When the bus stopped, Endou was the first to get off. The sunlight resting on the asphalt was softer than expected, and he unconsciously took a deep breath. The air, which should have held the typical dampness of summer, was strangely clear and cool. The scent of grass and water brushed the tip of his nose, and the sound of cicadas rang out in a steady rhythm from afar. A rural leisure. It was a landscape where it felt like nothing would ever happen.

Gouenji didn't respond to Endou's words. As soon as he stepped off the bus, he scanned the surroundings. The mountains were low and rounded, and the roads were excessively empty. It wasn't that there was no sign of people, but it was hard to say for sure that they were there. The sunlight was bright, yet the shadows felt deep somewhere. Gouenji felt a chill on the back of his neck for no reason and toyed with his shirt collar.

Kidou was looking at the old timetable attached to the bus stop. The paper was faded, and the date looked as if it had stopped several years ago. He thought it was strange, but he didn't note that feeling down immediately. He still lacked enough information to make a judgment. However, it was clear that the way this town treated time was different from what he knew.

Fubuki was silently feeling the wind. Even under the sunlight, he didn't feel the heat. Rather, the wind coming down from the mountains was so cool that he felt lucky he wore long sleeves. For summer, this was almost too comfortable. He momentarily thought that it might be okay if this comfort lasted a little longer.

The town was quiet. So quiet that the sound of cicadas felt more like background noise. The houses were low and old, and thin moss grew on the walls. There were clear signs of someone living there, but he never met a gaze from behind the windows. The adults passing by smiled and greeted them, but those smiles were the kind that didn't permit questions.

At Endou's words, no one could state an exact date. The phrase 'a few days' came out easily, but when they tried to think of the day they were supposed to return, their minds went strangely blank. Gouenji turned his head away, disliking that sensation, and Kidou didn't miss that moment and committed it to memory. Fubuki just thought the air here was cool.

As the sun gradually dipped, the colors deepened. The sunset was beautiful but lasted strangely long, and the shadows slowly stretched out, pulling at their feet. The sound of cicadas cut off for a moment, then began to ring again as if nothing had happened. Endou didn't notice the change, and Gouenji checked his surroundings, catching his breath for no reason.

The summer in this town was too kind. As if telling them to rest, as if whispering that it was okay to stay. And so, no one knew on that day. About the memories that would fade along with the anomalies, and the fact that summer might never end.