156 – Could it Really be Showing?

“Uh, my… my mother wants to talk to Rohan for a moment…”

“Not Noah, but me?”

Ichinose nibbled his lip and gave a small nod.

If that was true, keeping his friend’s mother waiting was absolutely unthinkable.

Rohan immediately rose and reached for the phone, asking for the call.

Baby-Nose hesitated for a moment, then handed the phone over.

“Yes, hello, Rohan speaking.”

─ Rohan-student~ It’s Yui’s mom. How are you doing?

A soft, gentle voice.

Rohan reigned in the urge to blurt out ‘Oh dear,’ carefully controlling his voice.

“I’m doing well, of course. And how have you been, madam?”

─ Perfectly fine. I’m sorry to bother you like this when you were probably having fun.

“Not at all. We were just about to get up.”

─ Yui told me you were planning a trip to the sea?

Momo’s voice, as always, held a trace of laughter, but something was different now.

Rohan could sense that a particular emotion felt thicker, although he couldn’t decipher it.

“…It’s only been discussed at the talking stage, nothing more. No date or location has been decided yet.”

Rohan gave a deliberately vague answer, his eyes flicking to Ichinose, who was undoubtedly eavesdropping.

Rohan had only met Momo once. He couldn’t even guess at what sort of reaction this was.

“You’re not going to take my daughter to the sea, are you?”

For a few seconds, Rohan could only fidget with his hands, unable to offer any real response.

Momo’s laughter bubbled through the phone, followed by a request aimed directly at Rohan.

─ Our Yui seems absolutely ecstatic about going to the sea with you, Rohan-saengdo. Please, take good care of her.

“Ah, Mother…!”

Rohan shifted in his seat, a flush creeping up his neck. There was no hiding it.

But shouting at his parents to stop was not an option that existed for a girl like Ichinose Yui.

He could only fidget, praying that no more words would come out.

Rohan, relieved it wasn’t the situation he feared, relaxed.

A smile stretched across his face as he replied.

“I’m already thrilled at the thought of spending time with Yui.”

─ Oh my, you truly are a refreshing young man, aren’t you, Rohan-saengdo? In that case, this ahjumma will provide the sea and the lodging, shall I?

“Excuse me? What do you mean, ‘provide the sea’…?”

Offering lodging, regardless of whether to accept or decline, was at least understandable.

But ‘providing the sea’? The meaning of those words eluded him.

─ When our Yui was little, she loved listening to the sound of the waves and enjoyed collecting seashells and conches. She would always pester us to go to the sea.

“That sounds like a very heartwarming and happy scene.”

Recognizing that Rohan was listening, Momo quickly continued.

─ My husband bought a sea back then, so use that one. You and your friends would probably prefer enjoying yourselves in clean water, away from crowded places, wouldn’t you?

“…Ah?”

The sentence contained too many implied details for an ordinary person to grasp immediately.

Rohan carefully mulled over Momo’s words.

‘So… Ichinose-ssi liked going to the sea as a child, so they *bought* a sea? And they want us to use *that*?’

Rohan was speechless.

So *this* was the scale of the wealthy in Samhwa. The legendary private beach he’d only heard whispers of.

“Ah! I know which sea you’re talking about!”

Noa, who had been quietly listening while munching on the remaining meat on the grill, perked up her round ears.

It seemed she had experience with the sea Momo was referring to.

─ Hehe, Noa, you must come too. This ahjumma will prepare delicious food and then excuse herself.

“I definitely will!”

Noah slipped into the conversation as naturally as breathing.

In that brief moment,

Rohan exchanged a glance with Eungae-Nose.

““…””

Wordlessly, signaling passed between them, and then Eungae-Nose reached out, meticulously tracing letters onto Rohan’s shoulder.

A clear conveyance of intent.

‘Do as you wish.’

Ichinose’s swift brushstroke found its canvas on Rohan’s shoulder and upper arm.

Confirming the girl’s desire, Rohan brought the phone closer once more.

“Mother.”

─ Rohan, dear. Are the other friends coming as well? It’s been a while since we’ve really taken care of the sea, just letting it sit empty, so it would be lovely if everyone came and breathed some life back into it.

“Thank you. I didn’t have a proper chance to offer my greetings last time, what with everything going on. I’m glad for this opportunity to do so now.”

─ So, I can count on you coming, then? Should this old woman get excited and start preparing?

Rohan couldn’t help but chuckle.

Could there be anyone less suited to calling herself an “old woman?”

