At around five o'clock in the afternoon, Naoko left the school and found Naruse and Takikawa Hikaru on the second floor of the cafe.
"Would you like to eat a piece of cake before going back?" Naruse asked.
She shook her head, "The bus is coming soon."
"The worst thing is to sit down for a while."
Shangzi smiled, just this attitude made her satisfied.
"Next time."
So Takigawa Hikaru gave up the idea of going downstairs to order for her, and the three of them went back together.
"How was the club meeting?"
"It just ended, and I gained a lot of useful content."
"It actually took so long." Naruse was a little surprised.
Shang Zi nodded seriously, "Because it involves recruiting new students for the next semester, we can't be careless. Our Restoration Department is a newly established club, and the first recruitment is very important."
Takigawa Hikaru watched from the side, his eyes stayed on her face for a while, and suddenly said: "I will come to help when the time comes."
"Okay." Shangzi immediately agreed, "If there is light, it will definitely attract a lot of people."
"Just don't let the new students misunderstand that you are a member of the Restoration Department, otherwise you won't be able to retain them even if you join." Naruse said.
"Ah..." Shangzi also realized this.
Takigawa Hikaru smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will make it clear. But if you are short of people, I can also join the club directly."
"There is no shortage of people..."
The three of them walked and chatted, and soon arrived at the bus stop.
When the topic gradually shifted to the specific process of club recruitment next semester, Naoko was talking, while Naruse and Takikawa Hikari were listening, and the latter's attention quickly drifted away.
"...the first week after new students enroll is a critical time for clubs to recruit new members...At that time, there will also be introductory meetings for various clubs in the gymnasium."
"Who will introduce?"
"There is no requirement from the student union. Each club introduces a member to the stage. It can be a minister, deputy minister, or any ordinary member."
"So, will Naoko take over the restoration department at that time?" Naruse asked.
She imagined the scene for a moment, and a somewhat embarrassed smile appeared on her face.
"I will work hard..."
"I can go," Naruse said. "If Naoko is too busy, let me go."
She blinked and the smile on her face became brighter.
"Well... let's talk about it then."
"Yeah."
"Then, after the introductory meeting..."
Shangzi had personally experienced the baptism of recruiting new members to the club last spring. At today's club meeting, he listened to his senior sister introduce a more detailed process from another angle. He gained a lot, and she shared it all with him at this time.
.
Although it would take two or three months to actually implement it, and she would have to listen to her specific arrangements then, Naruse didn't want to disturb her rare interest, so he listened and responded at the same time.
Takigawa Hikaru stood aside silently, his eyes drifting from near to far, from the ground to the gray sky, unable to find the landing point for a long time;
After a long time, it moved from far to near and landed on the bus coming towards us from the other end of the road.
"The car is coming."
The bus stopped at the platform, and Hikaru Takigawa and the other three got off the bus together with several elderly people living nearby.
When she reached the intersection of her home, she waved to the two of them, "I'm going back, see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow." Naoko smiled at her, Naruse nodded, and left side by side.
After watching the two of them walk away, Takigawa Hikaru turned around and kicked the snow all the way back home.
After walking around the garage and looking at the motorcycle that had been parked for more than two months, she sighed.
"I'm back."
"Welcome back." Takikawa Midoriko poked her head out of the kitchen, "Hikaru, let's have fried pork chop tonight."
"Okay."
Takigawa Hikaru raised his arms and cheered, but soon discovered that he was not that happy.
"..."
After raising her arms in a daze for a while, she dropped her schoolbag and slumped down on the sofa.
Even the thick-cut fried pork chops made by her mother can't arouse her appetite.
It’s not because of the small piece of cake I just ate in the cafe.
"Mom, I seem to be sick."
"What?" Takigawa Midoriko didn't hear clearly in the kitchen.
"Nothing."
Hikaru Takigawa took a deep breath, stood up and went to the kitchen, where his mother was beating the pork chops with a meat mallet.
"Let me help you."
"Don't mess around."
She smiled and said, "I know."
Taking the meat mallet, she kept beating the pork chops on the chopping board at a fixed rhythm.
This is not the first time she has helped with this kind of thing. She can't be said to be skilled, but she has a certain degree of confidence.
Sure enough, when she felt that the beating was almost done, her mother also spoke.
"That's it."
She let go of the meat softener, and Takikawa Midoriko coated the pork chops in flour, and then said: "We have used up the black pepper juice. Just go to the supermarket and buy a bottle. Bring me something else by the way."
"Okay."
Takigawa Hikaru responded, put on his coat again, put on his shoes and went out.
When I walked outside the Morimi Furu Honten store, Izuha was not there; when I passed the Maki Hotel, I didn't see any starfish either.
When she walked into the supermarket and came to the food section, she was a little stunned.
"Chunhai, Shangzi."
The two of them looked over together and said, "Light."
She leaned over and asked, "Are you here to buy ingredients?"
"Yeah." Naruse showed her the shopping basket in his hand.
"I'll buy black pepper juice and have fried pork chop tonight."
"It's really good."
The two continued to select ingredients. She went to the place where the condiments were placed and found black pepper juice and a few other things her mother asked her to bring.
Going outside, Naruse and Naoko were already checking out.
She lined up behind the two of them.
Watching Shangzi take the change and receipts from the clerk and put them into her wallet, she suddenly noticed the large number of coupons inside, "a lot of receipts."
Shangzi just smiled and quickly put away his wallet.
"Is the receipt for keeping accounts?"
"Yes."
"My mother also always likes to keep small receipts, saying that she can accurately calculate the money she spent raising me and Yue."
"..."
Shangzi's smile froze for a moment, then quickly returned to normal.
"Really?"
Naruse glanced at her, frowned slowly, and looked away before she looked at him.
After paying the bill, the two of them waited for Hikaru Takigawa outside. The three of them left the supermarket together and separated at the intersection.
"Haruhai Monk, please come to my house and eat the fried pork cutlets made by my mother."
"Aunt Midori probably only prepared the portion for the family."
"You can prepare more."
"Next time."
After returning home and taking the things to the kitchen, Takigawa Hikari lay down on the sofa again.
And as soon as she stopped, the lingering feeling of emptiness and confusion occupied her thoughts again.
"..."
Looking at the ceiling, she slowly raised her palm, opened her fingers, and then retracted them one by one.
"'Winter Vacation', 'New Year', 'Start of School'... it's time for the 'Common Examination'."