66 – Barabara Matsuri – 3
I walk silently. The weight I felt on her back wasn’t that heavy, but she seemed to notice Haruna, and she occasionally turned her head to clear her throat or glance in my direction.
“…… “Isn’t it heavy?”
“It’s heavy.”
That was a question with a fixed answer, but I just wanted to give it a try. I said that as I carried her on my back and climbed the stairs. She was dumbfounded for a moment, but then she opened her mouth in a curt manner.
“Put me down.”
“It’s hard for her to walk on those feet.”
“I can walk! “Put it down~!”
She waving her arms and hitting my shoulder. Undeterred, I climbed the stairs one step at a time.
“I heard it’s heavy! Please drop me off… !”
“I’m kidding. “It’s very light.”
Even though she said it with a smile, she didn’t seem to stop complaining, as if she was in a lot of pain. She lost her cell phone, her shoelace broke, and even hurt her foot, but she pretended to be strong and said it was nothing.
“It’s true. “I think I can walk around the shrine ten times like this.”
“…… “You’re bluffing.”
She squatted down and applied the medicine to her feet, and she stayed quiet. When I showed her back and offered to carry her, she obediently stretched out her arms and hugged me.
Climb up and enter the precincts. I passed her dark, secluded streets, stopped in front of her shrine, and dropped her off.
“…… “Should I at least pray?”
She muttered, rubbing her forehead. This was my first time knowing that a place like this existed in this neighborhood.
“Why did you come here?”
Haruna, squatting on the small stone steps, looked up at me.
He put his hand in her pocket, took out her cell phone, and held it out to her.
“……… Ah.”
“I found it in the lost and found.”
Someone who picked up her phone left it here. Should I say I’m lucky? There was no sign of any particular breakdown or broken screen.
“Carry it carefully next time.”
“……… Huh.”
She calmly picked up her cell phone and looked at the white bag she was holding in her hand.
“Oh, this is…” .”
She puts her hand inside and takes out the item she bought.
“On our own. “I thought it would be nice to do something small.”
“Wow… ….”
It was a fireworks set I bought at a nearby convenience store. I didn’t know much, so I bought everything I saw. Even something like this would be enough for everyone to enjoy together.
Haruna took the box, looked at it, and muttered.
“Seonhyang fireworks… ….”
“Do you know how to do it?”
“Yes.”
With a tap, I knocked on the seat next to her. Her he sits next to her and watches her. A faint flame burned at the tip of the small stick.
“…… Lol.”
It was nothing compared to the beautiful flowers that had decorated the night sky just moments ago. She smiled, as if she was happy even with such a small firework.
“It’s pretty… ….”
A beautiful girl wearing a yukata holds a stick of flame in her hand… It becomes a picture.
I was thinking that while looking at her.
“…… Right?”
“Yes. “I see.”
She nodded and saw the flames in front of her eyes. It quickly died down and the surroundings quickly became dark.
“…… One more!”
Take out the stick and light it. I am squatting in a dark shrine without even a single streetlight and looking at the small fireworks. To me, it felt like a simple game of house. Just seeing Haruna happy made me feel satisfied.
“…… It goes off very quickly. Right?”
I held up the bag to Haruna who asked that question.
“It’s okay. “Because I bought a lot.”
“Are you planning on doing all of that?”
Even though she said it as if she was dumbfounded, one day she reached out to me.
“Then let’s do it quickly. Something different this time.”
She puts her hand into her bag and takes out another firework, chatting about what this one is like. While we were talking like that, I heard someone approaching from afar.
“Hey~ Haru-chan~”
“Is it there?”
Yuki and Takase-senpai stood in front of us.
“Ah, everyone… “How did you find out?”
“Unlike others, my cell phone is still intact.”
“Wow….”
I looked around to see Senpai anxiously asking what happened to that foot and Yuuki teasing Haruna by asking if she was a lost child. Shiraishi… ?
After the festival was over, I joined everyone and expressed my wish to have a simple fireworks display together. It was Yuuki who suggested a place called a shrine, and it was a senior who retrieved the cell phone from the lost and found.
It was purely by chance that I stopped by the entrance of the shrine first and found Haruna there.
“Yuuki. “Didn’t Shiraishi come with you?”
“Huh? Come to think of it….”
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No, no way… In the meantime, I got distracted somewhere else and became separated from everyone.
I guess we don’t have to find another missing person.
The moment I looked around the grounds with such anxiety
“Everyone!”
A familiar cry was heard from the end of the precinct.
It was dark around here, so I couldn’t see who it was. I knew the owner of that voice without any doubt.
“Everyone, please pay attention! This is it… !”
No, what are you trying to do?
“Passion and enthusiasm! It symbolizes me, Akira Shiraishi… !”
A roar rang out from the sky.
Everyone raised their heads in surprise.
“Real fireworks coming!!!”
I just saw it as the finale of the previous festival… No, even more colorful flowers were decorating the sky. With loud laughter that could not be defeated by the binge drinking.
“Oh~~~ Hohohohoho!!!!!!”
The dark grounds were brightly lit up by colorful fireworks exploding into the sky.
We looked at it for a while.
