89. End of Exams, Start of Cohabitation. And a Trip to Japan. (6)

I walked a bit further with Aki, who was teasing me relentlessly for giving her an opening. Then, a forest came into view straight ahead.

Of course, not a real forest, but rather a gathering of evergreens so dense it looked like a small forest. I pointed to the wooden building just beyond them.

“Aki, is that it over there?”

“Yup, if we walk straight that way, we’ll reach the ryokan entrance.”

Aki said briefly, and took the lead. I followed her half a step behind, looking around at my surroundings.

Here? Grass. There? More grass. Everywhere, verdant lawns and towering conifers. Seemed the ryokan managed this garden; quite large, too, creating the sensation of being dropped into the heart of a forest, right in the city.

Drawing closer, the wooden building, embraced by a thicket of conifers like a protective wall, came into full view. The wood tones, characteristic of such structures, combined with the gently rounded supporting pillars, lent it an undeniably elegant air.

At first glance, it reminded me of the buildings in the Gyeongju Hanok Village I’d visited before. Yet, it was also distinctly different. Gyeongju felt like a village where scholars in gat hats congregated. This felt more…a detached residence inhabited only by a select few royals of even higher standing.

‘Worth every won of that ₩1.4 million a night, I suppose…’

If you considered it renting a single room in a place fit for royalty, the price became understandable. Of course, those *truly* high up would reside in far grander settings. This was just the *feeling*.

Marveling, I took a step, then another. Passing through the conifer guard, beneath the eaves, I spotted a wooden plaque dangling from the tiled roof.

[吉田山荘]

Not being fluent in Japanese, I couldn’t be certain, but I believed it meant [Yoshida Sanso] – Yoshida Villa. I turned to Aki before the closed sliding doors.

“It says you can’t enter without a reservation. What should we do?”

“Just a moment. Come over here.”

“Ah, okay.”

I shifted slightly to the side.

Aki appeared to hesitate before the intercom, then, bypassing the button, she simply slid the door open.

*Creak-*!

“Hello? Anyone here?”

Aki strode inside, her gaze sweeping the surroundings. Her eyes met those of a kimono-clad female employee behind the front desk.

“Oh my, Miss!”

The employee seemed surprised to recognize Aki, who had entered so abruptly. Aki beamed, leaning casually against the counter.

“Ah, there you are! Long time no see, *unni*~!”

“Yes, it has been. Miss. But what brings you here unannounced?”

‘Aki’s a Miss here too…’

Miss at the main house, Miss at a seemingly expensive ryokan. It was beginning to dawn on me just where my girlfriend stood in society’s pecking order.

The Fujiwara family was said to be a noble house with a long history, after all. If I were, at best, a commoner, then Aki was likely the beloved, precious only daughter, raised in a well-established aristocratic family. A ‘Miss’ in the truest sense.

Not ‘aristocratic lady’ as a figurative expression, but literally, a *genuine ‘Aristocratic Lady’*.

“……”

Romeo’s stable boy and Juliet.

I couldn’t think of a more fitting metaphor for my relationship with Aki.

I really need to buckle down and study hard once I get to university…

“I’ve come to see Grandmother. Is she inside?”

“Yes, she is. But she’s currently training some new staff, so it would be best to wait about ten minutes before going in to see her.”

“Ah, I understand. Until then, would it be alright if we looked around the ryokan together?”

“Of course. Please, make yourselves comfortable. But, miss, who is this gentleman beside you?”

“He’s my boyfriend. He came from Korea. His name is Woo-joo~chan.”

“……”

‘His name isn’t Woo-joo~chan, though…’

It’s Joo Woo-joo, not Woo-joo~chan. But she’s calling me by an affectionate nickname, so it’s probably not worth correcting her.

“Oh my! Is that so? He’s your boyfriend…?”

The employee, as if genuinely surprised, covered her mouth with her hand, scrutinizing me from head to toe.

“He’s very handsome! Uh… Ah, Korean best!”

“……Thank you.”

I simply nodded in response to the employee’s awkward Korean greeting, and she nodded back with a smile.

Still, it’s a bit embarrassing…….

* * *

Akari and I strolled along the hallway, slowly exploring the ryokan.

Yoshida Sanso, a large, wooden building, consisted of two floors. The first floor, starting from the central front desk and extending to the far left, was entirely for guest rooms. The right side contained the restaurant, a lounge, a living room, an event space for special events that changed monthly, an open-air bath, and the garden entrance leading to the walking trails.

