Himeouji 17 (Patreon)

Sequel 3B

RAW

When Yuuma put away the zouni that replaced breakfast for the time being, it was halfway through the day.

He planned to eat the osechi, including his own, at noon, but that was about two hours from now.

Usually their New Year's Day is similar, with spending the morning doing nothing in particular, but this year in particular, it's not going to be the same.

(Come to think of it, we couldn't even do the two-year visit, but even for a first shrine visit, with two people…no, three people——)

Just as he was about to say that, Yuuma suddenly realized.

When it comes to a first shrine visit, it would be crowded.

And she had experienced unbearable pain and humiliation in such a crowd, and was driven to the point where she was physically and mentally battered.

Is it okay to take her to a place that could provoke that trauma?

Even with the two-year visit, he ended up not inviting her, but if he callously did, he might have hurt her.

It’s good that he confirmed that with Reiko-san, although it’s too late, he is relieved that he did, but then Reiko-san's remark suddenly crossed his mind.

When she said that it wouldn’t be a problem if they took her along, did she mean it was not only about staying up late or going out late at night, but also about the situation he just assumed?

Remembering it and worrying about it, maybe his face started frowning?

“Hello? Even though you have a cute girlfriend next to you, what are you thinking about with such a scary face?”

Along with the voice that pulled his consciousness back to reality, his cheek was repeatedly poked.

“Aah——no, just a little. It's not a big deal, yeah.”

“Uwaa… you're blatantly lying... well, whatever.”

By the way——this is not the living room, they’re already in Yuuma's room.

He was concerned that it would be difficult for his father to be around if he occupied the living room, so he brought her into his room.

Compared to her spacious apartment, it's really a cramped room.

There wasn't enough space to invite guests, so the two of them were sitting on the bed.

Calmly thinking about it, since he has this defenseless girlfriend next to him, he thought it would be okay to fantasize more about this and that, but——

“Yuuma-sama. Ojou-sama is pestering you for more attention. Please do not mind my eyes, and go ahead and flirt with her as you normally would.”

“No, we’re normally like this, aren’t we?”

In front of them was Reiko-san, who was sitting on her knees across a small table. There’s no way he can think of anything sexy like that.

“True, Reiko-san is basically always there at home… Well, I don’t really care about things like gazes anymore.”

While saying that, Ryou glanced briefly at Reiko-san.

“...Please, just a little bit, can you leave us alone?”

“I refuse. I am looking forward to observing the sight of you two being intimate, even recording them if I have to, and then reporting it to Danna-sama and Oku-sama.”

(T/N: danna-sama and oku-sama. Master and Madam. I think. I’m not 100% sure of the correct translation. But it just meant talking about the father and mother of the household one serves.)

“Don’t do that! Eh, could it be, you’ve been reporting it until now?”

Ryou widened his eyes at the astonishing fact, but Reiko-san's gaze was on Yuuma.

“Putting that aside, Yuuma-sama.”

“Don’t put it aside, answer the question!”

In response to that Ojou-sama’s words, Reiko-san only sent a quick bow, and then opened her mouth for the second time.

“Even though you're alone with your lovely girlfriend, with your difficult face——you don't seem to be thinking about how you're going to get her into bed.”

“Well, of course, as you can imagine, I don't think about that sort of thing right after the New Year.”

“Then, what were you thinking about?”

Perhaps Ryou was also interested in it, she bent over and looked up at him as if peering into him.

He felt depressed at exposing his insensitivity, but it's not something to hide.

“...Since there was some time, and Ryou was here anyway. I wanted to invite her to go on a first shire visit, but——"

And so, he began to talk, revealing the cause of the difficult face earlier.

They listened in silence for a while, but eventually Ryou’s cheeks relaxed and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

“...So you were thinking about that.”

“Yeah… sorry, it just didn't occur to me.”

He apologized, but her head shook and gently stroked his shoulder.

“As expected, you don't have to be that considerate… but thank you. I’m really happy with your feelings.”

A sideways glance in her direction revealed a gentle smile, with sweetly narrowed eyes.

Even when he reached out with his other hand and touched her cheeks, she showed no sign of disliking it.

“...Ryou.”

“Nn—...”

Naturally, she raised her head, closed her eyes, and stuck out her lips a little.

(No, Reiko-san is here.... she really doesn't care anymore.)

Noticing that Reiko-san had taken out a smartphone, Yuuma didn’t bring his face closer and opened his mouth instead.

“——Shall we try doing a first shrine visit?”

“Nn—... Eh?”

Ryou's eyes opened at the response that seemed to say ’that will never happen in this scenario’, but Yuuma's invitation seems to have shaken her heart.

“Well, even if I say it's going to be okay, I wouldn’t know what's going to happen... also, I'm planning to go to a shrine with almost no people.”

“It’s not like I want to actively go to the crowd, so that helps, but…”

Dissatisfied, she twitched her lips as if pecking the air as she considered it like that.

“It's the beginning of the year, and it's just the right time, so wouldn’t it be crowded everywhere?”

