One autumn, the trees on the island changed to new colors.
After lunch, I returned to my hideout after a day’s work outside.
Tanaka is humming as he crushes the shells, and the three members of the handicraft are talking as they work.
「 Oh? Eri’s not here? 」
The head chef, who’s usually preparing dinner, is nowhere to be seen.
「 Eri-dono just left 」
Tanaka stopped working and turned around.
The gurgling sound tells of a stiff neck.
「 She went out? That’s rare 」
It’s a work day today.
So it’s unusual for Eri to get out
「 She wants to gather some inspiration for her cooking she said 」
「 So she wants to make a new menu 」
Eri’s working hard to keep our stomachs happy.
Whenever there was a new material, she’d come up with a new meal.
「 Ah, Hokage-kun! 」
Eri returned while we were discussing.
She’s carrying bamboo baskets filled with mushrooms and fruits.
She seems to have procured on her way out.
「 Welcome back, you got good ideas? 」
Eri tilts her head in wonder.
「 Nope! That’s why I was looking for you 」
「 I don’t get why it turned to that 」
「 Ahaha, true 」
「 So, what do you need? 」
「 I need you to be my bodyguard! 」
「 So that’s what you meant. I thought you were going to ask me for cooking advice 」
「 That’s fine and all but going on a date is more fun! 」
「 Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! 」
Tanaka suddenly shouted.
Ignoring our surprise, he disappeared to the back of the hideout.
We don’t mind that he does odd things, because he always does.
「 It’s not a day off so let’s go for a walk in the name of gathering food 」
「 Hokage-kun’s so serious 」
「 It wouldn’t be good if the leader who made the holiday cheats on it 」
I carried the bamboo basket on my back then Eri and I left the hideout together.
◇
The uninhabited island on which we operate isn’t that large.
Despite that, we don’t know where everything was.
Just as there are roads we don’t take in our daily lives, there are places we don’t visit even if they’re close.
「 It’s my first time in here 」
「 I think it’s three times for me. I never go here voluntarily 」
Eri and I were walking in a meadow not far from the hideout.
「 You should’ve told me about this nice place sooner! 」
「 It’s beautiful, sure, but there’s no use for this place 」
The meadows are covered in white flowers peeking out the entire surface.
It’s called Parnassia Palustris
It’s beautiful as a lot of them are blooming, but there’s no use for them.
It’s not recommended for food, nor does it have any medicinal use.
「 How about this tree? It has beautiful pink flowers! Are these cherry blossoms? 」
Eri points at a tree in the sea of flowers.
It has a nice ambiance, and it’s alone.
「 No, it’s not. That’s Flowering Dogwood 」
I strained my eyes as I answered.
「 Flowering Dogwood? Have I heard of that before? I thought they had white flowers? 」
「 There’s that kind. But most of them are red or pink 」
「 I see! Can you use flowering dogwood for survival? 」
「 Not that it’s useless, but it’s not a priority. The bark is said to have some anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties, but compared to other well-known herbal medicines, there are hardly any examples 」
「 Is it hard to use? 」
「 Not exactly. It’s more like I’m not confident I could use it 」
「 Hokage-kun’s the difficult one then! 」
I agreed and laughed.
We arrived at the tree, Eri looked at the flowers and said;
「 These flowers are beautiful, I want to use them for something 」
「 Then let’s get serious! 」
Eri looked at me in awe.
「 I knew this would happen, so I brought this 」
I took out my favorite knife.
If I had to add a sound effect, that would make a ‘shing’ sound.
「 Oooh, Hokage-kun’s ultimate weapon 」
「 Fufufu, nothing’s impossible when I have this 」
I decided to make something with the dogwood flowers.
I put down the bamboo basket, then.
「 Dogwood flowers are delicate so they’re not suited for me 」
I took precautions befitting of a pathetic man and started working on it.
First, cut the stems into thin strips with a knife.
Taking care not to make it too thin and lose strength, now I roll it.
After making a loop, I tie the ends together.
Finally, the dogwood flowers are fixed to a ring made from the stems and my project is complete.
「 Done! Here’s a flower ring! 」
I made it myself, yet I think “Am I a kindergarten kid?”
「 Sorry if this wasn’t what you were expecting. Wait, what? 」
I stopped.
That’s because Eri had an unexpected look.
「 Woaaah?! It’s a ring! A Ring! 」
She’s surprisingly happy
I was sure that she’d retort laughingly and say “I’m not a kid you know!”
Instead of laughing, she’s been impressed with anything recently.
「 Sure, it’s a ring, but even elementary kids can make this you know? 」
「 Still, it’s a ring! Put it on me! 」
「 Eri sticks out her left hand 」
「 Huh, sure? 」
I stood up and put the ring on Eri’s index finger.
Then…
「 No, not that finger 」
Eri told me with a straight face.
「 Oh? Then… 」
I quickly slid it to her middle finger.
But, Eri’s face doesn’t change.
She slid it and moved it in front of her ring finger.
Then, she smiled.
Seems like this is the right answer.
「 Yay~~!!! 」
I put the ring on her and Eri jumped in joy.
Her huge breasts shook hard.
「 Yay! Yay! Yay!! I got it! 」
「 Why are you so happy? It’s just a childish ring made of flowers 」
「 Still, I’m happy! I mean, I’m the first woman Hokage-kun put a ring on! It’s even on my left hand and ring finger! 」
「 The way you put it is misleading 」
「 Why would they misunderstand? You indeed gave me a ring! 」
「 R-Right 」
「 I’ll go boast to everyone! I’ll keep this ring on all the time! 」
I smiled wryly, saying “That’s going to be hard”
「 Rings made of flowers don’t last long. Even worse with how I made that. It’ll last a few hours at most. Tomorrow, it’ll already wilt 」
「 I don’t care about that! 」
「 It’s not hygienic to keep it on for long, that’ll cause some skin irritation. I’m sorry to ruin the mood, but toss it off by tonight 」
Eri puffs her cheeks, shouting “Boo!”
「 Then, I’ll take it off, but I’ll store it! It’s a treasure! You’re fine with that? 」
「 Yeah 」
「 Yay! 」
Eri stares at the ring with a smile
「 Thanks for the lovely present, Hokage-kun! 」
Eri hugged me.
She’s genuinely happy that she can’t help but smile.
「 I’m happy that you’re pleased with it 」
I also gave her a hug.
We kept hugging for a while.
「 Let’s go back now. We’re just skipping work now 」
「 Yeah, let’s go 」
Eri took my hand.
I’m known for being thickheaded, but I can read the mood and we had our fingers interlocked.
Seems like I was right, Eri was happily humming.
We walked back on the grassy field together.
「 Oh right, Hokage-kun! 」
As the view was about to change from the grassland to the forest, Eri stopped in her tracks.
「 Hmm? 」
「 Here’s my thanks 」
Eri said, then gave me a kiss.
She puts her arms at the back of my head and lays her lips on mine.
Then, she also entwined her tongue and my boy down there reacted.
「 Hey, if you kiss like that… 」
「 You got horny? 」
Eri smiles and looks up at me.
「 Well… 」
「 But not now 」
I speak in a dejected tone.
「 Is it because the stance is still a work in progress? 」
「 No, it’s because I want to go back before the ring withers! 」
「 Then later… 」
「 Sure! I’ll pleasure you a lot later! 」
My lower takes control of me and now I can’t think of anything else.
「 Okay! Let’s go back now! 」
「 Hey, Hokage-kun! 」
「 Show your ring to everyone already! Time’s a wasting! 」
I carried Eri in my arms and I ran to the hideout.