Chapter 42: Aren’t lifts scary?
It was the second day of the extracurricular camp. Today, we would go skiing in the morning and during the day, and after dinner we would go stargazing in the evening. It was also a day of destiny for me.
“Fufun ♪. I’m looking forward to skiing ♪. Yuya-kun is a beginner, so I’ll be teaching him exclusively ♪!”
Carrying a ski board on her left shoulder and holding a stock in her right hand, Kaede speaks in a good mood. Her mood was so uplifting you could almost hear her words with ♪.
“Hitotsuba-san’s and Yoshizumi-kun’s ski clothing are the same, aren’t they? It’s a pair look, isn’t it? I envy them.”
“I don’t understand how Hitotsuba-san can smile so much. Yoshizumi also looks very natural… They really are a perfect couple.”
“Yoshizumi-kun, aren’t you embarrassed about your pairing?”
I can hear the girls whispering about it, but let me correct one thing. Being paired up is embarrassing enough, you know! Well, I don’t feel bad about being called a perfect couple, but it’s tonight that I have to confess.
“What’s the matter with you, Yuya-kun? Are you afraid of skiing? Don’t worry, snow is your friend!”
Don’t say it like the famous line of the main character of the national football cartoon, ‘The ball is my friend’! Please don’t say it like that. Even if you fall on the snow and it doesn’t hurt much, it’s still scary to fall on your own, isn’t it?
“Fufu. Didn’t I tell you? Even if you fall down, I will catch you. So don’t worry, you can just jump into my chest, okay?”
I’d love to do that, and I’d love to jump headfirst into Kaede’s chest, but you’ve been fantasizing about saving me from a fall and hugging me on the snow with a blurry smile on your face, haven’t you?
“Damn you…, Yoshizumi, you’re getting too carried away…!”
“Put me in that positio~o~o~on —!”
“Shall we? Hey, shall we execute Yoshizumi?”
Shut up, boys! I’m not getting carried away and I’m not going to surrender!
“Today, Yuya-kun has a hundred faces. Just when I thought you would be embarrassed, you wrinkled your brow and got angry instead. It’s refreshing.”
“I’m neither embarrassed nor angry. It’s just Kaede’s imagination, you know?”
I’m not going to admit that I was embarrassed by the girls pointing out the pairing, or that I was angry at the boys for wanting Kaede to sit next to them, so I answered bluntly.
“Fufu. Well, I’ll pretend you’re right. Come on, let’s go! The slopes are waiting for us!”
It’s not safe, so don’t grab my arm while carrying the ski planks! No amount of heavy clothing could hide the feel of your ample fruits! All around me, I heard envious sighs and hateful gnashing of teeth. I ignore them all.
＊＊＊＊＊
What was the first obstacle one faced when they started skiing? Getting on the lift, of course. You sit down at the right moment and glance behind you. The sensation of wobbling up a snow-covered mountain with an unfamiliar board attached to both feet was inexplicably terrifying.
“You don’t need to look so worried, because you won’t fall.”
“Eh, I’m not scared, you know? I’m not scared at all. I think it’s just Kaede’s imagination, you know?”
“… Hmm. I see. Then… eh!”
“HIYAAA!!?? WHAT ARE YOU DOINGGG!?”
Kaede, you baka! What were you thinking, suddenly grabbing my shoulder and shaking me!? What if we fall!? No matter how soft the snow is underneath, it’s not safe to fall from this height, you know!?
“I, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to be so surprised… I knew you were scared.”
“I’m not scared, you know!? It’s because Kaede suddenly startled me! Don’t get me wrong!”
“…I’m so sorry. It’s all right. You don’t have to be afraid. Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand.”
I told you I’m not afraid of you!? So why are you giving me such a pitying look! Well, I’m not embarrassed to be sitting in the lift, because no one can see us holding hands, and more importantly, I’m very happy to be holding hands with Kaede.
“Fufu. As I’m sure Yuya-kun is aware, getting off the lift is more difficult than getting on, right? If you don’t get off at the right time, you’ll fall flat on your face, you know?”
“… For real?”
“Yes, for real. And because it is dangerous to fall in front of the lift, the entire lift comes to an emergency stop. If this happens, the other passengers will be left in the air until Yuya-kun gets up and leaves, so it’s a big responsibility, right?”
Kaede. Why are you smirking and saying things that make people feel uneasy? Is it because you enjoy watching me tremble like a newborn fawn in fear? Aren’t you a bad person?
“Mou, you don’t have to look so stern. It’s all right. I’ll hold Yuya-kun’s hand firmly – and we’ll go down together, so please don’t worry. Please leave everything to me… Yu-ya-kun~.”
Stop blowing! You can’t do that, Kaede! No ear-blowing in a stuck lift! Ah, you just pecked me! Did you just nibble on my earlobe!? Why!?
