Me: Hello again! I hope you all liked the reason I mentioned the translated cover songs early on! Last chapter was just as I always pictured it! Just wait for the Bon Festival, though… Oops, too far ahead!

Kouya: (Reading the chapter beforehand) What the hell is wrong with you!?

Me: Oh hush. I like you and all, but don't complain. It's a show for the readers.

Lee: (Also reading) Oh my gods… Can I leave to throw up? I'm nervous about this too much…

Me: You'll get over it. Now get moving! I do not own Morenatsu!

August 17

More Awkwardness around Kouya

A loud snore in my ear wakes me up with a large jolt. I try to sit up, but various weights on my chest and abdomen restrain me. My arms aren't fully free, but I can wriggle them enough to use them. As I do so, I lift my head to see what holds me.

Tatsuki's face is less than a quarter meter away from mine, and the heavy breaths and occasional snore tell me he is what woke me. Shun, curled up like, well, a wolf pup, rests on my chest, but I cannot see what the weight on my abdomen is past him. I move Shun carefully so that I don't wake him, sitting up a little bit. I really don't care to know what I look like when I see Kouya's head resting on me, my gut his pillow. I admit it though; despite all of the awkward situations I have been in as of late, this doesn't seem to count, as I find myself smiling, of all things. He looks really calm while he sleeps, hands clasped on his own stomach, chest rising and falling with every breath. His fur stands on end, possibly due to constant shifting for all I know. I was too out of it to notice I was even being crowded in my sleep.

I shift out from under him, making sure his head doesn't slam down so I can have some time alone before everyone else wakes up, since everyone is still snoring away the day, or more precisely, the dawn.

I stand straight, and with a quick turn, I'm glad to see nothing out of place on my being. Apparently, Tatsuki wasn't able to get a hold of me while drunk. Of course, I'm still in the clothes I wore last night. The exact clothes in which I, embarrassingly enough, was forced to dance with Kouya of all people. The memory, although slightly blurred, is very fresh in my mind, and I am lucky I don't have to hide a blush that burns on my cheeks; I wouldn't be able to anyways.

The need to relieve my bladder strikes full force, and I step past the tree line in case anyone wakes up while I'm busy. As I unzip, out of sight, I can hear someone actually stirring slowly. I can't tell who, since Tatsuki's snoring drowns out any voices. I sigh lightly as relief flows through my body, and I make sure to make myself presentable before re-entering the camp.

Kouya must have noticed the loss of his pillow, as he is the person I heard waking up. He is sitting cross-legged where he'd been laying down seconds ago, eyelids drooping slightly as he scratches the back of his head. I have to admit, it is kind of cute, the way he does that. My chest feels heavy again, but it isn't from someone sleeping on it. I can tell that I enjoy this sensation, though. I take careful steps over to Kouya, mostly because he is next to the bag with my spare clothes in it, but also so I can talk. After last night, I guess I should be a little more open. The entire group did hear a cover I sang.

The husky turns to me as I kneel, grabbing my bag and digging through. The filtered early morning light catches on his frizzed fur, giving the effect of a halo. I wonder how many people would sigh contentedly if they saw him right now. "Morning, Lee," he yawns, stretching his arms into the air. An audible crack comes from his shoulders and collar bone as he does so, and he shakes a little.

"Good morning. You sleep well last night?" I hide a smile by continuing a search for new clothes as heat rises to his face, apparently remembering what his pillow was. "Don't worry, I didn't mind it. You looked really, calm while you slept."

"Were you watching me?" I stop, turning to him completely. The guitarist gives me a quizzical look with an eyebrow raised. I can feel my fedora in my bag, and I grab a hold of it. I'm kind of glad I decided to bring it with me for the camping trip.

"Yeah, I guess I was. Oh, hold on just a second." Before he can respond, I drag out the fedora and place it on his head, tilting it slightly so it creates a shadow over his eyes. His blush intensifies, and I let my smile show openly now. It feels good to get some payback for making me blush so much during my stay here. "That looks a lot better."

"You had to bring it, didn't you," he mutters, reaching to take it off. I reach to stop him, but he lowers his arm to prevent me from doing so. Neither of us seems to expect me to actually take his hand, but I do for some reason. It is so casual, but for some reason we both blush madly. I release my grip and turn away slightly. My mind is racing, but for some reason a thought that stands out is how much larger his hand is. Really, it's the only dominant thought.

