Green plums cannot become lovers.

"I never expected that Xiao Ju and Lemon would both be working here."

Hanami Anzu rested her chin on her hand, her gaze following Komari Chika, who was serving food to guests at the next table.

Wearing that black and white maid outfit, with its puffy skirt and a small white bow on her headband, she looked like she had stepped out of a comic book.

Her face was so red that it went from her neck to her ears, and even the hands holding the tray were trembling slightly.

"Are you short of money?" Anna asked directly.

Standing by the table, Roasted Salt Lemon and Komari Chika both glanced at An and Asuka before quickly looking away. The movement was light and quick, but enough for Hanami Anna to catch it.

She raised her eyebrows slightly, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two girls and An and Asuka.

An and Asuka were startled by their stares.

I haven't told Anzu and Karen about my "charging" yet. ^

Four thousand yen, a cup of tea, a piece of cake, a serving of omelet rice, and the "couple fee" for pretending to be a couple that time—although I never received the money in the end.

If these things were brought up now, he wouldn't know how to explain them.

"Then borrow it from me." Seeing that Anja had looked away, Bana said in a light tone, taking out her wallet from her pocket and making a move to open it.

"No, no need." Salted Lemon hurriedly waved his hand, his movements so large it looked like he was swatting away a mosquito. "We don't need much; we can earn it by working for a couple of days."

Komari nods vigorously beside her, the bow in her hair swaying slightly.

“Okay.” Anna put her wallet back in her pocket and didn’t insist.

She glanced at An and Asuka, then at the two girls, her lips curving slightly, but she didn't say anything.

As if to change the subject, the man with the salted lemon asked, "Speaking of which, why did you choose this place for your date?"

Her gaze swept between An, Asuka, and the two girls. Was it really appropriate to have her boyfriend come to a maid café? Although she knew their relationship wasn't a typical one-on-one, something still felt off.

"We didn't know this was a maid cafe," said Anna, resting her chin on her hand, her tone innocent. "We just saw it was newly opened and came to check it out."

"I see." Salted lemon nodded, relieved.

"What would you like to eat?" Xiaoju Zhihua finally spoke, her voice still soft, but steadyer than usual. The notepad in her hand was already crumpled from being gripped so tightly.

"Just three glasses of milk will do, and some biscuits too."

Anna made the decision for the three of them. An and Asuka had no objections, and neither did Karen Himegami.

Komari Chika scribbled a few notes in her notepad, then turned and left. Roasted Salt Lemon followed her back behind the bar. The two girls, dressed in maid outfits, huddled together, heads close, seemingly talking.

After a while, Xiaoju Zhihua came over with a tray, containing three glasses of iced milk and a small plate of cookies. The glasses were still gently swaying when she placed them on the table.

The three of them drank milk while discussing their upcoming itinerary.

There are only five days left until September. In five days, An and Asuka will return to Tokyo. The end of summer vacation is getting shorter and shorter, like a candle that is about to burn out, and every last bit of time is precious.

"Let's go to a hot spring," said Anna, munching on a biscuit, her words muffled. "There's a hot spring inn in the mountains of the next city. We can go and come back the same day, or stay for two nights."

Himegami Karen thought for a moment and nodded.

“Okay.” An and Asuka agreed.

Hanami Anna told Komari Chika and Yakishiro Lemon about her idea and invited them to go together.

"In the mountains of the next city, there's a hot spring hotel. I heard the hot springs there are open-air, and you can see the stars at night."

She counted on her fingers, her tone filled with obvious anticipation, "And their food is delicious too; I saw reviews online last time."

Komari and Shiozaki Lemon exchanged a glance. Their eyes lit up for a moment, then quickly dimmed again. Shiozaki Lemon touched her empty wallet, while Komari's fingers tightened slightly around her notepad.

"I...we'll skip it for now..." Shao Jiuqi Liu Jiuyi s???n gao yan ning said with a forced smile, "You guys have fun."

Seeing Anzu looking at them, Banami didn't press the issue. She knew their predicament and knew that asking further would only make them more embarrassed. She picked up her milk glass, took a big gulp, and the ice cubes clinked against her teeth.

"OK then."

After finishing their milk and sitting for a while, the three of them got up and left.

Anna walked in front, with Karen Himegami beside her, and An and Asuka following behind. As they pushed open the door, the wind chimes rang, and Shio Lemon and Chika Komari, standing behind the bar, waved to them.

"Be careful on the road—"

The door closed, and through the glass window, you could see the three figures receding into the distance until they disappeared around the corner of the street.

They acted swiftly; they finalized their plans in the morning and were ready to depart for the neighboring city in the afternoon.

On a summer afternoon, the sun shone directly overhead, softening the asphalt pavement. The cicadas chirped in waves, as if singing their final song for summer.

An and Asuka, each carrying a small travel bag, stood waiting at the station entrance. Soon after, Anna and Karen arrived together.

Today, Anna was wearing a light blue dress that reached mid-thigh, revealing a sliver of her fair calves. She wore white canvas shoes with the laces tied tightly. Her hair was tied higher than usual, showing off her smooth forehead and beautiful neck. Seeing An and Asuka, she jogged over, her canvas shoes making a soft, thumping sound on the ground.

