Chapter 176: Island Adventures

Kagoshima, located at the southern tip of Kyushu Island, is one of the four main islands of Kyushu, Japan. It has a warm, rainy subtropical climate and covers an area of about 9,167 square kilometers. The region consists of the Satsuma and Osumi peninsulas, along with 145 islands of varying sizes, such as Tanegashima, Yakushima, and the Amami Islands, which stretch in a north-south direction. Kagoshima is distinguished by its volcanic terrain, most notably the perpetually active Sakurajima volcano, along with six other active volcanoes. Thanks to its geothermal activity, the area boasts abundant hot springs, making it one of Japan’s premier onsen destinations. Maritime exchanges brought cannons and Christianity here first, giving the region a unique cultural identity.

After setting down his luggage, Lei Yin immediately opened the floor-to-ceiling windows in his room. As soon as the windows were open, a gentle breeze carrying a faint scent of seawater swept in, creating a wonderfully refreshing atmosphere.

Noticing Amis sitting on the edge of the bed with a somewhat dazed expression, Lei Yin walked over and gently patted her cheek. “Tired, kid?”

“Yeah.” Though she had been energetic when boarding the plane, her young age caught up with her after the flight and a subsequent 30-minute bus ride, leaving her feeling a bit worn out.

“Take a nap for now. I’ll wake you up when it’s time to eat.”

Feeling a bit sleepy, the little girl nodded.

Lei Yin helped her take off her small shoes, turned on the air conditioning in the room, and covered her with a light blanket. After making sure she was comfortable, he left her to rest.

Once she was sound asleep, Lei Yin went to the bathroom to wash his face before stepping out of the hotel room.

As he walked down the hallway, he ran into Takeda, who had just left his own room.

“Where’s Amis? Why are you alone?” Takeda glanced behind Lei Yin but didn’t see the girl.

“She’s tired and sleeping. Yoshikawa’s sharing a room with you, right? Where did he wander off to?”

Takeda smirked. “Where else could he be? Probably reporting to Queen Haruko. Where are you headed?”

“I’m going to check on Kazumi and see how she’s doing.”

The rebellious youth’s eyes lit up. “I’ll go with you.”

“Suit yourself.” Lei Yin didn’t bother stopping him.

Takeda happily slung an arm around his friend’s shoulder.

“Idiot, let go. It’s hot,” Lei Yin grumbled, shrugging off Takeda’s arm.

Takeda just kept laughing, clearly in a good mood.

When Lei Yin and Takeda entered Kazumi and Takeshima Shinobu’s room, they found Shinobu hanging clothes from her luggage in the wardrobe, one item at a time.

“Are you done unpacking?” Lei Yin asked Kazumi.

“It’s just a few clothes, nothing much to unpack. Where’s Amis?”

“She’s sleeping in the room. Feeling tired? If not, want to go for a walk?”

“Sure.”

“Wait for me. I’m coming too,” Shinobu chimed in, quickly setting down the clothes she was holding.

The four of them headed down to the hotel lobby, only to run into a group of people walking toward them.

Aside from the people Lei Yin had previously dealt with, if there was anyone in Teikyo University with whom he had a significant grudge, it would be the two individuals walking ahead of the group.

A white, short one-piece dress perfectly outlined a shapely figure. Shoulder-length, slightly wavy hair, coupled with a face that could effortlessly switch between coyness and charm, made her deserving of her title as the campus beauty of the freshman class.

Next to Seimura Haruko, Miyu Himeko radiated a charm that was in no way inferior to her companion. While her beautiful face was captivating, it was her strikingly curvaceous figure that most men coveted. To enhance her allure, she deliberately wore a light yellow, semi-low-cut suit dress, exponentially increasing her impact.

The appearance of the two beautiful girls captured the attention of everyone in the lobby. Surrounding them were several stylishly dressed, handsome male students. The group of seven or eight looked like an entourage accompanying two queens on their procession.

Judging by proximity to the “queens,” Yoshikawa’s recent efforts appeared to be yielding results. He had moved past the outer circle of admirers and was now standing directly next to Seimura Haruko. However, Okada Akira from the basketball club was also by her side, seemingly locked in fierce competition with Yoshikawa.

As Lei Yin descended the stairs, the faces of the two beautiful girls darkened almost simultaneously. Meanwhile, Okada Akira’s eyes flashed with venom. He would never forget the humiliation this man had inflicted on him in front of so many people.

Yoshikawa, who had initially planned to greet his friend, decided against it when he noticed Seimura Haruko’s sour expression. After all, knowing Lei Yin’s personality, he wouldn’t care about such trivial matters.

Lei Yin ignored the resentful stares from the group. He couldn’t be bothered; their animosity wouldn’t harm him in any way, as long as they didn’t provoke him.

“No wonder she’s the campus queen. Walking around with so many people gives her such an imposing aura,” Takeshima Shinobu remarked in awe after they exited the hotel.

