Am I being simulated by their love affair.

Chapter 658 Kinugawa and Chagang

As the sound of birds flapping their wings flew overhead, Jun Matsue, lying in the kayak, opened his eyes.

Under the clear sky, the sun was much brighter, but it didn't have the kind of heat that seeps into your heart like in Tokyo. Instead, it made you feel relaxed and comfortable, and you just wanted to sleep.

That's why the boy was lying on the kayak at that moment. He sat up and then looked at the crow that had landed on the edge of the boat.

I didn't expect there to be crows here... Jun Matsue stared at its black and multicolored feathers.

The little creature didn't seem afraid of people, and the boy wanted to continue observing it. However, when its sharp beak approached the hull of the boat, he had to use his paddle to shoo the crow away.

The nimble black figure fluttered away and flew away. Jun Matsue did not lie down again, but looked at the delicate head of the girl pressing on his lap.

Yosei Kurusu kept her eyes closed, her breathing even, her eyelashes fluttering gently in the breeze on the lake, and the girl's long pink hair cascading down the boy's legs, making him feel a little ticklish.

Jun Matsue quietly gazed at the sleeping face of the idol girl. A thin cloud drifted by, casting a cool shadow over the boys and girls on the boat.

"Just lie here like this for the rest of my life," he recalled the words the girl had said to him when she was lucid.

It sounded like a declaration of love and suicide... The boy smiled.

After the miniature clouds drifted away, the sunlight shone down again, and Yosei Kurusu's closed eyes twitched.

When the girl opened her eyes, Jun Matsueda had already shifted his gaze to the dark green male-shaped mountain on the opposite bank.

"Mmm..." she mumbled twice, turning her head as she lay on the boy's lap.

"Are we still on the lake?" Yosei Kurusu realized.

"Otherwise what?" He was still looking away, his voice gentle. "You were paddling and then you lay down on my lap and fell asleep very quickly."

"Seeing you sleeping so soundly, I lay down and took a nap too."

The girl sat up and stretched, showing off the beautiful lines of her waist, back, hips and pelvis in front of the boy.

"So what time is it now?"

"I don't know either." Jun Matsuoka didn't deliberately check the time, so he could fully immerse himself in enjoying the beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains surrounding him.

He picked up the small bag under his leg, took out his phone, and said, "It's already past four o'clock."

"It's already four o'clock?" Kurusu Yosei turned around, her beautiful eyes widening slightly. "We've been on the lake for two hours?"

"It really did go by quickly." The boy nodded. "It feels like time hasn't moved at all."

Time flies when you're in the mountains; perhaps this is how you spend your days.

"Let's go back!" The girl picked up the oar and rowed towards the mountain peaks on the shore.

"Didn't you say you were going to lie down for the rest of your life?" Jun Matsuoka asked with a smile.

The idol turned around and glared at him, "You didn't agree!"

So the two of them paddled, and the kayak wobbled toward the shore.

As she was paddling, Yosei Kurusu felt the boy next to her suddenly twitch his leg and press it against her side hip.

"What are you doing?" She lightly patted her mischievous leg. "So you're finally planning to take advantage of me?"

“What do you mean by taking advantage of you…” Jun Matsue said helplessly, feeling the tingling and numbness coming from his legs.

"You've made my leg go numb."

Back at the lakeside, the boy and girl pushed their kayak ashore. Aya Miyamura, who was sitting not far away, put down her fishing rod and waved to the two of them.

"You're back!"

"Why does it feel like you didn't go out at all?" The boy walked up to her.

The female instructor was also fishing, and several fish were splashing around in the basket between the two of them.

"How could that be!" Aya patted the backpack in her arms. "I took so many photos, okay?"

"I also took pictures of you all sleeping on the boat~"

The girl's words were a bit strange. The idol who came over blushed a little and patted Miyamura Aya's arm.

"Finished fishing? Time to leave."

"Let's go~" Cai Jiang put away her fishing rod, stood up and thanked the instructor, who smiled and nodded.

"How about we try camping here tonight?"

"Maybe next time," Yosei Kurusu waved his hand. "We're going to the hot springs tonight~"

The pink Toyota by the lake started up again, bidding farewell to Toshogu Shrine and Tobu Nikko Station along the same route it had come from, continuing through the flat-shaped city, before turning left at the intersection and heading north.

An hour later, Jun Matsue opened the car door. The streets in front of him were deserted, and the buildings far from the station and the highway looked old and gray in the sunlight, giving a desolate feeling.

"Staying here tonight?" He turned around, and the girls, already carrying their bags, stood in front of the hotel.

