"Oh oh, so you guys are interested in the elementary school after all! That's great, after all, there aren't many places that can accommodate such a large group of people!"
"That's right, and the club funds are tight. It's said that this place offers a discount for larger groups, so it's a very good choice!"
With bright smiles, Tokita Shinji and Kotobuki Ryujirou gathered everyone in the club room, clapping their hands as they announced the final decision reached by the seniors!
The abandoned school building was truly a heaven-sent location for this training camp with a summer theme; it was a must-go!
"...Eh?"
For some reason, Miyazawa Yuu looked suspiciously at Tokita-senpai and Kotobuki-senpai, feeling that the seniors' smiles were too fake, as if they had been replaced by low-intelligence imposters.
And when it came to summer themes, even game developers know to release a few swimsuit skins to make money, but an old school building certainly didn't look like a place to wear a swimsuit.
"I see! That's great! Let's all go!"
Yoshiwara Aina had no hidden motives; she was simply happy to go out and play with everyone after recovering from her illness, and she enthusiastically raised both hands in agreement.
Using Aina to distract the seniors, Miyazawa Yuu subtly circled halfway around, finally managing to glimpse the small blackboard hidden behind the seniors.
He saw that the chalk marks had been erased, but he could still vaguely make out four and a half words from the edges— [A Refreshing Scare!]
Excluding the possibility of the seniors making a typo, he immediately adopted an expression of sudden realization, his eyes filling with disdain.
He had to admit, it was indeed a summer specialty, but this specialty was a bit too unconventional!
"Yosh! Then it's happily decided! By the way, regarding this training camp…"
Both seniors simultaneously held up one finger to state their point, and Kotobuki Ryujirou immediately added to Tokita Shinji's statement: "We plan to have each year group act separately!"
"What?"
The entire group was confused. The two Pab Club scumbags, plus Aina and Chisa, all looked at the seniors with dot eyes. Kitahara Iori also keenly sensed that something was amiss.
"Why this time? Shouldn't training camp be more fun with everyone together!"
"Exactly, exactly!"
"Well, there's actually no specific reason…"
Facing the suspicion, the smile on Tokita Shinji's face didn't change at all, although due to the backlighting, his expression looked somewhat sinister.
"And sometimes, acting with your [peers] is also a good experience, right!"
"Is that so…"
It was difficult to maintain absolute trust in the unscrupulous seniors. Kitahara Iori and Imamura Kouhei felt like some conspiracy was waiting for them.
However, since the seniors had already said so, there was nothing they could do. If they couldn't resist as juniors, they should focus on how to execute the plan well. Perhaps the seniors just wanted to train their self-reliance!
"In that case, we first-years only need to rent one car, right?"
"And then meet the seniors at the scheduled time at the location? I'll call the rental company…"
Although he was sometimes unreliable, Kouhei was intimately familiar with the entire car rental process after going out with the seniors so many times.
By the way, he had also developed the habit of checking store reviews before renting a car, as his experience renting a car in Miyakojima was truly unpleasant, and the unscrupulous old man's flatbed truck was still vivid in his memory!
"But that means Yuu won't be able to take off his clothes! And hey, the guy who takes up extra space should pay extra for the car!"
"Mhm… I'm sorry, but I won't be joining you this time~"
Crossing his arms and shaking his head, now that Miyazawa Yuu knew the seniors' conspiracy, there was no way he would foolishly fall into it.
Four guys were enough for the seniors to toy with. Compared to finding a problem with the answer, he currently had a half-baked idea that desperately needed to be put into practice!
"Eh? Yuu, aren't you coming with us?"
"Aina, don't look at me with such a disappointed expression. I always accompany you guys; this time, I'm planning to walk the whole route with the seniors~"
"Peh! You make it sound so good, but you just want to ride in the same car as Nanaka-nee and Azusa-senpai, you traitor!"
Ruthlessly exposing the flimsy excuse Yuu had constructed for himself, Kitahara Iori's face was twisted with envy, and he spat fiercely before ruthlessly raising his middle finger.
Seriously, can all the normies just self-destruct! Is it fun to flaunt your romance to us single dogs every day!
"Forget about that guy, Aina, Chisa, we can go by ourselves, and it will be roomier in the car!"
"Good luck, everyone!"
Waving his hand to send off the disgruntled group of freshmen, Miyazawa Yuu turned around and smiled, giving the seniors a thumbs-up: "Oops, looks like I was accidentally abandoned. If the seniors don't accept me, I'll just directly tell Iori and the others that there's a test of courage!"
"Ugh!!!"
