Sitting in the square bath, Hikone Castle Park facing the window is full of greenery and relaxing, but it is difficult for Naruse to keep his attention on it.

“……”

Glancing at the old man leaning next to him, he took a silent breath and rolled his eyes up.

The baths of this hotel are divided into two areas, men and women, and he doesn't know where the women's baths are, at least the men's baths are quite large.

However, there is no single large bath in the bathhouse, but a small three-meter bath in front of the windows on each side.

The space is suddenly restricted, and it is still this square shape, and although the view from the outside is good, it still makes people feel restrained.

- Especially when there are strangers you don't know at all in this small bath.

Naruse looked at the other bath next to him, and it was empty.

When he first came, there were two people on that side, and this side was empty, so he sat down here.

The two people in the bath next to him quickly left, and he was the only one left in the entire bathhouse, but within a few minutes, another old man came in, and he actually chose the one he was soaking in the two baths.

Ten minutes passed, and the two were just soaking in a pool, without any communication, and Naruse, who was ready to be accosted, didn't understand the reason why he sat here.

Maybe you're older and prefer to spend time with younger people?

If you knew this, you might as well soak in the bathtub in your room......

He didn't feel the difference between the hot spring he was soaking in and the hot water coming out of the pipe.

After thinking for a while in silent embarrassment, Naruse sighed and got up from the bath.

After soaking for so long, it's almost over.

“……”

The old man next to him opened his eyes and looked at him, his gaze lingered on his face for a while, and he stopped talking, and finally said nothing.

After drying off and changing into a yukata, Naruse walked out of the bathhouse, and in the corner next to it was a place where free drinks were served and unattended, so you could drink as much as you wanted.

"Even the wine is directly outside......

Glancing at the beer, which was also offered directly to the guests, he grabbed a bottle of cold milk and sat under the umbrella on the terrace.

The wind blows in gusts, and it's not too hot.

After drinking a few sips of iced milk and relaxing his body, Naruse had nothing to do and wanted to touch his phone, only to remember that his phone had fallen in the upstairs room.

"I don't know if Naoko came down and didn't ......"

Buzz –

Kazuha: What time?

Naruse: Afternoon.

“……”

The heart suddenly accelerated, pounding wildly, and Naoko stared at the news for a while, rolled her eyes, and replied.

Naruse: Are you going to pick me up?

One leaf: ......

What kind of reaction is this?

Naoko looked at her phone, then at the door of her room, listening carefully to the movement outside.

Chunhai shouldn't come up so soon...... No, she slept for a long time, and he had been down for a long time.

She suddenly regretted asking more.

Shouldn't you be tempted at this time...... Is it time for her to reply?

Naruse: Just kidding.

Naruse: We'll be at Aomori Airport at one o'clock in the afternoon the day after tomorrow.

Kazuha: Really?

Yiye: Time flies so fast, it feels like you've only been away for a few days, and you're coming back in a blink of an eye.

Naruse: I've been to quite a few places.

Kazuha: Where is it today?

Naruse: It's.

Kazuha: Why don't you stop by and go to a place like Kyoto and Osaka for two more days?

Why are you still talking......

Naoko was a little helpless.

She sat up, looked at the door again, thought about it, threw her phone on the bed, and took his phone into the bathroom.

Closing the bathroom door, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Naruse: No.

Kazuba: Well, I actually wanted you to bring me something when you went shopping in Shinsaibashi.

With the bathroom door as a second barrier, Naoko calmed down again, not as worried about his sudden return as she had just now.

She thought for a moment before replying.

What she really wanted to know was not Morimi's attitude towards him—the thoughts of the girls around him were almost always obvious at a glance—but the other way around, what he thought of her.

They were very chatty.

Obviously, there was no communication when he was young, and they were separated for four years in between, but a few days after he came back from Tokyo, the two chatted together.

Sometimes he can talk to Morimi even more than her real girlfriend.

She felt uneasy.

