Disclaimer: I do not own Taimanin series.

Five Days Break – 02

A nice aroma filled the room.

Kotaro took a whiff of that scent. It came from his cup on the table. Using one of the tea bags that the inn prepared for guests, Kotaro made his cup of tea and waited for the temperature to cool down. In the mean time, he flipped the pages of the book that he was reading.

Should be enough.

He glanced at the time on his phone. It had been five minutes after he poured the boiled water into it. His hand touched the body of the cup to check the heat again. It was just right. He put the book down and took a sip. His left eye closed as the gentle flavor of ginger began to sink in. It was normal. Like the kind of goods you can find anywhere on the market.

Nagi's tea is better.

The ginger tea she brewed was one of a kind. It always made him feel relax after a long, exhausting day. Kotaro didn't remember when Nagi's attentive routine of making a tea pot every evening started to influence him. One thing for sure, it became a healthy habit for him to drink tea before heading to bed.

"Maybe I got it wrong somewhere along the steps?" Kotaro muttered as he looked over the instruction on the torn pack.

For some reason, there was a bitter aftertaste at the top of his tongue after he took a second sip. He brewed it for too long, that was probably the cause. Maybe he should ask Nagi to teach him how to do this the right way when the break was over.

Kotaro stretched his arms and yawned. Now that the tea was ruined, mainly his fault, he didn't really feel the motivation to do anything. Nothing from the book got into his head by this point. The muscles in his body didn't loosen in the anxiety that he desperately tried to ignore.

He glanced at the wall that was facing him. On the other side was Ingrid's room. One of the most dangerous enemies of the Task Force was also having a break from her duty. And she was his neighbor next door. It was something Kotaro never expected to happen. They had a short conversation this afternoon. Surprisingly, it didn't stress him out as much as the first time she tried to cut off his head following Edwin Black's order. Kotarou still found himself tense up for good reasons, though. Someone of her caliber could easily squash him like a mere bug if they were to fight head on.

How many time did he accidentally bump into her like this and came back alive? Actually, let's stop this thought process. Ingrid was Black's strongest sword and his enemy, but she had her own moral standard. It was a noble one that even Murasaki and Principal Asagi acknowledged throughout the course of many battles that came before. Just remember that and be positive. As long as nothing went wrong, no harm would be done.

Sigh.

"What in the world am I doing?" Kotaro rigorously scratched his head. No use in overthinking this matter. He was already tired after a long trip. A good rest was the next thing he needed. This was a vacation, right? He should make it worthwhile rather than wrapping his head around a bunch of possible worst case scenarios, right?

With that said, first thing first…

Hot spring here I come! - Kotaro excitedly snatched the clothes and a towel from his luggage.

A nice, warm bath should clear his head for a bit.

It was late in the evening. The whole inn was eerily quiet.

Kotaro stood before the entrance that led into the hot spring bathhouse. He thought nobody would have the same idea as him to go here at this hour.

"Fuuma Kotaro."

However, Ingrid was also there in her casual attire and a basket held in her arms. She was about to open the door and head inside the ladies changing room, which located on the same hallway.

"G-Good evening." Kotaro greeted back.

"What a coincidence." She said. "It seems I won't be the only one to enjoy a well-deserved hot spring bath tonight, huh."

"Yeah. Uh, I thought this would be a good time to help myself relax after receiving tons of fatigues these past few days." He gave her a wry smile.

Ingrid just nodded at his words with a blank expression.

"Well, are you going to come in?" She suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Kotaro was confused for a moment. "Of course."

"Good. I thought you would change your mind since you're being cautious of me again. Like I have said before, rest assure. In time like these, I have no intention of fighting you. You and I both have the same reason to be in a place like this, to enjoy a good break. Let's not dwell ourselves with unnecessary thoughts."

When she put it like that, it sounded like she half-expected him to turn back. He wasn't sure what gave her that idea. But he never planned to take a step back and leave just because he was…...might have been overly cautious of her presence. Kotaro came here to relax and that was what he was going to do.

"I understand." He replied. "It's not often we have the chance to be off duty for a while. I did come a long way here so I don't plan to waste it either."

"Is that so? I suppose having your accompany would make my time here become more interesting. I'll see you on the other side."

"Right."

The door closed behind Ingrid as she went inside. Kotaro simply nodded and headed into the changing room. He dropped his clothes in one of the empty baskets, spending one moment in the shower to clean himself as he hummed in tune.

Hm? Wait a second. He froze. Her words just now finally crossed his mind. What did she mean by seeing him on the other side?

An idea popped into his train of thoughts. Kotaro quickly stopped the running water and looked for the nearest rule board on the wall. He read the content, mouth slowly agaped. This place wasn't just a traditional hot spring inn, it was also a public bathhouse.

"Mixed-gender!?"

