Green plums cannot become lovers.

"Eri is just worried. After all, she didn't know that Ms. Machida was with her when she came out this time."

"So she thought the two of you came out alone?" Machida Sonoko's eyes lit up even more. "Then she couldn't be—"

“Ms. Machida,” Kasumigaoka Utaha interrupted her again.

"Okay, okay, I won't say anything more."

The tram continued forward.

The view outside the window changed from fields to a town, and then from the town to the seaside.

Chiba has arrived.

As I got off the bus, a salty sea breeze hit me.

The station was small, with only a few platforms and a simple station building. Outside was a straight street lined with palm trees that stretched all the way to the sea. In the distance, the blue horizon could be seen, shimmering in the sunlight.

"Wow, it's so beautiful," Machida Sonoko exclaimed.

Kasumigaoka Utaha also looked at the sea, her wine-red eyes reflecting the shimmering light.

“Let’s go,” An and Asuka said. “Let’s find a place to stay first.”

They booked a guesthouse by the sea, not far from the station, just a ten-minute walk away. It was a traditional Japanese building with a wooden structure and a sign that read "Sea Breeze Inn" hanging at the entrance.

The proprietress, a gentle woman in her forties, greeted them with a smile and ushered them inside.

The room is in a traditional Japanese style, with tatami mats, a low table, and sliding windows. The sea is right outside the window, and you can hear the faint sound of the waves.

"Three people sharing a room?" An and Asuka asked.

“Yes.” Machida Sonoko nodded. “We booked a large room like this, where we can sleep on the floor at night. We’re all family here, so there’s no need to be so formal.”

An and Asuka looked around the room, then at the two women.

"Then I'll sleep by the window."

"it is good."

After putting down their luggage and resting for a while, the three of them went out to "gather materials".

Although it was called a research trip, there wasn't really a specific plan. We just wandered around the town, enjoyed the scenery, ate local food, and soaked up the summer atmosphere.

Machida Sonoko was seriously taking notes on her tablet, saying it was "for work." But An and Asuka felt she was more like she was on vacation.

Kasumigaoka Utaha walked beside him, occasionally stopping to stare blankly in a certain direction. Sometimes it was the corner store, sometimes children playing on the beach, and sometimes fishing boats returning home at sunset.

An and Asuka didn't disturb her; they simply stayed quietly by her side.

In the evening, they had dinner at a seafood restaurant.

Fresh sashimi, perfectly grilled fish, and local seafood specialties. Machida Sonoko ate with great relish, exclaiming, "This is life!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha ate elegantly, but it was clear she was in a good mood.

An and the birds ate silently, occasionally glancing at the sea outside the window.

The setting sun was turning the entire sea a golden-red hue.

-

Back at the guesthouse that evening, Machida Sonoko said she wanted to go for a walk to digest her food, and she wandered off by herself.

Only An, Asuka, and Kasumigaoka Utaha remained in the room.

The two sat by the window, looking at the sea in the night.

The waves crashed against the shore with a rhythmic thud. In the distance, the lights of fishing boats flickered in the darkness like stars on the sea.

“Senior,” Anhe Asuka suddenly spoke.

"Ok?"

"Did you get anything today...?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha remained silent for a while.

Yes, there are many.

"That's good."

"but......"

She paused.

"The greatest reward is not the scenery."

An and Asuka looked at her.

Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't look at him; she just gazed out the window. The moonlight cast soft shadows on her face, making her profile appear much gentler than usual.

"It's this feeling... of having someone with you."

Her voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the sound of the waves.

An and Asuka remained silent.

After a while, Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly smiled.

Do you think I'm being dramatic?

“No.” An and Asuka shook their heads. “I understand.”

"Can you understand?"

"Hmm." He looked out the window. "When you've been alone for a long time, you'll realize how important it is to have someone with you."

Kasumigaoka Utaha turned her head and looked at him.

Under the moonlight, the boy's profile was calm, as if he were talking about something very ordinary.

She remembered some things about him, what she knew about the boy's past.

A childhood spent growing up alone.

Days spent alone.

And even now, surrounded by so many people, I still maintain that unique tranquility.

"Asuka-kun".

"Ok?"

"Thank you for coming out with me."

An and Asuka turned their heads and met her gaze.

"You're welcome. I'll definitely help you out, senior."

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at him and suddenly felt something in her heart being touched.

But she just smiled.

"Then I won't hold back and will continue to exploit you tomorrow."

"......it is good."

The sound of the waves outside the window remained the same.

The two sat side by side like that, neither of them saying another word.

But this quiet companionship is warmer than any words.

-

The next day, they went to the beach.

The beach was clean and not crowded. Machida Sonoko took off her shoes and walked barefoot on the sand, saying she wanted to "feel the summer atmosphere." Kasumigaoka Utaha sat under a parasol, writing and drawing in her notebook, occasionally glancing up at the sea.

An and Feiniao took a walk on the beach and picked up a few pretty seashells.

When he returned, he handed the seashell to Kasumigaoka Utaha.

"It's for you."

Kasumigaoka Utaha paused for a moment before taking the seashells.

They come in various shapes and colors, and gleam faintly in the sunlight.

"......Thanks."

She carefully collected the seashells and put them in her pocket.

Machida Sonoko watched from the side, a mischievous smile flashing in her eyes.

"Asuka-kun is so thoughtful."

I picked it up casually.

"Really? Is that so?"

"Yes."

Machida Sonoko smiled and stopped teasing her.

In the afternoon, they went to the town's shrine.

It was a very ancient shrine, hidden in the mountains and surrounded by towering trees. The stone steps were covered with moss and were a bit slippery to walk on. The chirping of cicadas rose and fell, like a summer symphony.

Kasumigaoka Utaha stood in front of the shrine, looking at the huge sacred tree.

"Birds".

"Ok?"

"Do you think it will come true if you make a wish?"

An and Asuka thought for a moment.

"I don't know." He thought for a moment, then felt he couldn't be so absolute, so he added, "But making a wish at least gives people something to look forward to."

Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled.

"A very realistic answer."

She took a few coins out of her pocket and handed one to An and Asuka.

"Shall we make a wish together?"

An and Asuka took the coins and walked to the offering box.

He closed his eyes and silently made a wish.

Kasumigaoka Utaha also closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.

A few seconds later, the two opened their eyes at the same time.

"What did you promise?" Kasumigaoka Utaha asked curiously.

“Say it out loud, and it won’t work.”

"mean."

"Where's the senior?"

"I won't tell you either."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

-

In the evening, they returned to their guesthouse.

Machida Sonoko said she was going to a hot spring that night and asked if they wanted to go.

“I won’t go,” Kasumigaoka Utaha said. “I want to write something in my room.”

"Where's Asuka-kun?"

“I’m not going either.” An and Asuka shook their heads. “Senior might get bored writing by herself, so I’ll stay and keep her company.”

Machida Sonoko glanced at him, then at Kasumigaoka Utaha, a meaningful smile curving her lips.

"Then you guys should focus on 'writing'."

After she finished speaking, she walked away with a smile.

Only the two of them remained in the room.