"Go line up to board, the bus is about to leave."
Izumi Sora, holding his phone, walked at the front, taking charge of navigation and leading the group.
The tickets had been bought two days in advance. After lining up and boarding, their seats happened to be in the very last row.
"There's a window on the side, you can see the scenery outside. Elf, you sit on the inside." Yanami's voice was crisp, assigning seats. "As for Sora, how about sitting right in the middle?"
Izumi Sora didn't mind: "Either is fine with me."
"Ruri, what do you think?"
Shiina Mahiru turned her head and looked at Kuroneko.
"I'll sit on the far inside."
Gokou Ruri decisively sat down by the window on the other side. Having been bullied a few nights ago, the girl's sense of shame hadn't cooled down yet.
"Then I'll sit next to Sora-kun."
Mahiru smoothed her skirt and sat down next to Izumi Sora.
Thus, Yanami and Elf sat together on Izumi Sora's left, while Mahiru and Kuroneko sat together on Izumi Sora's right.
A moment later.
The bus wobbled and started moving.
"Phew..."
The bus hadn't been moving long when Yanami raised her hand to cover her mouth, yawning continuously. She probably woke up too early this morning; the yawns came one after another, unable to stop.
"It takes two hours from Tokyo to Mount Fuji." Izumi Sora glanced at the sunlight outside the window and said softly, "Yanami, sleep for a while if you're tired."
"Okay..."
Yanami Anna rubbed the moisture from the corners of her eyes:
"Then I'll sleep for a bit. When we get to Mount Fuji, remember to wake me up, Sora."
"Leave it to me."
With everyone around, Yanami Anna naturally didn't worry about missing her stop. Less than three minutes later, she fell peacefully asleep.
Izumi Sora was playing on his phone when he suddenly felt a slight weight on his left shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Yanami leaning against his shoulder. Her pink lips were slightly parted, her pearly white teeth slightly exposed, her sleeping posture exceptionally sweet.
Stare—
A look of disgust came from Kuroneko, sitting in the corner.
Izumi Sora's expression remained unchanged, pretending not to see.
Ear cleaning is an invincible skill (reference to lap pillow/ear cleaning being a special privilege). Since she's asleep, of course I can't push her away.
Just a few minutes later, Izumi Sora suddenly felt his right hand being secretly grasped.
"Hmm?"
Turning his head, he saw Angel-sama gently furrowing her delicate eyebrows, her pretty face slightly pale, her teeth biting her lower lip. Her expression showed clear discomfort.
"Feeling unwell?"
Izumi Sora asked softly.
"A little nauseous..." Angel-sama gently furrowed her delicate eyebrows. "When we got on the bus, I smelled something like exhaust fumes, and then I started feeling sick."
"That's motion sickness." Izumi Sora immediately understood, quietly returning Mahiru's gentle grip. "When we get to the rest stop, we'll get off the bus, and then I'll teleport us to Mount Fuji."
Motion sickness is very painful, and there are only two solutions: either fall asleep or get off the vehicle.
"No need for now, I feel like I can hold on for a while." Angel-sama shook her head gently, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed. "If I can't hold on anymore, I'll tell Sora-kun."
"Okay, don't force yourself." Izumi Sora lowered his voice. "Mahiru, try to sleep for a bit. As long as you can fall asleep, you won't feel sick anymore."
"I'll try..."
Shiina Mahiru exhaled softly, closed her eyes, covered her chest with her right hand, and gently furrowed her delicate eyebrows. Her appearance had a bit of the delicate beauty of Lin Daiyu.
A moment later.
Izumi Sora felt a slight weight on his right shoulder.
Silently looking over, he saw that Mahiru had unknowingly fallen asleep, her small head gently leaning over.
Yanami on the left, Mahiru on the right, two cute girls resting on his shoulders on either side. This quickly drew envious glances from other passengers.
"Damn it, that boy actually has a girl in each arm?"
"Explode, you normie!"
"Coach, I want to learn that too!"
"..."
Meanwhile.
Since Elf didn't have motion sickness and wasn't sleeping, she quickly noticed Izumi Sora with a girl on each arm. Her pink cheeks puffed up rapidly, and she called out softly:
"Idiot Servant, I want to lean on you to sleep too!"
Izumi Sora glanced over:
"No, someone will report me for bullying an elementary school student."
"...Ahhhh! I'm going to bite you!"
