Didi Di Di –

The alarm clock at the bedside rang on time, and Naoko in the quilt twisted her body and frowned.

Didi Di Di –

With her face buried in the pillow, she raised her hand and fumbled as a fluffy mass fell.

"Hmm......"

Naoko finally opened her eyes.

Picking up the puppet that had rolled to her chest, she reached out to turn off the alarm clock, and then retracted into the bed.

Squinting for a moment, Naoko put the puppet aside and sat up.

Getting up, changing out of her pajamas, and putting on her uniform, she walked to the window and looked outside.

Ice and snow, white world.

The sky was gray, and there were still snowflakes, just like it had been for more than a month.

The snow was so thick that the path to the neighbor's house that I had swept last night was covered again.

By December, Aomori Tsuzen and the entire Tohoku region have become a land of snow.

Drops –

After putting on another coat outside, Naoko turned off the air conditioner, walked out of the room, and went downstairs to wash.

A few minutes later, she walked out of the house and walked through the snow to Naruse's house.

"It's so cold......"

It was still too cold outside, Naoko shivered, and immediately closed the door as soon as she entered.

After all the cold air wrapped around her body dissipated, she went to the second floor and gently pushed open the bedroom door.

The warm air rushed in her face, and she walked to the bed, where Naruse was curled up in the covers, still asleep.

After looking at him for a while, Naoko gently exited the room and returned downstairs.

"Today...... By the way, I bought it the day before yesterday and bought that. ”

Opening the fridge, she began to prepare breakfast for the day.

It took another twenty minutes or so before Naruse got up and came down.

"Good morning, Harumi."

"Good morning...... he seemed to come over to yawn her, turned around and went to wash up.

When Naoko brought breakfast to the table, she found him standing by the window, gazing intently at the snowflakes outside.

"It's so quiet."

"Haruhi always says that."

"Hmm...... But it's so quiet. ”

"Let's have breakfast first."

Sitting down at the table, Naruse looked at today's breakfast, in addition to the usual ones, there was also a fried spring roll.

"I almost forgot, I bought spring roll wrappers when I went to the supermarket the day before yesterday."

"Uh-huh."

He picked up a piece, took a bite, and looked down, "What's the stuffing inside?" ”

Naoko put down the soup bowl and licked her lower lip, "Some of the meat left over from last night, as well as a little bit of vegetables, have been added." ”

"Really?" Naruse looked at it again, "Mixed together, it tastes surprisingly good." ”

She smiled, "That's good." ”

After breakfast, the time was almost up, and the two went out together.

"It's cold—"

Naruse stomped the snow under his feet, and it was so thick that it made a muffled sound.

Naoko walked over and pulled his scarf tighter.

"Let's go."

The snow didn't fall very heavily today, and at Naoko's request, he still held up an umbrella.

Since the beginning of winter, the snow has stopped, stopped, and smeared over and over again, completely painting this place into a white world.

One step at a time, each landing is accompanied by a crunching sound. When you come to the prefectural road, the road surface is also covered with snow, but it is relatively not as deep.

"Be careful......

The two supported each other and walked through the snow to the crowded bus stop.

"Good morning."

Morimi greeted the two of them and shrunk into his scarf.

"Good morning, Kazuha."

Naoko smiled and looked at the starfish next to her, "Good morning, starfish." ”

"Good morning......

His gaze circled around her and Naruse, and Starfish quickly withdrew his gaze again.

Morimi leaned over and touched Naruse with his arm, "Have you finished reading the book you borrowed yesterday?" ”

"How can I see it so quickly, only half of it."

The wind was blowing, and Naruse just glanced at her, so cold that she didn't want to move her head, because if she moved her neck, the wind would leak.

"I had an assignment yesterday."

Thinking that when she borrowed a book from the library yesterday, she also recommended that book very much, and he added, "I should be able to finish it today." ”

"How does it feel?"

"Do you feel it...... So far, it's pretty average, maybe I haven't seen anything exciting yet. ”

Morimi looked at him, his gaze not good.

