aircannonsinc Page 18
Page 18
"Just kidding, I usually love doing these kinds of idle things, like hiking at night."
There is an old Chinese saying that goes, "Time is money," so you should cherish it.
Kitahara Hakuba responded with a noncommittal smile.
Indeed, you are right, but the school leaders can buy most of his time for only seven thousand yuan.
There are two routes to the observation deck on Mount Hakodate: one is a main road for buses, and the other is the hiking trail that most people choose, which takes less time to climb the mountain.
The mountain trail is a winding and undulating path, and it is quite strenuous just to walk on it.
“So beautiful~~~” Shinomiya Haruka suddenly raised her head and said while panting.
Kitahara Hakuba followed her gaze and saw cherry blossoms blooming in the spring night under the dim yellow street, a scene that looked just like the frame of an old movie.
He breathed softly, his gaze unconsciously falling on Shinomiya Haruka's profile. Blood flowed beneath her thin skin, and the curve from her chin to her neck was beautiful.
"Not as pretty as you are now," he said with a smile.
Shinomiya Haruka abruptly shifted her gaze from the night cherry blossoms, staring at Kitahara Hakuba and smiling as she said:
"Are you criticizing my usual self?"
"Absolutely not, it's the ultimate praise."
"How could I possibly understand what you're saying—" Shinomiya Haruka said coquettishly, her heels covered in mud, but her expression was extremely pleased.
The two arrived at the observation deck, and after climbing a short flight of stairs, they would reach the summit.
"Are you tired?" Kitahara Hakuba asked.
"What nonsense! Of course it's tiring."
With one hand on her slender waist and the other gripping the armrest, Shinomiya Haruka, her face flushed, said...
"You think I really love exercising? Anyway, take a break, I really can't go on."
“Now that we’re here, shall I carry you up?” Kitahara Hakuba said.
A sneer appeared on Shinomiya Haruka's lips: "Stop lying."
"Really, I'll carry you up." Kitahara Hakuma squatted down with his back to her, putting his hands behind him. "Anyway, you're not wearing a skirt, so there's no need to worry about showing too much skin."
Seeing that he was really going to carry it, Shinomiya Haruka's cheeks became rosy and glowing, like an apple that was full of nutrients and had a radiant sheen.
Even though I'm wearing pants, it still feels a bit...
Shinomiya Haruka spat and said, feigning solemnity:
"Don't touch it."
"If there were a third hand, I would definitely touch it randomly."
"You're such a pervert." Shinomiya Haruka smiled, her smile as delicate as a wildflower trembling in a gentle breeze.
Kitahara Hakuba felt something soft pressing down on him from behind. Shinomiya Haruka looked thin, but he didn't expect her to be so soft to touch.
"Is it heavy?" Shinomiya Haruka asked shyly, her arms wrapped around his neck.
"It's quite soft."
"I didn't ask you that!" Her ears turned bright red, and she raised her hand to gently tap Kitahara Hakuma's head.
For some reason, her light tap caused Kitahara Hakuba's heart to scatter like a dandelion seed.
Where he couldn't see, the girl's beautiful eyes narrowed like a cat being petted, her expression both charmingly cute and comfortably docile.
Shinomiya Haruka sniffed lightly, then smiled with a straight face and said, "You smell of sweat."
“At this time, I would have already taken a shower and gone to bed,” Kitahara Hakuba said.
Finally arriving at the observation deck, the girl on my back kept squeezing her legs together like she was riding a horse.
"Put me down right now!"
"But you're squeezing me so tightly..."
Kitahara Hakuba reluctantly squatted down, and the girl behind him seemed to be bounced away, running directly to the observation deck, grabbing the handrail with both hands, her eyes reflecting light.
The night view of Hakodate is like a fallen star, as if a swirling nebula is right beneath your feet.
Residential buildings, streetlights, car headlights, flashlights—every ray of light contributes to Hakodate's unique nightscape, resembling a maple leaf forgotten to be swept away by the sea breeze.
This was Kitahara Hakuba's first time seeing the night view of Hakodate City.
Wow, so beautiful.
Take a picture, then die in my phone's photo album.
Just as Kitahara Hakuba took out his phone, Shinomiya Haruka suddenly grabbed his arm, startling him completely.
"W-What's wrong?" he asked.
"I'm so cold."
The heat from the physical contact made Kitahara Hakuba feel slightly tipsy and lightheaded, and his heart began to pound rapidly in his chest.
—Kitahara Hakuba! I really want to fall in love!
—Isn't this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?! She must be secretly in love with me too! Besides, I'm already twenty-three, can't I enjoy myself?! Can you blame me for being lustful?!
—Quickly! I need to unbutton my trench coat and hug her!
