Ome Quartet of Snow Country

Chapter 207 Spring is Coming
After the official graduation of the third year, the rest of the third semester passed more quickly.

One morning, when Naruse was about to go out, he felt that he was wearing too much clothes, and suddenly realized that there was not much left in March.

Coming like a lion, leaving like a sheep, the temperature is gradually rising, and the sunny and sunny late March has half-stepped into spring.

"Wearing too much?...Does Chunhai feel hot?" Shangzi asked.

"A bit."

"Because the floor heating is turned on, it won't be hot outside."

"It's sunny today."

Naruse turned his head to look at the blue sky outside the window, and said, "I'd better change into a thinner coat."

"No."

Shangzi stood close to him, pulled the zipper of his coat down slightly, and used his fingertips to flick the clothes inside.

"Well... let's change this one."

Naruse looked down at the clothes and her fingertips, "That's fine."

Go upstairs to the room, change the sweater inside into a thinner one, and then go back downstairs, Shangzi smiled at him.

"lets go."

"Ah."

The two went out together and went to the bus stop to wait for the bus.

Today is not the weekend, but the day of the next freshman entrance exam.

The entrance exam lasts for two days, and the current first and second grades also have two days off.

Faced with a sudden vacation, Shangzi wanted to go shopping in the city and buy something by the way, so Naruse accompanied her.

After waiting for a while, the bus came.

The two got into the car. It was neither early nor late, and there were very few people in the car.

The bus quickly restarted.

Naruse looked out the window, his slightly shaking eyes fell on the mottled fields.

"It hasn't snowed for almost a month, and there is still a lot of snow on the side of the road..."

"Well. Basically, the snow will not completely melt until April or so." Shangzi said.

"At that time, spring will really come."

She smiled, "Yeah."

Leaving the fields and driving towards the city, the bus stopped at the platform of Dotemachi after about half an hour.

The two got out of the car, and Naruse followed Naoko towards the fabric shop.

"After the new semester begins, besides recruiting new students, you have to consider things like purchasing." Shangzi said, "You can't just focus on the fabric, you have to take into account the needs of the entire community."

Naruse nodded, "I guess I'll be busy for a while when school just started."

"Time flies so fast... It feels like it was only yesterday that I joined the handicraft club, and I will be promoted to the second grade in a blink of an eye."

Naruse smiled.

After tomorrow's freshman entrance exam is over, her feeling will probably become a little stronger.

When I came to a familiar fabric store and greeted the clerk, Shangzi walked in front, and he followed behind with a shopping basket.

"The super soft touch of the crystal is really good."

"buy it."

"The ones I bought last time haven't been used up yet."

Shangzi walked forward and picked up another piece of fabric, "This kind of fabric also feels good to the touch and is more elastic."

Naruse touched it, "Buy it."

She smiled back.

The two walked around the store, Shangzi didn't take anything, and put down most of the fabrics after looking at them.

"You don't want this either."

"Well, there are still unused."

Naruse almost understood that her current state was similar to the feeling when she was visiting a second-hand shop. The focus was on shopping and looking, not buying.

"The fabric also feels good to the touch, very soft."

"It's Longhair Falling Water. Chunhai has a pair of boots. The fluff inside is made of this material. It can also be used to make hair...I mean the hair of puppet characters. I don't usually use it much."

"Shangzi seems to seldom make human puppets, they are all animals."

"Well... not much to do now."

After shopping in the fabric store for more than an hour, Shangzi finally only needed two urgently needed fabrics, and didn't buy the rest.

"Come again next time."

"Ah."

It was still early to leave the fabric store, and Naruse was already ready to accompany her for a whole day of shopping.

He was carrying the bag, Shangzi looked back at him, and his eyes fell on his coat again.

"Now it's almost time to prepare clothes for spring, let's go to the mall and have a look."

"it is good."

When they came near the central station and walked into the mall, the two walked around.

When passing by a men's clothing store, Shangzi stopped and pulled him in.

"In the clothing stores now, there are basically new spring clothes."

"Well, winter is coming to an end. Shangzi should also pick a few."

"I'll talk about it later." She smiled, and pulled him to the hanger full of coats.

Shangzi picked it up, and quickly picked up a coat, "What do you think of this one, Chunhai?"

