After a good night's sleep, Kirino Akane woke up very early.
While the morning sun was still mild, she was about to go out after breakfast.
"Mom, I'm going out for a while."
"Where to go?"
"Old house."
"Sogu didn't come back again."
"I took Alpine for a walk, as I promised yesterday."
Kirino Keiko was washing the dishes and responded casually.
"Hmm? Promise to whom?"
When she poked her head out of the kitchen again, her daughter had already run away.
Arriving at the old house, Kirino Akane opened the door, and Alpine was lying in the entrance hall.
"Good morning."
After pouring some dog food for the Shiba Inu that was wagging its tail, she took another bowl of water and placed it next to it.
"Let's go for a walk after eating."
She opened the door and windows and walked around the house. Knowing that Zong Gu was still far in the northeast and had not yet returned, she ran upstairs and stayed in his room for a while.
Thinking that he would not come back today, Akane Kirino couldn't help but feel disappointed for a while.
"Forget it...I can go alone."
She made up her mind and prepared to go to Kyoto alone to participate in the Tanabata Festival.
But before that, there was still a long day to go through, and she already had a preliminary plan.
Guessing that Alpine had almost eaten, Akane Kirino got up and went downstairs to take him out for a walk.
"Sogu is not here today, so we won't go too far. If you get happy, I can't hold you back."
The girl thought for a while and decided to take it home to have a look, then walk around the nearby alley and then come back.
"It's a sunny day again today. The temperature will rise quickly. You don't want to bask in the sun in the Alps..."
Passing by Yoshikawa's house, Alpine pulled the rope and was about to go in. Kirino Akane spent a lot of effort to hold it.
"It's not time to go home yet!"
After walking around the alley against the wall, she pulled the Shiba Inu and returned to her old house before the sun became harsh.
"It's so hot, I'm still sweating..."
After moving Alpine's temporary kennel to the shadow of the corner of the yard, Akane Kirino sat in the living room for a while, then went upstairs after her body calmed down.
She would do her homework in the morning, go home and change into a yukata at three or four in the afternoon, and go out around five o'clock to attend the Tanabata Festival in Kyoto. This was her plan.
"Would it be better to go out earlier...after all, there must be a lot of people going to Kyoto today."
Although she sat down at the desk with her homework spread out, Kirino Akane couldn't calm down at all and kept spinning the pen in her hand.
After being in a daze for a while, she threw away the pen, leaned back on the chair, and looked at the ceiling.
"What is Zonggu doing at this time..."
Buzz——
Kirino: What is Soya doing?
After glancing at the content of the message, Zonggu put away his phone and prepared to reply later. However, within a few seconds, he took out his phone and replied briefly.
Soya: I went back to the children's welfare home and was chatting with my former teacher.
Putting away his phone again, his attention returned to the current conversation.
"girlfriend?"
"Um...no, it's not."
Dansei Saeko looked at him, "Then, what's Yoshiaki's answer."
Zonggu didn't hide that he was distracted just now, "What?"
"I think the gifts Fangming and Ling bought must have cost a lot of money."
After confirming that the shopping receipt was still stuffed in his pocket, Zonggu shook his head, "It's not too much."
Tansei Saeko looked at him for a while and then reported a number: "Two hundred thousand?"
"..."
She guessed it almost exactly, and Zonggu smiled bitterly and had no choice but to admit it.
"almost."
"Where did Fangming get so much money?"
"Um...part-time job."
"Use the money you earn from part-time work to buy toys and comics for the children in the orphanage..." Dansei Saeko didn't know what to say.
After a pause, although she understood that he had good intentions, she couldn't help but sigh.
"Fangming has given too much, which will make the children look forward to the next visit even more. But the question is, will Fangming come here often, and will he bring so many gifts every time he comes?"
Zonggu pursed his lower lip.
Obviously it can't.
Always hoping and always disappointed, these are almost the daily emotions of the children in the orphanage. And when he became the creator of this disappointment caused by hope, Zonggu felt very complicated.
