In the lounge, silent tranquility dominated the space.
Hakushi sat on a chair in the lounge, racking his brain, thinking about what to do next.
He looked towards the entrance of the women's bathhouse; it's been at least ten minutes since Ruri went in there.
However, up until now... nothing had happened.
No matter how he looked at it, Hakushi found the situation rather unusual.
The sound of an explosion or the terrifying scene of a huge fire burying the entire hot spring, such scenarios would actually make Hakushi feel more at ease.
What on earth was happening inside?
Could it be that Ayane had already left beforehand?
After all, he had deliberately spoken loudly earlier to warn Ayane, who was soaking in the hot spring, to prepare to escape.
If that were the case, it wouldn't be hard to imagine why it was so quiet in there...
But Hakushi still felt that things weren't that simple.
Sitting restlessly on the chair, Hakushi held an unopened bottle of milk in his hand, not drinking it, just holding it.
It was precisely this unusual quietness that was the source of his unease.
Another twenty minutes passed, and footsteps came from the entrance of the women's bath. Hakushi looked up to see Ruri and Ayane coming out, wearing nothing but pristine white bathrobes.
Huh?
What's going on?
Why didn't they fight?
This isn't normal.
"The hot spring here is really comfortable; my shoulders have been sore recently, but now they feel much better."
Ayane stretched lazily in the lounge, and the heavy, fruit-like contours stood out on her white bathrobe.
No wonder her shoulders were sore. With such a full bust, it's actually normal to feel shoulder pain.
Even in battle, it might affect her performance because of her large chest.
"Well, that's what you get for eating so much. That extra part of you is completely unnecessary."
Ruri glanced at Ayane's chest, giving a blunt comment.
"I think it's strange too. My growth wasn't this rapid before; maybe it is related to my eating habits."
Ayane pondered seriously whether her larger-than-average chest compared to her peers was related to her voracious appetite.
Hakushi, on the side, had no room to interject. Ruri and Ayane went back and forth in conversation like intimate friends, almost making Hakushi think the scene before his eyes was an illusion.
Could he have unknowingly fallen under Ruri's Illusion Technique?
After all, he knew that Ruri's Illusion Technique didn't necessarily require the Sharingan to be cast.
In fact, from the start, Ruri's Illusion Technique was never cast through the Sharingan.
But... since Ruri returned, there were no contacts, and it's impossible for an Illusion Technique to control him for so long without him noticing.
"Hey, you two... were you okay in there?"
At this point, Hakushi couldn't help but ask.
"What could've happened to us in there, Hakushi-kun? You're the weird one."
No, the weird ones are you two. Hakushi could only reply in his mind.
Despite the oddity, the dreamlike scene of them getting along like intimate sisters, there must be something off about it.
"Not just that, we even helped each other scrub our backs inside, and they were snowy white and smooth."
Ayane tapped her chin with her finger, smiling suggestively at Hakushi.
"I-Is that so?"
Hakushi opened the milk bottle in his hand, drank a sip to calm his nerves, and also to cool his inner agitation.
Ayane must have deliberately described the scene to be so alluring, stirring up a desire to imagine more.
And indeed, Hakushi's thoughts went in that direction.
The restless and agitated body of adolescence was truly troublesome.
"Alright, after soaking in the hot spring, I should be on my way."
After drinking a bottle of chilled milk in the lounge, Ayane felt more comfortable and prepared to go back inside to change clothes.
"Aren't you staying for lunch?"
Ruri casually invited Ayane.
"No, there's still a lot to do back at the clan."
Ayane went back inside and re-emerged a few minutes later, wearing her kimono-style ninja suit again.
"Well then, I'll be off. Let's hang out again sometime."
"I'll see you off."
Hakushi proactively stepped forward and said.
"There's no need, I'm not a child. I know my way back. Your work is more important, Hakushi-kun."
Rejecting Hakushi's suggestion, Ayane left swiftly, closing the door behind her.
The last excuse to escape from here disappeared.
This was a terrible woman who, after satisfying herself, would ditch the man without taking any responsibility.
It seems like next time, he needs to let her know who's really in charge.
She's becoming increasingly defiant.
"How much longer are you going to stay here? The research work on the Immortal Technique isn't done yet, right?"
Ruri's sudden words came from behind him.
"Y-Yeah, there's still a part left undone, but most of it's finished. Isn't it that you had something to discuss with me, Ruri, and wanted me to wait here for you?"
Hakushi scratched his head.
Well, I'd better apologize seriously.
After all, this matter was ultimately his mistake.
As long as he took full responsibility for all the mistakes, Ruri would surely forgive him.
Because Hakushi was already so accustomed to this that it became an instinctive reaction that didn't require much thought.