After completing the transfer procedures, he was about to walk out of the main building of the prefectural Tsugaraka when a gust of wind greeted him, slowing down Harumi Naruse's pace.

There is also the smell of burning hemp branches.

The smell of smoke, mush, and vagueness mingled in the humid summer air. Naruse seemed to be able to see a puff of white smoke fading away, dissipating between the courtyard wall and the blue sky.

It's a familiar taste, but it's a bit out of place at this time, because Obon is a thing of the past. Last night, it was he who personally lit the soul fire.

"Naruse-san!"

Naruse turned his head, and it was the county high school teacher who had just been separated.

Dozens of minutes ago, it was the other party who led him into this county high school, and then completed the procedures related to the transfer.

"Kobayakawa-sensei." Naruse turned around and waved his raised hand in the direction of the school office, "The admission permit has been returned." ”

As he spoke, he took a few steps back, saving the middle-aged teacher the trouble of changing his shoes.

"I know, I'm from there."

Kobayakawa breathed a little heavily, and sweat was on his forehead, "I thought Naruse-san would wander around the school for a while." Don't be informal, Naruse-san is also a member of Tsugaraka now. ”

"Before I first returned to Tianjin, there were still a lot of things to tidy up at home." Naruse explained.

"That's right."

Kobayakawa was stunned, and then talked about the reason why he chased after him: "I called from the uniform shop just now, and the person in charge of Tsutaka has something to do, and he won't be able to come back until late, so Naruse-san, let's go over another day." ”

Naruse was a little surprised, but he didn't say much, nodded in acceptance, and then asked, "Is it okay tomorrow?" ”

To this expected question, Kobayakawa gave an affirmative answer.

After a few words, the two sides said goodbye again in front of the shoe cabinet.

"Ah, yes...... Before getting a new uniform, Naruse-san wore the uniform of the high school in Tokyo to school. ”

"Okay."

......

Not far from the gate of the prefectural Tsu High School, Naruse saw a little boy who was being dragged forward by his mother. And he was crying and mournful, and he was still holding a small handful of unburned hemp branches in his hand.

Inappropriate behavior will always be punished to a greater or lesser extent, Naruse thought to himself, such as this little child in front of him.

Another example is that at the end of the summer vacation, I suddenly had to transfer from Tokyo back to my hometown of Aomori.

Everything was in such a hurry.

"Can you finish it today?"

After leaving the school and walking straight along the prefectural road, across a shallow river that surrounds the surrounding area, for seven or eight minutes until he sat down on a bench at the bus stop, Naruse was still thinking about the hustle and bustle he would face when he returned home.

The room was piled up with moving cardboard boxes that had not yet been opened.

He only came back yesterday afternoon.

From distant Tokyo, I returned to my hometown of Aomori Tsumae after a four-year absence.

His biological father died young, and the previous stepfather also left their lives last fall, and the person who led the matter was his entertainer mother;

It seems that such a decision was also made by a sudden idea of her: she wanted to provide a relatively stable environment for his high school life in the next three years.

Over the past year, the mother and son have spent less and less time together for their own reasons.

Naruse didn't know how long she had actually thought about it, but she only understood that it was her own nod that finally made this idea a reality.

"Summer ...... in Aomori"

The time spent waiting for the bus has become a rare time in the past two days. Naruse took a deep breath and leaned back, his gaze shining through the platform barrier and into the clear blue sky.

"It's so cool."

About 20 minutes later, a bus that showed it was going from Tsuzen city to Soma, passing through the Aoyagi area on the way, slowed down and stopped in front of the platform.

Naruse's home is in Aoyagi. In the countryside of the rural city, there are no trams, and the main public transport is buses that run every hour.

After getting on the bus, I reconfirmed that the bus would pass through Aoyagi, and Naruse sat down.

Born here, he is more like a newcomer at this time, carefully confirming his place.

"I'll get acquainted with it again." Naruse meditated in his heart. If nothing else, the bus will be his main commute for the next three years.

After a short half circle around the city of Tsumae, the bus left from the northwest and sped towards the Soma area on the other side.

The buildings on both sides of the prefectural road gradually become low, and the Iwaki Mountain in the distance stands tall and green. When he could vaguely see a river filled with rocks and weeds, Naruse got up and pressed the button to get off.

"Ding Dong - stop at the next station."

After crossing the river, the bus stops at the old platform not far from the bridge. Before Naruse could get out of the car, his attention had already fled from his feet.

A few planks of wood put together a cramped platform, and in the shadows, a short-haired girl sat on a bench with her eyes closed.

Naruse felt like he was just looking at it twice, but there was a cough from the driver's reminder behind him.

He came back to his senses, jumped off the bus one step forward, and smiled apologetically.

The colossus of steel and iron roared away, and the surroundings fell silent all at once.

There was no one nearby, only Naruse in front of the platform, and the girl on the bench who seemed to be asleep.

The red tie hung limply over the shirt, and the apple blossom school crest on the chest was somewhat familiar. And the red-gray tweed check skirt underneath is also reminding Naruse:

Not long ago, he had seen students wearing the same uniform on the campus of the prefectural tsu high school.

Her gaze moved up again, and the face of the student who was resting here was delicate, her short hair drooped down with her upturned head, and the slightly curved corners of her mouth showed that her face was very peaceful.

Probably had a good dream.

