102 - Did This Even Matter?

RAW

The sky began to turn crimson, transitioning into twilight.

Despite the approaching nightfall, the path Haruto walked was brightly lit by the countless lights of food stalls lining both sides of the road.

Energetic voices calling out to customers echoed from every direction, creating a lively atmosphere. The street was packed with people, moving through the narrow spaces between the stalls.

This was the largest fireworks festival in Haruto’s hometown.

Although it had been canceled once due to rain, it was rescheduled for the backup date and was proceeding without a hitch.

Walking side by side with his best friend Tomoya, Haruto satisfied his small hunger with a freshly bought karaage skewer.

“This thing costs 400 yen for one stick. That’s crazy,” Haruto muttered, staring at the empty skewer.

“That 400 yen includes the atmosphere tax, my friend. That’s festival pricing for you,” Tomoya replied.

“Well, yeah, I guess,” Haruto said, glancing at the skewer one last time before tossing it into a trash can by the roadside.

“This crowd is nuts, as always,” he remarked.

“No kidding. Just walking around is exhausting,” Tomoya replied, looking impressed.

Haruto shrugged in response.

Tonight, he was planning to watch the fireworks with Ayaka. If not for that, he wouldn’t have bothered coming to such a crowded place.

Turning to Tomoya, who was munching on takoyaki while watching the throngs of people pass by, Haruto offered his thanks.

“Thanks, Tomoya.”

“Huh? What’s that ‘thanks’ for?”

“For tagging along with me to the festival.”

Originally, Haruto had planned to head straight to the festival with Ayaka. However, being seen together by their schoolmates might reveal their relationship.

To avoid this, Haruto came with Tomoya, while Ayaka came with Saki. They planned to “accidentally” meet up at the venue.

“Yeah, yeah. Be grateful,” Tomoya replied.

“Sure thing, Tomoya-sama,” Haruto teased.

“Put some feeling into it!” Tomoya said with a laugh.

“Though honestly, coming with you means I get to see Tōjō-san in a yukata,” Tomoya admitted with a grin.

“That’s your real reason, huh?”

“Obviously. Without that, I wouldn’t come to a festival with just a bunch of sweaty guys.”

Haruto chuckled at Tomoya’s bold declaration.

Though he joked, Haruto appreciated his friend’s willingness to help.

Standing by the roadside, away from the crowd, the two chatted casually while waiting for Ayaka and Saki.

“Are Tōjō-san and her friend already here?” Tomoya asked.

“Yeah, they’re on their way over now,” Haruto replied, glancing at his messages with Ayaka.

Since they were supposed to meet by chance, they avoided making their meeting too obvious.

“Think Aizawa-san will be wearing a yukata too?”

“Probably. Ayaka said something like that earlier.”

Haruto remembered Ayaka’s cheerful comment that morning about being excited to see Saki’s yukata.

“By the way, Haruto, do you even own a jinbei?” Tomoya asked.

“Nope. This one’s borrowed from Ayaka’s dad, Shūichi.”

“Wow. How much does Tōjō-san’s family like you?”

Haruto chuckled at Tomoya’s half-impressed, half-exasperated reaction.

Incidentally, Tomoya was also wearing a jinbei, making them a fully festival-appropriate duo.

Finishing his last takoyaki, Tomoya casually remarked, “Man, seeing Aizawa-san in a yukata is gonna be great. Can’t wait, Haru.”

“Huh? Yeah… maybe.”

“What’s with that lukewarm reaction? Let me guess, you’re one of those ‘the cutest girl in the world is my girlfriend’ types?”

“Exactly. There’s no one cuter than Ayaka to me,” Haruto replied matter-of-factly.

Tomoya grimaced. “Ugh, alright, fine. Congrats on your world’s cutest girlfriend.”

“Thanks for the blessing,” Haruto said with a grin.

“Go blow up!” Tomoya shot back, eliciting laughter from both.

Amid their banter, a voice called out to them.

“Hey, you two, are you here by yourselves?”

Turning toward the voice, Haruto saw two women who looked a bit older, smiling at them.

“If you’re alone, why don’t you watch the fireworks with us?”

They looked like college students, judging by their mature vibe.

Haruto thought back to the times he and Tomoya had been approached like this before. Tomoya’s good looks and inexplicable appeal to older women meant that encounters like these—reverse pick-ups—happened occasionally.

“Ah, sorry, we’re actually meeting someone,” Tomoya said, flashing a polite smile.

That kind of smile was probably why women like this found him so attractive, Haruto mused as he glanced at the other woman. She seemed startled when their eyes met and quickly looked away, tugging her friend’s hand.

“Come on, let’s go. These guys have girlfriends—it’s not fair to bother them.”

“Aw, too bad. You guys are totally my type, though.”

The first woman threw one last look at Haruto and Tomoya, and Haruto felt an odd sense of being preyed upon.

“Aha…”

He forced a strained laugh, trying to brush it off.

At that moment, a familiar voice called out.

“Haruto-kun!”

Looking toward the voice, Haruto saw Ayaka and Saki walking toward them.

Ayaka wore a white yukata adorned with bright red goldfish, borrowed from her mother, Ikue. Her quick steps, just shy of disheveling her yukata, brought her straight to Haruto. She grabbed his arm and clung to him tightly.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Haruto-kun!”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. I wasn’t waiting long,” Haruto replied, slightly overwhelmed by Ayaka’s cheerful yet intense presence.

Though she smiled brightly, Haruto sensed the same fierce aura she had shown the day before when Ryota teased her about her tummy during their bath.

Ayaka turned her gaze toward the two women who had approached Haruto and Tomoya earlier.

“Haruto-kun, who are these people?”

“Uh, well, they just happened to talk to us—” Haruto began, only to be interrupted.

“Wait, is this girl your girlfriend?!” one of the women exclaimed.

“Yes, that’s right,” Ayaka replied.

“Wow! She’s adorable! What a cute couple! This is better than the fireworks! Thanks for the eye candy!”

With that, the woman cheerfully waved goodbye, dragging her friend along with her.

“What was that about…?” Haruto muttered, stunned.

Moments later, Saki arrived.

“Hey, Otsuki-kun, Akagi-kun,” she greeted, her purple yukata adorned with hydrangeas swaying lightly.

“Were those girls hitting on you guys?” she asked teasingly.

Tomoya exaggeratedly flipped his hair. “It’s tough being this handsome.”

“I’d say I just got dragged into it because of Tomoya,” Haruto added, pointing at his friend.

Saki chuckled. “Well, looks like Ayaka’s on guard duty to protect her precious boyfriend.”

“I’m not on guard duty,” Ayaka said with a sweet smile, her grip on Haruto’s arm tightening slightly.

Her demeanor, however, made Haruto feel as though he was being shielded from danger.

“Anyway, we’re all here now. Want to explore the stalls until the fireworks start?” Saki suggested.

“Great idea! I’m starving,” Tomoya said.

“You’ve already eaten so much, and you’re still hungry?” Haruto asked incredulously.

“Obviously! I’m a high schooler!”

The group laughed and set off to enjoy the festival, their lighthearted chatter blending into the bustling atmosphere.