When the train arrived in Nagoya, it was past noon.

After getting off the train, Naruse and Naoko had lunch at the station, then boarded the Shinkansen train from Tokyo and took half an hour to Yonebara City.

It's not even where they are staying today, and the two of them get off here, only to stop because the next stop on the Shinkansen is in Kyoto.

"What a quiet place."

"We're in the country again."

"The mountains over there look so close."

"It's probably only five or six hundred meters away."

After waiting for a moment on the quiet platform, where there were almost no other passengers, the train on the Biwako Line entered the station, and the two of them dragged their luggage on the train again.

And just five or six minutes later, they got off at the next stop.

"Hikone-Hikone, it's here—"

Leaving Hikone Station, they dragged their luggage for about ten minutes before arriving at the hotel where they stayed today and tomorrow.

There were quite a few inns or hotels near the station, and the two of them gave up the convenience to walk such a long way, just because this inn was on the edge of the moat of Hikone Castle.

The green willows by the river are like silk, and the scenery is just right, and Hikone Castle is hidden behind the trees, so it cannot be seen from this angle.

"I don't seem to see ......"

"Well, you'll be able to see it in the room."

Naruse still looked at it a few more times, then pulled Naoko and turned around and walked into the spacious hotel next to him.

It was still early, and the two of them came out after depositing their luggage at the front desk.

"Let's go to Hikone Castle first."

"Hmm."

One of the entrances to Hikone Castle was on the side of the hotel, and the two walked along the moat, crossed a bridge, and there was another river inside, and the ancient castle was protected by two moats inside and outside.

The outer areas of the first moat are now used for other purposes such as middle schools, local prosecutors' offices, and stadiums, but the area inside the second moat is still largely the same as it was hundreds of years ago.

Walking to the Omoto Bridge that entered the interior of Hikone Castle, both Naruse and Shoko saw the stone monument standing at the head of the bridge.

【Eight Views of Lake Biwa, Moonlight, Hikone Ancient City】

In the 50s of the last century, when Lake Biwa was designated as a national park, the surrounding people selected the "Eight Views of Lake Biwa", of which the seventh view, "Moonlight", refers to the ancient castle of Hikone under the moonlight.

Walking across the bridge, Naruse said, "The moat inside and outside is connected, and it is connected to Lake Biwa through Hikone Port. ”

Naoko also glanced under the bridge, "Then this is the water of Lake Biwa." ”

"Hmm."

Entering along a road that had been deliberately crooked to ward off enemy attacks, the two of them first walked around the perimeter, and then spent some effort climbing the ancient castle of Hikone Castle.

The interior of the castle can also be visited, and when the two of them entered the door, they got two shoe covers, but they had to take off their shoes when they entered, and the shoe covers were only used to hold shoes.

Ascending the almost vertical staircase, the interior of the castle is actually very narrow, and when you come up, you can only look into the distance through a few narrow windows.

Naoko huddled in front of Naruse and tiptoed again, trying to raise her gaze, "You can see Lake Biwa from here, too." ”

"Hmm." He looked down at her and resisted the urge to hold her taller—not just because she wasn't safe, but also because Naoko would be shy and complain.

Naoko was unconscious, just looking into the distance, "It's really vast." ”

"When you go out later, you can go directly to the lake." Naruse said, "It's not that far anyway. ”

"Good~"

The two of them looked at the castle for a while and then went down, except for the view of Lake Biwa, the experience of climbing was not good.

Back at the bottom, Naruse took Naoko and left the inner castle through the exit on the other side, then walked on the path between the park and the soccer field in the outer castle, and finally crossed the outer moat through another bridge, leaving Hikone Castle and walking towards Lake Biwa.

After a 10-minute walk to Hikone Port, the calm and vast Lake Biwa presented to the two of them.

The lake is rippling, the water sky is vast, you can faintly see the mountains stretching on the opposite side, and the occasional wind with the smell of lake water has slightly dissipated some of the afternoon heat.