"The best part of that book is the game between the characters in the first half. You don't have to read it anymore, the person who stole the will is Tanimoto, and Akiba's psychological monologue is used to confuse the reader. ”

“…… Feed. ”

They have different aesthetics and preferences, and when he denies them, she is often quite aggressive.

Naoko smiled from the side, then grabbed Naruse's arm and moved closer.

"It's so cold......"

After the winter, several people who originally chose to take the morning train all changed to the later train, just to be able to sleep a little more in the morning, and Morimi was no exception.

In addition to her, there are two other people who have recently commuted by bus.

"Good morning—"

Hikaru Takikawa waved his hand over and pulled his sister with the other.

Although she is confident in her skills, riding a motorcycle on a snowy day is really dangerous, not to mention that the snow on the road basically does not melt, and there is no time to sweep it.

As early as a month ago, the Takigawa sisters switched to commuting by bus.

Takigawa's house was closer to the bus stop, and the two of them went out almost pressing, and after a while, the bus came.

The crowd swarmed up, and Naruse was so powerful that he could only shove Naoko into his seat while he stood next to her.

There are too many people going out at this point.

"Hold me." Morimi also stood, and when he saw that the starfish had no handrails to grasp, he pulled her to his side.

"Good ......"

Starfish squeezed over and grabbed her arm.

"Stand firm."

"Uh-huh."

"So are you." Morimi turned his head and said.

“……”

Naruse, who was leaning on her, just tilted her head.

The bus swayed all the way, the two of them clutching the handrails, their backs against their backs, and he only felt that she was leaning over with more and more strength.

"It's okay." In front of him, Hikaru Takikawa protects his sister, who also has no seat.

Takigawa shook her head, indicating that it didn't matter.

"Doesn't Mr. Takikawa have to drive to work every day, why don't you take his car to school?" Naruse asked.

"Because Dad didn't go to work that early."

Hikaru Takikawa smiled at him, "When it's so cold, it feels a bit too much to always ask him to get up early to send me and Yue to school - but it doesn't matter at night, now that Yue finishes school, her father picks her up." ”

Naruse nodded, looking out the window at the receding landscape.

White. White. Still white.

The snow covered the fields and mountains, and the eyes were white. The telephone poles along the prefectural road are smeared and thin, and they are the only embellishment that keeps people from getting lost.

"Winter is still a long time."

When I came to Tsugao, a road had been cleared at the entrance of the school, and snow was piled on both sides.

“…… I also helped out yesterday by loading the snow into the cart and pushing it to the ...... Hey, does the river next to the café have a name? ”

Hikaru Takikawa looked at Naruse.

He shook his head, "It's probably a tributary of the Iwaki River, but I don't know the exact name." ”

"Okay. In short, push the snow over there and pour it down, then come back and shovel the snow and send it over. I've heard that the snow in Aomori City is pouring into the sea? ”

"Well, pull it to the port with a truck, and dump it down one cart at a time."

"Ah, I'd like to see it."

Walking into the main building, Naruse changed his shoes, waited for Naoko and Hikaru Takikawa, and looked around again.

It's freezing cold, and more and more people are coming to school at this time.

Morimi and Starfish changed their shoes and waited for them, just looking at this side, and deliberately not looking at this side.

“…… Then, I came back first. ”

Hikaru Takikawa chatted with Naoko, changed her shoes, raised her eyes, and suddenly greeted Naruse's direction.

"Ming Dynasty—"

Naruse looked at her and looked back, and in front of the stairs behind her, there was a short-haired woman in a tracksuit, who had a little impression that she seemed to be an advisor to the women's basketball team or something.

"Light." Hearing the greeting, she also walked over, "You came just in time, I have something to look for." ”

"What's the matter?"

"Come to the staff room."

“OK~”

She answered, and waved her hand to the waiting companions, "You guys go up first." ”

Separated in front of the classroom, Naruse called Morimi again and stuffed her with the clean book she had spoiled.

"You're going to the library today, help me pay it back."

