Tōjō Ayaka I sat on my bed, hugging my knees. A murmur, “Honestly… Why…?”, full of frustration, escaped my lips on its own. The only reply was the fierce patter of the rain. Watching fireworks light up the summer night sky, looking up at them together, side-by-side with the person I like. It had always been my dream… something I’d longed for… I’d fallen in love for the first time, my feelings were reciprocated, and we became a couple… I thought my dream was about to come true, but right before my eyes, it slipped away like water cupped in my hands. “Ugh… I really wanted to see the fireworks…” I said as I lowered my head and rested my forehead on my knees. I was in such a good mood while I was changing into my yukata, my heart danced as I put on my yukata, as I imagined what Haruto-kun’s reaction would be… I wondered if he’d tell me I look cute. All I had left to do was my hair… Outside, the rain was still pouring down. It was as if that cold rain were pouring down inside my own heart, and my mood grew heavier and heavier. I let out a long sigh—I’d lost count of how many—and then forced myself to lift my head and try to smile. My unnaturally cheerful voice bursted out saying, “But it’s only been postponed! I’m sure we’ll definitely get to see the fireworks together next week!” but it didn’t help as it mixed with the sound of the rain. I was all alone at home today. Dad was away on a business trip, Ryōta was at an overnight daycare event, and Mom wasn’t here because she’d gone with him as a chaperone. Being without my family made the loneliness in my heart feel even heavier. “Right, maybe I’ll try calling Haruto-kun again.”
We’re a couple now, so it wouldn’t be weird to call him again, even without a particular reason, right? It wouldn’t be a bother… right? Thinking that, I opened my chat screen with Haruto-kun, I’ll get to hear his voice. Just the thought of it made my heart beat a little faster, and the heavy feeling from before began to lift. With buoyant fingertips, I pressed the call button on my phone. “…Huh? He’s not picking up…” The ringing tone continued from my phone, but there was no sign of Haruto-kun answering. At the same time, the corners of my mouth, which had risen unconsciously, drooped back down. “Is he… studying, maybe?” In the end, I couldn’t get through to Haruto-kun. He gets the top grades in our year, but he puts in the effort to deserve them. Maybe he was concentrating and didn’t notice the call. I was about to tap the screen to call him one more time, but I stopped my finger and slowly lowered it. “It would be bad to… interrupt him.” If he’s focused on studying, I don’t want to bother him by calling over and over. “I need to study, too.” I have to get a score of over eighty in every subject on the tests after summer break so I can get my reward from Haruto-kun. I need to study hard for that. I tried my best to think of something fun to change my mood. “Oh, but first I have to change out of this yukata…” I said as I got off my bed, I only just remembered I was still wearing it. I can’t get it dirty or wrinkled, so I have to change… With that in mind, I reached for the obi of my yukata, but my hands just stopped on their own. If things had gone differently, I’d be walking around the festival stalls with Haruto-kun right now, holding his hand… “I wanted to eat cotton candy and stuff with Haruto-kun…” No matter how hard I tried to lift my spirits, I’d immediately feel down again, but I knew I couldn’t stay like this, so I decided to at least turn on the lights in my room. Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang. “Huh? Who could that be?”
I wasn’t expecting any deliveries. Besides, the rain outside was still so heavy; it wasn’t the kind of weather for a casual stroll. Puzzled, I left my room and checked the monitor in the living room to see who the visitor was. At the same time, my eyes flew wide open in shock. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might leap out of my chest. “Haruto-kun!?” Seeing his figure on the screen, I forgot to even reply and scrambled to the front door, flinging it open with all my might. Standing on the other side was Haruto-kun, completely drenched by the pouring rain. He was holding an umbrella in one hand, but he was so soaked it was practically meaningless. He just smiled at me as I stood frozen with the door open. “Sorry… I just came.” His words finally jolted my body back into motion. I yanked Haruto-kun’s arm, saying, “Q-Quick, get inside! You’ll catch a cold!” and pulled him into the house. Standing in the entryway, he folded his umbrella, saying, “Phew~ that rain was intense.” “W-Why…” This isn’t a dream, is it? It’s not like I’m hallucinating because I wanted to see Haruto-kun so badly, right? Wanting to confirm that he was really here, I slowly reached out and touched his arm. Oh, my hand doesn’t pass through him… “Hm? What’s wrong?” “N-No, it’s nothing… M-More importantly, you have to change! You’ll get chilled to the bone!” His clothes I touched were cold and damp from the rain. “I have some of my dad’s clothes, so you can change into those for now.” “Oh, I’m good for clothes. I knew I’d get wet, so I brought a change with me,” he said, lifting a small backpack. “Can I just borrow your changing room for a bit?” “Yeah, of course. You must be cold, right? You can use the shower, too.” “Really? Well then, I think I’ll take you up on that.” “Yeah, yeah. It’d be terrible if you caught a cold.” Though if he did get sick because of this, I’d take care of him around the clock. As I was thinking that, Haruto-kun lightly lifted a bag he was holding in one hand. “And this stuff. I’m gonna bring it to the kitchen later, so can I leave it here for now?”
