Chapter 319

"I haven't decided yet," Ishikawa Hayato said, turning his gaze away and smiling at Ryo. "Ryo, do you think it's time to change?"

"I don't mind if you don't want to switch..."

Liang's tone grew increasingly hesitant as she spoke, and she shook her head weakly, "No, it seems impossible."

As they talked, the two walked into the hotel's first-floor reception lobby.

Ishikawa Hayato glanced at the three people behind him, then spoke to Ryo.

"Is it okay later on?"

"Anyway, it's no different from a normal trip."

Seeing Ryou's calm yet defiant demeanor, Ishikawa Hayato reached out and touched her head.

But she grabbed it with her hand.

Ryo suddenly looked at Ishikawa Hayato with a domineering gaze, his eyes filled with a resentment that he couldn't swallow.

"Call me 'sister'."

Ishikawa Hayato obediently called out, "Sister Ryo."

Liang grabbed his hand and moved it down, but then suddenly stopped, staring intently at his hand.

Ishikawa Hayato chuckled and looked at her. "We'll talk about it when we get back."

After hearing this, Liang let go of his hand and walked towards the hotel reception desk.

As they stepped into the elevator, Ishikawa Hayato called over the three people who were still hesitating whether to follow.

Standing in the elevator, Ishikawa Hayato leaned closer to the group of three people who were still standing together.

"Ikuyo, show me the photos."

Even Ishikawa Hayato himself felt that he was a terrible person at that moment.

Noticing his movements, Hitori and Nijika moved closer to Ryo.

They voluntarily gave up their seats to the next person.

Ikuyo hesitated for a moment, then took out her phone and asked him with a smile, "How is it?"

Ishikawa Hayato took the phone and browsed through the various photos she had just taken of Hitori Nijika, shaking his head and sighing with a smile.

"Although they've made some progress, they're still far from matching my level, which is only thanks to the fact that all my girlfriends are beautiful."

"This is what a real-life photo should look like!"

Ikuyo argued, dissatisfied.

Bite.

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened.

Ishikawa Hayato didn't argue with Ikuyo. He led Ikuyo out of the elevator first, but after only a couple of steps, he stopped and looked at the three people who were standing there in confusion.

He smiled somewhat awkwardly, looking rather unlucky, and said...

"Please don't do this again next time, I feel so guilty..."

The girls were amused by him. After glancing at the other three, Ikuyo pushed Ishikawa Hayato and said with a smile.

Just this once.

"That's alright, I can be a scumbag for now with a clear conscience."

Why does your tone make it sound like we're forcing you to be a scumbag?

The three watched as Ikuyo pushed Ishikawa Hayato further and further away, exchanged glances, and Nijika and Hitori smiled slightly.

They also felt it was better not to do that.

Ahead, Ishikawa Hayato turned back in astonishment to look at Ikuyo, with an expression that said, "Isn't that how it is?"

This caused Ikuyo to display a blank and disgusted expression.

Upon arriving at the room, the five quickly put down their instruments and left without lingering for a moment.

Stepping down from the elevator again, this time there was no sense of distance or avoidance as before.

Ikuyo smiled and said to the others, "If it's just something you try occasionally, it seems quite interesting."

"... Don't you feel like being caught cheating by your spouse on a date?"

Ishikawa Hayato didn't quite understand her idea, but after she finished speaking, his eyes widened as if he had suddenly Daigo something.

Seeing his strange behavior, even though Ikuyo knew he was deliberately trying to annoy her, she couldn't help but raise her voice in anger.

"That's not the reason at all! Who would be happy to be caught being a mistress?!"

"Ikuyo," Ryo suddenly called out.

"Um?"

Ikuyo turned to look at Ryo, but waited for a long time without hearing a response until Ishikawa Hayato suddenly laughed, and then she understood.

"Ryo-senpai, please don't tease me!" Ikuyo sighed.

"Could it be that he's curious about what it's like when other people are alone with me?" Ishikawa Hayato speculated.

"Wouldn't that be even worse..."

Nijika said, feeling embarrassed and awkward.

After she finished speaking, the other three girls in the elevator suddenly looked at her with scrutinizing expressions.

"Hmm." Ryo nodded as if he had made up his mind.

"Don't 'hmm'! Don't peek during a date!"

Nijika slapped her head hard, making the blanket shake, and she looked pitifully at Ishikawa Hayato.

However, at the same time, the elevator doors opened.

Unlike when they went up and down, there were now two couples standing at the door, preparing to enter the elevator. They seemed to have heard Nijika's voice and looked at the group strangely.