In broad daylight, Elf at least had some sense of shame and wouldn't actually open her mouth to bite him, but her small foot stepped right over.
Stare—
A gaze full of disgust looked over.
Izumi Sora's gaze shifted, looking at Kuroneko on the other side.
He saw Kuroneko with her left arm crossed over her chest, playing on her phone with her right hand, as if she hadn't noticed his gaze.
But just a few seconds later, Izumi Sora felt his phone vibrate gently. Looking down, a message from Kuroneko popped up on the screen, the lines filled with murderous intent.
"It must feel great having a girl in each arm, right?"
"Unfortunately, a certain someone only has two arms. Do you want me to change my job to Frankenstein and remodel a certain someone, giving you an extra arm for Elf?"
Izumi Sora's mouth twitched slightly: "One extra arm isn't enough, I want two."
"Hah?"
"I also need an arm for Lord Ruri."
"Ptooey~ I don't want that kind of filthy thing!"
"..."
The journey was silent.
The bus wobbled its way out of the city.
Before they knew it, two hours had passed, and a globally renowned mountain peak quietly appeared before everyone's eyes.
Unfortunately, it was already late June. The weather was hot, and the snow on the summit had completely melted, somewhat diminishing the aesthetic appeal.
"Yanami, wake up."
Izumi Sora moved his shoulder slightly, waking 'Inmate Eight' who had slept the entire way.
"Mmm..."
Yanami Anna groggily opened her eyes, finally waking up.
Izumi Sora turned his head, preparing to wake Mahiru. Angel-sama, hearing the movement, had already woken up on her own. Her pretty face had faint red marks from the pressure, and her groggy appearance right after waking up was exceptionally cute.
"Mahiru, we're at Mount Fuji." Izumi Sora gently reminded her.
"Okay..."
Shiina Mahiru suddenly felt her mouth was a bit wet. She hurriedly raised her hand to wipe the corner of her mouth, then her gaze shifted, landing on Izumi Sora's shoulder. Seeing the wet water mark on the white jacket, her pretty face quickly flushed red.
Even Angel-sama drools when she sleeps.
"I'm sorry." Angel-sama shyly covered her pink lips, her pretty face crimson. "I'll wash your clothes for you, Sora-kun, when we get home tonight."
Izumi Sora lowered his voice: "Mahiru has been washing my clothes these past few days anyway, so let's change the compensation."
"Eh?"
"I want ten lap pillow vouchers."
Shiina Mahiru: "..."
Asking for that many lap pillows right off the bat, Sora-kun is too greedy!
A moment later.
The bus slowly came to a stop at the station.
The passengers impatiently got off the bus one after another.
"Elf, don't rush," Mahiru called out. "You dropped your keychain."
"Yanami, your skirt is a bit messy, straighten it up a bit..."
"Sora-kun, make sure you have your backpack."
Mahiru was like a mother traveling with children, worrying about everything.
After getting off the bus, the towering mountain peak and the azure lake came into view, giving everyone a sudden mental boost.
"Ah..."
Yanami Anna opened her arms, took a deep breath, and shouted happily:
"Mount Fuji, we are here!"
Yamada Elf put her hands on her hips, her eyes sparkling:
"The real Mount Fuji is actually this tall, it's completely different from what you see on TV."
"The scenery is very beautiful." Angel-sama looked at Mount Fuji in the distance, and the endless azure lake in front of her, the corners of her lips turning up slightly. "Transforming beautiful scenery into golden memories, and using them to illuminate one's life, that is the meaning of travel."
Izumi Sora looked at Kuroneko and said softly:
"Don't push yourself later. If you can't climb anymore, take the cable car."
"Hmph." Gokou Ruri gave a light snort. The breeze blew, and the girl's hair fluttered in the wind like a dynamic ink plum blossom, exceptionally beautiful. "Scumbag Sora, don't talk to me."
"Everyone come over here." Yanami Anna held up a selfie stick, happily calling to the group. "Let's take a group photo."
As usual, Izumi Sora, being the tallest, stood in the middle, while the girls stood on his left and right.
Click.
The photo was captured.
After taking the large group photo, they naturally didn't leave immediately. They also took normal solo photos. The surrounding tourists were doing the same, the click-click sound of cameras ringing incessantly.
Izumi Sora wasn't interested in selfies, mainly acting as the navigator and guide:
"If you want to take the cable car, we need to go to Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway (Tenjō-Yama Park). We can choose to take a bus there, or walk along the lakeside road. It's only a distance of one kilometer."
