Izu.
This name had been on everyone's heads for a while. After all, even if they hadn't come to such a place, they often heard the beauty of this place through the mouths of everyone. It was one of the most popular places for the people in this country to go on the trip.
Beach, hot spring, and a chupacabra.
"Chupacabra..." Shiina looked at the pamphlet of the Izu's trip with bright eyes.
Shishio rubbed Shiina's head and said, "It's a Capybara." While there was an existence of "Youkai" (monster) in this country, Chupacabra was a monster that came from the American continent. While many Japanese immigrated to South America in the past, it didn't mean the monster from the American continent would immigrate to Japan.
"Right, Capybara!" Shiina nodded gingerly. She then looked at Shishio and asked, "We're going to see it, right, Shishio?"
"Yeah. You can even keep them if you want," Shishio said calmly.
"Really?!" Shiina was surprised, and she was also excited!
"...." Everyone.
"You're doting her too much!" Chihiro sulked.
It might seem that Shishio doted Shiina so much, yet they didn't know that when at night, he bullied her, and she also often doted him, so wasn't it normal for him to dote her too?
"Still, Capybara is a sensitive animal, so if we're not careful, we might kill them," Shishio suddenly said.
"Ki-Kill...?" Shiina was shocked, then her eyes slightly downcast, quickly realizing the problem. "Then, it's better to just see it." While she wanted to pet Capybara, if it would kill the animals, she wouldn't do it.
"It's okay. I have an aquarium. Let's visit it during the summer break," Shishio said.
"Aquarium?"
Everyone was in doubt when they heard Shishio's words.
As for Shiina, she didn't have a doubt, and somehow she anticipated seeing the aquarium which Shishio owned.
"Still, Chihiro-nee, are you sure that you're not going to join?" Shishio asked.
"It's the activity of your literature club, right? It's not something that I can join." While Chihiro wanted to come to Izu, she felt reluctant, especially when the people who came were only his women. There might be Kiriya, but she didn't really like this guy.
Hearing that answer, Shishio didn't force Chihiro to come since she might have her own reason why she didn't come. As for Mayumi Nishikino, who wailed and wanted to come, he decided to ignore her since this was a special trip for the literature club.
The only thing that Shishio was worried about was that Usa didn't come even though everyone had invited him. He wasn't sure what was happening to him, yet somehow he could feel that Usa might distance himself from the club or the reality itself.
After the last confession, it was hard to maintain their previous relationship. Even if they wanted to return to their previous relationship, it was hard, especially when a crack appeared in Usa's heart.
Shishio knew Usa was at an overthinking time, thinking about what he wanted to do, so he didn't do anything and just gave him space and time. As for consoling, while it was quite cold, he didn't plan to do anything.
Talking with Usa about a relationship was troublesome, and Shishio didn't really want to get involved again.
As for what Usa wanted to do from now on, Shishio left everything to his decision. Even if Usa wanted to part away from them, he was okay with it since he felt it was a part of life. High school life was only three years, and many people lost their contacts, yet some of them still maintained good relationships even if they had become an adult.
It would be great if they could maintain a good relationship, but if they couldn't, it was okay since it was a part of life.
However, the girls didn't seem to think much about Usa since they were preoccupied with what they would do on Izu.
Shishio looked at this scene in silence and thought the world was so cold.
---
In the Tachibana household, Rui returned and lived with her family again, yet after the matter between her and her mother was solved, this house was full of vitality again.
Tsukiko looked at her two daughters and said, "I feel jealous of the two of you..." Here, she had to go to work, yet her two daughters went out for a trip. Still, she gave them permission without hesitation since this was part of the activity of the literature club. While she was surprised since they would take a trip to Izu, when she heard the initiator of this trip was Shishio, she didn't feel that surprised somehow.
However, Tsukiko must admit she was so jealous, especially when she thought her two daughters went with him to celebrate the Tanabata together.
Hina only smiled awkwardly, but Rui said, "I'll bring you souvenirs, mom."
"You should." Tsukiko pouted and then gave Rui money, so they could buy souvenirs for the family. As for Hina, she didn't give her any money since Hina already had her own money.
"You're not going to give me, mom?" Hina asked childishly.
Tsukiko only snorted and gave 500 yen to Hina.
"How cheap!"
