To get straight to the point, we decided to go to the fireworks festival. It wasn't going to be just Nitta-san and me, of course—for now, it would be the usual five of us. I'd tried inviting Nakamura-san and Takizawa-kun, but they politely declined, saying they already had plans to go as a couple.
The festival was timed to mark the end of a long, hot summer. It wasn't just about the fireworks, either; there would be all sorts of performances on a special stage, so I was personally looking forward to the weekend.
…If it weren't for the situation with Nitta-san, that is.
"A fireworks festival? With everyone? Yeah, I'll go! I'll definitely go! Come to think of it, it was canceled last year because of the heavy rain, right? Ehehe, I'm so excited for our first festival together since we started high school~"
Having partially caved to Nitta-san's request, I explained the weekend plans to a newly arrived, albeit late, Amami-san.
She had messaged Nitta-san earlier that she'd overslept and would be cutting it close, yet she showed up looking completely refreshed five minutes before the bell, not a single drop of sweat on her cool face.
…Seriously, what kind of stamina does she have?
"What about Nagisa-chan and Yama-chan? It's a special occasion, so let's all go together!"
"…Why would I have to go with you? Besides, I'm not interested."
"Sorry~ I already promised to go with some other friends," Yamashita-san chimed in. "And Arae-san, it's not that she isn't interested. She's going with some kids from another class, just like me."
"Oh, is that so? My bad, Nagisa-chan."
"…I'm seriously going to punch you one of these days."
It seemed that a fair number of students besides Arae-san and Yamashita-san were planning to go. Maybe we'd run into someone unexpected at the venue.
"Well then, I'll have to get my yukata ready for the big day! My mom has a ton of them, so I'll dress up Umi and Nina-chi, too… Huh? Maki-kun, is something wrong? You don't look so good."
"No, it's just… it sounds like it's going to be incredibly crowded. I don't handle crowds very well."
My physical condition was a concern, but my real worry, of course, lay elsewhere.
Should I tell Amami-san about my conversation with Nitta-san from earlier?
Nitta-san's stance on the matter had been clear: "You don't have to keep it a secret, and I wouldn't mind if you told her."
So, the decision was up to Umi and me… but.
(Maehara) Umi, what should we do?
(Asanagi) Yeah… I have no idea what that girl Nina is thinking.
(Asanagi) And she was being weirdly stubborn about it this time.
(Asanagi) Anyway, what do you want to do, Maki?
(Maehara) Me…? Well…
(Maehara) We're all friends. It doesn't feel right keeping Amami-san in the dark.
(Maehara) Nitta-san didn't seem to care either way.
(Asanagi) She's so brazen about things like that. She was the same way with Takizawa-kun.
(Asanagi) But for now, I think we should just wait and see.
(Maehara) So you think it's better not to say anything?
(Asanagi) For now. I don't really have a specific reason…
(Asanagi) But I have a bad feeling about this.
(Asanagi) It was the same during the beach trip. Yuu has a very… serious view on love.
(Maehara) That's… true.
(Asanagi) Right? Well, not that I'm one to talk.
That was the conversation Umi and I had before Amami-san arrived. And just as Umi had said, Amami-san held a rare sense of disgust towards Nitta-san's actions back then. She believed that if someone was already in a relationship—or even if it was just clear they had mutual feelings—no one should rock the boat.
Her way of thinking wasn't wrong; in fact, I'd say most people would agree with her.
Of course, I also understood the logic of doing whatever it takes to make someone choose you, since you can only have one lover. If you give up just because "they already have a girlfriend" or "they already like someone else," you probably never truly liked them in the first place.
I don't know what Nitta-san truly thinks of me at this point, but it wouldn't be strange for someone to get the wrong idea when she invites me to hang out one-on-one.
…It's probably best to go with Umi's opinion for now.
"Hey, hey, about when we're meeting… Um, the fireworks start at seven… We'll need to save a spot, so we should probably get there in the evening, right? In that case, I'll have Umi and Nina-chi come over in the afternoon…"
Perhaps excited for the once-a-year festival, Amami-san was already diving into the day's schedule. Watching her, I had a feeling Umi's premonition was right. It would be better not to stir up any unnecessary trouble.
My only concern was Nitta-san on the day of the festival. Until now, she had always been the balancer in our group of five, but this time, I had no idea what to expect.
…I just hope what happened this morning doesn't happen again.
"…kun, Maki-kun?"
"Huh? …Ah, sorry. I was spacing out. What's up?"
"Well, I'm really happy you invited me to the fireworks festival, but are you sure you're okay with it? It's a special occasion, so you could have just gone with Umi, you know?"
