Old Takashi drove the car until they reached a shopping mall. Shouko had promised Akari to meet at one of the book cafes on the ground floor. It was already close to 4 PM. A piece of soft music was audible once she got inside, it sounded so mellow and rhythmic, pleasant to the ears.
"En, where is she?" Shouko looked at her wristwatch. It was ten minutes past their appointed time.
Shouko placed her bag on a chair before she walked toward one of the tall bookshelves. Her eyes lingered on the book spines, reading their titles as her gaze fell down on a shorter shelf beside her.
Rows and rows of children's books were arranged in a neat pattern following their sizes and colors. A few books caught her eyes.
Shouko crouched down, she took out of the books from the shelf. Her eyes bent as she realized it was really her books.
A copy of Aiko and the Moon was in her hands.
