After saying goodbye to the scouts, the group returned home in the midst of laughter and conversation about the incident caused by the misunderstanding.

"Huh?" When she put the ingredients in the refrigerator with Ashbara, Hotaru suddenly noticed that Ashbara seemed to have bought something other than peanut butter, blueberry jam, and sliced bread. "Are you—somen?"

"Hmm," Gray Yuan nodded. "Tanabata should be eating this, right?"

"Hmm-" Hotaru thought for a moment. "Probably? When I was a child, my mother would make me somen noodles on Tanabata, and I remember saying that it was to pray for no disasters and no disasters - are you going to make somen noodles for Chiba? ”

"......" Gray Yuan Ai quickly glanced at the living room and made sure that no one was paying attention before nodding. Barely counted? After all, I really want to eat somen noodles, so I'll take advantage of this time to make a little more. ”

"Will you do it?" Hotaru asked. "I'd like to learn if you can."

"Hmm......" Gray Yuan Wai shook his head. However, I have a cookbook with a description of how to make somen noodles, so I bought cheap new somen noodles in addition to the somen noodles I bought two years ago, just to practice my skills. (Somen noodles need to be left for a year or two to taste good and are more expensive.) According to the different storage time, the somen noodles are divided into new things; Antiquities and large antiquities. However, if you leave it for more than three or four years, the somen noodles will be too old. ）

"If you're going to make one for Tachibana, I'll take a look at it too," Fujiwara suddenly appeared at the kitchen door. "I've tried it a few times. You don't buy a lot of these noodles, and you can't try them a few times, so try to avoid wasting precious antiquities and equally precious time. ”

"Fujiwara-kun, do you know how to make somen noodles?" Hotaru was a little surprised. "It was really unexpected."

"You have to learn this level of skill," Fujiwara shrugged. "When I was very young, I started learning cooking skills with my mother-in-law, the maid at home."

"Xiao Ai, what do you think?" Hotaru looked at Fujiwara. "If Fujiwara helps you, you'll be able to make better noodles for you and Chiba!"

"......," Ashbara's gaze only stayed on Fujiwara's face for a moment, and then immediately moved away. Okay, thank you very much. ”

…………

Fujiwara stood behind Ai and watched as she scooped the freshly boiled somen out of the pot with a colander and rinsed it under the faucet to remove the sticky substance, and then put it in a bowl filled with cold water that had been prepared next to her.

"......" Fujiwara frowned, but said nothing.

"Is that okay?" After putting the noodles in the bowl, Ashbara turned his head and asked Fujiwara.

"You're too nervous," Fujiwara just said lightly. "Am I making you nervous like that behind your back?"

"......" Ai Gray Hara was clearly quite nervous when facing him, as Fujiwara had claimed—he had almost killed himself not long ago. Although he and Belmode later promised not to attack him again, the fear that Fujiwara had brought her before was probably diluted by time.

"Well, I'll ask a question first," Fujiwara asked suddenly. "You...... Where do you want to go with Tachibana? ”

“？” Ashbara was stunned. "Hmm-"

"If all goes well, will you get married?" Fujiwara asked again.

"......" Gray Yuan mourned for a moment and nodded. Probably, if all goes well. ”

"Then why are you worried about me?" The corners of Fujiwara's mouth curled slightly. "With Tachibana, there's no way you're going to harm the organization, are you? Since you won't be our enemy, why should we disadvantage you? ”

Fujiwara has been in contact with Ai Shibara, who goes by the pseudonym Shio Kono, and knows that she is not a guardian of peace for the sake of the world, but just an ordinary person with flesh and blood. And if this ordinary person of flesh and blood falls in love with a person who has always cared about the organization, then this person will never damage the organization that his sweetheart regards as life.

For no other reason, Sherry is in love with Icewine - a rather pale and illusory reason, if Fujiwara says.

But there are always many people who are willing to gamble everything they have for this illusory reason, which also causes this reason, which is very fragile from a rational point of view, to become incomparably solid and reliable under the influence of emotion.

"......" Ash Yuan Wai shook his head after a moment of silence. I'm sorry, but I don't mean anything to you. But...... Please give me a little time, I still need a little more time to get used to all this. ”

"No problem," Fujiwara nodded. "I'm sorry, I was in a hurry."

…………

After about five minutes, the table was full of cutlery, and everyone sat at the table, looking at a small portion of noodles soaked in cold water and a side dish in a small plate in the bowl in front of them. Right in the middle of them, there was also a large basin of sliced bread and two bowls of jam

"It looks great!" Yuan Tai said happily. "Did you do it?"

"Brother Fujiwara has given a lot of guidance on the side," Gray Yuan Ai sat on the main seat, just smiling faintly. "So I'm just the one who does it."

"I think I'm going to eat a big meal today~" Hotaru's smile was as happy as Genta's, and there was a hint of beauty in it that made everyone present feel refreshed - this was not an illusion, but the skill of "laughing" that Hotaru had mastered after rigorous training. Although such an action may seem simple, Hotaru actually puts a lot of energy into highlighting the beauty of her smile through the right expression and posture.

"By the way, Tachibana hasn't come back yet?" Fujiwara suddenly looked at the empty seat directly across from Ai and asked. "What did he do?"

"In a serial murder case in the last few days, Tachibana found a clue and reported it to Officer Matsumoto, and then probably continued to investigate the case with Officer Matsumoto." Gray Yuan explained.

"At this time, you still take care of the case?" Fujiwara raised an eyebrow. "Well, although Tanabata does not require an obligation to accompany a girlfriend in Japan, it ......"

Speaking of this, Fujiwara suddenly glanced at Hotaru, who was looking at him playfully, and then changed his words. "Since there is no such obligation, it is probably perfectly fine not to do it, right?"

[However...... Why did Irish that guy pull up Icewine? Could it be that Icewine's identity is known to him? Even if you know, there's no need to drag a guy with the body of a child in such a serious task, right? 】

[The worst thing is that if this is really the case, then the two things that were sent just now will be useless......]