"Matsue isn't satisfied?" Kurusu Yosei pouted slightly. "This is a hotel that Aya and I carefully selected, and it even has a natural hot spring!"

"What do I have to complain about?" The boy walked over to them, took their backpacks, and stepped through the somewhat old gate.

"Having something to eat and something to sleep in is enough for me."

The hot spring town around Kinugawa is a remnant of the bubble economy. After the decadent era collapsed, many of the luxury hotels here lost their customers and gradually became ruins.

The hotel the girls chose was called "Dream Season," a rather nice name. It was located near Kinugawa Onsen Station, in a neighborhood redeveloped by the Nikko City government, which had become quite popular.

It was past five o'clock when they arrived at the hotel. After successfully checking into their room, Jun Matsue put the room key in his pocket and knocked on the door next to his bedroom.

"Please come in~"

Miyamura Aya's playful voice rang out, but the boy didn't open the door until Kurusu Yosei called out, at which point he pushed the door open and entered—Matsueda Jun thought to himself, "I have to be wary of Aya-chan's trap."

The girls were taking selfies on their beds, their legs slapping against the mattresses as they did so. The boy sat on the sofa against the wall, looking out at the lush trees on the balcony.

The three of them stayed in a rather luxurious suite with two bedrooms, a relaxing living room, and a private bathtub on the balcony. The price was 20,000 yen per night. Although there was no view of the Kinugawa River, the balcony offered a beautiful view of the mountains along the riverbank, which was quite a bargain.

So, should we eat first or soak in the hot springs first?

"Let's have dinner first." Kurusu Yosei shifted her position, sitting cross-legged on the bed and looking at the boy. "Let's replenish our energy first, then we'll go to the hot springs in the mountains~"

The hotel dinner featured venison dishes, including venison hot pot and roast pork rice, accompanied by more than a dozen kinds of local seasonal vegetables. All three of us were quite satisfied with the meal.

The best time to soak in a hot spring is one to two hours after a meal. To pass the time and aid digestion, I decided to go for a walk.

“You’re coming with us too.” Jun Matsueda grabbed the girl who was trying to escape.

"Why?" Miyamura feigned a wronged look. "I'm full and tired. Can't I even rest for a bit?" "You need to digest properly after eating," the boy glanced at her coldly. "Otherwise, you might feel dizzy and nauseous when you soak in the hot spring later."

He didn't think Aya was really tired; she just wanted to create some alone time for herself and Kurusu.

"Are you done yet?" Kurosawa Yosei, who was standing at the door, lifted his leg. "If we go out now, we can still catch the sunset!"

So the three-person team walked out of the hotel with the kimono-clad woman bowing respectfully. Standing on the main road in the middle of the street, Jun Matsueda glanced at the hotel behind him, which was nestled against the hill.

Under the sky that was beginning to set in twilight, the buildings that had stood there since the bubble era looked particularly aged.

"Which way?" the boy asked, looking at the girl wearing sunglasses.

"Hmm..." Yosei Kurusu glanced at his phone. "Let's go left first and see the big suspension bridge!"

Pulling back Miyamura Aya, who was walking slowly behind them, Matsueda Jun and Idol Girl passed the station they had come from. The ugly little devil statue in front of the station entrance, carrying a thick spiked club, watched them walk away.

The girl glanced back at the profile picture. "Pine Branch, Pine Branch, is this place really haunted?"

The boy rolled his eyes at him. "If it were haunted, why would you still live here?"

"Because the hotels here are very cheap—with pine branches around, even ghosts wouldn't dare to come into our room," Yosei Kurusu said with a grin.

"And I saw pictures online that many ruin enthusiasts come here to explore, it seems really interesting!"

Jun Matsuoka looked at the roadside and saw that there were indeed quite a few old buildings that had stopped operating.

"Kinugawa is named this because during the high-water season in summer, the river becomes exceptionally turbulent and makes a sound like the roar of a demon."

"As for whether it's haunted or not—this used to be Tokugawa Ieyasu's back garden, and only nobles and monks could come here to bathe in the hot springs. Do you think it might be haunted?"

"I see~" The girl nodded, but a hint of regret appeared on her face.

"Then why are there so many dental hospitals here?" Miyamura Aya asked, following behind the two.

"Sasaki Dental Clinic, Ohashi Dental Clinic..." she read the names of the hospitals along the way, "and Mochizuki Dental Clinic! Is that owned by Haruka-neechan's family?"

The boy shook his head. "I don't know, maybe."

If he had come here alone, he would probably have taken a picture of Mochizuki Dental Clinic and sent it to Mochizuki Haruka. However, with Mochizuki Yosei by his side now, such an action would be rather dangerous.

