rubestie

Season: Autumn

Writer: Nishioka (feat. Akira)

Characters: Mao, Hajime, Young inn owner

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Mao: Haa~... That was a nice soak…♪

Hajime: The hot spring water felt really nice…♪

As expected of free-flowing hot spring water. Just look at my skin. It’s gotten completely smooth. And my legs don’t feel as tired anymore.

Mao: They do say people used to heal their injuries in the hot spring in the past, after all. It really felt like an invigorating bath.

Hajime: Ehehe. The only problem is that when it feels so good you often end up spending too long in the bath.

Mao: Agreed~. Tori and Kagehira looked like they were about to combust, after all.

Hajime: Tori-kun and Kagehira-senpai went back to our room earlier, but I wonder if they’re doing okay? I hope they aren’t still feeling sick.

Mao: Ahaha. They’re not children, so they should be fine.

Hajime: That’s true. I have this habit of worrying too much- nn?

Isn’t that the young master standing by the window down the hallway?

Mao: Ah, it is. We should take this opportunity to say hello. I want to give him my thanks for letting us use the bath as well.

Hajime: Yes, let’s.

Mao: Young master, hello.

Hajime: Nice to see you.

Young master: Isara-san and Shino-san. Are you on your way back from using the bath? How did you find our hot spring water?

Mao: It felt amazing! I feel completely energized!

Hajime: Yes! It felt so good that we ended up staying a while.

Young master: That’s good to hear. I’ll be sure to tell my employees you were satisfied. They’ll surely feel encouraged.

Mao: What are you looking at? Is there something outside the window?

Young master: Ah. There isn’t anything in particular… I was just admiring the inn and the surrounding view. I want to be able to remember it in case the day comes when I won't be able to come here anymore.

Ah, excuse me…! Me saying stuff like that would only be making your job more difficult.

Please pay no mind to what I just said. Ah, how careless of me. I find myself becoming more sentimental as I grow older.

Hajime: Uhm. Wouldn’t it be better if the two of you managed to come to an agreement about the inn rather than leaving the decision to something like a bet?

Young master: A bet, huh…

Fufu. Betting, is it… That doesn’t sound too bad.

Mao: Eh?

Young master: No, it just sounded like something my mother would like.

Mao: Your mother? If she is your mother… then that would make her this inn’s landlady, wouldn’t it?

Hajime: Oh? But when we were introduced to the staff earlier, there was no landlady present, was there?

Young master: You’re right. My mother passed away ten years ago. So there is no landlady at this inn.

Hajime: So that’s how it is… I’m so sorry, I had no idea…

Young master: Ah, don’t be. Don’t worry about it. This isn’t a sad story. She was an outgoing and refreshing person, after all.

I was thinking how my mother would probably have thought this whole ordeal was really funny and had a laugh about it. My father would often struggle to keep up with her antics.

Mao: She sounds like a lovely person. With that person as your mother, your days must’ve been filled with joy?

Young master: They were. This inn was always like a second home to me.

Mao: A home…?

Young master: I didn’t use to live here. I often came to the inn after school to spend time here is all.

At this inn were my hardworking father, my cheerful mother, the kind-hearted staff and many customers who enjoyed staying here. That’s the kind of environment I grew up in.

Mao: I can imagine.

Hajime: Indeed. We have never spent time at an inn like this, but for us idols, we have an important place of belonging in our units…

Mao: That’s an irreplaceable place in our lives, like a second home for us.

Young master: I see. So you guys also have a place like that. That sounds like a good place to belong.

Mao: So I feel like I can understand a little of the loneliness and sadness you might feel if you were to lose that kind of important place. I can only imagine how it must feel.

Young master: That amount of support is enough for me. That is why I really want this inn to survive.

I was so surprised when my father started saying he wanted to close this inn. This place that not only my father, but my mother also valued above all else…

I thought my father would feel the same way as I do…

Fufu. It seems I’m becoming too sentimental after all. And I’ve talked for too long.

I must return to my work already. Well then, please continue enjoying yourselves.

hallway