His words made me realize he was holding a reusable bag that was stuffed full. “What’s this?” “Hehe, that’s a surprise for later.” I couldn’t help but look away from Haruto-kun as he gave me a slightly smug grin. Having come all the way to my house in the driving rain, Haruto-kun’s hair was wet, giving him a look like he’d just gotten out of the bath. It was, how should I put it… I found it somehow alluring, and my heart started to race on its own. “W-Well then, I’ll carry it to the kitchen for you, okay? You should go take a shower, quick.” “No, it’s pretty heavy, though?” “It’s fine. Come on, you hurry and get in the shower,” as I grabbed the bag, the substantial weight pressed down on both of my arms. Haruto looked at me with a worried look. “Can you get it to the kitchen?” I replied, “Yeah, I’m fine. You go take your time in the shower,” with my head down, as Haruto-kun watched me with concern. The bag from Haruto-kun was certainly heavy, but more than that, I needed to put some distance between me and this incredibly alluring version of him to calm down. If I didn’t, my self-control would break and I’d throw my arms around him… I spoke to Haruto-kun as I carried the bag. “Okay, take your time and get warmed up.” “Thanks. I’ll use your shower, then.” Haruto-kun headed for the changing room, and I carried his bag to the kitchen. “I wonder what Haruto-kun brought?” The heavy reusable bag was sealed with a zipper, so I couldn’t see what was inside. I can’t just look inside without permission… but I’m so curious… While fighting the temptation to peek inside the bag, I went to the changing room for a moment. From behind the door that separated it from the hall, I could hear the sound of Haruto-kun’s shower. I knocked firmly on the door before calling out. “Haruto-kun, I brought you a bath towel, so is it okay if I come into the changing room for a second?”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks. It’s fine.” After hearing his reply, I entered the changing room. “I’ll leave the bath towel on the sink counter, okay?” “Got it.” “Also, feel free to use the shampoo and body soap on the shelf.” “Okay. Thanks.” “…Well then, I’ll be waiting in the living room. Make sure you get properly warmed up.” I said this rather quickly and left the changing room. The situation—Haruto-kun showering just on the other side of a single door—made me feel incredibly embarrassed. On the door between the bathroom and the changing room, Haruto-kun’s silhouette was faintly visible, and I returned to the living room, trying to calm my strangely racing heart. “Phew~” Sitting on the living room sofa, I let out a rather long breath. I glanced out the window and saw it was still raining, but my mood wasn’t sinking anymore. It must be because Haruto-kun had come to my house. “What am I going to do? I’m just too happy…” He came all this way to see me in this rain, getting so soaked. The thought of it made me unbelievably happy, and the corners of my mouth crept upwards. When I cupped my cheeks with my hands, they even felt a little hot. The gloomy feeling I had when I was alone had vanished as if it were a lie. As I was grinning to myself in the living room, Haruto-kun returned, having finished his shower. “Thanks for everything. I feel really refreshed.” “Huh!?” Seeing Haruto-kun fresh from his shower, I was at a loss for words… The rain-soaked Haruto-kun was dangerous, but the current Haruto-kun was even more so! His just-washed hair looked incredibly soft, and his warmed-up face was faintly flushed, and what was most dangerous of all was that Haruto-kun smelled of the same shampoo I used! When my own scent wafted gently from Haruto-kun, I finally reached my limit. “Ayaka? What’s wrong, staring at me so quietly like—Whoa!?”
