Jiang Yuanshen stood still, unable to move, like a squirrel hiding in a tree hollow waiting for the storm to pass.

If Takimitsu Naoko is involved, with her friendship with Asakura Shake Apricot, it is absolutely impossible to hide this matter.

The thought that shaking the apricot in the air might be involved, his brain was sensitive and redundant at the moment.

He felt a little dizzy, his whole body seemed to be made of heavy clay, and even if he tried to make a sound, the air only passed through his throat boredly.

Jinghai Shenyue saw his appearance, and her soft lips pursed and smiled, and said:

"Don't worry, don't come to the secret base during this time, let's deal with the exam first, and then talk about it after it's over."

Jiang Yuanshen admires her skill of "looking at faces" very much, why can't Kurosawa-san understand people's faces in comparison?

But he soon came back to his senses and realized that this might be the cuteness of everyone.

"Okay."

As if being guided to make a move, Jiang Yuanshen turned around and walked back to the classroom.

◇

After school in the afternoon, walking down the asphalt pavement laid along the slope, the shadow of Nakuyama recedes in all directions.

Through the dense woods, you can faintly see the calm waves of Lake Kamo, and the warm light shuttles between the leaves along the shore, and the mottled projection pampers a small piece of the lake.

The dark green mountains, the clear clouds, and the girl with shoulder-length short hair next to her, and the fragrance of antiperspirants can be smelled in the air.

"Are you sure about the exam?" Jiang Yuanshen asked with a smile, she rarely didn't stay for self-study today.

"If nothing else, no problem." Shaking the apricot in the air clenched his small fists, looking like he was bound to win.

Jiang Yuanshen just wanted to tease her, "Usually people who say that there is no problem will definitely have problems", when a shrill horn sound tore through the peaceful atmosphere between the two.

"Everyone, be quiet! Everyone is quiet——! ”

Looking at the sound source, I saw that on the opposite side of the street, there was the community center of the public hall.

On the huge site used as a parking lot in the community center, there looked like hundreds of people were standing in dense clusters, apparently discussing something.

And in the middle of the crowd was a middle-aged man with a microphone and a ribbon on his upper body, who was Jinghai Yaren.

The words "the current mayor of Chitorishima" are infinitely magnified in Jiang Yuanshen's eyes like boasting.

He and Chaokong Shaoxing stopped in unison and watched Jinghai Yaren speak to the crowd:

"Everyone! After the earthquake, we will work together to ensure the financial operation of the local government, and vigorously develop the tourism industry, I hope that everyone can give all the support of this government, although death is terrible, but life is unstoppable, as the mayor of the town, I hope that the islanders of Chitori Island, whether they are children or the elderly, can freely express their opinions and participate in the construction of the island's prosperity! Under the protection of the Queen, we are united, and the development of the Great Ruins will inevitably bring a new future to Chitori Island."

Like a politician she once saw on TV, Masato Shizumi walked back and forth in the eyes of the crowd, giving impassioned speeches.

The ribbon on the chest looks particularly dazzling in the sun.

The people around him kept talking to each other, some nodded in agreement, some put on a disdainful look, and some looked like they didn't care about themselves.

"As long as the project of the big ruins is passed, I guarantee that the residents who have lived on the ruins will receive compensation and even stalls, and families in special circumstances will receive additional compensation. Please put a hundred hearts! ”

Jinghai Yaren's speech through the microphone made the silent Jiang Yuanshen red-faced.

In just an instant, he quickly understood what Jinghai Masato meant by "special circumstances".

Thinking that the additional compensation received by the islanders was due to their dead relatives, Jiang Yuanshen suddenly wanted to find a hole to get into, and he was ashamed.

An unspeakable pain tugged at his heart, a contempt from his soul.

"It's worthy of being the mayor of the town, and he can think things through so thoughtfully."

"Our lives have really changed for the better, I'm for it."

"But don't you feel bad? If you build a square on that kind of land, you will be punished."

"Wow, those people are going to get a lot of money! It's cool! ”

"I'm so envious~~"

Obviously, there was still a distance of more than 20 meters between him and those people, but Jiang Yuanshen could hear their discussions, and even jokes that disregarded human feelings came into his ears.

