Returning to the private room on the second floor, Minami Noma immediately asked Soya what was going on.

"It's the geisha girl who was performing in the bar across the street just now. She recognized me."

"Hey, Souya knows her?"

"No, I just happened to meet her once during the Golden Week." Soya and Kyoko returned to their respective seats and sat down. "She is an acquaintance of Suzu. I thought Suzu was here too."

"An acquaintance of Asagiri-san..."

Noma Minami was thoughtful and said, "Why didn't Soya ask her to come up and sit down?"

"It's a job to accompany people to drink and chat, and it requires money."

"I'll go out."

"..."

Zonggu said nothing, picked up the chopsticks, picked up a small piece of tofu and put it into his mouth.

"Tell her to come back."

"I have no contact information."

Dinner continues.

...

During the day, the sky is covered with clouds and there is no sunlight. At night, the clouds disperse slightly, and the moon occasionally appears for a while, showing some signs of clearing up.

In the private room on the second floor of the restaurant, several people had dinner until half past eight o'clock.

"Let's go back."

Walking out of the cooking pavilion, Noma Minami supported Hasegawa, who was slightly drunk, while Soya and Kyoko were also looking after him.

This is a pedestrian path, her car is still parked outside, so she can only walk over. Fortunately, Hasegawa's steps are just a little shaky, and his consciousness is still clear.

"Does Sayaka still live in Otsu? I can take you home on the way."

"Yes."

"Still that small apartment? Haven't you moved yet?"

“I thought about moving one day when I find a boyfriend or get married, but I ended up living there forever.”

"..."

Noma Minami looked up at the moon floating in the clouds, "If you live alone, it's really not a big problem...it's very convenient to the station and shopping malls."

Hasegawa lowered his head, "Anan remembers it very clearly."

"After all, I helped you find the apartment."

Soya and Kyoko followed the two adults, walking neither fast nor slow.

The restaurants and izakayas on both sides are still lively, but there are far fewer pedestrians on the stone road, and the night is gradually becoming quiet.

As you walk across the bridge, the stream makes a roaring sound, and the light on the water continues to the far corner of the river.

"Speaking of which, can you let Soya-kun support me?"

"Why."

"It's been a long time since I hugged a man."

"No, he is still a child."

Zonggu's expression did not change, but his steps slowed down a little, and the distance between them gradually widened.

Kyoko looked at him and kept pace with him.

Hasegawa raised his hand to wipe the corners of his eyes, "I was rejected again...I'm about to shed tears."

"Stop making trouble." Noma Minami turned to look at her, "Sayaka only drank two or three glasses."

"I'm afraid I'll be pushed down by you if I drink too much."

"Don't talk nonsense, I still have to send those two children home."

Her voice was slightly lower, but her enunciation was still clear, "They can take the tram back."

"..."

Noma Minami fell silent, looked at her for a while, and then looked away.

"I made a mistake, Sayaka is already drunk."

Hasegawa hugged her arm and leaned his head against her, "Then I'm going to say some drunken words."

"If anything goes too bad, I'll knock you out and throw you into the White River."

"Stay here tonight, senior...just like before."

"..."

Noma Minami's breath stagnated, and then he looked back.

Soya and Kyoko quickly noticed and looked up.

She said nothing and turned back.

"Don't Anan often bring girls home? Why should he refuse?"

"That was a long time ago."

Hasegawa raised his eyes and looked at her, "Anan has someone he seriously likes now?"

"So what."

She smiled and said, "Then I'll be relieved."

"..."

Hasegawa no longer leaned on her shoulder, but their arms were still linked together.

"Anan, I plan to go back to Tokyo."

"Yeah."

"It's really lonely to be alone here. I really want to go back to the days when I stayed in the shrine with everyone, but... I can't go back."

Noma Minami was silent for a while, "How is Sayaka's recovery going?"

"Anan, are you talking about the wound that almost killed me?"

"Um."

Hasegawa raised his hand to unbutton the first button on his chest, "You can check it yourself."

"..."

Noma Minami just glanced at it and said, "Looking at you, you are jumping around so much, it should be nothing serious."

"It's been more than three years."

"So... do you want to come back? I can apply to the agency to transfer Sayaka back to the shrine."

"..."

Hasegawa opened his mouth and smiled miserably.

"After what happened, I can no longer face spirits like before."

"It doesn't matter."

Noma Minami slowly shook his head, "With that child here, Sayaka will not encounter any danger."

"That child... Anan is talking about Soya-kun?"

"That's right."

Hasegawa looked back for a while, but he didn't see anything special about the high school student following him from a distance other than being good-looking.

"By the way, are Sotani-kun and Kyoko dating?"

"Are they holding hands now?"

"Huh? No."

"Then there is no..." Noma Minami lowered his head, "Hey."

Hasegawa held her hand and smiled at her again.

"If Anan and I hold hands, does that count as dating?"

"This is not the same thing."

"Why?"

"Don't you know how awkward Jingzi is?"

"I see... Then at what point will Anan and I be considered dating?"

"For shameless people like us, even if we have sex, it doesn't count."
To be continued...