“Haruto-kun!!” I dove into the chest of the boy I liked, wrapped my arms around his back, and hugged him as tightly as I could. “I wanted to see you!” The voice of my heart flew straight from my lips. Haruto-kun hugged me back, as if enveloping me. “Me too.” “…Thank you… for coming.” Feeling my entire body fill with joy, I pressed my cheek against Harutokun’s chest and listened to his heartbeat. “Oh, right! Haruto-kun, what’s inside that bag?” Having my feelings somewhat satisfied by hugging him, I voiced the question that had been lingering in the back of my mind. “Ah, that… Well…” Haruto-kun gently placed his hands on my shoulders and created a little distance between us. In doing so, I ended up gazing into his eyes. His own eyes sparkled with amusement as he spoke to me. “Ayaka, let’s tour the food stalls and watch the fireworks together.” ※※※ Ōtsuki Haruto Unsure of what Haruto meant by his playful tone, Ayaka wore a puzzled expression and said, “Huh? But… the fireworks festival was postponed, wasn’t it?” At her confused words, Haruto offered a gentle smile. “Ayaka, have you ever heard of a ‘Home Festival’?” “A home festival? No, I haven’t,” she said, shaking her head. Haruto then took out his smartphone, fiddled with it for a moment, and then showed her the screen. “Look, it’s like this picture. You decorate your house like festival stalls, make the kind of food you’d find there, and get that festival feeling right at home.” “Wow! That’s amazing! It looks like so much fun!” Ayaka’s face lit up at the images of the ‘Home Festival’ displayed on Haruto’s phone. His screen showed several pictures of living rooms
decorated with lanterns, paper fans, and masks, with dishes like yakisoba and cotton candy laid out. “Right? I bought a bunch of stuff so we could do that.” Haruto said, moving away from Ayaka. He opened the zipper of the reusable bag he’d left in the kitchen and began taking things out. “Things like lanterns and bamboo blinds to give it a stall-like feel.” Haruto showed Ayaka the items he’d brought for their home festival. “And, of course, the ingredients for the festival food.” Haruto placed cabbage, pork, and yakisoba noodles on the kitchen counter. Seeing this, Ayaka’s eyes widened as if she were deeply moved. “You went out and bought all this in the middle of this rain?” “Yeah. Well, I didn’t have much time, so I couldn’t get anything too fancy…” Haruto added with a wry smile, “These decorations are almost all from the hundred-yen store.” But Ayaka just gazed at him, her expression shining as brightly as it possibly could. “I’m so happy… Thank you. Seriously, I’m so happy it’s insane…” As she repeated “I’m happy” and “thank you” over and over, Haruto moved closer to her again and smiled gently. “It’s a shame the fireworks festival was postponed, but I thought we could at least get a little taste of the festival atmosphere. And you’re already in your yukata, too.” “Oh, this… I was about to change, but, well, it was hard to…” “Hehe, that yukata looks great on you. You’re so cute.” “T-Thank you…” At Haruto’s straightforward compliment, Ayaka’s face turned beet red and she mumbled her thanks, looking down. The design of Ayaka’s yukata was based on an indigo blue, with light blue morning glories painted on it. The overall calm and refreshing design matched Haruto’s tastes perfectly. “You said you liked cool and calm styles, so…” “You remembered.” “Yeah.” Though embarrassed, Ayaka gave a happy, shy smile. Her cheeks still flushed, she looked at Haruto. “Haruto-kun. Um… I haven’t done my hair yet, so is it okay if I go do it properly?”