"Have you been waiting long?"

“Just arrived at @Erqiliujiuyisanba.”

Himegami Karen followed behind, her pace neither hurried nor slow.

She wore a light pink short-sleeved shirt and a beige long skirt, her hair loose with slightly curled ends that billowed like a soft flag in the wind. She walked over, stood on the other side of An and Asuka, and smiled at him.

"Let's go." An and Asuka turned and walked into the station.

The tram arrived, and the carriage was not crowded, with only a few passengers scattered around. They found three seats side by side: Anna Hanami sat by the window, An and Asuka sat in the middle, and Karen Himegami sat by the aisle.

As the tram started moving, the scenery outside the window began to recede slowly. The pillars of the platform, the pebbles beside the tracks, and the rooftops of distant residential areas glided past in turn. The tram gradually picked up speed, leaving the sounds of the city behind, replaced by the rhythmic rumble of wheels rolling over the rails.

Hanami Anzu leaned against the window, watching the fields rushing past outside. The rice paddies were already turning yellow, the heavy ears of rice drooping and swaying gently in the wind.

The distant mountains rose in layers, the darkest layer already a bluish-gray. Sunlight streamed in through the car window, falling on her profile and turning her eyelashes golden.

“Birds,” she suddenly said.

"Ok?"

"After you return to Tokyo, will you come back often?"

An and Asuka thought for a moment.

"meeting."

"You're lying." Seeing that Anja wasn't looking at him and her gaze was still fixed on the window, Ya Nai said the same thing last time, and then didn't come back for over a year.

An and Asuka were silent for a moment. He didn't say, "This time is different," because he knew she wouldn't believe him anyway. He just sat quietly, looking out the window at the same scenery she saw.

Himegami Karen gently squeezed his hand beside him. The movement was very light and quick, as if afraid of being discovered. An and Asuka did not pull away or squeeze back, but simply let her hold it.

The tram continued its journey along the tracks, making a rhythmic clatter. The scenery outside the window changed from a city to a town, and then from a town to mountains.

One tunnel after another, the light flickering on and off, like someone constantly switching a light on and off. Each time we entered a tunnel, the carriage would darken, and we could only see blurry figures on the opposite seats. Each time we emerged from a tunnel, sunlight would rush in, blinding everything.

As Anna entered the tunnel for the third time, she rested her head on An and Asuka's shoulders. An and Asuka didn't flinch, and Karen Himegami didn't say anything. The three of them sat quietly, listening to the sound of the train, the echoes in the tunnel, and each other's heartbeats.

The hot spring hotel is nestled in the mountains, a 20-minute bus ride from the station. The bus slowly climbs the winding mountain road, the scenery outside the window becoming increasingly expansive. At the foot of the mountain, the city appears as small clusters of buildings, and the river, like a silver ribbon, glitters in the sunlight.

On the distant mountain ridge, the color of the trees has changed from the emerald green of summer to the deep green of early autumn, with one or two trees that are beginning to turn yellow interspersed among them, like someone accidentally spilling a small patch of paint.

The bus stopped at a small station halfway up the mountain. The three people got off, and the air suddenly felt different.

The air was no longer the stuffy, exhaust-laden air of the city, but cool, fragrant with the scent of grass and trees, making you want to take a deep breath. The cicadas were still chirping, but much less so than down in the mountains; a few chirps here and there seemed to be a reminder that it was still summer.

The hot spring inn is a very old Japanese-style building with a wooden structure and dark gray tiles, and several maple trees planted at the entrance. The maple leaves haven't turned red yet, but the edges have already started to turn yellow. In another month, this place will probably be ablaze with red.

The entrance hall was paved with smooth, polished bluestone slabs that reflected people's shadows. A noren (traditional curtain) hung by the door, the hotel's name printed on the dark blue cloth in bold white characters.

The owner was a woman in her fifties, wearing a dark blue apron, her hair piled up behind her head, and deep wrinkles around her eyes when she smiled. Seeing the three people, she smiled and said, "Welcome! Are the three of you together?"

“Sulfur Wing VII Yi 2 Scar Things Scar_Skirt Hmm.” Banami Anzu nodded.

Are the rooms separate or together?

Hana saw Anza glance at An and Asuka, then at Himegami Karen.

"Let's separate. Hua Lian and I will share a room, and he will share a room."

The shopkeeper nodded, took two keys from the cabinet, and handed them over. Bana saw Anja take them, shove one into An and Asuka's hands, and keep the other for herself.

The key was brass-colored, with a small wooden tag attached bearing the room number. An and Asuka glanced down; it read "Matsu no Ma" (Matsu Room). Hanami Anna and Himegami Hanako's room was "Ume no Ma" (Plum Room). The two rooms were next to each other, and the large public bathhouse was at the end of the corridor.

The room was spacious and in a traditional Japanese style. The tatami floor was soft to the touch and had a faint scent of grass. A low table was placed by the window, on which sat a tea set and a small plate of sweets.

Outside the sliding window is a small courtyard with a few bamboo trees and some unidentified flowers and plants. The afterglow of the setting sun falls on the bamboo leaves, turning them golden.