A series of shouts suddenly rose from the depths of his heart, making Kitahara Hakuba feel a little dizzy.
Chapter 21. I can do anything.
As if nervous, Shinomiya Haruka unconsciously brushed aside the bangs that were damp with sweat and stuck to her forehead with her fingertips.
The wind on the mountaintop was cold, and the sky seemed very high under the moonlight. The wild grass growing around was tender, and the air was filled with the scent of the sea and the fresh greenery.
The phone was hot, like a hand warmer. After a moment's internal struggle, Kitahara Hakuma took off his trench coat and draped it over Shinomiya Haruka.
The word "future" carries too much weight; he dared not make a decision based solely on the atmosphere.
"Aren't you cold?" she asked.
Her eyes were so tender and gentle that they made Kitahara Hakuma's heart flutter. His heart was beating twice as fast as usual, and he felt hot all over his face.
"It's okay, I exercise regularly."
To hide his embarrassment, he subconsciously looked around and, sure enough, spotted someone he knew.
"Nagase-san?"
"Hmm? Are there any of your students here?" Shinomiya Haruka gripped his khaki trench coat with both hands, her gaze following his line of sight.
A girl in a green tracksuit stood in front of the railing. Her neatly combed black hair was now disheveled, and her shoulders trembled with her panting breath, proving that she had walked and jogged up the railing.
Beneath the well-fitting athletic trousers, the girl's white ankle socks came into view, with a light blue logo on them.
“Yes, some of my students were originally in the brass band, but they quit,” Kitahara Hakuba said.
"Ah—!" Shinomiya Haruka raised her hand to cover her mouth and said in surprise, "It's her."
Just then, Nagase Tsukiyo also noticed the two of them.
A hint of surprise flashed across her face, and she subconsciously turned her gaze away, wanting to walk away, but then felt that such behavior was too foolish, so she forced herself to straighten up and walk over.
“Teacher Kitahara, I never expected to meet you here.” Nagase Tsukiyo’s voice involuntarily rose in pitch, and she blinked repeatedly to hide her inner turmoil.
“Yeah, I came hiking with a friend,” Kitahara Hakuba said.
Shinomiya Haruka said with a smile, "Hello~~ We meet again."
Nagase Tsukiyo's gaze fell on the tall woman. She was surprised to find that the woman was the one she had met in the dessert shop, and she was stunned for a moment.
She was wearing Kitahara-sensei's trench coat, which suggests that their relationship is not simple and they are most likely dating.
If that's the case...
Nagase Tsukiyo suddenly felt a pang of guilt for talking badly about someone behind their back and then being caught.
She quickly bowed and said sincerely:
"I'm so sorry, I said some very offensive things that day."
"Oh, it's alright. Kitahara's heart is as broad as Lake Inawashiro, and as clean as its waters. He won't care about these things."
After receiving such high praise from Shinomiya Haruka, Kitahara Hakuba raised his hand and scratched his cheek, saying:
"I feel a little embarrassed by what you're saying."
Shinomiya Haruka smiled and continued speaking to Nagase Tsukiyo, "It's so late, why are you still climbing the mountain? Do you have any companions?"
"...No, it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, so I came to climb the mountain by myself."
Nagase Tsukiyo's mouth was slightly open, as if seeking oxygen, and her fingers were tightly gripping her sleeves.
"And the scenery at night is quite beautiful too."
“Indeed, unlike some people who think that climbing mountains at night is a waste of time.” Shinomiya Haruka glanced at Kitahara Hakuba beside her.
Kitahara Hakuba pretended not to hear and said, "Nase, do you want to come back?"
“I don’t want to,” Nagase Tsukiyo replied without hesitation.
"But you must have quite a few friends in the wind band, right?"
"You'll always have friends like that, and there are friends you like and friends you don't like."
“Oh my—” Shinomiya Haruka raised her eyebrows in surprise and whispered to Kitahara Hakuba, “This girl will definitely be stronger than me in the future.”
You can tell.
Kitahara Hakuba gasped. This dual-S character couldn't possibly be under his control anytime soon.
"Well then, I won't bother you any longer. Farewell."
After finishing her sentence, Nagase Tsukiyo turned and left, even though she hadn't even glanced at the night view of Hakodate.
"Farewell? What kind of wording is that? Just how rich is her family?" Shinomiya Haruka was astonished by the girl's polite words.
"I don't know, I just arrived too," Kitahara Hakuba said.
While it's true that you can't categorize someone based on just a few minor things, many things can reveal a lot from small details.
Whether it was her words and actions or her musical instrument skills, Kitahara Hakuba realized that Nagase Tsukiyo was a young lady from a wealthy family.