As he walked along the road, the scenery around him was not particularly impressive, still some way off from the steel cities of the future, with their forests of towering skyscrapers.
The surrounding buildings were generally not very tall. Asano Kiyoshi looked at the map in his hand and slowly searched for the bookstore's direction.
A gentle breeze blew over, brushing Asano Kiyoshi's slightly wavy hair across his eyes. He subconsciously raised a hand and swept it aside.
A faint fragrance lingered on his fingers, left over from when he had dried Nel's hair that morning.
The scent was very faint, a mixture resembling fruit and milk. Breathing it in brought a sense of calm to his mind.
After passing two intersections and crossing four streets, Asano Kiyoshi finally arrived at the bookstore.
The bookstore was not very large, perhaps only around a hundred square meters. It was well lit, with scattered sunlight streaming through the windows and falling over the books. Combined with the faint scent of books in the air, the entire little shop felt exceptionally warm and cozy.
Asano Kiyoshi entered the bookstore and began looking for the owner, but after searching around, he found only an elderly granny.
Yet according to Uncle Hachigen Ushōda's description, the owner seemed to be a middle-aged man. Had the owner changed?
Feeling somewhat puzzled, Asano Kiyoshi walked to the counter and asked the old woman, "Um, excuse me, may I ask where the owner of this shop is?"
The old woman looked at Asano Kiyoshi with a puzzled expression, then pointed at her ear and said loudly, "Sorry, young man! My ears don't work very well anymore! Could you speak a little louder?"
Seeing this, Asano Kiyoshi could only helplessly raise his voice and shout toward her ear, "Um, excuse