“Takuto...?”
My face must have been so flushed that Sako’s usually flat tone actually rose at the end.
“Ah, s-sorry...”
No, no, why am I stuttering in front of my childhood friend...? Sako is the one person I’m supposed to be able to talk to without stuttering!
“So, what was that ‘re’ about?” Sako asked.
“Ah, n-no, well, I was just saying ‘Otsukare’...”
“Eh, what do you mean?”
“I just... put too many words between the ‘Otsuka...’ and the ‘...re,’ I guess...” I explained stumbling over my words.
“What? There was such a weird gap that I thought you were going to say some compliment starting with ‘re.’ It’s confusing, so stop it.”
“Oh, sorry...”
I’m really sorry... I’m actually very grateful that you read into it that much...
“...So, I’m asking for your impressions.”
I looked at Sako again as she pouted.
The yukata Sako wore was indigo with vibrant white and cherry-blossom colored fireworks patterns. The obi belt was a deep yellow.
It’s a beautiful color, I thought, staring blankly at the obi.
“How should I put it... as expected, it suits you...”
When I said that—
“...Takuto, where are you looking when you say that?”
Sako gave me a cold stare while covering her chest.
“Heh...?”
...Wait, is that what she thinks!? Does she think I meant it suited her in the sense of ‘people with Sako-chan’s body type’!? That’s quite offensive!
“No, no, it’s not that! I’m saying that combined with the color of your hair, that yukata really suits you!”
I exhausted my vocabulary to make an excuse. I can’t have her misunderstanding that. I’m not the kind of trashy guy who focuses on a woman’s chest! R-Really!
“...I see.”
But despite my excuses, Sako turned away.
However, from her profile, it looked like the corner of her mouth had risen by zero point something millimeters.
That in itself is kind of ticklish and embarrassing...
“Well then, let’s go.”
“O-Oh.”
As Sako started walking toward Ichika Middle School, her geta made a clacking sound, and I realized only now that I was wearing a T-shirt and sneakers.
“...Sorry that I’m just in my regular clothes.”
“It doesn’t matter, but,” Sako looked back and said, “Takuto’s yukata look was incredibly cool, so I want to see it again.”
Cool...? I only wore a yukata once when I was little, and I’ve never worn one in front of Sako...
It’s about a 15-minute walk from the station to Ichika Middle School.
Since it’s the fireworks festival today, stalls are lined up all along the side of the road.
Choco-bananas, goldfish scooping, shooting galleries, yakisoba, frankfurters, cotton candy, mask shops, baby castella...
Seeing this scene makes me realize the obvious: ah, it really is a summer festival.
By the way, the reason we are headed to Ichika Middle School is because the local way to enjoy the fireworks is to spread a leisure sheet on the school grounds and look up.
“Takuto, did you bring a leisure sheet?” Sako asked while walking (probably).
“Crap, I forgot...”
This wasn’t the time to be leisurely explaining ‘the local way to enjoy it.’ If Sako is wearing a yukata, that’s definitely my job no matter how you look at it...
“Sorry...”
“It’s okay. We’re going to watch from somewhere else anyway.”
“Somewhere else? Not at Ichika Middle School?”
“It is at Ichika Middle School.”
“Huh...?” What are you saying, Sako-chan? Is this a riddle?
“Anyway, what should we do for dinner?”
We could eat while watching the fireworks, but we should probably get something before we reach the school.
“I want to eat yakisoba.” Sako pointed to an incredibly long line a bit further ahead.
“No, we don’t have to line up for something like that, right? Let’s eat takoyaki, takoyaki.”
“No, it has to be yakisoba. I want to eat yakisoba with Takuto.”
Sako shook her head while remaining expressionless. Are you a child in their rebellious phase...?
Only Sako or Mio-chan would be this obsessed with yakisoba. I have to make sure I don’t accidentally buy grilled mackerel (yaki-saba), or we’ll end up in a huge fight and then have an intense reconciliation...