The phone in his pocket vibrated again, but he didn't look at it.
Seeing that he was silent, Dan Shengzi patted the back of his hand and comforted him again.
"I will explain it to the children after Fangming and Ling go back... Let's just say that Fangming went abroad and it will take several years to come back."
"It would be very embarrassing if I met a child from an orphanage in Kinki."
She glared at him and said, "At that time, you can explain it to him yourself."
Zonggu smiled and thought again.
"I can't come back often. Maybe I can only come here once or twice a year."
Tansei Saeko lowered his eyes, "This is enough."
He continued: "When I don't have time to come back, I will send gifts. I hope the teacher can distribute them to everyone for me."
"No. There are so many children, it's so troublesome."
"Okay. Then I will only send gifts to teachers. Anyway, I basically don't know these children in the orphanage now."
"..."
Dansei Saeko didn't want to increase his burden, but she also didn't want to reject his affection for the children in the orphanage. In the end, she could only say "It's up to you."
Buzz——
The phone vibrated again.
She glanced at his pocket and said, "If there's nothing else, Fangming can go find them."
"OK."
After leaving the office, Soya took out his mobile phone and saw two messages from Akane Kirino.
Akane Kirino: I also want to see the orphanage where Soya lived.
Kirino Akane: I'm going to start doing my homework.
Asagiri Suzu was with the girls at the moment. Sogu thought for a while and didn't go to look for her for the time being.
After walking around the orphanage, taking photos while walking, he suddenly felt that it was too troublesome, so he simply retreated to the main entrance of the orphanage and started shooting the video from the beginning.
"..."
The security guard in the guard room watched calmly. Zonggu was a little embarrassed, but he still spoke after hesitating for a while.
"This is where I lived from the age of seven to fifteen, the Sendai Aoba Children's Welfare Home..."
["This is where I lived from the age of seven to fifteen, the Sendai Aoba Children's Welfare Home. In front of me is the main building, which is where we usually do our activities."]
With her chin in her hands, Akane Kirino placed her phone horizontally and watched the video being played without blinking.
"Is this the place where Soya and Suzu used to live? It looks pretty big...but it's also a bit old."
The camera shakes as he moves.
["This is the lobby of the main building. Over there is the office of the staff of the welfare home. Going straight ahead is the cafeteria. Both teachers and children usually have three meals a day here... Ah, Kamouda
Teacher...don't worry about me..."]
The camera shook even more violently, and after a moment of spinning, it was focused on the ground.
["Really, why are you so shy? Do you want to take pictures to show to your friends over there in Kinki?"]
【"Yes……"】
【"That's great, let me say hello too."】
【"……Um."】
The camera lifted up, and a middle-aged man appeared on the screen, saying hello to the unknown audience outside the screen.
["Hello~ I am Yoshiaki's teacher, just call me Kamouda... Well, let's do that."]
He suddenly walked over, and then the camera flipped, and the photographer of the video also appeared on the screen for the first time.
Kamota put his arm around Soya's shoulders, and the two of them came together and looked at the camera together.
【"Come on, Fangming, let's say hello too."】
The latter had a look of helplessness on his face.
【"Hello, I am Zonggu..."】
"Hee hee hee……"
Her legs shook, and Kirino Akane couldn't help but cover her face and laugh.
"How silly."
After passing the level of Kamouda, the screen continues to move forward with Soya.
["This is the cafeteria...it doesn't look very big. I'll be coming over later. Like other children in the orphanage, Ling and I will also have lunch here today."]
["Going forward is another building, which is where everyone in the orphanage lives. Below is where the younger children live, usually seven or eight people per room. The older they are, the higher the floor they live.
There are also fewer people in the room. Basically, it has been a single room since high school."]
The camera pans left and right, revealing the photographer's hesitation at this time.
["Well...the upstairs of this building are basically classrooms or activity rooms, nothing special. Just go to the dormitory building inside."]
