After breaking up, my ex asked me to win her back

Today was the day on the weather forecast with a 100% chance of sunshine—sunny and with a pleasant climate.

Even the dead would want to come alive for a walk.

At six in the morning, Kagura Hikaru, dressed in a school uniform and carrying a luggage bag, walked into the school.

In the open space under the teaching building, there were already 119 students gathered. Including Kagura Hikaru, that made 120.

This was the original first-year group, the total number of students in the grade.

"Kagura."

Ayakoji Chiyoko happened to pass by, nodding at him.

By her side was Miyamoto Shi, who had previously gone to the Capital City with her, as well as other first-year students of the Disciplinary Committee, all carrying their luggage.

"Good morning."

Kagura Hikaru responded and joined her group as invited.

"Teacher, let's stick together as a team next," Miyamoto Shi said with a smile, welcoming him.

Nodding, Kagura Hikaru's eyes were inadvertently drawn to another place.

There was also a group of students gathered there, with Kiryu Hina at the center.

She had come as well.

Since it was during the spring break, why were there so many original first-year students gathered at the school? To explain this, we must start with the benefits provided by Yuqiu High School.

As a private high school, Yuqiu's tuition fees are consistently at a higher level.

However, in return, students receive a high-quality teaching model, an environment that values their interests, and free welfare activities.

For instance: spring trips, graduation trips, etc.

Though called free, these costs are actually included in the high tuition fees.

The spring trip refers to an outdoor trip organized during the spring break, lasting two days and one night, and requiring lodging; each year the destination switches randomly between a forest and a seaside map.

This year, Kagura Hikaru and his peers drew the forest-themed trip, also known as the 'forest course'.

The content included outdoor picnics, camping, and a courage test, with the destination being Sendai.

Although the spring trip was a voluntary activity, considering that it was free and that there was only one chance to go during the three years of high school, practically all the original first-year students came.

In previous years, there were always a few who couldn't make it due to various reasons—sickness, social anxiety, family trips, dropping out or transferring schools, disappearing, homicides, suicides, etc.

But this year, coincidentally, all 120 students showed up.

"It's really nice that everyone is here," Teacher Yamazaki stated, hands on hips.

Miyamoto Shi approached, "Teacher! It's you leading the team today."

"Miyamoto, Kagura, both of you are here," Teacher Yamazaki said cheerfully. "I can't manage over a hundred students by myself. The other teachers are here too, along with the school physician. If you feel something's wrong with your health, go see him."

Teacher Yamazaki pointed at a middle-aged man in the corner.

In many fictional works, the resident school physician in the Island Nation's high schools is usually a well-dressed, long-haired older sister in a white coat, with a probability of 80% wearing black stockings and 15% bare-legged.

However, reality was skeletal—Yuqiu High School's school physician was just an ordinary middle-aged man with a Mediterranean look, wrinkled, nothing tempting about him.

Miyamoto Shi muttered these kinds of comments to Kagura Hikaru.

He had the appearance of a sunny sportsman, but his core seemed somewhat sulky.

The time was almost up, and three ten-meter-long buses appeared at the school gate; the teachers called the students to board the buses in succession.

Which bus to board was up to them; they didn't force the students into designated groups.

Most students, however, instinctively sought out friends and familiar classmates to group up with, but Kagura Hikaru naturally followed Ayakoji Chiyoko and the others, sitting with people from the Disciplinary Committee.

It's not that he didn't like being with classmates from his original class; rather, he felt somewhat closer to the Disciplinary Committee, as he could be considered a member of this group.

On the bus, Kagura Hikaru sat by the window towards the front, with Miyamoto Shi sitting next to him, and Ayakoji Chiyoko in front of them.

She occupied two seats by herself.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Even though everyone boarding the bus could see the seat next to her was empty, no one dared to sit there, as if that seat didn't exist and just passed by it from their vision.

Since the three buses were more than sufficient to carry over a hundred people, there were plenty of seats to choose from—why bother sitting with a tiger.

