Coming out of the central station and near the intersection, Naruse and Naoko said they were going to buy New Year items and left the queue early.
"I didn't buy anything like kadomatsu, mirror mochi, shurien ornaments and shurien rope," Naruse said.
As for the four Takigawa Hikaru, who had a complete family or at least had an adult at home, they didn't say anything and offered to help them take their luggage back first.
"Thank you, we'll go get it when we get back."
Morimi took Naruse's travel bag, Haixing picked up Naoko's luggage, and left with the Takikawa sisters from the other side.
"Let's go." Naruse greeted Naoko.
"Yeah."
Small things like Kagami Mochi can be bought at Aoyagi's supermarket. The two of them stayed here mainly to pick out big items like Kadomatsu, but before that, they had to fill their stomachs - they had been sitting there all morning.
Car, I’m already hungry.
It was still noon, and there were relatively many shops still open, so the two found a ramen shop nearby.
"I haven't been to this store before, let's try it."
"Yeah."
After walking into the store and sitting down at the bar, Naruse glanced at the menu and was about to order when his eyes fell on the busy female shopkeeper inside and stayed for a while.
Shangzi looked at him.
"A bowl of tonkotsu miso ramen——" Naruse also looked at her, "What does Naoko want?"
She looked at the menu hanging inside again, "Let me see..."
The shop owner came over, he was about forty years old, "A bowl of tonkotsu miso ramen?"
"Yeah." Naruse smiled at her.
She was stunned for a moment, "Do you want to add anything else?"
"What's there?"
"You can add meatballs, fried tofu, and fried chicken. It's all on top-" The female shopkeeper pointed to the huge menu hanging behind her.
"Then add a piece of fried tofu." Naruse smiled.
"Okay."
"I always feel like the shopkeeper looks familiar. Have I seen you somewhere?"
The female shopkeeper and Shangzi were both stunned for a moment.
"I have been running a ramen shop here for more than ten years. If you are from Tsumae, you wouldn't be surprised to see me."
When Naruse heard that this store had been open for more than ten years, Naruse immediately lost interest in asking any more questions.
"It should be like this...I'm sorry to bother you by saying this suddenly."
"No."
The female shopkeeper looked at him, then looked at Shangzi aside, "What do you want?"
She smiled slightly, "Tonkotsu miso ramen, add a piece of fried tofu."
The female shopkeeper turned around to prepare, and after a while, their ramen was served.
"It smells so good..."
Naruse took a deep breath and then wolfed it down.
Naoko is also very hungry, but she is a girl and eats more slowly.
Naruse finished eating quickly, his appetite was satisfied, and he felt relaxed for a while.
Taking advantage of the fact that the female shopkeeper wasn't too busy, he asked around where he could buy kadomatsu and other items nearby.
"It's already been this long, do you still need us kids to prepare these things?"
Naruse smiled and said, "The adults at home are quite busy."
The female shopkeeper didn't say much and pointed the direction directly for him, "Go out from here and go right to the next intersection..."
Shangzi listened while eating ramen and didn't take it too seriously. He would definitely remember it anyway.
After she finished eating, Naruse paid the bill, thanked the female shopkeeper again, and left the ramen shop.
After searching for a while in the direction she indicated, the two quickly found the store.
As soon as they walked into the store, Naruse and Naoko also saw kadomatsu and various New Year decorations displayed inside.
Depending on the degree of decoration, the price of Kadomatsu ranges from low to high, and there is a big gap.
"Does a pair of Kadomatsu like this cost 6,000 yen..."
Naruse lowered his head and looked at the kadomatsu in front of him. Except for three bamboos of different lengths, a few pine branches, and a few plum blossoms, he didn't see anything special.
Naoko walked around and picked out another pair of kadomatsus that looked pretty good.
"This one is cheaper...and the bottom is a plastic basin, which is easier to hold."
Naruse looked at the two pots of kadomatsu worth 6,000 yen in front of him. The bottom ones were in ceramic flower pots. Although they were indeed more beautiful, the weight could not be ignored.
"Let's have that one."
The entrances of Naruse's house and Nakahana's house both needed decoration, so they asked for two pairs of kadomatsu, and then went to choose shurien ornaments and shurien ropes.
Shangzi selected among the shelves on both sides for a while, then picked up a straw ring decorated with red flowers and colorful fruits and a note with the words "Congratulations on the New Year", "How about this?"
"It looks good, let's take this one." Naruse said.
She smiled and said, "Yeah."
After selecting the most important things, the two walked around the store for a while.
"Ah, there are also kites here."
"It's a pity that it's hard to have sunny days in the first month of the year. The weather forecast is full of wind and snow."
"Yeah, although it's cute..."
"Well, I'd better buy one. It'll look good at home."
After buying a pair of kites that probably had no chance of flying into the sky, Naruse bought two pairs of feather kites - also mascots to decorate at home during the New Year.
"It's almost done. Let's go to the supermarket at the door to buy mirror cakes. We can't get any more."
"Hmm."
After paying the bill, the two of them took the bus carrying large and small bags of New Year supplies. On the bus, they met some elderly people nearby.
After looking at the things they selected, the old people inevitably had to say a few more things, such as the kite was not used and the feather board was too expensive. Monk Naruse laughed it off.
After returning home, he placed Kadomatsu in front of the two houses. Naruse put down the other things and asked Naoko to decorate them. He quickly went out to the supermarket to buy kamemochi - the date for placing kamemochi was also very particular. After today, it is better not to put them away.
.
I went to the supermarket to buy two mirror cakes and came back. I passed by the Maki Hotel. Naruse went in to say hello and went to pick up my luggage.
"Haixing just picked up Harunami and Shoko's luggage," Seiichiro Maki said.
Naruse went upstairs to Haixing's room to get his luggage back. He chatted with her for a few words and then came down. Seiichiro took him to talk about the two days of travel.
"Right..."
Naruse seemed to suddenly remember, "I remember there used to be a ramen shop next door, and the ramen tasted pretty good. Does Mr. Seiichiro know where that shop has moved?"
Seiichiro was startled and quickly shook his head.
"It's been many years since that store moved, and there's no news at all. I didn't expect that Chunhai still remembers it."
"I just suddenly thought of it." Naruse smiled, chatted for a few more words, and went back with his things.
Passing by Morimi Furuhon's store, he looked inside again, but still didn't see Morimi. She must have gone back to her home over there.
After returning home with a bunch of things, Naoko was still hesitating about where to put the jewelry.
"Where does Harumi think it would be better to put it?"
"It doesn't matter, Naoko decides." Naruse put down his luggage and went to place the mirror cakes first.