The heat surged, enveloping the body, and Naruse leaned back in the tub and closed his eyes.

The chill eroded by the cold rain gradually dissipated, and he moved down again, enjoying the hot water more fully.

There was some noise outside.

"Naoko."

"Is the water temperature still right?" She had come in to dispose of his changed clothes.

"yes, that's fine."

Naruse opened his eyes, his body did not move, and he moved his head, looking at the only window in the bathroom.

It was dark outside, and the frosted glass reflected the light inside.

The rain continued.

"It's still raining."

"Hmm." Taking the clothes he had changed, Naoko turned her head to look at the bathroom door, "After all, a typhoon is coming." ”

There was no response inside, and she continued: "Looking at the weather forecast just now, the typhoon seems to be showing signs of deflection towards the sea. ”

"It's hard to say."

"yes. Either way, tonight's storm won't stop. ”

Naruse responded.

"Naoko."

"Huh?"

"You can sleep here at night."

She grabbed the clothes in her hand and agreed as casually as she could, "Okay." ”

He was soaking wet and had to change from the inside out, and Naoko checked the pocket of her clothes and suddenly pinched something.

When I took it out, it was a pack of tissues.

“……”

Glancing at the bathroom door again, she approached and sniffed it quietly.

In addition to the aroma of the tissue itself, there seems to be a bit of a girl's smell.

The taste of starfish?

"Spring Sea."

"Hmm."

"Are you done?"

Before school in the afternoon, he told her that he had some things to attend to alone, and asked her to go home first.

She didn't ask at the time, anyway, if he didn't want to say, he would be fooled into asking.

But now, she noticed what she had to care about.

After a while, the answer came from the bathroom: "Well, almost." ”

"Does it have anything to do with starfish? Harumi came back with her......"

"What can it do with her. I just met at a café while sheltering from the rain, and then we came back by car together - it was the Hakaino Cafe near Tsudaka. ”

Even though he couldn't see it, Naoko nodded, "I see." ”

Putting the tissue on the washstand, she said, "When I came back, I met a leaf, and the starfish still didn't seem to pass the make-up exam." ”

Naruse smiled, "She doesn't even remember what Oda Nobunaga did, so it's strange that she can pass." ”

Naoko frowned.

Is it really just a bump in?

He seemed to hear the voice in her heart, and said, "I wanted to wait for the rain to stop before going home, so I tutored her by the way when I was hiding from the rain." I didn't really counsel anything, though. ”

Naoko looked at the tissue, "Starfish will actually accept it." ”

Inside laughed again, "I guess I'm really scared of being tortured by the make-up exam." ”

She thought for a moment and said:

"In that case, the starfish should also be willing to go to Kazuha for help."

"Possibly."

Putting the wet clothes in the washing machine and pressing the start button, Naoko picked up the clean T-shirt that she had changed from the basket again, and took a deep breath with her face buried.

"Dinner is almost ready, and when you have enough spring sea, let's come out to eat."

"Okay."

......

Outside the window, the rain was dripping.

In a room on the second floor of Morimi's house, Kazuha Morimi was sitting at his desk, sorting out his notes.

At one point, the phone in the corner suddenly vibrate.

She glanced at it, ignoring it, and didn't put her pen down until she had finished the current section.

Stretching, she got up and walked to the window, opening it a little.

The wind poured in at once, carrying small and cold raindrops, and ruffled her hair.

Smack.

Closing the window and listening to the faint roar of the river not far away, she stood for a moment before returning to her desk.

Picking up the phone, it was a message from a starfish.

“……”

Morimi took off his glasses, pinched the corners of his eyes, and put them back on.

It was really sent by a starfish.

Maki Starfish: Does Morimi have time tomorrow?

Morimi: There is time.

Probably because she had waited a little long before, her message was sent for a while, and the starfish sent a reply.

Maki Starfish: I'd like to ask Morimi to guide me in my studies.

Maki Starfish: As long as you can pass the make-up exam.

Starfish: Please!

“……”

Morimi leaned back, his eyes under the lenses, and looked at the table to sort out his notes for a long time.

Isn't this a waste of work?

Morimi: Okay.

The two agreed on a time to meet tomorrow, and seeing that there was no more news from the starfish, she put down her phone.

