The Autumn Maple Onsen Ryokan, the sole hot spring inn in town, stood as one of the family businesses Igarashi Rie currently managed.
The moment Shion stepped inside, two adult women in Western-style maid uniforms performed a perfectly executed curtsy, their voices remarkably pleasant and melodious as they announced, “Welcome, esteemed guest.”
The entrance was remarkably pristine; a refreshing scent of lavender incense wafted forth, and the tatami mats were impeccably clean, polished to a near-reflective sheen. The windows gleamed, the rooms spotless, immediately leaving an excellent first impression and clearly marking it as a high-class establishment for relaxation.
“Hello, I’m looking for… I’m looking for Igarashi Rie-senpai. I’m her classmate, and I’m here to… to study with her.” Shion, slightly overwhelmed by the scene, quickly stammered out the reason for her visit.
The academic aptitude test was scheduled for next week, leaving precious little time for review. This rare weekend, Shion, who had endured nearly a week of the “after-school barrage-style review in the afternoons — solo pinpoint explosive review from her sister in the evenings” study regimen, had finally reached her breaking point. She proposed a change of scenery for her studies, otherwise, she threatened to immediately jump off the shrine mountain.
As for how to gain her sister’s consent, knowing full well Shion wouldn’t actually jump, the only way was to exchange it for several nights’ worth of recorded evening dramas she had missed, and a week’s supply of hamburger steaks after the exams.
“Big sister, you have to come back early tonight, okay? You need to make me dinner.” Ayane sat on the sofa, watching television, simultaneously munching on a bag of mint cream-flavored potato chips Nanami had given her. In her hand, she held a workbook, seemingly intending to casually flip through exercises during commercial breaks.
‘Wait, didn’t she dislike mint cream flavor?…
‘
Resigning herself, Shion, on this particular day, arrived at the Autumn Maple Onsen Ryokan, which Rie was currently managing, at Rie’s invitation.
However, Rie seemed incredibly busy on weekends. Before even stepping through the inn’s entrance, Shion had lingered by the main gate for quite some time, as Rie hadn’t responded to any of her messages. She had a nagging feeling that the moment she crossed the threshold, she would be dragged into the full “strip, soak in the hot springs, and have lunch” package. Not only would her entire day vanish, but her wallet would also be emptied.
‘Oh, I must be suffering from some kind of delusion; opening my wallet, I can’t even see a single coin.’ Shion was already spiraling into paranoid delusions.
Returning to the present moment. Upon hearing the girl in front of her asking for Rie, one of the reception maids showed a troubled expression, saying, “If you are looking for Young Lady Igarashi, she is quite occupied at the moment. As such, I will convey your message to her, and she will respond to you when she is free.”
‘What a classic excuse…’
“Um, Igarashi-senpai actually invited me…” Shion fumbled with her phone, intending to pull up Rie’s invitation from the previous day to show them.
However, another maid nearby seemed to realize something. “Esteemed guest, may I be so bold as to inquire your name?”
“My name is Hoshimori Shion.” Shion stated her name.
“Ah, Miss Hoshimori!” The maid clapped her hands. “Yes, Young Lady Igarashi specifically instructed us yesterday to immediately inform her if Miss Hoshimori arrived.”
With that, the maid swiftly disappeared down the corridor, her steps light and quick.
‘So this is what a proper maid is like, huh? Definitely more impressive than a temporary maid chief like me; their movements and demeanor are perfectly standardized.’ Shion mused.
Before long, Shion heard the distinct pat-pat-pat sound of footsteps echoing across the wooden tatami mats.
Rie, clad in wooden geta, appeared from a corner of the room. Her attire starkly contrasted with the Western-style maid uniforms worn by the two maids at the entrance. She wore a pale pink yukata, her long red hair styled into an elegant chignon, with a light touch of makeup. She looked exceptionally charming under the inn’s warm lighting. In this moment, Rie truly embodied the image of a Yamato Nadeshiko (TL Note: A Japanese term symbolizing the idealized Japanese woman, graceful, polite, and refined.) from a book.
“Shion-chan, you’re here! My apologies, I was truly swamped just now and couldn’t check my phone.” The slight embarrassment on Rie’s face couldn’t mask her evident joy. “But I’ve already arranged all my other work; I’ve specifically cleared my entire day just to tutor you.”
Rie naturally took Shion’s hand, leading her deeper into the Autumn Maple Onsen Ryokan.
Proceeding from the lobby, the first floor housed two large hot springs. The warm steam from the springs wafted gently from behind the hanging noren (TL Note: Traditional Japanese fabric dividers, hung in doorways). “This is our main operating area; usually, the elderly grandpas and grandmas from town come here,” Rie explained to Shion. Along the way, they encountered several elderly patrons who had just finished their bath. Rie greeted them with a sweet, practiced smile, inquiring about their enjoyment of the hot spring.
‘Is this what it means to be a young lady of distinction?…’ Shion mused silently. Rie’s customer service was incredibly polished. She possessed a keen understanding of how to make guests genuinely feel at home. Yet, outside of interacting with patrons, she also knew precisely how to maintain her composure and elegance.
Except… when she was with Shion. When Shion asked, “What’s the problem statement?”, Rie truly couldn’t maintain her composure. It seemed only matters concerning Shion could occasionally cause this young lady, who typically maintained such graceful composure, to falter.
Exiting through the back door of the inn’s main building revealed a cluster of a dozen or so smaller, individually constructed rooms. Each private room came with its own small hot spring. Lush greenery enveloped the rooms, and combined with the gentle murmur of the hot spring water, the overall ambiance was wonderfully tranquil, secluded, and comfortable.
“These are the small rooms designed for guests who wish to enjoy the hot springs with their family or someone special,” Rie explained, simultaneously taking Shion’s hand and pushing open one of the doors. Inside, there were bamboo-woven tables and chairs, with a soft, spacious bed in the center. The refreshing scent of plants and bamboo instantly filled the air.
“This is the place! It’s very quiet, perfect for studying. And you can even enjoy a hot spring during breaks.” Rie led Shion to sit on one of the bamboo-woven chairs. Then, leaning close to Shion’s ear, she whispered softly, “Just the two of us, you know.”
“Senpai! Don’t say such… such embarrassing things!” Shion retorted, her face flushing, though her protest seemed to lack any real conviction. After all, Rie looked truly beautiful today. The pale pink kimono and traditional chignon further accentuated her gentle elegance, and the sudden teasing only highlighted the endearing contrast of her youthful charm.
She quickly pulled out her school bag, placed her workbooks on the table, attempting to distract herself through studying.
‘Ha, studying — can that really divert one’s attention?’
It seemed Rie had chosen this spot long ago. She took out a tutoring textbook from the bamboo-woven table’s drawer and then sat down right beside Shion. Rie was seated so close, Shion, holding her pen, could even feel Rie’s warm breath.
“Shion-chan, today we’re going to boost your reading comprehension and essay writing in one go!” Rie said with a smile, resting her chin in her hand. “And then, I’m going to make sure you get some proper relaxation.”