The day he returned to Aomori was also the happiest day she had in the past four years, but she didn't expect his return to be the beginning of all her uneasiness.

Friends who were gradually estranged as they grew older suddenly became warm again. Everyone gathers around, and the target will naturally not be her who stays in the countryside all the time.

After he returned, he was always by her side, but his eyes never stayed on her.

Occasionally, he looked into the gaze of his former titular sister, and even frightened her.

I'm afraid that he will remember his unabashed love for her a long time ago, and even more afraid that when they lived together, what really happened......

She became more and more uneasy, and this anxiety finally reached its peak when she was promoted to second grade and placed in different classes.

Then, sensing her uneasiness, he took the initiative to take a step that she did not dare to think of.

When the relationship between them officially changed from childhood sweethearts to lovers, she thought she could finally settle down, but this was not the case.

Their snooping on him was only slightly hidden, and it continued, making her annoyed and angry, but helpless.

And his acquiescence to their covetous gaze was the real source of all her uneasiness.

Haruhae, her boyfriend, what does she think of them?

She wanted to know, but she didn't dare to know.

She was afraid that as soon as she asked, he would admit it, and then push everything down now......

But his feelings for her have never been fake.

While worrying about the unknown, while comforting himself with the real feelings of being with him, the balance of emotions is delicate and fragile.

Now, she wants to see something a little more real.

Naoko took a deep breath.

Naruse: What does Kazuha want to buy?

Yiye: Skincare products or something.

Kazuha: Starfish said that there are a lot of cheap and useful things that can be bought over there.

Kazuha: Although she hasn't been there herself.

Naruse: I don't have a chance this time, so I'll bring it for you next time.

Kazuha: Then let's talk about it then, I don't really need it.

Naruse: I'm sorry.

Kazuha: [Don't care]

This is the end of the communication between the two for the time being.

“……”

Pinching the phone, Naoko raised her head and looked at the ceiling light in the bathroom, feeling like she couldn't go up or down.

Casual, ordinary, no coquettishness or complaints, just the tone of an ordinary friend's chat, she couldn't see anything at all.

The problem is too ordinary to be true.

Naoko frowned, could it be that Kazuha could see that it was her?

She didn't want to ask directly, so she went through the conversation between them again, but she still didn't see anything.

Judging from the last words, this matter is over, and she should not mention it again, Naoko deleted the conversation between them, leaving only a few simple questions and answers that could not be seen.

"That should be fine......"

Putting away her phone, Naoko stood up, went to the sink to wash her hands, and stared at herself in the mirror for a while.

Reaching for her hand in the mirror, she took a slow breath before revealing a smile that didn't flaw.

After another ten minutes or so, Naruse returned to his room.

"Naoko is awake." He sat down on the edge of the bed, "Do you know I went down to the hot springs?" ”

"Got it." Naoko rolled over and put her feet on his thighs, "Why didn't Harumi wake me up." ”

"Isn't Naoko sleepy, how can sleep be as important as a hot spring. And you can't soak them together...... Ah, and also, the baths here are really not good. ”

"Eh, why do you say that?"

Naruse immediately poured out what had just happened in the men's bath.

"Huh...... You might as well soak in the bathtub in your room. ”

"yes, that's what I thought, too."

Turning over again, Naoko took the pressed mobile phone to him, and said as if he suddenly remembered: "Yiye sent a message to Chunhai." ”

“……”

Naruse raised his eyes, "yes, what did you say?" ”

Naoko looked at him, "See for yourself." ”

He calmly picked up his phone, clicked on the message and flipped through it twice.

"Naoko replied for me."

"Hmm...... When I first woke up, I thought it was my phone. ”

"Shinsaibashi? Who has time to go anywhere. ”

"Kazuha probably thought we'd play a few more days." Naoko said.

The message turned to the bottom, and Naruse threw the phone back on the bed, "Anyway, I can't go this time, let's talk about it." ”

"Uh-huh."

(End of chapter)