“What’s the use of having a crowd? You think it’s a gang fight or something?” Takeda scoffed.

“None of your business,” Takeshima Shinobu retorted, glaring at him.

“Hey, no matter what, I’m your brother’s good friend. Show me some respect,” Takeda replied in a tone that hardly matched his college status.

“I never give face to men who can’t catch a woman’s attention,” Takeshima Shinobu shot back.

Takeda reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “Who are you calling a man no woman likes? Let me tell you, plenty of girls are into me. Watch your mouth, you spiteful woman!”

“If you’re so great, go get yourself a girlfriend and show me,” Takeshima Shinobu sneered.

“Just wait! In a couple of days, I’ll bring one around for you to see!” Takeda fired back.

“No wonder women avoid you. What kind of man talks to a girl like that? No manners at all.”

Finding the argument grating, Lei Yin turned to Kazumi and said, “Let’s head to the beach.”

“Okay,” Kazumi agreed, also finding the squabble tiresome.

The two arguing didn’t even notice that Lei Yin and Kazumi had left.

Perhaps because she rarely had the chance to see the ocean, Kazumi’s spirits lifted as they arrived at the beach. The endless horizon, rolling waves, and soft white sand brightened her mood considerably.

“Brother, let’s go down there!” Kazumi said, tugging on her brother’s hand.

Seeing her excitement, Lei Yin smiled. “Take off your shoes, and let’s walk along the sand.”

“Alright!” Finding the idea delightful, Kazumi immediately crouched down to remove her shoes and socks.

After Lei Yin rolled up his pant legs, she grabbed his hand and pulled him eagerly toward the shoreline.

The fine grains of sand gently brushed against their feet, tickling Kazumi slightly but making her feel incredibly comfortable.

“The water’s so cool!” Kazumi exclaimed loudly, facing the sea breeze as she felt the temperature of the water.

Suddenly, Lei Yin crouched down, scooped up a handful of seawater, and splashed it at her.

“Ah!” Kazumi shrieked and quickly dodged, but a few drops still hit her.

Lei Yin wasn’t done. He kept splashing water at her a few more times.

Kazumi retreated continuously, trying to avoid the splashes.

“Darn it!” After a while, she refused to stay on the defensive and started splashing water back at him.

Lei Yin laughed and dodged while taking the opportunity to launch another attack.

The two laughed and shouted as they splashed water at each other, making quite a lively scene.

“Alright, I give up. Let’s stop,” Lei Yin said after who knows how long, noticing Kazumi was starting to pant.

But before he could finish speaking, Kazumi splashed him one more time, drenching him.

“Okay, I accept the surrender of the invading nation!” Kazumi declared with a triumphant laugh.

“You’re so inhumane! I already surrendered, and you still splashed me,” Lei Yin complained.

Kazumi smirked in triumph. “Hmph, let’s see if you dare bully me next time.”

Unable to resist, Lei Yin reached out to pinch her cheek, but Kazumi quickly dodged with a playful giggle.

Watching her joyful expression, Lei Yin regretted not bringing a camera to capture the moment.

Sitting on the beach, feeling the fresh, slightly salty sea breeze, Kazumi felt completely at ease.

“Brother, I think this trip might not be so bad after all,” she murmured softly, leaning her head against his shoulder.

Turning to look at her, Lei Yin said, “A lot of things are like this. They may seem boring at first, but if you really immerse yourself in them, you’ll discover there’s actually a lot of joy to be found. Maybe that’s what it means to truly engage with life.”

Hugging his arm tightly, Kazumi whispered, “I understand what you mean. I’ll try.”

Lei Yin casually grabbed a handful of sand at his feet, letting the fine grains slip slowly through his fingers. Watching the cascading sand, he said thoughtfully, “Perhaps the only constant is the sand itself.”

Kazumi didn’t quite grasp his meaning. She looked up into his eyes and found an expression she couldn’t fully describe—an odd mix of sorrow and indifference, as if he had seen through everything.

“Brother, what’s wrong?”

Seeing her worried expression, Lei Yin smiled. “Nothing, just some sudden thoughts.”

Relieved to see him back to normal, Kazumi let out a breath.

“Brother, if something’s bothering you, you have to tell me. You’ve always taken care of me and protected me, and I really want to help you.”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Lei Yin said, gently patting her cheek.

“Good, as long as you’re okay,” she replied, resting her head on his shoulder again.

Lei Yin pulled out his phone to check the time. “We should head back to the hotel. I’m afraid the little one will be scared if she wakes up and doesn’t see me.”

Kazumi nodded and then suddenly laughed. “Sometimes I really envy Amy. If Rumi were here and saw how well you treat Amy, she’d definitely be jealous.”

Lei Yin was reminded of Naoko, who had said something similar a few days ago.

As they made their way back, Lei Yin spotted Takeda and Takeshima Shinobu coming toward them.

The moment Takeda saw them, he ran over. “Masashi, where did you go? We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“Just strolling along the beach. We’re heading back now.”