"Ah… well, Umi and I have plenty of other times to be alone. Besides, considering how crowded it'll be, it's safer to stick together as a group. And of course, I also just wanted to have fun with everyone."
With spectators expected to flock from out of the prefecture, it was definitely safer to go in a larger group to avoid any trouble. Maybe I was overthinking it, but there was no guarantee some guys wouldn't try to hit on cute girls like Amami-san and Umi.
"If you say so, Maki-kun… Ah, but if you decide you want to go with just Umi, feel free to change the plans, okay? It's almost been a year since you two met, so you have to celebrate your anniversary properly."
"Don't worry about that… More importantly, you remembered, Amami-san? When we became friends?"
"Of course. You were the first… um, the first guy friend I could talk to properly."
"…Really?"
"Yeah. I've talked to other guys and gone out in groups, but most of them… how do I put it… the way they looked at me was a little intense. It was kind of scary…"
"Ah, I see."
So, even someone as friendly as Amami-san has a good judge of character and a sense for danger. I can understand wanting to get closer to one of the most popular girls in school, maybe even hoping for something more, but it's disrespectful to approach her with such obvious ulterior motives. Even with looks and athletic abilities that everyone envies, she might have more troubles than one would think. If people could just see that side of her, they would naturally grow closer to her.
"So, I'm really glad I became friends with you, Maki-kun, okay?"
"Really? Well, I'm glad to hear that."
"Mhm. Ehehe, I might just be a bonus that comes with Umi, but I hope we can continue to be friends. Here, a handshake to seal the deal."
"Huh? Ah, yeah, okay. Nice to meet you."
As instructed, I held out my right hand, and Amami-san grasped it firmly with both of hers. It was only then that I realized this might be the first time I'd ever touched her, as far as I could remember. Her hands were fair, soft, and slightly damp, and for some reason, they felt cold.
"Your hands are so warm, Maki-kun… So this is what Umi has been feeling all this time…"
"? Um, Amami-san?"
"…Ah, sorry, Maki-kun. There I go again… Oh, class is about to start, so I'd better get back to my seat. Let's talk more about the festival with everyone during lunch."
"Ah, yeah. Got it…"
She reluctantly let go of my hand and scurried back to her circle of friends with Arae-san and Yamashita-san.
"Alright, good morning~ I'm taking attendance, so everyone get to your seats~ Hey, Maehara-kun, don't just stand there spacing out. Oh, could you lead the greeting while you're at it?"
"Yes. …Alright, stand! Bow!"
As morning homeroom began, I glanced over at Amami-san. I had thought Nitta-san was the only one acting strangely this morning, but it seemed Amami-san was dealing with her own problems.
I discreetly took out my phone.
(Maehara) Umi.
(Asanagi) Yep.
(Maehara) …What should we do?
(Asanagi) Let's talk about it after school for now.
(Maehara) Thanks, that helps.
Having a girlfriend who understands immediately in times like these is a huge relief. First Amami-san has been acting weird since the sports festival, and now Nitta-san too.
The fireworks festival this weekend… would it be too much to wish for it to end without any trouble?
It was decided that we would go to the fireworks festival with everyone this Saturday, but of course, I hadn't forgotten about spending time alone with Umi. It was around this time last year that we became friends. Our relationship began when she approached me at a rental store on a Friday after school, as I was browsing for a movie to watch by myself.
"Looks like I've found a kindred spirit. I'd be happy if we could be friends. Just kidding."
The self-introduction card for "Asanagi Umi" that she gave me exactly one year ago is still stored carefully in my desk drawer. The memory of our first meeting is a treasure to me.
On the Friday weekend of the second autumn since I met Umi, it was only natural what we would end up doing.
"Hey, Maki, which one should we get? Should we go back to our roots and pick a shark B-movie?"
"Of course. Let's see… I think the first one we watched together was…"
"'Piranha Shark' and 'Kung Fu Shark.' Hehe, even after a year, Yuu and Nina still can't keep up with this topic, can they?"
"Well, it's a bit of a niche, you know. A tough subject."
At our now-familiar favorite rental store, Umi and I stood close together, our niche conversation blooming as we looked at the deliciously cheesy movie covers in our hands. Neither Amami-san, Nitta-san, nor Nozomu could enter our world at this moment. It was a topic just for the two of us, a secret conversation that only we could understand.
I love these moments, laughing with Umi as we trade silly jokes. It's incredibly comfortable.