At this moment, a roar that shattered the eardrums came out—

"What a joke! How dare you, a little kid who left the island since childhood, make such a disgusting decision! Think it's great to be out there for a few years? You didn't even see how many people died there! ”

That voice was undoubtedly comparable to thunder, Jiang Yuanshen suddenly had goosebumps, and his eyes looked at the source of the sound.

An emaciated old man in a white shirt tore open a gap in the crowd and came to the front, pointing at Jinghai Yaren and scolding, with no disgust on his face.

Jiang Yuanshen remembered this person, the owner of Nakano's second-hand electrical appliances, and the radio was borrowed from this grandfather, and he hadn't returned it yet.

He still seems to be an old mayor.

The sudden objection made Jiang Yuanshen hold his breath for an instant.

It's unbelievable that this body, which looks like it will wither and turn into dust at any moment, pours out a power that is not weaker than a microphone.

Jinghai Yaren was not annoyed by this, took a deep breath and said calmly:

"Uncle Nakano, we are not omniscient and all-powerful gods, and in essence, the pursuit of a better life will continue forever, which is helpless."

"Fart! What the hell do you know about only a few years here? I've lived on that ruins since I was a child! I grew up eating the rice planted on it! The earthquake left my family there forever! How could I just casually let you build those disgusting things on it! If only my wife and parents had known about it underground! I'm going to say I've abandoned them——! Will say that I am a person who forgets his righteousness——! ”

Grandpa Nakano's tone was first angry, and gradually, the sound poured out was like a broken wooden flute, making a strange sound that was close to mourning.

Jiang Yuanshen's heart was beating wildly in an extremely uneasy way, it turned out that the big ruins were in their hearts, no matter how much commercial value they had, they had become an untouchable holy place.

The people around him were also silent by Grandpa Nakano's accusatory words, but Masato Shizumi had a calm face, as if he had expected this situation for a long time.

He took a short breath, looked at Grandpa Nakano with the microphone, and said in a heavy tone:

"However, how to find the future of the survivors, how to heal the original loss is what we should do more, Uncle Nakano, you were the mayor before you should understand better than me, you are not abandoning, you are just making your children and islanders live a better life, pure ethics will only hinder us from moving forward."

Listening to his words, Uncle Nakano didn't know whether it was anger or shame, and his face was red, and he stomped his feet back and forth fiercely and shouted:

"If you want to develop the ruins! Just bury the old man underneath! Otherwise, there is no need to talk about it! ”

- What a tragedy.

Somehow, my throat is so hot.

As if he was making excuses for himself, Jiang Yuanshen said to the sky beside him:

"Let's go, I'm thirsty and go buy some water."

The gaze of the apricot shook in the air fell quietly on the side of his face, and said as if comforting:

"I'll ask you to drink Pocari."

"I want to drink better."

"But I want to save money for camping ingredients."

"That's going to be down." Jiang Yuanshen no longer had the strength to joke.

As if wandering through an indescribable storm, he finally left the eye of the storm and reached a space surrounded by a steady golden light.

The two bought Pocari in front of the vending machine, and Jiang Yuanshen took a sip and stopped drinking.

"Xiao Shen, are you suspicious of Uncle Nakano's behavior?"

The girl's confused question sounded in his ears, and Jiang Yuanshen was a little surprised that his heart was seen through.

He looked sideways at the apricot shake in the air, she just lowered her head and held the treasure in both hands, her pink nails constantly buttoning the wrapping paper, as if confirming the meaning of something's existence.

Listening to the slight sound of "creaking" from time to time, Jiang Yuanshen said with a smile:

"No, I just think Uncle Nakano is very powerful."

Shaking the apricot in the air was silent, but it was not a sticky silence, but a silence to cherish something.

"Xiao Shen, what do you think of everyone's thoughts about the ruins?"

Her questions were like the wind rummaging through a pile of maple leaves.

“.”

Jiang Yuan Shen opened the cap of the bottle of Bao Cari, although he was not thirsty, but he had to drink it at this time.

Patches of maple leaves roll in the wind in the corridors on the side of the street, and in the glittering sunlight, it seems that the grass is spreading and growing leaves.

His lips loosened from the bottle, and he realized that he had to say—

"I'm a little old enough to change everyone's thoughts about the ruins, it's just selfishness, but if I don't say anything, I'm scared to watch things turn out that I don't care about, and in the end, I'm still indecisive."