Naruse stood up straight, and she compared the clothes in front of him.

"It seems to be very suitable..."

"Let me try it." Naruse took off his coat, put on new clothes and tried them on.

"How about it?"

"Sure enough."

Shangzi smiled, a little proud of his precise gaze.

But if it ends like this, she will be a little dissatisfied...

No, very dissatisfied.

"Well... put this one away first, let's look at the others."

Naruse had no objection, "Okay."

She continued to pick among the hangers, and he continued to try on them.

"How about this one?"

"It's also very suitable."

"Then this one?"

"Look again, there should be more suitable ones."

"Shangzi says so in every piece of clothing..."

"Because Chunhai is suitable for any clothes."

While Shangzi was happily picking out the next coat, Naruse looked left and right, and his eyes stopped on another row of hangers next to him.

"Chunhai, try this again..."

Shangzi turned his head, only to realize that he had already walked to the other side.

"How about this one?" Naruse picked up a coat and looked back at her.

"I feel that the style is a bit simple. Try it."

Naruse put on his coat.

She leaned over, straightened the collars on both sides for him, took a small step back, and looked up and down.

"It seems to be not bad, and it fits well."

"Then..."

"But isn't there already a coat similar to this in Chunhai's closet?"

"..."

No wonder he took a fancy to this one just now.

"It's not the same, is it?"

"It's the same... Let's take a look at the one over there."

Shangzi took off the coat on his body, dragged him back to another row of hangers, and continued to try on it.

After choosing for more than an hour, Naruse tried on more than a dozen coats, and Shangzi finally picked out the one that suits him best.

"Just this one..." There was still some hesitation in her tone, but she just glanced at the rest of the clothes in the store, and there was nothing more suitable for him.

"Just this one." Naruse's tone was firm, and he used his body to block her gaze from looking elsewhere, "I like it very much."

Shangzi laughed.

"Ok."

Taking off his coat, Naruse was about to pay the bill when Shangzi reached out and asked for it, "I'll pay."

He didn't refuse, anyway, he still wanted to continue shopping, and he planned to choose some spring clothes for Shangzi as a gift in return.

After paying the bill, they walked out of the men's clothing store, and the two continued to stroll around the mall.

"Let's look at the bottoms next. If you want to match this coat, I think..."

"Don't worry, we'll talk about it when we see the right one. Shangzi can pick out some clothes himself."

"Hmm...do you want Chunhai to help me choose?"

"Didn't Shangzi help me choose a coat, and I'll help you choose one too—I'll pick it out, and I'll pay for it."

"Okay."

And Shangzi's next stop is a lingerie store.

"..."

Naruse turned to look at her.

"Just passing by."

Shangzi smiled, "I want to buy a new pair of underwear, the one I'm wearing now is a little tight..."

Naruse looked aside again, "Buy it, buy it."

Seeing his slightly red face, Shangzi smiled again, and led him into the shop.

"I don't need to come in..."

"Didn't Chunhai say he would help me choose?"

"How do I choose this?"

Holding his hand and scanning the various styles of underwear in the store, she felt her face getting hot.

"Color or something..."

"It's all right."

After all, Shangzi didn't make things too difficult for him, he dragged him in, and chose by himself.

"..."

As the only male in the store at this time, feeling the constant stares of other female customers, Naruse standing alone was even more embarrassed, so he had to follow Naoko again.

She picked up a light blue bra and checked the size.

"It seems a little smaller..."

Naruse glanced at it, but said nothing.

The fitting room is on the other side, "I'll try it on."

"Ah."

Seeing other female customers in the store looking this way frequently, she pulled him close again, "Chunhai is coming here too."

Before coming to the fitting room, Shangzi opened the curtain and went in, while Naruse was waiting outside.

There was a rustling sound from inside.

Even through a curtain, he could hear clearly, and he could even picture in his mind the image of her taking off her coat and gradually untying her restraints.

"..."

Naruse raised his head and looked at the air outlet of the air conditioner above his head.

The continuous hot wind made him a little hot and dry.

"It's really tight..." She whispered from inside.

After a while, Shangzi opened the cloth curtain and only put on a sweater on his upper body.

