After the end of the second free movement, the place where the first-year classes of Tsu High School met again was also moved to a large parking lot near Asama Onsen Station.

Finding the bus of Class C, Naruse and Naoko got on the bus and sat for a while before the other students came to gather one after another.

It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon when there was a sudden commotion outside.

Naoko took a look, and it was Hikaru Takikawa who came over surrounded by a group of girls.

"What's wrong?" Naruse on his side also poked his head out.

"It's light."

Surrounded by warblers and swallows, Hikaru Takikawa stood at the door of the car and took several minutes just to say goodbye to the girls in the other class.

"Okay, let's talk later."

Finally getting into the car, she walked to the back, and quickly noticed the two people looking at her.

"Did Monk Harumi go to the hot springs?"

"Hmm."

"Very good, right?" Hikaru Takikawa sat down in the back seat, "It's really comfortable to soak in the hot springs after the hike." ”

Naruse turned her head and looked at her short hair, which was still a little wet, "With those girls just now?" ”

"yes. I met at 'Asama Yu', and everyone soaked together. Oh, the hot spring pool is full of Tsugaraka girls. ”

"After all, it's the off-season, and there are not many tourists."

Hikaru Takikawa leaned forward on the back of Naoko's seat and looked at the two of them, "Speaking of traveling, where are we going to play after that?" ”

Naruse glanced at her, "Are you confused, you're going back to school after that." ”

"I mean when you're free, like winter break."

"It's too early to think about it."

"So you can prepare early." She lowered her arms and gently hugged Naoko in the seat, "What does Naoko think?" ”

Naoko took her hand and tilted her head slightly, "I just said that when I wanted to go somewhere." ”

"Oops."

Hikaru Takikawa smiled, "I was soaking in the hot springs just now, so I thought it would be nice if I could soak in the hot springs in winter, and I also wanted to take the moon to relax, so Reiko recommended a hot spring on the other side of the mountain." ”

Reiko was probably one of the girls who ran the hot spring with her just now, Naruse had never heard of this name and didn't know it, "Yamagata over there?" What hot springs? ”

She thought for a moment, "It seems to be called Silver Hot Spring." ”

Naruse frowned, "Silver...... Ginzan Hot Springs? ”

"Ah...... Right! That's the name. Harumi also knows, is it famous? ”

"Of course it's famous, there used to be a very famous TV series "Ashin", which was filmed there." He paused, "My mom also filmed commercials at Notong House there. ”

"That's ......"

Hikaru Takikawa's eyes widened a little, "So, is Harumi going?" ”

Do you go to the hot springs during the winter vacation......

Naruse imagined it a little, and there was some anticipation.

"Winter is the peak tourist season over there, and the room is not easy to book."

"Hmm...... Is it too late to make an appointment? ”

"I don't know, go to the website and check it out." Naruse said, only to find Hikaru Takikawa looking at him unmoved.

“…… Okay. ”

He took out his phone and checked it for her.

"Silver Mountain Onsen...... Pregnant. ”

There are quite a few guesthouses in Ginzan Onsen, and from November onwards, there are already a large number of bookings.

"Years ago, or years later?"

"Hmm...... years ago. ”

Hikaru Takikawa leaned forward again, lowered his head, and unconsciously sniffed Naoko's scent.

Naruse glanced at her, "I actually left my family to go to the hot spring at such a busy time." ”

"That's an exaggeration." She laughed, "Didn't I bring the moon?" ”

"The exact date, you decide." Naruse handed her the phone.

Hikaru Takikawa took the phone and looked at it.

"Wow, the accommodation fee is so expensive!"

"It's peak season, after all."

"It's so expensive, I'd like to stay there for a week."

"You really don't want to help prepare for the New Year."

She looked at it for a while, and suddenly raised her gaze, "Chunhai and Shangzi are both going." ”

Naruse looked at Naoko, and she was looking at him too.

"Then go ahead."

"Uh-huh."

"OK~" Hikaru Takikawa smiled and thought about it again, "Let's call Kazuha and Starfish too." ”

Naruse pursed her lower lip.

"Neither of them will necessarily say yes."

After all, one was busy studying, and the other was not waiting to see him.

"I'll ask."

She was about to get out of the car with her mobile phone, but was stopped by the teacher standing at the door.

"Where are Takikawa-san going, we're going back."

"I'll go to Class E and I'll be right back......"

"Nope."

Takigawa Hikaru raised his hand to the side, and Nakahara Xue had to raise her head to look at her, "Go back and sit down, the teacher is going to start roll call." ”

"Light Snow~"

"No, OK~"

Hikaru Takikawa had no choice but to return to his seat.