"Just, don't take it off, okay?" Kouya sighs, but I can see he doesn't reach for the hat through the corner of my eye. That's good, I guess. I grab some random shorts and a shirt from my bag and stand once more. "I'll, be back in a little bit." I don't wait for an answer, only walking away to change.

A few hours have passed since the incident with Kouya, but neither of us has made any mention of it. Shun sits on my shoulders, and I on Tatsuki's, as the group moves up a mountain trail to a waterfall. I can hear the water from where we are, but it isn't very strong by the sound of things. Hiroyuki and Torahiko lead the way, with Kyouji, Soutarou, and Shin directly behind them. Juuichi, Kouya, and Kounosuke are next, leaving the living tower here at the end.

"Can we go a little faster," Shun asks, and Tatsuki laughs, vibrating my body through quite an embarrassing area. I really hope something doesn't happen. It hasn't happened since I was sixteen, mostly because I stay out of situations. This might not help me one bit.

"Sure thing, Shun-kun!" The dragon moves a little faster, and I have to use my legs to keep from falling, since I'm holding Shun in place. We don't move much faster than before, but it is enough for us to slowly pass the others. Shun's tail whips my back lightly, almost playfully, so I pay no mind to it. My attention is on the sound of water hitting water that is up ahead.

The waterfall is more of a stream that just falls into a large pool, rather than a true waterfall. Nevertheless, though, it is a place to cool off and enjoy the day. I'm glad the shorts I grabbed are a pair I don't mind getting wet, since I've been wanting to practice swimming some more. Tatsuki sets both Shun and me down, pulling off his clothes so he only wears a fundoshi. "Last one in is a rotten egg!"

I smile, starting to strip to just shorts as everyone else does the same. Luckily, since I don't care to swim in undergarments alone, I have the least to worry about, and I race over to the water. Tatsuki is already in, though not very far, so he whips his tail around, tripping me at the edge. A solid face plant into the pool is what comes next, and I growl lightly, splashing the dragon before I get into the water completely. Luckily, I got a few tips on floating, so I stay above the surface once I reach a certain depth.

The others have all entered the water by now, most of them having dived underneath. Something brushes against my leg seconds before I get pulled under, but I don't cry out. I simply smack the person who grabbed me, Torahiko, upside the back of his head, and return to the surface.

"That hurts," the tiger mutters when he surfaces. "Sorry about that, I thought you were Hiroyuki for a second there."

"I do hope you pay more attention next time." He nods, swimming off, and with a small sigh, I adjust so I'm on my back, staring up at the sky. Now I understand why Kouya was doing this at the beach; the position is quite relaxing, and I doubt that much could disturb me right now.

A good double splash from somewhere near my feet ends the thought, and I twist, sputtering, towards Shun and Soutarou. Laughing, they swim off, and I smirk, giving slow chase after them. This will hopefully be one of the days I remember when I return home to America.

It is close to midnight once we return to the camp, exhausted from the day of swimming and hiking. Juuichi and Kyouji get to work on the fire so we can have a quick meal before settling in, and I collapse by my sketchbook, grabbing it and opening to a blank page.

Kouya, having worn my fedora most of the day without so much as a single question from anyone, returns the straw hat to me by setting it on my head before his knees give out and he settles down next to me. The husky watches me as I work on a sketch I've been doing for the last few days.

"You must have a photographic memory or something," he states as I add in some shadows. The sketch is the entire group, minus me, all gathered together and enjoying themselves. I know it isn't exactly what has happened, as it is a collage of what I've seen everyone act like.

"Not really. I just have an eye for detail." I run a hand behind an ear, feeling how long my hair has started to grow. I should probably cut it soon, or else I may as well grow it out. "I was thinking of giving this to Torahiko for a present, but I think it would be better as a farewell."

A hand on my shoulder causes me to turn, but in my exhausted state, I don't blush, even at the small amount of space between the two of us. "The summer isn't over yet, Lee. There isn't any need for you to worry about leaving, so enjoy the time you have here."

I smile faintly, eyes drooping. "Thanks for that. I guess I'll just have to," I don't finish my statement, yawning instead and collapsing. I can feel heat under my head, and a steady heartbeat that rapidly picks up speed, but I don't care, letting sleep take hold just as it did on my first day in Minasoto.

Me: Aw, you two are so cute together!

Lee: (blushing) That wasn't as fun as it looked or sounded…

Kouya: You try sleeping with someone as your pillow sometime! Or better yet, try being the pillow!

Me: Oh, I will. And Lee? I have a very interesting plan for you soon…

Lee: Oh no. I don't like the sound of that.