Ozawa Sonoko and Kitazawa Oda knelt in front of the shrine, motionless, like a pair of stone statues.
Hoshino Fujiko tried to see clearly what was in the shrine, but the main body composed of dusk was still too dazzling.
Sour tears fell from the corners of her eyes, as if even her hair would be burned by the residual heat.
At some point, those pitch-black figures stopped moving, silently surrounding the shrine, like tombstones, casting sadistic glances at Hoshino, and she began to fly into the sky uncontrollably.
It wasn't until a hand pressed down on her shoulder that Hoshino suddenly stopped and then fell downwards.
The barren mountains below her also collapsed, and she was wrapped in the darkness mixed with earth and rocks. All she could feel was the warm hands on her shoulders.
Relying on that bit of warmth, when she came back to reality, she found that she had returned to reality. She was now standing in the backyard of the room, her loose bathrobe had been soaked by the rain, and her body felt cold.
But now the rain can no longer touch me.
"President, are you still interested in getting wet in the rain so late?" Qing Keisuke's teasing and annoying voice sounded from behind.
He knew clearly that she had just lost consciousness and was out of control, yet he still said such words!
But the palms placed on her shoulders were very warm, constantly dispelling the coldness in her body.
Hoshino tightened his clothes and covered his chest with his arms. When he was thinking about how to answer Qing Keisuke, he suddenly couldn't help but let out a cute sneeze.
"..."
"Do you need to provide drying services?" Qing Keisuke raised his eyebrows.
"No, I'm going back to my room."
Hoshino didn't look back, not wanting to completely expose his embarrassed appearance to Qing Keisuke.
"ah……"
Aoi Keisuke let go of his hand, and the downpour immediately enveloped Hoshino's body again.
"That's it."
Qing Keisuke's tone was relaxed, but before Hoshino could read his true thoughts, he suddenly hugged her directly.
"Ah!" Hoshino exclaimed, with a brief look of panic and confusion on his pale face.
But soon, she coldly asked Qing Keisuke to put her down.
"It's obvious that your legs are too cold to move. President, don't argue with me now. Send you back to the room and I'll put you down."
Hoshino covered her soaked yukata, and her plain white forearms and delicate hands were a little dazzling. She pursed her lips, lowered her head and stopped talking.
Qing Keisuke smiled and used his spiritual energy to generate heat and dry the rain on Hoshino's body so that she would not continue to worry about being exposed.
"What happened this time?" he asked, changing the subject.
"I had a dream about the lake I saw in the afternoon." Hoshino briefly described the scene he saw, as well as Ozawa Sonoko and Kitazawa Oda who were in strange states.
"Sounds like a sacrificial ceremony." Qing Keisuke placed Hoshino at the bathroom door of her room and asked her to go inside and take a bath again while he watched outside.
"you……"
Hoshino really wanted to take a dip in the hot spring, but he was still very hesitant about letting Aoi Keisuke stay in his room.
Qing Keisuke rolled his eyes when he saw this. He would never have any thoughts about other people's fiancées.
"Don't worry, President, if I wanted to attack you, you would have lost your virginity last night."
Is the word "lost virginity" still used in this day and age?
But this tone seems to be unexpectedly more embarrassing...
Hoshino's straight legs shrank and clamped tightly on the thin fabric of the yukata.
She barely maintained her cold expression and pointed in the direction of the outer hall: "You go outside."
The implication is that he tentatively believes in Qing Keisuke's safety.
"Alright alright."
Qing Keisuke shrugged his shoulders noncommittally and left without looking back. After all, Hoshino's shy look made people want to tease him.
While waiting outside, Aoi Keisuke recalled Hoshino Fujiko's description. He suddenly stood up and took out the restored newspaper. He read the report in full again, including the time and specific location of the flash flood. He wrote down all of them one by one.
Down.
This may have something to do with sacrifice.
About half an hour later, Hoshino put on a new yukata and walked out of the bedroom.
Qing Keisuke glanced at her, and the girl's newly rosy cheeks now looked a little cute. This look was usually difficult to see on Hoshino's face.
He looked away and asked with a smile: "Are you still sleeping at night, President? Do I still have to stay outside all the time?"
"No, you can go back."
Judging from her appearance, she had no intention of sleeping in the middle of the night.
"Okay, good night then."
Qing Keisuke deliberately yawned, got up and went out.
Hoshino lowered his gaze, feeling a rare embarrassment.
She slowly raised her head and saw the newspaper spread out by Qing Keisuke on the low table. She wanted to divert her attention, but she couldn't read the typeface on it.
After a long time, she turned on the light in the room, took out a book, and read silently.
It rained that night and didn't stop until late at night.
When the sky was getting dark, Hoshino got up and walked into the backyard. There was a path paved with permeable bricks in the yard, and the surface was basically dry now.
The logo of Tsuruyu is engraved on the brick surface, which leads to Keisuke Aoi's room in a winding way next door.
The early morning in the mountains felt like autumn. Hoshino subconsciously breathed into his cold hands. The plants in the yard were moist and green. After a night of heavy rain, they became more energetic.
The sky in the distance gradually brightens, changing from deep blue to orange-red, and the clouds in the shape of fish scales are also dyed red.
Hoshino Fujiko breathed out again subconsciously.
This scenery would be even more beautiful if viewed from the observation deck, right?
But she has become accustomed to admiring quietly alone.
"Hey, President, did you get up early?"
Before the sun rose, Qing Keisuke was holding two bottles of hot coffee he had just bought from the beverage machine in his arms. When he was talking, he was sitting on the eaves of the second floor. His handsome face was already illuminated by the sun. Hoshino looked at him.
Every now and then, I can't help but be attracted to him.
Before she spoke, Qing Keisuke asked cheerfully:
"Would you like some coffee?"
Why did you choose to show up at this time?
Hoshino looked up at him and thought blankly.
Is it just bad taste?
She didn't seem to be able to fully understand Qing Keisuke just by reading his mind.
"Thanks."
She stretched out her hand as if to grab something.
Qing Keisuke accurately threw the coffee into her hand, but Hoshino missed it and finally hit her on the forehead.
Qing Keisuke: "..."
The sun began to rise, and the golden sunlight gradually fell on the earth. Qing Keisuke's body was bathed in the light, but it could not eliminate Hoshino's cold gaze at this time.
"Oh, why didn't the president even get this?"
Aoi Keisuke jumped into Hoshino's yard, put the coffee prepared for himself into Hoshino's hand again, then quickly picked up the "murder weapon" on the ground and ran away.
Hoshino touched the hit forehead with his left hand, and then covered his mouth hard to prevent the smile at the corner of his mouth from being exposed.