Green plums cannot become lovers.

The three of them slowly lay down. The bedding had been laid out long ago and was originally only enough for one person to sleep in, but the three of them squeezed together and could barely fit.

Hanami Anna lay to his left, and Himegami Karen lay to his right. Both of their bodies were warm, like two small flames, coming closer from both sides and gradually raising his body temperature.

An and Asuka lay on their backs, listening to the even breathing on both sides, and felt their heartbeats were very slow, as slow as if they were floating in water.

Hanami Anina's hand was still holding his. At some point, Himegami Karen's hand slid from his arm to his hand, her fingers resting on the back of his hand, cool to the touch.

He lay there without moving, letting them hold his hand, letting them lean against him, letting their body heat and breath fill the small room.

After an unknown amount of time, An and Asuka also closed their eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, the window was already lit, and the rain had stopped. His left arm was a little numb because Anna Hachimi had been his pillow all night. His right arm, Karen Himegami, had somehow burrowed under the covers, only a small section of her pink hair showing.

He slowly withdrew his arm and sat up. Seeing Anza groan, Yagami rolled over and pulled most of the blanket away. Himegami Karen remained asleep, her breathing still even.

An and Asuka looked at them for a long time.

If I hadn't stayed awake last night, I wonder what those two guys would have done.

An and Asuka sighed, stood up, walked to the window, and opened it. The post-rain air rushed in, cool and carrying the fresh scent of earth and grass.

The bluestone slabs in the courtyard gleamed from the rain, and water droplets clung to the bamboo leaves, shimmering in the morning light. In the distance, the mountains emerged from the mist, their deep blue color appearing as if freshly painted with ink.

The sky cleared up.

Volume 1: Chapter 281 He's Gone

A girl's soft moan came from behind, followed by a slightly sweet nasal tone.

"Asuka, what time is it?"

It was Himegami Karen's voice, tinged with the languor of someone still half-asleep, as if slowly rising from a very deep dream, not yet fully emerging from the water.

Just as An and Asuka were about to turn around to answer, a pair of arms wrapped around their backs.

The girl's soft body pressed against his back, especially the area below her shoulder blades. The warmth emanated from the thin yukata, spreading out like a small patch of sun-warmed water.

Her breath brushed against his neck, warm and moist with the unique scent of the morning. An and Asuka's bodies stiffened slightly; even though he had long been exposed to the ways of adults, he almost lost his composure.

But he managed to hold back and suppress those chaotic reactions.

It's almost seven o'clock.

He looked down at the hands encircling his abdomen, his voice low, afraid of waking Anna Hanami, who was still sleeping on the other side. Karen Himegami's hands were small, with slender fingers and nails that had a faint pink hue, like seashells just washed. A thin red string was tied around her wrist, making her skin appear even more delicate.

"Oh~~~" The girl's voice rang in my ears, carrying a hint of the damp heat of just waking up, the last syllable drawn out, as if she didn't want to wake up from this embrace.

"If you're sleepy, you can sleep a little longer," Anwa Asuka said, her voice a little hoarse.

"I'm not sleepy anymore." Himegami Karen shook her head, her cheek rubbing against his back, her hair rustling softly against the fabric of her yukata.

She hugged his waist even tighter, as if afraid he would suddenly disappear.

An and Asuka could clearly feel the girl's softness. It wasn't a touch that could be simulated through imagination; it was real, warm to the touch, and rose and fell slightly with her breath.

He raised his hand, then lowered it again. He couldn't help but turn around, wanting to draw the girl's attention, but as soon as he turned, her face loomed large before him. Her eyelashes weren't fully open, drooping like two unopened folding fans. Her eyes held a misty haze from just waking up, and something else, something indistinct.

Then he felt something soft on his lips.

A soft, warm kiss with a refreshing, minty scent.

The kiss was fleeting, so brief that before he could even close his eyes, she had already pulled away.

"hey-hey."

Himegami Karen smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, revealing two rows of neat teeth, like a cat that had stolen a fish. "I didn't get to do what I wanted to do yesterday, so I'll make up for it with some interest today."

