After a while, the booth that was originally empty was full of people, which instantly made Shion dumbfounded. Suddenly, there was some scrambling. At this time, an old lady with gray temples pulled her aside as if she wanted to whisper to her, and pointed to Lola, who was busy handing the book to the guest, and asked, "This girl worked hard just now, huh?" Although at first we didn't understand what she was trying to say—"

"But I really tried to tell us in beautiful words that there was a great stall here."

The old lady said unhurriedly, her voice was a little hoarse, and she didn't speak very clearly. Making asters takes a moment to understand. But she still understood—"Is she your friend?" The old lady smiled and asked, "Yes, we are classmates and good friends." ”

Shion also smiled and said. "Why didn't she just tell us, but use the words?"

Immediately afterwards, the old grandmother's expression was a little puzzled. "Wouldn't that be easier?" She looked at Shion, waiting for her explanation. "Grandma, actually, she can't hear it." As soon as Shion finished speaking, the old grandmother nodded slowly as if she had suddenly realized, "That's the case—"

"No wonder we rushed to that when we couldn't understand what she was trying to say at first." As she spoke, she laughed too. "However, your friend, the handwriting is beautiful and patient."

Then, gently take Shion's hand and say. "In other words, she's wearing hearing aids now, right?" The old grandmother watched Lola communicate with the guest in front of her without stumbling; He asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, she said, hearing aids are more important to her than life." Shion told her gently. "That's true!" The old lady nodded lightly and whispered seriously.

"Shion, please! Let's take a hand! "When I took a pile of books out of the cabinet in front of me and put them in front of me, I quickly shouted to her as if for help." Really, here it is! Then, after saying goodbye to the old grandmother beside her, Shion turned around and ran to the stall—

"Come on!"

Unexpectedly, the grandmother was still waving and cheering for her halfway. It instantly made Shion a little embarrassed, but in the end, he waved his hand at the moment he turned around. "Don't disappear suddenly, okay?"

I put on a bitter gourd face and complained in a somewhat painful voice as I returned to the asters in front of the stall. "Suddenly gone? Didn't I tell you before I left? Aster unhurriedly took half of the book from me; While saying.

"Is there one? I didn't hear it. Anyway, as soon as I turn around, you're gone—"

"Then it's your fault—" Then, as she carefully checked the title of the book that the guest wanted; He retorted without raising his eyes. Then hand them the book they wanted. "You mean, it's my fault?"

"Or else?"

As she spoke, she reached out again to take the guest's change, then walked around my back and handed them to Lola together. Lola sat to my left, carefully and conscientiously doing her statistics. "Hands, don't stop."

I sighed and gave up arguing further. Before you know it, it's noon. The crowds in front of me have finally decreased. At this time, Aster spread a plaid blanket on the grass not far from the stall as if she had brought it from home—

"Huh? What are you doing? ”

"Lunch! Could it be that you're not hungry yet? She straightened the corners of the blanket as far as she could; He looked up and told me. "You brought a bento?" Then she pointed to the twill satchel that had been hanging on the back of the chair next to me since the morning, "Right there, help me get it!" ”

So, I took the satchel and handed it to her, and she reached out to take it and reminded me, "You tell Lola not to be busy, let's eat together!" "As a result, as soon as Shion's voice fell, the moment I turned around, Lola was already standing behind me!" Wow?! ”

Suddenly, I staggered back two steps in fright.

"Poof—"

Shion was amused by my reaction and accidentally laughed. Immediately after that, she turned her eyes to the satchel in her hand and took out the three lunch boxes inside. It is a blue bento box with a cute cat ear shape and a snowflake-like pattern around it.

"When did you do that?"

I opened the lid while opening; While asking her curiously. - "In the morning, say your portion has fried shrimp, beef, omelets and tomatoes. I don't know what you like to eat, so I'll mix it up casually. ”

She said proudly. It was as if he was showing off his cooking skills to me. "Oh! That's great! I couldn't help but say as I looked at the omelet that was golden brown and slightly charred, lying quietly next to the beef.

"Like, satisfied?"

Suddenly, she seemed even more proud. I also quickly picked up my chopsticks and couldn't wait to try them.

But at this time, on a whim, she glanced at Lola's lunch box next to her—her bento mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms accounted for the majority, and the other part was tofu and braised fish. "Shall you try it?"

At the urging of Aster, it didn't take long for us to finish all the bento. "I think I can still have a bowl!" I gently pressed my stomach on one side; Said while looking seriously into Shion's eyes. "Wouldn't it? Haven't you eaten yet? ”

She put the empty lunch boxes back into her satchel one by one; He asked me in a somewhat disgusted tone. "No, it's not. I mean—"All of a sudden, we looked at each other, and I immediately became a little embarrassed.