“Of course. I’ll make the festival food while you’re doing that.” “I want to help too, so I’ll be as quick as I can.” “There’s no need to rush. Personally, I want to see a cute Ayaka with her hair done perfectly.” “H-Hey! Haruto-kun! No more surprise attacks!” Ayaka forced her smiling lips into a pout and lightly slapped Haruto’s arm. In response to her zero-damage attack, Haruto offered a quick, “Sorry, sorry,” but his expression was bright and cheerful. After that, Haruto watched Ayaka head to her room to do her hair, then stood alone in the kitchen and started making the festival food. “Alright, let’s get started.” He first took out a pot, poured oil into it, and put it on the heat to prepare for deep-frying. While waiting for the oil to heat up, Haruto took out another pot. This time, he added a large amount of sugar and water and heated it on low. While the oil and sugar were heating, he got out a cucumber. He cut off the ends and peeled it in a striped pattern. Then he sprinkled salt on it and rolled it around to rub it in. After that, he put a pickling mix, a small amount of kelp tea, and sliced hawk’s-eye chili into a zip-top bag. Once the pickling liquid was ready, he wiped the moisture from the salted cucumber with a paper towel, put it in the bag to marinate, and then placed it in the freezer. “Now then, the oil temperature is… a little longer.” Haruto glanced at the thermometer in the deep-frying pot, then chopped an onion and some cabbage, and sliced the pork, placing them on a tray. Just then, the oil reached the right temperature, so Haruto dropped the frozen karaage he’d bought into the pot. TL/N: “Karaage” = Japanese Fried Chicken. “I really wanted to make it from scratch instead of using frozen food, but…” If he’d started by preparing the fried food from scratch, it would have been late into the night before their at-home festival could begin, so he had no choice but to compromise. While keeping an eye on the fried food, Haruto stir-fried the chopped onion and pork in a little extra oil. At the same time, he lightly heated the yakisoba noodles in the microwave. When the pork was cooked through, he added the noodles to the frying pan. At that moment, Haruto took the karaage out of the oil and started frying the frozen french fries.
Again, while watching the fried food, he stir-fried the yakisoba noodles in the pan until they were crispy, then added the cabbage, followed by the yakisoba sauce. The savory smell of the scorching sauce instantly filled the air. The scent of the sauce tickled his nose, and a smile naturally spread across Haruto’s face. Then, checking to see if the cabbage was cooked, he took the french fries out of the oil. Finally, he turned the heat up high to finish the yakisoba by evaporating the excess moisture, transferred it to a tray, cleared the frying pan, and then cracked an egg into it. Once the egg was cooked and slightly set, he added the yakisoba he’d just made and wrapped it up. “Alright, omusoba is done. How’s the sugar doing?” TL/N: “Omusoba” = Japanese Omelet with Yakisoba Stir-Fry Noodles. Haruto looked at the sugar water he’d been heating on low. The water had evaporated nicely, and the sugar was making small, crackling sounds. “Good, good. Time to coat them.” This time, he took fruits like apples, oranges, and strawberries out of the reusable bag, stuck skewers into them, and coated them with the boileddown sugar. Then he let them cool on a sheet of parchment paper. Just as the candy apples and other fruit candies were done, Ayaka returned from her room, her hair set. “Wow! It smells like a festival in here!” As soon as she entered the room, her eyes sparkled. “The smell of the sauce might be a little strong. You think Ikue-san will get mad?” The Tōjō house, fitting for a mansion, had an island kitchen, the kitchen was very open and had a luxurious feel, but because it was so open, the smell of cooking also spread quickly. As Haruto worried about the lingering smell, Ayaka said with a cheerful expression. “It’ll be fine. I’m sure Mom would just say, ‘I wanted to try a Home Festival, too!’” “You think so? Well, I guess I’ll open the windows later and air it out properly.” As Haruto said this, he looked again at Ayaka, who had finished her hair. Her beautiful hair, which usually reached the middle of her back, was now gathered just above the nape of her neck in a loose bun. This revealed her fair nape, which wasn’t usually visible.