Even though there were two entrances for men's and women's, they actually shared the same hot spring baths. Somehow, a situation like this didn't feel all that strange to him anymore.

He was ready.

A towel wrapped around his waist and a boxer, which he bought from the inn, underneath. This place allowed swimwear so no problem with that. Although no one was working behind the counter, Kotaro just left the money there and took it. This was an emergency.

One more towel hung on his shoulder. He got the second one prepared in case some sort of unforeseen accident happens. If anything extraordinary occurred, he could use it to cover his vision and pretend like nothing happened. That way his life wouldn't be cut short in a literal sense all because of a stupid mistake.

This wasn't overthinking. He didn't get paranoid. This was a strategy.

The sliding door opened and the heat from the spring rushed in. The majestic sight of the giant tree and the night sky struck Kotaro with awe. The hot spring baths had no roof and only a small fence put around, giving him a full view of the dying tree. If that tree was still in its prime, it would have been a wonderful scenery.

Kotaro checked his surrounding. Ingrid had yet to be seen in the spring, maybe she was taking her time.

Guess I'll get myself comfortable first.

Kotaro didn't waste time. He poured hot water into a bucket and put the second towel in until it was fully soaked and squeezed it dry. He went ahead and dipped in the spring. A satisfied sigh left his mouth as the warmth provided him a cozy sensation. His body felt refreshed. The exhaustion built up from the previous mission slowly drifted away in each second passed. This really was what he needed.

Learning against the edge of the bath, Kotaro submerged until the water level reached his shoulders, leaving only the neck and his head visible on the surface. Another pleasant breath drew out as the second towel covered the upper half of his face, the back of his head rested on the edge.

Click!

The sound of a door opened, then footsteps echoed on the rock pavement.

"The bath here has such a nice view." Ingrid's voice was clearly heard. "How is the water, Fuuma Kotaro?"

Another conversation started.

"It's really nice. I think I want to stay here for a while."

"That good, hm. I will take your words for it."

The water made a weak splashing noise as Ingrid stepped in. He could feel the waves gently hit his skin. Judging by the size of the bath, it was not that big. Ingrid must be a little bit away from him.

"How do you feel?" Without looking at the source, Kotaro asked.

"The temperature is just right. Truly comfortable." Ingrid let out a soft moan. "My subordinates were right. This is something I need to help me relax. Hot spring is such a unique experience."

"Eh? This is your first time in a hot spring?"

"That's right. I've never thought much about engaging in this kind of activity. My duty with Nomad is much more important than this."

Until someone decided to change her mind, Kotaro thought.

"Even so, I'm sure you won't forget this experience now that you already got to know about it."

"Hm. Maybe you're right. I find myself enjoying this warmth more than I thought I would be." She said with a little chuckle. "I should express my thanks to Leena after this."

A thin smile formed on Kotaro's face. He was glad to hear the Hell Knight Ingrid herself express her fondness to a human's traditional culture. He wondered what kind of expression she was making at the moment. Okay, stop that thought! He was not going to get carried away and triggered a red flag!

"By the way, Fuuma Kotaro."

He flinched at the sudden shift in her tone.

"W-What is it?"

"Are you not going to enjoy the view and stay like this?" Ingrid asked.

Enjoy the view? Did she mean the tree or the sky? Or did she…...No! Don't go further!

"I'll do that later." Kotaro's hand brought up to keep the towel on his face from slipping. "Right now, I just wanted to relax. It's been a while since I was able to."

"I see. Were you having a roughed time carrying out the duty of a Captain?"

"I wouldn't call it a roughed time. There were lots of things to do and catch up. We did our best to success and this is something I managed to earn through those efforts."

Ingrid simply hummed at his answer.

"You know, there is something I've been wondering." Kotaro once again heard the sound of water dripping and a group of wavy motions touched him. Ingrid was moving somewhere in the water. "Are you trying to avoid making eyes contact with me because we're in the same bath?"

Startled, Kotaro fully dipped into the bath. The surprised question choked him underneath the water. How did she suddenly come up with that!?

Cough! Cough!

Kotaro emerged, wiping the lingering water on his face. Ack! His throat felt hot!

"What? Are you actually worried that I will go for the kill if you do something suspicious?"

"No, it's not like that!" He quickly spoke. Left eye still closed. "I just….*cough*….I just don't want to cause any misunderstanding that makes you think I'm being disrespectful."

"How thoughtful of you, but that is unnecessary. It's seemed you've forgotten. If I wanted to kill you, I would do that in a duel. Fair and square. I won't raise my sword against an enemy who lacks the ability to fight back."

Ouch! That remark hurt. And yet, it was the reality of the situation. A weak Taimanin like One-Eyed Fuuma Kotaro couldn't do a thing against one of the strongest Hell Knights alone.

"Right. I'm just going back to relax then."

