Coming to the more rural part of the country certainly felt like a nice refreshing change of pace.

The dense city sprawl had given way to rolling green hills that folded into one another, dotted with clusters of traditional houses with steep, tiled roofs.

Narrow roads wound between rice paddies with the distant mountains as a backdrop.

The air was different here. It smelled of damp earth, fresh-cut grass, and clean wind, completely free from the city noise.

“It’s so nice and peaceful here.” Hikari said as we made our way to the restaurant.

“Right? That was my idea. Isn’t it refreshing?”

We entered a small, rustic restaurant for our lunch date, its wooden exterior weathered by years of mountain seasons.

The interior was warm and dim, smelling strongly of roasted barley tea and miso.

Since I was with Hikari-mama, I had a feeling she would take the lead.

“Let me order.”

I couldn’t help but smile at how her motherly nature activated so effortlessly.

“Sure.”

After our steaming bowls of soba noodles and tempura arrived, we began to eat and converse easily.

“Don’t forget Kotoha’s food before we leave.”

“I wouldn’t forget about something like that.” She chuckled softly covering her lips demurely.

“We’re almost to the inn anyway. Should we make her suffer a bit?”

“Don’t be mean, Souta-kun.”

“Sorry. Kotoha is just fun to tease.”

The comfortable conversation lulled into a gentle standstill. Hikari set her chopsticks down neatly, her expression turning thoughtful. She looked like she wanted to say something.

“So, Souta-kun… how is it going with Kotoha?”

“That’s a strange question. We’re both perfectly fine?”

“Not that. As in… do you have any serious interest in pursuing Kotoha as a woman?”

I’m interested in playing with Kotoha’s butt.

But I had a general idea of where this conversation was going. It was a chance for me to fundamentally change how Hikari viewed me going forward.

“I am more interested in winning Hikari-san over.”

“Why do you need to win me over? If you want my approval for you and Kotoha, I’ve already given it.”

She thought I was talking about asking for her blessing. I needed to be more straightforward.

“I didn’t mean it like that. But I do like Kotoha.”

I gave her the ambiguous answer, a carefully balanced truth. I had dealt all my cards. The rest was up to her. I trusted that all my subtle efforts so far to break through her mental barrier had worked.

Hikari blushed, a delicate pink spreading across her cheeks. She darted her eyes to the side before covering her lips with a napkin, a nervous, flustered gesture.

“I-I see. That’s… reassuring.”

What is reassuring, Hikari-san?

My open declaration of interest in you, or my confirmation of interest in your daughter?

Won’t you tell me?

By the way, I love you both.

The rest of the lunch proceeded in silence. Before we left, Hikari didn’t forget to get a simple, easy-to-eat boxed meal for Kotoha.

@@

We got back in the car.

It was just an hour to the hot spring inn now.

Kotoha was still sleeping, curled up against the window. Her lips were slightly parted, her long dark lashes resting on her cheeks. Even in sleep, she looked unbearably cute. I’d left the car running with the climate control on while Hikari and I had lunch, just so she could sleep comfortably.

Hikari helped with the directions as we drove the last part of the trip. But every time I glanced at her, she looked away. Maybe she was thinking about what I said at the restaurant.

Before, she would have laughed it off as a joke. Now, she was actually considering it. The fact that I could see her flustered like this was a victory in my book.

I knew not to push her. I’d wait for her to make up her mind on her own.

Eventually, we arrived at the hot spring inn.

The old wooden building stood nestled against a steep, forested hillside, with steam from the hot springs rising gently into the cool mountain air. A quiet river gurgled nearby.

I looked at Kotoha’s peaceful, sleeping face. "Should we play rock-paper-scissors to decide who wakes her up?"

Hikari giggled softly. "Sure. But I'm telling you now, I'm going to pick rock."

"That's not how the game works, Hikari-san." A small smile touched my lips. "In that case, I'll pick scissors."

"Shall we start?"

"Rock, paper, scissors."

My hand formed scissors, just as I'd said. Hikari's hand lay flat—paper.

"Huh? But you said rock! You lied to me."

She smiled, a playful glint in her eyes. "It's all part of the strategy, Souta-kun. Now go on, wake her up. Fufufu."

Of course, she'd thrown the game. She knew Kotoha would be happier to be woken by me.

Hikari was truly adorable in her own clever way.

I went over to Kotoha.

"Kotoha? We're here."

"Umwah? We are..?"

"Yes, sleepyhead."

She stretched like a cat, arching her back with a soft sound. "That was a good nap! Thanks for driving, Souta-kun!"

Hikari leaned over from the front seat. "Are you hungry, Kotoha? We bought you a lunch box."

"I can eat in the room!"

"Okay."

"Let me go check in," I said. "You two can wait here."

"Very reliable." Hikari nodded, a warm smile on her face.

"Don't go running off."

"I don't even know where I am!" she declared playfully.

"Why do you sound so proud of that?" I bantered back.

Hikari chuckled softly before making a shooing motion with her hand. "Go check in already, Mr. Reliable."