“You look really beautiful and cute.” Ayaka showed a hint of shyness, “Ufufu, thanks,” she said, showing a sunlike smile in response to his compliment. At her adorable reaction, Haruto couldn’t help but smile back. “Right now, I’m kind of glad it rained.” “Huh? Why?” “Because I don’t want to show such a cute girlfriend to any other guys.” “Haruto-kun, you’re being really dangerous today!?” “Dangerous? What do you mean?” At Ayaka’s slightly flustered state, Haruto gave a troubled smile. “D-Dangerous is dangerous!” “But, you know, if you don’t put what you’re thinking into words, it won’t get across, right?” “That’s what’s dangerous, Haruto-kun!” Though Ayaka protested with a beet-red face, her expression was already completely soft and relaxed. Her eyes caught the candy apples arranged on the kitchen counter, and she let out a small cry of delight. “Amazing! Candy apples! And there are other fruits, too! Oh! Omusoba! It’s really like a festival stall!” “There’s a pickled cucumber on a stick cooling in the freezer right now, too.” “Those are so good! But when I buy one at a festival, Saki always teases me, like, ‘That’s a refined choice~’. Isn’t that mean?” “Hahaha, that sounds just like something Aizawa-san would say.” Ayaka puffed out her cheeks adorably, but Haruto smiled, imagining Ayaka being teased by Saki. “Hey, Haruto-kun. What can I do to help?” “Your yukata might get dirty if you cook, so could you do the decorations?” “Okay, got it!” Ayaka nodded cheerfully and started decorating the living room with the supplies Haruto had bought. “Haruto-kun, are the lanterns okay like this?” “Yeah. I think that looks good.” “What about this paper?” “That’s the menu. Today’s stall menu is omusoba, karaage on a stick, french fries, and—” “Do you think it would feel more festive if I attached this pinwheel to the bamboo blind?”
“That’s a great idea.” “Let’s add a mask, too.” Ayaka happily decorated the living room while talking with Haruto. Watching her cheerfully setting up the stall decorations, Haruto plated the finished festival food. To give it a stall-like feel, he purposefully served the food in paper cups and plastic trays. Before long, the living room decorations were complete, and the festival food was plated and arranged on the table. “Wow! It’s a stall! There’s a festival stall in my house, Haruto-kun!” “All that’s left is the fireworks.” Haruto looked at the excited Ayaka with a satisfied expression. “Ayaka, this TV is connected to the internet, right?” “Yeah.” “Can I borrow it for a sec?” Getting her permission, Haruto turned on the TV and launched a video app. Then, he searched for “Fireworks Festival.” Deciding what video to play, he said, “I think I’ll go with this one.” He chose one of the videos that came up in the search and played it. On the large, wall-mounted TV screen, footage of a past fireworks festival began to play. “What do you think? Now we can tour the stalls and watch fireworks, even with the rain, right?” With a slightly smug look on his face, Haruto looked at Ayaka. In response, she tried to hold back for a moment, but it seemed she couldn’t contain herself any longer and threw her arms around him. “This is the best! Haruto-kun, you’re really amazing! Thank you!” Hugging him tightly, Ayaka exclaimed her heartfelt gratitude. “I’m glad you’re happy. I mean, we’re not actually walking around the stalls, and the fireworks are just a video, so there’s plenty to pick apart, but…” Embarrassed by Ayaka’s reaction, Haruto scratched his cheek as if to hide his blush, but Ayaka shook her head, refuting his words. “That’s not true. For me, this is the most wonderful stall tour and fireworks display of my entire life.” Still hugging Haruto, Ayaka looked up. “Thank you… I really mean it, thank you.” As she thanked him for what felt like the umpteenth time, Haruto smiled softly. “I’m glad, it was worth rushing around the stores in that downpour.”
At his words, Ayaka’s happy expression was mixed with a hint of concern, then she mentioned, “But please don’t do anything too reckless, okay?” “…That might be impossible.” “Huh?” Ayaka’s eyes widened in surprise as Haruto denied Ayaka’s request for him not to be reckless. Looking at her, Haruto’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but he kept his gaze fixed firmly on her as he spoke. “I’m more in love with you than you think, Ayaka.” Out of embarrassment, Haruto continued, his words coming out a little too fast and in a blunt tone. “So much so that I’m willing to be reckless if it means I can see you smile.” The moment those words reached Ayaka. She stared at Haruto as if under a spell. “So, from now on, would you let me be reckless and push myself for the sake of your smile?” Ayaka’s eyes widened as if her heart had been stolen. Then, after bowing her head slightly as if to savor his words, she slowly opened her mouth. “I… I like you very much too, Haruto-kun, you know? So, I want you to be smiling, too. I don’t want you to push yourself or be reckless.” At Ayaka’s plea, Haruto responded with a troubled smile. “Hmm, that’s a problem.” “You know… I’ve fallen for you more than you think, too.” At her words, Haruto laughed, his face turning red with embarrassment. Ayaka watched Haruto’s reaction with a look of pure happiness before speaking in a sweet, coaxing tone. “Haruto-kun.” “Hm?” “Can I ask you for one thing?” “Anything.” At Haruto’s immediate nod, Ayaka made her request with an expression that was a mixture of happiness and shyness. “I want you to hold me tight.” “Okay.” Replying with a smile, Haruto slowly wrapped his arms around Ayaka’s back, holding her gently yet firmly, as if to envelop her in warmth. Held tightly by Haruto, Ayaka buried her face in his chest. “Haruto-kun… I like you.” “I like you too, Ayaka.”
