A few minutes later, Sam returned, looking refreshed and curious. "What's with the quiet? Did I miss something?"
The boys filled him in quickly, telling him that the girls were out for a walk and Naro had gone to the hot spring again.
The boys said they'll go and call the girls, and told Sam to stay here since Naro will be all alone if they all go.
Sam unsure why he must be the one to stay back, but still agreed since he didn't wanted to walk anyway.
Once the boys left, Sam wandered back inside and sat down at the table. As he sat there, he found himself thinking about what the boys had said earlier—how Naro had helped him.
For some reason, a strange sense of nostalgia crept over him, as though he'd known her for much longer than just a day. The feeling tugged at him, making him wonder why she felt so familiar, even though he haven't seen her face till now.
After sitting in thought for a while, he got up and walked toward the hot springs. Standing in front of the door, he called out, "Naro? You in there?"
Inside, Naro heard his voice and immediately felt a surge of joy. "Yes, I'm here!" she called back, walking toward the door.
"Are you feeling all right now?" she asked gently, standing just on the other side.
"I was feeling a little dizzy earlier, but after hitting the water, I'm fine now."
"I'm glad to hear it," Naro said, relief evident in her voice. "I was really worried. I'm happy to know you didn't face any injuries."
Both Naro and Sam stood there, inches apart, separated only by the thin wooden door.
Sam slid down to the ground, leaning his back against the door. "I guess our roles have switched," he said with a faint smile. "Just an hour ago, I said these words to you."
On the other side, Naro smiled softly as she, too, sat down and leaned against the door. "It seems we're even now, I guess."
Sam paused for a moment before continuing, his tone warm and sincere. "I heard from the others how you stood up for me in front of the cop. That was really daring of you. I'm truly grateful for what you did."
Naro exhaled, her expression thoughtful. "My body just acted on its own in that moment. I didn't feel any fear when I did it… just like how you jumped down from that moving truck to save me."
Silence fell between them again, but it wasn't awkward. It was calm, filled with an unspoken understanding, as though they both recognized something in each other they couldn't yet put into words.
Sam, asked in his curiosity. "By the way, you mentioned earlier that this is your sister's house, but… I haven't seen anyone else here. Where is she?"
Naro shifted slightly, her tone hesitant. "Oh, my sister? She is on a vacation of her own. She told me she was going on a trip with her old friends."
"Did she say where she was going?" Sam asked.
"No, not exactly," Naro replied. "But she did mention it would take about three days before she gets back."
Sam raised an eyebrow. "So, you'll be all alone here for three days, by yourself?"
Naro smiled softly. "Not really. I got a call from my mom earlier. She told me she's coming over all of a sudden."
Sam leaned back against the door, nodding. "I guess that's good then. If your mom's coming, I don't have to worry."
Naro chuckled lightly at his comment. "Thanks for your concern."
A brief pause lingered between them before Naro hesitantly asked, "So… when will you and your friends be moving on?"
Sam sighed thoughtfully. "I guess as soon as the others get back. We wouldn't want to delay the journey any longer than we have to."
Naro's smile faltered slightly, though she quickly tried to cover it up. "Oh, I see. I guess that makes sense."
The faint hint of hesitation in her voice didn't go unnoticed by Sam, but he chose not to comment. Instead, they both sat in silence again, their unspoken thoughts filling the space between them, as though neither wanted to end the moment just yet.