Ome Quartet of Snow Country

Chapter 85
Walking out of the hotel, the temperature outside was a bit low, but for the two people who came from the northeast, this temperature was not cold enough.

Naruse looked back, at the end of Shijo Street, the west gate of Yasaka Shrine was still conspicuous in the dark night.

The starfish in his vision also turned his head, not knowing what he was looking at.

"It's all right. Let's go."

She followed.

Along the Shijo Street, the two walked in the direction of the Shijo Bridge.

Near the South Block, there is a north-south path, and the skewer shop they are going to is there.

It was late at night, and there were no people on the road, except for occasional taxis passing by.

At the intersection of Hanami Koji, a taxi turned a corner and slowed down in front of the stopped two people.

The rear window was open, and the geisha inside the car noticed the gaze from outside and smiled at the two of them.

"..."

Looking at each other and leaving, it was just a blink of an eye, Naruse didn't look much, and continued to move forward through the intersection.

Following the taxi and looking into Hanami Alley, Hai Xing's footsteps were a little slow, but he quickly followed him, keeping a distance of three or two steps from him.

The two met in front of the elevator in the hotel.

He said that he was going to eat skewers, and then even invited her to join him.

And she actually agreed.

——When I later realized that there were only the two of them and Hikari did not follow, I didn't know how to say the rejection.

Eat more skewers and less communication, Hai Xing secretly told himself.

After walking for a while, Naruse looked back at the next intersection, "This way."

She follows.

Walk in for two or three minutes, opposite a small parking lot, is the destination of the two.

【Skewer Taro】

The red lantern with printed text is hidden among the dark green branches and leaves, guiding the entrance of the skewer shop.

"It's here."

"Um……"

Opening the noren curtain and going in, passing through a narrow but not long aisle, several gazes looked at it at the same time, Naruse and Hai Xing were stunned for a moment.

There are several people sitting inside, of different ages and genders, the only thing in common is that they are all holding mobile phones.His eyes turned on the faces of the two people who had just arrived, and then quickly dropped them again.

When the young brother dressed as a clerk came up to him, Naruse understood the current situation.

"It seems that we still have to queue up... The business is really good."

The two of them could only find a place to sit down and wait for an empty seat.

After a few minutes, five or six people walked out, speaking in an incomprehensible language loudly, and left the skewer shop.

It sounds like Korean, Naruse thought, it should be a tourist.

The clerk also came out quickly, and greeted the few customers who came first to go in.

Only Naruse and Haixing were left outside.

While waiting, Naruse opened the map of his mobile phone and looked at it. Apart from this yakitori Taro, the nearest yakitori restaurant is also opposite Kamogawa.

It took time to walk there, and he didn't know whether he needed to queue up, so he endured hunger and gave up his plan to change to another store.

Putting his mind away, Naruse looked at Hai Xing who was sitting next to him.

When we met in the elevator, seeing that she was also hungry, he casually invited her, but he didn't expect her to agree so happily—although on the way here, he showed a hesitant look again.

When they were boating at Arashiyama yesterday, because of some opportunities, the two of them had a lot of exchanges.Although the previous part is a bit intense, overall, the atmosphere is not bad.

It's just that at night, an unintentional staring at the drug store in Kawaramachi reminded the two of them at the same time, and the atmosphere between them fell into an unspeakable embarrassment.

Deliberately ignoring that period of the past, pretending that each other is just step-siblings who had a bad relationship, no matter how much is piled on top of that, it is false.

But it is even more difficult to bring it up now.

He had to admit the mistakes he made rightly and confidently at the time.

And she always avoids it, and probably doesn't want to listen.

"..."

Starfish, who was bored waiting, suddenly looked this way.

After looking at each other, she quickly looked away.

Naruse pursed his lips, becoming more and more certain of his judgment.

"Just now the clerk said that some tables are almost finished, so we shouldn't have to wait too long."

"……Um."

"Where did Starfish and Light have dinner?"

Hai Xing was silent for a while, and turned his head to his side, "There is a tonkatsu restaurant over there from the hotel."

"Yes. How does it taste?"

"It's delicious!...No, that, it's okay." She paused, "I only ate a little."

Naruse nodded, didn't say much, and it took a while to realize that she was trying to cover up something by explaining more.

"After all, it's too late now."

