"Uhm... Ah! Come on! The food at this inn is delicious." Tetsu, suddenly awake, smiled broadly and quickly got off the bed. He leaned on the edge of the mattress briefly to put on his shoes, then stood up and took a deep breath.
They quickly exited their room, and Aoki knocked on the door of the next room, the one where Mei and Ajisai were. The hallway in front of the rooms was silent, with only the sound of the wind rustling and the trickling of water in the distance.
"Knock! Knock! Knock!" Aoki knocked softly. The knocking was almost drowned out by the night breeze creeping through the vents above.
Then a voice was heard, and soon after, Mei and Ajisai rushed out of the room.
Mei gently opened the door. Her long hair was neatly trimmed, and she was wearing a thin, soft-colored nightgown. Ajisai followed behind, quickly tying her hair with a small ribbon, her eyes still slightly sleepy.
"Hmm? Were you two awake earlier or were you awake?" Aoki asked with a confused expression. Aoki tilted his head slightly, his expression sincere and somewhat innocent.
"I was awake earlier, but Ajisai just woke up because she heard your knocking," Mei said with a faint smile. Mei's eyes gazed at him gently, as if her smile was warming the cold night air.
"I see, I'm sorry, Ajisai," Aoki said with an awkward smile. Aoki raised his hand halfway, like a child caught in the act, and turned his face away slightly in embarrassment.
"Mhm! It's okay." Ajisai simply nodded her head slowly. Her voice was soft, but her eyes were clear. A small smile appeared on the corner of Ajisai's lips, like dew on the tip of a leaf.
"Then let's go downstairs and have dinner," Mei said with a smile and took Aoki's hand. The touch of Mei's fingers was warm and steady, and as her hand grasped Aoki's, time seemed to stop for a moment for them both.
Tetsu and Ajisai, watching from behind, exchanged glances, then followed them down to the first floor.
Tetsu smiled slightly, raising his eyebrows as if to say, "Eh? What's going on?"
Ajisai, meanwhile, lowered her head slightly, hiding her subtle smile.
As they descended the wooden stairs, they saw quite a few people at the dining tables on the first floor. Even the cashier counter next to where the old man who owned the inn usually stood waiting was now busy in the kitchen, preparing food.
The atmosphere was completely different from the daytime—warm chandeliers hung low over the crowded tables, and laughter and conversation could be heard from all directions.
The first floor of the inn was lively, and it was even livelier than it had been earlier that afternoon, when they had lunch together.
The tables were filled with sailors, merchants, and travelers, all chatting loudly, joking, and enjoying their food while sipping drinks from large clay cups.
They spotted a table and quickly walked over to it, sitting around it, a gentle sea breeze blowing in from outside.
Although it was quite cold at night in a dockside village or port like this, the inn was quite warm and the atmosphere could be described as lively.
The wooden walls absorbed the heat from the oil lamps, creating a comfortable warmth. The faint smoke from the kitchen wafting through the vents provided a delicious, enticing aroma.
Aoki and the others chatted while they waited. It wasn't long before the elderly owner emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of food and drinks.
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