"What?"

She chased my gaze and leaned her face in. That's when I realized that my face was hot, and Lola was smiling with a gloating expression all the time. Finally, when she noticed my distress-like gaze, she reached out and gently patted Shion's shoulder—

"I guess Chihiro wants to ask if she can eat your bento next time, right?" Then I was relieved when I wrote this sentence in my notebook to her. "Huh? Is that so? Immediately afterward, Shion turned her head in some surprise and asked me.

In order not to be stared at by her all the time, I also nodded quickly.

"If you have the opportunity in the future, it's not impossible......" Then, she also lowered her head slightly as if she was a little shy. It would be nice if Izumi was there—" Then, he quickly changed the subject and mentioned Izumi.

"Why?"

"At least if she's here, we won't be so tired!" After speaking, he raised his hands above his head as if stretching his waist and relaxed for a while. After another half hour or so, the afternoon work began. We are still busy at times, but there are fewer guests than in the morning, so we have time to take a break.

Finally, we finally completed today's task when the sun was about to set. I was tired, but I was happy. "Isn't that enough?" Shion said as she cleaned up her things, "Of course it's not enough, do you think musical instruments and toys are the same?" ”

As a result, we were all doing similar things for the next week, and Izumi would occasionally come over to help us.

Then, finally, after half a month, we can go to the musical instrument store to see the instruments we need. "Guitar is a must, right?"

On the way to the musical instrument shop, we turned the intersection of the third traffic light, and when we passed an alley, I asked Izumi. "Of course!" As a result, she said without even thinking about it, "And the piano is also necessary—"

"It's too demanding!"

I immediately interrupted her with a look of horror and surprise at the same time. "Indeed, none of us can play."

"Even if you can play, you can't really—"

"I know, I know, so you don't have to say it again!" Unexpectedly, she immediately interrupted me with a voice that drowned out me. "Anyway, you're saying we can't get a piano anyway, right? Because it's too expensive. ”

Now with her eyes slightly closed, she seems to be a little impatient.

"Isn't it?"

I asked with a wry smile. "Yes...... "She couldn't help but squint at me. As soon as Izumi finished complaining, we went to this musical instrument shop called "Hello", which was next to a pharmacy and a teahouse. However, there is now a "temporarily closed" sign at the door.

Izumi walked in and walked through the turnstile into the hall. We followed. The moment you stand in the hall, you are surrounded by a variety of musical instruments! Suddenly, it made me feel a little dizzy.

Because, I don't know anything about musical instruments, although there are a few things that I can barely name and use. But more than anything I've ever seen before. So there's no way to be as engrossed as Izumi and Aster.

The two of them now felt as if they were completely trapped in their own world. Turning a deaf ear to my words, he just dragged Lola around with all her might. It turned out that I was the only one standing in the hall like a telephone pole. Can't keep up with them at all......

After a while, the eyes around me slowly gathered! Suddenly, I wanted to disappear in place. — In order not to be overwhelmed by such a sense of shame, I plan to go shopping alone. As a result, I just bypassed the second shelf on the left side of the hall, and at the moment when I was about to go to the third shelf to take a look, I almost collided with Lola who suddenly appeared from there!

"Why?!"

In an instant, I quickly reached out and firmly grabbed her wrist, which looked a little stumbling and was about to fall backwards! "Are you alright?"

At this time, her originally panicked and scared expression also relaxed after seeing my face, and she was no longer so stiff. The other hand that was hurriedly stretched out was also retracted...... It's just that the guitar she was holding in her arms fell heavily to the ground and made a loud noise.

Suddenly, it startled both of us.

"What are you doing?"

Shion, who hurriedly ran over from the other end of the hall when he heard the noise, first looked at the guitar that had fallen on the ground, then looked at us who seemed to be hugging each other, and then asked in a very indifferent voice.

"Nothing!" As soon as the words fell, I let go of Lola, and she lowered her head when she wanted to laugh but didn't dare to laugh...... "You, you're done?" "It was a bit blunt, but I tried to change the subject.

"That's pretty much, but Izumi said Izumi wanted to hang out a little longer—" With that, she picked up the guitar we had dropped on the floor. "Be careful, if it's damaged, we'll be embarrassed."

And then don't forget to remind us to say.

In the face of her still angry, prickly gaze, I could only smirk and nod. "Shall you go to Izumi?" Then, she led us to look for Izumi in a row of shelves that had been shifted to the right.

It's like hide and seek.

Then, Shion's mobile phone in his trouser pocket suddenly rang, and on it was a message from Izumi: "Come to the second floor." Shion looked at us, sighed softly, shrugged and said, "Let's go, go to the second floor......"