Haruto whispered, his words full of emotion. Then, Ayaka slowly lifted her face from his chest and met his gaze. At such close range, Ayaka gazed at Haruto with an intense look. She seemed to want to say something, and after staring at him for a while with a frustrated expression, she hugged him tightly again. “I like you. I really, really like you. I like you from the bottom of my heart.” As she spoke, Ayaka clung to Haruto, as if to express her feelings with the strength of her embrace. The words spoken by the girl in his arms caused feelings of happiness and affection to spread warmly through Haruto’s heart. And at the same time, a sense of embarrassment welled up at her passionate embrace. Haruto felt his face turn red. From Ayaka, who was pressed so tightly against him, he could feel her scent and the unique softness of a woman, which relentlessly stimulated his self-control. “…Th-Thank you.” After stammering out his thanks, Haruto loosened his arms and gently pulled her away before his self-control could crumble and he did something reckless. “Ayaka, what do you want to eat first from the stall food?” At Haruto’s question, which was clearly meant to change the subject, Ayaka let out a small chuckle. After looking at the stall food arranged on the table one by one, she turned to Haruto with a smile and said, “Hmm… I want to eat the omusoba.”. “Okay. Let’s start with the omusoba then.” “Okay!” The two of them sat side-by-side on the sofa in front of the table. Ayaka picked up the omusoba in the plastic container and turned to Haruto with a bright expression. “You know, just being in a container like this makes it feel like it’s from a stall.” Ayaka said cheerfully as she removed the rubber band holding the container closed. “Right. And if you eat it with disposable chopsticks, it’s a complete stall experience.” Haruto nodded at Ayaka’s words and split a pair of disposable chopsticks.
“Ah, I messed up the chopsticks…” “Oh~ they split weirdly.” “Ugh…” Perhaps because he had bought the cheapest ones, the disposable chopsticks in Haruto’s hand had split strangely about a third of the way down, making them quite difficult to hold. “This is going to be hard to eat with.” As Haruto stared at the chopsticks with a wry smile, Ayaka, sitting next to him, happily picked up some of her own omusoba with her chopsticks and brought it to his mouth. “Mine split cleanly, so I’ll feed you.” Ayaka said, turning to Haruto with a grin, “Aaaah.” Haruto had experienced being fed by Ayaka several times before, back when they were a fake couple, under the guise of “couple practice.” Thanks to that practice, he was able to accept the omusoba she offered without getting too flustered. “Is it good?” “Yeah. Well, I made it myself, after all,” answered Haruto. Ayaka, who tilted her head, with a slight hint of embarrassment. Even though he was used to it, Haruto realized it would probably be impossible for him to completely get rid of his shyness. After feeding Haruto, Ayaka took a bite of omusoba herself. Then her expression softened, saying, “Mmm~, everything you make is really delicious, Haruto-kun.” “It was worth making it for you.” After that, the two of them ate the karaage on a stick, french fries, and candy apples. “I didn’t know you could make candy apples at home.” “It’s surprisingly easy, you just have to melt sugar and coat the fruit. I didn’t use it this time, but if you use food coloring, you can make them even more colorful.” Answering Ayaka, Haruto took a bite of the pickled cucumber on a stick. “Hmm, this isn’t quite pickled enough… I guess it wasn’t in there long enough.” “But I like it this way, it’s like a light pickle.” As they chatted, the two of them enjoyed their home festival. Then, when they had mostly finished the stall food on the table, Haruto asked Ayaka. “Can you still eat more?”