The second floor was staff housing. It was where the landlady, the grandmother, and the ryokan staff resided. As such, access for guests was strictly prohibited, and at the entrance to the stairs leading to the second floor, there was a warning sign that read: ‘This area above is for staff only. Guests are asked to refrain from entering.’

“Akari, what’s this?”

“Hm? Oh, this? These are the rules that guests should follow while staying at the ryokan. Woo-joo~chan, you should take a look too.”

“Really? Where…”

I looked at the signboard listing the ryokan’s rules. There were quite a few, but if I were to pick out the significant ones, leaving out the smaller details, they would be: [Do not make loud noises in public spaces], [Do not run in the hallways], [Adhere to the dress code when leaving your room], [Do not use the open-air bath as a mixed bath without staff permission].

‘Dress code…?’

I understood everything else, but what did it mean to adhere to the dress code?

I subtly asked Akari, who then glanced at another guest passing by. Judging by their appearance, they weren’t Japanese but a Western foreigner wearing a yukata.

“See that person? It means you should wear a yukata like that.”

“Why a yukata, though?”

“Isn’t it pretty? It looks good in photos, and wearing it gives you a sense of being on vacation the whole time.”

“Ah, I guess that’s true.”

But surely that couldn’t be all there was to it. Just as I was about to ask out of curiosity, the employee appeared, rounding the corner.

She seemed to have been looking for us, and her face lit up with delight as soon as our eyes met.

“Ah, you were here. Miss? It seems your training has just finished. You should be able to go up to the second floor now.”

“Ah, understood! Let’s go up, Uju~chan.”

“Ah, okay.”

Following Aki, I went up to the second floor. Passing the “No Entry” sign, we entered the second-floor hallway, and through a wide-open window, I could see a mountain path behind the building that wasn’t visible from the first floor.

There was a stone staircase and a small door—it looked like there was another building over there. I pointed towards it.

“There’s another path there; is that also part of the ryokan?”

“Yeah. That leads to the suite rooms. It’s more expensive than here, and only people with reservations can use it.”

“More expensive than here? How much is it?”

“The base rate is 170,000 yen per night, so including the dinner course… for two people, it’d start at a minimum of 220,000 yen, I guess?”

“…220,000 yen?”

220,000 yen… that’s nearly two million won in Korean currency.

‘But, even the shortest trip is at least two nights, three days…’

Staying for two days would cost three million won for the room alone, and adding meals and other things, it’d be even more than that.

After quickly doing the math, I stuck out my tongue and shook my head. I really didn’t want to be impressed, but I couldn’t help but be amazed. Spending a salary’s worth of worker for eating and sleeping for two days?

“Aren’t you glad you came with me?”

“Huh? What for?”

“Because Uju~chan is going to sleep with me, so the accommodation is free, right?”

“…….”

Ah.

That’s true.

But why do I keep clearing my throat…….

As I walked, strangely clearing my throat, we arrived in front of Aki’s grandmother’s room. We paused briefly before entering, checking each other’s appearance.

“Aki, I don’t look weird, do I?”

“You’re fine. You look really cool.”

“Ah, thanks. Aki, you too….”

—If you’ve arrived, come in.

I was about to say, “You look really pretty,” when a voice came from beyond the sliding door. Aki looked startled, so it must have been her grandmother’s voice.

“Can she hear everything from here?”

Is the soundproofing bad in traditional ryokans?

“No, it’s not that; it’s just that my grandmother has really good hearing. The soundproofing here is really good.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“I see.” I nodded, taking hold of the sliding door’s knob.

“Excuse me. Grandmother.”

There was no reply. I slid the door open.

*Dreeeuk-*

I entered. As expected, the floor was tatami, and the space inside was far larger than it appeared from outside. Perhaps around 30 *pyeong* in size?

Considering that a typical apartment is around 32 *pyeong* when you combine the bathroom, kitchen, and living room, a single room being 30 *pyeong* is incredibly vast. I gazed down at the tatami, inlaid with a pretty pattern, and inwardly marveled.

‘Wow…’

Then, feeling a gaze, I looked up.

Grandmother Aki, sitting upright in *seiza*, was staring intently at me.

“…Forgive me. The room is just so beautiful.”

