Although Naruse had sent a message saying that he would contact them when Naoko's matter was resolved, on the third day of his trip to Takayama, Matsu Chiaki couldn't help but make a phone call.

At that time, he was dragging his luggage and walking towards Naoko's current residence.

"Spring Sea."

"Hmm."

"How's it going?" Song Qianqiu asked straight to the point.

He glanced at Naoko, who had suddenly quickened his pace and walked to the front, and said, "If it's okay, I'll take the initiative to contact you." ”

The other end of the line sighed, and then said, "Don't force it. ”

"You don't count."

“……”

Naruse immediately realized his gaffe and made up for it, "I mean, I'll let Naoko come back with me willingly." ”

Song Qianqiu was silent for a while, not caring about his subconscious resistance just now.

"Did Harumi tell Naoko's parents?"

"Not yet. Telling them now will make things more complicated. ”

"Don't think about using Naoko to blackmail them into promising you."

“…… You really don't trust your own son at all. ”

"It's because I'm my own son that I say such things."

Naruse looked at the gray sky, "I see." ”

"Is Naoko next to me now, can I have a few words with her?"

"Now...... No way. He refused.

Song Qianqiu was not reluctant, "When do you plan to come back, are you still going to continue school?" ”

"Of course I wish I could go back sooner...... Can you find a relationship over there in Jinqian that allows me to be absent for a few more days without repeating a grade, the kind in the education department. ”

“…… Your mom is just an ordinary entertainer. ”

"Okay. Then there's no way, I'm going to prioritize Naoko's affairs. ”

Song Qianqiu sighed again and asked them about their current situation, but could only hang up.

Naruse quickened her pace, dragging her luggage to keep up with Naoko.

"My mother's phone."

"Hmm."

Seeing that he just said something like this, without any intention of explaining more, Naoko could only speak by himself.

"What did you say?"

"I asked about Naoko, and said I wanted to talk to you about it, but I refused."

"Hmm......" she pursed her lower lip, whether it was Matsu Qianqiu or anyone else, she didn't want to face it now.

"Don't worry, she can't take care of this."

"Don't you care?"

"I know now what I care about more." Naruse said.

Naoko looked at him and didn't say much.

After walking for half an hour, returning to her residence, Naoko went to say hello to Ms. Edako.

Back in her room, she continued to make the puppet.

Naruse also continued to accompany him, and when the time was almost up, he went down to cook, at noon, and at night.

After dinner, the two of them took a short walk outside.

After going back, Naoko seized the time again, finished the last point of the puppet, and then checked it from head to toe.

"Done?"

"Hmm."

"30,000 yen is here."

She held up the grizzly puppet, nearly half a meter long, and examined it in front of her eyes, "Not quite yet." ”

When she finished checking, Naruse brought a transparent bag from the side, put the puppet inside, and then put it in a cardboard box.

"Let's end our day."

"Hmm." Naoko's tone relaxed a lot, stretched a little, and looked at the time again, it was almost eleven o'clock in the evening.

"Are you hungry?"

"It's okay......"

His hand touched it, "My stomach is deflated." ”

"When you fall asleep, you won't be hungry." Naoko said.

"Actually, I'm hungry."

“……”

"Let's have a bite to eat."

“…… Well. ”

Naruse smiled and stood up, "Then Naoko will go take a bath first, and I'll go prepare." ”

"Wash it when you're done." Naoko also got up, "I'll prepare." ”

"I'll do it."

"It doesn't taste as good as I do."

“……”

Naruse opened his mouth and hummed for a long time, unable to say anything to refute.

"Then I'll help Naoko."

The two went downstairs and went to the kitchen to prepare supper.

Just filling her stomach a little, Naoko didn't plan to eat too much, so she cooked two bowls of udon.

The noodles are not large, there are many side dishes, the aroma is tangy, and the texture and taste are also excellent, which warms the stomach and body on a cold night.

"Ha ......"

Spit out a hot breath into the light, and Naruse leaned back, "Satisfied." ”

Naoko glanced at him and took another sip of noodles.

He sat for a while and then got up and went to the bathroom to put hot water.

After she finished her supper, he also prepared a change of clothes, and even went upstairs to take down the electric heater and bake it in the bathroom for a while.

