Ōtsuki Haruto Haruto always wakes up early to study, this habit was already so ingrained in him that in the morning after staying at the Tōjō’s house, he woke up as usual just as the sky was beginning to lighten. Haruto slowly sat up, and when he happened to glance beside him, he saw Ryōta sleeping with his arms and legs spread out wide in a star shape. “That’s Ryōta-kun for you. What a bold way to sleep,” he muttered to himself with a smile. Haruto spread out the towel blanket that was crumpled up at Ryōta’s feet and draped it over his stomach. Then, being careful not to disturb Ryōta’s peaceful sleeping face, he slowly got out of the futon, grabbed a hand towel and his toothbrush from his luggage in the corner of the room, and headed for the washroom on the first floor. Still feeling sleepy, Haruto dazedly brushed his teeth while staring at his reflection in the washstand mirror. The Tōjō family’s washstand was spacious and predominantly white, as befitting a mansion, and Haruto felt a touch of elegance as he washed his face and wiped it with the hand towel he’d brought. Having washed his face with cold water, his sleepiness was now completely gone. Haruto let out a small sigh and used the mirror to straighten up his appearance. Just then, he noticed the white water stains on the edge of the mirror. “Hmm? What’s this…” Haruto brought his face closer to the stain he’d spotted. Then, he found several others as well. “Hmm… This is bothering me…” Muttering to himself, Haruto promptly pulled out some cleaning supplies from under the washstand. Having done housekeeping for the Tōjō family during summer vacation, Haruto was already very familiar with the house. The spray bottle he now held contained a homemade cleaner for water stains, made with vinegar according to his grandmother’s recipe, which he had used when he was doing their housekeeping.
He sprayed the homemade cleaner on the stains and, after letting it sit for a moment, wiped them away with a cloth. Since the stains were still small, they came off easily without needing to soak for long. “Hehehe, now you know the power of Grandma’s special cleaner!” In the quiet of the early morning, Haruto’s whisper, accompanied by a smug grin, echoed softly. After that, with his cleaning switch now flipped, Haruto moved on from the mirror to clean the area around the washstand. Eventually, as a satisfied Haruto was admiring the sparkling clean washstand, he was suddenly called by name from behind. “Haruto-kun?” When Haruto turned around at the sound of the voice, Ayaka was standing there in her pajamas. “Ah, good morning, Ayaka.” “Good morning… Were you cleaning?” “Yeah. The water stains on the mirror started bothering me while I was brushing my teeth.” Haruto answered, looking a bit sheepish. Ayaka looked at him, then turned her gaze to the washstand, which was now exceptionally clean. “It’s not just the mirror that’s clean…” “I guess my ‘cleaning switch’ got turned on.” “Hehe, what kind of switch is that?” Hearing Haruto’s words, Ayaka brought a hand to her mouth and laughed in amusement. Haruto found himself captivated by the sight. The sight of Ayaka in her pajamas, something he didn’t usually get to see, made her seem somewhat defenseless. Her usually neat hair was slightly disheveled from sleep, and a single, unruly strand of hair was sticking up near the crown of her head. And her large, beautiful, double-lidded eyes were now half-closed, her eyelids looking heavy and languid with sleep, giving her an overall soft and dazed aura. Feeling an overwhelming sense of affection for the dazed, just-woken-up Ayaka, Haruto unconsciously let the words slip out.
“Ayaka, you look unbelievably cute when you’ve just woken up.” “Huh? …H-Huh?!” For a moment, Ayaka stared blankly. But then her face immediately turned bright red, and she frantically covered it with both hands. “N-No! Don’t look!!” “Eh? I can’t?” “You can’t! My hair’s a mess, and I haven’t even washed my face yet!” “But that slightly messy hair is what I find so charming, you know?” At his words, she peeked out from between her hands and groaned, “Ugh…” “Haruto-kun, you’re such a tease…” “I’m not trying to tease you, though.” Haruto gave a wry smile at Ayaka, who was blushing all the way to her ears. “I really do think you are cute, though. I almost hugged you on the spot.” “…………Really?” The sight of her peeking at him from between her fingers, still hiding her face, was so adorable that Haruto smiled and nodded. “Yeah, really.” “Ugh, then… okay. You can hug me.” “You’ll let me?” “But you can’t look at my face, okay?” “Mmm. That’s a shame.” Despite saying that, Haruto gently moved closer and enclosed Ayaka in his arms, pulling her into a soft embrace. She, who had been covering her face with her hands, quickly pressed her face against Haruto’s chest to hide it, then wrapped her now-free arms around his back. “I’d like to see your face, just for a little bit.” “Ugh~ No.” Burying her face in Haruto’s chest, Ayaka shook her head from side to side. Seeing her adorable resistance, Haruto said in a disappointed voice, “I see… I don’t want to do anything you dislike, so I won’t insist.” With that, Haruto tightened his arms around Ayaka slightly. “As your boyfriend, I think wanting to see my cute girlfriend is a perfectly normal desire, you know.”
