The day they had promised to meet at the fireworks festival finally arrived.
Despite it being winter, the air felt unusually warm that evening. Ren stood at the entrance, wearing the soft sweater Elowen had carefully knitted for him. He adjusted the collar, feeling the soft wool against his skin. As the minutes ticked by, a familiar doubt crept into his mind.
She isn't going to come, idiot… just go back already, he thought.
But then his eyes caught a splash of blue moving through the crowd. It was Elowen, wearing the same sky-blue dress, waving her hand with a radiant smile as she ran toward him.
Ren let out a small sigh of relief. So you did show up, huh.
"Sorry! Did I keep you waiting long?" Elowen panted as she reached him.
"No, no, that's fine. But Elowen—" Ren stopped mid-sentence. Up close, he noticed that while her smile was genuine, her face told another story. She looked utterly exhausted, and her eyes were slightly bloodshot.
Elowen tilted her head. "What? Why are you staring at me?" She gave him a mischievous wink. "Do I look so pretty that you can't take your eyes off me?"
Ren blushed, caught off guard. "Hey, obviously not! What, do you think you can charm me just with a good hairstyle?"
Elowen laughed brightly. "I was kidding! Besides, a good hairstyle is a natural talent of girls, you know."
Ren's expression softened. "Hey, Elowen… you really look tired. You look like you just need some peace."
"Hey, I'm fine, you dummy!"
Ren stepped closer, holding her shoulders gently but firmly. "Elowen, listen to me. You don't need to push yourself so hard. Whatever your goals are—maybe you want to make your parents proud by ranking top in the class—"
"Wait, that's not the—"
"But Elowen, you are torturing yourself," he interrupted softly. "It's fine. I can walk you home so you can rest. I promise I wouldn't mind."
Elowen looked into his eyes and felt her heart skip a beat. This… this is exactly why I fell for him.
"Ren…" she smiled softly. "I'm fine. I just want to enjoy the festival with you. Will you not give your best friend the opportunity to enjoy this night?"
Ren hesitated. "But Elowen—"
Before he could finish, she grabbed his hand and began running toward the glowing stalls. "Let's gooo!"
Her phone buzzed in her bag, a persistent warning that she was needed elsewhere—but she ignored it, letting the sound dissolve into the festival's chaos.
"Wait!" Ren called out.
Elowen stopped abruptly, eyes sparkling as she pointed at a stall with a black cat plushie sitting as a prize. To win it, you had to pop a balloon with a toy gun.
"Ren, I want that!"
Ren looked at the plushie, then at her. "Challenge accepted."
He paid the shopkeeper and took aim. Pop! He missed. His shoulders slumped.
"Hey, Ren, it's alright!" Elowen panicked, trying to comfort him. "The plushie didn't even look that soft anyway."
"I know you're just saying that to make me feel better," he muttered, glancing down.
"That's not true!"
"Boy, you still have two more tries left," the shopkeeper reminded him.
"Really?" Ren's eyes sharpened instantly.
He's just like a little child, Elowen thought, suppressing a laugh.
Ren shot again. It hit—but the balloon didn't pop, and the plushie stayed perched on the shelf.
"Uh oh," Elowen whispered.
"Last try," said the shopkeeper.
Ren's focus became absolute. He drew in a slow, steady breath. The crowd held its collective breath. Bang. The plushie wobbled… almost falling… and then remained balanced.
Elowen instinctively flicked her finger toward it. A subtle gust nudged the toy, and it tumbled down.
"Ren, you did it!" she cheered.
"Congrats, boy. Here's your prize," the shopkeeper said, handing him the cat.
Ren turned immediately and placed it in Elowen's arms. Her phone buzzed again, but she ignored it. She wasn't going to let a 5,000-page report ruin this night.
"Wanna get some cotton candy?" she asked, pointing at a nearby stall. "Treat's on me!"
"Sure, why not?"
As they walked, Elowen hugged the plushie tight. Was it okay to use my powers? she wondered. Nah… it would have fallen anyway. She didn't notice Ren watching her with soft eyes. She's so happy… just like a little child.
After eating enough sweets to satisfy her sweet tooth, Ren's gaze shifted to a strength-testing machine.
"Elowen, look! A boxing machine."
"I wanna try," Ren said, stepping up and paying the fee.
"You can do it, Ren!" she encouraged.
He wound up and hit the pad. The counter climbed steadily until it stopped at 517.
"Decent for a high-schooler," he noted. "Hey, why don't you try it?"
"Me? No, no, I'm fine," Elowen waved her hands.
"Please? For me? Just once."
"Um… okay, if you say so." She stepped into position, mentally preparing. Just a tiny bit of strength… a tiny, tiny bit…
"I'm ready," she whispered.
Her fist moved slowly. But when it struck the pad, the air seemed to ripple. The counter flashed wildly before maxing out at 999. The crowd nearby went silent, staring at her in disbelief.
"The machine is broken!" she shouted, panicking. "Totally fake!"
Ren reached out and poked her bicep. His finger sank into soft muscle. "Yeah… definitely fake."
"See? Told you! Let's go somewhere else—the fireworks are starting!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him away.
They found a quiet bench by the lake and sat, away from the crowd's noise.
"It's so quiet here," Ren said.
"Just like the first day we met," Elowen replied.
"Until a certain girl decided to patent my joke."
Elowen laughed. "That was one of the best decisions of my life."
"You know, that pen is my lucky charm now," Ren said, looking at her.
"Aww, really?"
"Won't you call me a dummy?" he asked softly.
She met his gaze. "I'll pass… because tonight… you're actually handsome."
They stared at each other, The air between them stilled. Ren leaned in, his gaze dropping to her lips as the space between them vanished. Elowen didn't pull away; she tilted her head, her breath hitching as she felt the faint heat of his skin.
They were so close now that they were breathing the same air. In the silence, the magnetic pull was undeniable. Elowen's eyes fluttered closed, and the tip of Ren's nose brushed against hers—a soft, electric touch that made the entire world disappear.
Then—WHIZ-BANG!
The sky exploded in a violent burst of red. Ren jerked back as if he'd been electrocuted, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Ren's thoughts scattered. What was I doing?
Elowen's cheeks flushed. Was I going to… no.
They watched the rest of the show, side by side. Her phone stayed off. For a few minutes, her tiredness vanished. She wasn't a girl burdened by endless tasks; she was just sitting by a lake with a boy she liked.
Later that night, Ren walked her home. When he reached his own house, his mother was on the couch, glued to her phone as usual. Normally, it made him feel invisible—but tonight, he didn't care. He smiled like an idiot, replaying the evening in his mind.
"Why does she smell so different… yet so relaxing?" he murmured. "I want to smell it again."
He remembered the feather and checked his desk, but it wasn't there. He searched everywhere—under the carpet, under his sheets. Gone.
"So the alien feather decided to leave… just like it came," he muttered.
"Mom, did you find a feather on my desk?"
"No. And don't disturb me," she replied, eyes still on her phone.
Ren frowned. Always busy. If only Grandma were here…
Then he smiled. "It doesn't matter. I have someone who makes me smile now."
He smirked. "And Kaito… I didn't forget you either. You're one of those few people… but Elowen… she's the one who matters most."
Ren fell asleep with a peaceful heart.
Miles away, Elowen's night was just beginning. She sat at her desk, staring at a mountain of paperwork that had doubled while she was away. The final night of her happiness had ended, and every second she had enjoyed with Ren now came at the cost of ink and exhaustion.