On the first day Naruse and Naoko returned home, Morimi, Starfish, and Hikaru Takikawa were all left behind. Not only do the three of them want to stay for dinner, but they also plan to stay here tonight.

However, there was nothing in the refrigerator, and when the three of them went home to say hello, Naruse also went to the supermarket with Naoko and purchased ingredients that could be eaten for a week at one time.

"Ah, Naoko! It feels like it's been a long time since I've seen you. ”

"Yes. Not at home some time ago. ”

"Eh, is that so?"

"Yes." She smiled the same as usual, "A little out of the way." ”

"yes, welcome back." The supermarket clerk also smiled, "Here, your receipt." ”

“……”

Naoko glanced twice, but still took the receipt as usual and put it in her wallet with the change.

After settling the bill, Naruse carried the bag, she followed him closely, and the two walked out of the supermarket together and into the snowstorm outside.

"Does Naoko still want to keep accounts?"

"Well, since the small ticket was given, then continue to remember it, and it's not a bad thing." She took his arm, "It's better to say that there are many benefits to bookkeeping." ”

"Hmm."

"Chunhai also has to learn to keep accounts."

He laughed and blew again, blowing away a snowflake that fell on the tip of his nose, "Then at the end of the year, I probably won't dare to look at my own ledger." ”

"This is one of the benefits of bookkeeping, so that Chunhai will pay more attention when he spends money, and he will not be so lavish."

"I'm not usually a big spender, am I...... Well, occasionally. ”

"Especially when you spend money on them, make a note of it." Naoko said, her arms clenched a little tighter, "Clearly, every stroke, you have to write it down." ”

"Hmmm......"

"When they quarreled, I took out Chunhai's account book and told them how much money Chunhai spent more on the starfish this month, how much money he spent less on Hikari, and what he secretly bought for Yiye."

“……”

Naruse spat out a large cloud of white mist, feeling a little weak in his hands carrying the bag.

"Leave me alone."

"Hmph."

Walking to Starfish's hotel, the two stopped, and Naoko said hello to Starfish's father.

"Greetings, Mr. Seiichiro."

"Naoko is back......"

Looking at the two children at the door, Seiichiro had a complicated gaze, "Welcome back." ”

After saying hello, the starfish also followed the two.

When I arrived at the Morimi Komoto store, the three of them went in together.

“……”

Seeing that Naoko was really back, Morimiki was silent for a long time, but still responded to her and Naruse's greetings.

"I'm going to Chunhai's house for dinner in the evening." The daughter said.

"Hmm."

"If it's too late, you may not be able to go home." She said again.

“…… Well. ”

So when the three of them left the bookstore, Morimi followed.

"What is your parents' attitude now?"

"To ask is to oppose."

"Don't ask."

"Tell me about it."

Naruse looked at her cheeks again, and the snow was shining, and there was almost no trace of it.

If Naoko hadn't told him that she slapped her in the room, he wouldn't have seen that such a thing had happened.

Compared to Matsu Chiaki a week ago, Naoko was obviously much more restrained.

Walking to the intersection, Hikaru Takikawa, who was at the door of the convenience store, saw a few people and walked over quickly.

"I bought some snacks and drinks, enough to eat."

Naruse glanced at the two bags she was carrying, almost full, "How much did you buy, did you buy food for the winter?" ”

"It's so exaggerated." She smiled, "I don't think I will rest too early tonight, so I bought more, and there are five of them." ”

"Have you been home?"

"Of course. Mom didn't believe that Naoko was really back, but luckily I took a picture. ”

"Eh, I didn't even find out when it was filmed."

"When I was waiting for the bus."

"Show me."

Naruse lifted the bag in his hand, "Let's go back and see." ”

Back at Naruse's house, it was almost dark, and Naruse and Naoko went directly to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

"If there are five people, make a pot?"

"Is that enough to eat?"

"Prepare more beef and blanch it while you eat it."

"That'll do fine."

Naruse cuts the beef, Naoko handles the other ingredients needed to make the pot, and the sound of chopping vegetables and water in the kitchen continues.