On the extended breakwater, there are several figures fishing. There was a pleasure boat parked on the pier, and the other boat had just departed and was moving away from Hikone Harbor.

"This is a boat trip to the island of Mucha in the lake." Naruse raised his hand and pointed to the middle of the lake, "It's almost over there." ”

Naoko squinted her eyes and looked at it for a long time, "Is there really an island over there...... Harumi saw it? ”

"I didn't see it either."

He smiled, "It's a very small island, and there's a temple on it, and a stupa built on it, and nothing else. ”

"There are also temples and shrines around Kyoto."

"It's like this in the area." Naruse said.

After looking at the pier for a while, the sun was scorching, and the two couldn't stand still, so they quickly left.

Walk along the river that runs from the pier into the city, turn around at the end, and after a short walk, they return to the hotel.

After such a big circle outside, the time was already past three o'clock in the afternoon.

After checking in, the two of them went to the room on the third floor, and the window was directly opposite the Ninomaru Tamen Turret in Hikone Castle, and the highest castle tower was naturally clearly visible.

On the second floor, there is a wide terrace with a great view, and the inn's baths are also on the second floor, so you can soak in the hot springs while enjoying the view of Hikone Castle from the window.

Naoko was in a state of no interest, took a few glances at the window, and then lay down on the bed.

"It's so hot......"

Naruse wiped the sweat from his head and felt the same thing, he looked a little and turned on the air conditioner in the room.

Drops –

"It's a little hotter here in than in the mountains." Naoko said, looking at the ceiling.

"Hmm."

Naruse sat down next to her, "We're almost in time for the hottest time here in. ”

She puffed out her mouth and froze for a moment.

"Usually you go to the beach in the summer......

Naruse also lay down, "Does Naoko want to go to the beach?" ”

"Nope." She stood sideways to face him, "It's just that it suddenly feels like our choice is a little strange." ”

Naruse pinched her face, "It's almost over before you say that?" ”

She smiled, leaned forward again, and kissed him.

"Hmm...... It's still hot...... Hmmm......"

The air conditioner was spitting cold air, and the temperature in the room slowly dropped.

The two of them were tired and weak, and they didn't have much desire, and the intimacy also stayed at the stage of kissing and touching, and it didn't go deeper.

Lying down for a while, Naruse suddenly woke up before falling asleep.

"I almost fell asleep...... It's sweaty, and it's a little uncomfortable, so go downstairs to take a shower and soak in the hot springs for a while. ”

"Hmm......" Naoko opened her eyes and closed them again.

"Is Naoko going?"

"Go to ......"

Her mouth opened, she lay still, her eyes closed even tighter.

Naruse was a little helpless, he could make her wake up quickly, but there was no need for this, because this hotel also did not have a separate bath, and the two could only soak separately.

"I'll go down first. After soaking later, I'll sit on the terrace for a while, and Naoko will come down when she wakes up. ”

“……”

She opened her mouth, probably wanting to say that she knew, but her voice was also pulled by the sinking consciousness and couldn't come out.

Finding the yukata, Naruse leaned over and kissed her on the face again, and went down first.

Naoko fell asleep in a daze, and I don't know how long it was, when there was a slight vibration next to her head.

Half-asleep, she reached for her phone, and it had been a few minutes since she got it.

She lay down for more than ten minutes, and at one point, she woke up.

“……”

The entwined dream was suddenly interrupted, and her consciousness was blank for a moment, and she was in a trance for a while, vaguely remembering that her boyfriend had just said that she was going to go to the hot spring.

And now she was the only one left in the room.

After a moment's pause, Naoko found himself holding a new phone he had just bought a few days ago.

“……”

What's the matter, when she was asleep, she was also thinking about peeking?

With a movement of a finger, the screen lit up with a message from almost twenty minutes ago.

Yiye: You'll be back the day after tomorrow?

Naoko blinked, and came to her senses in an instant.

Naruse: Hmm.

Happy National Day to all

(End of chapter)