An and Asuka paused for a moment, then raised their hands and gently patted her pink head. The touch was light, like patting a disobedient kitten.

"It's good that you didn't succeed."

"It's too much to say 'thank you'." Himegami Karen puffed out her cheeks, her cheeks looking like she had two candies in her mouth. "Anjana and I have been preparing for this for a long time."

Seeing her pitiful look, An and Asuka couldn't help but reach out and pinch her cheek. Her skin was smooth and tender, like a freshly peeled egg, and their fingertips could feel a slight warmth underneath.

"How dare you say that?"

Himegami Karen's face was being pinched, making her speech indistinct, but the smile on her lips never faded.

Just then, a sound of rustling came from the bedding next to her. Banai saw Anja turn over, peeking half her face out from under the covers. Her hair was a mess, like a bird's nest, her eyes weren't fully open, but the corners of her mouth were already curving into a mischievous smile.

"Wow—" Her voice was hoarse, with a nasal tone from just waking up, "You guys couldn't resist so early in the morning?"

An and Asuka released Himegami Karen's face and turned to look at Hanami Anna. She was lying in bed, only her head showing, like a groundhog just peeking out of its burrow. He walked over, bent down, and gently tapped her somewhat messy head.

"Put up to me, get up when you're awake, it's about time to check out."

"Hmph." Banai saw Anja rubbing the spot where she had been hit and pouting. "Go ahead and show off in front of us. We'll remember this and make you pay later."

Her tone was fierce, but her eyes were full of laughter.

An and Asuka knew what she meant by "a sliver of light," but he neither refuted nor responded. He simply straightened up, walked to the window, and pulled the curtains open completely.

The morning light streamed in, illuminating the entire room with brightness and warmth.

Although we failed last night, there will be plenty of opportunities later. Banai saw Anna stretch lazily in bed, wink at Himegami Karen, and Himegami Karen winked back.

An and Asuka had their backs to them and saw nothing.

The three of them stepped out of the hotel. The mountain air was still cool and refreshing, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees and the sulfurous smell of the hot springs in the distance.

The sky had completely cleared, and the sunlight shone down from above, shrinking the three people into a small shadow at their feet.

Anna walked in front, her steps light and quick, as if she were making up for the distance she hadn't covered yesterday. Karen Himegami walked beside her; her ankle was much better now, and her steps were much steadyer than yesterday. An and Asuka walked at the very back, watching their silhouettes illuminated by the sunlight, a strange feeling welled up inside them.

The tram on the way back was just as crowded as the one on the way there; the three of us sat side by side, chatting and laughing.

Nothing major happened in the next few days; we ate, drank, and played as usual.

Time is like water in a river; it seems to flow slowly, but in the blink of an eye, it has flowed a long way.

On August 30th, An and Asuka prepared to leave.

I was originally supposed to leave on September 1st, but something came up in Tokyo, so I moved it up by two days.

Inside the station, Anna Hanami and Karen Himemiya stood outside the ticket gate, watching him.

Both women were dressed simply today, without their usual bright colors. Neither of them spoke; they just stood there, looking at him.

An and Asuka knew what they were thinking; this departure meant they probably wouldn't see each other for a long time.

The distance between Tokyo and Aichi is only a little over an hour by Shinkansen, but when you actually cross the line, you realize that the hour or so is much longer than you imagined.

He sensed the girls' reluctance to part, so he comforted them, saying, "Don't worry, I'll come back during winter break."

"Really?" Anna's eyes lit up.

"Really, I'll bring you some Tokyo specialties then."

The two girls were delighted to hear this, not in a loud, boisterous way, but in a way that made their lips curve into a smile, their eyes crinkle into a smile, and their whole being brighten up.

The train arrived, and An and Asuka picked up their bags and glanced at them.

"I'm leaving."

"Mm." Bana saw Anja nod.

"Be careful on the road."

He turned around, walked through the ticket gate, crossed the passage, and headed towards the platform. Behind him came Anna's voice: "Remember to message us—"

He turned around, waved, and continued walking.

