After choosing a big adventure at Lupine's Bar

"Existence like this uncle is very affectionate. You have to be a little careful not to die because of your own death. Do you understand, brat?"

Mingkong nodded.

But Deng Guo felt that he probably didn't take it to heart.

This matter has been resolved with Deng Guo's initiative to compromise, but the root cause of the problem shows no signs of improvement at all.

According to Deng Guo's experience, change can only be due to "encounter".

It takes time.

So He, who claims to be the breeder, chose to wait and wait.

Because of the protection of the snake god (Dengguo claims to be), no ghost dares to approach him. The doctor judged that other personalities disappeared or hid, there is no danger, and he can be discharged from the hospital.

Then, soon, the brother and sister moved to another distant relative's house with simple luggage including a few changes of clothes, family photos, and friends' books.

Because she has returned to a state where she does not need to worry about being possessed by ghosts, Mingyin's studies and life have gradually entered a stable period.

He found a safer and more secure way to vent his stress - painting.

Sometimes I use a pencil to randomly smear something on the paper, and sometimes I randomly sketch things within sight.

After realizing that this is a long-term sustainable decompression method, he began to read a little reference books every day and learn to draw more professionally.

Although he put a lot of thought into this hobby, he still couldn't draw anything on subjects such as "self-portrait" and "native landscape" in art classes at school.

No, it's not so much that I can't draw it, it's better to say that after I sketched a rough outline, I fretfully painted it all with messy lines and dark blocks, distorting the shape.

By the way, those paintings won prizes in the school's small art exhibition.

He really doesn't know much about art.

After graduating from junior high school, he and his younger sister began to work and save money. When they could maintain their daily expenses and public school tuition and fees, they moved out from their relatives and rented a two-bedroom apartment outside to live independently.

Meikong didn't even plan to continue studying in high school, so he could have more part-time work.

But because his sister threatened that if he didn't go on to high school she wouldn't go to high school, he had no choice but to go on.

"High school is the last of youth, at least finish high school well."

But the two of them are in different schools.

My sister's school has a high deviation value. In order to ensure the deviation value, the academic requirements are relatively strict.

He could pass the exam if he wanted to, but because he didn't plan to go to higher education, as long as he could graduate, he didn't need to occupy his spare time, so he went to a high school with a more relaxed atmosphere.

Even so, they sometimes meet unexpectedly on the way to work.

"I don't want to live my whole life with guilt towards you. At least let me share the burden of life. We have always been divided in half."

However, such a younger sister has a little secret of her own recently.

No, it's not a little secret either.

Because it's so obvious.

"amusement park?"

Mingkong bit the freshly baked toast in his mouth and tilted his head.

"Well, this weekend. Want me to bring you a picture?"

While spreading homemade marmalade on her own bread, the younger sister stood up and spread the toast that Meisora ​​hadn't eaten yet.

Meikong himself has never been to an amusement park.

I don't have time on weekdays, and I don't want to get close at all during vacations.

Although it is a playground, during holidays, this kind of place with a large and dense crowd base and everyone's thoughts is easy to gather unclean things.

For example, monsters, ghosts and monsters, and occasionally there are wandering spirits.

As long as you are in such a crowd, you will feel a little nauseous.

"No, no, you just have to have fun."

He put the lid on the jam, tied up the bag that contained the rest of the bread, and checked the bag.

Then, he suddenly realized that something was wrong.

"with who?"

The younger sister was still the same as when she was a child, chewing the bread with puffed cheeks, and swallowed it directly when she heard the words, "...Huh?"

Naruto repeated it again.

"Who did you go with?"

"...boys in the same class..." She took a sip of tea, thought for a while, and then added, "We are currently in an ambiguous period, and we may have a crush on each other, but not necessarily. If we formally date, we will take them home show you."

"Hey..." Mingkong didn't comment on this, but just let out a meaningless exclamation.

Are you in love?

Is she that age too?

No, in fact, the third year of high school should be considered relatively late?

When I was in elementary school, some people would put love letters in the shoe cabinet of the person they liked.

If you want to talk about the reason, in the previous state of relying on others, it is impossible to have the mind to pay too much attention to others.

