After spending two or three days, Naruse and Shoko traveled around Takayama City and visited all the places she wanted to go.

On the last morning of their stay here, the weather was clear, and the two of them got up early. After breakfast, before checking out and leaving, they went to Miyagawa Asahi again.

It's only about eight o'clock when you go out, and the morning market by the river is already lively.

Compared to the first time they came, there were tourists on the road, but at this time, it is obvious that there are more local residents with casual and natural looks.

The roadside stalls are also the freshest vegetables and fruits, full and colorful, which is very attractive.

"Walking down the Miyagawa River, there is also a morning market on the side of Takayama Jinya where we went the day before yesterday, which is more lively than here." Naruse said as he walked, "The locals seem to prefer to go there, too. But ......"

"Not by the river." Naoko took his words.

"Hmm." Naruse nodded, "And it's a little far from the station, so it's more popular for tourists." ”

Naoko answered, continued to look at the stalls on the side of the road, and said, "Although this one feels a lot like Kyoto, it's much quieter than Kyoto. ”

"Well, in recent years, more and more people have been visiting Chubu, but there is still no comparison with the popularity of Kyoto."

"It's a thousand-year-old capital over there."

Naoko stopped in front of a stall full of vegetables, next to a flower stall, "And there aren't too many things to look at here, it's more suitable for life." ”

"yes." Naruse responded casually.

She squatted down in front of the stall, and inside sat an old woman with gray hair.

Seeing Naoko stop in front of the stall, she probably understood that she was just looking, not a consumer, so the stall owner didn't introduce too much, and let her feel free. After all, the price, origin, and so on have already been indicated, and there is nothing to ask about.

After looking at it for a while, in the face of these affordable and fresh vegetables in front of her, Naoko's mood was calm, and she was no longer as sorry as she had been when she came over the previous two times.

"Actually, I'm looking forward to ...... with Harumi in the future"

As she spoke, she suddenly noticed that her boyfriend beside her had not moved for a long time, she turned her head to take a look, only to find that he had disappeared from even someone.

"Eh, ...... Harumi"

The grandmother inside pointed to the side, and Naoko looked to the other side, where Naruse was buying flowers at the stall next to her.

"Put it away."

"Okay."

Taking the flowers and change, he lowered his head and sniffed deeply, then walked over and handed the flowers to his girlfriend.

"Thank you."

Naoko smiled, took the flower, and lowered her head to sniff deeply.

The two branches are in a bunch, simply packaged, the color is bright and beautiful, and you can smell a faint aroma when you get closer.

"The floral fragrance isn't too strong...... But it's beautiful. ”

"Just look good." Naruse took her hand and pulled her on.

"How much?"

"It's cheap. It's the same as those vegetables and fruits, which are all grown by the nearby villagers. ”

Shuttling between the stalls and the crowd, occasionally stopping to watch, buying a little small things that can be taken away, or tasting exquisite and delicious snacks, a distance of more than 300 meters, the two of them walked for more than half an hour.

Standing on the bridge at the other end of Miyagawa Chao City, and taking one last look at the bustle of the morning market, Naruse greeted his girlfriend, "Let's go." ”

Naoko quickened her pace to keep up, clenching his hand.

"I'm going back."

"Hmm."

"Next time we come here, let's stay at a homestay."

Naoko really likes it here.

Naruse turned his head to look at her, thinking to himself.

"Okay."

He also nodded quickly, "Do you want to live by the river?" Naoko thought so when she saw the B&B advertisement posted on the morning market. ”

Chunhai also noticed it. I didn't think of this before, but if we were staying at a homestay, we would be able to use the kitchen. ”

Naruse squeezed her hand, "Then let's stay, it's no problem for us to stay here for two more days." ”

“……”

He thought that Naoko would agree quickly, but she was stunned for a moment, and was silent for a long time without speaking.

Looking at the hesitant look on her face that could not be concealed, Naruse was a little surprised.

"It's still early, stay two more days before leaving, and it won't affect the arrangements later."

"Hmm...... But I'm ready to get out of here. ”

Naoko explained her hesitation to him in joking words, "It's better to come back next time...... Yikes! ”

As she spoke, she leaned against him, and suddenly her upper body shrank as if she had been electrocuted.

The flower that had lost her grasp fell to the ground, and Naoko glanced down, and then looked at her fingertips, a drop of bright red blood was becoming full.

"There are thorns on the branches...... Yes. ”

Naruse took her finger in her mouth, took a sip, and spat out the blood foam.

Stooping down to pick up the flowers on the ground, he untied the newspaper that was bandaged underneath and read it for a long time before he found the only small spike left.

"I thought it was all taken care of."

After smoothing out the spike on the stone bridge next to it, Naruse took a closer look at the other flower to make sure it was okay before bandaging the bouquet again.

Taking Naoko's hand again, he looked at the slight wound on his fingertips, and a little blood oozed out again.

"Does it still hurt?"

"It's all right...... It just hurts for a moment. ”

Naoko took the bouquet and smiled at him, "Let's go." ”

A small episode interrupted Naruse's thoughts, and it was only when he returned to the hotel and was about to check out that he remembered the previous topic.

"Don't really want to stay two more days?"

"I'll talk about it next time."

"Okay."

After checking out, it was time to leave the mountains.

Dragging their luggage, they walked to JR Takayama Station, a few hundred meters away, and after waiting for a while, the two got on the train to Nagoya.

It takes two and a half hours to get to Nagoya, and for the rest of the trip, the two discussed it for most of the night last night, and finally decided to go around Lake Biwa today and tomorrow, and Kyoto, Osaka and other places farther, this time not to go, and fly back to Aomori the afternoon after tomorrow.

"It's half an hour to get to Maibara by the Shinkansen, and we'll have to wait for half a day's train, so we'll get to Nagoya and get something to eat first."

"Okay."

The journey was long, and Naruse looked at the books he had brought.

In the past ten days, he actually has a lot of free time, but he has very little time to read, and basically only when he is on the tram, he has time to take it out and flip through it.

"I can't finish reading it." Naoko said.

"Then I'll try to finish it tonight and tomorrow night."

She leaned in and hugged his arm, "No......"

Compared with busyness, women are his biggest dyslexia these days.

However, Naoko didn't mean to bother him deliberately, for example, now, she chatted with him for a few words, and then leaned on his shoulder and closed her eyes to rest.

Before the train reached Ichinomiya Station, which was still in Takayama City, she was already asleep.

Looking at his sleeping girlfriend, Naruse also walked away for a while.

The next afternoon, they will go back.

In the past few days, Morimi has stopped a lot, never sent him a separate message, let alone called, and only had a little communication with each other in the group.

He didn't think she would really be honest, it was just that the means that could be used in online contact were almost exhausted, and the current hibernation was just waiting for him to go back.

And when he thought that he would be able to see her in two days, he found that he was looking forward to more than a headache.

“……”

Taking a deep breath, Naruse carefully grabbed his girlfriend's hand and looked at her fingertips again.

The bleeding had long since stopped, and he could barely find the wound that had been punctured by the flower branch in the morning.

Because the wound is so small that it is almost invisible, it can heal so quickly.

Larger wounds will take longer to heal.

If it's the wound he left her......

"Hmm......"

Naoko suddenly made a little noise.

Naruse came back to his senses, let go of his unconscious clenched hand, and gently put it down.

Picking up the book on his lap again, he turned the page and closed it again.

Even if he wasn't disturbed, he couldn't see it.

(End of chapter)