When the café clerk came up again, he had a cup of hot cocoa.

"Thank you."

Naruse took a sip, put down the cup, and continued to look out the window.

Before the clerk went downstairs, he turned on the lights on the second floor, making it even darker outside. The rain was a little lighter than it had just been, but it wasn't enough to leave.

"How's it going?" He looked at the starfish.

"Huh?"

She was stunned for a moment, and then realized that he was talking about the "long river of history" that she had just asked her to draw.

And what is actually done, he can also see on the opposite side: there is nothing but a thin line that twists and turns.

"Still thinking?" Naruse asked again.

Starfish replied vaguely.

"Actually, there is a very simple way: use the catalogue of Japanese history as a reference point for the turn of the 'river.'"

"Hmmm......"

She glanced at him, unable to comprehend his composure.

After all, her heart was still full of embarrassment of peeking at notes and being discovered.

"Are you still thinking about what just happened?" Naruse suddenly spoke.

"Ah...... Well. ”

Now that he has made it clear, the starfish no longer hides it, and asks directly, "What are you investigating?" ”

"Didn't you just see it?"

The notebook was also confiscated, so it was put aside, and Naruse handed it over again.

“……”

Starfish's face was hot, thinking that he was deliberately mocking his peeking behavior just now, but seeing that his expression was as usual, he felt that he might be too careful.

"No need." She didn't answer, and she didn't want to admit directly that she didn't see anything else except for some people's attitudes towards Naoko, "What do you think?" ”

Naruse retracted his notebook, "As you can see." ”

“……”

Annoyance temporarily prevailed, and Starfish couldn't help but glare at him.

Naruse didn't notice, but went on.

"I happened to hear someone from the handicraft club say bad things about Naoko, and they were very mean, so I wanted to investigate: is this their personal behavior, or is it a broader situation."

As soon as he heard "say bad things", Starfish subconsciously shrank his head and peeked at him.

If you want to say "mean bad things", she didn't say it much at the beginning, and she said it in front of him.

Naruse still didn't look at her, and squinted at the notebook: "Now, the investigation has come out with some preliminary results." ”

"So you just dated those girls...... Is this what we met? Starfish asked.

Naruse nodded, "They're all members of the Handicraft Society. I asked me to have coffee, and I always asked something about Naoko. ”

"So, is there a conclusion?"

Naruse took a deep breath and didn't answer.

Haixing thought that this was the worst case and said, "In that case, wouldn't it be okay to let Naoko quit the handicraft club?" ”

He shook his head, "No. ”

"Why?"

"Because Naoko still thinks that the atmosphere in the handicraft club is very good. Although she occasionally receives some targeting, she gets more pleasure there...... This is also the conclusion I came to after observation. ”

Starfish finally got smarter, "Doesn't Naoko know about this yet?" ”

"Of course."

"Why didn't you just ask her?"

"Because Naoko didn't choose to take the initiative to tell me."

"Huh?" The starfish didn't understand again.

Because she's a fool who occasionally thinks too much to herself, Naruse thought to herself.

After staring at him for a while, seeing that he still had no intention of explaining, Haixing suppressed his dissatisfaction and asked, "What are you going to do in the future?" ”

Naruse opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't say anything in the end.

He stared out the window, not knowing whether he didn't want to answer her, or if he didn't have a ready-made idea.

And as soon as the conversation stopped, the silence spread, the sound of rain poured through, and the atmosphere that had been a good conversation just now disappeared all at once.

From time to time, the sound of cars passing by can be heard outside the window, so clear that even the splash of water can be seen in people's minds.

Because the topic was Naoko, they were able to pretend to talk so much to each other that they didn't mind the past, Starfish thought to herself.

Back to each other themselves, there are only emotions that are a thousand times more complicated than the previous embarrassment.

They used to be stepbrothers and sisters who hated each other, and they won't be friends anymore......

Starfish unconsciously touched her lips.

The past was like a night tide, and suddenly it submerged her, and her chest was very tight.

She lowered her head, and when she looked up again, his cocoa was no longer steaming.

"Aren't you going back?"

