I Want to Hear Your Voice

Chapter 25 – SS Satori going to a hot spring (2)

“Mr. Ogigami, welcome to our inn.”

“Let me take care of your luggage.”

An elderly keeper wearing a happi coat with the inn’s name on his back took the luggage from Sousuke’s hand. When the keeper noticed that Satori had jumped in surprise and hid behind Sousuke, he smiled at him.

“Let me show you to your room.”

Satori gasped and quickly bowed his head.

“Tha-thank you!”

Seeing that, a smile appeared across Sousuke’s face.

“Thank you for your help.”

They passed through a carpeted corridor, then Satori and Sousuke were led to the room they were staying in. One of the two rooms was a Japanese-style room with a table in front of an alcove decorated with hanging scrolls and fresh flowers. The other room was a Western-style room with a soft bed that looked comfortable. At the back of the room, a paper sliding door concealed the room from outside, and surprisingly, there was even an open-air bath with a large deck there. Perhaps it was because of the hinoki cypress that there was a pleasant smell. 

We-we’re staying overnight in this wonderful place?

As Satori looked around the room nervously, wondering if he really could stay in a place like this, Sousuke tapped on his shoulder.

(It’s alright.)

Sousuke’s feelings could be felt from the warmth of his hand that touched Satori’s shoulder blades. Satori’s body, which had been slightly stiff with tension, suddenly relaxed. He felt that no matter where he was, he would be alright if he was with Sousuke. Those feelings welled up within him and made his heart feel warm inside.

“Please excuse me.”

At that moment, the proprietress who had welcomed them earlier placed three fingers on the room’s entrance and greeted them.

“Thank you for coming all the way here today. I am the proprietress of Hana no Yado.”

The proprietress took out a teapot and teacups from the lacquered tea utensils cabinet in the room and made some tea for Satori and Sousuke.

Along with Sousuke’s voice that said his thanks, Satori also bowed his head. The proprietress softened her gaze at Satori’s gesture.

(Oh my, he’s so cute. Just like my five-year-old son.)

Usually, Satori didn’t like hearing other human’s inner voices except for Sousuke’s. Satori’s eyes widened at the rarely favorable inner voice. His heartbeat was pounding fast.

“At what time would you like for dinner to be ready?”

“Satori, when do you want to have dinner? We only ate a boxed lunch on the train after all. …Is around 7pm okay with you?”

Satori nodded his head at Sousuke’s words. While Satori was in a daze, Sousuke and the proprietress were deciding on the details. At that moment, the voice of the proprietress that was talking about a large public bath could be heard, and Satori’s eyes widened.

Does a large public bath mean that big bath I saw on TV before?

“Let’s go to the bath for now.”

(While we’re here, I want to make out with Satori in the open-air bath before dinner…)

It was said the hot spring inn had a bath so big that they could swim in it. Actually, Satori who secretly had a longing for a large public bath was so excited when he heard they were going into one, and he had missed hearing Sousuke’s inner voice.

“I’m going in! I’m going in! I’m going into the large bath. Sousuke, we can swim in the bath, right?”

Sousuke said “Huh?”, and Satori turned his sparkling eyes filled with expectations at him.

Satori felt like he could hear a faint laugh. When he turned around in surprise, there was the proprietress who was averting her gaze and had an expression that looked like holding back a laugh. Sousuke blushed a little bit and coughed.

(Well, I guess the open-air bath can wait until after dinner…)

When he could hear Sousuke’s inner voice that sounded somewhat disappointed, Satori was puzzled.

Did I say something wrong?

“So-sousuke?”

Sousuke smiled at Satori whose gaze wavered nervously.

(Don’t worry, it’s nothing.)

…Really?

“Well then, let’s go to the large bath.”

“Yeah!”

Satori nodded vigorously.

The large public bath he went in for the first time in his life was so amazing. Even if he were to stretch his arms and legs wide, there was still plenty of room. It really looked like it would be big enough for Satori to swim there.

Satori impatiently washed his hair and body in the washing room, then he hurriedly rinsed off the foam and jumped into the large public bath. Sousuke, who was slowly washing his body in the washing room, called out to Satori.

“Satori, your feet are wet, take care not to slip and fall!”

“Ye-yeah. It’s okay.”

Amazing. Amazing. There’s so much hot water. I wonder how many days’ worth of hot water there is in this place?

He walked out of the indoor bath with a fidgety and restless feeling, then headed toward the open-air bath.

chirp chirp chirp

The green of the mountains was refreshing, and the sky covered with thin clouds was breathtakingly beautiful. To be able to look at this beautiful scenery while bathing is such a luxury.

In the water that was a little hot, the cool breeze felt pleasant on his skin. After a quick swim, Satori rested his cheek against a rock and gazed out at the scenery in a daze. There was a rustling sound of the leaves.

I’m so happy, it feels like a dream…

When he closed his eyes, the light reflected off the back of his eyelids were dispersed and glittering. A refreshing chirp of a bird could be heard from the branches of a tree nearby.

Ever since Satori learned of its existence on TV, visiting a “hot spring” had been his dream. A whole family would get together in a big bathtub, and it was said that it was even possible to swim in it.

I wonder if he’s going to do it tonight, too…