearing a black ninja outfit. Right. There were quite a few people like that.

And… the men’s gazes all converged on one spot.

Women who looked like college students were walking down the street in rented kimonos. Ah, right. They rent out clothes like that here. People want to capture plenty of good photos. It’s human instinct to want to preserve the best moments on social media, even if reality differs. A social media account is essentially a highlight reel of one’s life.

“Ohhh… this is quite…”

“Nice. Should I ask my girlfriend to wear one? Even if it costs a bit.”

The guys immediately started whispering enthusiastically.

Hmm. Kimonos. They’re Japan’s pride. Though they say it lacks the sexiness of China’s qipao, the subtle sensuality that kimonos exude is nothing to scoff at.

“Shota. Do you like those?”

Eri asked.

“Yeah.”

I answered immediately.

“Hmm… then maybe I’ll rent… no, I’ll just buy one.”

Kana’s eyes lit up at those words. Wait. Buy one? Kimonos are quite expensive.

“Th-that kind of outfit is a bit embarrassing…”

Taiga was the type who didn’t particularly like dressing up like a princess. She found it strangely embarrassing. Yet she did cosplay as a magical girl at the amusement park that time… anyway, a girl’s heart is complicated. Let’s just leave it at that.

When you’re young, being extremely moody and hysterical can be forgiven as cute. But when you get older and act that way, you get called a middle-aged hysteric or menopausal, so everyone be careful!!

“Taiga! Let’s do it!! It’s Japanese culture! Geisha!! We should serve our Shogun!”

Tina immediately hugged Taiga as she spoke.

Tina… “serve”? Just that word alone made me anticipate. Tina often says subtly provocative things.

“Mmm… I guess I’ll wear it then.”

Taiga ran her fingers through her hair and spoke in a seemingly indifferent tone. Such an easy girl…

“I… don’t think kimonos suit me very well.”

At that moment, Eri spoke with a complicated expression.

“My hair is dyed blonde… and my skin is tanned. So kimonos don’t really work for me.”

Eri said.

Even though Eri was plenty beautiful, with so many other beauties around, she had a habit of feeling secretly intimidated. Really… if I hadn’t given Eri the position of first wife, something terrible might have happened.

I hugged Eri tightly.

“Why so long-faced? When we have our kimono party, I’ll give Eri the most attention. Eri is my favorite first wife, after all.”

I casually said such things.

“Shota! I love you!”

Eri immediately threw herself into my arms. Good. Public opinion management: success.

Anyway, we all followed the guide’s lead.

Sasitsu and Frill… they were just immersed in their own world. Sigh… it would be nice if they at least greeted me… I’ll tease them thoroughly during our free time later. I made that resolution.

“Shota… you’re strangely fixated on Sasitsu.”

At that moment, Kana said.

“Right. Hehehehe. He really likes Sasitsu, you know? Always teasing her.”

Taiga chuckled and said.

“And even though she hates it, he keeps teasing Sasitsu. Hehehehe. He’s totally a secret Sasitsu fan.”

Umi laughed brightly.

“How should I put it… She has many flaws and imperfections… but somehow my eyes are drawn to her, and I find myself circling around her. Anyway, that’s how it is.”

I spoke with a distant look in my eyes.

This is what they call the Paris Hilton effect. You start as a hater, but as you keep criticizing, you strangely grow attached, and then you end up liking them. Then you experience an identity crisis, not knowing if you’re a hater or a fan.

The reason I initially approached Sasitsu was simple. She was the protagonist who would save this world. However, that alone didn’t explain everything. Now I’ve genuinely grown attached to her.

“Love is… complicated.”

I gazed at the Tokyo sky with distant eyes. Sasitsu… for a day like this, please turn into my underwear one more time.

“What love?! Show some of that wistfulness to us!”

Kana immediately got angry.

It is a bit like that. Our harem is sweet, but too crude. It was definitely not a delicate pure love story with nuanced emotional lines.

“I think our current instinct-driven relationship is good too. My mom also said that true love begins in bed and ends in bed.”

Tina smiled and said.

“Tina!!!”

I immediately hugged Tina. We understand each other!!

———-

Anyway, after changing subways several times, we headed to Fushimi Inari Shrine. While not many domestic Japanese travelers visited, foreigners loved it. That’s because it embodied the quintessential form of a Japanese shrine. From the red torii gates to the large main hall and the offering box, it had the classic structure that could appear in anime. Plus, there were people working part-time dressed in shrine maiden outfits.

“Are you an otaku? Then you absolutely must visit Fushimi Inari.”

I immediately declared.

“Wow… Shota’s habit is showing. Getting all excited when he knows something.”

Umi stroked my spiky hair as she spoke.

“Plus, the deity enshrined at Fushimi Inari is a fox god!! A fox god!!! That’s super otaku-ish too!!”

Just hearing about it was enough to create a character. A 600-year-old legal loli (with big breasts) with fox ears and a fluffy tail!!!

Fushimi Inari was probably created by a time traveler. A modern otaku who went back in time and used all the elements they had seen and heard to create this place. I know it. They chose to go back in time to give all otaku their dream. Your will… has been received, nameless time traveler.

“Geez. Look how excited he is.”

Kana said that while stroking my thigh and smiling.

“A shrine, huh. Then we should all think about what wishes to make.”

Eri said.

“What do you want to wish for, Eri?”

Honestly, I was curious about my girlfriends’ wishes.

“I wish to become the first wife.”

Kana stated flatly. Hmm. That’s so like Kana.

“Mine is… for Shota to become the emperor of our Neverdreaming Kingdom!! For him to be the wise ruler who will make our Neverdreaming Kingdom great again!”

Tina voiced a wish that carried quite a burden.

“M-mine… is for the children I’ll bear… to grow up healthy.”

Umi was already in mom mode. But… it was quite admirable. Doesn’t it mean she’s taking our relationship seriously?

“Ah! I was going to wish for that!”

Taiga immediately put her hand to her forehead. Last time, Taiga boasted that the child she would bear would be the healthiest. Since both Taiga and I are quite healthy, a baby with Terminator-level specs might indeed be born between us.

And everyone’s gaze focused on Eri.

“I…”

Eri opened her mouth.

“I just want Shota’s wish to come true. That would make me happy too.”

Eri immediately pulled a first wife move. And it was an overwhelmingly admirable statement.

“Pass.”

I immediately pressed the approval button in my heart. Take the acceptance necklace!!!

“D-damn it…!”

Only then did Kana show a regretful expression.

In such a warm atmosphere, we arrived at Fushimi Inari Shrine.