「 It’s good to have a shelter against every storm 」
I said that line from January to mid-February.
Still, as much as I would like to repeat, the cold weather gear helped a lot.
Even though my fingertips feel numb from the cold, my core never does.
It’s not that we have it easy.
We’re forced to stay in for the winter, consuming the food we stockpiled.
Even sex isn’t satisfying.
Even so, we made it through the hardest point in time.
As February heads to the end, the temperatures slowly begin to rise.
Then came February 20, Thursday.
The day was also marked by snow, but the amount of snowfall was not significant.
The temperature is much warmer compared to last week and before.
「 It seems like we can go outside if this goes on 」
I peek from the hideout’s entrance after lunch.
The rocky ground is slippery and dangerous, but everywhere else is fine.
「 Is it finally time to get out? 」
Tanaka seems happy.
No, it’s not just him, all of us are happy.
「 Yeah. It’s snowing so we still can’t go to work, but we can at least have a walk 」
“Ooooh!!” Everyone cheered.
「 Let’s go!! 」
Arisa brings out her fishing rod.
「 Hokage told you we can’t work outside yet 」
Karin took the fishing rod away looking dumbfounded.
「 We should make some umbrellas just in case. I don’t think you can catch colds from this much snow, but we’re trying to reduce the risk as much as possible 」
Karin asks “Not Caps, but Umbrellas?”
「 Yes, umbrellas. We have hats, but not umbrellas. Putting on shades and a hat might be stylish, but I was thinking we could also enjoy the modern look with an umbrella.
“Also,” I added, turning my attention to the U-shaped dent facing the entrance of the hideout.
The ship there was almost complete.
「 The ship is nearing completion, and we no longer have to worry about running out of materials 」
「 Leave it to me then 」
Meiko confidently taps her chest.
「 I’ll help out too 」
「 M-Me too! Onee-chan 」
The handicraft team started moving.
They process the excess bamboo at the speed of light.
Bamboo bundles of various sizes quickly took the shape of umbrellas.
Then, the fabric scraps from the sails were pasted on it.
「 This may look awkward, but if it’s just for snow, this should do the trick 」
And so they completed the bamboo umbrellas.
We applauded their skill.
「 Is this enough? If you need more, we can dismantle the uniforms 」
「 No, you don’t need to go that far. This is good enough 」
There were two umbrellas.
And so, only two can go outside at once.
「 I’ll take the first one. I’m going to check how safe it is 」
Nobody objected.
「 Who else wants to go? 」
All the women except Amane raised their hands.
Amane would prefer to be with Sofia.
「 Oh my, Hokage-kun’s so popular 」
Arisa’s grinning.
「 This is outrageous, Shinomiya-dono, truly outrageous 」
I just smiled wryly, saying “I don’t get it”
「 How about we decide through rock-paper-scissors 」
And so, the girls started battling it out.
After a flurry of eliminations, the eventual winner of the competition is…
「 Yay! Yay! It’s the difference in habitual behavior! 」
Arisa.
「 Let’s go Hokage! Time to fish! 」
「 No fishing 」
It’s been a while since I went out with Arisa.
◇
「 Man, the air outside feels nice 」
「 Right? The freshness feels different 」
We were walking along the beach.
Our walk was limited in the area.
I don’t go to the forest because we don’t know what’s out there.
「 Hey, Arisa, can I ask you something? 」
「 What’s up? 」
I look at Arisa’s legs while walking on the seaside.
Her thighs are showing boldly through her short skirt.
「 Are you sure about not wearing anything under your skirt? You seem cold 」
Even if the weather is warmer, it’s still February.
Normally, you’d still be wearing tights or stockings.
「 Well it’s cold. But I’m a JK, I have to look like one 」
「 Really? Eri and Karin usually have something on 」
「 That’s because they don’t have the guts, yes! Guts! 」
「 Is that so? 」
Anyway, it seems that tights or stockings are evil to Arisa.
I feel sorry for her having to endure the cold.
「 That aside, I have to tell you something Hokage 」
Arisa looked at me in the eye and said.
「 What? Are you confessing your love? 」
I replied laughingly.
Then, Arisa replied with a “Well yeah,” and a serious look.
「 Huh? Seriously? 」
「 Of course not! You’re silly! 」
Arisa laughed.
I sighed.
「 So, as for the main topic 」
Arisa’s expression turns serious again.
「 You know, I’ve been calling you Ninja back then 」
「 Oh, you did 」
I got the nickname “Ninja” before coming to this world.
That’s because it’s the name of the main character of a popular ninja manga that even I know.
It’s mostly Sumeragi Byakuya and his cronies, and Sasazaki calls me that.
「 Sorry for calling you a weird nickname 」
「 Eh 」
Arisa sends me a glance.
She looks apologetic.
「 You didn’t like that you were being made fun of? 」
「 I didn’t hate it 」
「 Is that so? 」
「 It’s not a weird nickname. I would have hated it if I got nicknamed “maggot” or “gloomy bastard,” instead of ninja. Ninja’s way cooler 」
Arisa laughed lightly.
「 You’re kind, Hokage 」
「 Not really. Still, why so sudden? 」
Arisa stopped and looked up at the sky.
「 I just want to make sure there are no regrets 」
「 The voyage? 」
「 Yes. I knew that I would regret it if we failed and died. Maybe Hokage didn’t mind but it’s been on my mind since then 」
「 I see. But, when you die, there are no regrets or shit 」
「 That’s true, but you get what I’m trying to say, don’t you? 」
「 Yeah, I do 」
I smiled.
I then ruffled Arisa’s head.
「 Don’t worry. We won’t fail, we won’t die. We’ll succeed for sure 」
「 Yeah, you’re right. Come March, and we’ll be having our vacation on that island! 」
「 I don’t think we can go on vacation in style 」
「 Don’t worry about the details 」
「 Hahahaha 」
We turned back and found that we were further than we thought from the hideout.
「 Arisa, we have to return. Let’s let others enjoy the outside too 」
「 Sure! 」
After the serious talk, we had fun chatting on our way back.
We walked along the beach, tracing back our footsteps in the sand that we carved through our journey.
Months have passed, and we were greeted by the fateful March.