A small shiver ran down Ayaka’s back at Haruto’s words. “…I’m not cute right now.” “There has never been a single moment where you weren’t cute.” “W-Well, then that means you always want to see me, Haruto-kun, doesn’t it?” “I won’t deny it.” “G-Geez! You dummy, you dummy!” Ayaka started lightly patting his back with the arms she had wrapped around him. As Haruto willingly accepted her zero-damage attack, her arms eventually stopped. “J-Just for a little bit, okay? Just for a second, okay?” Ayaka said, as if to confirm, before pulling her face away from Haruto’s chest and slowly looking up at him. Looking down at her from so close, Haruto gave her a gentle smile. “You’re cute.” “O-Okay, time’s up!” “Aw, that’s a shame.” Haruto said, not sounding particularly disappointed. “You’re really teasing me, Haruto-kun…” As she said that, pressing her face against his chest again, the corners of Ayaka’s mouth were turned up in an impossibly wide grin. ※※※ His heart filled from having hugged Ayaka that morning, Haruto stood in the kitchen, planning to make breakfast as a thank you for letting him stay over. He soaked the gobo for the kinpira gobo in water, then peeled and julienned a carrot. Beside him, Ayaka, who had offered to help, was pouring dashi stock from a plastic container into a pot. TL/N: “Kinpira gobo” is a classic Japanese side dish made with thinly sliced burdock root (gobo) stir-fried in sesame oil and simmered in a sweet-savory sauce of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. The dashi, stored in the container, was also one of the things he had preprepared back when he was working as a housekeeper for them. “Haruto-kun, what should we put in the miso soup?” “Hmm, how about onion and abura-age?” TL/N: “Abura-age” is thinly sliced tofu that’s been deep-fried until golden and puffy.
Haruto answered while doing the prep work for the eggplants he was going to make into ohitashi. “Sounds good. Onion and abura-age… let’s see, the abura-age is…” Ayaka, who had gotten the onion from the storage under the sink, then peeked into the refrigerator to find the abura-age. “Oh, the abura-age is in the freezer.” “This?” “Yep, yep, that’s it.” Ayaka took out the abura-age, which had already been cut into small pieces and frozen. Thanks to his housekeeping work, Haruto knew the Tōjō family’s refrigerator inside and out. “Should I thaw this first?” “Nah, you can put it straight into the pot.” “’Kay.” Leaving the miso soup to Ayaka, Haruto started stir-frying the kinpira gobo while putting the prepped eggplants into the microwave to heat them. From the frying pan, the aroma of gobo and the savory scent of sesame oil spread through the air, making Ayaka, who was cutting onions, smile. “It smells so good.” “There’s just something nice about a Japanese-style breakfast, isn’t there?” As they were having this conversation, the Tōjō couple arrived. “Oh my! Ōtsuki-kun, you’re making breakfast for us?” “I thought I’d make it as a thank you for letting me stay over. I helped myself to the eggplants that were left in the vegetable drawer.” “Oh, Ōtsuki-kun. You don’t have to go to such trouble, you know?” Despite her words, Ikue had a happy smile on her face. Beside her, Shūichi also broke into a grin as he looked at the kinpira gobo Haruto was stir-frying. “Good morning, Haruto-kun. Thanks for making breakfast!” “Good morning, Shūichi-san. It’ll be ready soon, so please have a seat and wait.” Haruto said with a smile, then took the heated eggplants from the microwave and put them into the pre-made dashi that Ayaka had used earlier. Just then, Ryōta, with sleepy eyes, came into the living room. “Ah, Onii-chan’s here…”
Ryōta muttered, seeing Haruto in the kitchen. “Onii-chan, when did you wake up? I wanted to wake up with you, too.” “Sorry about that. Next time, I’ll wake you up too, Ryōta-kun.” Ryōta looked just the slightest bit disappointed that Haruto hadn’t been next to him when he woke up. Haruto spoke gently to him. “Ryōta, breakfast will be ready soon, so go wash your face and brush your teeth.” Ayaka said to her little brother as she ladled the finished miso soup into bowls. “By the way, Ayaka. You’re going to see the fireworks with Ōtsuki-kun today, right?” “Yeah, that’s right.” Ikue asked her daughter as she sat down at the dining table. “What are you doing about a yukata? Do you want to wear mine?” “Eh? Really?” “Of course. You have to wear all sorts of yukata to really capture Ōtsukikun’s heart, right?” “W-Well, that’s true, but don’t say it so bluntly right in front of him. It’s embarrassing.” Ayaka said this as she glanced at Haruto with blushing cheeks. The other day, when the fireworks festival was postponed due to rain, Haruto had held a home festival for her, and she had already shown him her yukata. Ayaka had planned to wear that same yukata again today. However, thinking that would ruin the novelty of her yukata appearance, Ikue offered to lend her own. As Ikue beamed at her daughter’s charming reaction, she clapped her hands as if she had just thought of something. “That’s it! Ōtsuki-kun, do you have a jinbei?” “Eh? No, I don’t.” “Then how about you borrow Shūichi-san’s?” Ikue said, turning to her husband with a smile. “Oh! That’s a great idea! Haruto-kun and I are about the same size, so I’m sure it’ll fit you without any problems, right?” Receiving his wife’s gaze, Shūichi, who seemed to have caught on to something, nodded enthusiastically and offered his jinbei to Haruto with a cheerful look. “Eh? Is that really okay?”