Kirino Akane puffed her lips, "Hey, I just want to see..."
It's a pity that he couldn't hear it.
Zong Gu continued to walk forward, and the screen shook with his footsteps.
["This is the first floor. The rooms on both sides of the corridor are occupied by children under the age of ten."]
He did not go into the corridor, but turned around and went upstairs.
【"This is the second floor."】
【"Third floor."】
There was only one shot passing by on the second floor, and he didn't stop until he reached the third floor.
["The floor above is where the teachers live. The room where Ling and I lived before is on the third floor."]
He walked along the aisle, the camera panned up and down, then suddenly stopped and turned behind him.
Although it was only for a short moment, Kirino Akane saw several children flashing past the screen and quickly hid.
["You guys... forget it, those were the children from the orphanage just now. They were too young and a little shy of strangers. But they were quite enthusiastic when asking for gifts..."]
"Gift?"
He continued to walk forward, his pace gradually slowing down.
["In front is the room where Ling and I live. She is in the room now. In addition, there are several former companions..."]
This is the last sentence he introduces to her off-screen.
After pushing the door open, several girls, including Asagiri Suzu, looked over.
["Hey, what are you doing? Is Fangming filming a video?"]
["Well. I have a friend who wants to see the orphanage here."]
["Haven't you seen it? What's interesting about the orphanage? Is it a young master from a wealthy family...Wait a minute, is Fangming's friend a boy or a girl?"]
【"female."】
【"Eh~"】
The girl who had been talking stood up and walked over, and then the camera turned again, and she put her arm around Sogu's shoulder.
["Hello~ I am the ex-girlfriend No. 1 who was abandoned by Yoshiaki before, Yoko Ibarama."]
【"Hello……"】
Akane Kirino pursed her lower lip and watched the video expressionlessly.
The camera turned again, and the cell phone was also taken away by the girl who was talking.
["The girl wearing glasses over there is ex-girlfriend No. 2."]
"Ex-Girlfriend No. 2" glared out of the camera, but quickly raised her hand and waved.
["Hello~ I am Yoshiaki's ex-girlfriend, Hitomi Maki."]
【"I said you..."】
The camera moves.
["I am ex-girlfriend No. 3..."]
【"I am No. 4~"】
After the introductions to the gathered "ex-girlfriends" were completed, the camera finally showed Asagiri Suzu sitting on the edge of the bed.
["Then, this is the only real wife who will always stay by Yoshiaki's side - Miss Suzu!"]
Looking at the camera, Chao Wuling gave a rare smile and turned his eyes to the side.
【"who?"】
Souya's voice sounded again.
【"Kirino..."】
Chao Wu Ling looked at the camera again.
【"Yeah."】
["'Kirino'? Is this the name of a girl Soya met in Kinki? What is your relationship?"]
["Stop making trouble...give me your phone back."]
After a moment of dizziness, the video stopped abruptly.
Watching the finished video, Akane Kirino frowned for a while.
"Sogu's relationship with them is really good..."
Holding her chin with one hand, she clicked on the screen and the video started playing again.
["This is where I lived from the age of seven to fifteen..."]
Putting her homework aside, she looked back at the frozen period of time, while time in reality continued to flow unaffected, and soon it was noon.
"Aren't you going to take pictures?"
"What?" Sogu held the dinner plate and sat down next to Asaguri Suzu.
"There is also lunch in the canteen of the orphanage." Yoko said, "Let's show it to Yoshiaki's friend in Kinki."
Zonggu smiled and shook his head.
"You came back at the right time." Hitomi sat next to Yoko, "It's the Tanabata Festival these days, and the food in the cafeteria is a little richer than usual."
"I see it."
After taking two bites, Zonggu tasted it for a while, wanting to compare it with the taste in his memory, but regretfully found that he could no longer remember it.
"How long will Fangming and Ling stay here when they come back this time?"
