Chapter 55 — Mai's Arrangement
She shouldn't have said so much.
And she definitely shouldn't have laughed so many times.
Talking that much… laughing that freely… it didn't feel like her at all.
Perhaps it was because they had just survived a life-threatening accident and she had relaxed more than usual.
Only after realizing it did Zen'in Maki begin to feel a little embarrassed.
Or perhaps…
It was precisely because he wasn't someone she knew very well that she found it easier to open up.
"What's wrong?" Ren asked, noticing the change in her expression.
Maki lowered her head and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"N-Nothing."
"Oh right," Ren suddenly said, "do me a favor."
"What?"
"Don't tell Nishimiya-senpai that I can fly."
"…Huh?"
"If she finds out, I won't be able to hitch rides on her broom anymore."
Ren had actually developed the technique Void Wings a long time ago.
But he had never used it in front of Nishimiya Momo.
After all, if there was a free ride available, why bother flying himself?
If Momo ever found out he could fly, he'd lose his free transportation forever.
And if she realized he had been hiding it from her all this time…
The consequences would be terrifying.
Several black lines appeared on Maki's forehead.
"You seem pretty close with that Nishimiya senpai," she said.
"Do you ride her broom a lot?"
"I wouldn't say a lot," Ren replied after thinking for a moment.
"…Actually, it's every time."
…
Maki stared blankly at the boy's profile.
For some reason, she suddenly felt like she understood what he meant.
She remembered the biting cold wind high in the sky…
…and the warmth of the boy's arms.
For the first time in her life—
I wish I couldn't fly either.
—?
Wait, what am I even thinking?!
Maki suddenly snapped out of it, stomping her foot in embarrassment.
Her face burned red.
---
Not long after, the two passed by a mountain stream.
It seemed to be a popular recreational spot.
The water was wide and gentle, and many people wearing shorts were playing in it with water guns and swim rings.
"How about it?" Ren suggested excitedly.
"Want to go play for a bit?"
"S-Sure."
At first, Maki seemed a little stiff, standing awkwardly among the cheerful crowd.
Until—
Ren suddenly raised his water gun and sprayed her directly in the face.
"Pff!"
Maki spat out water and shook her drenched face.
Then she bent down, plunged both hands into the water—
And activated the monstrous physical strength granted by Heavenly Restriction.
With a violent motion, she flipped the entire stream upward.
BOOM!
It was like a bomb had exploded underwater.
The previously calm stream suddenly surged upward into a towering wall of water.
Rain poured down.
Ren stood there, completely drenched, staring in shock.
The surrounding crowd fared even worse—they fled in panic, utterly overwhelmed by the overwhelming splash.
"Hey! That's cheating!" Ren protested.
"You cheated first!" Maki shot back angrily.
"Why'd you attack me without even warning me?!"
"Ah!"
Just as she was indignantly scolding him, she suddenly screamed.
From all directions, seventeen or eighteen water guns fired at her simultaneously.
They belonged to the people who had just been caught in the tidal wave she created.
"Damn it!"
Maki covered her face with one hand while bending down again, plunging both hands back into the water.
---
Later…
The two of them walked along the mountain road, both completely soaked.
A gust of mountain wind blew past.
Ren shivered and sneezed.
"Hey," he said.
"Didn't we come here to soak in a hot spring?"
"How did we end up getting soaked in cold water before we even reached the hot springs?"
"That was your idea, remember?" Maki replied, running a hand through her wet hair.
Through the crook of her arm, Ren could see how her clothes—soaked through with water—clung tightly to her body, outlining her graceful curves.
Ren suddenly turned sideways.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Maki noticed immediately. "Did you see something over there?"
"N-no, nothing."
"Then why are you walking sideways?"
"I… I'm just looking at the scenery."
"If you're looking at scenery, why did you twist your whole body like that?" Maki burst out laughing.
"You look like a crab right now."
"I'm a Crab Curse," Ren said, raising both hands and bending his elbows into claw shapes while shuffling sideways.
"Innate Technique: Sideways Curse Technique!"
"Hahaha…"
---
"Tonight's main event is 'Stargazing Camping on the Summit.'"
"But… why is there only one tent? There are two of us."
After finally reaching the mountain summit, the two reunited with the main tour group that had arrived earlier by cable car.
Standing at the tent rental counter, Ren and Maki stared at each other in confusion.
"Well, when you bought the tickets, didn't you book one tent?" the tour guide asked.
"Huh?"
"Oh, it's fine," the cheerful guide auntie said with a wink.
"Young people don't need to be so shy. Don't worry about what others think."
"When traveling, the important thing is to enjoy yourselves and have a good time together."
"Your two-person world, you know?"
Two-person world?
"And besides," she continued, "most of the people in this group are elderly couples."
"They've all been through your stage of life before."
Ren and Maki glanced around.
Sure enough, the older tourists were giving them knowing looks that practically said, We understand everything.
Especially the few who had "survived" the cable car accident with them earlier—their half-closed eyes and sly smiles were particularly meaningful.
"Zen'in Mai!" Maki fumed inwardly, flames of anger burning in her chest.
"Um… could we rent another tent temporarily?" Ren quickly asked.
"I'm sorry," the staff member behind the counter replied.
"It's peak season right now. All the tents were reserved in advance. We don't have any extras available."
"What?" Ren's mouth twitched.
Hotels being fully booked was understandable.
But even tents—something that should be plentiful—being unavailable felt suspiciously intentional.
The staff member seemed to read his expression.
"I'm very sorry," she said politely. "But this is one of the country's most famous tourist spots, and it's peak season. The visitor volume is extremely high. Please understand."
Ren turned back and locked eyes with Maki.
…
In the end, they carried their single tent to an empty patch of grass.
"How about we set it up first?" Ren suggested.
Maki immediately stepped back, raising her arms defensively across her chest.
"I will absolutely—absolutely not—"
"What are you even thinking?" Ren rolled his eyes.
"I'll just sleep outside."
"What?"
"I said I'll spend the night outside."
"What are you standing there for? I'm the one who isn't even sleeping in the tent and I'm still helping you set it up."
"You should be grateful, not slacking off."
"I—" Maki flushed in embarrassment and hurried over to help.
After some effort, the two of them finally finished setting up the tent.
Ren lifted the entrance flap and made a polite gesture.
"After you."
But now Maki hesitated.
"Are you really going to spend the whole night outside?" she asked quietly.
She looked out at the open ground.
The sun was already setting.
Dusk had begun to fall, and a faint chill lingered in the air.
"Maybe…" she said after a moment of hesitation, her voice soft and uncertain.