“Of course! But could I add just one condition?” “Yes, what is it?” Haruto tilted his head slightly at Shūichi’s words. “My condition is this. After the fireworks festival is over, I want you to bring Ayaka back home.” “Eh? That’s the condition?” Haruto had fully expected to be asked to bring back some festival food like takoyaki or yakisoba as a souvenir. But contrary to his expectations, the condition Shūichi presented was something Haruto would have done as a matter of course. “Yup. Will you promise me?” “Of course. I’ll take full responsibility for bringing Tōjō-san home safely.” Escorting his precious girlfriend safely home was a natural duty for a boyfriend. What’s more, she was a beautiful girl even in her everyday clothes; if she was dressed up in a yukata, there was no telling what kind of people might show up. With or without Shūichi’s condition, Haruto had intended to see Ayaka all the way home anyway. “I see, I see. Yup, I’m looking forward to it!” “Eh? Y-Yes.” For some reason, Shūichi’s excitement was rising. Next to him, Ikue also had a very cheerful, beaming expression. “Well then, I’ll lend you the jinbei after we finish breakfast.” “Thank you very much.” Haruto didn’t quite understand the Tōjō couple’s reaction, but for the time being, he expressed his thanks and placed the completed breakfast on the dining table. ※※※ The sky was beginning to turn red, and the time of day was growing dim. In contrast to the approaching night, the street Haruto was walking on was brightly illuminated by the lights of the food stalls lined up on both sides. From the stalls, energetic voices calling for customers flew back and forth, and between them, a large crowd of people walked, leaving little space. It was the biggest fireworks festival in Haruto’s area. Though it had been cancelled once due to rain, it was postponed and was now being held safely on the reserve day.
Walking alongside his best friend Tomoya, Haruto satisfied his hunger with a fried chicken skewer he had just bought. “Four hundred yen for one of these is insane, isn’t it?” Haruto muttered, staring at the finished skewer. “That four hundred yen includes a fee for the atmosphere. It’s what you call festival pricing.” “Well, that’s true, but still.” Haruto glanced at the fried chicken skewer before tossing it into a trash can set up on the side of the road. “But still, this crowd is as insane as ever.” “Yeah. Just walking down the street is tiring.” To Tomoya, who spoke with an impressed expression, Haruto shrugged and replied. Today, he was scheduled to watch the fireworks with Ayaka. If that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t have bothered to come into such a crowd. Haruto thanked Tomoya, who was looking at the large crowd of people passing by while munching on takoyaki. “Thanks, man.” “Hm? What’s the ‘thanks’ for?” “It’s a thanks for coming to the fireworks festival with me.” Originally, the plan was for him and Ayaka to head to the fireworks venue together from the start. However, if they were seen by any students from school, it would reveal that they were dating. So, Haruto would head to the fireworks venue with Tomoya, and Ayaka would come with Saki. Then, they would meet up, pretending it was a coincidence. “You got it. You better be grateful, you hear?” “Yeah, yeah, Tomoya-sama.” “Say it with a little more feeling.” Tomoya gave a wry smile at Haruto’s half-hearted reply. “Well, if I come with you, Haru, I get to see Tōjō-san in a yukata.” “So that’s what you’re after.” “You bet your ass. If it weren’t for that, you think I’d come to a fireworks festival with just a bunch of stuffy guys?” To Tomoya, who declared this proudly with his chest puffed out, it was Haruto’s turn to offer a wry smile. Though he said such things, Haruto once again thanked his easy-going best friend in his heart. After that, Haruto and Tomoya waited for Ayaka
and Saki to arrive, making idle conversation at the edge of the road, slightly away from the crowd. “Are Tōjō-san and the others at the venue yet?” “Ah, yeah. Looks like they’re heading this way now.” Haruto answered Tomoya’s question while looking at his message screen with Ayaka. Since they were supposed to be pretending to meet by chance, they hadn’t arranged an obvious meeting spot. “By the way, is Aizawa-san coming in a yukata too?” “I think so. Ayaka said something like that.” Haruto replied, remembering Ayaka saying “I’m so excited to see Saki in a yukata~” in a cheerful mood when they were talking at the Tōjō house that morning. “Hey, Haru, since when did you have a jinbei?” “Nah. I borrowed this from Shūichi-san, Ayaka’s dad.” “Whoa~ Just how much does Tōjō-san’s family like you?” To Tomoya’s reaction, which was a mix of admiration and exasperation, Haruto responded with a wry smile. Incidentally, Tomoya was also wearing a jinbei now, the two guys dressed up for the summer festival. Tomoya speared the last piece of takoyaki with a toothpick and brought it to his mouth, then casually spoke to Haruto. “I see~ so I get to see Aizawa-san in a yukata too… This is something to look forward to, isn’t it, Haru-san?” “Hm? Ah… well, maybe so.” “What’s with that lukewarm reaction! Don’t tell me it’s that thing? The ‘my girlfriend is the cutest in the world’ thing?” “That’s right. For me, there’s no woman cuter than Ayaka.” To Haruto, who said this matter-of-factly with a completely serious expression, Tomoya made a rather complicated face. A mumble of “Ugh” escaped his lips. “Ah, yes, yes, is that so. Good for you for getting the world’s cutest girlfriend.” “Yup, thanks for the blessing.” “Just go explode!” Tomoya shot back a sharp retort at Haruto’s lovey-dovey talk. As the two of them were having this exchange, they were suddenly spoken to. “Hey you two, are you by yourselves?”