"Send a message and ask."

She lowered her head to edit the message, and on the other side, Zhongyuan Xue walked back and forth in the car, glanced around and began to roll call.

Before Takigawa Hikaru was clicked, Morimi and Starfish had already sent replies separately.

"Kazuha said that there was no time, but the starfish agreed."

Naruse was a little surprised, and looked back at her, "Did you tell her that I would go too." ”

"Huh? I didn't say it. ”

"Now then."

Hikaru Takikawa lowered his head to the news, and when he looked up again, he also frowned.

"Starfish said no."

"Hehehe......" Naruse laughed dryly.

Hikaru Takikawa leaned forward again, "Chunhai and Starfish still can't get along, and we're still playing together today." ”

"So it's a problem on her side. If the starfish doesn't go, forget it, leave her alone. ”

Naoko glanced at him.

"Takigawa."

"In ......"

Nakahara Xue walked over while taking a roll call and pressed Hikaru Takikawa back to his seat.

A few minutes later, she returned the phone to Naruse.

"Booked?"

"Nope. There are a lot of things to fill in, so let's go back and get them again. ”

After a few moments, the humming engine sounded, and the bus trembled slightly.

Nakahara Xue got up for the last time:

"We're about to leave, everyone take their seats—"

As the bus of class B next to it drove out of the parking space, the bus of class C quickly followed and embarked on the return journey of the hike.

The route back is a little different than when you came, but it's still a long way.

Perhaps it was because he got enough rest while soaking in the hot springs, and Naruse was not tired at this time, while the other students on the bus stopped moving within ten minutes of the bus starting.

Naoko beside him, yawning more and more frequently.

As the scenery outside the car window gradually changed to the same woods, she finally gave up her resistance to sleepiness.

The bus swayed, and she leaned back.

Naruse turned his head to look at her, then looked out the window.

Woods.

Regressing woods.

Driving to this stretch of road, only the trees on both sides of the county road are constantly receding.

The same is true for the front of the field of view.

He was alone and awake, his eyes nowhere to fall, and he returned to his side, lingering for a long time.

The girl on her shoulder had her eyes closed, her face was calm, her chest was slightly heaving, and her breathing was inaudible.

The skin is delicate, the cheeks are so full that people can't help but want to reach out and pinch them, and the thin lips are pale red and bright, and they breathe slightly in their sleep.

She is the neighbor's child and the one who grew up with him.

At the same time, he is also a person of the opposite sex who is excellent in all aspects.

Naruse lowered his head and leaned closer.

The long jet-black hair was casually draped over her shoulders, exuding a faint fragrance, and her shoulders and arms were pressed against each other, constantly transmitting her body temperature.

She's right in front of her.

Everything about her, at her fingertips.

Naruse slowly lifted her hand, pausing again just as her fingertips were about to touch her cheek.

“……”

Can it just start?

He believes in Naoko and believes in himself, but all the "beginnings" he has witnessed are the first steps towards the end.

And the one who gets tired running between the beginning and the end is still his perfect artist mother.

With him now, how long can he last such a fragile relationship as love?

Once you start, there's no way to regret it.

The transformation of the relationship between each other, as long as one step is taken, there is no going back.

What is the point of the beginning that will come to an end?

After all, what is the meaning of life?

So busy, yet so short, as if everything was in vain......

With a dull chest, Naruse took a deep breath and tugged at his thoughts, preventing it from continuing to sink endlessly into the dark depths.

“…… Thinking about this useless thing again. ”

Looking at Naoko, who was still asleep, Naruse put down his hand.

As long as that's it......

It's good to go on like this.

She felt the same way.

The distance between them is a tacit understanding that they have never spoken.

If it doesn't start, it doesn't end.

......

An hour later, several buses carrying students from all classes in the first grade drove into the prefectural Tsugaro and stopped in front of the main building.

was woken up, and Hikaru Takikawa got out of the car and went to Class E again. Before Naruse went upstairs, he saw her stop Morimi and Starfish.

"Haven't you given up yet?"

Back in the classroom, Nakahara Xue assigned today's excursion as homework, and briefly explained a few words of three-way talks starting tomorrow, and then announced the end of school.

Because I was a little tired, there was nothing to do with the club, and Naruse and Shoko didn't go to the ministry.

"Let's go home."

"Hmm."

"I slept with a little pain in my neck......"

"You get in the car and fall asleep."

"How can it be so fast......"

I went to the supermarket to buy ingredients, Naruse carried them, and when I got home, Naoko was rummaging through the keys in her bag, but the door of her house next door suddenly opened.

A middle-aged woman walked out.

"Naoko."