"There's no warm light, and it's still quite cold to strip naked."

"Hmm." Naoko raised her eyes and looked at the bath bomb on her head that had been broken for an unknown number of years, "I just finished eating, I want to take a break and wash it again." ”

Naruse didn't have an opinion, "Then let the electric heater blow for a while." ”

When I closed the lid of the bathtub, there was a sudden movement outside the window.

Naoko listened with a pricked ear and looked at him again, "The wind is blowing." ”

"Hmm. I look at the weather forecast and it says it could snow tonight. ”

"Maybe it's already ......"

The bathroom window couldn't be opened, so Naoko went outside, opened the door and looked, and a cold wind suddenly hit her face.

She took a step back and slammed into his chest.

"Are you down?" Naruse hugged her from behind.

"I can't see it." Naoko looked outside again, there were no street lights here, and the road was dark.

"Let's go out for a walk and come back to take a shower."

"Okay."

The two of them wrapped themselves in their coats and stepped into the midnight cold.

And within a few steps, Naruse and Shangzi both saw the fragments fluttering under the street lamp at the intersection.

Snowflakes blew in the wind and kept drifting on their faces.

"It's down."

"Hmm."

The snow did not fall heavily, and the two continued to walk in the wind and snow, slowly walking forward.

"Is this the first snow of the winter in Takayama City?"

"Hmm...... If it hadn't snowed before I came. ”

"A week after Naoko left, it snowed over there in Tsumae."

"It's almost time."

Naruse took her hand and put it in his pocket, "It seems to be very cold this winter. ”

"Hmmm......"

"If we can stay overnight, by tomorrow morning, the snow will be piling up."

Naoko looked at the sky, "Yes." ”

The two walked to the intersection, turned a corner, and came to the bridge.

The cold wind with snowflakes blew along the river, and it was much colder on the bridge. Naruse stood on the side of the wind and looked at the black hole in the river: "I can't see anything at night." ”

Naoko craned her neck and turned her head to look at him.

She could see him.

He looked, and she looked ahead.

"Go on."

"Is it cold?"

"It's fine."

"Then walk a little more."

"Hmm."

Counting the time to go back, the two walked in the wind and snow for nearly half an hour.

Before they could turn back, the wind had already subsided, and the snowflakes that had fallen silently had become much denser.

"The snow is starting to fall in earnest."

"Hmm."

"Let's go home."

“……”

"Fortunately, the bathtub still has the basic function of automatic heating, otherwise the hot water will be cold."

"Hmm."

Back at the residence, Naruse closed the door, the two took off their coats, and went straight to the bathroom.

The hot air baked for a long time, and the cold bathroom became warm.

"Well, I'll take the heater and turn it on."

Washed first and then soaked, the two stuck together, enjoying the warmth of the crowd, and soaked in the bathtub for half an hour before coming out.

"It's cold! It's cold! ”

The evacuees generally returned upstairs, and the electric heater worked for half an hour, and the room was warmed up.

After laying out the futon, Naruse asked Naoko to get in first, and turned off the lights and turned off the electric heater by himself.

The room suddenly went dark, and another light lit up, illuminating the floor.

Turning off the electric heater, he got into the bed, and Naoko also turned off the light on her phone and withdrew her arm into the cover.

"Having said that, can this kind of old house withstand the wind and snow?"

"I don't know." She slipped into his arms.

Naruse also hugged her, "Let's take a look tomorrow during the day...... If it doesn't work, I climbed up and shoveled the snow off the roof. ”

"Hmm."

The wind and snow continued, and it became colder and colder outside, while the temperature in the bed gradually rose, and the warmth wrapped around each other.

Along with it, there is an irresistible sense of security, and Naoko feels like she is going to fall asleep soon.

"Speaking of which, there is only one word of farewell in the letter that Naoko left me."

“……”

She suddenly sobered up a lot.

"Hmm."

"Is it because you don't think we'll see each other again, or do you think I'll find Naoko sooner or later?"

She pursed her lower lip, "I don't know." ”

Naruse touched her back, "That kind of goodbye is too shabby...... Luckily, I found Naoko again. ”

She closed her eyes, "Then what kind of goodbye do you want?" ”

He hugged her tight.

"I don't want to say goodbye...... Not at all. ”

(End of chapter)