The night sky was dark, and there were no stars to be seen.

Street lamps illuminate the ground, and the light is reflected in a misty light.

Is it really just the beginning of October, and the temperature at night is really getting colder......

Looking out the window, Naruse slowly exhaled, and the white mist was faintly visible.

Withdrawing his gaze, he realized that the starfish was looking at him.

"It's done."

She quickly lowered her gaze and pushed the notebook over.

Naruse took it and looked at it twice, "That's right...... Well, the answer is correct, but a crucial step is missing in the process. ”

"What?"

"After this step is transformed, how can it go directly to this step, and what about the process in between?"

Starfish pushed his glasses, squinted at the upside-down notebook for a moment, and then looked down on his scratch paper.

"I've written here...... I omitted it and didn't copy it. ”

Naruse returns the notebook to her.

"It can't be omitted, and for this question, this step is the key. As long as you write the formula for this step on the test paper, you will get most of the marks even if the final answer is wrong. ”

Starfish sighed, took the note and looked at it for a while.

Naruse picked up the book and flipped through it a few times, "Let's try another one." ”

She nodded.

Finding a similar topic, he spread out the book and handed it to his ex-stepsister, who was sitting across the low table.

"This."

"Hmm."

Starfish frowned and stared at the subject for a moment, and Naruse stared at her for the same amount of time, looking away when she suddenly raised her eyebrows.

After the initial embarrassment and confusion were over, it seemed that the worry about the re-exam was even better, and Starfish gradually calmed down and accepted the fact that he was tutoring her from the heart.

The two teach and learn, and they cooperate quite tacitly, and because there is no gossip between each other, the efficiency is quite high.

- Of course, the speed of progress also has a lot to do with the starfish itself's low starting point.

"Alright."

"Hmm. That's right. Let's go next. ”

"Hmm."

I don't know how long it was, but there was a sound of footsteps on the stairs, and then Seiichiro Maki appeared at the door of the room.

"After studying for so long, I should be hungry. Do you want to eat something in the spring sea and starfish, udon? ”

"Whatever." Starfish said casually, halfway through her problem.

Naruse glanced at the time, only to realize that it was almost ten o'clock in the evening.

You've been here for so long......

"I don't need to." He said to Seiichiro, "It's getting late, it's almost time for me to go back." ”

Glancing at the starfish looking up, he added: "Wait for the starfish to finish this question." ”

Seiichiro didn't say anything, and after offering to send Naruse home was politely refused, he went down to cook noodles for himself and the starfish.

After a few more minutes, the starfish suddenly relaxed visibly.

"It's done."

"I'll see...... Well, no problem. ”

The corners of the starfish's mouth curled, and her arms propped up on the low table, stretching slightly.

Naruse stood up, "Then that's all for today and for tomorrow." ”

"Hmmm......"

Seeing that she wanted to speak and stopped, he suddenly remembered something.

"I heard we were reconciled."

“……”

"Mr. Seiichiro said."

Starfish lowered her head, her ears were completely red, "...... He thought so. ”

"Yes."

Naruse estimated that the real situation might be that Seiichiro always urged his daughter to do something, and the starfish was annoyed by the urging, so he said this.

He didn't bother to sort it out.

"That's it. Went back. ”

Starfish also stood up.

Going downstairs, going to the kitchen to say hello to Seiichiro Maki, and then looking at the starfish standing on the stairs, Naruse turned around and left the Maki Hotel.

The outside temperature is even lower, and the air is foggy.

Morimi's Furumoto store is closed, and there are only street lamps on the street, and there is not a single figure to be seen.

"Dead cold, cold dead ......"

Naruse quickened his pace and trotted home.

The lights on the first floor of this flower house next door are still on, and it seems that this flower couple is still busy in the living room.

Naruse returned home, and not long after turning on the lights, Naoko's message came.

Naoko: Is Harumi back?

Naruse: I just got home.

Naoko: Did Mr. Maki agree?

Naruse: I agreed.

Naoko: Harumi has been gone for a long time.

Naruse: As Mr. Seiichiro, I went to participate in the exchange of the three-way talks, and I was tutoring and learning for the starfish.

After a while, when Naruse took off her clothes and was about to take a shower, Naoko's next message came.

Naoko: Thank you for your hard work.

......

The next morning.

It was already dawn, but it was gray, and there was no morning light at all.