By then, Takeshima Shinobu had also caught up. “Kazumi, that’s so mean! You left without telling me!”

Kazumi smiled. “You looked so engrossed in your conversation with Takeda earlier that I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Who would enjoy talking to him?” Takeshima Shinobu shot a glare at Takeda, only to find him staring fixedly at something.

Following his gaze, she realized he was ogling Kazumi’s long legs, exposed beneath her skirt, which was still hitched up from their time playing in the water.

“You pervert, what are you looking at?” Takeshima Shinobu shouted.

Startled by her outburst, Takeda snapped out of his trance and awkwardly turned away. Even he wasn’t sure why he had been staring at Kazumi’s legs.

“Kazumi, I have to tell you—this pervert was just checking out your legs!” Takeshima Shinobu tattled immediately.

Takeda quickly turned back, flustered. “Don’t listen to her nonsense. I wasn’t!”

Kazumi gently patted Takeshima Shinobu on the shoulder. “Stop saying such things. Let’s go back.” She spoke calmly as she adjusted her skirt back into place.

“I’m not making things up. That guy really was staring at you,” Takeshima Shinobu muttered under her breath.

Standing behind Kazumi as they walked, Takeda suddenly realized her figure was excellent, something usually obscured by her preference for less feminine attire. Thinking about the long, smooth, and fair legs he had glimpsed earlier, his heart began racing.

When they returned to the hotel room and saw that Amy was still asleep, Lei Yin let out a sigh of relief.

After having dinner at the hotel, Lei Yin and Takeda, with nothing better to do and Yoshikawa nowhere to be found, went to Kazumi and Takeshima Shinobu’s room to play cards and watch TV.

By around 9 PM, Takeshima Shinobu, who had been losing miserably, suggested going to the hot springs. Everyone agreed, as they had no other plans.

The hotel they were staying at featured a large open-air hot spring built halfway up a mountainside, beneath a waterfall, offering an excellent view. The hot spring lacked significant barriers on either side, relying instead on tall plants and flowers as natural screens. Because of this design, the hot spring was one of the rare facilities that allowed guests to wear swimsuits (as most Japanese hot springs require bathing naked).

Moreover, this hot spring was mixed-gender. The eastern side was designated for women and the western side for men, with only a large wooden plank dividing the two areas.

When Lei Yin and Takeda entered the men’s section, they saw many male students already soaking in the hot spring. Quite a few of them were loitering near the wooden divider, occasionally trying to peek toward the women’s section.

“Yoshikawa, what are you doing here? When did you arrive?” Takeda asked, spotting his best friend among the group.

“I’ve been here for a while. Just got back from shopping with Haruko,” Yoshikawa replied.

“So, that means Seimura Haruko is soaking in the women’s section?” Takeda immediately connected the dots.

“Yeah, so what? Don’t get any ideas. It’s too far, and the lighting is too dim. You can’t see anything. Look at those fools over there, staring endlessly for no reason,” Yoshikawa scoffed.

Takeda burst into laughter. “You must’ve tried the same thing. Otherwise, how would you know so much?”

“Not wasting my breath on you,” Yoshikawa said dismissively, swimming over to Lei Yin.

“Hey, Masashi, can I ask you something?”

Noting the mischievous smile on Yoshikawa’s face, Lei Yin raised an eyebrow. “Let’s hear it.”

“Soaking in the hot spring is a bit dull, isn’t it? Let’s stir things up a bit.”

“What do you have in mind?” Takeda, intrigued, leaned in.

Yoshikawa whispered his plan.

After hearing it, Lei Yin couldn’t help but laugh. “So, basically, you just want us to help you get rid of a rival?”

“Come on, you have a grudge against him too. Consider it payback,” Yoshikawa said nonchalantly, not even trying to hide his motives.

Lei Yin thought for a moment. “Fine, I’m bored anyway.”

Seeing Lei Yin agree, Takeda, ever eager for chaos, enthusiastically supported the idea.

Half an hour later, while others were still soaking in the hot spring, a loud splash came from the women’s section, followed by frantic screams.

“Ah! How did a man get in here?”

“Pervert!”

“Okada! Why are you here? What are you doing?” an angry female voice shouted.

“I-I was thrown in here by three masked men!”

“Hmph, if you’re going to make excuses, at least come up with a better one. Get out of here!”

“Haruko, let me explain—”

“Get out!”

Some of the male students recognized the voice as Seimura Haruko’s. This realization excited them, and they immediately stood up to listen more closely.

While the crowd buzzed with speculation, three young men quietly slipped back into the men’s section.

“That was so much fun,” Takeda said, covering his mouth to suppress his laughter.

Yoshikawa patted Lei Yin on the shoulder. “Thanks. That’s one less rival to worry about.”

Lei Yin glanced at him. “Just saying thanks isn’t enough. Treat us to dinner tomorrow.”

“No problem.”