July snow.
The temperature plummeted. Even Mila was struggling with the sudden chill. The wind whipped snow into their faces. The biting cold made Shiho feel like it was the dead of winter.
Something was very wrong.
"Alex-kun..."
Shiho looked at the boy. No matter how much she complained about him being a brat or a reckless pervert, in a moment like this—facing a creepy, supernatural event—she couldn't help but rely on him.
Oh, this cursed sense of security...
"I guess the Hihara legends about 'Spirited Away' weren't exaggerations. This place is creepy as hell," Alex scratched his head, pointing at the inn. "A hot spring inn in the middle of a deep forest? You guys really didn't know about this?"
The sign read "Hot Spring Inn" in Japanese. A nearby canvas featured the classic hot spring logo. It wasn't very noticeable in the dense woods; the branches and vines had obscured it. If Alex hadn't led the way, it would have been hard to find.
Normally, if someone saw an inn while lost in a blizzard, they would see it as a lifesaver. But to the Hihara women, this inn sent shivers down their spines.
Seeing the solitary Japanese-style inn in the falling snow, a sense of foreboding filled them.
"I didn't know. How could there be an inn here? In such a remote, deserted area?" Shiho stared at the building with wide eyes. "This is impossible..."
"In stories, inns, hotels, or hospitals that appear in the middle of nowhere are never normal. Especially with this weather," Mila added. Even with her strengthened constitution, she shivered.
She huddled closer to Alex.
Mmm, Alex is so warm... and he smells so good.
Mila looked like a dignified noble lady, but inside, she was already a total fangirl.
But now wasn't the time for that. Mila focused on the weather and the weird building. "Alex, should we check it out?"
"Let's go. Since we found it, let's see what's behind this mystery," Alex said, then chuckled. "Of course, we might be overthinking it. The weather and the legends might have nothing to do with it. It could just be a normal little inn. Maybe we're just too tense?"
His words helped ease the tension.
"I hope so," Shiho said. She regretted coming, but it was too late to turn back. Since Alex wanted to go in, she had to follow.
The four of them pushed through the wind and snow toward the inn. It felt like the blizzard was getting stronger. By the time they reached the entrance, a thin layer of silver-white covered the ground. The wind howled through the trees.
Visibility was poor. Even Mila could barely see into the distance. The Hihara women were terrified. Alex, however, was unaffected.
He grabbed Mila and Shiho's hands. Seeing Mila wrap her arm around the boy and lean on his shoulder, Shiho bit her lip and huddled close to him as well.
Reina, hiding behind Alex, watched with a complicated expression but said nothing.
Creak—
The front door of the inn suddenly swung open.
"Welcome~"
"Our guests from afar don't look very well. The weather is truly terrible. Would you like to come in and rest?"
Guests from afar?
Alex noted the phrasing. He looked at the woman who opened the door. She was wearing an elegant kimono. Despite her refined attire, there was an air of overt sexuality and allure in her expression and aura.
She naturally stoked a man's lust. Alex felt it immediately.
She was beautiful, but she had a unique charm that even Mila didn't possess.
Strange.
"Are you the owner?" Alex asked.
"I am," the beautiful woman said with a stunning, seductive smile. "I am the proprietor of this inn. Isn't it cold out there? Please, come in. Don't be shy. In this weather, it's dangerous to stay outside without shelter."
"It's fate that brought you to my door. If you stay lost out there, things will only get worse."
They exchanged looks. Alex gave them a subtle nod. Seeing their leader make a decision, they followed the beautiful hostess into the inn.
"Ma'am, why is your inn out here in the middle of nowhere?" Mila asked as they stepped inside. It was much warmer. She reluctantly let go of Alex and scanned the interior. It looked like a normal Japanese inn.
"Does anyone actually stay here?"
Shiho let go of him too. Alex's warmth and scent were intoxicating; she didn't want to leave his side.
"I can't help it. This is where I live... And although it's remote, the hot springs here are exceptional. I can't bring myself to leave," the hostess said, her hips swaying gracefully as she led them. "But you're right. Since I opened, guests have been very rare. It's a shame..."
While Mila tried to dig for info, Alex felt a finger poke his back. He turned to see Reina Hihara standing close behind him, looking nervous.
She was so close he could smell her scent—a natural body fragrance, as her perfume had been washed away by the snow.
"Alex-kun, look..."
She showed him her phone. "No signal."
Alex checked his own; it said 'Searching.' "No signal is normal in the deep mountains."
"But... this inn has no staff or servants. Only the hostess," Reina whispered, rubbing her hands nervously. "Do you think she's a Yokai?"
"I can't tell," Alex thought. "At least for now, there's no danger. I can guarantee that. Just treat it like a normal inn, like a hot spring trip. I'll handle the rest."
"Okay..." Reina whispered, nodding as she looked at him and then quickly looked away.
"By the way, guests, the hot spring is one of our two main specialties. It's quite famous. Would you like to try it?"
Alex turned around and met the hostess's gaze. She smiled, every movement layered with a certain suggestion. Even without showing any skin, she was enough to make a man's blood boil.
"In this cold, a soak in the hot spring would be very relaxing..."
Not just her gestures, but her words carried an undeniable subtext.