She looked like she had been isolated by those unaware of her experiences, yet she herself didn't mind at all and simply closed her eyes to rest.

Kagura Hikaru didn't see Hina; she must have boarded another bus, thankfully.

If she and Ayakoji Chiyoko had been on the same bus, there likely would have been trouble.

After everyone had boarded, the bus hissed to life and rumbled toward Sendai City.

Their journey would take at least five hours to complete.

During this period, everyone had their own way of passing the time.

Kagura Hikaru chose to chat with Miyamoto Shi and read a book.

In the seats in front, Ayakoji Chiyoko had been sleeping for the first two hours, woke up to visit the restroom, and then surprisingly pulled out a handheld console to play Mario from her bag.

So Ayakoji Chiyoko also played games, and her aloof image in Kagura Hikaru's mind was increasingly crumbling. Discover more stories at empire

After approximately five hours of driving with one stop for refueling,

they finally neared their destination, a camping site on a mountain outside Sendai City around eleven in the morning.

In a small town at the foot of the mountain close to the campsite, the bus halted at the station there, not going further; the rest of the way needed to be covered on foot.

The teachers didn't have the students start moving right away but first called roll to ensure everyone was present, then allowed a half-hour rest. They could wander near the bus station but were not permitted to go far.

Kagura Hikaru left the group, intending to walk around and stretch his legs, feeling stiff from sitting too long.

The sun was out today, and its warmth was comforting; a beautiful blue sky could be seen overhead when he looked up.

Possibly because it was close to the mountains and forests, the air in the rural town was much fresher than in Tokyo.

Kagura Hikaru stood by the roadside, comfortably basking in the sunlight.

Suddenly, a shouting voice was heard.

He looked up to find a frail old man approaching from behind, waving his arms and shouting loudly, clearly in a disturbed mental state.

"I'd advise you to stay away," he said.

Kiryu Hina appeared next to Kagura Hikaru at some point, holding a bottle of peach juice, likely bought from a nearby convenience store.

She was dressed in her school uniform and white tights, standing there radiantly youthful.

She always looked so beautiful, no matter when.

Kagura Hikaru heeded the advice and stepped back to let the old man pass, Kiryu Hina did the same.

But just as the old man passed by them, he suddenly turned his head sharply and glared at them with bloodshot, bulging eyes, his mouth frothing, a very eerie sight.

Kagura Hikaru wondered what was happening when the man suddenly grabbed his wrist. His speed was so quick it was hard to imagine it belonged to an elderly person; Kagura Hikaru couldn't even react in time.

"The mountain! Do not go up the mountain! If you meet a little girl in red, you'll get lost, don't run! Run! Do not help her! Ha ha ha ha, do not, do not help....."

The old man muttered incessantly, his grip growing stronger.

Kagura Hikaru frowned, a flicker of unease stirring within him as he tried to break free. That's when a middle-aged woman came running up, apologizing while pulling the crazed old man away.

"I'm so sorry, my father's been unwell lately, often uttering nonsensical things. Please don't mind him." The woman apologized with a helpless expression, suggesting this was not the first time.

"What happened?" Kiryu Hina asked softly, standing by. "I heard him keep talking about going up the mountain and a little lost girl."

She probably just asked out of routine concern, to keep up appearances, but she quickly regretted asking.

"Ah... actually, a few days ago, my father went to pick wild vegetables on the mountain, and he got lost in there for two days, only recently rescued. Though he's physically fine, he's been delirious since coming down." The woman shared with visible concern.

"It's true! Really!!"

Triggered by some keyword, the old man started shouting maniacally again, then suddenly stopped moving, drooling as he stared upwards, "The girl in red, the girl in red, do not go, do not go....."

Kagura Hikaru was silent for a while, appearing to realize something, and pointed toward a clearly visible mountain peak in the distance.

"The mountain your father got lost on, is it that one?"

"Yes." The woman nodded.

Kagura Hikaru and Kiryu Hina exchanged looks.

Because that mountain appeared to be very close to their intended camping site.