"Need help?"

Naruse turned around, and Hikaru Takikawa poked his head out at the kitchen door, and walked in as he looked.

"No, two people can be busy."

"Then I'll stand from the side and watch."

"It's a hindrance."

"It's too much!"

She walked over and looked at the ingredients they were preparing, and quickly guessed what they were going to eat for the night, "Cook the pot, I like it." ”

Naoko turned her head and smiled at her.

After watching from the side for a while, Hikaru Takikawa spoke again: "Harumi take a break, let me come." ”

Cutting out the last slice of beef, Naruse gave up his place and put the rest of the beef back in the refrigerator.

After watching from the side for a while, he, like Hikaru Takikawa just now, couldn't find a chance to intervene, so he left the kitchen temporarily.

Whoop -

Turning on the faucet and rinsing the knife, Naoko carefully cut the green onions, and after working for a while, she suddenly noticed that the person next to her was looking at her.

"Light?"

Hikaru Takikawa's joy was from the heart, "It's great that Naoko is back." ”

Naoko pursed her lips and smiled, and continued to chop vegetables.

"Who let him find me, and he refused to leave, so I could only come back with him."

"I'm sorry ......"

"I've apologized many times today."

"Hmm...... But, I'm sorry. ”

Naoko stopped to look at her, took a deep breath, and spit it out again.

"Well, I've forgiven the light. Later...... Let's get along. ”

"Okay."

The two looked at each other, smiled again, and continued to cut the vegetables.

"During my absence, I also want to thank Hikaru for taking care of Harumi all the time."

"I'm not the only one taking care of it."

"Well, but I still want to thank Hikari for getting Harumi back on his feet. Ah, bring that to me. ”

Hikaru Takikawa brought the salt shaker to her, "No matter who it is, there's no way to watch Harumi stay depressed like that." ”

Naoko suddenly looked over, "Are you really depressed?" ”

Hikaru Takikawa was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "Yes." ”

She smiled, "He told me that he had only been sleeping at home for a few days and that he was looking for clues about me the rest of the time. ”

"What's more, during that time, Chunhai ate instant noodles every day, and his beard grew long, just like a homeless man."

"Eh, is that so?"

"yes."

Naoko smiled again, "It seems that my departure has really hit him hard...... When he talked about the events of this time, he didn't say a word, and his mouth was really hard. ”

Hikaru Takikawa is not hard at all, "It hit me hard, too." ”

Naoko smiled at her.

"Now I'm back."

"Uh-huh."

"Ah, let's just cut the tofu too."

"Okay!"

Outside the kitchen, Naruse only had time to organize his suitcase at this time.

Take out all the clothes inside, wash what should be washed, and put aside what doesn't need to be washed, wait to be sent back to the room, and hang it in the closet.

"How can there be condoms?"

Morimi stood aside and quickly noticed that there was a box of condoms in the mezzanine of the suitcase.

"Of course I'll bring it back if I don't run out."

"And how much did you use?"

"A box."

"Do you guys have sex every day?"

"Then there's nothing left of this box."

Morimi squatted down, picked up one of his coats in the suitcase, and touched it in his hand, his eyes a little straight.

"Does it still hurt?"

"What?" She looked up and saw him staring at her face, and she understood.

"Luckily, she didn't push too hard...... She told you? ”

"Hmm."

Starfish crouched on the other side, looking at the two of them, "What are you talking about?" ”

Morimi shook his head, and Naruse didn't explain, just picked up a few clothes piled up next to him and asked her to take them to the dirty laundry basket and put them first.

"Oh." The starfish obediently passed.

Naruse got up and closed the suitcase, and Morimi went upstairs with him with a few other clothes that didn't need to be washed.

He lowered his suitcase, she hung up her clothes, and hugged him.

"Welcome back."

"I'm back." Naruse took a deep breath and hugged her as well.

She buried herself in his chest and didn't move for a long time.

"Are you crying?"

"Nope."