After glancing around in the store, she came out with the light blue bra she had just replaced in her hand.

"It's a bit small, I'm going to change the size..."

"Ah."

Naruse nodded, before seeing another bra hanging on the wall in the changing room.

"..."

It's the one she wore today.

Shangzi quickly returned to this side and stopped in front of him, the round and plump body wrapped in the sweater swaying faintly.

"There is no bigger size in that color just now...a different color."

When unconsciousness became conscious, any wavering in her body was very obvious, and Naruse struggled to only look at the black bra in her hand.

"...Let's try it first."

"Wait for me."

"Don't worry... take your time."

Shangzi glanced at him, and got into the fitting room.

The curtain was drawn again, and she covered her face.

"..."

A few minutes later, Shangzi came out fully dressed.

"Just this one."

"Ah."

She looks at him.

Naruse also looked at her, startled for a moment, and soon understood.

"...Don't Shangzi choose other clothes?"

"That's it for now."

"..."

Taking the bra that still had Yu Wen on it, he took it to the front desk to pay the bill.

After walking out of the underwear shop, Naruse let out a long breath.

Shangzi smiled and took his hand.

"The look in that saleswoman's eyes... I should have just given the wallet to Naoko."

"Next time."

"...There will be no next time this kind of thing happens."

She smiled, "Okay."

After visiting the men's clothing store and underwear store, it was already noon, and the two decided to find a place for lunch first.

"When I came here, I saw a beef restaurant on the side of the road. Let's go there."

"okay."

After leaving the shopping mall and finding the restaurant, the two sat down at the bar.

Naruse was already ready to order, but Naoko was still hesitating where to put the underwear bag.

"Just put it on the stool next to it, there's no one there right now."

"No, this is the underwear Chunhai gave me."

"Don't be so embarrassing... I just paid."

"So this is what Chunhai gave me."

"..."

Glancing at the shopkeeper's aunt who suddenly smiled at the bar, Naruse handed the paper bag in which he put his coat to Naoko.

"Put it in here."

After putting the small bag into the big bag, and putting it in the gap between the two stools, Shang Zi picked up the menu.

"What did Chunhai order?"

"Waiting for Shangzi to make a decision."

"I want to try this... but it looks like a lot, I can't finish it all by myself."

"Come on, I want to try it too."

She moved a little closer.

"and this."

Shoulder to shoulder, he looked at her profile, and then at the food picture where her fingertips fell.

"Can you finish eating?"

"With Chunhai here, I can finish eating."

"You probably misunderstood my appetite."

"There are two of us..."

"Okay, point."

Anyway, I still have a lot of time today.

"Just eat slowly."

"uh-huh."

Anyway, today is a date.

When the short extra vacation ended with the end of the freshman entrance examination, only one day passed, and the weekend came again.

Although it was not continuous, it could barely be regarded as a small long vacation. Naruse and Naoko had a good rest for a few days.

After the weekend passed, I went to school for half a week, and the last semester of this school year finally came to an end.

The closing ceremony of the third semester is a summary of the entire school year, which is longer than the closing ceremony of the previous two semesters combined.

"...In September of the second semester, we successfully held the Tsuga Cultural Festival. Although there was a little accident during the period, it still ushered in a successful conclusion.

According to incomplete statistics, during the Tsugao Cultural Festival, outsiders who came to visit the school..."

The dean's voice spread through the radio, echoing in the slightly empty gymnasium.

Naruse turned his head to look, and the side of the second grade team had been empty for nearly a month.

After the short spring break, the current second grader will fill in the gap, and the one standing on the second grader's side will be myself.

As for the class...

He looked at Shangzi next to him again.

As long as you can be in the same class as Shangzi.

"Chunhai?" She also looked at him.

He shook his head, "Why isn't it over yet, it's really nagging."

She smiled and glanced at the stage, "It should be over soon."

Seeing her clasping her hands together and rubbing them together from time to time, Naruse leaned towards her.

"Cold."

"A little bit..."

After the temperature gradually rose, it was no longer necessary to wear a coat all the time, not to mention that it was a sunny day, and he and Shangzi chose to take off their coats before they came down to participate in the rally.

However, there is no sunlight in the gymnasium, and there is no way to move your body during the rally. You only wear uniforms, so it is still a bit cold after all.

