The second morning of training camp.
After Hoshimi Rinko finished washing up, she first pulled open the room’s sliding door.
The morning sun streamed through the window, casting little parallelogram shapes on the tatami in the Japanese room. Fujiwara Reya lay sprawled out on the bedding like a tired puppy after a day out, watching a Spanish lecture on his tablet.
Hoshimi Rinko glanced at the tablet screen.
The female lecturer in black stockings and high heels was striking a seductive pose while lecturing.
"No te tomes la vida en serio, al fin y al cabo no saldrás vivo de ella."
"In Japanese, this can be understood as ’Don’t take life too seriously, after all, you can’t escape it alive.’
Fujiwara Reya murmured in Chinese, "Are Spaniards also so philosophical..."
As if responding to his words, the female lecturer on the screen stood up from her seat, her two long legs in black stockings swaying: "Spaniards are characterized by being friendly and approachable. They love talking and chatting. But most people, when they say ’¿Qué tal?’ or ’¿Cómo estás?’ don’t actually expect a full answer. example sentence..."
Hoshimi Rinko knocked on the sliding door, "How’s the studying going?"
"Spanish is so appealing!" Fujiwara Reya stared at the lecturer’s black stockings.
"Oh, I mean the lecturer is quite engaging."
As he finished speaking, the lecturer continued reciting an example sentence: "Ahorra agua. No te duches solo. (Save water. So don’t shower alone.)"
Fujiwara Reya repeated it once, then looked at Hoshimi Rinko and said, "Care to conserve water with me tonight?"
Hoshimi Rinko gave him a sideways glance.
"It’ll be over soon, give me a bit." Fujiwara Reya turned his eyes back to the screen.
After the Spanish lecture ended, he tossed the tablet to the side and pulled open the paper sliding door on Mrs. Kasahara’s side.
The room was air-conditioned, cool and breezy. Mrs. Kasahara and her daughter were huddled together under the same bedding, with only their eyes peeking out.
Upon hearing the noise, their two bright eyes both focused on Fujiwara Reya, playfully blinking at him in unison.
Was that supposed to be cute?
It’s understandable for Asuka to act like that, but Mrs. Kasahara, are you going back to your younger days too?
Fujiwara Reya knocked on the door frame: "Time for training, you two beauties can’t slack off!"
"That’s right, I was so tired from driving all day yesterday, let me sleep today!"
This charming mother and daughter duo rolled around on the sun-drenched tatami, seemingly throwing a little tantrum.
"Sister Kasahara..." Fujiwara Reya looked with exhaustion at Mrs. Kasahara, who seemed two decades younger, "You don’t have to join the training, why are you even complaining?"
"Oh right, I don’t need to train." Mrs. Kasahara appeared to remember, patting her head. Then suddenly, she threw off the bedding and kicked her daughter out, "Stop bothering mom’s beauty sleep."
Kasahara Asuka pouted her lips, rubbing her messy orange hair.
In the small dining room in front of their room, Mrs. Hoshimi was enjoying breakfast while chatting with her daughter.
"There are forest parks nearby, hot spring inns, and Minami-Izu Town holds two small markets each month. At the end of this month, there’s going to be a fireworks festival on the water. You have to seize the opportunity, don’t let Asuka outshine you..."
Mrs. Hoshimi slightly turned her delicate neck, watching the handsome young man walk over with a troubled look.
"We’re here for training..."
"Is there a difference between training and dating?" Mrs. Hoshimi asked with an innocent face.
She was wearing a white cotton nightgown, with her collarbone peeking out, looking quite enticing in the early morning.
Fujiwara Reya glared at her, clapped his hands: "Alright, starting now, Hoshimi Yoko will officially join the training with both young ladies. All the training plans I’ve made must be completed doubly by her, or else no dinner for you!"
"Huh?" Mrs. Hoshimi innocently pointed at herself.
Laughter of schadenfreude echoed from Mrs. Kasahara’s room.
Mrs. Hoshimi glanced angrily at that mischievous woman, then looked pitifully at Fujiwara Reya: "Mr. Fujiwara, sister’s going to cook for you guys, so can’t I skip the training... please?"
"I’ll cook!" Mrs. Kasahara unhesitantly piped up.
"You have no choice!" Fujiwara Reya sternly told Mrs. Hoshimi.
Mrs. Hoshimi wrapped her arms around her daughter’s slender shoulders, wearing a pitiful expression: "Mr. Fujiwara is so mean, Rinko save mommy~~"
Hoshimi Rinko lowered her head, letting out the most despairing sigh in her eighteen years of life.
"Ah~" Kasahara Asuka yawned as she emerged from the bathroom.
At eight-thirty in the morning, the new sunlight spread over the world as the group sat by the window having breakfast, gazing at the sparkling sea. They ate toast and eggs, cucumber salad, and drank milk.
After breakfast, the three women changed into white and red shrine maiden outfits and entered the dojo.
It was a gigantic indoor training area about half the size of a standard soccer field, with a very simple, somewhat monotone décor. Due to the numerous glass cabinets housing magic artifacts displayed as decorations, the training area had the style of a museum. Inside the glass cabinets were items like taiko drums, woven-gold ritual garments, and exquisitely sheathed Japanese swords.
Not a speck of dust was to be seen on the glass cabinets used for storing these items, the oak floors were spotless, and the ornamental plants were meticulously cared for.
"Are all these magic artifacts real?" Fujiwara Reya asked curiously.
"Of course, this is part of the Hoshimi family’s collection." Mrs. Hoshimi laughed at him like he was a child who’d never seen the world, "If they were sold on the market, the total value of these ornaments wouldn’t be less than 1.5 billion."