“……… Simply… “I said let’s do it.”
This is why the fireworks set I bought was meaningless.
To the point of such empty laughter. It was a beautiful firework.
“Now that I think about it… “Shiraishi was busy on the phone after you left, Minsu.”
“It seems like the people of the Shiraishi family have put in a lot of effort.”
I can’t believe you used your strength… As I was listening, I became dumbfounded. Is that possible with just one phone call?
With the colorful fireworks in the background, Shiraishi smiled triumphantly at us, as if he were Gatsby.
Yes, yes. You are amazing….
I can only express such admiration.
When I turned my head and looked to the side, I saw Haruna staring blankly at the night sky. Squat down next to him.
“hahahaha… “That’s amazing.”
She muttered and laughed.
Senior and Yuuki are also caught in the sight and look up at the sky.
I suddenly felt a touch and looked down. Haruna’s fingers were gently touching the back of her hand. Her writhing hand slowly closes. Feeling each other’s warmth, we took in the same sight.
***
“Shiraishi, you… “It’s amazing.”
“Oh~~ Hohohoho!!”
Shiraishi approached Yuuki with a confident look and asked.
“How was it!? “The gorgeous firework that symbolizes our family!”
“Okay. “It’s recognition.”
Yuki clapped her hands and said.
As if she had gotten the answer she wanted, she looked back at us with a satisfied smile.
“Mr. Takase?”
“Yes. “Thanks to you, it was fun.”
Whoa! And Shiraishi looked at me and Haruna.
“…… Aki-chan. It was very pretty. Thank you.”
“No, no…” “For my friends, this is nothing!”
Finally, make eye contact with me.
I didn’t really want to rely on my family’s fame or influence to get things done.
This time, I had no choice but to simply express my gratitude.
When I opened my mouth like that
“…… Mr. Minsu. “I was thankful for today.”
Unexpectedly, Shiraishi said it first.
“Thanks to you, I really enjoyed it.”
“No, I…” .”
I didn’t do anything special.
It was Yuuki who asked me to go to the festival.
With such an unfamiliar feeling, I looked at Shiraishi.
“…… “This flame is a small sign of my sincerity.”
“……… ….”
I didn’t ask her that.
“So, I hope you have good memories like I did.”
“……… Ah… huh.”
Nevertheless, looking at her smile, I realized that the flame was burning for me.
***
After the festival was over, I heard his request and followed him.
After making contact, I followed Minsu with my eyes as he walked quickly to join Takase and Yuuki.
Curfew time… Even if you return home, your father and mother will not be scolded right away because they are not there.
I will definitely go in after seeing it.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t refuse Minsu’s sincere request. Quietly, I followed him.
“…… “Shiraishi.”
Suddenly, I stopped walking, turned around, and saw Minsu standing in front of me.
“Sorry. “Did I go too hastily?”
“Oh, no. “It’s okay.”
“If I keep doing this, I will lose it again.”
As he said that, Minsu extended his arm to me.
“…… Catch.”
“Yes?”
“I’m in a hurry. “I can’t afford to lose my group again like this.”
Hesitatingly, I extend my hand.
I couldn’t bear to touch him directly, so I grabbed his collar.
“Sorry. “It’s late, but it’s because of my request.”
“……… ….”
Miss Haruna and… I want to see fireworks one more time with everyone. He told me. The festival is already over, but still. Once more.
“To be honest… “I keep getting on Haruna’s nerves.”
“…… Okay.”
“You were always excited to watch the fireworks together. However… Because this is what happened.”
Even though he was scratching his cheek and muttering shamefully, he had a serious look in his eyes, as if he was still thinking of one person in a corner of his mind.
I just stare at that sight without realizing it.
You said you two were in a romantic relationship.
In that case, Minsu is saying that he is being extremely sincere right now.
When I see Minsu like that, I look back again at how I feel about Yuuki.
The greedy love that only thought of me and only gave me what I had… It makes me think about what difference there is between Minsu’s heart for others.
“…… Let’s go now. “Don’t let go of your arms.”
“Yes….”
If this is also a lesson that Mr. Minsu gives me. I will have to obey obediently.
At the same time, I wanted to cheer.
I want to help Minsu with what he is trying to do.
Thank you for being able to travel with me today and have such a great time. Nevertheless, I keep in my heart the person who is infinitely sincere in his thoughts for others.
I only followed in his footsteps.
“Ah… senior! Yuuki!”
I managed to meet other people and join them.
Minsu stepped away from me, and the feeling of his collar still remained in my hand.
“Then I will look for it at the shrine. “I’ll contact you when I find it.”
If there’s anything I can do… You have to do something.
If you would like to return even a little of the help you received from that person.
“Then Shiraishi.”
“Ah… yes.”
“See you later.”
I raised my head and made eye contact with Minsu.
“Mr. Minsu.”
And then he clenched his fist and said,
“Huh?”
“Fighting… are you.”
That’s what I said.
“Ah… huh.”
As I watched the person turn his back and leave to find Miss Haru, I also had a small wish that I too would love like that someday.
Can… I guess there is.
I pressed his chest and looked at his back as he walked away.