Getting up and walking out the door, Morimi went to another room on the north side of the second floor and stood in front of the window.

A vast stretch of darkness is full of farmland. On the other side of the farmland, the sporadic light faltered in the wind and rain.

It's been a long time since she's stood here looking out, and she's almost forgotten the names of those points of light.

"Naruse Family...... I guess it's there. ”

Morimi stared at one of the lights for a moment.

Earlier, Naoko sent her a message asking her to tutor and study for Starfish.

According to Naoko, Starfish had even received counseling from Naruse in the afternoon, and would probably come to her later.

Morimi didn't doubt what had happened, but he didn't agree with Naoko's speculation, after all, she dangled in front of the starfish for a week, and the latter didn't mention anything about studying.

Unexpectedly, Starfish really took the initiative to come to her.

"What have you done?"

Morimi leaned against the window and asked in the distance.

And in that bit of light, Naoko had just finished taking a shower, sitting on the sofa and wiping her hair.

Naruse came downstairs with a book in his hand, sat down on the other side of the couch, and turned on the TV.

Naoko crossed her legs, more casual than usual, wrapped her black hair in a towel and wiped it gently, "Is Harumi bored in the room?" ”

"No, I think Naoko will be bored."

Naruse lifted the book in his hand, "It's so early, it's not time to go to bed yet." ”

"Hmmm......"

She smiled, "I'm trying to find something to do, too." ”

"I'll go get your stuff." Naruse said, referring to her unfinished puppets.

"No need, it's raining so hard outside." Naoko shook her head and pointed to the book in his hand again, "What is Harumi looking at?" ”

"A great science fiction novel." He showed her the cover, and beneath the two Chinese characters of the title was a burning planet.

"Harumi seems to be reading all of these types of books lately."

"Actually, it's the same series, and this is the last book in the trilogy."

"Is it recommended by Kazuha again?"

"No, I heard about it when I was in Tokyo, and it happened that Morimi Komoto had this set of books, so I bought it."

Naoko nodded and smiled at him again: "Then I'll find a book to read too." ”

"Whatever you want."

Naruse followed her back to the upstairs room and watched as she slowly searched for the bookshelf.

"What type of books does Naoko want to read?"

"Everything."

"Don't you have a specific request?"

"Hmm...... Both. ”

She turned her head and smiled at him, "It's all to pass the time anyway, let me find it myself." ”

Naruse didn't say anything and continued to read.

It wasn't until she took a book off the shelf and flipped through it that he really retracted his attention.

Naoko took the book, dragged a cushion from the side, and sat on the plush carpet with her legs bent.

The pajamas could only cover the ankles, and the bare feet were white and flawless, rubbed against the coolness of the night and rain.

Naruse sat at the desk, facing her sideways, "It was okay a few days ago, but it felt a little cold when it rained." ”

Naoko smiled lightly, "Isn't Harumi used to the temperature here?" ”

"I'm almost used to it, it's just ...... If you are in Tokyo, you will still feel hot before and after the festival. ”

"Will you miss that side more?"

"Not really." He shook his head and looked at her again, "Isn't it hard to sit on the ground and read?" ”

Naoko hugged her legs and folded her feet, "It's okay." ”

Naruse put down the book and got up to move the low table that was stored aside for her support.

"Thank you." Naoko lay on the table, her long hair flowing softly, covering half of her side face.

Naruse returned to the desk, and she looked at him on her stomach for a while, then picked up the book and flipped through it.

The night was still long, and the rain was constantly sounding.

The pace of the typhoon in the north is slow, but the body is heavy, like a big child trapped in a small room, every time he stretches his legs and dances his arms, he always knocks over something, but no one can stop it.

By the time Naruse put down the book, his attention turned back to the movement made by the "big kid" outside the window, and it was already late at night.

Naoko lay on the table, her book in her hands, and her breathing was even.

Pushing and not waking up, Naruse carried her downstairs, and Matsu Qianqiu's room had been cleaned up before.

Putting Naoko on the bed, he exhaled and shook his arm again, looking like he had taken a lot of effort.

She clenched her fist and swung it lightly, and he caught it, looking at each other and smiling.

"Good night."

"Good night, Harumi."