After tugging at the student union for a long time, he finally got a guarantee that they would hurry up and devote himself to publicity, and Naruse didn't stay there for long, and went back to the department alone.

The three people who went to the café still had their schoolbags left in the department's room, and he mentioned them one by one and put them in a conspicuous place, so as not to forget them when he left.

And when he mentioned Hikaru Takikawa's school bag, he looked at it a little more.

Everyone can see that she is not in a good state today, and he knows a little more about the reason than others.

He's waiting, and maybe she's too.

“……”

Taking a breath, Naruse put down his bag and sat in an empty seat for himself, thinking about what was going to happen next—the flea market.

The publicity has already begun, and from tomorrow afternoon, people will come to sign up.

"I should be able to attract a lot of people to work so hard today......

And considering the problem of auditing, for the next period of time, he had to stay in the department every day.

Naruse picked up a flyer and flipped it over, and one of the registration requirements required that he provide photos or videos of the stall items when he came to register.

If there are a lot of people who sign up, he can't see it alone, so he has to find someone to help.

Morimi said that she was going to devote herself to her studies this semester, and he didn't know her specific plans, and Starfish might have to work at a café, so he thought about it and found that Hikaru Takikawa was the most idle.

“……”

The problem came back to her.

But each other's affairs need more patience.

Naruse let out a slow breath and propped her head on one hand, contemplating the possibility of separating her work from her relationship.

In a trance, the sky outside gradually darkened.

"Spring Sea." Naoko came up after finishing the affairs of the handicraft club, and looked at the department where he was alone, "Did they go back first?" ”

The words fell, and she also saw the schoolbags of the three people.

"Nope." Naruse came back to his senses and began to pack his things, "They went to the café after handing out the flyers. ”

"Yes. Let's go back too. ”

"Hmm."

Carrying the schoolbags of the three people, he left the school, and it was still stormy outside. Holding umbrellas, the two walked all the way to the café and found them.

"Would you like to have a drink before you go back?" Morimi asked, "I'm in for a treat." ”

"I can't catch the bus if I have a drink." Naruse shook her head and looked at Hikaru Takikawa, who was silent across from her, "Let's go back." ”

"Okay."

So when the starfish changed back into their clothes, they left the café together.

When he came to the bus stop and waited for the bus, Naruse asked about Morimi's plans.

"What do I plan to do......"

She thought for a while in silence, and said, "At the study school, the classes of the new semester have also begun, and I plan to take advantage of the fact that the weather is not cold yet, and I will take evening classes there for a while, anyway, I can commute by car now...... But it's not decided yet. ”

"I mean, you don't have to worry about the club, you have to study first." Naruse said.

She looked at him, "Are you busy?" ”

"Actually, the next few days will be a bit busy, because we have to review everything for each applicant, and when it comes to the cultural festival, the student union can provide a lot of manpower."

"How is it audited?"

"Ask the person who signed up to take a photo or video and show it to me on the spot."

"It's a ...... trouble"

"There's no way, the student union is afraid that something terrible will be put on display in the flea market and cause adverse effects."

"At most, it's just some nasty books, and it's hard to see where they can go." She didn't care.

Naruse glared, "This is already very bad." ”

Naoko took his hand, "The handicraft club can send a few people up to help." ”

"If you're too busy, you can only ask you."

She smiled, "We're still members of the Restoration Department." ”

After a while, the bus came.

Back in Aoyagi, when a few people got out of the car, it was darker.

Morimi held an umbrella, looked at the path by the river a few times, sighed, and still didn't go that way.

"You can't die if you take a few more steps." Naruse said.

"Standing and talking doesn't hurt your back."

"Who told you to live over there?"

Walking to the convenience store, Hikaru Takikawa said goodbye to the four of them and crossed the prefectural road to go home first.

Then at the intersection in front, Naruse and Naoko also said goodbye to Morimi Starfish.

"See you tomorrow."

"Well, bye-bye."

Watching the two of them walk towards the path, Morimi turned the umbrella in his hand, "Let's go." ”

The starfish followed, carefully dodging the stagnant water on the ground.

"It's a rainy day...... it's so troublesome"

"yes." Through the transparent umbrella surface, Morimi raised his eyes to look at the dark sky, "It makes people's mood worse." ”

Starfish looked at her, and stopped talking.

"What does the starfish want to say?"

"I'm not in a good mood today...... And not just because of the weather, right? ”

Morimi turned his head to look at her, "Starfish are getting smarter now. ”

She pursed her lips, "It's just easy to tell." ”

Morimi smiled and didn't speak, and the starfish didn't know what to say, and the two continued to move on.

When she walked to the bookstore, the bookstore's daughter stopped first, "I can't help the starfish now." ”

"Huh?" Starfish was stunned.

Morimi looked at her, "The new semester has begun, and like I said before the summer vacation, I have to focus more on my studies. ”

She opened her mouth, and after a while, asked, "Is Kazuha going to give up?" ”

Morimi was silent.

She didn't want to deceive her—he had made up his mind, and sooner or later the starfish would be on her side, and he would know everything—but she didn't want to share him now.

"I'm not going to give up."

She put away her umbrella and didn't look at her, "But for me now, studying is something that needs more energy." ”

“……”

Starfish looked at her blankly, but she didn't know what to say, she couldn't let this honor student put down her studies.

Seeing her expression, Morimi sighed, but still couldn't help but say, "He's not the same as before." ”

"Huh?" Starfish was stunned.

Morimi looked at her, his gaze tracing around her blank but delicate face, "But there are also some places that have never changed. ”

Starfish was anxious, "I don't understand!" ”

"Then let's be smarter." But she refused to say more, and turned to go in.

"One leaf!"

"Go home and think about it."

"I don't understand......"

Morimi looked back for the last time, "You can't be lazy now, and I can't help you, so be more serious." ”

“……”

Starfish stood in front of the bookstore, watching her walk into the shelves, sit down at the counter, and say no more.

She had no choice but to leave, turn around and go home.

Seeing her disappear, Morimi took off his glasses and put his hands on his face.

"Are you tired after school starts?" Morimiki, who hadn't returned to the inside yet, saw his daughter's appearance and asked.

"Hmmm......"

She lowered her hands, and the man fell down.

"I'm going to go to the school and sign up for this semester's classes. Before the snow falls, there will be evening classes in the evening, and I will not be able to go home until about 90 o'clock. ”

The father next to him frowned, "You're so tired, and you have to take the initiative to increase the burden on yourself?" ”

"It's not the same thing."

"That's the problem on Haruhai's side."

“……”

She looked up, and in her blurred vision, her father was calmly watching her.

"Perhaps."

She lay down again, her head turned to the other side, "Everyone's relationship...... It's getting more and more complicated. ”

"Is it Haruhi's problem?"

"It's his problem, it's everyone's problem."

"What did Kazuha do?"

She gave courage to the cowards.

She didn't speak.

After waiting for a while, seeing that his daughter still didn't answer, Morimiki didn't ask more, turned around and went in.

Morimi lay on his stomach for a moment, then stood up and went to the bookshelf to clean up.

After putting the newly collected books on the shelves, putting the misplaced books in place, pushing the unpopular books that no one cares about to the corners that no one cares about, making room for other books, and busy for a while, she stopped to take a breath and looked outside again.

The rain still doesn't stop.

(End of chapter)