"Hehe, looking back now, we were both pretty weird, huh? You tried to bring a girl you'd barely met home with you, and I just went along with it so easily."
"We had so much fun just lazing around that we ended up staying over 'til morning."
"Hehe, yeah, that happened. I remember even I was scared for a moment when Masaki-obasan woke us up… We've really been through a lot, haven't we?"
"Yeah… But it was fun, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. Because I was with you, Maki."
"Me too. Because I was with you, Umi."
At the memorable place where it all began, Umi and I spun our memories together, one by one. Starting with the self-introduction card I picked up on a whim, I slowly got to know the girl named Asanagi Umi, and I fell in love with her more than anyone else.
The atmosphere during my first self-introduction after entering high school still felt traumatic, but I don't regret it one bit.
…Because I was able to become 'friends' with a girl as cute as Umi.
"Maki, um…"
"Yeah?"
"I know it's a little late to be saying this, but…"
"It's fine. What is it?"
"…I might have wanted to go to the fireworks festival with just the two of us."
As she spoke, Umi squeezed my hand tightly. A fireworks festival date, just the two of us, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of our friendship. It might be cliché, but we're just an ordinary high school couple. Even though we usually just laze around at home, sometimes we want to do something cliché, too.
"Well then, should we cancel on them and go by ourselves? Amami-san said she'd be okay with it."
"Hehe, she actually told me the same thing. So typical of Yuu, right?"
"Everyone has their own plans, too… Still, Amami-san somehow makes it work."
"It's not that she makes it work, it's more like it just naturally happens that way."
Canceling plans the day before would be a nuisance for anyone, but when Amami-san is the one doing it, things just seem to work out. "If Amami-san says so," or "If Yuu-chin is asking,"—Nozomu and Nitta-san would probably accept it without any fuss. And not just our close friends, either.
Umi and I could never pull that off.
"Thanks, Maki. For listening."
"So, no canceling after all?"
"Of course not. Yuu might have said that, but she's the one who's looking forward to it the most."
Just as Umi said, although Amami-san's words showed consideration for us, if we took her up on it, she would surely be visibly disappointed. Our understanding is to prioritize our time alone as a couple, but that doesn't mean we can neglect our time with our friends. It's thanks to the three of them—always watching over us with such kindness—that we're able to be so openly affectionate.
"Well then, let's take it easy today and rest up for tomorrow."
"Hehe, yeah. Let's just ignore the fact that we're doing the same thing we always do."
"Thank you very much… Hehe."
"Ehehe."
We laughed and chose two titles from the many candidates. Both were sequels that had gained popularity (in a very niche community), and you could feel the creator's mysterious passion just by looking at the covers.
After paying, we left our usual rental store and headed to the supermarket that had also become our go-to spot. Usually, we'd order delivery from my part-time job, but Emi-senpai had told us the manager messed up the schedule and they were extremely short-staffed today, so it would be a great help if we could refrain from ordering.
Should we just get some side dishes, or should I cook something myself? A dilemma.
"Hmm… Oh, this sushi pack is half-off. We've been eating nothing but junk food lately, so maybe we should have this with some miso soup for a change… Hm? Umi, what's wrong?"
"Maki, look, over there at those kids."
"Huh? Where?"
"Look, the ones in yukatas in the store's parking lot. Are they elementary schoolers?"
Umi tugged on my sleeve, and I looked in the direction she was pointing. There were several children happily chatting, perhaps waiting for someone. The boys were in casual clothes, but just as Umi said, several of the girls were wearing yukatas.
This time of day, with girls dressed up in cute yukatas… I could guess where they were going.
"…Hey, Maki."
"Umi, you're not thinking of something weird again, are you?"
"H-How rude. Just a little, just a tiny bit, okay? I was just thinking of following them to see where they're going."
"…I feel like the world would call that 'something weird'."
Umi probably had an idea as well; those kids were most likely heading to a festival somewhere. It could be a local community event or a small-scale festival open to the public. I've lived in this town for a while, but there are surprisingly many local events you wouldn't know about unless you looked them up. There was a chance we'd come up empty, but this could be fun.
…And most of all, Umi seemed unusually motivated.
"But instead of following them, wouldn't it be better to just ask? You might be fine, Umi, but if a guy with a face like mine is tailing them, they'd probably report me."
"I don't think you look that bad… but yeah, you're right. Well then, Maki, I'm counting on you."
"Huh?"
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Umi pushed my back, urging me to go talk to them.
"…I'm the one asking?"
"Huh? But you're the one who suggested it, Maki."
