Takayama City, in the morning, Hida Takayama Onsen Holiday Inn.

From the time he woke up alone in his hotel bed, Naruse was a little uneasy.

The expectation of pursuing all the way, and the impatience to come overnight, all turned into hesitation overnight.

He'll be able to find Naoko right away.

This also means that he is about to face Naoko again.

“……”

After a light thump on the chest twice, Naruse still sat up and let himself not think much about it until he actually found Naoko.

Washed up, went to the upstairs restaurant for breakfast, he woke up early, and left the hotel just after half past eight.

The hotel is near the station, and it takes about half an hour to get to Kaminomachi, while the post office starts work at 9am.

The express mail sent from Tokyo yesterday afternoon was said to be able to be sent here before 12 o'clock at noon today. In other words, if it goes well, he will be able to wait for Naoko who came to pick up the parcel at noon.

While passing by a convenience store, Naruse goes in and buys a mask to put on when waiting for someone to wear so that Naoko doesn't see him first and escape.

Facing the rising sun, he continued to move forward to the river of Miyagawa, and he walked down the river again.

On the other side of the river is Miyagawa Chao Market, which is at its busiest in the morning.

Naruse watched from afar, and his footsteps did not stop, until he walked to the middle bridge near Takayama Jinya, and then passed over the bridge.

After walking a little further, he looked at the map, turned a corner at the intersection, and walked onto another street.

The time was nine o'clock in the morning, there was no one on the road, and the shops on both sides were opening one after another, and it was still relatively deserted.

After walking for a few minutes, an inconspicuous beige building appeared on the side of the road, and if it weren't for the red post box standing at the door, Naruse probably wouldn't have noticed that it was a post office.

【Takayama Kaminocho Post Office】

Confirming that this was the place he was looking for, he stopped.

It was just after nine o'clock, and the post office had just opened, and there was only one post office staff member busy.

Naruse looked left and right, and the street was deserted, not to mention Naoko, there were few passers-by.

If he's just waiting here, it's too conspicuous.

Diagonally across from the post office was a small restaurant, and not long after it opened, Naruse became the first customer to visit today.

"Welcome to 'Taste of Spring'...... Ah, today's first guest is really beautiful, and I feel like I'm in a better mood. ”

The proprietor was an old lady in her forties and fifties, who spoke equally beautiful words and greeted customers.

Naruse was going to wait here for a morning, maybe longer, so he also squeezed out a smile and responded to her greeting.

"Please take a look."

He glanced at the menu, which mainly served croquettes, and if he came at another time, he might have had an appetite, but now he just felt greasy.

There are also seats available, and one of the seats is by the lattice window, which is perfect for observing the movement of the post office opposite.

"A glass of freshly squeezed juice."

"Is that okay?"

"I just had breakfast and I'm not hungry yet." Naruse told the truth, and then said, "I want to wait until noon to taste the delicious food here." ”

The shopkeeper's aunt didn't say anything, smiled slightly, let him feel free, and then prepared juice for him.

Naruse walked over to the lattice window and sat down, looked through the window, looked at the post office opposite, and began to wait.

The juice was delivered quickly.

"Please take your time."

"Thank you." Naruse took it, took a sip and put it down.

"Are the guests waiting for someone?" There were no other customers at the moment, so the owner's aunt asked more.

"Yes."

"College students?"

"Yes......"

Naruse replied again without changing his face.

In the end, it is truancy, it is not good to say, and in the eyes of such an elderly adult, it will probably be a little subtle.

"Come here and find a friend."

"I see."

The shopkeeper's aunt didn't ask much and quickly returned to her place.

Naruse looked out the window and continued to wait, and an hour passed quickly.

During this time, there were more and more people walking on the street outside, and a few people came to the store to buy croquettes and eat them while walking, but there was still no movement at the post office opposite.

The building, which was smaller than the local post office in the countryside of Aoyagi, was even more deserted than there, as if this was the norm for all post offices he hadn't noticed before.

Naruse continued to wait, and could only wait.

An hour passed.

Another hour passed.

By noon, the shop was already full of activity, and there were many people queuing up at the door to buy croquettes.

The meatloaf is sizzling in the pan, and Naruse is also suffering from anxiety that she can't ignore anymore.

It was just noon, and it was still early, and he comforted himself.

Aren't you ready to stay here all day?

It's just noon......

There were far more people walking on the street outside than in the morning, and although he knew that he only had to keep an eye on the people who walked into the post office, he couldn't help but look at every pedestrian who walked by.

Not Naoko.

No.

It's not Naoko......

His eyes were sour, but the more he did, the more he couldn't stop.

He had to do something, even if it didn't make sense, to resist the constant onslaught of anxiety.

The glass of juice he ordered in the morning had long since been drunk, and by noon, he had no appetite.

Before you know it, the anxiety in your mind flows into your stomach and burns the stomach wall.

"Hmm......"

A little more patience, Naruse endured the sudden stomach pain and reminded himself.

"Are you alright?" A middle-aged man sitting next to him saw that his expression was not quite right, and asked.

"I'm fine......"

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"A little bit ...... Just sit for a while. ”

The other party looked at him again, didn't ask much, and after a while, finished eating his own things and left.

Naruse took out the mask he bought at the convenience store in the morning and put it on.

After a short time at noon, the excitement in the shop gradually subsided, and he sat still, and the condition in his stomach gradually improved, at least not as colic as before.

He still had no appetite, got up and went to the front desk, just a cup of hot water.

"Haven't your friends come over yet?" The store manager's aunt asked.

"Yes......"

Naruse thought for a moment, then took out his phone again and flipped to Naoko's photo to show her.

"Excuse me, have you seen this girl over here?"

"I'll look at ......"

She picked up her phone, stared at it for a moment, and slowly shook her head.

"It's cute, but I'm not impressed."

Naruse's heart sank suddenly, and he immediately comforted himself, Naoko should not be active here, and this aunt has to receive so many guests every day, even if she sees it, she probably won't leave an impression.

"I got it......"

"Aren't the guests going to eat?"

"No, I can't eat it yet."

After receiving the hot water, he went back to the window and sat down.

The mail package was delivered this morning, and it was already past one o'clock in the afternoon, and there was still no trace of Naoko.

Did you not notice the news, or did you not get away for a while?

By the way, today is Thursday, and Naoko may be in class. She might have moved to a school over here.

No, he'd called all the high schools here before......

The stomach began to ache again, and Naruse couldn't help but want to lie on the table for a while, and then looked up at the post office outside the window.

Most of the day passed, and the post office was not as deserted as it was in the morning, and people came in and out from time to time, and at this time a short girl with short hair had just walked in.

"Hmm......"

His stomach churned, and Naruse lowered his head.

He jerked his head up again.

Boom!

“……”

There was silence in the small restaurant, and the guests all followed the sound to the boy who stood up suddenly on the table by the window.

"No need to look for it."

Dropping 1,000 yen at the front desk, Naruse walked out of the restaurant and walked straight to the post office opposite.

The glass door also opened at this time, and the short-haired girl who had just entered walked out of it and looked down at the package in her hand.

Noticing that someone stopped in front of her, she raised her head, her eyes suddenly widening.

“……”

Naruse took off her mask, and her body trembled.

"Naoko."

With a click, the cardboard box in Naoko's hand fell to the ground.

Then she turned and fled.

(End of chapter)