He reached out, held her hand, and rubbed it gently twice.

"Artificial heating."

She smiled.

The boring and cold graduation ceremony suddenly became warmer, but the dean on the stage announced disappointedly at this moment:
"This is the end of the graduation ceremony, all classes will leave in order!"

"Finally I can go back..." Naruse let go of her hand and smiled at her.

Shang Zi smiled back, and puffed his mouth again.

The two grades left one after another, and followed the team to the outside of the gymnasium. The warm sunlight shone on his body through the eaves, and Naruse stretched a long waist.

"Narase, are you going to the bathroom?"

"Okay."

Several boys from class C left the team and went to the bathroom together.

"Tomorrow is spring break, do you have any plans?" Xiao Linzheng said.

Tuchuan Dahe trembled, "If you have any plans, just stay at home."

"Me too."

"Lack of money, I have to work part-time."

"Where's Naruse?"

Naruse shook his head, "I don't have any arrangements for now, let's talk about it later."

"Then let's not talk about the spring break. This afternoon, let's get together for the last time. After all, we will be assigned to different classes when we enter the second grade." Koji Tanaka suggested.

"Ah...that's right...after the next semester starts, the classes will be rescheduled."

Yaju Liangping was stunned for a while.

"Come out when you're done, don't keep occupying the seat." Itoxiong urged, and then said to Tanaka, "I'm going."

"I'll go as well."

"And I."

The boys had no objections, Naruse thought about it and agreed.

Although he spent one semester less with them, they got along very well with each other.

"Do you want to call it a girl?"

"Okay, let Takikawa organize the girls."

"Come on, Naruse."

"Ah."

Back in the classroom, Naruse found Takikawa Hikari and conveyed the boys' thoughts.

"Dinner with Class C? Okay."

After returning to his seat, he looked at Shangzi's seat again, and found that she hadn't come back yet.

"Did you just see Shangzi?"

Takikawa shook his head.

The girl sitting in front of Shangzi said:
"As for Naoko, when I went upstairs just now, I was stopped by a second-year senior... Ah, Naoko called her 'Sugiyama-senpai'."

"..."

Ritsuko Sugiyama?

Naruse stood up, "Where did Shangzi get caught?"

"The corner of the stairs on the second floor."

He immediately left the classroom and went downstairs to find Shangzi.

And she's downstairs.

Together with Ritsuko Sugiyama, standing at the back door of the empty third-year Class G classroom.

"..."

Sugiyama Ritsuko looked over, Shangzi was also surprised, "Harukai..."

Naruse stopped beside her, "Is there something wrong, Sugiyama-senpai."

Ritsuko Sugiyama glanced at him, but said to Shangzi without answering:
"Isn't he suitable?"

"..."

Shangzi was silent for a while.

"I'll think about it again."

"This flower..."

"—Before noon, I will definitely give Sugiyama-senpai an answer." Shangzi said, looking directly at her.

Ritsuko Sugiyama looked at her again, said no more, nodded and went upstairs first.

At the end of the corridor on the second floor, only she and Naruse were left.

"Tanaka said that we will organize a dinner party for Class C students in the afternoon." He said.

"Eh……"

Shangzi was taken aback, but he didn't expect that this was the first thing he said.

"I promise, Shangzi will come with me."

"Ah good……"

"Go up."

She pulled him back, "Won't Haruhi ask Sugiyama-senpai what she wants from me?"

"You can almost guess it."

He looked at her, slid his hand down, and took her hand.

The two returned to the stairs, and he pulled her up.

"As long as it is Shangzi's own decision, I will support it."

"..."

She opened her mouth, smiled quickly, and took another step up, parallel to him.

"But... If I go back to the handicraft society and become the next head, I will have to hand over the repair department to Chunhai."

"Hmm...is that the only way?"

"After all, I can't be the head of two clubs at the same time. And the remaining first-year members are not particularly mature..."

"—It means that you can't leave it to them with confidence."

"It's me who feels more at ease with Chunhai."

"Okay. I'll stay and be Shangzi's puppet."

"what……"

·
【Snow Country Long Winter · End】

　Big chapter.end of this volume
　　
　
(End of this chapter)