(I forgot that the word count is exceeded, the content of the slap is at the back. I suggest you save this chapter for now.)

"This is the coffee Taki-san sent from Nagasaki for my father's birthday last time.

It's hand-ground, because it's so precious and my dad has been reluctant to drink it, and it would be terrible if he was discovered."

"Is it really okay?"

Hitomi Honda inhaled the aroma forcefully into her nose.

In her opinion, coffee is a drink that adults can only have access to like wine. Because of its refreshing effect, many adults regard it as the best drink for nightlife entertainment.

As for wine, no matter how many types there are, it will ultimately make you drunk.

"It doesn't matter. Oh Dusang rarely drinks it because he cherishes it, but... if he knows that I use it to entertain you, it doesn't matter."

He held the cup with both hands and took a careful sip, with a trace of white cream foam on the edge of his lips.

Enjoyed it so much...

At this time, Honda Hitomi was thinking about -

It turns out that this is the most enjoyable time of the day for adults.

Even she didn't notice that the way she drank tea became more and more similar to that person.

"They are also the two most inseparable people in Taki-san's life. Momo-chan has always felt that as a sister and a family member, she has always received love from Taki-san, but she can't do anything, and feels extremely guilty.

I always feel that the time together is not long enough, so I desperately want to create this kind of opportunity, so that the brother and sister will not be separated from each other because they are sometimes separated in different schools and live in different places.

And Sakura...since joining HKT, Taki-san has played an irreplaceable role in her life.

However, when comparing the importance of work and dreams, time is gradually making some of Sakura's ideas no longer as pure as they used to be."

Making a cup of coffee after dinner is a habit Nako learned from Sakura.

"Taki-san often has his biological clock reversed because he is studying or doing other things seriously. When we lived together, we would make a pot of coffee and a pot of strong tea after dinner every time.

The coffee is mine and the strong tea is his.

We all like to taste the faint sweet aftertaste that is extracted from this slightly bitter drink and is secreted through the tongue coating.

Although Taki-san doesn't like coffee, he doesn't stop me from this habit. This is a lifestyle we respect each other and have gradually become accustomed to."

Because when he thinks of Sakura, Nako will feel that his memory will always be at its strongest at this moment.

At the same time, from these words, I could personally understand Takichi's living conditions every night, and my heart began to soften.

It seems that I have never been so soft since I was born.

The silence and a little bit of heat floating in this space are filled with unspeakable softness.

Sakura often shows off her love unabashedly, and does not need to carefully hide it like other AKB seniors and contemporaries. Therefore, many people think that she is a hedgehog, which means she is difficult to get along with.

But as soon as the topic of Takichi comes out of her mouth, the thorn in her that is difficult to get along with will instantly turn into tenderness and be dedicated to the people around her.

Because she had to be careful about her trip tomorrow morning, Hitomi Honda decided to go back to her dormitory to pack her bags after midnight snack.

Ah, speaking of which, the only way to get to Ni-chome from here is by walking, which is a difficult challenge for them who are still in junior high school.

After all, physical education classes in schools are very free most of the time. It is entirely up to the students whether they want to do strenuous exercise or not.

"It's rare for Hi-chan to be so serious~~ I didn't know, I thought we were going on an adventure."

Staying alone in the kitchen, clearing the dishes, Nako expertly wears gloves and slowly spins them along the edge of the small bowl.

"No...if you put it bluntly, it's no different from exploring. After all...there's something buried there that Taki-san originally wanted to give to Sakura."

Before going out, I passed by the half-open window. The space inside the house encountered the impact from the outside world, and there was already a thin layer of moisture on my body.

The pajamas made of chemical fiber fabric stuck to my body, and unexpectedly something cool was caressing upwards along my belly.

rain...

I've unexpectedly fallen in love with rainy weather recently.

Tokyo, washed by rain, seemed to be mixed with the smell of that person.

"Oh Kasan~~I have to go out and buy some things."

Nako whispered into his parents' room. In order not to wake up the two of them who were sleeping soundly, Nako tried his best to control his tone so that it would not sound too sharp.

The real reason was that I couldn't sleep and wanted to go shopping.

Just when I walked to the entrance, I thought that this was probably the first time I went out alone late at night without my parents, and a temperature that completely competed with the current indoor temperature filled my skin.

"I miss you so much~~Taki-san...."

Pick up the student leather boots that have some fluff on the surface, spray them with waterproof spray, stick your toes in as usual, lift the shoehorn with your index finger and slide the heel into the shoe easily.

The shoes were handmade by Mr. Koji Yano, the president of the shoemaking training class in Ni-chome. They are so comfortable to wear~~

When can I be like him and skillfully make a pair of shoes for others that have a long life and will not cause any pain or wear on the soles of the feet~~~

It's coming soon...I'm already learning and exploring.

Nako encouraged herself again and again.

Next time we meet, give Taki-san a pair of shoes. It's best... before he dares to take out the shoes he made for me.

In this way, he will definitely be proud and surprised by me.

When the key is turned, a "click"-like movement of the lock cylinder can be seen in any apartment building in Tokyo.

This sound reminded Nako of the factory that adds lids to cans.

In this old public housing estate from the 1990s, time stops.

It's as if when you turn the key when you return home from abroad, the sound of the lock cylinder is like an alarm clock turning on, and time will flow again.

Holding a transparent umbrella with the "Hirai Shosen" logo printed on it, I left the apartment building.

The more they walked on the flat ground, the comfort coming from the insoles made Nako squint his eyes. From then on, the gap between high-end shoes and cheap shoes began to become highlighted.

At first, when making new shoes for myself, the shoemaker in the training class asked me to measure the size of my feet, which meant that I needed to put my little feet in the socks against others.

Knowing that this was a very important process that could not be skipped, Nako refused the female shoemaker's request and only took out the lines she had drawn around the footsteps with a pencil, as well as the sole data that needed to be reported for daily shoe purchases.

In the end, the shoes delivered were very comfortable to wear.

Compared with ordinary shoes that are sprayed with waterproof spray before going out and can only last for thirty minutes, the product born under the personal supervision of President Yano is said to be three to four times more expensive than ordinary shoes popular on the market.

"These are just high-quality shoes made by entry-level shoemakers. Since Taki-san stopped coming here, there have been fewer and fewer elite shoemakers here."

These were the grumbling words made by senior Koji Yano when he sent the shoes. Although, like Takiichi, shoemaking is just their hobby and cannot be regarded as a permanent survival tool.

However, after using his little knowledge to look at it, Nako judged that this was not an original product made by simply cutting the leather and sewing it together.

On a rainy day, walking through the streets of Tokyo late at night is like walking on the edge of a swimming pool.
Chapter completed!