"Let's go, Tsuna. Sister Junko is going to be busy again, so we won't disturb her."
Shouko looked at Junko, who was chatting with a guest at the front desk, and took Tsuna's hand, wanting to take him out.
"Okay." Tsuna nodded and called to Junko at the front desk, "Sister Junko, Shouko and I will be leaving first!"
This interrupted Junko's conversation with the guest. She turned to look at Tsuna, waved to the two of them, and reminded them, "Be careful, and remember not to go to the back mountain."
Tsuna and Shouko gave her a few assurances before walking out of the hot spring resort hotel hand in hand.
"By the way, where are we going?" Shouko asked puzzledly as they walked out, seeing the deep mountains on the left and a cement road on the right.
They had taken the road on the right when they took a taxi here before.
Tsuna glanced down at his watch, confirming the signal and battery were full. He raised his hand and pointed to the road to the right.
"Isn't there a small town about a kilometer or two away? Why don't we walk over there?"
Shouko quickly shook her head. A kilometer or two... too far, she thought. The walk back and forth was exhausting, so how could she possibly have the energy to wander around in a small town?
"…"
The two, unsure of where to go, explored the entire hot spring hotel, except for the four onsen areas.
Tsuna also knew that his grandfather's onsen had mixed bathing options, but he didn't dwell on it. After all, Shouko would never go there.
He was the same.
Eventually, the two of them sat on a sofa in the corner of the lobby, watching the people coming and going.
After almost a day's ride, Shouko was feeling a little sleepy, but because Tsuna wanted to get off the taxi, she fought back the urge to get out. Now, Shouko rested her head on Tsuna's shoulder.
The familiar scent of someone soon overwhelmed her with sleepiness.
"Shouko?" Tsuna spoke again but got no response. Then he realized that she had fallen asleep.
Seeing this, Tsuna waved to Junko at the front desk.
This action quickly attracted Junko's attention, but it was Itohara who was sent to inquire.
"What's wrong?" Itohara gritted his teeth.
Tsuna saw that it was Itohara who came, but he didn't care. He ignored his expression and said softly:
"Help me get a small blanket. Shouko is asleep, and I'm afraid she will catch a cold."
Itohara wanted to refuse, but when he saw Shouko's peaceful sleeping face, he struggled in his heart and nodded, then went upstairs to get the blanket.
After three or four minutes, Itohara came to Tsuna with a small pink blanket and handed it to him.
Before leaving, Itohara explained, "This blanket is what my sister usually uses for her naps. Don't worry."
He'd noticed his cousin's strange look and instantly guessed he'd misunderstood something, so he explained it.
He didn't want to be seen as a sissy, for something he could explain in one sentence. He'd rather be seen as a pervert than a sissy.
"Thanks," Tsuna nodded.
Not intending to wake Shouko, Tsuna gently adjusted her position, letting her sleep on his thighs. This would prevent her from nodding and make her sleep more comfortable.
He draped the small blanket over her stomach and legs. The room wasn't particularly cold, but it was still a precaution.
---
After Serving the Guests
"Finally over!" After serving the guests, Junko stretched and moaned, revealing a glimpse of her belly.
After stretching, she pulled the hem of her dress down to cover the small patch of skin at her waist.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Itohara, who was staring intently at a certain direction, and asked in confusion:
"Brother, what are you looking at so intently?"
He followed his gaze.
Dusk was like a veil, and the floor lamp in the hall cast a warm orange glow in the corner, gently outlining the two figures on the fabric sofa. The girl curled up like a lazy cat, her profile sunken into the folds of the boy's dark gray sweatpants.
The warm-colored book in the boy's hand tilted slightly, and the light from the spine crept up along her undulating back.
Before Itohara's could respond, Junko unhesitatingly pulled out her phone, activated the camera, and aimed it at the two people in the corner.
"Click..."
Junko glanced over, puzzled. Before she could even click the camera button, the phone's success sound echoed, and it wasn't coming from her phone.
"Aunt—"
"Shh..."
Before Junko could even utter a word of surprise, Shizuka quickly raised her hand, put her index finger to her lips, and shushed her.
Seeing that she had calmed down, Shizuka quickly picked up her phone and took several photos of the two people in the corner from different angles.
Not to be outdone, Junko followed, her phone in hand.
It was only when Tsuna finally gave them a glare that they calmed down a bit.
He'd wanted to stand up and stop them, but he'd overestimated his own abilities. After letting Shouko sleep with him all afternoon, his legs were practically numb.
As for the book he'd been holding, he'd asked Itohara to get it for him because he was bored and not at all sleepy.
A few minutes later, after Shizuka and Junko exchanged photos, Shizuka put her phone away and said to Junko,
"I'm going to the kitchen to help your mom prepare dinner. If you need anything, come find me."
After receiving a nod from Junko, she hurried out of the lobby.
"Hey, Bro, watch the front desk for me while I go to the restroom."
After watching Shizuka leave, Junko patted Itohara's head and, without waiting for his approval, left the front desk and headed up the stairs to the second floor.
"Shouko, it's time to wake up! It's time for dinner." Tsuna gently rocked her, resting her head on his lap.
After a moment, when she still hadn't responded, Tsuna called out uncertainly, "Shouko?"
After a minute or two, Tsuna hesitated, finally reaching out to pinch her nose and cover her mouth.
After thirty or forty seconds, Shouko was the first to burst out laughing, but seeing the man still refused to let go, she didn't hesitate to slap him on the arm.
"Honestly! Were you awake a long time ago?" Tsuna glanced at her suspiciously as she sat up.
Shouko quickly shook her head in denial, "No way! Even if you've been resting your head on me all afternoon, you can't say such nonsense!"
Seeing him pounding his thighs, Tsuna didn't say anything else, so he gently began to pound.
Tsuna observed her flawed expression, but considering she was still concerned about herself, he forgave her.
---