Their expressions instantly twisted in discomfort, as if suffering from constipation. Having their meticulously planned scheme used as a threat—how was this any different from a traditional Nippon performing art!
However, for the plan to proceed smoothly, Tokita Shinji had no choice but to agree to expand the planning team, pulling Yuu, who had figured out the truth early, into the ranks of the persecutors.
"Yuu, is it really okay for you not to play with Chisa and the others? Club training camp is better with your peers, isn't it?"
Walking behind Yuu hesitantly, Kotegawa Nanaka was worried about the former's "unsociable" behavior, and after much deliberation, she spoke up to advise him: "Azusa and I don't need company that much…"
"No, no, no, this has absolutely nothing to do with Nanaka-nee. I just don't want to be tricked by the seniors."
Lying on the sofa and listening to the seniors' plans, Miyazawa Yuu casually explained, holding the hand that wrapped around his face from behind: "And if I'm with the freshmen group, the horror factor will definitely be halved, right?"
"Mhm, you have a point~ But Yuu, please don't neglect Chisa and the others for us~"
"Yes—!"
With a compliant voice, he managed to trick Nanaka-nee into preparing a pre-made meal, and the expression on Miyazawa Yuu's face instantly became sinister—that's right! Using the freshmen's gaming experience was just an excuse!
Or rather, his true purpose was to give Iori and Chisa more opportunities to experience a romantic encounter!
As everyone knows, haunted houses in Nippon are a great place for romance. While the terrifying scenes send adrenaline levels soaring, the "true love in times of trouble" (suspension bridge effect) also gives the man and woman an extra chance to examine their feelings.
Judging by the current pace, the remaining members of the Pab Club, excluding himself, might not be able to express their feelings even after graduation!
As a dedicated older father figure, he would not allow an imperfect ending! So, it was time to accelerate!
"Senpai, I have a lot of half-baked suggestions for the test of courage. How about we do this…"
"Hiss... Sugoi! You can actually do it like that!"
"The idea of splitting into groups, meeting up, and then scattering again is excellent. The old school building is perfectly symmetrical, isn't it!"
"…"
Watching the planning team, which was now composed of virtually everyone, with black auras surging frantically after Yuu joined, Hamaka Azusa took a sip of beer, a helpless smile curling her lips.
She hoped Iori and the others' hearts could handle it, as she could tell from just a few keywords that the test of courage was rapidly evolving towards something that would scare them to death!
"Azusa-senpai, could you please help me with something?"
"Sure~ Pretend to be a female ghost and scare Chisa and the others, right? Leave it to me~"
"Emmm… that's only part of it; the most important thing is psychological counseling."
Turning the test of courage into a horror movie set, Miyazawa Yuu elegantly left the scene with the heh heh heh cackling of the seniors in the background.
Walking to the table, he directly snatched Azusa-senpai ice-cold beer to soothe his throat and sighed in distress: "Azusa-senpai, you know about the Iori and Chisa situation, and the Kouhei and Aina situation, right?"
"Mhm, I know a little…"
Crossing her legs, Azusa Hamaka still maintained her mischievous cat-like smile at the mention of the topic, but her eyes clearly became serious instantly.
After all, as an older student, she had the responsibility to guide and protect the emotional lives of the younger students she liked!
"Although I don't have the right to say this, Aina is a very cute girl, but her social experience is clearly lacking…"
"...Continue?"
"I think she might have confused gratitude and love, it's as simple as that!"
Knowing that Azusa-senpai didn't like beating around the bush, Miyazawa Yuu held the beer bottle and looked up at the sky, his eyes conflicted, but he still stated his discovery very directly.
It was almost laughable; he was only a novice who had been in a relationship for a few months, yet he was already presumptuously commenting on the feelings of others. Was he getting a little too carried away...
"I don't mean to be condescending. I just want to use this crisis to let Aina experience the feeling of being protected one more time, nothing more. I hope this can help her."
"Mhm... that sounds like a wonderful idea. So, what do you want me to do, Yuu?"
Gently massaging Yuu's temple with her fingertip, Hamaka Azusa looked at him with surprise, her shoulders completely relaxed—
She was at least ninety percent in agreement with Yuu's judgment.
Aina seemed to constantly feel inferior and lack affection due to her rural background. When receiving help from Iori, it was hard to say if she could clearly distinguish between gratitude, friendship, and love.
But as a senior, she could only offer guidance when the other person was in trouble, and she had no right to interfere with her own conclusions.
Yuu's approach was clearly a compromise, letting the other person discover the confusion through the event itself, and then providing guidance might be more reasonable.
"Please give Aina life guidance, Azusa-senpai! I don't know why this term is being used so often these days..."