Green plums cannot become lovers.

"what's up?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked up at him.

In his wine-red eyes, there was honesty, courage, and a hint of nervousness.

"I stole a kiss from you while you were asleep."

An and Asuka were stunned.

“It was very light,” she added, “just a light touch. But you weren’t awake at the time.”

She looked into his eyes.

"sorry."

An and Asuka were silent for a few seconds.

Then he shook his head.

"nothing."

"Aren't you angry?"

Why are you angry?

Kasumigaoka Utaha paused for a moment.

An and Asuka looked at her.

"My senior is a very gentle person, but also very lonely. If she needs company, I'm willing to be that person."

He paused, then said:

"So, I'm not angry."

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at him, her eyes stinging.

"You..."

"Ok?"

"She's so gentle, so gentle that I don't want to let go."

An and Asuka smiled.

"Then don't put it."

Kasumigaoka Utaha was stunned.

"After all, no one says that for someone to be happy, someone else must be sad."

Outside the window, sunlight finally pierced through the clouds and streamed into the room.

Golden spots of light fell on the floor and on the two people.

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at the boy in front of her and suddenly felt that the kiss last night might not be the end.

It is not the beginning.

-

In the afternoon, Kasumigaoka Utaha's fever subsided somewhat.

After confirming that she was alright, Machida Sonoko went on to handle her work with peace of mind.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

"Are we still going out?" An and Asuka asked.

"No, thank you." Kasumigaoka Utaha shook her head. "I'll stay in my room."

She turned on her computer and continued writing the chapter she hadn't finished yesterday.

An and Asuka sat to the side, continuing to revise the script for "Small Town Family".

Occasionally, Kasumigaoka Utaha would look up at him.

Occasionally, he would hand her a glass of water.

A quiet, uneventful afternoon, yet strangely comforting.

-

In the evening, Kasumigaoka Utaha closed her laptop.

"Finished writing?"

"Yes." She nodded. "This chapter."

"That's good."

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at him.

"Birds".

"Ok?"

"I will continue to like you after I go back."

An and Asuka looked at her.

“Whether you have a girlfriend or not, and whatever the outcome,” she continued, her tone firm, “I will continue to love you.”

She smiled.

"This is my own decision."

An and Asuka remained silent for a while.

Then he nodded.

"Hmm. Group chat for art and crafts?"

"that's it?"

"That's it. It's up to you to do whatever you want."

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"You really are very gentle."

"is it?"

"Mmm." She nodded. "So gentle that you just want to bully her."

"That won't work."

"why?"

"Because I will fight back."

Kasumigaoka Utaha raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? How do we retaliate?"

An and Asuka thought for a moment.

“For example—” he suddenly reached out and ruffled her hair, “like this.”

Kasumigaoka Utaha was stunned.

The boy placed his palm on her head and gently rubbed it, as if coaxing a child.

warmth.

gentle.

It makes your heart race.

She snapped out of her daze and slapped his hand away.

"Stop fooling around."

But the corners of his mouth curved into an unyielding smile.

-

Kasumigaoka Utaha's illness was completely cured the next day.

When she woke up in the morning, she touched her forehead and took her temperature—36.7 degrees Celsius, completely back to normal. The cold came and went quickly, as if her body was just protesting against the excessive exertion of the previous days, throwing a little tantrum.

"Senior, are we going out again today?" An and Asuka asked.

“Of course,” Kasumigaoka Utaha said matter-of-factly. “We still have two days left, we can’t waste them.”

Machida Sonoko chuckled to herself, "She's so energetic right after recovering from her illness. As expected of Utaha."

"Machida-san, are you coming together again today?"

“Me?” Machida Sonoko waved her hand. “I won’t go. I have some work to take care of these next couple of days. You guys can go explore on your own.”

She paused, then added meaningfully, "Have fun together."

Kasumigaoka Utaha glanced at her but didn't reply.

An and Asuka nodded naturally: "Then Ms. Machida, remember to eat when you're done with your work."

"Oh, Asuka-kun is so thoughtful," Machida Sonoko said with a smile. "Utaha, you'd better make the most of this."

“Ms. Machida.” Kasumigaoka Utaha’s voice was calm, but carried a hint of warning.

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

-

The two of them went to a seaside town in Chiba today.

Unlike the park I visited a few days ago, this place is quieter and feels more like a place for a leisurely stroll. The narrow streets are lined with old Japanese-style buildings, seafood shops, handmade candy shops, and several long-established coffee shops.

The sea breeze carries a salty scent and feels wonderful on my face.

Kasumigaoka Utaha walked ahead, stopping occasionally to take out her notebook and jot things down. An and Asuka followed behind her, not urging her on, but simply keeping her company quietly.

As she passed a candy store, Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" An and Asuka walked over.

"look."

She pointed to a glass display case at the shop entrance. Inside were candies of various shapes: goldfish, seashells, and even waves. They were colorful and sparkled in the sunlight.

“It’s beautiful,” An and Asuka said.

"Hmm." Kasumigaoka Utaha nodded, but didn't go in; she just stood outside and watched for a while.

Then she continued walking forward.

An and Asuka followed, then suddenly remembered something.

"Senior."

"Ok?"

"You came here when you were a child?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha paused in her steps.

Why do you ask that?

"Because of the way you looked at Er Yishanqiaqi Jiuliusan 2 Tangguo just now," Anhe Feibiao said. "It didn't seem like you were seeing it for the first time, it was more like you were recalling something."

Kasumigaoka Utaha remained silent for a while.

Then she laughed.

"Junior, you can be really perceptive sometimes."

"So you guessed right?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I came here once when I was little, with my parents. That shop was already there back then."

She paused for a moment, then continued walking forward.

"I haven't come back since."

An and Asuka didn't say anything, they just stayed by her side silently.

Everyone has a childhood that they want to reminisce about.