An and Asuka put down their bags, walked to the window, and opened it. The mountain air was much cooler than down below, carrying the fresh scent of bamboo leaves and the sulfurous smell of the distant hot springs. A breeze blew, ruffling his hair and rustling the bamboo in the yard, the leaves whispering as if they were telling secrets.

There was a knock on the door twice.

"Asuka, change your clothes." Anna's voice came from outside the door. "The hot spring is waiting for us."

An and Asuka took out the yukata provided by the hotel from their bags.

The dark blue cotton blouse felt soft to the touch and smelled of laundry detergent. He changed his clothes and left the room. The corridor was quiet; the wooden floor was polished to a shine, creaking slightly as he walked on it. The setting sun streamed in through the window at the end of the corridor, bathing the entire space in a warm orange-red hue.

Anna Hanami and Karen Himemiya were already waiting in the corridor. The two were wearing matching dark blue yukatas with white sashes around their waists.

Hanami Anzu had her hair up, revealing her long, slender neck. A few stray strands of hair fell beside her ears, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. Himegami Karen's hair was still down, but tied looser than usual, with slightly curled ends, draped over her shoulders. Neither of them wore makeup; their skin glowed faintly in the sunset, as clean as porcelain just pulled from the water.

"Let's go." Banai saw Anja walking ahead, her steps light and quick, her wooden clogs making a crisp clattering sound on the wooden floor.

The large public bath was at the end of the corridor. The men's and women's baths were separate, with two curtains hanging at the entrance, one blue and one red. An and Asuka stopped in front of the blue curtain, while Hanami Anna and Himegami Karen stopped in front of the red curtain.

The three of them exchanged a glance.

"We'll meet in the lobby after we've finished soaking," said Anna Hanami.

“Okay.” Anhe Feibiao nodded, lifted the curtain and went inside.

The men's bath was small. The changing area consisted of a row of wooden benches and several bamboo baskets for storing clothes. An and Asuka folded their yukatas and put them in a basket, picked up a towel, and pushed open the glass door leading to the bath.

A misty spray hit us, carrying a strong smell of sulfur. The bathing area was semi-open-air, with wooden eaves overhead, beyond which lay the sky.

The sky wasn't completely dark yet; a faint orange hue remained on the western horizon, and a few stars had already eagerly lit up. The bath was made of stone, with moss growing along its edges, and the water was milky white, steaming gently.

There was no one else in the pool. An and Fei Niao sat down by the pool, first scooping water with a wooden ladle to rinse their bodies, and then slowly slid into the pool.

The water temperature was just right, neither too hot nor too cold, warming him from his feet to the top of his head. He leaned against the pool wall, tilting his head back to look at the small patch of sky outside the eaves. There were a few more stars than before, and one particularly bright one hung above the ridge, as if winking at him.

He closed his eyes for a moment, his mind a jumble of thoughts. He thought about what Anzu had said on the train—

She spoke softly, but he sensed something beneath her tone. It wasn't blame, but fear—fear that he would leave and never return, fear that this time it would be another indefinite wait.

He opened his eyes and looked at his reflection on the water. The mist blurred his outline, making it difficult to see clearly.

He remembered how Himegami Karen kissed him on the Ferris wheel, and how her flushed cheeks and trembling eyelashes looked after she pulled away.

He remembered the weight of Anna Hanami leaning on his shoulder in the small park, and the small shadow cast by her eyelashes when she closed her eyes. He thought of the two of them, one lively and the other quiet, one like the summer sun and the other like the autumn moon.

He owes them a lot of time.

Laughter could be faintly heard coming from the women's bathhouse. It was hard to hear clearly through the walls and the mist, but it was clear that it was the voice of Anna Hanami.

Then came Himegami Karen's laughter, softer, as if carried by the wind. An and Asuka listened to the indistinct laughter, and the corners of their lips unconsciously curved into a smile.

After soaking for a while, he felt a bit hot, so he got out of the pool, rinsed himself off, changed into a bathrobe, and went to the living room.

There was a lounge area in the hall, with several rattan chairs surrounding a low table, on which sat a teapot and teacups. He had just sat down when Anna and Karen came out.

Their cheeks were flushed pink from the steam of the hot spring, and their hair was still damp, with a few strands clinging to their foreheads. Anna Hanami sat down beside him, while Karen Himegami sat opposite. Anna Hanami leaned against his shoulder and let out a long breath.

"So comfortable—"

"Mmm." Himegami Karen nodded, holding her teacup and taking small sips.

The three sat quietly for a while. The hall was quiet, with only the occasional sound of footsteps and the clinking of glasses in the distance. The warm yellow light shone on the three of them, casting their shadows on the tatami mat, overlapping and making it impossible to distinguish one from the other.

“Asuka.” Hana suddenly spoke up when she saw Anja.

"Ok?"

"What did you hear in the hot spring just now?"

An and Asuka's expressions froze; the girl's question clearly indicated that she was very certain.

He did hear the girls laughing and talking, but he dared not admit it.

"I didn't hear anything."

"really?"

"real."

"You're just lying to us."