He leaned back on the edge of the bath again and reached for the towel on his face. Eh? There was none!? It slipped off!

"You are indeed wary of me this whole time." Ingrid let out a sigh. "If my words cannot help to change your opinion of me in the slightest, then I will prove my earnest intention through action. Even if you look at me now, I won't do anything."

"Wait, why did you have to raise a red flag for me?" Kotaro turned to his left. That was the direction, where he heard her voice.

"Red flag?"

"Nothing! Fine! I'll open my eyes now."

The left eyes revealed. It caught the sight of the giant tree under a night sky filled with stars and shifted to the other figure in the bath.

A towel neatly tied around her head, kept her long hair above the nape. Ingrid already had a big towel covered her form with bathing attire inside. The dark skin on her bare arms and collarbone glittered in the evaporated steam. When their eyes made contact, she seemed to frown a little.

"Ah!"

The water made a harsh splashing sound, spilling some amount over the edge. Kotaro almost yanked his whole body back in surprise. It wasn't because Ingrid was ready her sword and pointed it at his neck or anything. It was because of her position in the modest size bath.

She was right next to him. If she stretched her arm, he would be within her reach.

"Just now, your eye seems to wander inappropriately." Ingrid commented despite she didn't look all that annoyed.

"Can you blame me!? I didn't know you were being so closed." Kotaro retorted.

"What is wrong with companions staying close together in a hot spring bath? Isn't that how the etiquette works in this kind of place?" She stared at him and calmly spoke.

That wasn't wrong. But somehow, it also didn't feel right considering the nature of their relationship. What kind of manner in a hot spring did she know about? Kotaro was curious but he didn't really want to push it. He got back to his spot. The inside of his chest was still bumping from the shock.

"Aren't you glad I consider you as my companion for this one occasion?" A smile formed on Ingrid's lip. Whether it was out of her own amusement or not, Kotaro wasn't sure.

"Well, how do I put it?" He put a hand under his chin and titled his head to the side. "That would be an honor?"

She laughed.

"What?" Kotaro questioned.

"Excuse me, I thought your reaction back then is really cute. What an interesting companion I have here."

"Guk!"

That brought back some embarrassing memories. Astaroth said the same thing that one time. For now, Ingrid saw him as a companion while they were on a vacation. That was a good thing. Either way, he had to change the topic before she decided to tease him any further.

"Ingrid, how did you know about this place?" She raised an eyebrow. He quickly added. "I'm just curious if you don't mind sharing."

"One of my subordinates explained to me how a hot spring works and recommended me this place. Apparently, she knew the location from an old postcard." Kotaro nodded at that information. "She was supposed to join me as well. However, her duty came up in the last minute, she had to stay behind. I planned to do the same but she convinced me not to waste the opportunity. She can be quite a handful sometime so I reluctantly agreed to come."

Considering her first reaction, it was probably the best decision ever.

"I guess she didn't want you to be burdened with hard work all the time."

"How could I not be? Asides from my knights, the others are nothing but incompetents. Always pursuing their own end goals without thinking about the organization as a whole." Her eyes narrowed in disdain. "They can't even put their acts together and get the job done properly for Black-sama's sake. If I look away for just a moment, who knows what will become of Nomad when those insolents keep ruining the tasks at hand. I don't think I should entrust them anythings that are important to Black-sama. It has been stressful lately."

For some reason, the image of a disorganized company popped into Kotaro's head. Ingrid the stern and strict manager, in her business suit, was staring down at the demons, who failed to submit their paperworks on time.

"Pfft!"

Both hands instantly shot up to cover his mouth. The idea was too funny he almost laughed. Hold it in!

"What are you doing?"

"N-Nothing. It's just that you always have this sense of reserve around you. Even though we've met by chance like this many times before, hearing you complaint about your work for the first time was pretty much an eye-opening for me."

Ingrid looked at a smiling Kotaro oddly for a while. Her eyes slowly widened with a red shade on her cheeks after realization hit.

"It-It's not my intention to speak like that!"

"It's okay. I know." He continued. "That means you're totally relaxing right now. The hot spring really beats up all that burdens on your shoulders."

Ingrid was about to say something, but she stopped. With a long sigh, she leaned back and glanced at the beautiful view ahead. Kotaro understood now why Ingrid's subordinates wanted her to be here. She was having a difficult time and those who were under her command decided to help their boss get a good rest. They really cared about her well-being.

"You're right." She spoke with a pleasant smile on her face. "I do feel at ease."

In that moment, the expression that Kotaro saw changed the well known image of the Hell Knight Ingrid in his mind.

/

Author's Note: Just for one occasion, they will be companions. It's a hot spring scenario but nothing over the top happened, just a casual conversation and Kotaro's failure in making his "strategy" go unnoticeable.

Thank you for reading. Take care!