"Well, yeah… wait. I feel like I'm being cleverly talked into this…"
"It's fine, it's fine. Come on, if you just stand there, they're gonna leave."
And so, we paused our shopping and headed towards the circle of elementary schoolers. I was worried they might set off a personal alarm the moment I spoke, but Umi was right behind me, so she'd have my back.
"…Um, hey, you guys, got a minute?"
"!!"
The moment I called out, the children all turned to look at me with suspicious expressions. They were probably in the upper grades of elementary school, and I must have startled them.
"Mister, you need something from us?" a brave boy asked.
"Ah, sorry for startling you. I didn't come to lecture you or anything like that."
"…"
My attempt at reassurance seemed to have the opposite effect, as their expressions grew even sterner.
…I tried my best, but it seems I'm still a long way from Amami-san and Umi's level of communication.
"Um, Umi-san, I…"
"Good work. Leave the rest to me."
Noticing the situation had worsened, Umi immediately came to my side with a gentle smile.
"Sorry for startling you. We go to the high school at the foot of that mountain, but we don't know this area very well… I see some of you are wearing yukatas. Is there something going on nearby?"
"Ah… yeah, there is. I mean, yes, there is," the boy who had been glaring at me just a moment ago stammered, blushing as he suddenly shrunk like a cat. He clearly didn't mind being spoken to by a pretty older girl, but unfortunately for him, the spot next to her had been taken for a long time.
…Not that I'd say something so childish out loud.
"There's a festival at a small shrine about a ten-minute bus ride from here," he explained. "There are lots of food stalls with takoyaki, yakisoba, and stuff, so we were all going to go together… Oh, and our homeroom teacher will be there, so there'll be an adult."
"I see, I see. You're so responsible for an elementary schooler. That's very impressive."
"Uh, ehehe… that's not… true."
"…"
Don't be jealous. Don't be jealous. Don't be jealous.
I kept chanting that to myself, but watching Umi gently pat the boy's head with a kind smile, I couldn't stop the possessiveness from welling up inside me. An elementary schooler looked at me with caution, and on top of that, I was feeling childish jealousy… You couldn't tell who the elementary schooler was between the two of us.
"Maki, sorry to keep you waiting. It seems like it's okay for us to go. What do you want to do?"
"…I'm fine either way."
"Hehe. Maki, are you jealous?"
"…"
"Oh, come on, don't pout. The only one I love, now and forever, is you, Maki. Okay? So cheer up."
"…Sorry, for being such a pain."
"It's fine. I got to see your cute jealous face for the first time in a while, so let's call it even."
Having obtained some valuable information, we went back inside the store to grab some drinks and then headed to a bus stop we rarely used. It was a little ill-mannered, but for dinner tonight, we'd just buy and eat whatever we wanted from the food stalls.
The bus was crowded, right during the evening rush hour, so all the seats were taken.
"Umi, it's going to be shaky, so hold on tight to me."
"Okay. Ehehe, you've gotten pretty good at saying dependable things so naturally, Maki. Good boy."
With that, Umi didn't grab a strap; instead, she happily leaned her body against mine. I could feel the stares of the elementary schoolers from before on my back, which was a little embarrassing.
After about ten minutes, we got off at the bus stop in front of the shrine. We were greeted by countless lanterns illuminating the roadside with a gentle light, and the sweet and savory aroma drifting from the food stalls along the slope leading up to the main shrine. It was the time of day when you start to get hungry. The festival was exciting, but first, we needed to fill our stomachs.
"Mmm, it smells so good… I know I shouldn't waste money, but at times like these, I always end up buying too much. Then I overeat and regret it immensely when I hop on the scale the next day."
"Well, tomorrow will probably be similar, so let's try to hold back a little today. There seems to be a lot of variety. What do you want, Umi?"
"A pack of takoyaki, yakisoba, and grilled squid are classics, so those are a must. Then, beef skewers and fried chicken… Oh, and since it's a festival, I might want some chocolate-covered bananas and candy apples, too. It's still hot, so for dessert, shaved ice."
"I just said we should hold back…" I sighed. "Oh well, we can just be careful tomorrow."
"We'll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow," we both made a strange excuse and decided to eat whatever we wanted without a budget. The prices were steep, but influenced by the festive atmosphere, money flew out of our wallets.
"Maki, here's some takoyaki. Say 'ah'."
"Yeah. Ahh… mm."
"Hehe, is it good?"
"It's… probably just normal, but I wonder why it tastes better than eating it at home."
"I know, right? The atmosphere is super important when you're eating."
