"The Hot Spring Flower Girls Group?"
"But these three girls are really cute, especially the blonde one. She looks so noble and elegant."
"The white-haired girl isn't bad either, she has an exotic charm."
"Personally, I think the girl with blue hair is the cutest."
Before long, a small crowd of tourists gathered, clearly intrigued by the girls.
Erina, Alice, and Megumi all lowered their heads, their faces flushed with embarrassment. They couldn't believe they were associated with such an awful name and wished they could disappear.
"Well, let's get started with the singing," Sui said, his voice cutting through their unease.
Hearing Sui's encouragement, the three girls took a deep breath and began singing as the melodic and lively prelude of the school song filled the air.
"The Land of the Rising Sun embraces a place of grandeur, a gathering of talents.
Strive to reach the pinnacle of gourmet food and work hard now.
Sharpen yourself, sharpen yourself.
The holy ground of cuisine, Totsuki Academy, is right here."
Megumi looked adorable as she sang, clasping her hands together with a soft and sweet voice. Erina's voice was ethereal and graceful, while Alice's voice carried a lively and playful tone. The contrast between the three girls made the school song sound full of youthful energy, vibrant and passionate.
"So this is the school song? It's really nice," one tourist remarked.
"Yes, it's quite well sung," another agreed.
"It's making me nostalgic for my own school days," a third chimed in.
The nearby audience applauded warmly, encouraged by the girls' performance. Their initial embarrassment faded as Erina, Alice, and Megumi grew more confident and immersed in the song.
"Wait, Erina-chi is singing?" Yoshino exclaimed when she and Ryoko rushed over after hearing the news from Sōma.
"I can't believe it. She's always so proud at school. I never thought she could be this down-to-earth," Yoshino continued in awe.
"Yeah," Ryoko nodded in agreement. Despite seeing Erina often at Totsuki, she had always seemed distant—cold and untouchable. But now, standing with her friends, Erina seemed like a regular girl, not the lofty figure they had once imagined.
"It seems like Miss Erina has changed a lot recently," Isshiki said with a small smile.
"Yep, love always changes people," Yoshino added with a knowing nod.
Erina, who overheard them while singing, felt her cheeks flush even deeper. But as she reflected on it, she realized it was true. Since meeting Sui, she had made new friends, opened up her heart, and started showing more of her true self.
"Let's join in!" Isshiki smiled as he donned a bathrobe, stepping forward to lead the others in joining the performance.
As the final notes of the school song echoed, the crowd erupted into applause.
Many tourists had gathered around and offered their compliments.
"You sing really well," one of them praised.
"It has such a youthful vibe!"
"Can you sing it once more?" another tourist chimed in eagerly.
Erina hesitated for a moment, feeling uncertain. But before she could respond, her cousin Alice beside her said with a smile, "Then we'll sing again!"
But before they could continue, Isshiki suddenly appeared with Kuga and Eizan, announcing with flair, "Please allow our Hot Spring Flower Boys Group to join in! Up next, a special performance from the Hot Spring Flower Boys and Girls Group!"
Erina and the others could only stare in bewilderment. "..."
'Who gave them permission to join?' they thought.
'And what is this ridiculous 'Hot Spring Flower Boys and Girls Group' supposed to be?'
For a moment, they felt the urge to turn around and leave out of sheer embarrassment. But much to their surprise, the tourists seemed to love it.
——
After the song ended, Erina stepped down from the crowd, her cheeks flushed with a mix of excitement and nerves. Her heart was racing—this was her first time singing in front of such a large audience. Despite the tourists' enthusiastic applause and compliments, she couldn't shake the feeling that her performance wasn't quite good enough.
"How do you feel, Erina?" Sui asked, handing her a warm drink.
Erina, still blushing, murmured quietly, "It was... alright, I guess."
Megumi, always cheerful, beamed at her. "Then let's keep practicing and get even better!"
Isshiki, ever the optimist, waved cheerfully and added, "You did great! The crowd loved it! Let's keep singing together in the future."
"...No, thanks," Erina, Megumi, and Alice all shook their heads simultaneously, firmly rejecting the idea. The thought of another public performance with the boys was far too embarrassing.
Even though the performance had been nerve-wracking for the girls, the tourists had been more than enthusiastic. In fact, the hotel soon found itself flooded with new guests, and Sui's team could easily expect an occupancy rate of over 90%.
——
Meanwhile, in the office of Totsuki Academy's General Commander, Nakiri Senzaemon sat at his desk, watching a video on his computer. It showed Erina singing, her face flushed, but with a sparkle of joy in her eyes. The video had been recorded by Dojima Gin and passed on to Senzaemon, who now watched with a warm smile on his face.
"I never expected to see Erina like this—so genuine and unguarded. It seems her time with Sui has truly made her happier," Senzaemon mused, speaking to Dojima over the phone.
As her grandfather, Senzaemon much preferred seeing Erina enjoying her youth and connecting with her friends. It was a refreshing change from the polished and poised "God Tongue" persona she had always presented to the world.
Dojima chuckled on the other end of the line. "Yes, she seems much more at ease these days."
Senzaemon's tone lightened with amusement. "It's about time they start thinking about marriage, don't you think?"
Dojima was caught off guard. "That soon?"
"Well, she is the heir to the family, after all. It would be ideal for her to settle down and, hopefully, produce heirs sooner rather than later," Senzaemon replied, his voice full of grandfatherly cheer.
After a brief pause, Senzaemon asked with interest, "By the way, what's the name of their little singing group?"
Dojima Gin hesitated before answering with an awkward chuckle, "I believe they're calling themselves... the Hot Spring Flower Girls Group."
There was a long pause on Senzaemon's end.
"..."