Erina was fuming, even though she knew Rindō was just joking.
"Hmph! If you want to pursue Sui, you don't need my permission, Rindō-senpai!" Erina said with a haughty tone.
"Really? Then I won't hold back." Rindō laughed and, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, asked, "Hey, Erina, what kind of girl does Sui like?"
"I don't know, and don't ask me!" Erina snapped, slapping the water's surface in frustration before diving under it to avoid further questions.
Under the water, Erina puffed up her cheeks angrily. 'Rindō-senpai is just too much!' she thought, sulking while only a few bubbles surfaced where she had been.
Rindō shook her head with a sigh, watching the bubbles rise from where Erina had dived. "Well, that's no fun," she muttered.
Alice, feeling slightly guilty, quietly slipped underwater as well.
The atmosphere in the bath became quiet for a moment. Megumi hummed happily to herself, clearly enjoying the soothing heat of the hot spring. Momo Akanegakubo sat beside her teddy bear, which was placed on the edge of the bath, seemingly asleep. It was almost worrying that the little bear might slip into the water and sink. Erina continued diving, occasionally surfacing to take a breath before sinking back under, while Alice joined her in silent retreat.
The only one not quite at ease was Nene. She glanced enviously at Alice's chest—'so big'—then at Rindō's—'still so big'—and even Megumi's, which, frustratingly, were larger than hers too. She dared not even look at Erina's.
'Are all first-year students so well-endowed these days?' Nene lamented, glancing down at her own chest with a sigh. The world seemed incredibly unfair to her at that moment.
The only person she found solace in was Momo Akanegakubo, whose small stature felt more relatable.
——
It was already late in the evening, around 8 p.m., by the time they returned from the hot springs. After changing clothes, Rindō stretched and asked, "So, what's everyone doing tonight?"
"I'm going to bed," Nene said, still brooding over her earlier thoughts.
"I'm feeling sleepy too. Something about the cold makes it easier to doze off," Megumi yawned.
"What about you, Erina? Going to see Sui tonight?" Rindō teased.
Erina's cheeks instantly flushed red. "I'm going to bed!" she declared, turning her back to the group in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.
"Is that so? Well then, I guess I'll go see Sui myself," Rindō said with a sly grin.
Erina puffed her cheeks in frustration before storming off.
"Are you really going to find Sui?" Alice asked, eyes wide.
"Nah, I was just teasing Erina. I'm going to sleep," Rindō replied with a yawn. It was her hibernation period, after all.
"Good," Alice sighed in relief before discreetly sending a text message to Sui: 'I'll come find you later!'
——
Meanwhile, Sui had just returned to his hotel room and was in the middle of changing when he received Alice's message. 'She's coming over?' He scratched his head in exasperation.
"Sui, wanna hang out with us tonight?" Sōma asked.
"Nah, I'm pretty wiped out. I need some rest," Sui replied.
"Yeah, the exam after getting off the plane was exhausting. I get it," Soma nodded sympathetically.
Sui had barely settled back in his room when a knock came at the door. Opening it, he was instantly enveloped in the familiar scent of Alice, who leaped into his arms.
"I missed you!" Alice exclaimed, rubbing her face against his chest with a playful grin.
Sui quickly closed the door, his heart racing. "Where's Erina?" he asked nervously.
"She went to bed," Alice replied, smiling smugly. "So, it's just us now. Erina's out of the way."
Dressed in a yukata, her silver hair still damp and her rosy cheeks glowing from the bath, Alice looked especially alluring. Her slightly open collar revealed glimpses of her pale skin, and her scent filled the room.
Sui felt his heart skip a beat. Over time, what had once been a sense of duty had developed into genuine affection for this mischievous girl.
But before they could get any closer, Sui's phone buzzed.
'I'll come find you later,' read the message from Erina.
Sui froze. "Didn't you say Erina went to bed?"
Alice's expression soured. "What? Is she coming?"
Before they could react, there was a knock at the door.
"Sui, are you back?" It was Erina.
Alice puffed her cheeks in annoyance. "What now?"
"What do we do?" Sui whispered, panicked.
"I'll hide!" Alice hissed before diving under the bed.
Sui shook his head, feeling a headache coming on. 'This feels like a scene straight out of a love triangle comedy,' he thought wryly.
He opened the door to find Erina standing outside, her own yukata tied neatly, her long golden hair tied up, and a soft blush coloring her porcelain cheeks from the recent hot spring bath. Her delicate calves peeked out from under the hem of her robe as she held a small fan in one hand. She looked stunning, and Sui was momentarily taken aback.
However, Erina seemed just as nervous as him. Glancing nervously through the crack in the door, she asked hesitantly, "Is Rindō-senpai in your room?"
Sui blinked. "Rindō-senpai? No, she's not here."
Although it was true that Rindō wasn't inside, he left out the part about Alice hiding under the bed.
Erina visibly relaxed, a small smile playing on her lips. "I knew it. Rindō-senpai was just messing with me. How could she…"
"What did Rindō-senpai say?" Sui asked, curious.
"N-nothing," Erina stammered, blushing even more. "May I come in for a bit?"