Pizza and chicken eaten alone are delicious in their own way, but who you eat with and where you eat are elements that make a meal even more enjoyable. I don't really want to remember it, but there was a time when I couldn't taste anything I ate. I could still taste saltiness and umami, but I just didn't find anything particularly delicious.
But now, being with Umi like this, I can enjoy any meal. Sometimes we're adventurous and end up with something not so tasty, but we can laugh it off together and turn it into a good memory.
The lively atmosphere of the festival, and my beloved girlfriend right next to me. With that, even the most common food would surely taste delicious.
I savored the taste of the takoyaki sauce that filled my mouth.
As we slowly stepped into the shrine grounds, engrossed in the snacks we held, we saw a wooden stage erected in the center. It seemed like they were still preparing, but from what we overheard, some kind of dance was about to start.
"Maki, it's a special occasion, so let's join in for a bit, okay?"
"Sure, but I'm not good at dancing…"
"It's fine. For these kinds of things, as long as you just move your body with the flow, you'll be okay. Look, it's about to start. Let's go."
"O-Okay."
Just as we blended into the circle of locals, music started playing from the stage. With the "don, don, dodon" sound of the taiko drums, the people surrounding the stage began to dance freely.
"Maki, come on."
"Um… l-like this?"
"That's it. See? You can do it if you try, Maki."
We faced each other, held hands, and jumped to the rhythm, trying to imitate the movements of the people around us. There was no unified choreography like in a Bon dance, but as long as we, and all the other participants, were having fun, that was probably all that mattered. A festival with such a relaxed atmosphere was nice.
We moved our bodies randomly for about ten more minutes, and once we were satisfied, we left the dance circle and found a less crowded area in the shadow of a building.
"We came here on a whim following those kids, but it's surprisingly fun. I feel a little bad for Yuu and the others, though."
"That's true. Well then, let's invite them next year. We'll be studying for exams then, but a little break should be fine, right?"
"As a breather, yeah… But I see. We'll be third-years next year, huh?"
"…Yeah. Once we graduate, we'll be treated as adults."
I felt that the adult world, which I couldn't even imagine in elementary school, was just around the corner. When you become an adult, you're free to do things you couldn't do as a child. You have to be twenty to drink or smoke, but most other things become permissible. You even get the right to vote.
"Umi, how much have you thought about your future? We'll go to the same university for now, but what about after that?"
"Hmm, I wonder… It's not that I don't have fields I'm interested in, but I think I'd be happy enough just spending the rest of my life with you, Maki. Forever."
"Forever… does that mean… marriage…?"
"…Now, I wonder?" Umi said deliberately, but knowing her, she's probably living her life with our future together firmly in mind. I haven't said it out loud yet, but I'm well aware of it too.
"Maki, um… do you want to marry me?"
"......Um,"
"Hey~! No chickening out, say it properly~!"
"Mmph, h-hey, Umi."
She pinched both my cheeks and squished them around. It was still within the realm of couple's skinship, but a little stronger than usual.
"Alright, I'll say it… Um, can I be honest?"
"Yeah. …Wait, don't tell me you haven't thought that far ahead yet?"
"No, it's not that."
"? Then, what is it?"
"…Um, like, right now."
"Huh?"
I know it's legally impossible, but that's how strongly I feel. Umi needs to be mentally prepared too, so it would have to be when the timing is right for both of us… but if Umi came to me on her eighteenth birthday with a marriage registration form and asked me to "sign here," I would write my name without a second thought.
Of course, with our friend Nozomu's name as a witness.
"H-Heh. I-I see."
"Yeah. I do."
"…"
"…"
"S-Say something. I worked up quite a bit of courage to say that, you know."
"S-Sorry. But… I suddenly got embarrassed."
Right now.
In other words, if there were no obstacles and Umi was okay with it, we would be a married couple by next year.
Married by next year.
The moment I became conscious of those words, my cheeks flushed with heat. And so did the face of Umi, who was right beside me.
"Umi, um!"
"Y-Yes!"
"That's how I feel right now… So, I'd like to talk about this properly again later."
"Ah~… y-yeah, you're right. Yes. I'll give you my proper answer then, too. Yes."
"…"
"…"
"Um… should we head back for today?"
"Y-Yeah, you're right. It'd be a shame not to watch the movies we rented."
If we stayed here any longer, our feelings might get too intense. We decided to head to my place and cool our heads for now.
Being alone together at a festival, a rare and extraordinary space, was fun, but maybe we should restrain ourselves a little more in the future. What started as a conversation about our future careers had we somehow talked about marriage… We both seem so put together, but when it comes to romance, we just naturally go a little wild.