After school in the afternoon, Naruse went to the handicraft club for the first time in a long time.

Many people in the ministry frowned when they saw him, and he was not surprised, these were the friends of Naoko who had been "harassed" by him more or less deeply.

Naoko's sudden withdrawal from the department, and even dropping out of school, caused a lot of shock in the handicraft club, and the aftermath has not completely subsided so far.

Although the members of the handicraft club didn't know the truth, most of them could guess that this matter was inseparable from him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to ask ......"

"Nope!"

"I see." Naruse glanced around the ministry and asked again, "Who is the current minister?" ”

In the face of inquiries, one of the first-year girls answered and stood up.

"Did Naoko tell you about the Restoration Department?" Naruse asked.

"Huh...... Said it. ”

He nodded, and said nothing.

"Excuse me."

Leaving from the handicraft club, Naruse didn't go to the department upstairs, and went downstairs directly.

Leaving the school and going to the café outside, Morimi and the three of them are here.

"Solved so quickly?"

"I just went over and asked a few casual questions."

"I've been kicked out."

He smiled, "Hmm. ”

Takikawa raised his bare hand, asked him for a cup of coffee, and said again, "Didn't you ask anything?" ”

"Pretty much."

Naruse leaned back and looked at the starfish who had changed into a work uniform, "Didn't you say you just came over and sit, why was you pulled to help again?" ”

"Isn't that weird?" Morimi held his chin and looked out, "It's too easy to convince her." ”

After a few more moments, Starfish came over with his coffee.

"Are you busy right now?" Naruse asked.

"It's a bit ......"

"Then let's go back when the starfish job is over."

"Uh-huh."

Naruse picked up his coffee and took a sip.

"You're going straight to the airport tomorrow after school?" Morimi asked.

He nodded, "There's nothing to bring, it's winter, and it's okay if you don't change your clothes for two days." ”

She looked at him, "If I find Naoko, it probably won't be a two-day problem." ”

Naruse opened his mouth and quickly nodded, "Then I'll go home first tomorrow and let the taxi pick me up from Aoyagi." ”

"Have you bought your ticket?" Hikaru Takikawa asked.

"Hmm."

"If you can't find it...... If you can't find it, remember to come back. Morimi looked at him, "Don't forget, there are three girls waiting for you here." ”

"Of course I'll be back."

"It's hard to say. This kind of boy can't withstand the blow the most, so I said that I want to go with you, otherwise I'm really afraid that you will be looking for no one for two days with confidence, and you will start looking for death and life. ”

“……”

Naruse rolled his eyes and looked out the window.

Morimi looked at Hikaru Takikawa, "Look, the young master is upset when he is told about the central matter." ”

"One Leaf ......"

Naruse took a breath and said again: "I've been looking for more than half a month, and my expectations have been very low, even if I really don't find her, I will cry in shame on the plane back at most, and I won't be stupid." ”

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Show me your physical proof."

“……”

Hikaru Takikawa looked at Morimi who was a little helpless and dissatisfied with his direct appeal, always worried that their words would be heard by others.

"Let's go upstairs."

And when she came to the second floor of the café, she couldn't help but confess.

"Whether or not Harumi finds Naoko, be sure to give me a call before you fly back on Sunday night...... Or tell me the flight information, and I'll contact Chunhai. ”

"yes, I know."

"Show me the flight information."

Naruse gave her the phone.

The three of them sat upstairs until five o'clock, and when the starfish finished their part-time job, it was almost time for them to go home.

"Starfish in my car." Naruse said.

"Good ......"

Riding all the way back to Aoyagi, Hikaru Takikawa took Morimi and stopped at the door of the bookstore and gave the two of them a look of good luck.

Naruse continued to move forward, stopping in front of the Hotel Maki and letting the starfish behind him get out of the car first.

From the moment the two stopped, Seiichiro Maki looked at them, at his daughter's hesitant and determined walk-in, and at his former stepson, who was trying to maintain his calm, trying to hide his uneasiness, and insisting on walking ahead.

What can two children do?

Since he got married for the second time seven or eight years ago, he can't remember how many times he has thought about such a question in the face of his daughter and stepson, who are always at odds.