But falling asleep in this position must be your neck.

Naruse thought to himself, half-turned around and prepared to leave.

Since they are students from the same school, if the other party also lives nearby, they will have the opportunity to meet sooner or later.

He took one last look at her face, only to meet another gaze.

“……”

After a brief look at each other, the short-haired girl on the bench closed her eyes again, sat up straight, and then stretched out all of a sudden.

"Hmm-"

Stretching her long, comfortable waist and lowering her arms, she opened her eyes to look at him again.

"I accidentally fell asleep, and the weather was really comfortable. Ah, the neck...... Pain hurts pain ......"

Self-cooked character?

missed the best time to leave, and the other party took the initiative to talk, Naruse could only pause and re-face the girl who was twisting her neck.

After sitting up straight, he noticed that the other party was slender, much taller than ordinary girls, about 1.7 meters;

And her delicate face still has a bit of heroism, according to past experience, such a girl is very popular between the opposite sex and the same sex.

"I don't think I've seen you before, is there anything wrong with coming to Aoyagi?" The other party spoke again, "I probably know everyone nearby." ”

This time, Naruse replied quickly: "It's nothing, my family lives here." ”

"Huh?"

"I moved four years ago, and I only ...... from Tokyo yesterday"

"-Harumi?"

Being called by name, Naruse was stunned for a moment and looked at the other party's face again.

He has lived in this area for more than ten years, and he has many childhood companions, but he can't remember who this face is.

"Don't remember?"

The girl smiled, tucked her short hair behind her ear, then stood up and leaned in front of him.

"I am the light. Remembered? ”

......

“…… The change is really big. ”

Huddled on the bench and looking at the girl next to him, Naruse didn't know how many times he had said something similar.

Hikaru Takikawa, one of his childhood best childhood sweethearts, looks very different now than before.

In other words, the white and pure girl in front of her is completely two people compared to the skinny and black tomboy in the past.

"That's growth."

Hikaru Takikawa raised his arm and placed it on his shoulder, and with his other hand waved the dogtail grass that had been dragged from the side of the platform, his gaze wandering between him and the weeds.

"As for skin color, after Haruhi went to Tokyo, there was no one to accompany me to play in the wilderness, and I spent more time at home;

When I went to middle school, I joined the school's girls' basketball team and trained indoors...... Slowly, the skin turns whiter. ”

As she spoke, she looked over again, looking him in the eye up close.

The only thing that hasn't changed is probably her casual personality and a sense of distance that has never existed.

Recovering a hint of familiarity from the unfamiliar, Naruse looked away, but Hikaru Takikawa kept staring, looking more wanton.

"If you want me to say, Chunhai has changed a lot."

"After all, it's been four years."

In the beginning of her life, the two were thousands of miles apart, growing up in places they couldn't see each other, and they were exposed to two completely different environments, and she could think of him so quickly because this place was too small.

"That's what I'm more concerned about." Hikaru Takikawa suddenly raised his hand and pulled his hair back so that his ears were completely exposed, "Harumi even put on the studs." ”

"I still remember that Chunhai said that it would never be possible to do such a thing that would harm his body. Is it on the other ear too? ”

Naruse tilted his head slightly, revealing his left ear, and the black studs on the earlobe, "Paired." ”

"Hmm...... How long have you been wearing it? ”

"About two years."

"Overall, it feels pretty good." Hikaru Takikawa smiled.

Naruse also smiled, "Thank you." ”

"So, why?"

"If you want to wear it, you can wear it."

"Yes."

Hikaru Takikawa didn't ask much, looked at it twice, and changed the subject: "Is Auntie back too?" ”

"Hmm. She doesn't have a schedule for the time being, and will stay in Aoyagi for a while. ”

"Last winter's new drama was so well received that our whole family watched it, and it felt good to have a new style. The older the aunt gets, the more attractive she becomes. ”

"Thank you." Naruse smiled, "But it's best not to talk about age in front of her." ”

The two chatted a few more times, but the topic still fell to leaving Tokyo.

"Harumi left suddenly, and he came back very suddenly." Hikaru Takikawa said, "Did something happen over there in Tokyo?" ”

He thought for a moment before answering:

"I probably don't want me to have to move around and transfer schools with her after I go to high school."

Naruse had to tidy up the room after he went back, and Hikaru Takikawa also had his own affairs, and the two didn't talk for too long, and agreed to meet later.

"The motorcycle broke down and was repairing, and I had to take a bus to pick up the moon and come back, and she was attending classes at the school at the central station. When the time comes, we will visit my aunt together. ”

"Okay."

Leaving the bus stop, he went straight along the familiar road, and after six or seven minutes, Naruse turned a corner at the intersection.

After walking for a while, two adjacent buildings appeared on the side of the road, and the one on the right was his house.

Looking at the equally deserted yard of the neighbor's house, Naruse didn't stop walking, took out the key and prepared to open the door.

Click, but the door opened on its own.

Someone was waiting for him inside.

"Welcome back, ...... Harumi"

The girl inside the door had a layer of fine sweat floating on her forehead, and a few strands of hair were sticking to the side of her face, a little messy, but at this time she only had him in her eyes.

"Also, long time no see."

Naruse held the key and glanced at the neighbor's house again.

It was also four years apart, but he recognized her at a sight.

"Long time no see...... Naoko. ”