"Mekong has never been very interested in these things." The younger sister buttoned up the schoolbag and put the bag on her shoulder. "I don't even know whether you like women or men."

"It doesn't matter, I'm full of troubles, it's impossible to fall in love, let alone get married."

He sat in the porch putting on his shoes, and turned his head to talk to his sister who was walking over.

When his younger sister also sat down to put on her shoes, he suddenly remembered something before the other party said negative words.

"I saw the booklet you mentioned earlier that you couldn't buy anywhere." I saw it in a store before.

"Really? Which store?"

"Although it's a "shop", it looks like it's just a private house with a different decoration style than the surrounding..." Mingkong recalled, "The owner of the shop was counting sundries in the yard. I happened to pass by and walked in somehow. , I just saw the book you wanted. "

"Their slogan seems to be something like 'you can make your wish come true, as long as the owner can do it and pay the corresponding price', it probably means a barter shop, not necessarily money."

"Does this kind of store still exist now, modern society?"

"Yes."

"What would it take to replace that book?"

"I asked yesterday, and said that it is enough to give her the first sketchbook that I finished drawing, although I don't know why she knows that I am drawing..."

Together they walked to the bottom of the apartment building.

"See you tonight. I'll go to that store after I finish my part-time job."

After exchanging the sketchbook for the single book that he couldn't find all the time, Mingkong still felt a little guilty.

"Is it enough to use this exchange? Are you really not going to lose money?"

The owner of the store was wearing a kimono with a red background and a butterfly pattern. He was sitting on a recliner in the corridor and smoking a pipe. His long black hair like a waterfall was scattered on the ground and swirled around.

She exhaled a puff of smoke, her red eyes glanced over, and the corners of her lips curled up.

"It's equivalent, no more, no less, just right..." She explained, "Otherwise, my side will be hurt."

"However," she changed her voice, "speaking of which, what's your name?"

"...?" Mingkong felt strange, but he still answered, "Natsume, Natsume Mingkong."

"What about the birthday?"

"November 5."

"Hey, don't tell others your real name and birthday!" The little snake poked its head out of its pocket and roared.

"Oh, oh, isn't this Lord Snake God? It's so cute."

"Yuko Ichihara...tsk."

The shop owner, whose alias is Yuko Ichihara, explained: "For those who have mastered the reading method, knowing the real name can know the past, and knowing the birthday can know the future."

She slowly exhaled a puff of smoke towards Mingkong's face, but the little snake flicked it away with her tail with a look of disgust.

"You, look dead on your face."

"what……"

Is this a new type of divination?

But this person knew Deng Guo, so the credibility should be high?

"Then, please give me the box knife you have on your body."

Ms. Yuko suddenly started charging with a pretentiously cute business tone.

"Huh? Was that a paid item just now?"

"Of course, give it to me."

Also beckoned.

The utility knife is not a valuable item, nor does it carry any special memories, so she just gave it if she wanted it.

Instead, he began to doubt the credibility of the divination because this thing was actually equivalent to the divination just now.

"These are all things that will come in handy in the future."

She glanced at the debris that hadn't been taken back to the warehouse.

"Mingkong, why don't you try drawing manga? Try a new job? Maybe you can become a manga artist."

The younger sister looked at the pamphlet he had exchanged for, and suddenly made such an opinion.

"...It doesn't mean that you can become a manga artist, and manga or something..."

Although he usually reads manga, he has never tried to draw by himself.

"Try it, the last summer vacation of high school is coming, you can catch up with this newcomer award."

"..." Mingkong leaned over to look at the publishing house and department of the book, "Ah, it's a girl manga."

"Why do you think I can draw shoujo manga?"

"Because, you give me a feeling that I can paint, with delicate thoughts and so on."

She covered the spread comics on her face, "Don't you like to vent something through drawing? Maybe you can find something that makes you happy all of a sudden."

Happy things.

Mingkong knew that his sister probably wanted him to find something like his own life goal.

For him, who has been busy with survival issues before, he needs to try more first.

Although he himself doesn't really want to find any ideals until now, but he doesn't want his sister to worry about him.

So, I had to compromise.

"Then I'll give it a try."