Hashimoto Arina took a vacation until the weekend, knowing that Shirakawa Natsumi’s important activity was a hot spring trip.

They didn’t realize they’d been tricked.

“Sister Cai, actually I don’t need a wheelchair, I can walk by myself.” Shirakawa Natsu sat in the wheelchair, feeling the gazes of passersby around her, and felt inexplicably ashamed.

Hashimoto Arina brought a wheelchair and refused to help him with her hands to express her dissatisfaction.

He was about to be discharged from the hospital, and if she really pushed him to the party in a wheelchair, he would immediately become the center of attention.

“Hmph, I don’t want to touch you.” Hashimoto Arina pouted, pushing her wheelchair with both hands, looking angry. “It’s no use saying anything. I will never forgive you so easily.”

“Sorry, Sister Yuzuri.” Shirakawa Natsu glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. Her long black hair was neatly draped over her shoulders, and she was wearing a beige batwing shirt and a short skirt.

The silver earrings hanging from her ears are both mature and fashionable.

As a doctor, she doesn’t usually wear jewelry, but this time she not only wore light makeup but also jewelry.

Typical of someone who says they don’t care, but takes their health very seriously.

“I often see families going to hot spring inns on TV and in comics, but I’ve never been one.” Shirakawa Natsu looked into the distance with longing on her face. “I want to take this opportunity to go and see one. Even if it’s not with my family, it’s the same as going with Arina-nee.”

Seeing the longing look on his face, Hashimoto Arina’s feigned anger instantly melted away.

But then I felt that if I had said I wouldn’t forgive him just a second ago, it would be too embarrassing to immediately back down.

She silently reached out and helped him up from his wheelchair, lowering her voice to say, “Don’t try any more tricks on me.”

“Mm.” Shirakawa Natsu nodded obediently. He wasn’t lying; he did often see families going to hot spring inns in manga.

The one that impressed him the most was the story of a mother, her two daughters, and a younger boy.

Arriving at the meeting point on time, the group was led by a slightly overweight middle-aged man with glasses, who was also Shirakawa Natsu’s editor.

He had been bothered for a long time by the fact that his editor wasn’t the girl in black stockings and glasses.

Based on his experience, those time-traveling predecessors, whether they wrote novels or drew comics, all possessed extraordinary abilities.

The editors I encountered were either pretty and cute new girls or mature bespectacled women in black stockings who were being ostracized by others.

So he always thought the editorial department should be full of beautiful girls, so why did he end up with a middle-aged man with glasses?

Upon seeing Shirakawa Natsu, he immediately greeted her warmly, addressing her as “Teacher” repeatedly.

The number of people at this event was not large; including him, there were only a dozen or so people in total, and it seems they were just painters under his supervision.

When Shirakawa Natsu appeared, everyone else looked over, curious about what this prodigy who was destined to break publishing records looked like.

However, their attention quickly shifted to Hashimoto Arina.

Talent remains, but beauty is still more captivating.

Shirakawa Natsu quickly noticed a familiar figure in the crowd, with short, messy hair tied into a short ponytail, looking both unrestrained and handsome.

I was chatting with the only pretty-looking woman with glasses among the dozen or so people, and she kept laughing.

“Miyuki, what are you doing here!” Shirakawa Natsu walked over and grabbed her leather jacket.

Hashimoto Arina witnessed what happened between him and Miyuki in the hospital bed a couple of days ago.

Although she doesn’t know exactly how many people have seen her, judging from her behavior these past two days, it’s clear she’s been seen kissing someone.

Isn’t it embarrassing to come over at this time?

Miyuki turned her head, frowned, and said, “I’m your assistant, of course I’m here.”

Shirakawa Natsu was speechless. What she said made perfect sense and was completely irrefutable.

“She’s your biggest fan,” Miki said, pointing to the pretty girl with glasses. “She’s asking me for advice on creating popular manga.”

“Hello.” Shirakawa Natsu extended her hand, and a word popped into her mind: Japanese fan.

He certainly wouldn’t do such a thing; he was just happy that someone finally appreciated his talent.

“Hello, teacher.” The girl with glasses gave him a polite smile, then turned back to ask Miyuki how he created popular manga, her eyes shining, completely ignoring him.

Shirakawa Natsu looked at the two of them and realized that she was the outsider.

Anyone could see that the girl with glasses was just using an excuse to flirt with Miyuki.

“Pfft.” Hashimoto Arina stood behind him and laughed.

Shirakawa Natsumi turned her head and stared at her: “Ayana-nee, are you laughing at me?”

“No, I wasn’t laughing at you.” Hashimoto Arina covered her mouth, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons as she smiled. “I was just thinking about something happy.”

After this little incident, it seems that Hashimoto Arina no longer intends to be angry with him.

“Everyone, get ready, let’s go!” The slightly chubby middle-aged editor shouted in a strong voice after counting the number of people.

The group boarded a rented car and headed to the hot spring hotel.

The hotel was quite far away, and by the time we arrived at our destination, it was already dinner time.

Most people in Donggu are quite good at reading the room, and after dinner, the atmosphere was nice, and the awkwardness between everyone lessened considerably.

Next, we went back to our rooms, changed our clothes, and were free to do as we pleased.

Shirakawa Natsumi and Hashimoto Arina checked into a double room according to the room number they had booked in advance.

The room was small, with tatami mats covering the floor and futons in a sliding cabinet next to it.