And in a blink of an eye, the two children at the beginning have grown up to the age where they can have another child.

They even really have the intention of doing so.

If it hadn't been for that kind of thing, he would certainly have been happy to see it happen.

In this world, no one else can be so relied on and trusted by a starfish like Harumi, and Seiichiro feels that he may be inferior to his daughter's heart.

It would be nice if Haruhi only liked starfish......

But it backfired, and before that, he was already dating Naoko.

It's not even just Naoko, there's Hikari, and the daughter of the bookstore on the other side.

"Mr. Seiichiro." In between his wanderings, Naruse had already come to him.

"Spring Sea ......"

Looking at his former stepson, who had grown taller than him, Seiichiro had mixed feelings, "What are you still doing here?" ”

"I'd like to talk to Mr. Seiichiro about my relationship with starfish."

"So far, what else is there to say?"

He actually nodded, "I like starfish, and starfish like my part, I really don't need to emphasize it." We will continue to date, she will always follow me in the future, I don't want Mr. Seiichiro to worry, or have any concerns, so I want to talk to you again. ”

“……”

Is this a declaration to take away the starfish?

"Starfish desperately wants to go to Chunhai's house in the middle of the night, is it also Chunhai's request?"

Naruse glanced at the starfish, and she dodged her gaze.

It seems that the real situation last night was not as calm as she said.

Her father's attitude did not seem to be as optimistic as he thought.

The so-called acquiescence......

"Yes."

Boom!

Seiichiro slammed the table, "Are you looking down on me!" ”

“……”

Sure enough, he was too optimistic.

"Not really!"

Starfish squeezed in front of him at this time, "I'm going to go by myself!" Otherwise, Chunhai wouldn't have stopped here last night and helped me open the door! ”

"Chunhai cares a lot about his father's attitude! I lied to him and said that Dad had agreed......"

Naruse pulled her to his side, was silent for a moment, and said, "I understand that Mr. Seiichiro is difficult to accept for a while, and what I expect is only the level of acquiescence. ”

“……”

The little emotions that Seiichiro had just brewed were all disrupted by his daughter, who was dedicated to protecting her boyfriend, and she didn't know what to say for a long time.

Continue to accuse Chunhai of being half-hearted and stepping on multiple boats with one foot?

This should have been something that Starfish should be angry about, but judging from what they knew before, this was even a request from a few of their girls...... Otherwise, Chunhai will only guard Naoko.

The daughter's attitude is resolute and desperate, he can't hold her anymore, and the catharsis of his emotions has been interrupted, what else can he say?

Is it okay to just acquiesce?

…… No, what he can say, there is something more practical.

"Did Chunhai do this, did he think about the future of the starfish?"

“……”

Naruse was stunned for a moment, looked at him, and quickly nodded.

"Considered. She will still follow her previous plan, finish high school, go to beauty school in Tokyo, and then become a professional makeup artist. Our dealings don't change that. ”

"Will Chunhai marry a starfish in the future?"

“…… No. I promised Naoko to marry her. ”

He frowned, "What is a starfish to Chunhai?" ”

"It's an unmarried wife. Marriage is just a ceremony, and there is no distinction between who is higher and who is low. ”

"Harumi promised Naoko first......"

Starfish was also beside him to help, "As long as I can be with Chunhai, it doesn't matter if I get married or not." ”

“……”

Seiichiro frowned.

"If Chunhai likes the new and hates the old, he won't like starfish in the future......"

"-No." Naruse and Starfish looked at each other and smiled, "I've been a fan of Starfish for seventeen years. ”

An even brighter smile bloomed on her face, "Me too!" ”

Seiichiro sighed deeply.

"Miss Song...... What is the attitude? ”

"You probably want to strangle me."

Naruse calmly thought about the storm ahead, "But my mother likes starfish more than anyone else, and if others don't say it, at least I will compromise with the starfish in the end." ”

“……”

Seiichiro looked at the door of his hotel.

If I really can't accept it at all, I should have grabbed my daughter last night and stopped her from going out......

"Harumi go back."

Naruse was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay."

(End of chapter)