"Let's walk there, everyone?" Yanami Anna's gaze shifted, and she cast the first vote. "We've already been sitting on a bus for over two hours, my waist and back ache. Walking feels more comfortable."
Hearing this, Izumi Sora complained:
"You clearly slept for two hours."
"Sora, don't talk." Yanami Anna glared affectionately, crossing her arms over her chest. "Besides, there are super many guests waiting for those buses. We'll definitely be packed like sardines, right?"
"Yanami is right." Yamada Elf cast an agreeing vote, the girl's voice delicate. "I don't want to be squeezed by other people."
Angel-sama raised her right hand, using her slender fingers to tuck a stray hair behind her ear:
"Sitting for a long time is indeed uncomfortable. Let's walk."
Seeing everyone voting in agreement, Kuroneko naturally wouldn't be a buzzkill and softly said either was fine.
"...My plan worked, as expected!"
Yanami Anna's lips curved slightly, revealing a small, smug smile, silently giving herself a thumbs-up in her heart.
Elf and Kuroneko have such terrible stamina. After walking there, they'll definitely be panting heavily, right?
Then I'll tell them to take the cable car, and I'll be able to have a one-on-one date with Sora!
"Then let's walk."
Izumi Sora nodded and put his phone in his pocket.
Navigation?
That kind of thing was completely unnecessary.
Today was the weekend, and the tourists had already formed a human river. They just needed to follow the other tourists forward.
The Mount Fuji trip officially began.
Having seen so much of the city's concrete jungle, suddenly being among mountains and lakes really made one's mood pleasant.
Twenty minutes later.
"S-So tired... why haven't we seen the cable car yet?"
Yamada Elf was panting heavily, her forehead sweating.
Walking from the station, although it was only one kilometer, they were all carrying backpacks for the mountain climb. It could be said they were carrying a heavy load. Elf was enthusiastic at first, walking and taking photos, but unfortunately, her stamina was truly too poor. Before even reaching the cable car station, she was already burned out.
"Just a few more minutes." Izumi Sora pointed. "Cross the road, then follow the slope up, and we'll reach the place to take the cable car."
"I-It's still that far?"
Looking at the winding slope, Yamada Elf felt completely miserable.
"My heels hurt so much..."
Elf sniffled pitifully. Just as she was thinking about what to do, she suddenly caught sight of an adult carrying a child on their back passing by. Her eyes instantly brightened. She reached out and grabbed Izumi Sora's sleeve, her voice expectant:
"Sora, Sora, carry me on your back to the cable car."
Izumi Sora looked over speechlessly: "Only little kids need to be carried."
"Hmph, adults can be carried too." Yamada Elf put her hands on her hips, acting spoiled in a small voice. "My feet hurt so much, I really can't walk anymore."
Yanami Anna's gaze shifted, and she said from the side:
"It looks like Elf has really reached her limit. Sora, hurry up and help."
Getting Elf in line earlier means I can have a private date with Sora earlier.
Izumi Sora looked at Mahiru and Kuroneko: "What do you guys say?"
"It's getting late, and the line will definitely take a long time later. Sora-kun, carry Elf on your back." Shiina Mahiru extended her right hand. Although she minded a little, she was more considerate of others. "Sora-kun, give me your backpack."
"Hehehe, everyone agreed." Elf put her hands on her hips, looking over smugly. "Idiot Sora, hurry up and squat down."
Other people agreeing isn't important. You should be asking the person involved, alright!
Izumi Sora helplessly handed his backpack to Mahiru, then half-crouched down.
"Heave-ho~"
Yamada Elf happily opened her arms, jumped onto Izumi Sora's back, wrapped her arms around Izumi Sora's neck, and said enthusiastically:
"Let's go, let's go!"
A father carrying his daughter wasn't strange, but a combination of peers was quite eye-catching. Furthermore, the girls were all very pretty, so people occasionally cast glances their way.
Fortunately, neither Izumi Sora nor Elf cared about the gazes of others. If it had been Mahiru or Kuroneko, they would have been too ashamed to face anyone long ago.
A moment later.
The group climbed to the end of the slope, and the cable car station finally came into view.
"Get down." Izumi Sora set Elf down. "Next is just waiting in line slowly."
Yanami Anna's gaze shifted. She looked at Mahiru beside her, her tone caring:
"How is Mahiru's foot? Does it hurt from walking this far?"