“W-w-what are you doing all of a sudden!? I was so surprised, you know!?
“Yuya-kun’s earlobe was right there, so I couldn’t resist… was this wrong?”
“No no no! I hope you know where we are, do you!? We’re in a lift right now, you see!? What would you do if something happened to us!? If we’re going to do this, can’t we at least do it in a private room!? Then I’d be happy to —”
I was about to say that I would be happy to bite on Kaede’s ear, but I held my tongue. No, I’m not going to say that, it would depend on tonight’s results. Otherwise, my heart won’t be cleared.
“With pleasure, Yuya-kun, what will you do to me? Please tell me. I’m so curious I can only sleep at night.”
“I mean, if you can sleep at night, why not …! I mean, think about the time and place! Not here… More would be nice… Ah, no! Not now! Forget it!”
“— Hmm. Well then, I’ll give you lots of nibbling when we get home, okay?”
Kaede’s smile was as seductive as a witch’s, and it held my gaze. And when she says she was going to do something, she always does it, that’s who Hitotsuba Kaede is.
“Now that you have something to look forward to when you get home. Yuya-kun, are you ready to go?”
“What!? You want me to prepare myself for a sweet bite on my ear now!? Isn’t that a bit too early for that!?”
“No. Not about that. We’re getting ready to get off the lift. The summit is just around the corner.”
Oh, it’s true. What should I do? Because of Kaede, I didn’t perform any simulations in my head at all. My head was as white as the world presented in front of me.
“Yuya-kun. Hold my hand—yes, this will work. Place the planks on the ground with me and stand up quickly. If you do this, you will naturally start to slide.”
I nodded my head in agreement with Kaede’s gentle reminder. If I hold her hand, I’ll be fine.
“Then… let’s go… — Yes!”
I stood up to Kaede’s call. I was a little late, and Kaede took my hand, and I almost lost my balance, but the lift knocked me on my butt, and I managed to keep my momentum and get on the slope.
“Well done Yuya-kun, it’s working!”
“Hahaha… I got my butt handed to me though. Well, I guess it’s better than falling down.”
I feel like I’ve achieved a lot, but I’m only at the start. This is where it all begins.
“It’s all right! Leave it to Kaede-sensei! I’ll make you a great skier, Yuya-kun!”
“Please be gentle with me, Kaede-sensei.”
I’ll do my best so that when the time comes for me to ski with Kaede’s father-in-law, I’ll be ready!
Chapter 42: Aren’t lifts scary?
It was the second day of the extracurricular camp. Today, we would go skiing in the morning and during the day, and after dinner we would go stargazing in the evening. It was also a day of destiny for me.
“Fufun ♪. I’m looking forward to skiing ♪. Yuya-kun is a beginner, so I’ll be teaching him exclusively ♪!”
Carrying a ski board on her left shoulder and holding a stock in her right hand, Kaede speaks in a good mood. Her mood was so uplifting you could almost hear her words with ♪.
“Hitotsuba-san’s and Yoshizumi-kun’s ski clothing are the same, aren’t they? It’s a pair look, isn’t it? I envy them.”
“I don’t understand how Hitotsuba-san can smile so much. Yoshizumi also looks very natural… They really are a perfect couple.”
“Yoshizumi-kun, aren’t you embarrassed about your pairing?”
I can hear the girls whispering about it, but let me correct one thing. Being paired up is embarrassing enough, you know! Well, I don’t feel bad about being called a perfect couple, but it’s tonight that I have to confess.
“What’s the matter with you, Yuya-kun? Are you afraid of skiing? Don’t worry, snow is your friend!”
Don’t say it like the famous line of the main character of the national football cartoon, ‘The ball is my friend’! Please don’t say it like that. Even if you fall on the snow and it doesn’t hurt much, it’s still scary to fall on your own, isn’t it?
“Fufu. Didn’t I tell you? Even if you fall down, I will catch you. So don’t worry, you can just jump into my chest, okay?”
I’d love to do that, and I’d love to jump headfirst into Kaede’s chest, but you’ve been fantasizing about saving me from a fall and hugging me on the snow with a blurry smile on your face, haven’t you?
“Damn you…, Yoshizumi, you’re getting too carried away…!”
“Put me in that positio~o~o~on —!”
“Shall we? Hey, shall we execute Yoshizumi?”
Shut up, boys! I’m not getting carried away and I’m not going to surrender!
“Today, Yuya-kun has a hundred faces. Just when I thought you would be embarrassed, you wrinkled your brow and got angry instead. It’s refreshing.”
“I’m neither embarrassed nor angry. It’s just Kaede’s imagination, you know?”
I’m not going to admit that I was embarrassed by the girls pointing out the pairing, or that I was angry at the boys for wanting Kaede to sit next to them, so I answered bluntly.