When Haruto turned his gaze in the direction of the voice, a woman who looked slightly older was smiling at them. Next to her stood another woman, who seemed to be her friend. “If you’re by yourselves, why don’t you watch the fireworks with us?” They looked like college students. When he went out with Tomoya, he would occasionally encounter what is commonly called a “reverse pickup” like this. He had good looks and, for some reason, a constitution that was popular with older women, so sometimes he was approached by college-aged girls. “Ah, sorry. We’re waiting for someone.” Tomoya replied with a smile to the woman who had called out to them. ‘I bet a smile like that is what older women find appealing.’ As he thought that, Haruto glanced at the other woman, the one who hadn’t spoken. Then, their eyes happened to meet, and the woman quickly averted her gaze. The woman whose eyes met Haruto’s pulled her friend’s hand in a slight panic. “Come on! These guys have girlfriends! It’d be a shame to bother them, so let’s go!” “Hmm, too bad! You guys were pretty much my type, though.” Saying that, the woman who had spoken first cast a glance at Haruto and Tomoya. For some reason, Haruto had the illusion of being a mouse targeted by a bird of prey. “Ahaha…” Haruto tried to get through the situation with a polite laugh. Just then, a familiar voice came from a short distance away. “Haruto-kun!” Turning his gaze toward the voice, he saw Ayaka and Saki walking towards them. Ayaka was wearing a yukata borrowed from Ikue, a white fabric with vividly drawn red goldfish. Walking at a brisk pace that was just on the edge of messing up her yukata, she came up to Haruto, grabbed his arm, and hugged it tightly. “Sorry for making you wait, Haruto-kun!” “Ah, yeah. It’s okay, we haven’t been waiting at all.” Haruto replied, slightly overwhelmed by Ayaka, who was speaking in a slightly louder voice as if to show off to their surroundings. Ayaka had a
cheerful smile, but for some reason, Haruto felt the same aura from her as he had yesterday in the bath when Ryōta had called her tummy “squishy.” With a bright smile still on her face, Ayaka turned her gaze to the two women who had approached them. “Haruto-kun, who are these people?” “Ah, well, these people just happened to talk to us…” Haruto, sensing the cause of Ayaka’s intimidating aura, tried to explain the situation. However, in the middle of his explanation, the woman who had approached them earlier let out an excited voice.
“Eh?! W-Wait?! Is this girl your girlfriend?!” “Yes, she is.” “Whoa!! Your girlfriend is super cute!! What’s with this couple, this is way too much of a blessing for my eyes, this is amazing!!” The woman rattled on, ridiculously hyper. “You!! If you have such a cute girlfriend, you should’ve said so sooner!! Man, this is even better than the fireworks today! Wow, I saw something great! Thanks a bunch!” With that, the woman left, still in high spirits. Her friend hurriedly chased after her. “What was that all about? Those people…?” Haruto was stunned. Just then, Saki arrived, slightly delayed. “Hey there~ Ōtsuki-kun, Akagi-kun.” In contrast to Ayaka’s white yukata with vermillion accents, Saki’s was a wisteria-colored fabric with hydrangeas painted on it. Coming over to them with a small wave, Saki looked at Haruto and Tomoya with a slightly teasing expression. “Were you guys just getting hit on by those people?” “Hee hee hee, it’s tough being handsome.” “I feel like I just got dragged into it by Tomoya, I guess?” At Saki’s words, Tomoya jokingly ran a hand through his bangs in an exaggerated manner. Next to him, Haruto answered while pointing at his best friend with his thumb. “Hmm, so that’s why Ayaka’s currently intimidating everyone to defend her precious boyfriend.” “I’m not intimidating anyone, you know?” Ayaka replied with a bright smile. Despite her smile, Haruto still felt a pressure that made his spine straighten. Saki looked at her best friend, who had been clinging to Haruto’s arm this whole time, and said with an exasperated tone. “So that’s not intimidation, huh? Well, since we’ve managed to meet up and there’s still time until the fireworks start, want to check out the food stalls?” “I’m in! I’m starving.” “Dude, you had grilled squid, omusoba, and takoyaki, and you’re still hungry?”
