Shangzi rarely expresses his emotions, especially the less gentle parts.
But her current anxiety can be felt by everyone.
Morimi slightly regretted sitting next to her - not only did he have to endure the negative emotions she accidentally released at this time, but he might also have to cooperate with her cover-up afterwards, which was not a pleasant thing.
But she can completely understand her reaction.
Morimi looked back and saw that across two rows of empty seats, Naruse and Haisei were sitting together, talking about something.
As the bus moved forward, the humming sound of the engine completely drowned out the two people's muffled voices, and nothing could be heard.
Haixing said he wanted to ask him something, what was it?
She also cares a little.
After staring for a few times, Mori looked away and glanced at the seat next to him.
Shangzi didn't know how many times he had looked back.
Every time he glanced at me, he would turn back, but within half a minute, he would look back again. She felt tired for her just looking at him.
The uneasy engine roared, and only the hands were squeezed tightly.
The two people in the back row kept their distance and were just talking.
What made Naoko so uneasy was probably Haixing's expression when he pulled Naruse just now - it was as if he was about to confess to him.
Although she thinks the possibility is very low.
It was just one day, but how many things happened that she didn’t know about?
Unable to guess anything out of thin air, Morimi could only retract his gaze, and suddenly found that Takigawa Yue in the front row had also turned around.
And the person she was looking at...
It seems to be me?
"Sister Yue?"
Takigawa Yue shook her head, saying that she had nothing to do, and quickly turned around.
Morimi didn't care either.
And Shangzi, who was sitting next to him, looked back again.
Where her gaze was focused, Naruse turned his head and whispered.
"...We promised you ten minutes, and now half of it has passed. If you don't want to speak, I'll go back."
"Wait!"
Haixing quickly stopped him and pursed her lips, "Let me think about it... think about it again."
Naruse said nothing, inhaled and sighed, and looked at Naoko in front of him.
He shook his head, and she forced a smile and slowly turned back.
He looked at the time again.
"There are three minutes left."
"..."
Haixing took a deep breath, "Do you like Shangzi?"
I hesitated for a long time and thought of many excuses and cover-ups, but none of them were used.
Naruse's heart skipped a beat, and he raised his eyes to look at the back in front of him, and then at her.
"Yeah."
The moment he nodded, Haixing's nose felt sour and he almost shed tears.
Sure enough, this is the answer...
This is the only possible answer.
How could he deny it? The only person who thinks there is another answer to this question is himself.
But if this is the case, why are they just childhood sweethearts and not lovers?
Weaving hope for herself out of thin air, she continued: "Shangzi likes you too."
Naruse glanced at Naoko again and nodded quickly, "Yeah."
Haixing looked at him: "Then why don't you date each other?"
Naruse took a slow breath.
"There are many reasons..."
He wanted to say that the problem lay with himself, but Shangzi was just accommodating him, and both of them were willing to maintain the status quo. Then he felt that there was no need to explain it too clearly to her.
"In short, whether we date or not, it's my monk's business."
Starfish bit her lip and said nothing.
The two of them were speechless, and time jumped to the next minute in silence.
"Ten minutes are up."
Naruse stood up and prepared to return to his seat in the front row.
Haixing suddenly grabbed his hand and said, "Wait a moment."
Feeling the softness in her hands, Naruse quickly pulled away, and she turned to hold on to his clothes.
"Is it because...I...?"
"What?" He glanced in front of him and sat down again.
His chest kept rising and falling with his breathing, and Haixing's voice became lower and lower.
"It's because of me... that you didn't date Shangzi."
The speed with which he denied it broke her heart.
"How is that possible?"
"..."
Haixing moved his lips, and his chest felt as heavy as if he had received a heavy blow. The hand holding his clothes also dropped weakly.
She and he have long since crossed the line called liking.
Although to him, it was just pretense.
But the two years of being together day and night are not false. Each other's body and heart have left a deep imprint that belongs only to each other.
No matter how long they have been apart, even if this mark will fade, it will not disappear completely.
At least that's how it works for her.
She felt that, more or less, he should be the same way.
She has always felt this way.
And his unthinking denial completely shattered everything.
When they looked at each other in the mirror, was the moment of hesitation that appeared on his face really just her illusion?
Was his previous proactive approach also an illusion?
If it was really an illusion, then why was he staring at her body?
And when she was covering her chest, he ordered her to take her hands away...
"Do you like my body?"
"..."
Naruse glanced at her in surprise, then stood up, walked to the front row without looking back, and sat behind Morimi.
Hearing the noise, she and Shangzi both turned around.
The moment she turned her head, she noticed that Shangzi's expression was obviously relaxed.
Naruse, who had just sat down, looked a little distracted.
"Have you finished talking to Haixing?"
"Well..."
Morimi looked at him, then looked at Haixing, who was sitting alone at the back, stood up and prepared to go over.
"Wait a minute!"
He subconsciously pulled her and then quickly let go, "Let her be alone."
"Why?"
"Well...there's something wrong with her head."
"Huh?" Mori looked at him in surprise.
Naruse couldn't explain it too clearly, and was worried that Haixing would tell her something nonsense, so he had to let her sit down first and then went back to the back.
Starfish sat in a daze, lost in thought.
"Don't talk nonsense to them."
"..."
She looked at him and lowered her gaze, "I'm not talking nonsense."
Naruse took a deep breath, "Then what do you want to do?"
"I think..."
Starfish looked blankly at his hands that had nowhere to rest.
She asked everything she wanted to ask.
And he had already admitted everything she wanted to know, while at the same time denying everything between them, what else could she do...
"I don't know."
She didn't know how to accept that she was the only one who still liked him.
Two lines of tears flowed down silently.
"..."
She shed tears calmly, and Naruse opened his mouth. After all, he did not get up and leave, but just sat silently beside her.
Neither of them spoke again until half an hour later, the bus stopped in front of the shrine.
"I want to go down." With dry eyes, Haixing held the soaked tissue and his voice was a little hoarse.
Naruse stood up and she came out and walked straight forward.
"Starfish..."
She ignored Naoko and Morimi and got out of the car.
"Starfish...eh?"
Seeing Haixing getting out of the car alone, Takigawa Hikaru realized something was wrong.
She looked at the two companions behind her, then looked at Naruse at the back, "Harumi, what's wrong with Starfish?"
He shook his head without explaining, "Get off the car first."
The bus wouldn't stop for long, so a few people took the time to get off, and Haixing had already passed through the torii gate and walked to the shrine.
"Starfish——"
Takigawa Hikaru shouted, but she didn't respond.
"Go in." Naruse quickened his pace to follow.
Shangzi followed him and looked at Haixing's back without asking anything.
Morimi was much more direct, "What's going on? Why is Haixing crying again? What on earth did you talk about?"
Naruse looked at the stone torii gate in front of him and said, "We talked about old things between brothers and sisters."
She frowned, not believing it, but she didn't know what to ask.
Walking into the shrine, the long approach to the shrine is covered with snow. There are not many people who come here today to have a pilgrimage.
But the starfish kept moving forward without looking back, and soon blended into the crowd and disappeared.
"I'll go find her." Morijian left these words and chased forward.
Takigawa Hikaru and his sister slowed down and waited for them to catch up, "What's wrong with Starfish?"
"I have something on my mind." Naruse said.
Takigawa Yue looked at him, then at Naoko, and grabbed her sister who wanted to ask again.
"The sea of spring will solve the problem of starfish."