And seeing that there was clearly one man and four women together inside, their expressions grew increasingly strange.

What does "don't peek during a date" mean? Then when is it okay to peek?

Thinking back to the elevator they had just stepped off and the hotel on Christmas Eve, the two couples quickly came to their conclusions.

At that moment, they suddenly felt that the hotel had become unfathomable, and they timidly moved aside.

They were a little scared, wondering what kind of big news stories worthy of being broadcast were hidden in this small hotel on Christmas Eve.

Nijika noticed their gazes, blushed, and without caring that it was still Ikuyo time, hurriedly pushed Ishikawa Hayato to walk outside.

After leaving the hotel, Ishikawa Hayato and Ikuyo headed towards the bustling area, with the other three following at a distance.

However, unlike before when he deliberately avoided observing, Ishikawa Hayato can now clearly sense two pairs of observing eyes.

Ikuyo noticed it too, gave Ishikawa Hayato a reproachful look, sighed, and then smiled.

"Hayato-kun, where are we going tonight?"

Ishikawa Hayato pointed to the ground and asked, "Where are we now?"

Ignoring the people watching behind them, Ikuyo took Ishikawa Hayato's arm and leaned on his shoulder, as if she already knew the answer.

"Roppongi."

"Then there's no need to say more, let's go to the Christmas gathering here."

Their hotel was very close to the Christmas gathering in Roppongi. After walking through two relatively quiet streets, they could feel the surroundings suddenly become lively.

Emerging from another intersection, they saw a brightly lit and bustling Christmas gathering.

Walking under the lantern that read "TOKYO CHRISTMAS MARKET," the two stepped into the Christmas gathering on Christmas Eve.

Amidst the bustling crowd, Ishikawa Hayato looked around at the Christmas-themed shop stalls that surrounded him, as well as the huge decorative tower in the center.

Everything here has that casual, lively feel of a gathering.

But he couldn't help feeling that something was wrong.

"It's Christmas Eve, but it feels like we're already celebrating Christmas."

He said to Ikuyo.

Ikuyo chuckled, leaning on Ishikawa Hayato's shoulder, oblivious to the beautiful lights and scenery around them, and said mysteriously.

"Hayato-kun, these two are not the same."

"What's different?"

Ishikawa Hayato asked very enthusiastically.

Although he is immune to heat and cold, he can still feel hot and cold.

Even in this gathering, the chill of winter still lingered around him, but the area where he was pressed against Ikuyo felt warm and cozy.

She said with a sweet, charming smile.

"Because Christmas is for family, while Christmas Eve is for lovers."

Ishikawa Hayato hesitated for a moment.

"I'm thinking of asking online now, but my wife is so cute, I don't know how to reply or what to do."

"No one will seriously answer your question today."

Ikuyo smiled.

Behind the two, Nijika, Hitori, and Liang watched the two with complicated expressions for a while before Liang said with great certainty.

"That means it wouldn't be surprising if we went back to the hotel anytime."

"Yu... Ikuyo-chan is amazing." Hitori looked at her with admiration, her eyes filled with a serious desire to learn.

"Hey you two, is it really appropriate to look at other people like this on their dates?"

Nijika didn't follow them, keeping a close eye on the two on their date, and helplessly tried to stop them with words.

"This is learning."

Liang said.

Hitori nodded in agreement.

Nijika looked at Hitori, who seemed to have picked up bad habits from who-knows-where, and sighed wearily.

Ishikawa Hayato heard the commotion behind him, but he remained calm and simply pulled his hand away from Ikuyo's arms.

Ikuyo looked at him with suspicion.

"Let's try a different approach," Ishikawa Hayato said.

Ikuyo then let go of her hand, and Ishikawa Hayato immediately reached out and placed his hand on her other waist, gently pulling her closer to him.

Ikuyo smiled and obligingly put her arm around his waist.

Ishikawa Hayato looked down.

"Luckily, the trench coat has pockets..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ikuyo happily put her hands into his pockets to keep them warm.

Then Ishikawa Hayato glanced at Ikuyo; she hadn't buttoned her clothes up for aesthetic reasons, but what Ishikawa Hayato was looking at was her skirt.

"I remember this dress also had a cut..."

Ikuyo's face, which had been beaming with joy, suddenly darkened, and she grabbed his hand.

"No!"

"That... gender equality...?"

"Hayato-kun, you're in this state and you still want gender equality?"

Ishikawa, who has four girlfriends, was speechless and could only put his hand back on her waist.

The two of them were even closer together as they wandered around the rally.

The stalls here are quite nicely made, unlike the rough stalls at festivals; they're small shops that are small but complete.