“You think that’s enough to fill a high schooler’s stomach?” “Ooh? I want to eat grilled squid too.” Saki reacted to Haruto and Tomoya’s conversation. Following her, Ayaka also looked up at Haruto and said, “I’d like to eat a little something, too.” “Got it. Well then, shall we check out the stalls?” “Alright! Let’s go! Aizawa-san, they had beef skewers earlier, wanna try those too?” “Sounds good, looks delicious.” Exchanging such conversation, Haruto’s group began their tour of the food stalls. Besides food, they thoroughly enjoyed the stalls with goldfish scooping, target shooting, and more. ※※※ Ayaka clung to Haruto’s arm, holding cotton candy in her other hand, nibbling at it in small bites. Seeing this, Haruto smiled gently and spoke to her, “Is it good?” “Yeah. Do you want some, Haruto-kun?” “Just a bite.” “Okay, here.” Ayaka brought the cotton candy she was holding to Haruto’s mouth and gave him a bite. “Is it good?” “It’s sweet.” “Hee hee, want another bite?” “Mm.” With a look of pure happiness, Ayaka fed Haruto the cotton candy. A few steps behind the lovey-dovey couple, Saki chuckled while eating a cheese hot dog. “Look at Ayaka, with that lovesick smile. Just how much does she like Ōtsuki-kun?” Saki mumbled, munching on the stretching cheese. Next to her, Tomoya, who was munching on a corn dog, looked at Saki with an indescribable expression. “Hey, Aizawa-san. Aren’t we here so that those two have an excuse if someone from school sees them?”
“Yes, that’s right.” “Looking at them now, is there even any point in us being here?” “My thoughts exactly.” Watching the couple radiate an aura of domestic bliss, their respective best friends nodded in agreement. “Well, seeing them so lost in their own world, most guys will probably give up.” Even Saki, who had known her since elementary school, didn’t think she had ever seen such a blissful smile on Ayaka’s face. It was the kind of smile that would make any normal guy realize he didn’t stand a chance and give up. “The problem is the girls.” “Is it that much of a worry?” “There are a surprising number of girls aiming for Ōtsuki-kun, you know.” “Hmm, well, Haru’s a good guy, after all.” “The fact that he’s first in the grade for academics also makes him stand out quite a bit.” “True.” “I just hope no girls get weirdly jealous seeing those two.” Ayaka had an experience in middle school where a friendship soured due to a confession from a boy. Saki, who knew about that incident, couldn’t help but worry about it. “But, well. Looking at those two, they seem like they’d be happy together no matter what happens.” Tomoya said optimistically, watching the couple who were still being lovey-dovey. At his words, Saki also relaxed and offered a small smile. “Maybe so. Should we slip away from them soon?” “Yeah. If we stay any closer, we might get heartburn.” “Ahaha, you’re right, Akagi-kun.” Saki laughed in agreement with Tomoya’s joke. The two of them gradually slowed their walking pace, putting some distance between themselves and Haruto and Ayaka. Soon, a wall of people formed between the two pairs, and their backs were no longer visible. Having successfully separated from Haruto and the others, Tomoya and Saki were on their own. “Well, what should we do now?”
“Let’s see. Since we’re here, shall we enjoy the stalls a little more?” “Let’s do that.” The two had originally come along as chaperones for their respective best friends. Having fulfilled that purpose, Tomoya and Saki decided to wander the stalls a bit longer since they were already there. “Aizawa-san, want to try that thing called doteni?” TL/N: “Doteni” is a traditional dish from Nagoya, Japan, made by simmering beef or pork offal in red miso and mirin. “Oh, I was curious about that.” The two continued to visit several more stalls, savoring festival food they didn’t usually eat. As Saki walked along, looking satisfied after visiting various stalls, Tomoya glanced at her and casually opened his mouth. “Aizawa-san, are you going to watch the fireworks after this?” “Hmm… Let’s see. Since I’m here, I think I’d like to.” “Then, want to watch them together?” “…Okay.” After a very slight pause, Saki answered Tomoya while still looking straight ahead. “Okay, then let’s move to a place where we can see the fireworks easily!” “Roger that.” Saki followed Tomoya, who spoke cheerfully. “Oh, by the way, Aizawa-san, that yukata looks really good on you.” “Hee hee, you’re late with the compliment! Ten points deducted!” “So harsh~” Exchanging such pleasant conversation, Tomoya and Saki walked side by side, looking happy. ※※※ Haruto looked around at the bustling stalls lined up on either side, then his gaze fell to his own left arm. Ever since meeting up with Ayaka, his arm had been held tightly in her grasp. “Ayaka? Can we walk a little farther apart?” “No, the crowd is too big, we’ll get separated.”