I had forgotten to greet her. Afraid of seeming ill-mannered, I quickly bowed my head.

“Yes. You are…”

“Ah, Ju-Woo-joo. Please, call me whatever you’re comfortable with, Grandmother.”

“Understood. Then, is it alright if I call you Woo-joo-*kun*?”

“Yes. It’s fine.”

Unexpectedly, Grandmother didn’t seem displeased. Despite my forgetting to greet her, distracted by the room’s appearance, she was looking at me with eyes that seemed subtly pleased.

“…It’s because Woo-joo-*chan* complimented the room.”

“Huh? …What was that?”

“It’s because you complimented the room. Grandmother has been running this *ryokan* for 50 years, you know? But when someone compliments the *ryokan* or the rooms, she pretends not to care but she actually gets really happy.”

“Ah…”

“I can hear everything, you little rascal.”

“…Heh.”

Grandmother Aki spoke to Aki in a more familiar tone than she had used with me.

Aki beamed, and in the slightly relaxed atmosphere, I slowly approached Grandmother. Next to her was a woman in a neat kimono, who laid down two cushions for Aki and me to sit on.

“Ah, thank you.”

“Thank you, *Onee-san*~”

“…….”

Nod. Without a word, the woman nodded and left the room. It seemed she had tactfully given us space so the family could talk comfortably.

“…Alright, my sweet child.”

Grandmother Aki lifted her head.

“Your grandma tells you and tells you, bring your husband over, just to show his face and leave, and you wouldn’t listen for the life of you. Now it’s the year-end, you’re busy as can be, and that’s when you bring him, stealing grandma’s precious time. Tell me, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

“Aish, surely not. You know how busy you are, Grandma, would I do that on purpose? Until last month, I was swamped with the *suneung*. You know *suneung*, right? The center exam, the exam to get into university.”

“I know. You rascal. Just because grandma’s an old woman, do you think I wouldn’t know that?”

“Heh, I know you know, but I just wanted to make sure. Grandma, I love you~”

“Love, my foot. Coming after all these years and going to see your grandfather first, yet you speak so sweetly. This is why old people should hurry up and die. Living so long just makes my eyes sore….”

“Aish, there you go again…!”

Aki jumped up and went to cling to her grandmother. After a brief hug, she k*ssed her on the cheek, saying with a smile, ‘You know I love you so much, right~?’

Her grandmother, unable to resist, accepted Aki’s *aegyo*, then, as if aware of me, she cleared her throat and told her to stop, to get away because it was too hot.

“……”

Aki really is the *aegyo* type, isn’t she. Melting even her grandfather and grandmother with her *aegyo*. With my personality, I couldn’t do that even if you paid me.

I watched, genuinely impressed by Aki’s skillful response, and she went and gave her grandmother one more k*ss on the cheek before returning to her seat.

“Oh, right, Grandma. Is it okay if we sleep here tonight?”

“Why, that man isn’t letting you sleep at home?”

“No, it’s not that, but since we went to Grandpa’s place first, I want to sleep with you. Is that okay?”

“Bringing your husband and wanting to sleep with grandma? You rascal! Even sweet talk has its limits.”

“Aww, I’m sorry. But really, can’t we just use one room? Please, please~?”

Aki leaned forward, showering her grandmother with *aegyo*.

Her grandmother seemed to ponder at her granddaughter’s cute request. Eventually, she nodded reluctantly.

“Alright, fine. I’ll give you a room to sleep in. But in return…”

“Yay! In return?”

“There are other guests, so keep the noise down at night as much as possible. Our puppy is good for everything, but her voice is too loud, understood?”

“……”

“……?”

I was still not getting what she was saying. I was just in stillness for like 3 second.

Then, after mulling over her grandmother’s words, it dawned on me.

‘Uh, could it be….’

Did she just make a subtle, slightly racy joke?

Hesitant, I looked at Aki.

“……Yes, yes?”

Aki’s face turned bright red.

It would seem my hunch was correct.

“Oh, right, mixed bathing is only allowed in the private baths attached to the rooms, you see. So, if you want to bathe together, don’t come to the outdoor baths; stay in your room with your husband….”

“……Eek! Grandma, what are you saying in front of Woo-joo~chan?!”

“……”

To bathe together, use the private bath attached to the room.

I etched those words firmly into my mind.