Shaking the apricot in the air stopped the movement of his fingers, and cast a sincere and pure gaze at him, and his soft eyes were bathed in the sun, shining brightly.

Her little finger unconsciously touched Jiang Yuanshen's hand, and she could feel the young man's hand trembling slightly.

Then, without any resistance, her little hand slid into his palm and was gently clenched.

"For example, I'm just making an analogy, if I'm Kyoko."

“.”

"I'd be glad if I saw that you could do better because of this."

"I don't think so, this is pure evil, if I use the deceased to get the resources of life, I can't bear it."

"But if you don't have the resources to live, and those who survive die?"

Listening to the words of shaking the apricots in the sky, Jiang Yuanshen couldn't help but hold his breath, he immediately shook his head and said:

"Impossible."

"No, it's possible."

Shaking the apricot in the air, he shook his head calmly and said,

"In the years after the earthquake, the island needs to be rebuilt, and everyone does not have many opportunities to make money, and they don't even dare to get seriously ill, because once they get sick, they don't have extra money to go to the doctor."

Jiang Yuanshen didn't know how to answer, this was an extremely realistic question.

Not to mention Zhitori Island, even migrant workers living in Tokyo dare not get seriously ill.

"What's more, I've been living with my mother's compensation money for the past few years, Xiao Shen, am I pure evil?"

"It's not."

If using relatives is "evil", then is Uncle Nakano, who did not use his relatives and caused everyone to lose the support of their lives, is it "good"? Will this "goodness" harm people? ”

The girl's voice was like a clear and translucent spring, blurring in the heart.

Jiang Yuanshen was stunned, even a few minutes ago, he still thought that Chaokong Shaoxing was a simple girl when he first came to the island.

Now her words made him unable to hide his surprise, after all, this was not the realm she could reach at all.

Perhaps, shaking apricots in the sky has grown to the point where they are not even as good as themselves.

The small hand held by the apricot shook the air lightly, showed a gentle smile, and concluded in a brisk tone:

"I don't think Xiao Shen is indecisive, it's because of Kyoko, you care too much about her thoughts, and for example, you have cared about it for a hundred years, but you have become ashes by then, right? No matter whether the ruins have changed or not, only your care will continue forever, and this is where your tenderness lies. ”

Jiang Yuan carefully suppressed his almost crazy heartbeat, and the time when he looked at each other with the apricot shaking in the sky was an extremely tense time.

Her eyes are tender like water, showing a unique charm that is different from the past.

When he came back to his senses, he had already hugged the apricot in the air, his head nestled greedily on her shoulder, and gently sniffed the fragrance between her hair.

"Thank you, Shake Apricot."

Jiang Yuanshen whispered, the girl in his arms was even more petite than he thought.

"I'm the one to thank, Xiao Shen."

Shaking the apricot in the air felt the body temperature he conveyed, his voice seemed to be wrapped around a transparent film, and the skirt flew in the wind.

Jiang Yuan's heart was hot, staring at the asphalt road behind her, and the steady light shone warmly on the two of them.

He finally let go of the apricot in the air, held her hand and said with a smile:

"It's okay, I'm home."

The girl's skin was stained with a faint vermilion, and her face was a relieved smile, and her palm sank slightly into his skin.

"Come on, Care."

"Let me touch my thighs and I'll do it."

"If that's the case. Yes! Without hesitation, she stretched out her right leg.

Jiang Yuanshen looked at the soft thighs exposed under her skirt and said, "You touched me because I was pitiful, right?" ”

"You're stupid! Who will touch someone who doesn't like it! Chao Kong shook the apricot and complained loudly at a very close distance, "I just touched you because I liked you!" Idiot! ”

Jiang Yuanshen laughed.

"Then I still won't touch it."

"Doesn't look good?"

"It's pretty."

"Is that not easy to touch?"

"I haven't touched it yet."

"Then you can touch it."

"I don't want to touch it."

"How do you know if you don't want to touch it if you haven't touched it!"

"But how can I touch it when I don't want to?"

"If you want to touch it, you won't want to touch it!"

"No, you're a fool, aren't you?"

"I'm not a fool, you're a fool."

The two of you walked down the street one by one.

Whenever he shook his long legs out and stopped Jiang Yuanshen in front of him, he would always show his disgust openly.

Looking at his face, shaking the apricot in the air always makes a pleasant laugh.

(End of chapter)