Ayaka instantly rejected Haruto’s words, hugging his arm even tighter and murmuring. “Besides… someone else might come up and talk to you… like before…” “That was because Tomoya was with me.” Haruto said with a gentle smile to her, who was pouting slightly. Ayaka stared intently at him, then intertwined her fingers with him, holding them like lovers as she said quietly. “…I don’t want to let go.” She said it like a faint pout. Her gesture felt a little childish. Haruto found it cute, but at the same time, he gave a wry smile, thinking that if anyone from school saw them in this situation, it wouldn’t matter even if Tomoya and Saki were there. “Saki and Tomoya came along as camouflage for us, but if we’re seen like this, it’ll all be for nothing, you know? Right, Tomoya… huh?” Haruto turned around to seek his best friend’s agreement. However, not only was Tomoya not there, but Saki was also gone. Haruto guessed they had been considerate and left them alone, and he mentally thanked his best friend for his thoughtfulness. “Huh? Saki’s gone?” Following Haruto’s lead, Ayaka turned around, tilting her head and looking around. “It seems they were being considerate and left us alone.” “I see, I have to thank Saki later. And Akagi-kun, too.” “Yeah. There’s still some time until the fireworks start, but should we start moving to a good viewing spot?” “Yeah. If we don’t go soon, there won’t be any spots left.” Holding hands, Haruto and Ayaka started to move to secure a spot. The fireworks were to be set off from a large riverbank. Therefore, the best place to watch them was also on the riverbank near the launch site. “There are so many people, even though there’s still about an hour until the launch.” Ayaka, who had finished her cotton candy and now bought shaved ice, exclaimed “Wow” at the number of people saving spots. “Everyone’s thinking the same thing. Oh, it’s empty over there, let’s go there.” Haruto quickly scanned the area from the top of the embankment and pointed to an empty patch of grass.
He took Ayaka’s hand and slowly descended the stairs leading from the embankment to the riverbank, then spread a small picnic blanket, which he took from his shingen-bukuro, onto the empty patch of grass. TL/N: A “Shingen-bukuro” is a traditional Japanese pouch originally used by samurai to carry their belongings on the battlefield. “I’m glad I borrowed this from Shūichi-san.” Haruto said, looking at the shingen-bukuro, and Ayaka nodded in return. “Right? Yukata and jinbei are super cute and create a great atmosphere, but it’s hard to carry things. There are no pockets or anything.” Saying that, Ayaka swayed the cute goldfish-patterned pouch hanging from her elbow and gave a wry smile, “This can only fit my phone and a few small items.” “But then again, if you carried a backpack or a bag, it would ruin the whole atmosphere.” “Exactly.” “We have Shūichi-san to thank for lending us the shingen-bukuro.” “Thank you, Dad.” Exchanging such conversation, the two sat down side by side on the picnic blanket. Since the sheet he brought was quite small, they ended up with their shoulders pressed tightly together. “Looks like there’s still a lot of time until it starts.” “How much longer?” “Um, a little over thirty minutes, I think.” When Haruto checked the time on his phone and said so, Ayaka said, “We can relax until then,” and gently leaned her weight against him. Haruto’s expression softened at the warm, precious weight leaning on him. “Ayaka, is that shaved ice good?” “Yeah, it’s delicious. Oh, want to play the flavor-guessing game?” Ayaka looked at the shaved ice in her hand, then looked at Haruto as if she had just remembered something. “No, no, I can see the color of the syrup perfectly. It’s strawberry flavor, right?” Seeing the pink-dyed ice, Haruto chuckled, “Hee hee.” To him, Ayaka pouted slightly and retorted, “You never know.” “It might be melon flavor that’s colored like strawberry flavor.” “There’s no need for a feint like that, is there?”
Her forced rebuttal made Haruto burst out laughing. Then, he leaned his face slightly closer to Ayaka and said in a whisper. “Or is it that you want to play that flavor-guessing game here, Ayaka?” “N-Not… not here…” Ayaka blushed and looked down, then scooped up a spoonful of shaved ice and brought it to Haruto’s mouth. He took a bite and declared. “Yup, it’s strawberry flavor.” “Correct. As a reward, here’s another bite.” “Mm.” While having such an exchange, the two happily shared and ate one shaved ice. After a while, the shaved ice was gone, and the two sat in silence, looking up at the night sky or glancing around. Haruto thought about how much their relationship had changed since they first met, and he lowered his gaze from the night sky he had been looking up at to stare at Ayaka’s profile right next to him. There was nothing to do until the fireworks started, and no particular topic of conversation. However, there was no awkwardness at all. Even without talking. Even while remaining silent. Just being next to each other was fulfilling, and it felt like that alone was enough. There was a sense of security that they didn’t have to force a topic or try to keep a conversation going. “Hm? What’s wrong, Haruto-kun?” Noticing Haruto’s gaze, which had been fixed on her profile for a while, Ayaka tilted her head and asked. “No, I was just thinking that you look lovely in your yukata. The previous one was nice too, but you look incredibly cute in today’s yukata as well.” “Hee hee, thank you. You look really cool in your jinbei too, Haruto-kun. I’m falling for you all over again.” Ayaka, who beamed at Haruto’s words, praised his attire in a cheerful mood. The two of them continued to sit quietly, nestled together, waiting for the fireworks to begin, wrapped in a feeling of bliss. “I’m looking forward to the fireworks.” “Me too. I’m sure they’ll be beautiful.” “Yeah.”