“I’m pretty full, actually. But I can totally still have dessert.” “Got it.” Haruto stood up from the sofa and headed toward the kitchen. “What are you making?” Following behind him, Ayaka looked on with a curious expression as Haruto took a cup labeled “Ice” from the reusable bag. “You can’t have a summer festival without shaved ice, right?” “That’s true!” she nodded repeatedly, vehemently agreeing with Haruto’s words. “I’m going to borrow some ice and an ice shaver, okay?” “Yeah, go ahead!” After getting Ayaka’s permission, Haruto took an ice shaver from a storage shelf in the kitchen. He then put ice in it, set a cup underneath, and started grinding away. In an instant, a mountain of ice, just like Mount Fuji, formed in the cup. “What flavor do you want, Ayaka?” Haruto took out the classic strawberry, melon, and Blue Hawaii flavors from the reusable bag. She tried her best to choose, “Oh, what should I do? I want strawberry, but melon is hard to pass up, and I’m in the mood for Blue Hawaii for the first time in a while…” her eyes were darting back and forth between the three types of syrup lined up. “Well then, how about we pour a little of each syrup on the shaved ice and change flavors as we eat?” “Oh! Yes! Let’s do that.” Ayaka nodded with a smile at Haruto’s suggestion. The two of them sat side-by-side on the sofa again, discussing in front of the heaping pile of shaved ice. “What flavor should we start with?” “I’d like strawberry.” “Got it.” At Ayaka’s words, Haruto drizzled a little of the strawberry syrup on the edge of the shaved ice. Then, he scooped up the pink-stained ice with a spoon and brought it to Ayaka’s mouth. She took a bite of the shaved ice brought to her and immediately broke into a happy smile. “Yummy~ It tastes like strawberry.”
Watching Ayaka eat so happily, Haruto’s expression softened as he ate some of the strawberry-flavored shaved ice himself. After that, they drizzled on melon and Blue Hawaii syrup little by little, sharing one cup of shaved ice between them. While they were on their second round of Blue Hawaii, Ayaka spoke up as if she had just remembered something. “You know, I’ve heard that all shaved ice syrups taste the same. Is that really true?” “Ah, I’ve heard that too. That they just change the color and scent.” Ayaka stared at the bottles containing each flavor of syrup, then slowly opened her mouth. “Hey, Haruto-kun. Want to play a game?” “A game?” “Yeah. A game where you close your eyes and guess the flavor of the shaved ice you eat.” Haruto gave a fearless smile saying, “Sounds good” and accepted her proposal. Haruto, who cooked regularly, was a little confident in his sense of taste. “Okay, then the loser has to say three things they like about the other person,” said Ayaka, deciding the punishment for the game. “I see, so I get to hear three things Ayaka likes about me. That’s a little embarrassing.” “Hey! You’re already acting like you’ve won!” “I don’t feel like I can lose.” “Hmph~” At Ayaka, who puffed out her cheeks cutely, Haruto smiled and asked her, “Who’s going to eat first?” “…I’ll go first.” After thinking for a moment with her head down, Ayaka said she would take on the challenge of guessing the flavor before Haruto. “Alright. Then close your eyes.” “Okay.” “You’re not peeking, are you?” “I wouldn’t cheat like that!” At Ayaka, who pouted her lips, Haruto apologized with a laugh, saying, “Sorry, sorry.” Then, after hesitating for a moment over which of the three flavors to choose, he drizzled a little of the green syrup onto the shaved ice. “Here you go, Ayaka. Open your mouth.”
