Ome Quartet of Snow Country

Chapter 160
Shangzi rarely shows his emotions, especially the less gentle ones.

But her anxiety now can be felt by anyone.

Mori Jian regretted sitting next to her a little bit - not only did he have to bear the negative emotions she had unintentionally released at this time, but maybe he had to cooperate with her cover-up afterwards, which was not a pleasant thing.

But she also totally understands her reaction.

Morimi glanced back, and across two rows of empty seats, Naruse and Hai Xing were sitting together, talking about something.

The bus went all the way, the humming engine completely overwhelmed the suppressed voices of the two, and nothing could be heard.

Hai Xing said that there is something to ask him, what is it?
She also cares a little bit.

After staring at it for a few moments, Morimi withdrew his gaze and glanced at the seat next to him.

Shangzi didn't know how many times he looked back.

Every time she looked at it twice, she would turn back, but after less than half a minute, she would turn back again, and she felt tired for her when she looked at it.

The restless engine roared, only his hands were clenched tightly.

The two people in the back row kept their distance and were just talking.

What made Shangzi so uneasy was probably the expression on Hai Xing's face when he grabbed Naruse just now—as if he wanted to confess to him.

Although she thinks the possibility is very low.

It's only been a day, how many things happened that she didn't know about?
Unable to guess anything out of thin air, Morimi could only look away, and suddenly found that Takikawa Tsuki in the front row had also turned around.

And the person she was looking at...

It seems to be yourself?
"Miss Moon?"

Takikawa Tsuki shook his head, indicating that he was fine, and quickly turned back.

Mori didn't care either.

Shangzi, who was sitting beside him, turned his head again.

Where her eyes focused, Naruse tilted his head and whispered.

"...It's been 10 minutes, half of it has passed now. If you don't want to speak, I'll go back."

"and many more!"

Hai Xing quickly called him to stop, and then pursed her lips tightly, "Let me think... think again."

Naruse didn't speak, he breathed in and sighed, and exchanged glances with Naoko in front of him.

He shook his head, and she forced a smile and turned back slowly.

He glanced at the time again.

"Ten minutes left."

"..."

Haixing took a deep breath, "Do you like Shangzi?"

After struggling and hesitating for a long time, I thought of many excuses and concealments, but a single word was useless.

Naruse's heart skipped a beat, he raised his eyes to look at the back in front of him, and then at her.

"Ah."

The moment he nodded, Hai Xing had a sore nose and almost shed tears.

Sure enough, this is the answer...

It could only be the answer.

How could he deny it?The only person who feels that there is another answer to this question is himself.

But if this is the case, why are they still just childhood sweethearts, not lovers?
Weaving hope for herself out of nothing, she continued: "Shangzi also likes you."

Naruse glanced at Shangzi again, nodded quickly, "Yeah."

Hai Xing looked at him: "Then why don't you guys date?"

Naruse took a slow breath.

"Many reasons……"

He wanted to say that the problem was with himself, and Shangzi was just accommodating him, both of them were willing to maintain the status quo, but then he felt that there was no need to explain it too clearly to her.

"In short, it's up to Shangzi and me to associate or not."

Starfish bit her lip and said nothing.

The two were silent, and the time jumped to the next minute in silence.

"One minute is up."

Naruse stood up, ready to return to his seat in the front row.

Hai Xing suddenly grabbed his hand, "Wait a little longer."

Feeling the softness in her hand, Naruse still pulled it away quickly, and she turned to grab his clothes.

"Because of me?"

"What?" He looked ahead and sat down again.

His chest rose and fell with his breathing, and Starfish's voice became lower and lower.

"It's because of me... that you didn't date Shangzi."

The speed at which he denies it breaks her heart.

"how is this possible."

"..."

Hai Xing moved her lips, her chest felt heavy as if she had been hit hard.The hand holding his clothes also dropped powerlessly.

She and him have already crossed the line called liking.

Although to him, it was pretend.

But the time spent together day and night for two years is not false, each other's body and heart have left deep marks that belong only to each other.

No matter how long they have been separated from each other, even if this brand will fade, it will not disappear completely.

At least it was for her.

She felt, more or less, that he should too.

She has always felt that way.

And his denial without thinking completely shattered everything.

Was the momentary hesitation that appeared on his face when they looked at each other in front of the mirror really just her illusion?
Was his previous initiative to get close to him an illusion?

If it was an illusion, then why was he staring at her body?
And when she covered her chest, he ordered her to move her hand away...

"Do you like my body?"

"..."

Naruse glanced at her in surprise, stood up again, walked to the front row without looking back, and sat behind Morimi.

Hearing the movement, both she and Shangzi turned their heads.

The moment she turned her head, she noticed that Shangzi's expression had obviously relaxed a lot.

Naruse, who just took his seat, looked a little out of his mind.

"Have you finished chatting with Starfish?"

"Um……"

Sen Jian looked at him, then at Hai Xing who was sitting alone at the back, and got up to go over.

"Wait a moment!"

He subconsciously held her, and quickly let go, "Let her be alone."

"why?"

"Hmm...she has a brain problem."

"Huh?" Sen Jian looked at him in surprise.

Naruse couldn't explain it too clearly, and was worried that Hai Xing would talk nonsense to her, so he had to let her sit down first, and went back to the back.

Starfish sat in a daze, lost in thought.

"Don't talk nonsense to them."

"..."

She looked at him and lowered her gaze, "I'm not talking nonsense."

Naruse took a deep breath, "Then what do you want to do?"

"I think……"

Hai Xing looked blankly at his hands that had nowhere to rest.

She asked everything she wanted to ask.

And he has already admitted everything she wants to know, and at the same time denied everything between each other, what else can she do...

"I do not know."

She didn't know how to accept that she was the only one who liked him unilaterally.

Two lines of tears flowed down silently.

"..."

She shed tears peacefully, and Naruse opened his mouth, but he didn't get up to leave after all, but just sat beside him silently.

Neither of them spoke again until half an hour later, the bus stopped in front of the shrine.

"I want to go down." With dry eyes, Hai Xing pinched a wet tissue with a hoarse voice.

Naruse got up, she came out from inside, and walked straight forward.

"starfish……"

She ignored Shangzi and Mori and got out of the car directly.

"Starfish...Huh?"

Seeing Haixing getting off the car alone, Takikawa realized something was wrong belatedly.

Looking at the two companions behind her, she looked at Naruse at the back again, "Harukai, what's wrong with Starfish?"

He shook his head without explaining, "Get out of the car first."

The bus won't stop for too long, and the few people hurry up to get off the bus, and Haixing has already passed through the torii gate and walked to the approach.

"starfish--"

Hikaru Takikawa yelled, but she didn't respond either.

"Go in." Naruse quickened his pace to keep up.

Shangzi followed him, looked at Haixing's back, and didn't ask any questions.

Mori Jian was much more straightforward, "What's going on, why is Haixing crying again? What did you guys talk about?"

Naruse looked at the stone torii in front of him, "Talked about the past between siblings."

She frowned, not believing it, but she didn't know what to ask.

Walking into the shrine, the long approach road is covered with snow, and there are not many people who come to Hatsune today.

But Haixing kept moving forward without looking back, and soon blended into the crowd and disappeared.

"I'll go find her." Seeing this sentence, Sen Jian chased forward.

Hikaru Takikawa and his sister slowed down, and waited for them to catch up, "What's wrong with Starfish?"

"There's something on my mind," Naruse said.

Takikawa Tsuki looked at him, then at Naoko, and held back his sister who wanted to ask again.

"Chunhai will solve the starfish's problem."

Naruse frowned and smiled.

"I hope so."

(End of this chapter)