Ayaka nodded happily, then gently tilted her head and rested it on Haruto’s shoulder as if to be affectionate. “The fireworks I watch with you, Haruto-kun, will definitely be beautiful.” She said such a cute thing. Haruto gently wrapped his left arm around Ayaka’s back and pulled her into a gentle embrace. ※※※ Tōjō Ayaka My mom and dad get along well. I think they probably get along much better than the average married couple. It’s great for a child when their parents’ relationship is good, but there are times when I see them being all lovey-dovey and think, “Give me a break.” But, having seen them like that since I was little, I’ve always thought that one day I’d like to meet someone wonderful and fall in love. Then, we’d become a couple, fall more and more in love, and get married. We’d become a happy couple like my mom and dad, our family would grow, and we’d have lively days. Even when we’re old and wrinkled, we’d still hold hands and go for walks. I want to meet someone like that. I had that kind of desire within me. But reality didn’t go so well, and I couldn’t seem to meet anyone who made me think, “This is the one!” I only learned how much courage it takes to confess after I actually fell in love. So, I have pure respect for the people who confessed to me. But among those who confessed, there was no one I felt I could build a relationship with like my mom and dad. Until I requested a housekeeping service during summer break. Ōtsuki Haruto-kun. A boy with high housekeeping skills, who’s great at housework and always makes delicious food. A kind, calm, and slightly mature boy. The person I fell in love with for the first time, whom I met during summer break. And now, my boyfriend. “It’s going to start soon.” I say, resting my head on Haruto-kun’s shoulder. “It seems this year’s fireworks are in two parts.”
“Really?” “Yeah, look.” Haruto-kun holds his phone in front of my face and shows me the fireworks festival’s homepage. “The first part is traditional fireworks, and the highlight is the impressive shaku-dama.” “Shaku-dama?” “It seems to be the size of the firework shell. The shells range from size 2.5 to 40, and the size 10 shell is exactly one shaku, so they call it shakudama.” Haruto-kun explains to me while looking up information about fireworks on his phone. “Huh.” “I think one shaku was about thirty centimeters, so it’s pretty big.” Haruto-kun holds up his index fingers in front of him and says things like, “Is thirty about this much?” Looking at his profile, my cheeks slacken and I can’t help but smile. Haruto-kun is not only good at housework, but he’s also good at studying. His grades are top of the class, but he doesn’t brag about it. He’s really a charming person, more than I deserve. I still can’t believe a boy like that is my boyfriend. As I’m staring at his profile, Haruto-kun notices my gaze and looks at me, saying, “Hm?” Just our eyes meeting fills my chest with happiness. “Hey, what kind of fireworks are in the second part?” “Let’s see, the second part is a fusion of fireworks and music. It says fireworks and laser lights will color the night sky in time with the music.” “Wow! That sounds so beautiful! I’m so excited!” “Yeah.” Haruto-kun nods at my words and smiles gently at me. I’m so glad I met him. I gently rest my head on Haruto-kun’s shoulder again and think deeply. I want to praise myself for mustering the courage to ask Haruto-kun to the movies during the first half of summer break. And myself for making a strong appeal to him during our practice dating. Thanks to that, I’m now able to watch fireworks side-by-side with my beloved Haruto-kun. As the two of us were leisurely looking up at the night sky, an announcement for the start of the fireworks flowed across the riverbank.
Immediately after, a thin, high-pitched “hiss” was heard, followed by a heavy “boom.” At the same time, beautiful fireworks spread across the night sky. “Wow! It’s started, Haruto-kun! It’s so beautiful!!” “Yeah, it’s really beautiful.” I say to Haruto-kun in an excited voice at the colorful fireworks that fill my vision. Next to me, he also looks at me with a soft expression and speaks. Ah, I’m so happy… As a reaction to not being able to find love in reality, I read a lot of romance manga and novels. While thinking, “I want a love like this someday.” In them, a summer fireworks event almost always appears. A heart-pounding event where the girl in the story watches the fireworks with the boy she has feelings for. Right now, I’m enjoying that fireworks event I’ve always dreamed of with the person I love. It really feels like I’m in a dream… “Look, look, Haruto-kun! It’s heart-shaped! Oh, is that one a butterfly? Amazing!” Fireworks that project various shapes onto the night sky. When a firework in the shape of a recently popular character was launched, Harutokun said with admiration. “Modern fireworks are really amazing, aren’t they? How do they reproduce such complex shapes? Is there some kind of software for calculations? Or is it outstanding craftsmanship?” Next to me, as he ponders with a “Hmm,” I can’t help but let out a laugh. “Are you going to aim to be a firework craftsman too, Haruto-kun?” “Nah, I think I’d rather watch fireworks than make them.” He gives a wry smile at my suggestion. I see, I kind of wanted to see Haruto-kun in a happi coat and a headband. As we were having that conversation, a particularly loud “BOOM” echoed. Right after the deep bass sound that seemed to resonate in my stomach, a large flower bloomed in the night sky, filling my field of vision. “Amazing! So beautiful!” “It’s huge. I wonder if that’s a shaku-dama.” One after another, large, colorful fireworks are launched. They gradually gain momentum, and in the end, fireworks of all sizes are launched continuously, as if to fill every gap in the night sky.