Haruto said, placing the melon-flavored shaved ice on a spoon. Then, he gently placed it in her willingly opened mouth. “Now, what flavor was that shaved ice?” Haruto asked Ayaka as if he were the host of a quiz show. “Hmm… This is…” Ayaka opened her closed eyes, moved her mouth around a bit to check the flavor, and then declared with a confident look on her face. “Melon flavor!” “Eh…? Oh, right. So, what Ayaka just ate was melon flavor, are you sure?” Haruto asked, feigning a slightly surprised expression. At that, Ayaka’s confident expression instantly clouded over. “Eh? Wait… Huh? It’s melon, right?” “Who knows?” Haruto tilted his head with a meaningful smile, as if he were watching something amusing. At his reaction, Ayaka’s confidence visibly crumbled, to the point it was almost funny to watch. “It’s not melon? Could it be strawberry?” “Hmm, strawberry, you say…” “Wait, wait, wait! Huh? I thought it was melon… Strawberry? Could it be Blue Hawaii?” The moment she said that, Haruto deliberately twitched his eyebrow just a little. “You thought it was melon at first, right, Ayaka? You should probably trust your first impression, you know?” “That reaction! It’s Blue Hawaii! Because your eyebrow just twitched, Haruto-kun!” “So… your answer is Blue Hawaii?” Haruto asked, his tone slightly less enthusiastic. In response, Ayaka nodded emphatically, as if she had already guessed the correct answer. Ayaka declared “Yup! What I ate was Blue Hawaii!” with complete confidence. Haruto desperately tried to keep his face from breaking into a grin as he announced the correct answer. “I’m going to say the correct answer, okay?” “Okay!” “The flavor Ayaka just ate was………… Melon flavor! Too bad! You’re wrong,” Ayaka then immediately let out a surprised “Ehh!?” and then shot
him a look of protest. “I said melon flavor at first!” “You were so close.” “You tricked me, Haruto-kun!” “I did advise you to trust your first impression, didn’t I?” “Hmph~! Grrr~!” With frustration written all over her face, Ayaka lightly tapped Haruto’s arm. As Ayaka stopped her light tapping, she then said, “Next, it’s your turn to guess the flavor, Haruto-kun,” as her cheeks were still puffed out. At her words, Haruto quietly closed his eyes. “No peeking and cheating, okay?” “I won’t,” Haruto replied with a laugh to Ayaka, who was saying the same thing he had just said to her. Then, after a brief pause, she made a proposal to the game. “Hey, Haruto-kun.” “Hm?” “Is it okay if I make it a higher difficulty for you?” After thinking for a moment, he said,“…Sure.” and nodded. Even if she raised the difficulty, there were only three flavors. To raise the difficulty with so few options, the most she could probably do was mix two flavors. It would be hard to guess exactly, but he felt he could probably get it right even if the flavors were mixed, by asking Ayaka various questions after eating and inferring the flavors from her reactions.
As he was thinking that, he heard Ayaka’s voice. “Okay, here I go. Ready?” “Whenever you are,” he replied with his eyes closed, and opened his mouth, waiting for the spoon to enter. However, contrary to his expectations, what entered his mouth was not a spoon. It was something very soft that was pressed against his entire lips, and at the same time, something moist and soft touched his tongue, as if stroking it. At the unfamiliar sensation, Haruto’s shoulders flinched and he opened his eyes. In his line of sight was Ayaka’s face, flushed like strawberryflavored shaved ice, staring intently at him. Haruto was at a loss for words as Ayaka’s shy expression filled his vision. She then whispered, “Now, what flavor shaved ice did I eat?” “……Isn’t that raising the difficulty a bit too much?” “If I don’t do this much with you, Haruto-kun, you’ll guess it right away.” Leaning over him, her arms wrapped around his neck, Ayaka asked again. “What flavor did I eat?” “…Sorry. I- uh, couldn’t tell.” “……Then, I’ll do it one more time. Close your eyes?” As she told him to, Haruto gently closed his eyelids. The soft sensation was pressed against his lips again. At the same time, something soft and slightly warm touched his tongue. From it, he could faintly taste the flavor of strawberry. And a very strong sweetness. Just as the soft sensation left his mouth, Haruto slowly lifted his eyelids. To Ayaka, who was so close their noses could touch, Haruto whispered. “What you ate was… strawberry flavor.” “…Really?” With a slightly bewitching air about her, she stared into his eyes and said. “…Can I check one more time?” “Sure. Check as many times as you want.” The two of them closed their eyes again. In the end, the shaved ice flavor-guessing game ended with Haruto’s victory. However, he didn’t feel like he had won the match at all. Is this what they mean when they say you’ve won the battle but lost the war? In his dazed mind, where his thoughts wouldn’t come together, Haruto vaguely wondered such a thing.