"Are you talking about the welfare home, or Sendai?"
"Just tell me your plans."
Zongya thought for a while, then lowered his head and said, "I plan to stay at the orphanage until about three o'clock in the afternoon, and then go back to the hotel to prepare and go to the evening festival with Suzu."
"Tomorrow, I plan to go to the cemetery to visit my parents, and then go to say hello to some relatives who live nearby. If nothing else happens, I will go back the day after tomorrow morning."
Hitomi and Yoko both sighed, "We have to leave this afternoon."
Zongya didn't want them to become sentimental and said, "I will come back to visit you often."
"often?"
"Hmm... maybe once or twice a year."
"Wow——"
Yoko wanted to say something, but couldn't say it in the end, so she sighed instead.
"Kinki is too far away after all...Forget it, let's eat first."
After eating for a while, Hitomi suddenly thought of something: "Next year will be the third year. Where does Yoshiaki plan to go to college? Kyoto?"
"That's the plan for now." Sogu swallowed the food in his mouth and continued: "Also, I am in the first grade now, and so is Suzu."
"Eh?"
"Something happened... Anyway, Ling and I are both first-year students, and we can enter school one year later than you."
Hitomi and Yoko looked at each other, "I still thought that I could go to the same school as you in college."
"Yoko and Hitomi can go there first, and Suzu and I will be here in a year." Soya said.
"Yoshiaki just said that he wants to go to Kyoto... Doesn't he mean he wants to get into Kyoto University?"
Zonggu nodded, "Of course."
"No, no - the level is too high, I can't pass the exam."
Sitting in the canteen, several people chatted while eating, and people kept coming over to say hello.
After more than half an hour, they finished eating and left, and then started walking around the orphanage.
"Fangming came here in the same year as me, right?"
"Um."
"We are all victims of that big earthquake."
Passing through the corridor, the sun was shining brightly outside. Several people did not go out and stopped at the interface between sunlight and shadow.
Yoko looked outside: "When I was first sent in, I felt like I couldn't stay for a minute. I thought I would collapse after holding on for a week at most. I didn't expect that ten years had passed in the blink of an eye."
Zong Gu raised his head and looked at the flowing clouds in the sky, which seemed to be like this ten years ago.
"Yoko at that time was really noisy."
"Hate...I'm not very mature now."
"Ha ha."
"Yoshiaki and Suzu are different." Hitomi looked at them, "One always doesn't talk, and the other... talks very little and is always in a daze."
Zong Gu took a while before speaking: "At that time, I couldn't accept it all."
After a pause, he shook his head again, "My life has only been seventeen years, and I have encountered more accidents than others in their lifetimes."
"It's too exaggerated."
"I've been to the underworld."
"I've been to hell."
Zonggu smiled and didn't explain much.
After standing at the entrance of the passage for a while, Yoko walked up to Soya without any warning, hugged him and cried loudly.
"Hey, Yoko..."
Hitomi looked even more surprised than Soya being held, but after watching for a while, her eyes quickly turned red.
"Woo..."
One was leaning on his chest and the other was resting on his shoulder. Tears quickly soaked his T-shirt and seeped into his skin.
Asagiri Suzu looked at them silently, and Sogu didn't know what to say. After a while, he raised his hand and patted their backs.
"See you later."
"But... ugh..."
After crying for a while, the two of them calmed down.
"Hitomi, do you think my eyes are still red?"
"You're all swollen from crying, okay."
"It's all Fangming's fault."
"Yes Yes……"
After chatting with the teachers and companions and playing with the children, Soya and Asagiri Suzu planned to leave until about three o'clock in the afternoon.
He quietly said goodbye to every familiar friend, not wanting to attract too much attention, but in the end many people came out to see him off.
"That's it..."
Soya stopped at the entrance of the orphanage and said goodbye to Dansei Saeko, Hitomi, Yoko and others again.
"goodbye."
With a slight bow, he pulled Chao Wuling away and gradually drifted away.