Chapter 87: Want to Have a Mixed Bath?
After a series of events on Nanase Island, the study tour plan for Hoshikage High School was forced to be canceled.
The itinerary originally scheduled for tonight was wasted, and the students could only roam freely in the hotel.
“Sigh~ It’s such a rare study trip, and we ended up facing such bad luck.”
“Well, at least we got to ride on a luxury cruise ship; it’s not too tragic, right?”
“What about Tsuki? Where is that guy!?”
“Damn, that envious… no, hypocritical guy, we must find him!”
…
The discussions among the boys rose and fell.
In the room arranged for the second-year boys by the school.
Some boys who still had energy had left the room, sneaking into the girls’ rooms in the hotel to play.
Others, who had just awakened from unconsciousness and felt inexplicably tired, were forced to stay in the room, playing card games that didn’t require much physical effort while chatting.
Their chat inevitably revolved around today’s display of affection between Tsuki and Nanami, the school’s top beauty, in front of the second-year teachers and students.
Although their childhood friendship and mutual feelings were slightly known among students of all grades, no one expected their relationship to progress so quickly.
It had only been a few days since they officially announced their “relationship.”
Especially considering that Nanami had unfortunately had an accident and lost her memory.
In such a short time, the two had already climbed the ladder of adulthood together.
That pure, gentle, and cheerful Nanami definitely didn’t understand these romantic matters, so there was only one conclusion.
Tsuki, pretending to be a nice guy, had used the naturally innocent Nanami to gain her trust and had done things that made others envious and jealous with her.
As a result, Tsuki was being “wanted” and “rewarded” by the boys.
At that moment, Tsuki, under Rin’s cover, had finally sneaked out of the room.
In the spacious and bright hotel.
While avoiding attention, Tsuki made his way to the hotel’s hot spring bath.
To evade the other boys, he could only choose a rather extreme bathing time.
He secretly hoped that no one would be left in the hot spring pool at this time.
“Sigh, why did it turn out like this…” Tsuki sighed deeply on his way to the bath.
While Tsuki felt happy that others thought of him and Nanami as a couple, it suddenly struck him that this was merely a “pretentious relationship.”
After the involvement of the Special Circumstance SEMA.
The truth behind this “cursed couple” had already been uncovered.
Surely, they would soon end this pretense of a “couple” relationship, right?
But after Nanami unconsciously said those easily misunderstood words in public…
Tsuki felt unexpectedly cornered.
If he were to openly confess now—that he and Nanami were just pretending to be a couple to clarify the curses circulating around the campus—he would definitely be misunderstood as a scumbag taking advantage of the situation to exploit Nanami.
Tsuki felt an unbearable weight on his shoulders.
Furthermore, he needed to transfer schools at this time.
That irresponsible scumbag image would probably solidify.
“Transfer away…” Tsuki recalled what Yako had said to him and Mana in the hospital.
This was a request he couldn’t refuse.
In other words, was he about to leave Kawano City and Nanami’s side?
Although according to Yako, he wasn’t necessarily required to join the Special Circumstance SEMA.
As long as he stayed on the artificial academy island until graduating from high school, he could choose to return to an ordinary life.
However, this also meant that before that, if he wanted to see Nanami again, he would have to wait at least four and a half years.
Four and a half years was long enough for a person to fade from someone else’s heart.
Tsuki couldn’t think of any reason to make a vibrant young girl waste her most precious four years waiting for him.
By the time he and Nanami were separated for four years, the chances of her still being single and waiting for him would be almost zero.
After all, a sunny, gentle, and kind beauty like Nanami would surely become the target of pursuit for countless boys once she entered high school.
Her naive personality might soon be fooled by sweet-talking, leaving her clueless and lost…
Thinking of this, Tsuki felt a sharp pain in his chest and stomach, as if a heavy weight pressed down on his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.
Just as Tsuki was lost in thoughts of Nanami, with his head bowed as he walked down the stairs.
He suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure with long black hair at the corner of the stairs.
Nanami stood there, wearing a white gym uniform, seemingly on the phone.
“Um, I’m really sorry, Mom…”
Tsuki vaguely heard Nanami’s voice.
From the context, it seemed she was calling her family to assure them she was safe and to explain that her memory had recovered.
At that moment.
After hanging up the phone, Nanami seemed to notice someone approaching from behind and turned around.
She then locked eyes with Tsuki, who was about to descend the stairs.
…
…
Even though Nanami had secretly sent Garuda back to Kawano City to gather information.
She only felt relieved after confirming her family’s safety through the call.
Since Kawano City was now under the protection of the Special Circumstance SEMA and the academy.
Nanami didn’t have to worry about facing any “natural disasters” while she was temporarily away.
In the original story of “Star Draw 2,” this time frame between the second year of junior high and the third year is a critical juncture.
Moreover, in this timeline, the pseudo-deity Hakuri had already disappeared from Kawano City.
Those who died in the city would no longer be saved by the authority of the twilight.
So Nanami had been constantly vigilant before.
But unexpectedly, due to a stroke of luck.
The Special Circumstance SEMA and the academy began dispatching personnel to Kawano City because of the Star Ceremony.
This allowed her to temporarily withdraw from her state of continuous vigilance and breathe a sigh of relief.
During the call, Nanami explained to her mother that her memory had returned and that she was not physically harmed. She silently made up her mind.
This time, she would definitely protect her family.
Just then, she suddenly felt a gaze coming from behind her.
She gently turned her head and unexpectedly saw Tsuki standing there alone.
“Tsuki-kun, what are you doing?” After hanging up the phone, Nanami jogged over to Tsuki’s side.
“Ah, no, I was just about to go to the bath…” Tsuki answered honestly.
Given that he was soon to part ways with Nanami, his mind was a chaotic mess.
This anxiety was also evident on his face.
Noticing this, Nanami suddenly realized.
The person she needed to apologize to wasn’t just her family.
It seemed she hadn’t apologized to Tsuki—
For the troubles she had caused him during the time she was “eroded” by the “starlight.”
Nanami recalled that period and felt there were many fortunate “pervert” incidents.
Nonetheless, regardless of that, her actions at the aquarium had undoubtedly hurt Tsuki’s feelings.
“Tsuki-kun.” With her thoughts in mind, Nanami straightened her posture and attitude:
“I’m really sorry for the trouble I caused you during the time I lost my memory due to the curse.”
From her previous life, Nanami learned something from her mother, Chiko—
Some things, if not voiced, might not be understood by the other party, leading to missed opportunities for a lifetime.
Therefore, Nanami decided to candidly apologize to Tsuki here.
For a boy who had barely mustered the courage to confess to the girl he liked.
Her actions at the time, even if they caused emotional trauma, wouldn’t be an overstatement—
And Tsuki was still willing to stay by her side like this, which made Nanami feel extremely grateful.
But of course.
As for her “amnesia,” the “overreacting” or “rude” behaviors she exhibited during that time.
She would naturally attribute them all to the “curse” and selectively “forget” those events.
“No, that wasn’t Nagi’s fault, so Nagi doesn’t need to apologize at all. It’s more because of me—”
“—That’s not your fault, Tsuki-kun!”
Nanami knew that the kind and gentle Tsuki would take all the blame on himself, so she interjected.
At the same time, she felt she needed to find an excuse or event to close the distance between them, so Tsuki wouldn’t dwell on this matter.
Otherwise, this issue might linger in his heart and create a rift between them—
“By the way!” Looking at the time on her phone, Nanami suddenly realized it was almost time for the boys and girls to alternate their bathing—
“This hotel seems to have a mixed bathing hot spring. As an apology, let me help Tsuki-kun scrub your back~”
