Chapter 340: Chapter 338: Boyfriend Power Rolled Up_1
A few days later, it was Saturday afternoon.
Ayatsuki Iroha was at home getting dressed. She didn’t fret too much; long before this day arrived, she had already decided on her outfit.
For camping, you definitely need clothes that match the vibe of nature, she thought.
She chose an emerald green printed tank top, paired with light blue denim shorts, white ripped socks, and sporty sneakers.
Ayatsuki Iroha turned before the full-length mirror, then stared at her face for a moment. She decided to apply three pentagram stickers, from largest to smallest, under her left eye.
She tied her colorful, dyed hair into a high ponytail, leaving a long strand on each side of her temples, and clipped three screw-shaped ear cuffs onto her left ear.
Then, after some thought, she pulled down the left strap of her tank top and applied a bright red rose temporary tattoo to her chest.
She liked temporary tattoos, not actual ones.
Although in the eyes of tattoo enthusiasts, real tattoos were obviously more sophisticated than temporary ones.
But in her view, temporary tattoos were the evolved version. The designs could be changed at will, so there was no need to worry about them going out of style, and they were super easy to remove.
Real tattoos are just a product of a bygone era, she mused, a choice people reluctantly made before temporary ones were available, not something with inherent spiritual meaning.
She adjusted her tank top, leaving half of the bright red rose covered.
Ayatsuki Iroha turned again, very satisfied with her current look and ready to confront Phoenix Academy Maggie.
"Go for it!" she cheered herself on.
She clenched her fists, then slung on her backpack, which contained makeup, nail art tools, and various other items.
As for the camping gear, the boys were taking care of all that. She only needed to bring her personal things.
Ayatsuki Iroha opened the door. Ayaka, lounging on the sofa in the living room, called out, "Iroha, take this. It’s a little something from your big sister."
Ayatsuki Iroha caught the small packet, looking puzzled. "What’s this?"
"Safety measures, to avoid any accidents," Ayaka explained thoughtfully.
Ayatsuki Iroha’s face flushed red. She tossed it back irritably. "Sis, what on earth are you thinking? This is a class camping trip! That kind of thing won’t happen."
"Isn’t it more thrilling with others around?" Ayaka responded, her eyebrows dancing playfully.
Ayatsuki Iroha was speechless. Her sister’s fantasies are completely detached from reality, she thought. Someone, please, marry her off quickly!
「At 1:40 PM, Shinjuku Station.」
Ayatsuki Iroha met up with Takahashi Saeko and the others, pressing her hands together. "Sorry, am I late?"
"Don’t worry, plenty of people are later than you," Takahashi Saeko responded with a smile.
"Really?" Ayatsuki Iroha breathed a sigh of relief. She glanced at Peter, who was standing nearby, and asked curiously, "Is your hand okay?"
"Just a comminuted fracture in the right hand. A minor injury like that healed long ago," Peter said, waving his right hand. It no longer had that initial limpness; it was a strong right arm again.
A touch of envy crossed Ayatsuki Iroha’s face. A simple calf cramp would leave her in pain for days, yet he had recovered from a comminuted fracture in just a few.
Her eyes darted. She nudged Takahashi Saeko and whispered, "Hehe, Peter’s so buff. Can you handle him, Saeko?"
Takahashi Saeko met her gaze, a teasing glint in her eyes and the corners of her mouth curving up. She didn’t deny it, instead whispering back, "I’m the kind of girl who can swallow a popsicle whole in one go."
"Ooh!" Hearing such a risqué reply, Ayatsuki Iroha’s eyes sparkled. She was about to say more when she saw Phoenix Academy Maggie, Nomura True Wave, and Yoshikawa Sayuri approaching together.
She swallowed her words and waved. "Phoenix Academy, Yoshikawa, Nomura, you’re here!"
"Yeah," Yoshikawa Sayuri smiled and waved back in greeting.
On the surface, the group seemed to get along, and in reality, their relationships were decent.
Apart from the rivalry between Phoenix Academy Maggie and Ayatsuki Iroha, Nomura True Wave, Yoshikawa Sayuri, and the four Hot Girls generally got along well. There was no discord among them, and they would exchange pleasantries upon meeting.
Phoenix Academy Maggie, for her part, wouldn’t let her conflict with Iroha spoil the atmosphere.
The issue is between me and Ayatsuki Iroha, Maggie thought. It shouldn’t affect Nomura True Wave and the others. Sometimes, strategically ignoring someone is just a part of social interaction.
The girls gathered and chatted, the topic inevitably shifting to the boys.
Miyahara Kaoru complained, "The boys are so slow. Only Peter’s here."
Nomura True Wave explained, "Furusawa seems to be preparing something; he’ll be a bit later."
Ayatsuki Iroha quickly added, "And Aozawa always likes to arrive exactly on time, never early, never late."
This comment sparked a subtle flicker of annoyance in Phoenix Academy Maggie. It’s like she’s showing off how well she knows Aozawa, she thought.
Ayatsuki Iroha smiled. She was, indeed, intentionally flaunting her understanding of Aozawa. In these things, whoever speaks first has the advantage, she thought.
