A bit later the school-trip homeroom ended; we did our regular homeroom in our own rooms and started home.
“Looking forward to the trip.”
“I’ll definitely enjoy it more than my middle school one, at least.”
“What was your middle school trip like, Ryouya?”
“Oh, that — I’m curious too.”
Honestly I didn’t want to relive it, but they asked.
“Two nights, three days, Kyushu. I spent the entire trip alone — talked to nobody except during roll call. Got ditched during free time.”
The free time at Home Tembos, a Nagasaki theme park, had been a particular low point — my group had literally abandoned me. I would not forget it.
I hadn’t been in the mood to ride attractions alone, so I’d spent the entire free-time block reading web novels in a break area until the meeting time. Not how you do a school trip.
”…I’m sorry.”
”…This time, Ryouya will have fun. I promise.”
After reading my expression as I talked, the two of them gave me serious-toned apologies. Suddenly emotionally complicated. As I was processing that, raindrops started falling.
“Wait — is it about to rain?”
“There was no rain in the forecast.”
“Yeah, neither me nor Riona brought umbrellas.”
“Me neither.”
Even if one of us had brought one, three under one umbrella was unworkable. We accelerated toward home — and the rain accelerated too.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Heavier than expected.”
“Need shelter or we’ll catch a cold.”
A flash thunderstorm. We held our bags over our heads and ducked under a roof.
“Doesn’t look like it’ll stop.”
“Yeah, going to be a while.”
“We’re going to get colds.”
Our bags hadn’t kept us dry — all three of us were wet somewhere. The forecast on my phone said heavy rain for another hour. Worst-case.
“Oh — there’s a public bathhouse near here. Let’s wait it out there.”
“Yeah, this is gross.”
“Seconded.”
Three votes for. The bathhouse was three minutes away — minimal exposure.
“Oh — small disappointing news for you, Ryouya-kun.”
“Disappointing news?”
I echoed. Please tell me there’s no men’s bath at this bathhouse. Reona smirked.
“It’s not a mixed bath, sorry.”
“Was not expecting a mixed bath, at all.”
“I assumed Ryouya being quietly lecherous, you were excited.”
I am aware that public bathhouses are not mixed-bath. We hopped between awnings on the way and reached the bathhouse.
Plenty of other people were sheltering under awnings too. We arrived, slotted shoes into the deposit-return lockers, and bought tickets and towels from the vending machine.
“Riona and I are over here.”
“Don’t get tempted to peep, mister.”
“I’m not planning to socially die at this age.”
Got it. Got that’s their general read of me.