In the apartment near Nakano Station, Toru Shimizu subconsciously taps the table with his pen. I spread out a notebook with what I had seen and heard at Kodansha today, and the contents of it had become an inspiration for a new book in my thoughts after dinner.

I've read these familiar contents again, and I want to find some interesting enough ideas from them. However, after thinking about it for a while, I only got the feeling of overuse of my brain.

Somewhat understanding the truth of overreach, Qing Shui Toru sighed, threw down his pen and leaned on the sofa to rest for a while.

As the mind gradually emptied, some fragments that had been suppressed in the depths of the brain surfaced. There was the inexplicable familiarity of the day of the preaching, the shape of the cards he saw during the day, and the things he thought he had forgotten but unexpectedly found that he still remembered.

Fragmentary scenes flashed by, and thoughts finally stopped at a portrait of himself.

Without the leisurely mood of lying down again, Toru Shimizu got up and took out his wallet from his pocket, the sketch he got from Nanami Nanami had been carefully put away by him, and now only the paper with the number written on it was still lying in the middle of the wallet.

You don't have to open it to look at it, the string of numbers automatically pops out of your memory.

Moving his finger to type on the phone, Toru Shimizu looked out the window again. The sky is still a blue-white color that is unique to the beginning of night.

This time passes, it shouldn't bother her...

Thinking like this, Toru Shimizu pressed the dial button.

------

At a convenience store in Adachi Ward, Nanami had just placed the newly arrived products in the bottom row of the shelves when she heard the voice of the store manager.

"Nanami, can you come here?"

"Okay."

After responding, he stood up straight, and when he came to the counter, a woman in her forties was waiting.

"It's Golden Week soon, do you have any plans for Qijian?"

Golden Week in Japan is a series of holidays from late April to early May, and it is a good day to travel in late spring and early summer.

But I don't think I have the time to play easily.

With a bitter smile in her heart, Nanami shook her head slightly.

The store manager was overjoyed: "Then can you come to the store then?" ”

"Yes."

The hourly wage on holidays is much higher than on weekdays.

"That's great," the plump store manager slapped his trembling chest and let out a sigh, "Those boys are going to travel one by one, and they said that they want to accompany their families and girlfriends, so it's not good for me to forcibly keep them." If you don't come again, I don't know what to do for a few days. ”

When the mood is relaxed, the store manager's memory seems to be much better. She patted her head, turned around and took out a plastic box from behind her and handed it over.

"I made more croquettes for dinner, I thought I would bring it to you, and I almost forgot about it. Remember to take it with you later. ”

was watched with a loving gaze towards the younger generation, and Nanami couldn't find a reason to refuse, so he could only bow seriously while taking it.

"Thank you so much."

"It's nothing, I accidentally made too much," the manager waved his hand kindly, and suddenly remembered something, and suddenly said, "I want to eat well." ”

Nanami smiled, looked at the street that was gradually shrouded in night behind the transparent glass, and did not speak.

The store manager was still nagging, talking about the neighbor's daughter who ended up going to the hospital because she didn't eat too much, and then lamenting the strange methods that young people now use to keep in shape.

Nanami absentmindedly responded.

Suddenly, a cell phone rings, echoing through the slightly empty store.

"I'm sorry, I..."

"It's okay, there are no guests now, let's go."

Thanking her, Nanami walked a few steps to the street outside the store. The daytime temperature had faded, and the chill of the night made her clench her clutches.

Looking at the phone, there was an unfamiliar number on the screen, she hesitated for a moment, but still pressed the answer button.

"This is Nanami, may I ask what?"

The other side didn't seem to expect someone to answer, and it was a few seconds after she finished speaking, and the voice came.

"I'm Toru Shimizu."

------

The long sound in the earpiece was repeated several times, and Toru Shimizu had already asked her to pick up the phone without expecting anything.

Maybe it's because the phone isn't around, maybe it's set to silent, or maybe it's a natural vigilance for unfamiliar numbers...

Unconsciously speculated on various possibilities in his mind, so that he didn't react immediately when the phone was connected.

It wasn't until the other party's voice had been heard in his ears a few times that he replied like a rescue.

"I'm Toru Shimizu."

"Shimizu-san?"

Her voice went up, as if she was surprised, but immediately regained her composure, "Sorry for some of the things just now. Call this time... Is there something going on? ”

Toru Shimizu was cleaning up the paper that had just been scattered, and at the same time putting the words that had been prepared to work in handy.

"Hmm. Didn't I forget to bring my wallet with me for the last painting, so I thought I'd find a time to give you the money. ”

"Well, don't you? It's just a sketch. ”

"No, no, in my opinion, Nanami-san's painting is really good, so I think it's a little bit of my mind, and I hope Nanami-san can find a job in painting."

The words had already been spoken, but the other end of the line was silent, and all I could hear was the sound of cars passing by.

As he waited, Toru Shimizu felt that the room fell silent, and all he could feel was his own heartbeat and the longer and longer sound of the clock turning.

There had been silence for a long time. The scales supported by anticipation have begun to slowly tilt, and thoughts inevitably slip in a certain direction. I was about to reach the lowest place, but I was suddenly stopped by a word.

"That's... All right. ”

Secretly relieved, Qing Shui Toru raised his tone, "Okay, I don't know when Nanami-san will have time?" ”

"Shimizu-san decides."

"Is it okay on the first day of Golden Week? There should have been no classes at that time, right? ”

"Yes."

"Okay, I'll see you then."

"Hmm. Sorry I have something to do, goodbye. ”

"Goodbye."

Putting down the phone, Toru Shimizu waved his fist vigorously. Slowly falling on the sofa, the whole person relaxed as if he was in a state of mind.

------

Back at the convenience store, Nanami found the store manager who was studying the recipe.

"Oh? What happened to Nanami? ”

"I'm sorry, but I have something to do on the first day of Golden Week, and I may not be able to make it. I've promised you..."

"It's okay, it's okay," the store manager waved his hand, still with that kind expression, "I can handle it one day." ”

Before the words fell, a little gossip appeared on her face again: "Anyway, it's a good thing, right?" ”

Inexplicably feeling a little embarrassed, Nanami Nanami avoided her gaze, but saw her expression through the reflection of the glass on the side.

After being stunned for a moment, he straightened his face as if he wanted to deny anything, and went to the shelves to continue tidying up.