She raised her head, and her eyes were still dry, "I just want to hug you a little longer." ”

"There's no need to be sneaky now."

"I don't dare, let Naoko see it, maybe give me another slap in the face."

"Sure enough, it still hurts." He leaned in and examined her cheek.

"This way." She turned her face to the other side, "Can you see it?" ”

"I can't see it."

"Are you shielding her?"

"I can't really see it."

Morimi smiled, "Because she really didn't push too hard." I could even feel that she was deliberately retracting her strength, otherwise she wouldn't have lost control and crooked my glasses. ”

She paused, "Naoko is already thinking about the future. It's too stiff, and it doesn't end well. ”

Naruse pursed her lower lip, "After all, she's back." ”

Morimi sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him with both eyes, "You can get her back this way, you're really good." ”

"She's my most important girlfriend."

"Are you sure you want to say that to my face?"

Naruse walked over and stroked her face, "She's my most important girlfriend...... Hurt. ”

She turned her face and bit his fingers.

"There's no need to stress it a second time."

Withdrawing his fingers, he leaned down and kissed her on the lips.

"Hmm......"

The two kissed for a while, and Naruse caught a glimpse of some movement in the doorway, and glanced at the starfish watching them outside.

He stopped, "Come in." ”

Seeing that he was still unsatisfied, Sen also turned his head to take a look, and raised his leg to hook him again, "Go on." ”

Naruse just gave a shallow kiss and easily broke free from the clamping of her legs, "It's time to help prepare dinner." ”

As he passed by the starfish, he grabbed her and kissed her on the forehead.

“……”

Watching him go down, Morimi looked at the smiling starfish again, "So you're satisfied?" …… It's okay, in the future, he can kiss you every day, and give us the rest of the time. ”

"No way!" Starfish immediately objected.

Morimi smiled, leaned back, and lay down on his bed.

Starfish looked at her, then looked back at the open door, but stayed for the time being.

"Has Naoko really accepted us already?"

"Are starfish scared?"

“…… A little bit. ”

"Accepted." Looking at the ceiling, Morimi touched his face, the side that was beaten, "Reluctantly, and helplessly accepted." Her man likes you to death, and he can't let go of me and Hikari, and she can't help it. ”

"Each of us is making concessions and compromises, and only in this way can this distorted network of relationships be maintained."

The starfish thought for a moment, "What ...... did Chunhai compromise?"

Morimi glanced at her, "Do you think it's easy to have four girlfriends at the same time?" If you change to someone who is not responsible, it may be harder in bed, but with his kind of character, these are four heavy burdens in life. ”

"Ah......h

Morimi looked at the ceiling again and exhaled slowly.

"The current outcome was actually foreseeable a long time ago...... It's just that I didn't expect that the process in the middle would become so tortuous, and Naoko really left for a while...... It's great that she's back safely now. ”

Starfish stood by the bed and looked at her, nodding as well.

"Otherwise, I'll be guilty for the rest of my life."

Morimi smiled and froze for a moment, not knowing what he was thinking.

As the starfish prepared to go down, she sat up as well.

"Let's go down."

Two went downstairs, and the other three were in the kitchen, and they went over to take a look.

"Dinner is almost ready." At this time, the busy person was replaced by Naruse, and Hikaru Takikawa turned around and noticed the two and smiled at them.

"What do you eat at night?"

"Starfish come and see for yourself."

She stepped forward and sniffled first, "It's so fragrant......

Naoko smiled at her and looked at Hikaru Takikawa again, "Let's prepare a gas stove." ”

"Okay."

After tossing for a while, all the ingredients in the pot and the beef that will be scalded later are also ready.

"Don't stop here, go to the restaurant, and get ready to eat."

Naruse was carrying a full cooking pot, Naoko was holding the chopsticks, and Morimi took the rest of the beef.

And when he came to the restaurant, Hikaru Takikawa fiddled with the gas stove, but he couldn't hit it.

"Looks like it's burned out? Obviously, when I used it last time, I felt that there was still a lot of gas left......"