She hadn't spoken for a long time, and her voice had changed a little.

It was getting darker, and Naruse looked out the window before turning his head after a while.

"I didn't bring an umbrella."

“……”

"But it's time to go back."

He stood up and showed her the weather on his phone, "The typhoon is getting closer and closer, and the rain won't stop today." ”

He packed up his things—the notebook, actually—and picked up his bag, ready to leave.

After being glanced at by him, Starfish reacted suddenly, hurriedly stuffed the test papers and books into his bag, and got up to follow.

When I came downstairs, Naruse was not the only one who was aware of the heavy rain, and there were many fewer people in the café than just now.

After settling the bill, he looked up at the door, and then plunged into the rain without looking back.

“……”

The starfish hesitated, but could only follow, with his head on his schoolbag.

They trotted all the way, made a splash, and by the time they reached the bus stop a few hundred meters away, they were both soaking wet.

Naruse saw the time before leaving, and before he waited, the last bus back stopped in front of the two.

Once in the car, he walked to the nearest vacant seat and sat down. Although it was also empty, the starfish walked in again, not far from him.

It wasn't until the bus restarted that she had time to take out a tissue and wipe her wet face and hair.

Da Da -

Heavy rain pounded on the windows of the car and went down the river.

The trickle and bits and pieces all became cold and crystal in the messy headlights.

There were few people in the car, and no one spoke, except for the humming of the engine.

A drop of cold rain dripped down the ends of his hair and into his neck, and the starfish couldn't help but shiver.

After staring at Naruse's back in front of her for a while, she looked at the half-pack of tissues in her hand again, and stood up with her chair.

She walked over, and he looked down at his phone, who was messaging him.

Naoko: Did you get on the bus?

Naruse: Hmm.

Naoko: Definitely soaking wet......

Naruse: It's okay.

Starfish hesitated how to speak, he suddenly looked up, found that it was her, his expression was relieved, and then said: "If you always peek, I will still care." ”

“……”

The starfish instantly became embarrassed, but could not refute it.

Although she didn't mean to, she did see the conversation between him and Naoko, not to mention that the previous one was still intentionally peeking.

Always suspicious, always on guard, they really can't treat each other normally.

She threw down the tissue, turned back to her seat, and moved her bag back several more rows away from him.

Naruse thought she had thrown something casually to vent her anger, but when she picked it up, she found that it was a tissue, and then she understood what she had just meant.

What a headache......

He thought he was joking, but he forgot that they weren't even friends now.

He looked back, "Thank you." ”

With damp hair sticking to his face, Starfish stared coldly at the car window and ignored it.

Naruse didn't say anything, turned back again, took out a tissue and wiped his face, and stuffed the remaining small half bag into his pocket.

After leaving the city, the bus sped all the way in the dark.

The rain continued.

Because he couldn't see the situation outside, Naruse greeted the driver early.

"Stop at the next station, Aoyagi-"

After a few moments, the bus pulled over and slowed down.

Naruse got up and shouted behind him, "Starfish." ”

She didn't answer, but picked up her things and got out of the car.

It was still raining outside, and it was very dark, so when he got off the train, he saw a dark shadow hiding in the platform, and Naruse was immediately startled.

"Spring Sea."

It's actually Naoko.

She held an umbrella, "I'm here to pick you up." ”

“バカ！”

（ba ka）

Naruse clearly remembers that he had just refused her umbrella and told her to stay at home.

Naoko just smiled slightly and handed him the other umbrella she brought, "Go back." ”

Until she saw the starfish getting out of the car after him.

"Starfish? …… Didn't the starfish bring an umbrella either? ”

Starfish looked at her, because Naruse was beside her, he didn't want to speak, nodded his head to say hello, and then he was about to go back in the rain.

Naruse shoves the umbrella to Naoko.

She chased after her, and sure enough, she didn't meet much resistance, and the starfish quickly took it.

"Thank you."

"The starfish is completely soaked, let's go home early and take a shower."

"Hmmm......"

Starfish left with an umbrella, Naoko looked, and Naruse walked over and squeezed under her umbrella with her head down.

"Let's go back."