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After agreeing to team up and go to the Otherworld tomorrow, Kitahara Makoto and Sakurajima Mai parted ways at the convenience store entrance.
"I'm back."
Kitahara Makoto arrived outside the ward, carrying a shopping bag.
"Kitahara-kun, what took you so long to come back?" Chihaya Anon secretly slipped out and couldn't help but complain, "You didn't reply to messages either. I thought you were lost."
Takamatsu Tomori said softly:
"Anon was very worried about you. She just said she was going out to look for you."
Chihaya Anon's pretty face blushed: "Tomori, don't say things like that!"
"..."
Kitahara Makoto explained:
"I met a friend on the way and talked for a while, so it took some time."
"Huh?" Chihaya Anon was curious, "Kitahara-kun actually has friends in Kamakura?"
Kitahara Makoto said: "You'll see them tomorrow."
"Huh, what do you mean?"
"Tomorrow."
"So mean, being a riddle-teller again..."
"..."
Kitahara Makoto distributed drinks and snacks to the two girls, then turned to look into the ward:
"How is Karin-chan now?"
"Karin-chan is still the same as before; except for her head and mouth, she can't move any other part of her body," Chihaya Anon took a sip of her drink and whispered, "A doctor just came by and said he wanted to do a full body check-up on Karin-chan, but Karin-chan refused."
Kitahara Makoto asked again:
"What about Karin-san's mental state?"
"Her spirits are definitely not good. Suddenly realizing she's completely paralyzed, Karin-chan is already amazing for being able to hold back tears and comfort her parents," Chihaya Anon said worriedly. "One or two days are fine, but if she can't stand up for a long time, I don't know what Karin-chan will become. We really need to help Karin-chan recover as soon as possible..."
"We'll go tomorrow," Kitahara Makoto nodded. "Shall we go back to Tokyo today?"
"Wait a moment," Chihaya Anon took another sip of her drink. "I'll go in and say goodbye to Karin-chan, then we'll all go back together. The hospital has special nurses at night, and they don't allow others to stay and care for patients, so there's no way to stay even if we wanted to."
As Anon entered the ward, Kitahara Makoto's gaze shifted to Tomori-chan, who hadn't spoken.
"Tomori-chan, are you hungry?"
Takamatsu Tomori shook her head gently: "Not hungry."
"Even if you're not hungry, you should eat some snacks," Kitahara Makoto handed over the shopping bag. "See if there are any snacks you like. We probably won't have time to eat a proper meal later; we'll be taking the car straight back to Tokyo, so eat some snacks to tide you over."
Takamatsu Tomori looked at the snacks in the shopping bag, and her eyes suddenly lit up:
"Oh, Konpeito?"
Kitahara Makoto said gently:
"Tomori-chan likes Konpeito?"
"Yes."
Takamatsu Tomori nodded vigorously without hesitation, reached into the shopping bag, and took out the Konpeito.
These candies are small, come in various shapes, are colorful, and are traditional Japan candies. In the past, they were even special tributes to the Emperor.
She distorted open the box, picked out a Konpeito, and put it in her mouth. The familiar sweetness instantly bloomed on her tongue.
Looking at Tomori, whose eyes were curved like crescent moons, Kitahara Makoto casually said:
"Is it because Konpeito looks like stars that you like to eat them?"
"There's another reason," Takamatsu Tomori looked up, her eyes sparkling. "When I was little, my mom and dad were both very busy, and I was home alone. My mom would often buy me a can of Konpeito and say that when stars like Konpeito appeared in the sky, mom and dad would come home."
She had said so much in one breath, so it seemed Tomori really liked this candy.
Kitahara Makoto asked curiously:
"What does Konpeito taste like?"
"The taste of memories..." Takamatsu Tomori blinked. "Makoto-kun hasn't eaten Konpeito?"
Kitahara Makoto shook his head and said:
"I really haven't eaten it."
Only children liked to eat candy; adults were basically not interested. Although Kitahara Makoto had seen it, he had no interest in trying it at all.
"Makoto-kun will know if you try it."
Takamatsu Tomori opened the candy jar and took out two Konpeito.
"Tomori-chan, you eat them," Kitahara Makoto shook his head. "I just came back from outside and haven't washed my hands, so I won't eat them."
"..."
Takamatsu Tomori moved her pink lips, holding two konpeito candies in her hand, her fair, small face suddenly flushed for some reason.
"What's wrong, Tomori?"
Kitahara Makoto asked, puzzled.
The next second.
Takamatsu Tomori suddenly stood on her tiptoes, holding the two konpeito candies to Kitahara Makoto's mouth, and said softly with a red face:
"My hands were just washed… feed Makoto-kun."
"..."
Looking at the candies offered to him, Kitahara Makoto silently opened his mouth.
Takamatsu Tomori, with her face flushed, handed over the candies. Because the konpeito were very small, she inevitably touched Kitahara Makoto's lips. Tomori immediately pulled her fingers back as if electrocuted, then quickly lowered her head to look at her tiptoes.
"The candy tastes great," Kitahara Makoto commented, "Super delicious."
"I only left for a little while… What are you two doing?"
A voice echoed faintly behind them.
Takamatsu Tomori's small face flushed even more, her eyes wandering as she said:
"Feeding Makoto-kun konpeito."
"Is Kitahara-kun taking advantage of you again?" Chihaya Anon puffed out her pink cheeks, "He should just eat it himself."
"He's not taking advantage of me…" Takamatsu Tomori said softly with a red face, "Makoto-kun's hands aren't clean, so I just helped feed him. It's normal for friends to help each other."
Regular friends wouldn't help feed each other!
Chihaya Anon sighed helplessly.
She had already realized that Tomori, having been alone since childhood, lacked considerable common sense regarding interactions between friends.
"Kitahara-kun, you need to be mindful of boundaries."
Chihaya Anon signaled with her eyes.
"Let's go, back to Tokyo." Kitahara Makoto turned around and said, "I just checked on my phone. If we go to the station now, there's a train that's just about to leave. If we miss it, we'll have to wait two hours."
The journey was silent.
At seven in the evening, the three of them got off at Shinjuku Station, safely returning to Tokyo.
After the three of them had dinner together, Chihaya Anon stretched contentedly:
"I'm full… Kitahara-kun, Tomori, see you tomorrow?"
Takamatsu Tomori calmly said: "See you tomorrow."
Kitahara Makoto, however, took out his phone: "Don't leave yet, you're in trouble."
"Eh?"
Seeing the message pop up on his phone, Chihaya Anon looked up at Kitahara Makoto in surprise, a question mark appearing above her head.
A moment later.
Takamatsu Tomori got on the train, heading home first.
Chihaya Anon, who should have left, quietly snuck back, walked up to Kitahara Makoto, and asked curiously:
"Kitahara-kun, why did you ask me to stay?"
Kitahara Makoto didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point:
"I need to use a special reward redemption coupon."
It was already past seven and almost eight o'clock. Calling Yamada Ryo to help complete the task was clearly inappropriate. After thinking it over, Chihaya Anon was the only suitable tool.
"Eh?"
Chihaya Anon blinked, her gaze suddenly falling on a Japan-flashing Love Hotel not far away, and her pretty face quickly flushed:
"N-no! I still have to go to Otherworld tomorrow, I don't want to be unable to get out of bed!"
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