“Fufu. Well, I’ll pretend you’re right. Come on, let’s go! The slopes are waiting for us!”
It’s not safe, so don’t grab my arm while carrying the ski planks! No amount of heavy clothing could hide the feel of your ample fruits! All around me, I heard envious sighs and hateful gnashing of teeth. I ignore them all.
＊＊＊＊＊
What was the first obstacle one faced when they started skiing? Getting on the lift, of course. You sit down at the right moment and glance behind you. The sensation of wobbling up a snow-covered mountain with an unfamiliar board attached to both feet was inexplicably terrifying.
“You don’t need to look so worried, because you won’t fall.”
“Eh, I’m not scared, you know? I’m not scared at all. I think it’s just Kaede’s imagination, you know?”
“… Hmm. I see. Then… eh!”
“HIYAAA!!?? WHAT ARE YOU DOINGGG!?”
Kaede, you baka! What were you thinking, suddenly grabbing my shoulder and shaking me!? What if we fall!? No matter how soft the snow is underneath, it’s not safe to fall from this height, you know!?
“I, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to be so surprised… I knew you were scared.”
“I’m not scared, you know!? It’s because Kaede suddenly startled me! Don’t get me wrong!”
“…I’m so sorry. It’s all right. You don’t have to be afraid. Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand.”
I told you I’m not afraid of you!? So why are you giving me such a pitying look! Well, I’m not embarrassed to be sitting in the lift, because no one can see us holding hands, and more importantly, I’m very happy to be holding hands with Kaede.
“Fufu. As I’m sure Yuya-kun is aware, getting off the lift is more difficult than getting on, right? If you don’t get off at the right time, you’ll fall flat on your face, you know?”
“… For real?”
“Yes, for real. And because it is dangerous to fall in front of the lift, the entire lift comes to an emergency stop. If this happens, the other passengers will be left in the air until Yuya-kun gets up and leaves, so it’s a big responsibility, right?”
Kaede. Why are you smirking and saying things that make people feel uneasy? Is it because you enjoy watching me tremble like a newborn fawn in fear? Aren’t you a bad person?
“Mou, you don’t have to look so stern. It’s all right. I’ll hold Yuya-kun’s hand firmly – and we’ll go down together, so please don’t worry. Please leave everything to me… Yu-ya-kun~.”
Stop blowing! You can’t do that, Kaede! No ear-blowing in a stuck lift! Ah, you just pecked me! Did you just nibble on my earlobe!? Why!?
“W-w-what are you doing all of a sudden!? I was so surprised, you know!?
“Yuya-kun’s earlobe was right there, so I couldn’t resist… was this wrong?”
“No no no! I hope you know where we are, do you!? We’re in a lift right now, you see!? What would you do if something happened to us!? If we’re going to do this, can’t we at least do it in a private room!? Then I’d be happy to —”
I was about to say that I would be happy to bite on Kaede’s ear, but I held my tongue. No, I’m not going to say that, it would depend on tonight’s results. Otherwise, my heart won’t be cleared.
“With pleasure, Yuya-kun, what will you do to me? Please tell me. I’m so curious I can only sleep at night.”
“I mean, if you can sleep at night, why not …! I mean, think about the time and place! Not here… More would be nice… Ah, no! Not now! Forget it!”
“— Hmm. Well then, I’ll give you lots of nibbling when we get home, okay?”
Kaede’s smile was as seductive as a witch’s, and it held my gaze. And when she says she was going to do something, she always does it, that’s who Hitotsuba Kaede is.
“Now that you have something to look forward to when you get home. Yuya-kun, are you ready to go?”
“What!? You want me to prepare myself for a sweet bite on my ear now!? Isn’t that a bit too early for that!?”
“No. Not about that. We’re getting ready to get off the lift. The summit is just around the corner.”
Oh, it’s true. What should I do? Because of Kaede, I didn’t perform any simulations in my head at all. My head was as white as the world presented in front of me.
“Yuya-kun. Hold my hand—yes, this will work. Place the planks on the ground with me and stand up quickly. If you do this, you will naturally start to slide.”
I nodded my head in agreement with Kaede’s gentle reminder. If I hold her hand, I’ll be fine.
“Then… let’s go… — Yes!”
I stood up to Kaede’s call. I was a little late, and Kaede took my hand, and I almost lost my balance, but the lift knocked me on my butt, and I managed to keep my momentum and get on the slope.
“Well done Yuya-kun, it’s working!”
“Hahaha… I got my butt handed to me though. Well, I guess it’s better than falling down.”
I feel like I’ve achieved a lot, but I’m only at the start. This is where it all begins.
“It’s all right! Leave it to Kaede-sensei! I’ll make you a great skier, Yuya-kun!”
“Please be gentle with me, Kaede-sensei.”
I’ll do my best so that when the time comes for me to ski with Kaede’s father-in-law, I’ll be ready!