However, perhaps it was a case of wishful thinking coming true, just as the three were about to reach the riverbank, a loud notification sound came from the boy's pocket.

He took out his phone, and sure enough, it was a video call invitation from Mochizuki. Matsueda Jun let go of his younger sister's hand and slowed down to catch up with the two of them.

She picked up her phone to answer the video call, and Mochizuki Haruka's fair face appeared, her expression stern. The hydrangea hair ornament on the girl's head ruined her deliberately aloof expression.

"Good evening~" the boy greeted with a smile, "Have you had dinner yet, Mochizuki?"

"Not yet." The girl's eyes flickered, probably as she observed the background in the video. "I'm already preparing. I was just killing time, so I thought I'd come and see what you're up to."

She made no attempt to hide her intention to check up on him, and Matsueda Jun smiled gently, "We just finished eating and are taking a walk—Mochizuki's hair accessory is very pretty."

"Hmm~" Mochizuki Haruka touched the hydrangea tucked in the side of her hair and let out a soft hum, reserved yet delicate.

"Are you alone now?" She wouldn't forget her business just because of a compliment from a boy.

Jun Matsueda blinked. "Kurusu and Aya are both here."

"Where's Aya-chan?" The girl looked behind him.

"Hey, I'm here~" Aya Miyamura immediately ran into the camera's view. "What's up, Haruka-neechan?"

"It's nothing." Mochizuki Haruka's expression softened a little. "You were by the river?"

"Yes, we'll be at the river soon!" Perhaps because she was a little nervous, Aya was unusually enthusiastic. "We're staying on the Kinugawa side tonight. Jun-nii said the river is quite fast here!"

"Don't tell her where you are!" Miss Idol, who had been hiding to the side without saying a word, jumped out.

The girl on the phone snorted again, communicating with her remotely, "We've already video chatted, do you think I can't find out if I want to?"

"Then come over here!" Yosei Kurusu stuck out her tongue at the phone, but only the boys could see it.

Mochizuki Haruka ignored her and turned her attention back to the boy taking a walk in front of her.

"What are your accommodation arrangements for tonight?"

Jun Matsue held his phone in one hand and supported the arm of the girl blocking his way with the other, gently pushing her forward.

"Kurasu and Aya-chan are sleeping in a twin room, and I'm sleeping alone."

"..." Mochizuki Haruka didn't speak, but just nodded reluctantly.

The three had arrived at the suspension bridge, and the sound of the rushing river grew louder. The girl on the phone frowned.

"It's too noisy, I'm hanging up." She looked at Aya Miyamura, who was standing next to the boy. "Aya-chan, remember to keep an eye on your brother, don't let him fall into the river."

She wasn't referring to Kinugawa, but rather to the overflowing river of love in someone's heart.

"No problem!" Cai Jiang nodded confidently. "Leave it to me."

Mochizuki Haruka waved to the boy one last time and hung up the video call.

“Phew…” Jun Matsue let out a breath, and Yosei Kurusu walked to his side, the two of them looking at the scenery in front of them together.

A long suspension bridge stretches towards the mountain peaks on the opposite bank. The rushing water beneath the bridge crashes against the rocks in the river, stirring up large swathes of silvery white waves. The deafening roar of the water echoes in our ears. The sunlight falls behind the mountain peaks on the opposite bank, causing the part of the suspension bridge closest to the young boy and girl to gradually disappear into the darkness.

"Wow—" Miyamura Aya sighed subconsciously, "If crossing the bridge leads to the underworld, it wouldn't be surprising at all."

Yosei Kurusu had already grabbed the boy's arm and led him onto the suspension bridge—the wooden planks under their feet made a soft clattering sound with each step of the boy and girl, which was then drowned out by the turbulent sound of the water.

The idol took off her sunglasses, leaned against the suspension bridge, put her arm around the boy's shoulder, and looked at the girl walking towards her.

"Cai-chan, can you take a group photo for us?"

“No problem~” Miyamura Aya immediately took out her phone, forgetting Haruka-neechan’s instructions.

When the phone camera flash went off, Jun Matsueda felt a little dazed—he remembered taking pictures of the surging waves with the girls who weren't there at the moment on the Kadowaki Suspension Bridge in Izu.

"Shall we continue?" he asked the girls who had finished taking photos.

"Let's go back!" Kurusu Yosei grabbed his arm again. "We still want to soak in the hot springs!"

At this time, Jun Matsue was unaware that the hotel's natural hot spring was actually a mixed-gender bath.

But he'll find out soon enough.

(End of this chapter)