Akihito laughed at their interaction. He felt happy since everyone had become closer to each other, and he knew they had become a complete family now. He then looked at his son and asked, "Are you not going to join a club or trip, Natsuo?" After all, Rui and Hina had gone out for a trip to the literature club, so he wondered whether Natsuo couldn't do the same.
"No, I am just a ghost member of the basketball club," Natsuo said simply, cool like he was unfazed by what had happened around him. Suimei told every student to join the club, and everyone had to join the club. He was included, but in his freshman year, he didn't join the literature club, something that he loved so much. Instead, he went with the friends that he met to join the basketball club so he could become popular.
Among the clubs in the school, the sports club was without a doubt the most popular one.
Natsuo was a nerd before, and it wasn't until he entered high school that he started to change himself, so he decided to join the basketball club. However, the sport wasn't his passion, and his friends also didn't come to the club all the time, so in the end, they became ghost members, only by name, and didn't join any club activity, so they wouldn't be punished by the school.
As for the club, knowing all of that, did they not care?
Frankly, they didn't. After all, many popular clubs in the school had many ghost members who didn't participate in the activity. Instead, they welcomed them since the more members they had, the more club would get money from the school, and they could use this money for their club activity or something else...
Anyway, those high school students who could stand on the top of chains like the leaders of the club activity weren't stupid. The reason why they could stand on top of everyone was that everyone had acknowledged them, and the reason for that? It definitely had to do with the fact they weren't stupid, especially on the matter of relationship.
"What?! How can you waste your time like that?!" Akihito was startled when he heard Natsuo's response. He then looked at Hina and Rui then asked, "Hina, Rui, is it possible for Natsuo to enter the literature club?"
"Eh?" Natsuo was surprised by Akihito's words. Frankly, he loved literature, and he also loved to talk about it, but he only dared to chase after this dream in the middle semester of his freshman year. He only learned to write, and he still kept writing since he wanted to become a novelist. He also felt it might be good for him to enter the literature club, especially when he heard it was full of beautiful women.
It was hard for him to enter the club or ask to join, but it would have been different if he had been invited. For the first time, he was so grateful for his father at his moment, but he still maintained a cool expression since he didn't want anyone to see how eager he was.
Hearing Akihito's request, Hina and Rui suddenly showed difficult expressions.
Akihito was working as a salaryman, so it was necessary for him to see the reaction of his clients, so he quickly noticed the change in Hina and Rui. "Ah, is it hard?"
"Truth be told, I am not even a teacher for the literature club. I was just asked to monitor everyone since so many things can happen when they go on a trip." Hina quickly let go of all the responsibilities and didn't want to put her opinion regarding Akihito, who wanted Natsuo to join the literature club.
"The members of the literature club are all women. I am afraid Fujii-san will be uncomfortable staying there." Rui didn't join the home economics club. Instead, she went to join the literature club since she felt it was better to join the literature club, considering how she could maintain her time better, especially when she wanted to learn under her father as a chef. If she spent too much of her time at the club, it would tire her out. In other words, if she wanted to, she could become a ghost member of the literature club, considering all the members of this club were her acquaintances.
"Ah, is that so? All the members' women? It'll be troublesome if Natsuo enters then." Akihito nodded.
"And he doesn't seem to be interested in joining, right? Isn't it better for him to follow what he wants to do instead of being forced to join the club?" Rui said.
"That's true." Akihito nodded since Rui spoke of her experience. She worked hard, so her mother could acknowledge her dream, so instead of forcing his son to join the literature club without knowing whether he liked it or not, it was better to let his son do what he wanted to do. "I'm sorry, Natsuo. Just do what you want. I'm sure that there are many things that you want to do."
"..."
Natsuo couldn't say anything and lowered his head, realizing his plan was backfiring.
As for asking Natsuo to join this trip, neither Akihito nor Tsukiko talked about this matter.
Still, before they went out, Hina suddenly said, "Ah, right, I want to announce something to everyone."
"What's wrong?" Tsukiko asked.
"Well, I want to move out," Hina said with a smile.
"....."
"WHAAAAAT?!"
Tsukiko quickly pulled Hina, wondering what had happened.
Akihito also listened.
Hina sighed and wondered whether she should tell this matter when she had returned instead of now.
Rui also helped Hina to talk since she was the one who was the most excited about this plan.
On the other hand, Natsuo was just in silence, and no one really knew what he was thinking at that moment.