"Master, my store has recently launched a spring-limited cherry blossom rice cake, so please try it."

"The flower season is over, and it's still selling?"

"Hmm. Grandpa said that the best-selling time for cherry blossom rice cakes is not when the cherry blossoms bloom at their best. ”

"Oh?"

"It's after the cherry blossoms haven't bloomed and withered."

"It's like people like to reminisce about the past and look forward to the future, but never take the present seriously?"

"Huh?"

Kitagawa Tamako held the tray, tilted her head slightly, and looked at Yu Murakami with bright and innocent eyes, as if to say {Master, I'm talking about cherry blossom rice cakes, what are you talking about}.

Her eyes gave Yu Murakami a feeling that he shouldn't say those seemingly profound but superficial truths in front of such a person.

"Okay. What time is it? He nodded.

"This weekend, it's the nineteenth. Master, you must come. ”

"What does {must come} mean? Didn't I say yes? ”

Kitagawa Tamako bowed her head shyly, as if she was embarrassed to suspect Yu Murakami.

"I'm afraid that Master, you have something to do that day, and you won't be able to come."

"It's not going to be so busy, is it? There is still time to eat a rice cake. ”

So, at half past nine in the morning on April 19th, when everyone in Sakuraso may still be sleeping or lying in bed playing with their mobile phones, Yu Murakami put on his shoes at the entrance and got on the train to the Rabbit Shopping Street.

It was unfortunate to come, and when the tram was full, Yu Murakami simply waited for the next trip.

Standing on the side of the platform, I watched as the coordinator vigorously "crashed" the person hanging outside the train door into it, and then watched the train drive away.

Do you want to bring some gifts? What should I bring? Murakami looked at the railroad tracks without the tram and fell into a reverie.

Halfway through the thought, my thoughts ran to {more than half of April, after May, and it was the rainy season, and I wondered if there were any new tenants in that musty rental house}, and then I thought about {That night, Ai Nakano said to him, "Boys, don't hesitate", but then there was a reason why he never mentioned what happened that night}.

The sound of the train coming in brought back to Murakami's thoughts of following the previous train.

He got into the first carriage, pressed against the glass behind the driver, and continued to look out at the railroad tracks that stretched forward as if they reached the sky.

As the train runs along the way, the brown branches of the cherry blossom trees on both sides are still bare, and it should take a little time for the green leaves to grow.

When the train arrived, he returned to what to buy and visit.

In the end, I was really desperate, so I simply bought a pot of azaleas in season in a flower shop in the rabbit shopping street.

Kitagawa Tamako's rice cake shop is called "Tamaya", a small storefront, and like many small shops, in addition to the atmosphere of the store, there is also the life of the store owner.

"Welcome, see for yourself what you need." The Beichuan stuffing behind the cabinet can only be seen on the top of the jet-black head.

"Stuffing, it's me."

"Ah, Brother Murakami!"

Kitagawa got up from her chair and was finally able to see her little face that was no different from her sister's.

She shouted into the store:

"Sister! Brother Murakami is here! ”

Behind the curtain, the first to come out was Tamako's father in a white chef's suit, Kitagawa Douda.

"Boy! Who let it! Get out! ”

"Father~~!"

He was followed by Kitagawa Tamako, who wore a white headscarf around her head and glasses from Murakami.

The corners of her eyes were filled with happiness, and she stumbled to Murakami like a deer.

"Master~, you're here, please go and sit inside first~."

"I won't allow it! No man is allowed to come to our house! Get out! ”

Yu Murakami has long been accustomed to Kitagawa Douda's daughter's late behavior, and he ignored him, and said to Kitagawa Yuko:

"Good. Well, it's a gift. ”

"Ah, it's azalea, I like azalea the most, thank you, master."

"Nothing. It's just a flower pot that I pulled out of a flower bed while waiting for the train at Sasazuka Station, and then bought it at a 100-yen store. ”

"Flower beds? This...... That's not good, master! You don't actually have to bring anything with you to my house. The flowers in the flower bed belong to everyone. The master will be blamed for doing this. ”

Yu Murakami saw that she looked seriously worried and admonished, and silently thought in his heart {Interesting, interesting.} ｝

"Sister," Kitagawa said helplessly, "Look clearly, there is {Florist Princess} written on the flower pot, this is the flower of Uncle Hanase's family." ”

"Ahh

Kitagawa Tamako was surprised that her bangs were slightly raised, and after confirming the label on the flower pot in a panic, she immediately hid her head behind the azalea, and her face was redder than the pink petals.

She said in a faint voice like a mosquito, "Master, please inside." ”

"Okay, excuse me."

When the curtain is lifted, it is the equipment for making rice cakes, and white dust floats in the air. One more door opens to a slightly larger living room.

There is a square wooden table on the tatami mat, and Tamako's grandfather, Kitagawa Fuku, is cutting lamb soup.

The two greeted each other, although they were not familiar with each other, but they were also polite.

