In the evening, Hikaru Takikawa came to pick up Naruse and go home.

Passing by the Real Wood Hotel, the starfish was lying in front of the counter in a daze.

Passing by Morimi Komoto, the bookstore is already open, and Kazuha is not here.

Until the end of the weekend, he had not found a chance to be alone with her.

It's a new week.

Didi Di Di –

Naruse turns off the alarm.

Wake up early, wash up, and prepare breakfast.

Except for a little more intimacy with Naoko, the preparation before going out is no different from the old days.

When I came to the bus stop, Morimi was already waiting there.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

The two glanced at each other and greeted each other in a flat tone.

Two days have passed, and the mood at that time has long since cooled down. Even if a new thought arises, it is well hidden under a calm face at this time.

Morimi pushed down his glasses and looked ahead at nothing.

He really didn't care......

Naruse held Naoko's hand and interlocked his fingers.

Is it really just a whim......

He can't ask too much now.

"I heard that Kazuha bought his own bicycle yesterday?" Naoko spoke.

"Yes."

Morimi glanced at Naruse and smiled at her, "I just came here on a bicycle from home. ”

"It's a lot easier."

"yes."

"Can you ride proficiently now?" Naruse said.

"Pretty much."

Morimi looked at him, "I rode straight home from the store yesterday, and there were no problems all the way." ”

"It's still tiring to ride back from the city, right?" Naoko asked.

"I'm exhausted...... So I also gave up on riding my bike to school in the morning. ”

Both girls laughed.

After a while, the starfish came.

"I saw Kazuha's car, so I parked at the door, is it okay?"

"It's fine. Mom said she was going to use it, and then she would push it in. ”

"Oooh."

After another moment, Hikaru Takikawa came over and took the starfish with him, and the bus that arrived later took the remaining three with him.

When he came to school, Naruse changed his shoes and went upstairs.

When she reached the second floor, Naoko was suddenly stopped by two first-year girls passing by.

"Minister! Good morning. ”

"Ahh......h

Naoko looked back at them, and quickly smiled, "Good morning, Natsuko, Megumi." ”

"Ahhh

"Hehe, I'm very impressed with everyone in the handicraft club."

Mori's gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds, and then she stopped talking.

"By the way, Minister, we have something to ask you......"

"Is there something wrong...... Just say it. ”

Naoko nodded to the two members, and then looked at Naruse and Morimi, "Harumi and Kazuha will go up first." ”

"Okay."

The two went upstairs first.

Ascending the stairs, the two of them kept a distance of two steps, one in front of the other.

"Morimi seems to be trying to say something." When he reached the third floor, Naruse suddenly spoke.

“…… What? ”

"When those two first-graders came over."

She looked at the side of his face, quickened her pace a little, and followed him.

"I mean...... Naoko's expression just now was the same as seeing the child's mother. ”

“……”

"Don't you think?"

"It's just a little gentle, not to that extent."

Morimi looked at him again and didn't say anything.

"Okay."

Walking into the classroom and responding to the greetings of their respective friends, the two walked to the corner and sat down front and back.

Class A students are coming to the classroom one after another, and a few first-year students occasionally walk through the hallway.

The weather outside the window was nice.

Just when Naruse felt that this morning was exceptionally quiet, Morimi finally turned around.

"I'm sorry."

“…… What? ”

"That night in the haunted house, I was a little rough with Naruse."

“……”

He looked at her for a moment.

"Just slightly."

"My own lips are broken, too."

"Do you want me to apologize?"

"No, I don't. I just wanted to apologize and tell you about it by the way. ”

Naruse pursed her lips and nodded.

After looking at him for a while, Morimi turned around.

She took the initiative to speak, didn't he have anything else to ask?

It's all open, is that all she has to say?

“……”

Both looked out the window at the same time.

Is this matter even if it is revealed?

Naruse felt that she still had to make a statement, even though she knew it in her heart.

And Morimi turned his back and spoke first:

"There won't be a next time...... The same joke, once is enough. ”

Naruse looked at her back.

"That's good."

"Do you hate it?" She asked again.

Is it annoying......

"It's better to be taken aback."

She turned, "What if I'm gentler next time." ”

“……”

"What kind of expression are you, just kidding."

Naruse was silent for a few more seconds, looking out the window.

"That's good. Seriously, it won't be me who gets hurt in the end anyway. ”

“……”

Morimi pursed his lower lip, and the expression on his face was unexpectedly calm.

"Of course I do."

She turned again.

Naruse withdrew his gaze.

As soon as he showed his attitude, she retreated back to the cordon he had acquiesced to, and put on a transparent disguise in his eyes.

Obviously, if it continues, there will be no result......

"When are you going to stop making jokes like this?"

She was silent for a few moments.

"I'm just so bored...... Rest assured, I know what I'm supposed to focus on. ”

Naruse exhaled slowly.

"Hopefully ......"

Boom!

She slammed the table, stood up suddenly, and turned to glare at him, "You're just-"

She didn't say any more, trembling and panting, just glaring at him.

The classroom fell silent.

Everyone looked into the corner, and then they came together in twos and threes, and began to talk in a low voice.

“……”

Naruse pursed her lower lip, "Calm down." ”

Unable to calm down, she pushed his desk open and left the classroom through the back door.

All the eyes that followed her were focused on Naruse's face again.

"Catch up!" Ogasawara shouted as he looked at him.

“……”

Naruse took a deep breath, pushed the crooked table forward, and got up.

As soon as he walked out of the classroom, there was a lot of discussion inside.

Naruse didn't pay attention to it either, and chased in the direction Morimi left.

She didn't go downstairs, but walked down the corridor on the fourth floor, and walked into the women's bathroom before he could catch up with her.

He couldn't go in with him, so he stopped outside.

Did you hide in and cry......

Taking out his phone, he was thinking about what to say to her when Morimi came out of it again and shook his hand.

“……”

Just a little easier to get in?

And she was not too surprised to see him standing outside the women's bathroom.

After looking at him for a while, she suddenly spoke:

"You're so infuriating."

Naruse also looked at her, "Then are you done with your fire?" ”

"It's done."

"Do you want to go back to the classroom?"

"Hmm."

He turned and walked away.

Morimi quickly followed.

"How can you be so annoying?"

"That's what I am."

"Especially this mouth, there is never half a nice word."

"That's it."

"I should have bitten your tongue off if I knew I could."

“……”

The pain of that night came back to her mind, and Naruse pursed her lower lip and ignored her.

The two returned to Class A of the second year together, and the noisy classroom was quiet again.

Ogasawara didn't expect them to come back so soon.

"One Leaf ......"

"I'm fine, I just went to the bathroom."

"Nasuse......"

"He went in with me."

"—stop talking nonsense."

Naruse turned his head and glanced at her, walking straight to his seat.

Returning to his seat and sitting for a while, Morimi turned around again.

"I got angry, and I feel a lot more relaxed."

"As the object of anger, I don't really want to hear you share this kind of experience."

"No, you'd better understand this feeling now, because I'll probably get angry with you a lot in the future, and I hope you can understand and tolerate it." Morimi looked at him and said.

Naruse glanced at her.

"I'm not your punching bag."

"I'm not the object of your show-off girlfriend - your pervert appearance who has never touched a girl makes people angry when they see it."

"Then don't look at it."

"Then you bear with it."

(End of chapter)