When he returned home, not long after Naruse and Naoko had dinner, Hikaru Takikawa came to the door.

"Come on, today is the last study session."

"Hmm."

Call the starfish again, and the four of them go to Morimi's house together.

When he could already see the house of the Morimi family, Hikaru Takikawa suddenly sighed.

"What's wrong?" Naruse asked, looking back.

"Didn't you say last night that you ran out of things in the refrigerator, and before you go over today, you have to go to the supermarket to buy some ingredients?"

“……”

Naruse was stunned for a moment, a little helpless, "Is it a study meeting, or is it going to have a supper?" ”

"What's the matter, Chunhai eats a lot."

"It's going to be a long way back." Naoko looked back, "Or I'll go home early today." ”

Hikaru Takikawa and Starfish, who are the most active in eating supper, show disappointed expressions at the same time.

The two glanced at each other, and Hikaru Takikawa said, "Either I and the starfish go back to buy it, you guys start first." ”

“…… Guess who the study will be for? ”

Naruse looked at her and the starfish, "It's been more than half an hour back and forth." ”

“…… All right. ”

Hikaru Takikawa looked back at the way she came, she had just had dinner before going out, and her appetite was not so strong, so she hesitated again and again, and finally gave up the idea of going back.

"If only I could come here on a motorcycle......

When she arrived at Morimi's house, she came out to open the door, and when she saw the two disappointed faces, she raised her eyebrows: "What's wrong?" ”

"It's fine."

Naruse walked in, expertly took out his slippers, and sat down to change.

"The learning intensity is not enough, idle. It would be nice to do more questions in the evening. ”

"Nope!" The two screamed.

When Mori saw the reason for the disappointment of the two, he just smiled.

The last study session before the annual exams began as usual.

After the efforts of the past few days, the starfish and Hikaru Takikawa, who has rebounded in form, have basically come out of the stage of failing.

Morimi focuses on the starfish who are a little unrelenting, and Naruse is dedicated to three things, tutoring the two while taking care of Naoko.

"Chunhai, this question ......"

Naoko pushed the notebook over, and was about to speak, when she yawned first.

She seemed a little sleepy.

By nine o'clock in the evening, her yawning became more frequent.

"Is Naoko already sleepy?" Morimi asked.

She shook her head, "It's okay......"

"That's all for today." Hikaru Takikawa said, spreading his hands, "Anyway, there is no supper." ”

A few people laughed, and then they were ready to leave.

"I have an exam tomorrow, so remember to rest early in the evening." When sending a few people out, Morimi said another word of advice to the starfish.

"I know......"

She looked at her again and said no more.

"Good night."

"Uh-huh, good night."

Farewell to Sen, several people went home together.

When she arrived at the Maki Hotel, Naruse held up the roller shutter door for the starfish, and she got inside, looked back at him, and stopped talking.

Naruse held up the door, his gaze lingering briefly on her face, then looking inside.

"Rest early. Keep up the good shape and don't let this time go to waste. ”

"Good ......"

"Good night."

Pull down the roller shutter door, walk forward a little further, and separate from Hikaru Takigawa at the intersection, Naruse and Naoko return home.

"I'll go take a shower first." Naoko said.

"Hmm."

When she came out steaming after washing, Naruse followed in, washed her body, and took a bath.

Relaxing physically and mentally, he closed his eyes and leaned against the bathtub, his consciousness gradually sinking.

Tomorrow is the exam......

In the silence, he vaguely heard Naoko walking around.

After soaking for more than ten minutes, Naruse climbed out of the bathtub.

Naoko was not in the living room, nor was he in the room, he wiped his hair and came to the kitchen.

She's busy.

"What are you doing, supper?"

"Spring Sea ......"

Naoko turned her head and smiled at him.

He also saw what was in front of her.

“…… Is it necessary to be so troublesome. ”

"Yes."

Naruse walked over and looked at the other small pot in the boiling pot, the chocolate crumbs in it slowly melting.

Naoko plans to make her own Valentine's Day chocolates.

"Is it heated by water?"