"Tamako," Kitagawa Fu stood up with his hands on his knees, "you come and cut it, I'll help your father make rice cakes." ”

"Well, pay attention to your waist! Grandfather! ”

"Say what? My waist is fine! ”

"Anyway, just pay attention!"

"Okay, okay!"

The volume of the communication between the two was subconsciously amplified, but when Yu Murakami and Fukushi Kitagawa talked, they confirmed that the other party did not have symptoms of senile deafness.

Maybe it's a habit, thinking like this, Murakami sat down on the cushion and watched Kitagawa Tamako cut the yokan.

Her eyes were close together, as if she were using a microscope. Just like when she was learning coffee, I have spoken about her many times because of this.

"Eyes."

"Huh?" Kitagawa Yuzi raised her head as if she was frightened, and pushed the frame with the back of the hand holding the knife: "This is what you gave me, Master." ”

"I mean, keep your eyes away."

"Ahh

Kitagawa Yuzi continued to cut the yokan again, her eyes were far away, but her ears were red, and the cut yokan became thick and thin.

"How's your practice lately?"

"It went well." This time, Kitagawa Tamako was not frightened by Yuu Murakami's sudden opening, "I wasted a lot of coffee beans just to research new coffee." ”

"Sanada won't say anything."

"Hmm~, Sister Miko is really a gentle person."

"She just likes Tamako you."

Sanada Miko is not gentle to him, or to Grandma Kobayashi. Only Yuzi likes it as much as his sister and daughter.

Buy the latest clothes of the season, use the materials in the store for free, and more.

"No, master! Miko-san also respects you. Kitagawa Tamako even used honorifics.

"Yes."

"Uh-huh~"

This is the end of the conversation, Kitagawa Tamako continued to cut the yokan, and unconsciously put her face on it again.

Yu Murakami stopped reminding him and looked at the living room idly.

Old porcelain in the shape of cranes, turtles, ducks, and cats, folding fans with cakes written on them, arrows with ema hanging on them, and an old-fashioned television set on the floor in the northeast corner of the room, which has long been unused.

On the wall of the cabinet where the miscellaneous items are kept, there are colorful sunflowers. A thousand paper cranes hanging from the ceiling are folded hand in hand.

The room is old and childlike.

Tamako cut the yokan, and Yu Murakami began to eat the yokan. She made him spring tea again and took a squid-flavored shortbread.

After a while, the stuffing also came in, and the three of them chatted around the barista competition.

By half-past ten, Tamako got up and went to cook.

"Is your sister always cooking at home?" Yu Murakami asked.

"Hmm. After my mother died, my grandfather and father took turns doing it, and when my sister learned it, my sister did it. The stuffing replied obediently.

Yu Murakami nodded, remembering Ai Nakano, who lost her father in junior high school, but she couldn't cook.

Perhaps this is the difference between losing a father and a mother.

The Kitagawa family also has a special meal, with a bamboo basket of cherry blossom rice cakes wrapped in leaves in the middle of the table, and the rest of the dishes are placed around the rice cakes.

"Tamaki, help grandpa take out the plum wine and let Murakami-kun taste it too." Kitagawa Fukushi said.

Kitagawa Tamako answered, and ran out of the living room with light steps.

"Why! Then I'm brewing! Tamaki's father clasped his hands on his chest and was very unhappy.

"Shut up for me." Kitagawa Fu reprimanded.

Yuzi's father "hummed" and muttered in a low voice:

"Old man, this guy is a barista, I heard that he is still a voice actor, and it is impossible for him to join our family to inherit the rice cake shop."

"What are you thinking all day, kid? Is inheriting a rice cake shop your criterion for choosing a son-in-law? ”

"Isn't it?" Tamako's father replied loudly.

"Of course not! What do you brat know! Tamako's ......"

Kitagawa stuffing covered his forehead with his little hand in a word, and the little adult sighed like a little adult, and said to Yu Murakami:

"Brother Murakami, I'm sorry, none of the adults in my family are normal."

During the meal, Tamako's father tried in vain to get Yu Murakami drunk with home-brewed low-alcohol plum wine.

But until he was flushed, lying on the table and shouting Tamako's mother's name, saying things like {Tamako doesn't want me anymore} {Kitagawa's rice cake shop can only rely on stuffing}, Murakami Yu still sat calmly on the cushion, eating vegetables and sipping plum wine.

After eating, Tamako sends Yu Murakami to the station.

When passing by the flower shop, she also ran over and squatted in front of the azalea area to take a closer look.

The male boss, who had long hair and was as beautiful as a noblewoman, gave her another pot of azaleas.

Kitagawa Tamako shook her hands and little head, and hurriedly excused herself. But in the end, he went out of the store with the azalea.

"Master, it turns out that you really bought it here. That's great. ”

Yu Murakami glanced at the azalea in her arms, whether it was the variety or the style of pruning, the pot he bought was far from good.

