Leaning against the bottom of the tree, the starfish touched his neck and coughed lightly a few more times, trying to remove the discomfort in his throat.

Man cannot strangle himself.

Even if she pressed his hand with constant force just now, it only prolonged the current discomfort for a while.

Nothing but pain remained.

And he was lying on the snow, and he hadn't moved for half a day.

Starfish looked at him and crawled over as well.

“……”

Naruse glanced at her expressionlessly, then looked at the sky again.

She lay down beside him.

The towering giant trees around it obscured the view, and the layers of branches and leaves also made the sky mottled and mottled.

The forest is quiet, and you can faintly hear the voices of people outside; The snow is cold, and the dense forests shelter the cold wind.

It was like a house with a very high ceiling, and there was nothing wrong with it except that it was a little colder, she thought for no reason.

Of course...... The most important thing is because he's here too.

Starfish rolled over and looked at him.

It was a moment before he turned his head to look and spoke at the same time.

"Do you hate Naoko?"

“…… Why do you say that. ”

"What you want to do now, will break her heart."

“……”

Starfish frowned deeply, lay down on its back, and looked to the other side.

"How can anyone hate Naoko, I like Naoko...... But for me, this matter is more important than Naoko's feelings...... I'll apologize to her. ”

He sneered.

"I'm sorry, I don't like you."

“……”

The starfish turned his head and glared, but all the momentum was used on the turning head, and the gaze cast was not at all powerful.

Naruse didn't pay attention to it and looked at the sky again.

Even if she moved out of Naoko, it could only make her feel a little guilty, but it couldn't dispel her desire to continue liking it.

He didn't know what else to say.

She can't be allowed to strangle herself in the snow like she did just now.

He thought for a while, and asked tentatively, "What if I and Shangzi really start dating?" ”

“……”

Starfish didn't speak.

After a while, Naruse turned her head and found that she was sleeping on the snow on the ground, crying silently.

"Whatever you want......"

Her tears distraught him and he sat up again.

"Aren't you afraid of blinding your eyes with tears?"

The starfish didn't speak, sniffled, turned his face away, and wiped a handful under his eyes.

Naruse stared at her for a moment, interrupted by the vibration of the phone in his pocket.

Buzz –

Sitting on the floor, it took him some effort to pull out his phone.

Naoko: Did Harumi find the starfish?

Naruse: I found it.

Naoko: Okay. We are in the temple.

Naruse: I'll come right over.

Putting away his phone, he also stood up, "Naoko is worried about me." ”

“……”

"Let's go back."

Starfish sat up slowly, but didn't intend to go back with him.

"You go back first."

Naruse looked at her, "What are you going to do?" ”

"Nothing. I just want to be alone for a while and leave me alone. ”

He frowned and looked at the surroundings left and right, "Haven't you cried enough, you're so troublesome." ”

“…… So leave me alone! ”

She raised her voice suddenly, and when she spoke, she couldn't help but look at his expression.

Naruse didn't have any expression.

"yes, that's up to you."

He looked left and right, his gaze deliberately lingering on the depths of the woods for a few seconds.

"But when you come across a bear later, remember to run faster. It's winter, the bear can't find food, and it's useless to play dead. ”

“……”

Starfish was stunned for a moment, subconsciously sat up straight, and looked at him in disbelief, "Isn't the bear going to hibernate?" ”

Turns out she knows that bears are going to hibernate......

Naruse's expression remained unchanged, he thought for a moment again, and continued:

"If the bear is not full, it will not be able to hibernate, so it can only continue to forage. Now that it's snowy, what food do you think bears can find in the woods? ”

There seemed to be some truth to his words, and Starfish quickly believed it, and turned to look at the woods behind him.

"But bears don't come to crowded places, and this is a shrine ......."

There was no response behind him.

She looked back only to find that he had turned away.

“……”

He didn't walk slowly, and his figure quickly disappeared behind the overlapping trees.

All thoughts were gone, and she immediately got up.

"Wait! Wait a minute! ”

Starfish stumbled and quickly caught up.

After a moment's hesitation, she grabbed his arm.

And with a lift of his hand, he broke away again.

“……”

She bit her lip and grabbed it again.

Naruse stopped and turned to look at her.

The starfish subconsciously dodged, but quickly looked back at him, shaking as it swayed.

The two looked at each other for nearly half a minute, and then he looked away and turned to her hand, "Don't make me hate you." ”

“……”

She let go a little, but her gaze stopped wavering.

"Do you not want to be touched by me, or do you not want to be seen by Naoko?"

He didn't reply, but once again wrenched his arm from her hand and walked straight forward.

Looking at his back, Starfish stood in place for a moment, then followed, this time without more movement.

Walking out of the woods, the appearance of the two attracted the attention of some worshippers on the road, but that was all.

"The number of people who come to worship has increased."

Starfish looked at him, "Hmm. ”

"How do you feel that the Inari Shrine here is more lively than the worship hall over there?"

"I don't know."

"Don't talk nonsense to Naoko later. So do they. ”

“……”

She didn't speak, only nodded when he looked over.

Along the path back to the worship hall, the two climbed the steps and soon found Naoko and the others.

"I'm sorry." Starfish took the initiative to apologize to a few people, "One person went away." ”

Morimi looked at her and Naruse respectively, his eyes stayed on both of their faces for a while, and he didn't say anything more for the time being, "It's good to come back." ”

"Are you in a bad mood?" Hikaru Takikawa put his arm around the starfish's shoulders.

"Hmm...... It's okay now. ”

"That's good." She smiled, "Let's come and pay homage." ”

"Uh-huh."

Watching the two of them line up to worship in front of the worship hall, Naoko looked at Naruse, "Where did the starfish go?" ”

"Over there at Inari Shrine."

She stepped back and patted him on the back and on his trouser legs.

"Fell?"

"Almost......" He reached behind his back and took her hand, "Thank you." ”

“……”

Naoko clenched his cold hand tightly.

If she read that right, the starfish also had some snow on their backs.

"Starfish...... Is that okay? ”

Naruse turned his head, and Naoko just looked at him.

"It should be fine."

"That's good."

"Naoko ......"

"Hmm."

He looked ahead again, his hand loosened, "Let's go and pay homage." ”

She clasped both hands.

Wrapping his hand tightly in the warm palm, she picked it up again and sighed, rubbing it lightly a few times before letting go.

"Well, let's go over."

(End of chapter)