"Hmm. If the temperature is too high, the cocoa butter inside will separate, which will make the chocolate clump and the taste will deteriorate. ”

Naruse glanced at the other props on the side, "So you still need a thermometer?" ”

"yes."

"It's a nuisance."

Naoko smiled, looked at the melting chocolate in the small pot, and said in a low voice:

"Because it's natal chocolate."

Naruse looked at the same place as her.

"Hmm."

The corners of her mouth curled.

Blue flames lick at the bottom of the pan, the hot water heats up, and the chocolate melts.

After testing the temperature with a thermometer and seeing that it was almost there, Naoko turned down the heat and began to stir.

The chocolate continues to melt.

Naruse looked at it, suddenly reached out and dipped a little, put it in his mouth and tasted it.

“……”

Naoko looked at him.

"It tastes okay."

"That's good."

"I'll help you."

"No need to ...... this time"

"Okay."

Naruse continued to wipe his hair, watching from the side.

Naoko kept stirring in one direction, and the chocolate crumbs in the small pot quickly melted.

While stirring, she used a thermometer to test the temperature of the chocolate, and when it reached more than 50 degrees, she quickly took out the small pot and put it on the table to continue stirring.

Naruse dried her hair and went to put a towel and came back, she was still stirring.

Looking at the piping bag and heart-shaped mold on the side, he asked, "When did you buy it?" ”

"A few days ago."

"Is chocolate too?"

"Uh-huh."

Leaving the environment of the water bath, the temperature of the chocolate in the small pot drops quickly.

By the time it was over 20 degrees, the chocolate was about to re-set, so Naoko put the small pot back into the boiling pot, and when the chocolate temperature rose slightly, she poured it into the piping bag.

With a small cut at the bottom, Naoko pours the melted chocolate into a heart-shaped mold and gently taps it to expel the bubbles.

There are nine holes in the mold, all of them are filled, and the bag of chocolate is almost finished.

Seeing that Naoko finally breathed a sigh of relief, Naruse said, "Do you want to put it in the refrigerator?" ”

She smiled, "At the current temperature, it's better to cool down faster when you put it outside." ”

Carefully setting the mold aside, she cleaned it up, then pulled him out of the kitchen and back to the living room to sit down.

"It takes about half an hour to an hour to completely solidify."

"That's early, too."

Naoko looked at him.

"At Morimi's house just now, isn't Naoko very sleepy." Naruse said.

"I won't be sleepy after taking a shower......"

"Really?"

“…… Anyway, I'm not sleepy right now. ”

"Then let's go to bed later today."

"Okay."

The two sat on the couch and watched TV while waiting for Valentine's Day to arrive.

At one point, she leaned into his shoulder.

"If you can't get up tomorrow morning, Harumi remember to call me."

"Hmm. I'll set a few more alarms. ”

"I heard that eating chocolate before the exam can relieve tension and promote blood supply to the brain." Naoko said.

Naruse imagined for a moment what might happen tomorrow morning.

"There should be plenty of chocolate to eat tomorrow."

“…… It's not good to eat too much. ”

"Then eat less, one piece is enough."

She nodded, and smiled again.

"Hmm."

The night is still very long, and the invisible dividing line is gradually approaching.

Towards midnight, Naoko left his shoulder and got up and walked to the kitchen.

Naruse yawned, took out his phone and looked at the time.

23:58

23:59

00:00

The time is reset to zero, and the date is jumped.

On February 14, Valentine's Day arrived.

That is, the death day of Saint Valentine......

Shaking off the useless knowledge that suddenly appeared in his mind, he raised his gaze, and Naoko came out of the kitchen with her hands behind her back and stopped in front of him.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Spring Sea."

She took out the gift box from behind, "This is the chocolate I made for Harumi, please take it." ”

"Thank you."

The freshly made chocolates have been packaged in a beautiful gift box.

"Did Naoko make this box herself?"

"Uh-huh."

"I took it."

Taking the gift box, Naruse carefully opened it, and under Naoko's gaze, he picked up a heart-shaped chocolate and put it in his mouth.

The sweet thickness melts on the tip of the tongue, permeating the lips and teeth, with a slight bitterness.

“…… It's so sweet. ”

(End of chapter)