After that, we continued eating our way through the festival, trying our hand at goldfish scooping, yo-yo fishing, and katanuki.
"Onii, next is that one!"
"The shooting gallery? Sure."
"Yay!"
With her eyes sparkling, Kotono ran toward the shooting gallery booth.
Kotono has always loved the shooting gallery. Even though she's grown up, she's still a kid at heart in that regard.
"One round of shooting, please!"
"Sure thing—wait, huh? If it isn't Kotono-chan."
"Oh, Ryūya-kun?"
Wait, what?
Looking closer, I saw a familiar face inside the shooting gallery booth.
It was Ryūya, wearing a happi coat with a twisted hachimaki headband tied around his head.
And beside him was Neika, wearing a baggy happi and stuffing her face with a massive amount of festival food.
What are these two doing here?
"Whoa! Ryūya-senpai, Nei-chan-senpai! Hello!"
"Oh, Anrakuji. Yo."
"Mghm, mghgh..."
"Heeey!" the three of them said as they high-fived.
As usual, they either have a great vibe or they’re just quick to adjust. Also, Neika, don't talk with your mouth full.
Wait, more importantly...
"What are you two doing?"
Riran voiced my question for me.
"What do you mean? It's a part-time job. Nei's family is running this stall."
Huh, I didn't know that.
What kind of prizes do they even have... wait, what?!
"They've got all the latest game consoles!"
"Not just game consoles, Onii, they have high-end wireless earphones too!"
"What is this? Can you even make a profit like this?"
Indeed, I didn't feel like they could break even with 5 shots for 500 yen.
...Don't tell me.
"Hey Neika, is this..."
"That's right! My parents gathered the prizes and set up this stall just so Ryūya and I could work a part-time job together!!"
They’re letting their money do the talking! I'm honestly a bit put off!
While I was reeling from the sheer intensity of the Jūmonji family, Riran tilted her head.
"Even so, aren't there no customers?"
"We just opened a moment ago. We're about to start advertising and calling people in."
So that means we're the very first customers.
"Ryūya, let Kotono have a go. I'll pay."
"Much obliged! That'll be 5 million yen for 5 shots!"
"Don't try to rip me off with that Kansai-style energy."
I handed over a 500-yen coin and received a cork gun and some cork bullets. When I handed them to Kotono, she happily loaded the bullets.
"Oh, right. This shooting gallery has a bit of a special rule."
"Huh? Special rule?"
What's that supposed to mean...?
"Don't tell me the targets don't fall over?"
"No, it's not like that. The small targets and the big targets both fall over properly."
Ryūya actually held up a few targets to show us. It seemed they weren't fixed to the stand. So then, what kind of rule...?
"Onii, it's fine, just let me do it!"
"O-Oh..."
I personally wanted to understand the rules properly first.
Having finished her preparations, she aimed the gun. Following the sign that said 'Leaning forward strictly prohibited,' Kotono only poked the barrel out from the stand.
She aimed for the smallest target, the one for the latest game console.
She took careful aim... and pulled the trigger.
Pop! The cork bullet was fired with a dry sound.
However.
"Hup!"
Snatch.
Neika, who was waiting by the side, caught it.
""""........................What?""""
She caught it... she caught it?! She caught the bullet that was fired and flying through the air?!
"Special ruuuuuule! All the targets will fall, but Nei can catch the bullets you fire!"
"Vui!"
"What kind of sh*tty rule is that!!!!"
It was the sh*ttiest of the sh*t. It wasn't just a simple rule; it was a sh*tty rule on the level of winning the Sh*tty Game of the Year award.
"If you want the prize, just knock down the target while dodging Nei. You don't even have to drop it; as long as you tip it over, it's yours. Easy, right?"
"Only if you can clear the demonic difficulty of dodging Neika."
I mean, even if it's a cork gun, what kind of life do you have to lead to be able to pull off the feat of catching a flying bullet...?
"Ggggh... Curse you, Neika-tan...!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Is the gunner getting scared? Hey, hey, hey!"
That's the first time I've ever heard someone taunt by saying the gunner is scared.
"Mkyah! Noa, if it's come to this, let's take her on together!"
"Sounds good! That looks like fun! Senpai, money!"
"Am I an ATM?"
Well, I'll pay, though.
Just then, an announcement came over the speakers in the shrine grounds saying that the fireworks would start in ten minutes.
"Hey, what are you going to do about the fireworks?"
"I'm going to beat Neika-tan!"
"Same here!"
Good grief...
"Sorry, Ryūya, can I leave these girls to you?"
"Sure, sure. Go ahead and spend some time alone with your wifey."
"Thanks. Let's go, Riran."
"Y-Yes."
I handed a 5,000-yen bill to Ryūya and headed toward the fireworks venue side-by-side with Riran. When we entered the grass area inside the shrine grounds, it was already crowded with people.
This side was the viewing area. The fireworks would be launched from the opposite side of the pond, reflecting off the water to create a magical scene.
But... it was full of people everywhere.
"Were we too late...? We can't sit down like this. Sorry, Riran."
"It's fine. As long as I'm next to you."
"...Aren't you embarrassed to say that?"
"Not at all? Because it's how I truly feel."
Saying that, she clung to my arm like a snake and rubbed her cheek against it.
"You've really become honest, Riran."
"The honest me is cute too, right?"
"...Yeah."
I can say it now.
The honest Riran, and the not-so-honest Riran.
Both are cute, and I love both.
'The fireworks display will begin shortly. Please enjoy the multi-colored flowers that will decorate the night sky.'
The announcement echoed through the grounds. Immediately after—.
Fireworks rose from across the pond, scattering countless sparks and blooming into large flowers in the night sky.
The number increased as time passed, and the booming sounds mixed with cheers, making the venue feel like one.
The summer night air. The extraordinary feeling unique to a summer festival. And the fireworks.
Yeah, it’s a good thing.
I caught a glimpse of Riran out of the corner of my eye. She was looking up at the fireworks with a brilliant smile. She was cute, lovely, and beautiful.
As I thought...
Perhaps noticing my gaze, Riran pursed her lips shyly.
"W-What is it?"
"No. I was just thinking that while the big flowers in the night sky are nice, they can't beat my own personal flower."
"Ngh...! ...Idiot."
Despite saying that, she clung to me even tighter.
My face involuntarily heated up. As if to hide that face, the two of us stood side-by-side, watching the large flowers floating in the night sky.