Morimi took the book and pushed down his glasses, "Aren't you going to borrow other books?" ”

"I'll borrow it when you're away."

“……”

"Just kidding." Naruse smiled, "There's something else going on this afternoon." ”

Glancing at Naoko next to him, Morimi didn't ask much, and turned around to go to Class E.

"Haven't you finished reading it yet?" Naoko said.

"The most critical places have been spoiled by her, so there's no need to watch it anymore." Naruse glanced at Morimi's back and lowered his voice, "And the other parts are pretty average." ”

Naoko smiled.

After another moment, Hikaru Takikawa, who was dragged away by the consultant, also came to the classroom.

The Ming Dynasty consultant said that because of the recent snowfall, the children in several nearby nurseries could not exercise outside, and they needed to develop other interests. So the nearby community invited our women's basketball team to give the kids a basketball lesson. ”

"Yes." Naruse knew she would definitely agree to such a thing, "When?" ”

"On Saturday morning, at the Tsugao Gymnasium. Do you want to take a look at Monk Chunhai? ”

"Okay."

Naruse agreed quickly and without being perfunctory, but Hikaru Takikawa was a little uncomfortable.

"It's Saturday, huh?"

"Hmm. There was a concert at the Civic Hall that afternoon, and Naoko and I were going to go out. ”

"Recitals?" Hikaru Takikawa looked at them, "Does Harumi still have this interest?" ”

"It's a performance by the Tsukaka Wind Club, and every year we hold a concert in collaboration with the Nangao Wind Club." Naoko said, "I have a friend in the wind band who invited me to participate. ”

"Ah...... I remember it, and I've heard a few friends talk about it. ”

Hikaru Takikawa nodded, "When the time comes, I'll go with me after basketball class." ”

"Okay."

After a while, Nakahara Xue walked into the classroom and came to have a morning class meeting.

Classes and classes alternate cycles, and the snow outside the window also stops and falls, the sky is always gray, and the time of the day passes unconsciously.

After school in the afternoon, Naruse and Naoko went to the department of the restoration department and sat there for a while.

"It's cold! It's cold! It's cold—"

Rina Ogawa stomped her feet to the department's room, "There are still people building snowmen on the playground at this time, are they from out of town-Naruse wants to build a snowman?" ”

"I'm a local." Naruse laughed dryly, "I'm not interested either." ”

As a native of Aomori – he has been away for four years – and he is so used to snow that he has no interest in playing in the snow, not to mention that it is not the first day of snow.

Naoko smiled, as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't speak.

"Suddenly building a snowman can't be a special event." Naruse said.

"Then I don't know...... Well, wait a minute, I'll ask the craft club. ”

Rina Ogawa sent a message to a friend at the handicraft club and got a quick reply.

"I'm not a handicraft club...... But they also know that it seems that a few boys from the track and field club are planning to build a giant snowman in order to cheer up the wind band club that will perform at the Civic Hall on Saturday. ”

Naoko smiled, "That's amazing." ”

Rina Ogawa shook her head, "Idle." ”

One after another, other members of the department came over and talked about building snowmen on the playground.

"I have a friend in the Calligraphy Society, and he said that someone went to their department and asked them to write a word."

"I wish the Wind Band a good performance or something?"

"yes. And it is also required to write as big as possible, preferably the kind that can be photographed by satellites. ”

"The boy of the athletic club has no problem with his head......

After a while, seeing that the time was almost up, Naoko got up and looked at Naruse: "Let's go over." ”

"Okay."

"Where is Naoko going?" Someone asked.

"Gymnasium." Naoko said, "The Wind Band Club is going to rehearse there today, and my friend invited me to come and see it." ”

"I see......"

Leaving the department, the two went downstairs to the gymnasium.

Coming to the corridor on the ground, a cold wind was blowing, and Naruse and Naoko also saw more and more students gathering on the playground.

A huge snowball had already rolled up in the middle, taller than a human.

A few boys were pushing on the side, and the excited voices could be heard here.

