"Natsumi-san... Are you really okay?"
Yoshino looked at Natsumi with a worried face.
"I-I'm fine..."
Natsumi replied, forcing a smile. Even though she said that, looking at her pained expression, it was really hard to say she was "fine."
"Are you really okay, Natsumi-chan? Pushing yourself is not good. If you really feel unwell, go back to the campsite and rest—"
"I'm fine, I'm fine! I really am fine! I'm not pushing myself at all."
Before Yoshinon could finish, Natsumi shook her head desperately like a rattle drum.
Are you kidding? You have to understand that Izayoi Miku was also over at the campsite. If Natsumi stayed there, it would simply be no different from seeking her own death.
Probably knowing this as well, Yutsuki assigned her to go with Yoshino and the others to collect firewood in the forest.
(Mhm... This is fine. At least Yoshino hasn't fallen into Miku's demonic clutches.)
Natsumi comforted herself in her heart. Although she felt like a stepping stone and felt a bit 'defiled', as long as Yoshino was safe, it was all worth it.
"Are you really... okay? If you feel unwell, please be sure to tell . Although I might not be very reliable... I will try my best..."
"Mhm, mhm. I know. Th-Thank you."
Looking at Yoshino's face approaching closely, Natsumi shyly turned her head away.
Yoshino seed to think she was unwell and was very worried, but honestly, this situation was practically a reward for her.
(Face, her face is so close! Am I in heaven right now? Is this how happy heaven is? Is it okay if I just stay this happy?)
Natsumi was so nervous her brain was in chaos.
(Should I... pretend to be a little unwell? So Yoshino will take care of ... Can I act spoiled for a bit?)
Suddenly, an evil thought flashed through Natsumi's mind.
(No, no! You can't do that, Natsumi! If you use Yoshino's kindness for your own selfish desires like this, how are you any different from Izayoi Miku? No, judging from the fact that you want to hide it, you are even worse than her. You are just a piece of trash that pollutes the air with exhaust gas!)
"Yoshino, Natsumi! Look, look!"
Just as Natsumi was struggling internally, Tohka's voice from not far ahead interrupted her thoughts.
(Ah... speaking of which... we're not alone together.)
Tohka was also assigned to the firewood collecting group. The mont she realized this, Natsumi felt a sense of relief from being grounded, a bit of joy that she didn't give in to her desires, her usual self-disgust, and a bit of dissatisfaction that her chance with yoshino was interrupted... In short, her feelings were very complicated.
"What's wrong? Tohka."
Tossing those ssy, random thoughts to the back of her mind, Natsumi and Yoshino walked over to Tohka.
Only then did she realize that in the short ti she and Yoshino were chatting, Tohka had already gathered a huge pile of firewood.
"How is it? With this much firewood, it is definitely enough!"
Tohka said sowhat proudly.
"Tohka-san, that is amazing."
"You really have a lot of energy."
Looking at the pile of firewood that was basically as tall as Tohka herself, Natsumi couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Crouching down to pick up a piece of wood from the pile, Natsumi observed it for a mont, her expression becoming a bit awkward.
"Tohka... Although I'm sorry to say this on you, basically none of this firewood can be used."
"What—?"
Like a bolt from the blue, Tohka's mouth hung open in shock.
"Wh-Why can't it be used?"
"Mhm... Most of the branches here are not a suitable size for firewood. Also, perhaps because it rained yesterday, the wood is all damp, so it probably won't burn. Even if we get it lit, it will crackle and pop, and suddenly explode."
"E-Explode...?"
Hearing Natsumi's description, Yoshino seed a bit frightened.
"How could this be... Then, if we do not have firewood, doesn't that an we cannot have a barbecue?"
Tohka lowered her head and said dejectedly.
"No, we can still have a barbecue even without firewood."
Natsumi shook her head and explained.
"Eh?"
Tohka tilted her head in confusion.
"We are not doing wilderness survival, after all. Wood fire is hard to control and not very suitable for BBQ. Normally, people use charcoal for camping BBQs. If I am not mistaken, before setting off, you and Shido loaded the grill into the car, right? The black stone things."
"Ah, now that you ntion it, that is true."
Hearing Natsumi's explanation, Tohka finally realized and clapped her hands.
"Then... what did we collect this firewood for?"
Yoshino asked doubtfully.
"Well, you could say having a campfire creates more of a camping atmosphere. Also, the temperature drops quite low in the winter night, so without a fire for warmth, we might catch a cold."
After thinking for a mont, Natsumi took out her phone to text Yutsuki and report the situation.
"Mhm, Yutsuki replied. She said the manager's office also sells firewood. If the wood in the forest can't be used, we should go buy so there."
