After getting our fill of the footbath, we set out to secure some wheels for our Yamanashi sightseeing tour.
"With that settled, let’s head to the rental agency."
"Oka—y."
We made our way to the rental car company where we had booked a vehicle in advance. Our trip was scheduled for two days and one night. If we had really pushed ourselves, we probably could have managed to see enough within walking distance of Isawa Onsen, but we decided to splurge on a rental since we were here anyway.
"So, you actually got your driver’s license back in high school," Hayashi noted.
"Yeah, pretty much."
Back in high school, since I knew I was moving to Tokyo after graduation, I’d figured I could just get my license once I was in college. However, my parents offered to chip in for the costs, and since a driver’s license is the gold standard for identification, I decided to just get it over with.
"By the way, do you actually have any experience behind the wheel?"
"Technically, yes."
Though only for the brief window between passing the test and high school graduation. I think I’d mentioned this to Hayashi at some point before, but I’ve never been a fan of driving myself. I hate travel time that consists of nothing but transit, where I can't do anything else.
"Well, as long as I don’t fall into any traps like one-way streets, I’ll manage."
"...I trust you a moderate amount."
Hayashi was being unusually skeptical. Then again, if our positions were reversed, I’d definitely be suspicious of her, too.
"Excuse me, I have a reservation under the name Yamamoto..."
We eventually reached the rental office. After navigating the paperwork—signing contracts and presenting my license—we successfully took possession of our rental.
"Alright then, have a safe trip!"
"Thank you."
I gave the clerk a polite nod.
"So, should we get moving?" Hayashi asked.
"Wait a second. There’s one thing I have to do before we go anywhere."
"What? A safety prayer?"
"Can I just leave you behind here?"
I’d suspected it for a while, but this girl really was a natural-born jerk at her core. I mean, she’d mellowed out significantly since our high school days, but still... No, come to think of it, I was probably cut from the same cloth.
Swallowing my retorts, I walked around to the rear of the car and slapped on a magnetic sticker.
"What's that for?"
Ignoring her, I walked to the front and stuck an identical one on the hood.
"Uwah..."
Hayashi let out a low groan when she saw the Wakaba mark.
"...It’s the law, isn't it?"
"I guess so."
The stickers I’d placed on the front and back were "beginner marks." New drivers who have held their license for less than a year are legally required to display them.
"...I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this trip."
"It’ll be fine, Hayashi."
"And what exactly are you basing that confidence on?"
"Everyone starts as a beginner, right?"
"...I mean, sure, but..."
"We’ll be driving on plenty of mountain roads today. Based on my research, the streets in the hot spring town are quite narrow, and since it’s the weekend, we have to worry about heavy traffic. But it’ll be fine."
"You’re doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
Well, yeah. I was a natural-born jerk at my core, after all. Besides, I couldn't really help it. Truth be told, I was pretty anxious myself.
"Anyway, let's get going."
"...Hey, Yamamoto."
"What?"
"If we go down, we go down together, right?"
"Don't be stupid. There's no way I'm letting you die."
...The moment the words left my mouth in that casual tone, I realized what I'd said. Wait, wasn't that line incredibly embarrassing?
I stole a quick glance at Hayashi. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was staring at the ground. It was an uncharacteristically meek look for a woman who used to be an arrogant brat known as The Queen.
"...Let’s go."
"U-um, okay..."
We climbed into the car. Before starting the engine, I double-checked the mirror positions and adjusted the angles. I slid the seat into place, confirmed the locations of the accelerator and the brake, and checked the handbrake. Finally, I made sure both my seatbelt and the one for the woman in the passenger seat were secure.
"Alright."
I turned the key. The engine roared to life, and I eased onto the accelerator, slowly pulling the car out.
"Let's head for Shosenkyo first."
Our first destination was the Shosenkyo gorge.