After getting out of the bath and changing into the yukata provided by the inn, I stepped into the hallway and saw Erina-san sitting on a plastic bench-sofa in front of the vending machines.
“Ah, Ta-ku-to-ku-u-n.”
She called out to me with an intonation just like Masuo-san.
“Yo. ...Are you waiting for Hazama?”
“Yeah, something like that... Do you think he'll be out soon?”
Erina-san, also wearing the inn’s yukata, looked up at me. A damp towel was draped around her neck. Somehow, she looked strangely sexy...
“Well, no, when I left, the four Cherry Boys were having some kind of endurance contest in the sauna, so it might be a while.”
“Ahaha, that sounds just like them. Takt-kun, you didn't want to join in?”
“Nah, I'm not a Cherry Boy.”
“Eeeeh!? Takt-kun, you're not a cherry boy!?”
Seriously, her reaction was way too big. Also, did she hear my internal retort about her sounding like Masuo-san?
“Wait, really...? With who...?”
Taking my silence as an affirmation of her question, Erina-san tilted her head in genuine surprise.
...Alright, I feel like I'll be held in higher regard if I leave it at this, so I’ll just stay quiet for a bit.
“Wait, could it be, with Sakosshu...?”
“Stop! I'm sorry! Please forgive me, I'm a virgin!”
Using real names like that is bad news!
“Hey now, your voice is too loud.”
Erina-san replied with a smirk.
“Isn't that your fault, Erina-san...?”
“It's a punishment for listening to the girls' conversation in the bath.”
“Wait, that was my fault?”
Talk about a false accusation—or should I say, a 'damp' accusation since we're fresh out of the bath.
“Anyway, buy me this!”
With that, Erina-san pointed at the vending machine.
“Me? Why?”
“Just because!”
Well, I do feel a bit like I want to cheer Erina-san up, so I guess it's fine.
“So, what do you want to drink?”
“Milk!”
I mean, you could just say 'gyunyu.' As always, her English pronunciation is great.
I inserted 100 yen and pressed the button.
With a clunk, a glass bottle of milk dropped down.
“Don't hot springs and milk go so-o-o well together?”
“I guess so.”
For a moment, I thought it was a bit late to be stating the obvious, but maybe it's not such a common thing if you've lived abroad for a long time.
Next, I put in a 100-yen coin to get something for myself.
Suddenly, a finger reached out from the side.
“Ah...”
Clunk.
“Takt-kun, you were going to get this anyway, right?”
What fell into the tray was coffee milk.
“Erina knows everything!”
“...!”
Erina-san, who had reached out in front of me, was closer than I expected. She smelled like she was fresh out of the bath, and I found myself unable to say anything.
I mean, I actually was planning to buy coffee milk.
The two of us sat back down on the bench, each holding our glass bottles.
“Cheers!”
“O-Oh. Cheers.”
We lightly tapped our bottles together. It made a pleasant sound.
It might be strange to call it the 'main topic,' but I tried to subtly convey why I had treated Erina-san to milk.
“That declaration Hazama made in the bath, how should I put it... it must be tough.”
“Tough? You don't mean 'perverted'?”
Erina-san tilted her head while saying something silly. The gesture of putting the towel around her neck to her mouth was devilishly calculated.
Hazama's statement in the bath was clearly made with Sako in mind.
I was a little worried about how Erina-san, who heard it right there, was feeling in her heart.
“...Well, it did sting a ti-i-iny bit, though.”
Erina-san smiled gently and looked down slightly.
“I thought so...”
When I agreed, she continued.
“To think Kenji was a small-chest fan...”
Erina-san said while pressing her own, uh, chest. I immediately looked away. Wait, is this person some kind of exhibitionist?
“Did you know, Takt-kun?”
“Uh, no, that's...”
How would I know that? I was about to say something like, 'He's probably just matching Sako's vibe, we don't know his true preference,' but I stopped myself.
Those words would be too meaningless and cruel.
Without minding me, as I hesitated and struggled for words, she spoke.
“But, that doesn't matter.”
“It doesn't matter...?”
“Nope.”
Erina-san chuckled a bit before continuing.
“Erina probably isn't the type of face Kenji likes, and it seems I don't have the type of body Kenji likes, but that's just how I was born and how I grew up, so it can't be helped.”
“Yeah...?”
“But you see, that doesn't matter. Because,”
After saying that much, Erina-san gave a brilliant smile and continued.
“Erina loves Kenji!”
I gasped at that smile.
“Erina's appearance or personality has nothing to do with that feeling itself, right?”
I was overwhelmed by her innocence and honesty.
Erina-san might look like she's not thinking about anything, but she's always looking at the most important thing.
“And you know, I think the result is everything.”
“The result?”
I tilted my head at those words, which could sound cold depending on how you heard them.
“I think things like appearance and personality can make it advantageous or disadvantageous. But, I think 'loving' means you can't give up just because of those reasons.”
“I see...?”
“If it's not easy to grasp, you just have to work that much harder. If you feel like 'oh well' about it, then I think that's all the feeling amounted to.”
“I see...”
Erina-san is amazing.
I gave a wry smile at myself, feeling pathetic for just nodding and agreeing.
Erina-san took a big gulp of her milk.
“Erina, you see,”
“Mm...?”
As if telling herself, as if making a resolution, Erina-san spoke firmly.
“Erina will become Kenji's special someone, no matter what it takes.”
“...I see.”
Erina-san is strong...
Peering into my face, which was full of admiration, Erina-san laughed.
“The one who gave me the chance to think that way was a certain coffee-loving someone, though.”