To avoid any unforeseen circumstances, Hashimoto Arina brought him out and naturally had to take care of him.

“Actually, you could go sleep with girls if you have a girl named Cai.” Shirakawa Natsumi scratched her head.

“Oh~” Hashimoto Arina glanced at him sideways: “Okay, then I’ll go find someone to change rooms.”

After she finished speaking, she picked up her small bag and walked out.

“Uh, wait a minute.” Shirakawa Natsu immediately put on a serious face: “It doesn’t seem appropriate to bother someone you just met.”

“Hmph.” Hashimoto Arina walked over and lightly tapped him on the head: “Turn around.”

“Oh.” Shirakawa Natsu nodded, turned around, and then heard the sound of clothes being taken off behind her.

Shirakawa Natsu didn’t turn around; her eyes glanced at the ground and she could only see a bra.

“So big…”

When he turned around, Hashimoto Arina had already changed into a yukata, her long hair tied back, revealing her fair and slender neck.

Her yukata was pulled up high at the chest, but her bust size made her collarbones stand out.

“Go change into your yukata quickly,” Hashimoto Arina scolded playfully.

The couple’s private hot spring bath wasn’t, of course, intended to recreate a scene common in comics.

Hashimoto Arina needed to stay by Shirakawa Natsu’s side simply because she was afraid that he might faint or something.

Shirakawa Natsu glanced at Hashimoto Arina beside her; she was wearing a swimsuit under her yukata, clearly having come prepared.

However, the swimsuit straps still kept it suspended in the air, allowing a glimpse of the upper body, so the trip was worthwhile.

Hashimoto Arina is peach-shaped, but her size is such that when she soaks in the hot spring, half of her floats on the water.

He thought that by soaking in the hot springs together, he could see the gentle and shy appearance of Hashimoto Arina.

But the situation was exactly the opposite. Shirakawa Natsu hadn’t prepared a swimsuit, and was just wearing a towel. Under Hashimoto Arina’s ambiguous smile, it seemed like she was playing some strange game.

“Does Natsu think I should be shy?” Hashimoto Arina’s eyes narrowed into slits as she laughed, clearly pleased to see him make a fool of himself.

“Can you stop staring?” Shirakawa Natsu met her gaze and found it difficult to untie her towel and get into the water.

But the more generous Hashimoto Arina appeared, the more uncomfortable he felt.

Such composure makes one wonder if she is very experienced, even though Hashimoto Arina usually gives off the impression of a sunny and pure older sister.

“Idiot.” Hashimoto Arina saw right through him and gave him a reproachful look.

“I’m a doctor. To me, these things are just muscle tissues of different shapes, and they have nothing to do with sex.”

“Uh, okay.” Shirakawa Natsu scratched her head, realizing she was being too dramatic. She untied her bathrobe and “whoosh” jumped into the spring water.

The couples’ hot spring is small; when two people soak in it, their sides and feet are pressed together.

Neither of them spoke, and Shirakawa Natsu felt her arm touch something soft.

Look down.

Hashimoto Arina quickly grabbed a towel and covered her chest to block his view.

“Sister Cai, you just said that in the eyes of doctors, these are just fat and have nothing to do with sex. Please be a person who practices what you preach.”

“Hmph.” Hashimoto Arina glanced at him sideways and said matter-of-factly, “That’s because I’m looking at other people’s, not my own.”

“You’re using double standards, I won’t allow it.” Shirakawa Natsu reached out to lift the towel.

“You little rascal!” Hashimoto Arina immediately reached out to stop him.

As the two were playfully fighting, Shirakawa Natsu suddenly grabbed something soft and sticky, and then her entire finger sank into it.

He was stunned, but saw no resistance from Hashimoto Arina. He looked up and found that her whole face was flushed.

His whole body was stiff, like a kitten being choked by the scruff of its neck.

Shirakawa Natsu raised an eyebrow, as if he had noticed something about Hashimoto Arina, and then pressed his gaze slightly harder.

Hashimoto Arina’s face looked like it was about to bleed, and she glared at him, saying, “Let go now.”

“Oh.” Shirakawa Natsu regretfully withdrew her hand, a strange sense of immorality suddenly rising in her heart.

The two began to bathe in silence, neither speaking, and the atmosphere became somewhat strange for a moment.

Shirakawa Natsu finally realized a problem: their current relationship was that of a couple trying to date.

Intimate gestures should be graceful, not this strange awkwardness.

He turned his gaze to Hashimoto Arina, and their eyes met.

They both saw the answer in each other’s eyes.

Perhaps the relationship between the two is more like familial affection than romantic love.

Arina Hashimoto admired his courage in the face of a tragic reality.

This is exactly what she lacks; she is unwilling to face the fact that her childhood sweetheart has lost his memory and forgotten her, and that he has married another woman, and even suffers from mild depression.

But when she met him, she was inspired and emerged from the darkness.

She couldn’t bear to see Shirakawa Natsu leave with regrets in the final stage of her life, so she took the initiative to suggest trying to date him.

Shirakawa Natsuya also agreed that he was attracted to Hashimoto Arina because of her when she was bedridden.

Hashimoto Arina is like an older sister, like a mother, caring for him meticulously and looking after him.

Hashimoto Arina was also a lamp lit in Shirakawa Natsu’s gloomy world.

They both found what they needed most in each other.

Given their age difference, it was natural for a sibling-like bond to develop between them.

Of course, since there is no blood relation, this feeling…

That’s why I felt that strange sense of immorality just now.