“No... it's not well known, but there's a small shrine in the neighborhood. I visit every year, but it's never been crowded, so it's okay.”

“Hee—... since it’s in the neighborhood, does that mean it’s really close?”

“Yeah. I think it's about five minutes on foot. The way there is a little complicated and deep though.”

That's probably why it's hidden from the public eye, even at this time of year, it's like a well-kept secret place.

Hearing this, Ryou crossed her arms while letting out a ‘fumumu’ sound and looked worried for a while, but eventually...

“...Then, let’s go.”

Saying that, she relaxed her cheeks.

Seeing the ojou-sama's figure, Reiko-san seemed to be happy.

“Isn’t that great, Ojou-sama.”

“Yeah.”

“I will clean the room and wait for you. Please take your time and enjoy your date.”

“I leave it to you.”

“Wait, don’t leave it to her just like that.”

Reiko-san questioned his surprised statement, but that’s exactly why he was surprised.*

“Oh, Yuuma-sama, is there something improper?”

“I finished cleaning at the end of the year, and I've hidden everything I don't want to be found, so it's okay.”

“Wait, what are the things you don’t want to be found?”

That’s, well, various things.

Although he was distrustful of women, their existence itself is not a sin.

“——Putting aside something like that, would you like to go with us, Reiko-san?”

“It’s not just ‘something like that’ though!”

The shoulder that was cuddled and patted with the head earlier is now smacked repeatedly with a cute hand.

Without reacting, Yuuma remained as he was while waiting for Reiko-san’s reply, but she looked around the room, and then gave a small smile.

“...Please come back in thirty minutes. I'll show you the results of professional cleaning.”

“No, you don’t have to show me.”

“Well, joking aside——”

Interjecting with a cough, Reiko-san raised her index finger.

“Please don't worry about me, go ahead with just the two of you. Because you didn't get to spend the end of the year together, I would like you to spend the beginning of the year affectionately.”

“...I understand.”

There are some things he wanted to retort, but he understood what she wanted to say.

If she was being considerate of them, let's assume she meant what she said here.

“Sorry, Reiko-san… thank you.”

“No, not at all, ojou-sama.”

Reiko-san gave a loving smile to Ryou who told her apologetically.

“In the afternoon and evening, I will be the one to take care of you affectionately.”

“No way I’ll let you do that, what are you talking about!”

In any case——the two of them made preparations to go out, let his father know, and went out for a first shrine visit date.

“——Please take your time. As promised, I will look for things that you don’t want to be found.”

“Absolutely don’t do that please.”

While leaving behind some uneasiness——

…

The area around the Hanyuu residence is a residential area, and there are not many people around, probably because they want to take it easy on a New Year’s morning.

That's why the distance between the two was a little closer than usual, as they don’t have to worry about the public eye.

A distance where their shoulders touch each other, so to say.

Ryou was keeping her distance in an attempt to be careful, but Yuuma got closer to her, refusing to allow that to happen.

“Yu, Yuuma… someone will see.”

“Well, it’s probably okay.”

Even men can be this close if they walk shoulder to shoulder.

Although, it's not normal for men to walk shoulder to shoulder.

“I guess it’s fine then…”

With a vague smile that seemed troubled or happy, Ryou leaned slightly toward Yuuma and seemed to be thinking about something from a little while ago.

“What’s wrong?”

“Yeah, well... about the shrine we're going to, um——I wonder if Kitabayashi-san or Nishina-san know it.”

Childhood friend Kitabayashi Ayaka, and little sister Nishina Miu.

It's true that both of them have lived here since childhood, and Kitabayashi in particular still lives in the area, but——

“At the very least, I didn't tell them. Besides, I don't remember ever meeting them at the shrine.”

Even if they knew, since the two of them had a lot of friends, they would probably go to a more famous and bigger shrine.

“It’s okay if it’s like that, but... maybe they’d be there in hopes of bumping into Yuuma, you know?”

“Haha, they probably wouldn’t go that far.”

They are trying to find a reason to talk to Yuuma, but if they don't know the connection between the shrine and Yuuma, they’d have no reason to go there.

Laughing off Ryo's words, he escorted her and slowly walked the five-minute road for about ten minutes toward the shrine.

What they see is really a small shrine.

A low torii gate, a short path toward the shrine.

Every time he comes here, it's meticulously cleaned, and there's never been a single piece of trash on the ground.

In such a closed sanctuary-like place, Yuuma and Ryou were alone——was what they thought.

However, from the other side of the road leading to the torii, they can see a figure who seemed to be the same visitor as them approaching.

“That’s rare... It might really be the first time I've met someone here.”

“Maybe a priest, or the manager?”

“I've heard they exist, but I've never met them.”

When they stood in front of the torii gate while talking like that——

“——I had some hopes, but it seems I was lucky.”

In contrast to the two people who stiffened without speaking when they saw the other person's face, the visitor who came from the other side said so calmly.

“Happy New Year, Yuuma.”

Showing a smile with a small fatigue left behind, was the figure of the student council president——Toujou Hibiki.

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