Coming out of his house, Naruse noticed that it was completely dark.

And at the door of the neighbor's house, Naoko was about to come to look for him.

"Spring Sea ......"

"It's all done." He lifted the food box in his hand, "Bring another lacquer box as well." ”

She smiled and trotted over from the doorway, "Take it." ”

The two exchanged food boxes in their hands, and before turning their heads back, Naruse said, "It's time to prepare dinner next." ”

"It's already being prepared."

"Yes." It seems that Naoko's movements are much faster than him, "I'll come over right away." ”

She nodded, and went back with the food box first.

Naruse also returned to the kitchen and sorted the rest of the food into small compartments on each layer of the lacquer box.

In the first three days of the first lunar month, this is the main food for him and Matsu Chiaki, so the portions are also quite large.

After putting all the food in a five-fold lacquer box, Naruse cleaned up the kitchen a little, and then came to the Hana's house to prepare today's dinner with Naoko.

The ingredients were plentiful - the couple had brought back a lot of things from the institute, both meat and vegetables, some of which they had grown themselves.

"What's for dinner?" Matsu Qianqiu came to the kitchen again.

"Prepare a cooking pot, prepare a few side dishes, and that's it." Naruse said.

"Not bad."

"Do you want to drink?" He casually asked, "My monk and I can also prepare some snacks." ”

"yes."

Song Qianqiu's eyes lit up, "I forgot if Chunhai didn't mention it, you can drink casually tonight." ”

"No, it's not just drinking......"

"I mean drink—go buy a bar, the starfish's house shouldn't be closed yet."

“……”

Naruse regretted that he had just said more.

"Just leave it to me in the kitchen." Naoko said to him.

Naruse took a deep breath and had to go buy alcohol.

"What do you want to drink, how many bottles do you want to buy?"

"Wait a minute...... Sawako - let's have a drink at night -"

The three adults discussed it a little.

"Just buy three or four bottles of high-grade wine."

"Three or four?"

"It's only three or four bottles, and there are five of us."

"I can't drink with Shangzi."

"Then there are three more adults, go ahead."

Naruse puts on his coat and goes out to buy alcohol.

It was snowing outside, and walking on the road, the sides were colder than usual.

From a distance, he saw that the light sign of Morimi Furumoto had been extinguished, and it was the first time in the six months since he came back that it had closed so early.

It's about once a year, and the Morimi family should go back to the old house over there to welcome the New Year.

Looking further ahead, the door of the real wood hotel was still open.

Naruse walked over there, getting closer, and looked at the upstairs window again.

The lights are on and the starfish should be in the room......

He was looking forward to it.

Before he reached the hotel, a figure suddenly walked out of it.

“…… Light? ”

"Spring Sea."

Hikaru Takikawa was holding a bottle of wine in each hand, and he was also a little surprised, "Are you also coming to buy wine?" ”

"Hmm. My mom was going to have a few drinks with Naoko's mom and dad. ”

She smiled, "I haven't seen you for a long time, and after dinner, Yue and I came over to say hello to our uncles and aunts." ”

Naruse nodded, "Okay." ”

After agreeing on an approximate time, Hikaru Takikawa waved the wine bottle in his hand and went back first.

Naruse walked into the real wood hotel, and the starfish was indeed not underneath.

"Spring Sea?"

Seiichiro Maki was also a little surprised that he came at this time, and after listening to his explanation, he turned around and picked up a few bottles of expensive Junmai Daiginjo on the wine cabinet.

"How much?" Naruse took out his wallet.

He waved his hand, "Miss Song takes such good care of the starfish, so take it as my thank you." ”

"But ......"

"Needless to say, take it. Hmm, there is so much wine, Chunhai can't take it alone, I'll ask Starfish to help you send it back. ”

"Huh? Wait a minute......"

"Starfish—"

“……”

The starfish soon came down.

Seeing that it was him, Starfish was stunned for a moment, and then walked over in silence.

"Help Harumi bring the wine back."

"Okay." She immediately agreed.

Naruse really couldn't take four bottles of wine alone, so he had to accept it.

Leaving the hotel, the two walked forward in silence one after the other.

The fresh footprints on the ground were left by Hikaru Takikawa when he returned, and the footprints when he came over were on the other side of the road.

There is no wind, and the snow falls quietly, and in the quiet of the night, it will quietly hide all traces on the ground.

walked all the way to the door of Naoko's house, and the two people holding the wine did not communicate with each other.

“……”

Seeing Matsu Qianqiu coming out of it, the starfish also understood something.

"The starfish are coming, too."

Song Qianqiu took the wine in her hand and smiled at her, "It's hard work." ”

"Won't ......"

"Spring Sea, send the starfish back."

“……”

Naruse put the wine down and turned around again.

On the way back to the Hotel Maki, he turned into a starfish and walked in front, and he followed behind.

Again, there was no word all the way.

Naruse didn't send her home, and when there were still a few steps to go, he stopped.

Starfish was quick to notice it and looked back at him.

"That's it." She took the initiative to speak.

Naruse nodded and turned to leave.

It wasn't until he was out of sight that the starfish turned and went home.

Back at Naoko's house, Naruse casually patted the snow on his body and went to the kitchen to continue to help.

"Keep your head down."

He lowered his head, and Naoko brushed the snowflakes off his head.

"It's been a long time."

"Send the starfish home and you'll be back."

"Uh-huh."

After a while of preparation, dinner was almost ready.

The place where the meal took place was the living room of Naoko's house, where the two families gathered around a low table, with Naruse and Naoko sitting on one side.

"Cheers—"

Glasses containing wine or juice collide with each other to make a crisp sound.

"Let's eat slowly tonight." Song Qianqiu said, taking another deep breath, "Naoko has prepared a pretty delicious dinner for us." ”

"Chunhai also helped a lot......"

The wine was in front of them, and the adults quickly drank it to themselves.

Naruse's attention was more focused on the slices of meat in the pot.

“…… The meat is very tender, this is a new breed that we have cultivated in our research, and it has not yet been promoted. ”

He looked up, only to realize that Kazuko Hanasa was talking to Matsu Chiaki.

The two of them clinked glasses again, and a bottle of wine had been drunk.

"Drink so fast......"

Naoko looked at her parents and smiled at him.

The two of them don't drink alcohol, they eat faster, and when they prepare the imperial festival dishes together, they feed each other a lot of food to taste, and they are soon full.

The adults were still drinking, and Naruse and Shoko didn't get off the table, so they sat next to them and turned on the TV again.

Eating and drinking, the annual Red and White Song Battle also began.

"Hmm...... Why didn't the red group have a good time this year? ”

"What are Sawako talking about, I don't know how to sing."

"Really?"

"yes."

Naruse turned his head to look, and before it was nine o'clock, there was only one bottle of wine left.

At about half past eight, the Takigawa sisters came over together and greeted Song Qianqiu and the flower couple who had not seen him for a long time.

Because the adults were still drinking, the two didn't stay long, but just called Naruse and Naoko out to discuss the arrangements for the next New Year.

"Harumi and Shangzi plan to go to Chuyi one day, let's go together."

"It's all right. The point is where to go? ”

"Iwakiyama Shrine?"

"It seems a little far...... Okay, too. ”

"When the time comes, Ichiba and starfish will also be called." Hikaru Takikawa said.

Naruse didn't say anything, and Naoko replied for him, "We have to discuss the time." ”

Hikaru Takikawa smiled slightly.

"Of course."

(End of chapter)