"Tamako is really favored."

Kitagawa Yuko didn't refute and smiled sweetly:

"Everyone in Rabbit Street, as well as Sister Miko and Grandma Kobayashi, everyone is a very gentle person."

"It's Tamako, you're so cute, so these people with completely different personalities like you."

"No, no, no, no! Master, don't talk nonsense! Kitagawa Tamako immediately became shy, buried her head, and her neck close to the white shirt was red.

It took her a long time to recover.

"By the way, master, Sister Onishi said that she will resign at the end of this month."

"Yes."

"Well, Sister Onishi is also leaving." Kitagawa Tamako was depressed.

"It's part-time, after all. Besides, she has gradually become famous as a voice actor, and the office will not allow her to work in a coffee shop anymore. ”

"Hmm."

In island countries, non-regular employees are not insured. Without insurance, the cost of going to the hospital can suddenly become expensive.

Although Miko Sanada has money and doesn't care about money, she will not pay resident taxes, pensions, and insurance premiums to waiters who are destined to work for a long time.

As for whether Saori Onishi continues to work in the coffee shop, Yu Murakami doesn't care what, while Kitagawa Tamako is a little depressed, and the two walk in silence for a while.

Yu Murakami took the initiative to say:

"Today's food was delicious."

"Really? Thank you, master, just casually made a little. I hadn't studied complex cuisine, so I wanted to learn a few dishes and make them for the chef, but the taste was completely bad, so I gave up. ”

"Nope. Today was very good. Complicated dishes are not delicious. ”

"Is that so? Master doesn't need to comfort me. ”

"I'm not going to comfort anyone." Yu Murakami said honestly, "Today's coltsfoot stems, cauliflowers, and onions are the freshest.

I'm a fan of seasonal vegetables. There is no need for complicated techniques and processes, and how delicious it is to make it.

Jade, you have a vision. ”

Kitagawa Tamako smiled embarrassedly.

"The master will come back next time, and I will make it for you."

"That will have to wait until the summer. A meal in the spring is enough. ”

"Mmmm~, I'll buy summer vegetables then."

"Good. When the time comes, I go to Ueno Park to pick lotus flowers as gifts. ”

"Don't be like this, master~~~. And the lotus flower is not a gift! ”

"So?" Yu Murakami doesn't know much about island culture, "Then sunflowers." I remember having it in Setagaya. ”

"Master! It's not okay to pick flowers! ”

The two came to the station and waited for the tram to arrive.

Kitagawa Tamako, who is holding azaleas, is faster than Yu Murakami.

"Master has changed a lot this year. Never joked before. ”

"yes."

"Sure enough, as a voice actor, isn't it okay not to be optimistic and cheerful?" Kitagawa Tamako asked curiously.

"Pretty much. There are a variety of reasons for this. There are so many details that I don't know myself. ”

Murakami looked at the railroad tracks leisurely, and there was some distraction.

"But yes, it can be solved, no matter how difficult it is."

Yu Murakami turned his head sideways and looked at Tamako's face in the azalea.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it's a master, it's definitely going to be solved! That's what Tamako believes! ”

"What kind of strange causal relationship is this?"

"Last year, I saw the master for the first time, master, guess what I was thinking?"

"What do you think?" Yu Murakami asked.

"This person is so rude, and he looks like he is amazing."

"Hmm."

"Later, I made the best coffee and desserts; And I heard Sister Onishi say that the master only took a few classes related to voice actors, and now he is a popular voice actor. Slowly, the master became a little omnipotent in my heart. ”

After saying this, Kitagawa Yuzi herself was a little embarrassed.

"Anything can be done...... It is impossible for man to be omnipotent. Even if it's me, it's no exception, Tamako. ”

"Hehe, but that's what I think in my heart. By the way, Sister Onishi thinks the same way.

She said that Master, you are a boss with a high lv, and she still has a long way to go as a brave man. ”

Kitagawa Tamako tilted her head in confusion and said:

"I don't play games, and I don't know what Sister Onishi is talking about, but I guess I'm praising the master."

The train came, and Yu Murakami got on the bus at the beckon of Tamako Kitagami.

He was still in the first carriage, but unfortunately the best place to rely on the glass was occupied.

It is indeed impossible for a person to be omnipotent, and it is obviously a trivial matter, but he becomes negative.

At this time, the female passenger, who was leaning on the glass and looking out of the window, quickly glanced at Yu Murakami several times with her eyes.

His handsome face was expressionless, only his eyelids drooped slightly.

The female passenger's heart was pinched, and she became inexplicably sad.

"Well," she said, in a trembling voice, "if you're not feeling well, look at the view." Please stand in my position, where you can rest comfortably against the glass. ”

Female passengers get out of the way of the best position.

Yu Murakami raised his eyelids, and his pupils were all revealed with a dazzling black pearl brilliance.

He smiled lightly and said, "No need. Thank you. I am fine. ”