I push the kid!

"Where are you going?"

“Buy coffee.”

"I happen to have some here," Ogura Yuki said, "I bought some local coffee beans and brewed them myself. Do you want some?"

"Thank you."

"The cup is new."

"It's troublesome."

After the conversation, Ogura Tomoki turned and went into a small room. He came out about five minutes later with a cup of mellow coffee in his hand.

She handed the coffee to the table like a waitress: "There is milk and sugar, too. Add it yourself if you want."

"How much."

"Of course it's free!" She smiled, took a small silver-gray cat into her arms, and sat down next to Makimura Taku, "Is there any song you want to listen to?"

“Can it be placed in the store?”

"This is my family's store, what's wrong with that?"

"Then play 'Five Hundred Miles'."

“Justin Timberlake’s?”

"Yes."

Tomoki Ogura touched the fur on the cat's neck with his hand, then put the cat on the table and ran into the room to play some music.

The first song that sounded was a rock song, and it kept changing until it turned into "Five Hundred Miles", and then she came out again.

“Ah, thank goodness there’s this song.”

"Actually, it's okay to put something else."

“Do you like folk songs?”

"it's OK."

"Love story, have you heard it?"

"I heard."

"I like it very much," she said with a wink. "This song will be available later."

Makimura Taku nodded, and the big yellow cat howled twice in his arms.

Two young girls came in from outside the door, and the doorbell hanging on the door frame rang a few times.

"Reading again in the morning?"

“Exercise, read books, and enjoy the scenery.”

"Oh," Ogura Yuki rubbed the cat's head, "this is what traveling is all about!"

"It's okay, quite relaxing." said Taku Makimura.

"What book did you read today?"

“The Little Prince.”

"It's for kids."

"'I would like to ask the children's forgiveness for dedicating this book to a grown-up,'" Makimura told her. "That's what the book begins with."

"You should read Weekly Shonen Jump!"

“I’ve seen that one, too.”

"Have you read that pornographic comic?"

"Sexy comics?"

“That kind.”

Makimura Taku paused for a moment, and Ogura Tomoki told him directly that he didn't need to answer: "If you hesitate for a second, you have seen it!"

"what is this."

"One-second rule!"

Taku Makimura smiled, turned sideways and took a sip of coffee. There was no sugar, so it tasted a bit bitter.

At this time, the song playing in the store changed to "Hanabi" by Kenshi Yonezu.

"Hey," the two listened to music while taking care of the cat. After a while, Ogura Yuki suddenly moved his shoulders and asked him mysteriously, "Makino, where is the girl you were with before? The very pretty one, almost like a female star? Do you know who I'm talking about? Why haven't I seen her?"

"She went back to Tokyo." Makimura Taku rubbed the cat's chin without raising his head.

"Back to Tokyo?"

"should be."

"Weren't you guys together before?" Ogura Tomoki leaned back in surprise.

The coffee was steaming, there were slight footsteps around, and bright lights were shining down from above, making my vision blurry for a moment.

The figure that had gradually faded away suddenly became clear again.

A white dress, a bunny hair accessory, long blue-purple hair, and those captivating eyes.

Hoshino Ai, Makimura Taku can never forget this name.

"It was just a chance encounter." When he said this, he had the illusion that he was talking about something that happened several years ago, even though they had only separated a few days ago.

"Really?"

"My strength is honesty."

"I thought you two were a couple." Ogura Yuki didn't look at him, but stared down at the cat, "After all, you are quite handsome."

"What do you mean handsome?"

"Very handsome, very handsome, isn't that enough?" she argued with a red face.

"Thank you," Makimura Taku said calmly, "Actually, I didn't want you to praise me, you just insisted on saying it."

"Fool."

"as long as you are happy."

A customer came to the store, and Tomoki Ogura went to help.

The man left a white-haired cat here. Ogura Tomoki took the cat into a special room to give it a bath and was busy for a long time before coming out.

"I'm so tired." She complained to Makimura Taku before she even sat down.

"I can tell." Makimura Taku took out a small package of napkins from his pocket and handed it to her, "Wipe the sweat?"

"Oh," she was stunned for a moment, took the tissue and said, "Thank you."

The two continued listening to music. They didn't know which song they were listening to, but the lyrics sounded like a Russian song, but Makimura Taku had never heard of it before.

"Where is your home?" Ogura Tomoki asked casually.

"Tokyo."

"How long do you plan to stay in Karuizawa?"

"Almost spring?"

He thought about it, and felt that it was not quite appropriate. His desire to go back before spring seemed to increase, but in the end he did not change his mind.

"Spring." Ogura Yuki looked up and thought for a moment, then looked at him, "Makino, do you want to come work for me?"

"work to earn a living?"

"Part-time job," she said. "I'll come for two hours in the afternoon and two hours in the evening. It won't interfere with your travels, and I'll get paid!"

"how many?"

"I pay most people a thousand an hour." She showed a finger.

"what about me?"

"You're so handsome, I'll give you two thousand!" She showed her second finger.

“Is this a sponsorship?”

"Does that count?"

"How would I know."

"That's fine." She smiled triumphantly, "If you feel bad about it, just stand at the door of the store and help me hand out flyers to attract customers."

"Do you think I'm a gigolo?"

"That's a good idea."

"Then I refuse."

"I'm sorry~" She sat on the stool and bowed, with the silver-gray cat pressed into her chest.

They sat there until four o'clock in the afternoon. Taku Makimura put the cat down and said he was going home. Tomoki Ogura threw the cat away, jumped down and said he would take him there.

"No need." Makimura Taku stopped her.

"Then come tomorrow," Ogura Yuki asked pitifully, "Is that okay?"

"You offer so much salary, I can't refuse it."

"That's a deal!"

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye~"

The two waved goodbye, and the bell on the door frame rang a few more times.

Thank you all for your tips, monthly votes, and recommendation votes.

I heard a song today that I quite liked, it’s called, The Sound of the Wind Passing, and I’d like to share it with you.

Chapter 18 Two people go together