"...... and ......"

Suddenly, Elsa woke up. It was about 4:30 in the morning.

Through the shoji (paper sliding door), she could feel the pre-dawn twilight.

Next to her, she saw Jin slumbering with a peaceful face.

"......My husband."

Erza murmured in a small voice, and leaned closer to Jin, meditating once more.

The morning sun was shining on his face, and when Jin woke up, it was 5:30 a.m. The summer sun had already risen.

The summer sun has already risen and it is bright outside. It seems to be another beautiful day.

Jin wakes up slowly.

Looking next to him, he sees Erza sleeping with a happy face.

"Take care of her, my wife.

Jin mutters in a voice that no one can hear, and runs his fingertips through Elsa's hair, which hangs on her forehead.

Her platinum blonde hair shone beautifully in the sunlight leaking through the cracks in the shoji.

"...... hmm?"

Erza wakes up as well, as if there is light in her eyes.

"Oh ...... Jin, my brother?"

She couldn't find Jin, who was supposed to be next to her, but when she moved her face, she saw him getting up.

"Good morning, Elsa."

"......Good morning, sir."

Perhaps remembering what had happened last night, Erza's face lit up with vermilion.

Jin blushed a little as well.

"......We should get up."

"......n"

Jin slowly gets up.

Erza is wrapping a blanket around her body.

Jin senses this and gets dressed first.

"I'm going to take a bath. How about you, Erza?"

"I'll be there in a little while."

After Erza turned her head down in embarrassment, Jin walked out of the room.

Erza got up and slowly put on her clothes.

Jin and Erza head for the Horaijima hot springs with a change of clothes.

<

The large hot spring is located on the side of the institute.

"Good morning, father, Miss Elsa.

Reiko, who was at the entrance, called out to them.

"Good morning, Reiko."

"Good morning, Reiko."

"Are you taking a bath?"

"Yes. I'm going to take a bath.

Good morning.

However, the hot spring is only 20 meters away from the entrance.

As Jin headed for the changing room, Elsa stopped in her tracks.

"What's wrong?"

"...... are you coming in with me?"

Her face was bright red.

"...... no?"

"Oh, it's bright and, uh, you know..."

Jin thinks Erza's flustered red face is cute, but he also thinks it's a pity to play with her too much,

"Okay, okay. Let's go in separately today."

He says to her, "Okay, okay.

"......Sorry.

"Don't worry about it. Let's take our time."

"......"

So Jin and Erza split up and went into the men's and women's baths.

"Ah, it's nice hot water!"

Jin, who loves hot springs, loves to take a bath in the morning.

After soaking in the hot water for a while, Jin decided to go into the open-air bath.

This bathhouse has both indoor and outdoor baths.

< and Reiko did not come in.

"I love taking a bath in the morning, after all.

Soaking in the hot water with the morning light is a special experience, Jin stretched out his arms and legs.

And then there was the sound of water in the women's bath, which was separated by a wooden partition.

"...... Erza?"

The only other person soaking in the hot water right now is Erza, besides Jin.

"......Yes."

came the reply from the other side of the partition.

"Nice hot water, isn't it?"

"...... yeah."

"The sky is blue. It's a beautiful day."

"...... yes."

She answered more haltingly than usual, as if embarrassed even through the board partition.

Jin thinks Erza is adorable.

"You're going to get tired if you stay in the bath too long. I'm going to go now.

"......Yeah."

Jin said and left the bathtub.

He wipes himself off in the changing room and cools off with the ......<> provided.

Unfortunately, coffee milk and fruit milk are not always available. Only water is available.

Cold water tastes good, too.

When the sweat had subsided to a good degree, I got dressed and went outside, where Reiko was waiting for me.

"Father, it's almost 7 o'clock. It will be about half an hour before you arrive, ladies and gentlemen.

"Oh, yes, that's right."

We were supposed to have breakfast together.

As we were talking, Elsa came out.

Her cherry-red face is lovely after taking a bath.

"Oh, just in time. Everyone will be here soon, so let's wait for them in the laboratory.

"Yes."

The two of them walk to the laboratory, Reiko following them.

Reiko followed them.

"Hey, Jin!

Good morning, Elsa!

At the scheduled time, the other members arrived from Kunlun Island.

"It's a beautiful day again, isn't it?

"It's a beautiful day again, isn't it?

"Erza, are you getting enough sleep?

while others teased, "Elsa, are you getting enough sleep?

What they have in common is their friendship.

Although the island of Horai is secluded and separated from the world, the bond between the friends is warm.