Naruse looked at it a few more times, "It was so much fun." ”

"When it first snowed in November, Harumi seemed excited to see the snow pile up." Naoko said.

"Why, don't talk nonsense."

She just laughed.

When I came to the gymnasium, the stage was already full of music stands, and most of the members of the wind band were sitting and adjusting.

There were some folding chairs underneath, and since it wasn't a formal performance and there weren't many of them, Naruse found a middle seat to sit down.

Naoko sat and watched for a while, and her eyes suddenly lit up, "I'll go say hello." ”

"Hmm."

When she came to the stage, she looked at one of the trumpeters on the stage and waved when the other person looked at her.

"Aoi."

"Naoko—"

The trumpeter got up and squatted down to hold her hand, "Great, Naoko is here, I'm so nervous." ”

"It's fine." Naoko smiled at her, "Just follow Aoi's usual rhythm, it must be fine." ”

"Thank you!" She looked at Naruse again, who was sitting alone, "Is my boyfriend here too?" ”

Naoko just laughed.

"Aoi-"

"It's coming!"

Shaking Naoko's hand again, she returned to her seat and raised the trumpet in her hand to Naoko.

"Come on." Naoko also waved her hand and returned to Naruse's side.

One after another, others came to the gymnasium and sat down in the auditorium. Moments later, the first rehearsal of the Wind Club began.

As soon as the music sounded, Naruse and Naoko glanced at each other and smiled at the same time.

"Conan's Theme Song ......"

"Yes."

"Don't bring strange incidents to school."

"No, it won't."

"When I officially performed, was the first song also this one?"

"I don't know."

The two of them got together and whispered about it, and the atmosphere in the gymnasium became much more lively, and more and more people came over.

The whole rehearsal lasted more than an hour, and after it was over, Naoko went to talk to her friend who played the trumpet.

Naruse didn't want to blow the wind outside, so he waited in his seat, but he heard the exclamations of the people who went out one after another.

There seems to be something big going on in the playground.

Waiting for Naoko to come over, the two walked out of the gymnasium and saw the huge ...... on the playground at the same time Two snowballs.

"Is the snowman lying down?"

"The snowball is too big to put on it...... The small snowballs are more than two meters tall. ”

The cold wind blew, and Naruse shrunk his neck, "If you want to move it up by manpower, it's impossible." ”

"I think it'...... too"

It was already dark and snowing, so the two of them only stayed for a moment before leaving the school.

There are only a few buses back, and at this time, the probability of meeting acquaintances is very high.

When the two came to the platform, the starfish, who was alone, looked up at the sky and exhaled white air.

"Starfish."

"Naoko......" She lowered her head in response, and did not turn a blind eye to Naruse on the side, nodding.

More than a month ago, when they just returned from Kyoto, the two were cold to each other for a while.

And gradually, just like when Naruse first returned to Tsumae, in the communication with other people, the two who were "coerced" by the atmosphere slowly resumed dialogue.

It's just briefer, a little colder, and a little insincere.

Of course, with or without the presence of others, neither of them ever mentioned anything more distant from Kyoto.

Silence is not forgetting, it is only hidden.

"How alone today." Naruse asked.

"Light has a little thing, let me come back first."

"Yes."

"Hmm."

Naoko stood between the two, spitting cold while waiting for the bus.

"Ha ......"

The white mist was fleeting, but the lead clouds in the sky were thicker and deeper.

The bus, which began to slow down in the distance, stopped in front of the platform.

The three of them got into the car, and the starfish fell behind, watching Naoko take the lead in taking a seat, and then grabbed Naruse and sat next to her.

The starfish didn't follow, and sat down a few seats apart.

Once all the passengers were on board, the bus restarted and drove along the snow-covered road.

As he shook, Starfish saw Naoko leaning on Naruse's shoulder.

“……”

She bit her lip and tilted her head against the window, but she shrank from the cold.

"It's so cold......"

Hit the family

Also: It's almost the end of the month, ask for a monthly pass.

(End of chapter)