Page 589

He turned and walked outside again.

His steps remained slow, yet resolute.

I don't know why.

Watching Nanxiang's figure moving forward.

Both of them had an indescribable feeling.

It's as if the other person, once they leave, will never come back.

Somehow, on a whim, Nango Chizuka couldn't help but speak up:

Will you come back?

"..."

Nango Toki, who was always willing to answer any of her questions... did not answer this time.

He simply stood at a distance and waved.

The gesture looked like a farewell, or perhaps a signal to them not to chase after him.

Nango Chizuka and Nango Takina stopped trying to catch up with Nango Toki.

Although she didn't understand what her husband wanted to do or where he was going next.

The two of them stopped in their tracks.

Because no matter when.

Both of them always respected Nango's choice.

......

Outside the kindergarten.

Nanxiang Yili, who has already brought Nanxiang Naizhu back to her side, is checking the time on her ladies' watch.

She was a little tired after just attending a parent-teacher meeting.

But just thinking about seeing that person soon...

That gentle, pretty face, which had been filled with fatigue, regained a bit of energy.

She timed it perfectly.

And he would occasionally look up at both sides of the road.

Then--

"One li."

A voice suddenly came from beside my ear.

This startled everyone in the southern village.

She turned around in surprise.

She then realized that her husband had appeared silently behind her.

"Huh? Shi...? How did you get here?"

Nanxiang Yili was somewhat surprised.

Because she was paying attention to both sides of the road, she did not see Nanxiang Shi's shadow.

It was as if Nanxiang had suddenly appeared before them.

"You just didn't see me; I've been here for ages."

Nango Toki chuckled, then reached out and placed the small Nango Notake against his neck.

To be suddenly attacked by one's own father.

Nango Naitake suddenly exclaimed, then giggled with delight at the change in perspective.

“Ashi…”

Nango Ichiri gave Nango Shi a reproachful look: "You spoil Naitake too much. Why don't you just let her walk home by herself?"

"It's alright, it's alright. Let's go."

Maintaining the balance of Nango no Take, Nango chuckled nonchalantly and addressed Nango Ichiri.

She was surprised to hear her husband speak like that.

The naturally obedient Nanxiang Yili fell silent.

He simply gave a soft "hmm" and followed behind Nanxiang Shi.

The last rays of the setting sun slowly sank down.

The shadow of Nanxiang is rendered very deeply.

This also makes the line between illusion and reality begin to blur.

She could hear her husband and daughter playing around her.

For some reason, Nanxiang Yili suddenly had the illusion that all of this was very far away from him.

This made her instinctively grab Nanxiang Shi's sleeve.

"One mile?"

A slightly surprised voice came from the front.

"Ah...sorry. I'm fine, Shi."

Nanxiang Yili lowered his head and hurriedly apologized for his sudden action.

But her grip on Nango's sleeve showed no sign of loosening.

Seeing this, Nanxiang Shi, who was ahead, just smiled and shook his head without saying anything, and continued walking forward.

The distance between Nanxiang's home and the kindergarten is neither too close nor too far.

In terms of distance, it's about a ten-minute walk to get there.

However, it was precisely during these ten minutes that...

Looking at Nanxiang Yili today, it feels like time has flown by.

It was as if Nanxiang had just come to pick up the mother and daughter a second ago.

The next second, the three of them were standing at the door.

Nanxiang Shi was holding Nanxiang Naizhu, so she couldn't free her hands for the time being.

They could only take one step forward from the south of the village, take out the key, and open the gate.

"Ah Shi, the door's open... Huh?"

Before Nanxiang Yili inside the gate could finish speaking...

Nango Toki, who was outside the door, had already handed over Nango Noritake, who had been coaxed to sleep.

"Ashi...?"

Looking at the child in her arms.

When Nanxiang glanced at Nanxiang standing outside the door, seemingly with no intention of entering, Nanxiang Yili made a strange sound.

"I'm sorry, Ichiri, I have some things to take care of on my own."

"There are still some things to take care of...?"

Nanxiang Yili looked at her husband, who was wearing a gentle smile.

The strange feeling in my heart grew stronger at this moment.

She really wanted to just say, "I'll go with you."

But when the words reached her lips, she couldn't utter them at all.

Because when he was in Nanxiang, he said he would "go and solve it alone".

So all she can do now is...

"Well... have a safe journey, Toki-kun."

"Ah."

As always, Nango Ichiri gave Nango a warm hug by the door.

Then.

Standing by the door, she watched his figure gradually disappear into the sunset.

I didn't try to stop them.

He didn't say anything else.

She simply trusted Nango Toki as always.

Trust his choice.

At the same time.

Akane Nango, who was arranging the actors' details on the special effects set, frowned.

do not know why.

She seemed somewhat restless today.

This resulted in her not feeling as adept at assigning tasks as usual.

She was somewhat anxious.

They stopped setting up the filming location and went to the rooftop to rest.

I want to feel the cool breeze to soothe my troubled mind.

She took out her keys and opened the rooftop door.

I took two steps while enjoying the beautiful sunset.

Then I saw the same figure standing on the rooftop.