After waking up and lying on the bed for a short while, Morimi sat up and looked out the hazy window.

"It's cloudy today."

Feeling her glasses on, she got up and went downstairs to wash up and prepare breakfast in an old-fashioned wooden house by herself.

After breakfast and almost tidying up, Morimi took his schoolbag and went out and walked downstream along the path by the river.

As we enter October, the mornings are getting colder and colder, and a light mist is drifting through the fields that is about to dissipate.

The water in the river flows slowly, and the large weeds on both sides have turned yellow after the growing season.

In a month or so, it will snow, Morimi thought to himself.

After walking for a while, she could see the Shimoaoyanagi Bridge over the river, and she quickened her pace slightly.

Leaving the riverside path, there are already several figures waiting on the bus stop diagonally opposite.

Morimi walked over and saw the blonde girl in the distance.

"Good morning." She said hello.

The starfish was in good spirits, squinting her eyes, and didn't seem to have slept well, only to notice her when she heard the greeting.

"One...... Good morning, Morimi. ”

She pretended not to notice the change in title, nodded calmly, and looked back at the dark circles under the starfish's eyes.

"Didn't you sleep well?"

"Ahh......h No, that...... It's okay. ”

Seeing her contradictory admitting and denying, Morimi already had the answer in his heart.

And the reason for starfish's insomnia, she can guess with a little thought—just like her, she is struggling with her studies.

Although the specific content of each other's distress is somewhat different......

Do you want to retake the exam again?

I don't know how many subjects she has to retake this time.

Thinking about himself again, Morimi was still a little depressed in his heart.

Because of the poor results of that exam, she has been too busy to take care of herself these days, and she has ignored the situation of the starfish.

But even so, it is relatively simple to give a hand to the starfish and pull her out of the whirlpool of the make-up exam.

Having made up his mind, Morimi asked, "How was the make-up exam?" ”

“……”

Starfish looked at the blonde hair that fell from her forehead.

"It's still like that."

"How many subjects?"

No matter how many times the "three subjects ......", when it comes to the subjects that they have failed, Starfish will still feel embarrassed.

"Math, English, and Biology."

Morimi said, "It's better than last time." ”

"Eh......"

Starfish was stunned for a moment, "Thank you." ”

She is somewhat unaccustomed to being praised for learning, and the most direct manifestation is that she is a little twisted.

"Actually, I haven't improved much...... Japanese history is only a few points away from failing. ”

Morimi shook his head and said seriously: "A passing grade is a passing grade, and progress is accumulated little by little." And this exam is not easy, and the starfish may have improved a little more than you think. ”

"Ah......h

The smile on the starfish's face couldn't help but increase, so she had to look to the side to hide it.

"Well, thank you."

The mind is really simple, and it is no different from before......

Is it because she is cowering, or is it because she is too obsessed with becoming perfect?

Looking at the side face of the starfish with a smile, Morimi thought to himself.

"Do starfish have time after school in the afternoon?"

"Ah, there is." Starfish replied casually, and then added: "No, I still have to make up for the exam." ”

"Today I'm going to the library on duty. After the starfish make-up exam, come to the library to find me. ”

"Huh?"

Morimi pushed down his glasses, "If you don't pass the make-up exam today, I'll tutor you." ”

"Ah......h

After understanding what she meant, Starfish suddenly showed a hesitant look.

Seeing that she didn't immediately agree, Morimi thought she had other arrangements, so he asked.

"It's not...... It was that guy who said he was going to tutor me. ”

“……”

That guy?

"Naruse?"

"Hmm."

Morimi looked at her for a moment, "Did he bring it up?" ”

Starfish nodded.

"He's been here last night."

“……”

Has the relationship between the two of them been restored to this extent?

Morimi was happy for the starfish, but an inexplicable anger appeared in his heart.

Why is it at this time......

Do you think that now she can't spare her hands to help the starfish?

Morimi bit his lip.

......

Coming to the bus stop with Naoko, Naruse glanced at the starfish who was far away, and saw that she lowered her head and pretended not to notice him, and didn't say anything, but instead said hello to Morimi.

"Good morning."

"Hmm."

Continue waiting for the bus.

After a moment, he turned his head.

"What's wrong?"

"Not really."

"Then what are you staring at me for?"

"It's that you have too much self-awareness."