Episode 94: Second Chance Fireworks Festival (2)

The summer festival grounds was packed with people, and I was getting fed up with the crowds.

As soon as I neared the meeting point, I spotted Endo-san.
I really do think her beauty is in a league of its own.
After all, I can recognise her even from this far away…

　Endo-san was wearing the same pale pink peony-patterned yukata as last year. Her hairstyle was different from usual; her long chestnut-coloured hair was loosely braided, tied into a single ponytail and draped over her right shoulder.

　I could have happily just kept gazing at her from afar, but the thought that she’d probably been waiting for me for ages made me want to go and speak to her as soon as possible.

As I got closer, I could see she was putting on her make-up, which made her look even more beautiful. She was so stunning that even I, as a woman, found myself mesmerised.

Perhaps because I was wearing a yukata myself, she didn’t notice me even when I was right next to her. Feeling a little annoyed, I pinched her cheek.

‘T-Takizawa!? Sorry, I didn’t realise it was you. You’re wearing a yukata…’

　Endo-san looked utterly astonished, scanning me from head to toe several times over. Being looked at like that was a bit embarrassing, so I tried to stop her, but she stared at me with a look as if she wanted to say something, and I found myself unable to speak.

‘Takizawa, you look…’
‘Hoshizora!! What, you’re so cute! It’s the first time I’ve seen you in a yukata!’

　Mai interrupted Endo-san and threw her arms around me, so I didn’t get to hear what she was about to say.

“And you’ve got make-up on too, it looks brilliant! I always thought Hoshizora had a cute sort of face, but with make-up, you’re a proper beauty.”

　Mai nodded proudly, agreeing. I was pleased to be complimented, so I decided to tell Mai honestly what I thought.

“You look lovely in it too, Mai.”

　After saying that, I looked over at Endo-san, curious about what she’d been about to say, only to find the corners of her mouth turned down sharply and a blatantly sulky expression on her face. I wanted to watch Endo-san, who should be so beautiful, yet looked so childish, for a little longer, so I decided to leave her be.

　Mai was wearing a yukata with a yellow floral pattern that suited her perfectly. Her buns were lower than usual and adorned with flowers, giving her a slightly more demure air.

“Senpai, sorry to keep you waiting!”

　Miumi-chan came running over, waving her arms energetically, and the whole group was finally together.

　Miumi-chan was also wearing a yukata; it was black with a cherry blossom petal pattern. She had a floral decoration on the right side of her head, giving her a slightly different vibe from her usual self.

“Wow, Hoshizora-sensei looks lovely in a yukata too!”
“Miumi-chan looks lovely as well. It’s because Miumi-chan suits that yukata so well.”
“That’s for sure!”

　Mai, even though she wasn’t talking about herself, turned to me with a ‘hehe’ sort of look and chimed in.

“Hina looks great too! She’s as beautiful as ever; I could just take photos of her in a yukata.”
“It’s true, Hina-senpai is almost unfairly cute, isn’t she?”

I agreed with everything the two of them said. Endo-san is almost unfairly beautiful. Ever since I saw Endo-san today, my heart has refused to listen to me and has been pounding away.

I wonder if Endo-san is enjoying herself…?

Perhaps because the other two were there, she was showing a different expression to everyone than she did when it was just the two of us.
　Perhaps because I’d been staring at Endo-san without realising it, she turned to look this way and our eyes met. Even though I wasn’t doing anything wrong, I instinctively looked away.

　Mai clung to my arm as usual, telling me to go this way or that, but for some reason Miumi-chan, looking rather grumpy, tugged Mai away, and the distance between Mai and me grew.

This time, Mai and Miumi are arm in arm, pressed close together, discussing whether to go this way or that.

Hang on, were they always this close…?
As I walked along, pondering this, Endo-san came up beside me, and we ended up walking side by side.

‘They both look like they’re having a good time.’
‘Aren’t you enjoying yourself, Takizawa?’
‘It’s just fine.’

As soon as I said that, Endo-san moved closer to me, pressing her body against my arm. Even though I’m doing exactly the same as I would with Mai, for some reason, the arm that Endo-san is pressing against feels hot.

　When I looked up at Endo-san, her face was closer than I’d expected, so I looked away again. I just can’t bring myself to look Endo-san straight in the face today…

“Takizawa, isn’t there anything you fancy eating?”
“Hmm, I fancy some takoyaki.”
“You ate so much last year you even snatched mine.”

　Endo-san was smiling happily with a gentle expression. I wasn’t trying to steal any; I just ate a lot because they were so tasty. Yet, being teased by Endo-san made me feel a little annoyed.

“So Hina laughs like that too—”

　Mai said that whilst stuffing her cheeks with a chocolate banana. Endo-san’s smile right now is her genuine smile. It’s a smile she’d never show at school, so I can see why Mai thinks that.

“Mai-senpai, can I have a bite of that?”
“Eh? It’s mine. No way.”
“You’re so stingy!”
“I’m just kidding. Here, have some.”

　The two of them were always high-spirited and noisy. This noise, which I should have hated, had turned into a pleasant time with these four, and I found myself feeling rather strange about it.