Beneath the apparently harmonious atmosphere, an undercurrent of tension was already flowing between Ayatsuki Iroha and Phoenix Academy Maggie.
Yoshikawa Sayuri, oblivious to this, said with some concern, "Hojo-kun isn’t going to be late, is he? He seems like the type who would be."
"I don’t think so. He’s already here," Tama Chan answered with a smile.
Hojo Tetsuji walked over, a pack on his back and his arms lugging large and small bags.
Inside were not only tents but also various kinds of kitchenware. This kind of camping really tests a man’s preparation skills, he thought.
According to what I found online, many couples break up during trips, ultimately because the guy wasn’t prepared enough. As long as I’m fully prepared, I can handle anything perfectly. I’m not a careless guy. I have to be well-prepared to leave a perfect impression on Little Sayuri.
Seeing his mountain of luggage, Phoenix Academy Maggie couldn’t help but exclaim, "Tetsuji, why did you bring so much stuff?"
Hojo Tetsuji, carrying his load without the slightest sign of fatigue, declared spiritedly, "Miss, it’s clear you don’t go out much. Kitchenware is essential for camping!"
Phoenix Academy Maggie touched her forehead, somewhat speechless. "Didn’t I tell you the Glacier Camping Site has barbecue equipment for rent?"
"..." Hojo Tetsuji froze. He was probably so excited he hadn’t paid attention to what Phoenix Academy Maggie had said.
"Haha," Yoshikawa Sayuri couldn’t help but laugh. "Hojo-kun, you’re really scatterbrained."
"Haha, I guess I am," Hojo Tetsuji said, rubbing the back of his head with a smile. The earlier embarrassment instantly vanished.
Making Little Sayuri laugh like this... it’s a good thing I did that, he thought.
Peter watched thoughtfully. So, this warrior’s weakness is this girl, huh?
Before long, Furusawa Kyoichiro also arrived, similarly laden with large and small bags.
Ayatsuki Iroha glanced at the discipline committee member who often nagged her and asked curiously, "Furusawa, you didn’t bring kitchenware too, did you?"
"The Glacier Camping Site has kitchenware for rent. Only an idiot would bring their own."
CRACK. Hojo Tetsuji’s fists clenched, but he restrained himself, mindful of the others present.
Furusawa Kyoichiro, completely oblivious, continued, "There have been bear sightings and vipers in Okutama Town recently. If we don’t take proper safety precautions, what will we do if something happens? I’ve brought a hunting rifle specifically for repelling bears, and a snake-handling fork to deal with vipers. If someone accidentally gets injured, I have bandages and hemostatic strips. And in case the tide suddenly rises, I also have life vests..."
For Furusawa Kyoichiro, personal safety was paramount when traveling. One had to consider all possible accidents and bring necessary medication and life-saving equipment.
"Wow, Furusawa, you’re so thorough! You really live up to being on the discipline committee!" Yoshikawa Sayuri gave him a thumbs-up.
Not to be outdone, Hojo Tetsuji declared, "Mere bears and vipers? I can scare them off with one hand!"
"Just as expected from the warrior I’ve got my eye on! Let’s protect the girls together!" Peter boomed, naturally joining the conversation.
Hojo Tetsuji just wanted to send this annoying guy flying with a punch. Little Sayuri has me to protect her; that’s more than enough.
At 2:00 PM sharp, Aozawa arrived.
He was arguably the most minimalist of the guys, carrying only a single suitcase containing a tent and basic toiletries. Nothing else.
"Making the ladies wait, Aozawa. You really lack a gentleman’s decorum on this point," Peter chided.
Aozawa shrugged. "We agreed to meet at two. I’m not a second late."
Phoenix Academy Maggie quickly interjected, "Exactly! Two o’clock is perfect. Why are you being so petty?"
Peter was left speechless.
Ayatsuki Iroha’s cheeks puffed out slightly. She had wanted to defend Aozawa, but Phoenix Academy Maggie had beaten her to it. I’m closest to Aozawa, so I should have been the one to speak up!
Her faint look of dissatisfaction was caught by Phoenix Academy Maggie, whose pink lips curved into a slight smile. The gloom in her heart suddenly lifted.
Aozawa rubbed his nose. The trip hasn’t even started, he thought, but the air is already thick with the smell of gunpowder. This is a battlefield I’ll have to navigate.
"Ah, the train’s here! Let’s go!" Yoshikawa Sayuri pointed, breaking the tense silence.
"Let’s get on," Hojo Tetsuji quickly agreed.
Nomura True Wave’s eyes flickered. "Since you’re so strong, Tetsuji, I’ll entrust my luggage to you. Little Sayuri, you shouldn’t have to carry your suitcase either; it’s too tiring."
Hojo Tetsuji swallowed the refusal on the tip of his tongue and quickly patted his chest. "No problem! I could easily carry a few hundred kilos more!"
"Only a few hundred kilos? That’s nothing for me either," Peter chimed in, not wanting to miss a chance to flex.
Furusawa Kyoichiro pushed up his glasses. "I’m perfectly capable as well."
Aozawa watched them. Seriously, guys, what’s with all this one-upmanship? he thought.
"A few hundred kilos is too light," he said. There’s no way I’m letting anyone else carry Maggie’s and Iroha’s suitcases.