Star mine. The grains of light launched without restraint illuminate the entire area from high above. The sound of fireworks and bursting light never stops. Overwhelmed by the sight, I was simply captivated by the shining night sky. “Wow…” “Amazing…” Next to me, Haruto-kun is also staring blankly at the fireworks. In the end, a finale where fireworks bloomed all at once, making the surroundings as bright as day. Cheers of “Wow!” and a huge round of applause erupted from the crowd. I turn to Haruto-kun next to me, slightly excited. “That was amazing!” “Yeah, it was incredibly beautiful.” “I was so moved.” I can hear voices from the surrounding spectators like “That was insane” and “Too amazing.” As I soak in the afterglow of the breathtaking star mine, I shift my gaze from the smoke slowly drifting across the night sky to Haruto-kun next to me. He was still vaguely looking up at the night sky. “Hee hee, were you moved too, Haruto-kun?” “Eh? Ah, yeah. I was just thinking that it’s been a really long time since I properly watched fireworks.” “Really?” “When I was little, I used to watch them engrossed, but as I got older, I started to enjoy the food stalls more than the fireworks.” “Food over flowers, huh?” When I say that, Haruto-kun laughs and says, “That’s right.” Just then, I hear music. “Ah, is this the start of the second part?” “Looks like it.” We look up at the night sky together again. The second part of the fireworks festival features fireworks launched in time with popular songs, and along with them, laser beams dance in the night sky. “This song is good, isn’t it?” The song used as the BGM for the fireworks is a recently popular one, and it’s a favorite of mine that I listen to often. But it seems Haruto-kun doesn’t know this song.
“Is this a recent song?” “Yeah. Huh? You don’t know it, Haruto-kun? I think it’s often played in convenience stores and stuff.” “Ah, now that you mention it, I think I recognize the melody a little.” Is Haruto-kun surprisingly out of touch with trends? Come to think of it, I don’t know what kind of music Haruto-kun listens to. Not just music. His favorite foods. His taste preferences. Conversely, things he dislikes, things he’s not good at. His favorite sports or hobbies he’s into. Does he have a favorite TV show, does he like comedy, or dislike it? There are so many things I don’t know. When I thought that, a slight feeling of loneliness welled up in my heart. But more than that, I feel a thrilling, pounding sensation in my chest. I’m already Haruto-kun’s girlfriend. So, from now on, we can spend time together and I can learn about him one by one. I remember the words Saki told me when I consulted her about my love life before. “Isn’t it because you didn’t know that you fell for him?” When I fell in love with Haruto-kun. Saki said that to me when I was confused about why I had fallen for him. Because I don’t know, I want to know. And by learning a new side of him, I fall for him even more. I still don’t know much about Haruto-kun. That means I can still fall for him even more. When I think that, my heart pounds. Like the fireworks blooming in front of me, happiness bursts. “This might be even happier days than I imagined…” I whisper softly and lean my weight against Haruto-kun. Then, he gently put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. I take my eyes off the light-filled night sky and look up at Haruto-kun. “Haruto-kun.” “Hm?” “You know, when we had our first movie date, I thought it was the happiest day of my life.” “Was it?” “It was. Because it was the first time I held hands with someone I like. That night, I wanted to see you even in my dreams, so I slept holding my left hand like a good luck charm.”
“What? That’s super cute!” “And then. I thought at that time. If I could date Haruto-kun, the happiness of holding hands would be surpassed in an instant.” “And? Did dating me surpass the happiness of that time?” “Yeah! It was surpassed in an instant! Every day is the best day of my life.” When I say that with a huge smile, Haruto-kun returns a similar smile. “I see. I’m happy to be dating you too, Ayaka.” Haruto-kun says that and turns his gaze to the night sky. “From now on, I think a lot of things will happen as we spend time together. It might not all be good and fun things. But, with you, Ayaka, I think we can find all sorts of happiness, both small and large, and cherish and build them up one by one. So.” There, Haruto-kun lowers his gaze and looks at me, saying. “I love you, Ayaka. Let’s continue to be together.” “?! U-Uh, yeah…” A surprise attack is against the rules!! If you say something like that, whispering to me from close range with fireworks in the background, my heart will stop, you know?! Is it okay if I die from cuteness overload?! If that happens, you better give me CPR, okay?! Geez… my boyfriend is so wonderful, but this part of him is dangerous. Haruto-kun sometimes launches surprise attacks, so I can’t let my guard down. But, I feel like he said something really wonderful. I see, small happiness and large happiness… Hm? Large happiness…? Large happiness in life? Is that… maybe… m-marriage, or something? Could it be that what he just said was… a p-p-p-proposal? Eh? Is it? Eh? Is it not? I wonder? Hey, hey, Haruto-kun? What was the intention behind that statement!? Haruto-kun?