　Miumi-chan seemed to have popped about half of Mai’s chocolate banana into her mouth with a smile, and Mai was looking utterly despairing.

“That’s about three mouthfuls!”

Seeing Mai’s angry face, Miumi-chan laughed, her cheeks turning red. Just as I thought, there was definitely something different about the atmosphere between the two of them today.

“We’re going to go and buy some takoyaki.”

Endo-san said that and pulled my arm without asking. It was so crowded that if Endo-san let go, we’d probably lose each other straight away. So, I gripped her arm tightly.

　As we walked, my gaze drifted down unconsciously, and I found myself looking at Endo-san’s feet.
It seemed she was fine today, but I spoke up as if to escape the silence between us.

“Are you alright today…?”
“I bought some that are easy to walk in. Thanks for worrying about me.”
“I’m not really worried. It wouldn’t be worth it if we couldn’t see the fireworks again this year, would it?”
“Hehe, that’s what’s lovely about you, Takizawa.”

　Endo-san seemed several times happier than usual today. It didn’t take me long to realise that I, too, was feeling happy about that.

We arrived at our destination. I bought some takoyaki and Endo-san bought some okonomiyaki. When we returned to where Mai and the others were, the two of them were gone.

“It’s just like Mai to have found something fun and gone off to it. I feel sorry for Miumi-chan.”
“Well then, shall we just do our own thing?”

　We sat down on a bench in a quiet spot.

　When I put the takoyaki in my mouth, it was piping hot and I nearly burned my tongue.

“There’s no need to rush, no one’s going to take it, so just eat slowly.”

　Endo-san said that with a lovely smile. I felt embarrassed that I must have looked childish to Endo-san, so I decided to blow on it to cool it down properly before putting it in my mouth.

“Can I have a bite of your takoyaki?”

　I actually wanted to keep the takoyaki all to myself, but Endo-san was looking at me with such sparkling eyes that I had no choice but to give her some.

“Here, have some.”
“Takizawa, feed it to me.”
“Do it yourself.”
“Fine, never mind.”

Endo-san turned her face away and stopped looking at me. After leaving her for a moment, she puffed out her cheeks, looking as though she was waiting for me to give her some.
That look was surprisingly childlike, and I couldn’t help but want to spoil her.

‘Endo-san, look this way.’

　When I brought the takoyaki to Endo-san’s mouth, my favourite takoyaki vanished into her mouth in an instant. She munched away happily, looking just like a dog that had been given a treat.

‘I’ll give Takizawa some okonomiyaki too.’

　Even though I hadn’t asked for any, Endo-san brought some okonomiyaki to my mouth. I simply took a big bite of it.

“Okonomiyaki’s actually quite tasty…”
“Isn’t it?”

　Endo-san was eating the rest of her okonomiyaki with a cheerful expression. Today, I’d made a new discovery: the okonomiyaki from the food stalls was delicious too.

　When I’m with Endo-san, I always discover a new side of myself, and every day is fun.

“…It’s about time. I know a spot where there aren’t many people and you can see the fireworks.”

Saying that, Endo-san took my hand and led me there.

The place she took me to was indeed quiet.
‘Can we really see the fireworks?’ I wondered as I waited for them to go off. Endo-san wouldn’t let go of my hand.

At eight o’clock sharp, a whistling sound echoed through the air.

　BOOM!!

　A loud bang rang out, and flowers bloomed in the night sky.

　Come to think of it, when was the last time I saw fireworks like this…?

　With a noise so loud it hurt my ears, countless flowers were painted across the night sky. Normally, I’d find loud noises and crowded places difficult to handle and would hate them, but today, my heart wouldn’t stop racing.

　The night sky is so beautiful.

　I feel like I understand, just a little, why Endo-san had wanted to see them for so long.

　It seems that just one beautiful thing can make a person’s heart leap like this.

‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it…’
‘Yeah, I’m glad we got to see the fireworks.’

　She’d said she’d wanted to see them for so long, so I’m glad we did. It felt as though, after a whole year, I’d finally managed to fulfil just one of Endo-san’s wishes.

I pull my eyes away from the beautiful fireworks and look toward Endo-san — only to find her gazing at me so intently that I almost want to look away. That alone was enough to make my chest seize up all at once.

“— Sora, you’re beautiful.”

A firework goes up.
A pounding sound reverberates through my head.
I couldn’t tell anymore whether it was my heartbeat or the fireworks.

I pulled the hand intertwined with mine toward me, rose up just a little on my toes, and gently pressed my lips to Endo-san’s.

“Hina — you’re beautiful too——”

　I didn’t understand my own actions or words, nothing at all.

　It was all because the fireworks were so beautiful.

　My face and body felt hot, and my chest felt tight. My heart was racing faster and faster, refusing to slow down.

　I had the feeling that a little of the lipstick my mum had put on me was on Endo-san’s lips. It seemed I’d put it there myself.

　Truth be told, I wanted to run away from there right then and there; I was so embarrassed I wanted to vanish.

　But that day, I held Endo-san’s hand the whole time and looked up at the sky until the fireworks stopped.