"Huh?...Um."

After waiting for another ten minutes, a few middle-aged diners finally came out of the store.Soon, the clerk greeted the two to go in.

Relative to being seated, the clerk delivered the menu and said that the consumption requirement in the store is to order at least one drink per person.

Before coming over, Naruse had already learned about this from the information on the map, so he ordered a glass of peach-flavored Calpis sparkling water.

The same goes for starfish.

Looking at the menu, Naruse ordered the shop's signature skewered platter, and ordered fried chicken with crispy bones and bibimbap.Seeing that Hai Xing ordered tamagoyaki, he also added another portion.

He is really hungry.

"Just order. Since I pulled you here, let me treat you."

"Oh."

Hai Xing looked at the menu again, except for a piece of roasted beef with green onions, there was nothing more to add.

After ordering, the two began to wait.

Enduring hunger, but the aroma of food kept wafting from all around, Naruse looked left and right.

The internal area of ​​the skewer restaurant is not big, except for the few people who waited in line with them just now, there are also a few customers who look like office workers who come here to drink.

"...The head of the section came to me this afternoon and said that he planned to send me to the office in Kyushu. He also said that the director and the director had the same intentions, and he had to let me go... hey."

"Kyushu... isn't it pretty good? If you pass by, you will be the boss over there."

"Go to the country office over there to be the boss. There are not many people under him, and the salary will only increase a little. It's better to stay in Kyoto."

"That's not what it said... Come, have a drink. You're not married anyway, so you'd better agree to it, and don't embarrass the minister."

"Why did the senior say that..."

"Otherwise, why do you think I dragged you over for a drink today? If you don't go, I have to go. I just got married this year!"

"why is it like this--"

The office workers only focused on chatting, and Naruse was worried about the skewers on their plates.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait too long, and the skewer platter was delivered quickly.

The freshly grilled meat skewers were steaming hot, Naruse first picked up a skewer of roasted beef with green onions, and took a bite.

The teriyaki beef is extremely tender, with the sweetness of miso in the gravy, and the chopped green onions sprinkled on top are fried crispy and full of fragrance.

"..."

Starfish on the opposite side stared blankly, then glanced aside.Her share hasn't arrived yet.

After biting off a piece of beef, Naruse pushed the plate towards her, "Let's eat first."

Then she picked up a bunch of bacon wraps and ate them.

Then came the fried chicken with crispy bones, each piece was fried golden, and it was served on a bamboo plate, along with two sliced ​​lemons.

"Would you like some lemon juice?" Naruse asked.

Starfish was startled, and subconsciously shook her head.

"Then don't add it."

Putting the lemon aside, he picked up a piece of fried chicken bone and put it in his mouth. It tasted good and was very chewy.

"Eat it, it tastes good."

Haixing also picked up a piece of fried chicken and tasted it, and then picked up another piece.

Seeing her eating and keeping glances at the lemon put aside, Naruse felt a little helpless.

"Let's squeeze some lemon juice, it's a bit greasy."

"Eh... ok."

Hai Xing picked up a few pieces of fried chicken bones and put them in his bowl, and then squeezed some lemon juice on top.

"Since you're out for supper, just be casual."

She raised her head, and Naruse immersed himself in tearing the skewers in his mouth, without looking at her.

After eating two skewers of meat and a few pieces of crispy fried chicken bones, Naruse just felt a little bored, and the two of them brought up their Calpis sparkling water.

Starfish's eyes widened a little, looking forward to it too.

As soon as she picked it up, Naruse also picked up her own cup, the two looked at each other, she stared at her own cup again, and sent some forward.

"..."

Naruse was taken aback for a moment, then he also moved forward and clinked glasses with her.

There was no "cheers", just a low thump as the glasses on both sides collided lightly.

Gumbling—

Take a big sip of peach-flavored Calpis sparkling water to relieve the greasyness.

Starfish licked his lower lip and smiled unconsciously.

"Calpis and sparkling water are paired together, and the texture and taste are not bad."

"Ok!"

Taking another sip of sparkling water, Naruse was no longer polite, and picked up the skewers to eat.

He hasn't eaten for more than ten hours, and now he just wants to fill his stomach.

　Thanks to the leader of the book friend [SHIRRO].

　　
　
(End of this chapter)