"Nakano Yu, that stupid head! Seriously, the meaning was already so obvious, and he's still like this."
Walking down the hallway, Miura Yumiko muttered to herself, full of resentment.
With her thoughts completely focused on Nakano Yu's complete lack of romance, Miura Yumiko wasn't paying attention to where she was going. Suddenly, a scream reached her ears, and then she felt herself collide with something. Her body tilted backward, and she landed heavily on the floor.
"Hiss~ That hurts."
Miura Yumiko sighed, speaking as she looked up at the person she had collided with. It seemed that person was somewhat familiar to her, like a girl from her class.
Getting up and sizing up the other person, Miura Yumiko finally recognized that she had collided with Katsura Kotonoha, who rarely spoke in class but somehow managed to talk with Nakano Yu.
"Katsura, are you okay?"
Extending her hand, the girl helped Katsura Kotonoha to her feet.
"No, I'm fine. I'm very sorry for bumping into you."
Raised to her feet by Miura Yumiko, Katsura Kotonoha quickly apologized.
"It's my fault for not paying attention. But, Katsura, what are you doing here? Your room is down there, isn't it?"
Miura Yumiko said, then suddenly remembered that Katsura Kotonoha's room was in front of hers. But why was Katsura Kotonoha walking this way?
Could it be… that she's going to look for Nakano Yu?!
"I-I…"
Blushing, Katsura Kotonoha stammered, unable to answer. She had learned from Yotsuba that a test of courage was being held tonight. At first, Katsura Kotonoha hadn't planned to participate, but then she suddenly remembered what Katsura Manami had told her.
Never miss any opportunity to be alone with Nakano Yu. That's precisely why she came up with the idea to come and ask Nakano Yu to participate in the test of courage together.
"So, that's how it is. Nakano Yu already has plans. Judging by Katsura's behavior, it's probably not you, right?"
Seeing Katsura Kotonoha's reaction, Miura Yumiko knew her assumption was correct. However, Nakano Yu had just said he already had plans, and she assumed it wasn't Katsura Kotonoha.
But… if it's not Katsura Kotonoha, then who could it be?
Miura Yumiko was confused. She remembered that in class, the only two girls close to Nakano Yu were herself and Katsura Kotonoha, right? Other than them, was there anyone else?
"Nakano Yu already has plans… Is it with Miura?!"
Hearing Miura Yumiko's words, Katsura Kotonoha's expression immediately sank. Then, as if realizing something, she quickly looked up at Miura Yumiko and asked:
"No, I don't know who Nakano Yu has plans with, but… weren't you curious, Katsura?"
Miura Yumiko crossed her arms, shaking her head as she spoke, then changed the subject.
Hearing that, Katsura Kotonoha flinched, not understanding what Miura Yumiko wanted to say. Was she trying to make her ask? Unlikely, because even if she asked, she could decide not to tell her.
But was Katsura Kotonoha curious about who Nakano Yu would go to the test of courage with? Curious! Definitely curious!
Her understanding of Nakano Yu was limited to a superficial knowledge from school and class. So limited that it was only today Katsura Kotonoha realized that Nakano Yu actually had five older sisters!
Hm? Wait, sisters? Hiss~ Could it be that Nakano Yu is going with those five sisters?
As she pondered, Miura Yumiko's voice reached her ears again:
"How about this, Katsura, team up with me, and we can find out together who Nakano Yu actually has plans with. If I'm not mistaken, you like Nakano Yu too, don't you?"
Hearing Miura Yumiko's suggestion, Katsura Kotonoha thought briefly, then ultimately decided to refuse:
"I'm sorry, I'm not interested in tests of courage or anything like that. I'll skip, thank you, Miura."
Katsura Kotonoha finished speaking, thanked Miura Yumiko, and turned to leave.
For Katsura Kotonoha, every test of courage was just an excuse; the goal was to be alone with Nakano Yu. But now, since that goal could not be achieved, she saw no reason to participate in any test of courage.
Watching Katsura Kotonoha's back as she walked away, Miura Yumiko was left stunned.
Was she… rejected again?
Ah?! She is Miura Yumiko! How is it possible that she cannot find even one friend to go with her to the test of courage?!
Clenching her teeth, Miura Yumiko felt increasingly hurt as she thought more about it. She angrily stomped her foot on the floor and went down the stairs.
She refused to believe that she couldn't participate in the test of courage on her own!
…
"Nura Rikuo and the others have already checked into the inn. Now we can act."
On a large tree outside the inn, a young man dressed in a black-gray kimono, with long bangs covering the left side of his face, muttered. The young man, named Tengumaru, was a subordinate of the great yokai leader of Mount Nejireme, Ushioni. He was also a yokai.
And the guy with the cow-skull mask earlier had been his colleague, named Mezumaru. Their current mission, under Ushioni's orders, was to kill Nura Rikuo, the man destined to inherit the Nura Group!
"Raising a sword against the main family goes against morale, but this is Ushioni's lord's order. My apologies!"
As soon as Tengumaru's words fell, his figure flickered and he set off after Nura Rikuo and the others as they left the area.
Inside the inn, Nura Rikuo had no idea that he had already become a target and was still trying to divert Seiji Kiyotsugu.
As a yokai fanatic, Seiji Kiyotsugu wanted to immediately go up the mountain after dinner to search for traces of yokai. Nura Rikuo, knowing that yokai truly existed on the mountain, naturally could not allow them to go to their deaths.
However, under Seiji's passionate praises of yokai, Nura Rikuo didn't know how to stop him for a while.
In the end, Nura Rikuo had no choice but to follow Seiji Kiyotsugu up the mountain in search of yokai.
He also took Tsurara with him, who, as a Yuki-Onna, could not bathe in the hot springs. After all, if they really encountered yokai, they would be completely helpless on their own!
However, none of the people leaving the inn noticed that the inn was already surrounded by several yokai.
"Puh~ The hot spring is really comfortable. I wonder why Oikawa doesn't like hot springs, and Yura didn't come either. What a pity."
In the open hot spring, Maki Saori was bathing, enjoying herself without a care.
"Yes, it's really comfortable."
Torii Natsumi lay by the edge of the hot spring, agreeing.
"By the way, do yokai really exist in this place?"
Kana Ienaga was also bathing in the hot spring, looking up at the night sky full of stars, quietly muttering.
"Huh? How could that be possible? Kana, don't scare yourself."
Hearing that, Torii Natsumi waved her hand, saying that she didn't believe in yokai now; she only believed in hot springs.
"You're right. I'm just wondering if he would appear if we encountered a yokai."
Kana Ienaga smiled in response, and as she spoke, the image of the young man she had seen a few nights ago appeared in her mind. According to later explanations by Kana Ienaga, that young man had saved her.
"Eh? Him? Who is that? Kana, don't tell me you have someone you like?!"
Hearing the gossip, Maki Saori immediately leaned forward, and even Torii Natsumi, who had been pretending to sleep by the hot spring, joined in.
"N-no, it's not like that. I, I don't even know his name."
Seeing their reactions, Kana Ienaga immediately blushed and waved her hands quickly, explaining.
"Oh, a secret crush."
"Unrequited love."
"Hahaha, is he from our school? Maybe we can help Kana win him over!"
"Stop teasing me!"
Just as the three girls played and laughed, outside the hot spring pool, huge, grotesque yokai with thorns on their heads and backs slowly emerged from the black mist.
"Now, let us serve Lord Ushioni!"
Standing on one of the yokai, Mezumaru, with the cow-skull mask on his head, waved his hand and said arrogantly:
"Come on, let's catch the sweet young lord's friends and claim the credit!"
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