"Oh—"
Tohka and Yoshino couldn't help but applaud Natsumi, making her a bit uncomfortable.
"Wh-What. Is this so kind of sarcasm?"
"No, no! We just purely admire you. You're amazing, Natsumi-chan, knowing so much about camping. You're a camping master!"
The rabbit puppet shook its head and explained.
"Umu, you are really amazing, Natsumi!"
"Mhm... having Natsumi-san here... is really great."
"N-No, it is nothing. I just happened to watch an ani recently that was about camping. Just a coincidence, nothing big."
Natsumi hurriedly denied it.
Despite saying that, being stared at by Tohka and Yoshino with such pure, admiring eyes, although a bit flattered, Natsumi felt it actually wasn't that bad.
Just like that, the three left the forest, changed direction to the camping manager's wooden cabin, and spent 1,200 yen to buy three bundles of firewood.
"Is buying only three bundles really enough? Will it be too little?"
Under the surprised gaze of the manager, Tohka effortlessly picked up the heavy bundles of firewood in one go and asked Natsumi.
"It is enough. We are only staying overnight for one day, there is no need to buy that much... Let us carry so too."
"It's fine, it's fine! Leave the physical labor to !"
"That is not what I ant... Forget it."
Natsumi sighed, didn't fuss over it too much, and obediently accepted Tohka's goodwill.
"Speaking of which..."
On the way back, Yoshino seed to suddenly think of sothing and asked with so concern.
"The place we are camping is a lawn, right... Is it not dangerous to light a fire there?"
Hearing Yoshino's words, Natsumi knew what she was worried about. She looked up, recalled for a mont, and said.
"Ah... you shouldn't need to worry about that. Yutsuki seems to have prepared a fire pit too. As long as we are careful, it won't burn the lawn."
"I see... There are so many convenient tools for camping."
Yoshino couldn't help but marvel.
"Well, but they also cost a lot of money." Natsumi shrugged and said, "This ti, Ratatoskr prepared all the camping equipnt for us. In reality, buying all of it is quite a large expense."
"H-How much does it cost?"
"I am not entirely sure either, but roughly—around this number?"
"It is so... expensive..."
Seeing the number Natsumi listed, Yoshino almost forgot to breathe from shock.
"What's wrong, Yoshino-chan? Are you interested in camping?"
Tohka asked curiously.
"A little bit..."
Yoshino nodded slightly and mumbled softly.
"If I go to work..."
"Um... Yoshino. The age that Kotori registered on the papers for you and is fourteen. Legally, we cannot work yet."
Carrying a sense of guilt, Natsumi said hesitantly.
"—!?"
Yoshino widened her eyes in disbelief. But she quickly recovered and said enthusiastically.
"I-It is fine... I will save up my allowance little by little..."
"My! Very good, that is the spirit, Yoshino-chan! Seeing you beco so strong! I, Yoshinon, am very moved."
Yoshinon applauded from the side.
"Yoshino, if you really want camping equipnt that much, couldn't you just ask Kotori and have Ratatoskr buy it for you?"
Natsumi asked in confusion.
"Um..."
"Actually, Yutsuki-chan used to say often, 'Only results obtained through your own hard work are aningful', 'Reaping without sowing will only make you feel entitled, and gradually beco insatiable', 'Always relying on others ans you can never grow up'. Yoshino was probably influenced by these words."
Yoshinon explained for Yoshino.
"Ah... I see."
Natsumi suddenly realized. Indeed, these all sounded very much like things Yutsuki would say.
"Um... I actually really want to beco a reliable and gentle woman... like Yutsuki-san."
Yoshino mumbled softly, a bit shyly.
(Like Yutsuki, huh...)
Natsumi wasn't entirely unable to understand Yoshino's thoughts.
When considering what kind of person to beco in the future, basically everyone would intentionally or unintentionally use older people around them as a reference. Although Yutsuki could be a bit impulsive and act on her emotions at certain tis, compared to the other people around them, she was considered very proper.
(Well, although Yutsuki has a bit of an old-mom vibe, it's still a thousand tis better than taking soone like Miku as a role model.)
Pondering in her heart, an image of an adult Yoshino, who had grown up under Yutsuki's influence, began to erge in Natsumi's mind—
"...Um,Natsumi-san, staying up all night... is not allowed.
"...Welco back, dinner is ready... Hey...Stop playing gas."
"...Don't just stay cooped up in your room all the ti... let's go for a walk together,Natsumi-san."
(—That actually doesn't seem bad.)
Imagining an adult Yoshino wearing an apron, strong and intelligent, full of Yamato Nadeshiko charm, Natsumi silently gave it an approval in her heart.
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