“We were thinking of sourcing and preparing the food ourselves, if that’s alright. And we’d like to plan out some sightseeing nearby as well.”

─ Hmm… maybe if this old woman prepares everything to her tastes, the young ones won’t find it so appealing?

In a flash, her mood shifted, and Momo’s voice became downcast.

Alarmed, Rohan tensed his core and spoke in a deeper voice, quickly dispelling her worries.

“Not at all! It’s nothing like that. It’s just that we find that planning the trip together, figuring out what to eat, is a great joy in itself. We were hoping to enjoy that aspect of it.”

─ Hmmm~ That’s not wrong, I suppose.

Momo made a humming sound, laced with intrigue.

Relieved, it seemed the reaction wasn’t so bad.

─ Anyway, Youi and the sea, you’re still coming, right?

“I hear Youi is looking forward to it, so we will definitely be there.”

─ That’s all I need to hear. This old woman got a little carried away, I guess.

“I apologize for responding in such a presumptuous way after your generous offer. Thank you for your understanding.”

─ I didn’t think you were being presumptuous at all. And while you’re here in Samhwa, you should all come visit the house, too.

“We’ll do our best to work it into the schedule.”

Click!

Rohan, peppered with thanks, ended his call with Momo.

Ichinose, having her smartphone returned, immediately apologized to Rohan.

“I’m sorry… I suddenly called my mother, you must have been flustered…?”

Rohan smiled, watching Ichinose who couldn’t meet his gaze.

He saw a better option than saying it was alright or that he didn’t mind.

“Ichinose.”

“Yes…”

“If we go to the beach, I’ll make you ramen. We kept putting it off, didn’t we.”

“!”

“There are few things as delicious as ramen eaten after playing in the water.”

“Is, is that so…?”

Ichinose couldn’t hide her grin at Rohan’s memory.

She hadn’t found the right opportunity, and time had just slipped by, but he remembered.

··

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They didn’t scatter immediately after finishing their meal.

They moved to a café and continued their after-talk about the practical exam until quite late. They also shared their anticipation for the upcoming vacation.

And then, disbandment.

Ichinose wanted to see Rohan more, but she was content and headed back to the dormitory with Noah.

‘Perfect.’

The most important thing to Ichinose was that she had a chance to see Rohan during the vacation too.

That alone kept her buoyant mood from settling.

Even after showering, the corners of the girl’s lips remained turned upward.

She dried her hair, took care of her skin, and put on fluffy pajamas. Just as she lay in bed, playing with her phone, Noah opened the door.

“You’re back?”

“Excuse me~”

Noah, who had likewise finished showering, seeped into Ichinose’s room as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

She sprawled out next to her, claiming one side of the bed.

“Noah. Your hair is still damp. I told you, you need to dry it properly, you know?”

“Too much effort. Nose should dry it for me later.”

Noah’s plump tail wagged this way and that, finally settling onto Ichinose’s stomach.

“Hmm… If we’re going to the beach, I guess I need to buy a new swimsuit. You’re coming with me, Nosa, right?”

“Of course. Let’s go together.”

As it happened, Ichinose had been in a group chat with Sion and Clara, talking about swimsuits.

The topic: what kind of swimsuit Rohan would like.

The images and commentary exchanged were rather… risqué.

— Subscribers! I’m going to try and survive for a month on just one coin!

The sound of Noah watching a video that had caught her algorithm filled the room.

But only for a moment. Noah paused the video, and lying on her stomach, turned her head to look at Ichinose, who was exchanging messages with someone.

“Nosa. Something suddenly popped into my head.”

“Something you’re curious about? What is it?”

“Nosa… Um… Well…”

The tail resting on the girl’s stomach rose and swayed back and forth.

Ichinose set down her smartphone and turned her head towards Noah. They met eye to eye.

“This is unusual, isn’t it? Noah, hesitating like this. Did you do something wrong?”

“No! I’m just trying to figure out the best way to ask.”

Taking the advice, Noah fluttered her round ears, her blue eyes filling with Ichinose.

And then she asked,

“Does Nosa…like Rohan?”

“…”

A question from Noah, who had never shown the slightest interest in such things before.

Which is why the girl was taken aback.

‘Could it be?’

A thought followed.

Could it be that her actions had been so obvious that even Noah, who had no interest in romance, had noticed?

“Or is it not? Did I misunderstand?”

“…”

Noah pressed, repeating the question.

But the infant Nosa, her face flushed crimson, could only stammer, unable to give an answer.