You And I

Chapter 18: The Hot Spring Strategy

After gathering our things, Ryan and I headed to the hot spring to relax. The warm water was perfect after such a long day. Ryan went in first, wading slowly, but I, feeling excited, jumped right in, sending a wave of water splashing around.

"Bro, what the hell? This isn’t a swimming pool," Ryan said, half laughing, half annoyed.

I chuckled, sinking into the warm water. "Sorry, couldn’t resist."

We started chatting about random things when Ryan suddenly asked, "So, when are you going to confess to Mei?"

I quickly covered his mouth, eyes wide. "Dude, shut up! They could hear us from the other side!" I whispered, glancing toward the partition separating us from the girls' side of the hot spring.

Ryan lowered his voice but repeated the question. "Seriously, when?"

I sighed, trying to sound calm. "I’ve been thinking about it. Maybe after the cultural festival at school. You know, once everything calms down."

"Is that for sure?" Ryan asked, grinning.

"Yeah, I think so," I said. "I mean, since she has a crush on someone else, I should just get it over with, right?"

Ryan burst out laughing, and I splashed water at him. "What’s so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," he said, still grinning. "You’re missing out, man. You really are."

---

Yvonne's POV

Meanwhile, in the girls' section of the hot spring, I couldn’t help but stir the pot a little. "Hey, Mei, since it's just us here, why don’t you tell us who your crush is?" I asked, even though we all knew the answer.

Mei froze, her cheeks turning red. She looked down, shyly fidgeting with her towel. After a moment, she cleared her throat. "Okay, but you all have to promise not to tell anyone," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kris leaned in, smiling. "Of course, Mei, your secret’s safe with us."

Taking a deep breath, Mei finally spoke. "It’s... Levi."

For a moment, the hot spring was dead silent. Then, Yvonne squealed, practically jumping out of the water. "I KNEW IT!" she shouted, causing ripples in the water.

---

Levi's POV

I was startled by Yvonne’s scream, nearly slipping on the rocks in the hot spring. Ryan, seeing my reaction, burst out laughing again.

"Looks like we’re both talking about the same thing," he said, his laughter filling the hot spring.

I blinked in confusion, unsure of what he meant. "What do you mean?"

Ryan didn’t answer and just kept laughing, leaving me more confused than ever.

---

Kris's POV

"Finally!" I cheered, splashing the water in celebration. Mei was hiding her face in her hands, blushing furiously. "Wait, you knew all along?" she asked, peeking out between her fingers.

"Of course we knew," I said with a grin. "It’s been obvious for ages."

Mei groaned and sank lower into the water. "Then why did you ask if you already knew?"

Yvonne giggled. "We just wanted you to admit it out loud, that’s all."

We all laughed, and despite her embarrassment, Mei smiled too, her cheeks still flushed. The confession had finally happened.

Meanwhile, back at the boys' section of the hot spring, Ryan turned to me with a mischievous grin. "So, what’s your plan for confessing to Mei?"

I raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "Why do you care?"

Ryan shrugged. "Come on, I’m gonna help you out. Just tell me."

I hesitated but eventually relented. "Fine. Here’s the plan: On the first day, I’m gonna leave an iris flower on her desk. The next day, a lilac. On the third day, a yarrow. When all the flowers are combined, they spell out 'ILY'—I love you. And then I’ll invite her to the rooftop of our school to confess."

Ryan stared at me for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Wait, you’re serious? That’s your plan?"

I nodded, maintaining a straight face.

"Dude, that’s so creepy!" Ryan managed between laughs. "Who leaves flowers on a girl’s desk like that? And what if she doesn’t get the riddle?"

Ryan continued to laugh as I tried to stay serious. "It’ll be fine," I said, trying to convince myself more than him.

"Good luck with that," Ryan said, still chuckling. "You’re going to need it."

I looked at Ryan, challenging him. "If you’re so good at this, why don’t you tell me your plan for confessing to someone?"

Ryan leaned back, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Alright, here’s how I’d do it. Since you’re planning to confess on the day of the cultural festival, you should start by inviting her to visit some stalls and treat her to something nice. Remember how we had that campfire on the last day last year? Do the same—invite her for a dance around the campfire."

He continued, "After the dance, offer her a drink and start a conversation. Keep it relaxed and let the conversation flow naturally. Then, steer it towards the guy she likes, just to gauge her feelings. Once you’ve got a sense of where she stands, that’s when you drop the confession."

I listened carefully, taking in his advice. "That sounds... actually pretty good. Thanks, Ryan."

Ryan smirked. "See? Sometimes playing it cool is all you need. Good luck, man. You’ll need it."

As the hot spring session wrapped up, I felt a renewed sense of determination. Ryan’s plan was practical and smooth—maybe it would give me the edge I needed to finally confess my feelings to Mei.