There weren't many people on the platform. He found his carriage, stood at the door, and was about to board.

"Anhe-kun—!"

A voice came from behind, panting, hoarse from running and exertion.

An and Asuka turned their heads, and at the entrance of the platform, two girls were running towards them.

One girl with short brown hair, wearing a lemon hair accessory, a pale yellow T-shirt and dark shorts, had one shoelace on her canvas shoe come undone, swinging back and forth at her feet. Another girl with long black hair, wearing a light-colored shirt and long skirt, ran a little slower, carrying one shoe in her hand.

It's a small cherry blossom and a salted lemon.

They ran out of their homes when they heard the boy was leaving. Salted Lemon lost her hair ornament, and a few strands of her hair fell loose and clung to her sweaty forehead.

Xiaoju Zhihua lost one of her slippers, and she stepped barefoot on the concrete floor of the platform, her toes curled up, but she didn't stop.

An and Asuka stood still, watching them run over.

"Why are you here?"

“Give me...give me the money back…” Salted Lemon bent over, hands on her knees, gasping for breath. Her chest heaved, and she spoke haltingly, “I heard you left today…so we…”

She straightened up and reached into her pocket. Her fingers slipped inside, touched it once, then again, and froze. Her expression shifted from eagerness to panic, then from panic to bewilderment.

She then searched through another pocket, the back pocket of her pants, and the small pocket in the front of her clothes. Finally, she looked up, her face flushed red.

"Where's the money?" Xiao Ju Zhihua was also stunned.

She lowered her head and turned her head to look inside her pockets, then turned her skirt pockets to the side pockets and the small pocket on the front of her shirt.

They had nothing; their pockets were empty, not even a single coin.

"I...I forgot..." The voice of the roasted lemon faded, as if squeezed from a throat, "I ran in too fast...I didn't bring it..."

"Me too..."

Xiaoju Zhihua stood to the side, her bare foot shuffling nervously on the cement floor, her toes curling and stretching repeatedly.

Her face flushed, a deeper red than the burnt salt lemon. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

An and Asuka looked at them and remained silent for two seconds.

"Then let's leave it on credit for now."

"Huh?" Salted lemon looked up.

"I'll owe you for now," he repeated. "I'll pay you back next time."

"But..." Xiaoju Zhihua's voice was very soft, "You've left, and I don't know when you'll come back..."

"Then let's wait until the year after next," An and Asuka smiled. "Anyway, it won't run away."

Salted Lemon stared at him for a few seconds, then snorted and turned her face away. After a while, she turned back, reached out, made a fist, and gently punched him in the chest.

The force wasn't strong; it was like hitting a friend who was just playing around.

"And what do you owe us?"

"When did I owe you anything?"

“You owe us… a proper goodbye.” Salted Lemon’s voice trailed off. “You left so suddenly, without even having a chance to pay us back.”

An and Asuka looked at the two people with their heads down—one with short brown hair disheveled and plastered to his forehead, and the other barefoot on the platform, both with red eyes, but neither of them cried.

He suddenly felt a little apologetic. He hadn't meant to, but he hadn't said goodbye to them properly.

He was busy packing his luggage, busy saying goodbye to Anja Karen, and busy catching his train.

He forgot about them.

"I'll treat you to a meal next time I come back."

What kind of food?

"Eat whatever you want."

“Then I want to eat barbecue,” Salted Lemon said immediately.

“Me too,” Xiaoju Zhihua whispered.

“Okay.” An and Asuka nodded with a smile.

The platform announcement came on again, reminding passengers to hurry up and board the train.

"I'm leaving."

"Mm." Salted Lemon nodded.

"Be careful on the road."

He turned around and got into the car. The door wasn't closed, and he stood inside, looking at them through the open door.

The train has started moving.

The wind on the platform ruffled their hair, a few stray strands of hair from the salted lemon clung to their sweaty foreheads, and Komari's skirt swayed gently at her feet. The two stood there, neither speaking nor chasing after the others.