"It's fine for now." Angel-sama responded softly. "Yanami, don't worry."
Don't worry?
I have to worry!
If Mahiru climbs the mountain with us, we won't be able to have our date, alright.
Yanami Anna thoughtfully proposed:
"Um, how about Mahiru and Elf take the cable car together? It's over a thousand meters to climb to the summit platform, it's really too exhausting."
Hearing this, Shiina Mahiru pursed her pink lips, hesitating.
"Climbing a mountain isn't walking." Izumi Sora said from the side. "Mahiru, take the cable car, don't force yourself."
"...Okay then."
Angel-sama nodded gently, agreeing.
Hearing this sentence, a bright smile instantly appeared on Yanami Anna's face. She turned and looked at Kuroneko:
"Ruri-chan, Sora and I are going to climb the mountain. Do you want to climb with us?"
Kuroneko's stamina was only slightly better than Elf's. She was also panting heavily right now, her forehead sweating. She would definitely refuse, right?
And that was indeed the case.
Hearing Yanami's 'kind invitation', Kuroneko decisively shook her head and refused:
"I-I think I'll pass... I choose to take the cable car."
"Eh, what a pity..."
While saying it was a pity, Yanami's mood was exceptionally joyful:
"Then Sora and I are going to climb the mountain. You guys line up first, we'll see you at the summit park later."
Izumi Sora looked over: "I think taking the cable car actually isn't bad."
"O-Of course not!" The smile on Yanami Anna's face instantly froze, and she hurriedly shook her head. "We agreed to climb the mountain. If we take the car the whole way, there won't be any fun at all, right?"
Izumi Sora: "Taking the cable car has the fun of taking the cable car."
Yanami's gaze shifted, she quickly clasped her hands together, looking over pitifully:
"Please, please I'm begging you"
"..."
Under Yanami's coquettish tactics, Izumi Sora finally chose to surrender.
"Then we'll go climb the mountain first."
Yanami Anna happily waved to the girls, and then, together with Izumi Sora, followed behind the other tourists towards the mountain trail.
After climbing a short distance, Yanami Anna turned her head to look back. Seeing that the girls were out of sight, she put her hands on her hips, proudly lifting her chin:
"Finally, a private date."
It had to be said, 'Inmate Eight's' physical fitness was quite good. Climbing all the way here, besides slightly sweating on her forehead, she wasn't panting heavily.
"Sora, Sora~"
Yanami Anna put her hands behind her back, sidling up to Izumi Sora. The ahoge on her forehead swayed gently, her eyes reflecting the azure sky:
"I suddenly remembered a joke. It is said that once upon a time there was an idiot. No matter what others said to him, he would always answer 'No'... Hey, hey, has Sora heard this story?"
Izumi Sora glanced over, his expression normal: "You just said it."
"Eh?"
Yanami Anna was taken aback, subconsciously shaking her head:
"I didn't say it."
"You definitely said it."
"I didn't."
"Did you or didn't you?"
"I really didn't..."
Halfway through her sentence, Yanami Anna finally realized what was happening, her pink cheeks puffing up high:
"Sora is a bully!"
You were clearly the one who tried to play a prank first, you can't blame others, alright!
The two continued climbing along the mountain path. Before long, Yanami couldn't resist wanting to play a prank again:
"Sora, Sora, want to play a game?"
Izumi Sora was bored with nothing to do. Hearing this, he looked at 'Inmate Eight':
"What game?"
"Very simple." Yanami Anna extended a slender jade finger, the girl's voice crisp and melodious like a wind chime. "Sora says five sentences, and I'll repeat them. If I win, Sora has to grant me one request."
Izumi Sora raised an eyebrow gently: "And if you lose?"
"If I lose..." Yanami Anna's pretty face flushed slightly, and she lowered her voice. "I'll kiss Sora once."
"Deal." Izumi Sora accepted the bet. "Then I'll start?"
"Go ahead, go ahead."
Yanami Anna widened her beautiful eyes, on full alert.
Izumi Sora pondered for two seconds: "Pig."
Yanami: "Pig."
Izumi Sora: "Cow."
Yanami: "Cow."
Izumi Sora: "How many legs does a cow have?"
Yanami Anna instinctively answered: "Four legs..."
"You lose."
Izumi Sora looked silently at 'Inmate Eight'.
Yanami's expression was blank, clearly not having processed it yet, tilting her head in confusion:
"...Meow meow meow?"