Alinea

Hakone was technically a part of the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park. There was a wilderness area that was actually where seven popular hot springs towns including Hakone Yumoto and Miyanoshita were found. When it's not hidden by clouds, Mt. Fuji presented a spectacular sight on the horizon, and since it was winter, they came at a very good time for viewing as the sky during the cold season was mostly clear.

The travel time from Shinjuku Station directly to Hakone-Yumoto Station was around ninety minutes in total. Suzuki Ara's group arrived at the station without fuss. Shuttle buses were waiting to pick them up there to their inns.

Just like their transportation, Ara was no longer surprised, although she still felt exasperated learning that their accommodations had also been upgraded. Instead of a hostel type place, Homura Ryuu had rented a whole traditional Ryokan for them to stay in, complete with traditionally garbed assistants entertaining their every need.

Needless to say the students and teachers were very ecstatic with the arrangements, and was more than grateful to Ara, they treated her like a queen. They didn't even complain or comment when they learned Ara had her own room with her own outdoor hot spring so she wouldn't have to join the others in the common baths.

Suzuki Ara had never been more grateful for her high IQ until now. Because she's always the top of her class, nobody could say that she's doing all these things so she could have higher grades or that she's kissing up to the teachers.

They also learned that the tours were already set, and would commence the next day. So, they were given the rest of the first day to enjoy their accommodations to rest and have fun with the baths. It was still only ten in the morning, plenty of time to idle, so Ara decided to hang out in her room and to make a call to the mischievous husky.

Ara was led into a traditional room that had very delicate and elegant decors. The room was very spacious, but she was used to huge rooms, and so for her this was normal. The hostess helped her with her things, and then served her refreshments – wagashi and some warm tea.

Left alone, Ara stepped into the balcony of her room, to see the private outdoor bath, and her breath held. The bath was a natural spring surrounded with rocks and stones, but aesthetically arranged. On the far side of the pool was a small waterfall that people could go under to bathe. But, the most breathtaking part was the background. Her room had the clear view of Mt. Fuji. It was beautiful!

Ara chuckled. Kou really went all out. Because of his arrangements, Ara's school trip wouldn't have any problems. However, something couldn't be said the same for other groups. Although she knew that the Cedar Palace would be heavily guarded, she still worried about Midori. By now, they would have already been there.

Lying down on the futon, she grabbed her phone and dialed Kou's number. Like most of the time, he picked up her call just after a few rings.

"Yes?" was his lazy drawl against her ear, and Ara could imagine a huge husky stretching on the sofa.

But then she heard cl.i.c.k.i.n.g of the keyboards, and realized he must be busy, working.

"Did I disturb you?" she asked worriedly, and the cl.i.c.k.i.n.g sounds stopped almost instantly.

"No," Ryuu answered.

"But I hear you typing something."

Ara was aware Ryuu also did work for Homura International at home, and was actually the one who really called the shots on huge decisions. To say that Kazehaya Gin was a figurehead was not wrong.

"I'm just checking some stuff for work, but nothing urgent. Kaze-nii already did most of the things needed."

"Really?"

"Hmmmmnnn,"Ryuu murmured in the affirmative. "Are you already bored there?" was his hopeful question next, making Ara chuckle.

"I'm not bored. We just arrived,"Ara told him matter-of-factly. "Because someone meddled with our schedule, we now have the whole day free."

"Is that a complaint?"

"No,"Ara answered. "Thank you. Because you made us stay here, the students are going to experience a real traditional inn and hospitality. It's like an altogether different era here. It's nice for learning."

"Additional three days at the Cedar Palace,"Ryuu countered, and Ara sat down stymied.

"Hey, darling, that's daylight robbery," she protested amidst laughter. "I still have exams you know?"

There was silence on the other end for a while, and Ara realized what she'd just called him and blushed.

What darling? AAAAARRRGH

"Well, you can study there. It's actually much better because it's really quiet. You will be able to concentrate."

Ara considered it for a while. True enough, she would be able to study better if she's with Kou. She'd be able to resist the call of adventure and go out to find people to beat up at night when she really needed to sleep early during the exams.

"Okay," she agreed after a while. "But we have to drop by my house on Thursday. I need to get my stuff."

"If it's about your clothes, then there's no need. You have your own wardrobe there,"Ryuu said, and Ara was surprised.

This guy really prepared for everything. It appeared he really wanted her to stay at his house. But Ara had something else in mind.

"No. there's a drawing project I'm working on. I need to have it in case I get fed up with studying and need to unwind."

She had already started her manga about her and her friends. Working on it made her relax so she'd like to have it with her during her 'vacation' at the Cedar Palace.

"Alright," Kou softly agreed.

Then Ara remembered why she called him in the first place. "Are you going to be very busy tomorrow?"

There was silence again, and Ara wondered what Kou was thinking.

"No. I told you I just check things but nothing's urgent. If you were at the Cedar Palace, I'd have been there too now."

Ara smiled sheepishly at the gentle 'tantrum'. "Hey, it's not my fault we didn't go there okay?" she said, to which the prince replied with a 'hmmph'.

"Why did you ask? Do you want me to go there and join you?" Ryuu asked after a while, and Ara laugh.

"No way. My classmates would go crazy when they see you," Ara declined.

"Who cares?"

"I do. They'll be noisy and I want to finish this trip in peace,"Ara answered, and thinking Ryuu, the grown pup might sulk, she hurriedly replied. "We can come here again in the future if you really want to see Hakone."

"Okay," Kou agreed after that, his voice light, and Ara sighed.

It seemed the pampered prince really wanted to go on a trip.