Chapter 44: The Changes in Their Hearts
The next day, Ren woke to the clear chirping of birds—no honking cars or noisy chatter. Camping was more comfortable than he had imagined.
If only it were a real bed instead of an air mattress, which still felt a bit unfamiliar to sleep on. Still, the experience was pleasant enough.
With Hitori in his arms, Ren opened his eyes.
Hitori was soft and tender all over. As they slept, one of his legs had ended up draped over her thigh, using her as both a hug pillow and a cushion.
Far from minding, Hitori actually felt reassured. She hugged the hand Ren had placed on her waist the night before closer to her chest.
They lay together in intimate embrace, neither feeling the slightest discomfort.
Ren gazed tenderly at Hitori's peaceful, adorable sleeping face, stroked her cheek, then moved his leg away and sat up.
Their relationship had progressed quickly—from holding hands to sleeping together in what felt like no time at all. Kissing and going all the way would be next.
Whether driven by inner longing or the natural course of dating, Ren felt he was ready to move to the next stage.
But...
Would Bocchi-chan transform during an intimate moment?
The random thought crossed Ren's mind, and he chuckled to himself.
He had witnessed Hitori's growth firsthand. Though her progress in overcoming social anxiety was slow, she was already brave enough to interact with the outside world and strangers. She didn't transform at the drop of a hat anymore, so she probably wouldn't freeze up at a critical moment.
With that in mind, Ren brushed aside the strands of hair stuck to Hitori's forehead, admired her soft, slightly chubby pink cheeks, and rose to prepare breakfast once his heart had settled.
"Good morning, Ren."
As he stepped out of the tent, Yuno—already awake—greeted him with a smile. Her eyes briefly flickered down to his lower region, her thoughts unreadable.
She knew most things about Ren. Boys his age were mostly like this; some were even like monkeys in heat.
In a way, this was one of Ren's few weaknesses. After all, the more easily a man's lower half stirred, the more pliable his heart and mind became.
If only she had met him sooner—she would have used her physical advantages to secure him firmly.
As for Hitori, Yuno wasn't too concerned. The pressure she had applied was already enough to make the other girl question her life choices.
"Morning. Any plans for today?"
Ren returned the greeting. By now, he considered Yuno a friend—at least she was far more normal than Satou.
"Thinking of heading home this afternoon. How about you?"
Yuno stepped closer to Ren and spoke softly, tilting her head to look up at his face.
"About the same. We could go back together if you'd like."
Originally, Ren had planned to return in the evening, but cutting the camping trip short to do something else wasn't a bad idea either.
"Then I'll trouble you."
Yuno didn't stand on ceremony, seizing every opportunity to befriend Ren while masking her true intentions beneath these social exchanges.
After a while, Hitori also woke up. Not feeling Ren's embrace, she panicked momentarily before realizing they were camping and Ren had probably gotten up first.
This eased her mind somewhat, though her expression remained troubled because of the nightmare she'd had last night.
She dreamed that she and Ren had broken up, and because of that, Ren was taken by another woman. She couldn't remember exactly who it was, only that it was another pink-haired girl.
People say dreams are the opposite of reality—there must be some truth to that, right?
After having a nightmare she never wanted to see, Hitori started to believe in this saying.
She then put on her tracksuit and left the tent in a fluster. When she stepped out, she saw Ren and Yuno standing together admiring the view.
The sun had just risen, its light not intense but warm like a gentle breeze, casting a faint golden glow over them. From a distance, they looked like the perfect couple—a talented man and a beautiful woman.
They seemed much better matched than her, a gloomy paramecium.
"Daydreaming so early in the morning?"
Noticing the sound of the tent opening behind him, Ren walked over to Hitori, smoothing her slightly messy hair while smiling amusedly.
"I wanted to see Ren..."
Hitori actively hugged Ren seeking comfort. Ren didn't shy away either, returning her embrace with a good morning cuddle.
The mutual embrace reassured Hitori considerably—Ren hadn't left her, his gaze was still on her, and it was her he was holding.
But would it always be her?
After hugging for a while, they still needed to wash up. Ren released Hitori, allowing her to see Yuno standing behind him.
Yuno still wore her gentle smile, though her eyes seemed to hold displeasure and sadness.
This stung Hitori's heart. She realized it was true—her friend had feelings for her lover.
From that point on, she became somewhat distracted. Even after going to the reception area to brush her teeth and wash her face, then returning to the lakeside, she had no interest in playing guitar, simply following beside Ren.
When she didn't speak, Ren initiated conversation with her, but her responses were no different from the usual brief acknowledgments. After a while, Ren let Hitori be in her withdrawn state—sometimes she was most comfortable when left alone.
Having already explored the surroundings yesterday, today Ren turned his attention to the lake, deciding to rent fishing gear.
Neither Yuno nor Hitori had any objections. They rented three sets of fishing equipment and set up fishing platforms in front of their tents to start fishing.
They fished the entire day. Today they did nothing but fish and chat, releasing all the fish they caught back into the lake after they finished. Having just eaten fish yesterday, today was just for the fun of it.
And so, this camping trip ended with releasing fish. In the afternoon, Ren and the others packed their belongings and headed home, concluding their weekend holiday. The upcoming May Day holiday meant they could play for much longer.
During the journey home, Ren contemplated: For this May Day holiday, how should he ask Hitori out for an overnight stay?
With mere hugs and hand-holding no longer satisfying the desires in his heart, he wondered what method he could use to move Hitori's heart until things naturally fell into place.
Finally, Ren turned his attention to music. Tomorrow would be May, and he could just release a new song.