Oh! So this is Itomori Town? It's so beautiful!"
"The lake is gorgeous!"
"It feels just like a scene from a dream!"
The girls' eyes reflected the shimmering surface of the lake as they marveled at the beauty of the mountain lake before them.
"How did this lake form?"
Mio gazed at the beautiful lake below with a slightly entranced look and murmured.
Sato glanced ahead while holding the steering wheel and replied, "I heard that a long, long time ago, a meteor fell from the sky and created it."
"Let's head to the crater first, we'll come back here later."
The vehicle moved along the mountain road and, after a while, stopped beneath a stretch of forest.
They parked, and everyone filed out of the car, looking up at the towering mountain ahead.
"N-no way… we still have to climb that?!"
Ritsu stared blankly at the tall mountain in front of her.
"Yep. Surprised? Unexpected?"
"So that's the 'surprise' you were talking about?!"
The girls stared at Sato in shock.
Sato smiled and said, "The most beautiful rainbows always come after the storm. If you want to see great scenery, you've got to put in some effort."
"What, don't tell me you can't handle it?"
"Ren-chan, can you do it?"
Sato suddenly turned to Miyauchi Renge, who looked eager and ready to start climbing.
"I'm going to be first!"
Miyauchi Renge said excitedly.
"Kanna-chan, what about you?"
"I'll work hard together with Ren-chan!"
Kanna said firmly.
Hearing this, Sato looked over at the Light Music Club members and shrugged with a helpless expression.
"You're not going to lose to them, are you?"
"D-damn it! Comparing us to little kids? Fine, today I'll show you what I, Ritsu, can do!"
Ritsu stepped forward confidently and raised her eyebrows at Kanna and the others.
You little ones, I won't go easy on you!
"Huh?! Tainaka-senpai, are you having a race? I want in too!"
"Me too!"
There was no way Koshigaya Natsumi and Miyauchi Hikage would miss out on something this lively.
The two rushed over excitedly.
"Good. You joining?"
"Of course!"
"Then Mio, you should join too?"
Ritsu turned to Mio with an invitation.
Mio shook her head. "I'll pass."
"Then what about Tsumugi?"
"Is this a mountain climbing race?"
Kotobuki Tsumugi's eyes lit up. For a young lady like her, something like a climbing race was usually only seen on TV.
"Yep!"
"Then I'm in!"
Kotobuki Tsumugi happily raised her hand. Anything she had never done before sparked great interest in her.
"Alright! Anyone else?"
"Ui, let's go too!"
"Huh? Sister, can you manage it?"
"Hmph, Ui, don't underestimate me."
"But…"
"It's fine, Ui, come with Yui!"
"O-okay."
"Anyone else joining?"
"I, I'll go with Komari-senpai!"
Ichijou Hotaru also raised her hand excitedly.
"Then hurry over. On my signal, ready!"
Everyone lined up, waiting for Ritsu's command. Suddenly, she glanced at them and revealed a sly smile.
"Three, two… run!"
She skipped the proper start and dashed off immediately, like a gust of wind, right past everyone who was still waiting.
Everyone: "…"
Koshigaya Natsumi was the first to react. She quickly chased after her, shouting, "Tainaka-senpai, that's not fair!!"
"All's fair in war!"
"Damn it! I'll catch up to you!"
Miyauchi Hikage was equally unwilling to fall behind and chased after them.
"Catch up to me? Hmph! I'd advise you not to even think about it. Young people should reflect on themselves!"
…
"Sigh… young people really do have more energy."
Miyauchi Kazuho squinted as she looked ahead at the running group, a smile on her face, yet her whole body seemed to carry a sense of aged weariness.
Sato could not help twitching his lips. "Kazuho-neesan, you're only in your twenties, right? Don't talk like you're some seventy or eighty-year-old man."
"Huh? So I'm only in my twenties?"
Miyauchi Kazuho froze slightly, then spoke as if realizing it for the first time.
Sato: "…"
Has she slept so much she's gone dull?
"Sato, let's hurry and catch up."
Mio said from not far away, sounding a little worried. That guy Ritsu was not familiar with the terrain here, and if she got lost, it would be troublesome.
"Yeah, let's go too."
Sato looked up at the mountain ahead.
…
Within the forest, lush green trees towered overhead.
The ground was covered with yellowed fallen leaves, soft underfoot.
Mio walked ahead, trying to catch up with the group in front, while Sato and Fujimiya Konomi lagged slightly behind.
At the very back were Miyauchi Kazuho and the others.
Walking through the quiet, endless forest, their steps on the fallen leaves produced soft rustling sounds. Strands of sunlight filtered through the canopy, slanting down like scattered ribbons of light, illuminating the leaves until they resembled pieces of green jade.
Leisurely, free, comfortable…
Sato enjoyed this feeling very much. When he calmed his mind, it felt as though his heart was drawing close to nature.
Until a certain moment…
"Sato."
Suddenly, Fujimiya Konomi looked at him.
"Hm?"
Sato turned his head in confusion. The moment he saw the girl's smiling face and that gentle smile, his heart skipped a beat.
Why do I suddenly feel like I'm in trouble?
Sure enough, the next second he heard her calm voice.
"Those girls Tainaka and the others mentioned the other day, what's going on with them? Are they all your classmates?"
Oh no!
It's been two or three days already, how do you still remember?!
Sato's expression turned strained. He scratched his head and said with some difficulty, "How should I put it… they're probably my friends?"
Fujimiya Konomi narrowed her eyes, still smiling. "That's quite something. You've only been there a short time, yet you already have so many friends. And… they're all beautiful girls?"
"Nonsense, there are guys too!"
Sato answered righteously.
"Are there?"
Fujimiya Konomi looked suspicious, clearly unconvinced. After all, she had not heard such information from the Light Music Club girls.
"There really are!"
Sato said firmly, staring straight at her.
Believe me!
Fujimiya Konomi met his gaze for a long while, then slowly shifted her eyes forward and said, "Fine, if there are, then there are. But I'm quite interested in those beautiful girls. Can you tell me more in detail?"
Sato: "…"
Dear heavens, we're still not past this?!