Naruse put down the pot and went to the kitchen to look for it, and found that the last tank of gas was on the gas stove.

"I guess it's only available in supermarkets." Starfish said.

"Hmm." He sighed and stood up as well, "Wait a minute, I'll buy it now." ”

"Ah, I'll go with Harumi."

Hikaru Takikawa also went out with him.

I put on my coat and went outside, but it was almost completely dark, and it was snowing again.

The two of them craned their necks, stepped on the crunching snow, and their steps were very fast, and it didn't take long to reach the supermarket.

"Dead cold, cold dead ......"

I found a special gas tank for gas stoves, and it was estimated that I would use it a lot this winter, so Naruse simply bought a whole box.

"That's a lot, it's going to last a long time."

"I should be able to use it this winter."

"But with so many gas canisters put together, isn't it a bit dangerous?"

"It didn't explode in the supermarket, and when it arrives at my house, it shouldn't explode suddenly......"

"The Harumi family is now the center of the whirlpool."

"Balkans."

"Huh? Bar...... Bar what? ”

"The world history of light is going to work hard."

"Suddenly say something."

Leaving the supermarket, Naruse carried the box, and his pace inevitably slowed down, and Hikaru Takikawa naturally slowed down and followed.

"Is it heavy?"

"A little, I feel like my arm is starting to get a little sore."

"When you get to Yiye's house, I'll get it instead."

"No, you don't."

"Don't be pushy."

"If you want to say that, I can't give it to you."

“バカ。” （ba ka）

The wind and snow were blowing, and the two walked on the street where there were no more people, passing by the bookstores of the starfish family and the Morimi family, without stopping.

At the intersection, Naruse paused a little under the street lamp and also changed his posture to hold it.

"Can't hold it?"

"You can take it."

Hikaru Takikawa smiled, "I want to see how heavy it is." ”

Anyway, it's almost home, so Naruse let her take the box.

"Is it heavy?"

"It's fine."

"Don't be pushy."

“バカ。”

He patted the snowflakes on her hair.

"Let's go."

When I got home, I put on a new gas tank, and the gas stove spat out tongues of fire, licking the boiling pot, transferring heat, and I didn't have to wait too long before I could faintly see the white vapor rising.

"It's heating up."

"Hmm."

Several people had already taken the dishes and chopsticks, sat around the table, staring at the pot and waiting.

Under the light, the rising water vapor gradually became obvious, and after a while, the gurgling sound could be heard as well.

"It smells so good."

"Yes."

After waiting for a while, Naoko lifted the lid of the pot, and a large cloud of water vapor rose, and the aroma instantly spread.

She looked at it and smiled at a few people, "It's time to go." ”

Naruse took the lid and sent it to the kitchen, where he quickly returned to the table and sat down.

Several people were also waiting for him, "I'm moving." ”

"I'm moving—"

Picking up a piece of white and tender tofu, Morimi blew it, took a bite, and shrank his body slightly.

"Hot ......"

"Be careful, it's just boiled." Naoko said.

She glanced at her and nodded, "Okay." ”

"The beef is cooked too." Hikaru Takikawa looked at the slices of meat floating in the bubbling soup.

"It's all discolored, and it's precocious." Naruse said.

She scooped up a slice and put it in her mouth.

"Uh-hmm—that's good."

Naoko smiled, "Put a few slices of beef in the pot first, and cook them together." One piece per person, clip it all, and then you can continue to burn. ”

When Starfish stretched out his chopsticks again, he was caught by Naruse and slowly pulled off the beef slices.

"Okay, one for one person. As soon as the pot was revealed, the starfish couldn't wait to take a slice of beef. ”

"How can there be ......?"

"I'm watching."

“……”

Morimi picked up another slice of beef and put it in her bowl.

"Eat."

"Count yours?" Naruse looked at her.

"Count it in." She snatched the beef he had snatched from the starfish from his chopsticks.

Naoko smiled, picked up the last slice of beef, and put it in her boyfriend's bowl.

"It's time to start burning."

Grand Chapter

(End of chapter)