“...Alright, let’s line up then.”
“Yeah, let’s line up.”
As we lined up at the end of the queue—
“Ah, it’s Sakochi and Konuma!”
One of the two girls lined up in front of us waved and called out.
“Hina.”
“O-Oh, Mizusawa...”
I feel like I’ve been spotted by someone I didn’t really want to see... just a hunch, though...
Hinata Mizusawa. She’s a middle school classmate of Sako and me.
The ace of the track club. Being energetic is fine, but she has absolutely no concept of private space, and her sense of distance is close for better or worse. ...Now that I think about it, she’s a bit like Ichikawa.
“Did you two come together this year~?”
“Yeah,” Sako answered with the corner of her mouth rising zero point something millimeters.
“Well, it was more unnatural that you came separately last year. Though I was pretty surprised by Sakochi’s blonde hair... Ah, this is Kaori Yoshino! A friend from my high school!”
Mizusawa introduced the girl in a yukata who was with her.
By the way, why is Yoshino-san wearing a yukata so properly while Mizusawa is in a T-shirt and shorts? Isn’t that a bit sad? (Wait, isn't that a boomerang back at me?)
This person must be quite confused, being suddenly introduced to strangers...
“Uh, h-hello.”
Look, she’s sweating, poor thing.
““Hello.””
I intended to greet her with my kindest voice, but as a result of harmonizing with Sako, it came out sounding somewhat blunt. Sorry, Yoshino-san or whatever your name is...
“These are Sako Hasu and Takuto Konuma from Ichika Middle School! You guys are going to the same high school now, right?”
Mizusawa introduced us to Yoshino-san. Almost as if explaining who we were to someone from a world that didn’t know us. (Which is mostly true.)
Even so, she’s a polite and good person.
In contrast, here is the reply from our Sako-chan. Please listen.
“Mm.”
Even I, who just graduated from being a loner, know that this is a reaction you shouldn’t give to someone you’re meeting for the first time!
“No, Sako, that acknowledgement is too short... Uh, sorry, Mizusawa and Yoshino-san. The school we attend is Musashino International High School.”
I made sure to state the full name of the high school. Mizusawa’s politeness must have rubbed off on me.
“That’s right, Musashino International!”
As I took a breath of relief, the energetic girl smiled and dropped another bomb.
“Are you two dating already?”
““EH!?””
What’s with the sudden question, Mizusawa...! I was so surprised I harmonized with Yoshino-san.
“N-No, we’re not dating!”
“Isn’t that denial a bit too strong...?”
Sako’s tone rose at the end...!
No, but really.
“If you’re going to say that, then you and Nishiyama...”
Aoba Nishiyama is a gentle-looking guy with glasses who lives right near Mizusawa’s house.
The other day, I saw Mizusawa and Nishiyama walking home together on a day I was walking home with Sako.
I mean, look, walking home together is basically like dating, isn’t it? (Wait, is that another boomerang?)
“No way, Aoba and I aren’t like that! Right, Kaori?”
“Ahaha...” Yoshino-san gave a strained laugh.
“That’s why I’m saying we aren’t dating, stupid Takuto. We’re childhood friends.”
I received an unusually strong retort from behind. Sako really loves the word ‘childhood friend,’ doesn’t she? This girl even hates being called ‘friends’...
“Next young lady!”
While I was thinking about it, the man at the yakisoba stall called out to Mizusawa.
“Ah, it’s my turn. Sakochi, Konuma, see ya later!”
“Bye.”
“O-Oh.”
Man, she was like a sudden gust of wind... Yoshino-san, do your best not to get swept away...! Having said that, maybe Yoshino-san is actually the aggressive type...
“Hey, Takuto.”
“Hmm?”
Sako pulled on the sleeve of my shirt while I was zoning out.
“I want to eat the yakisoba that Takuto buys.”
Uh, that means...?
“...Are you saying I should treat you?”
“That’s not it.” Sako rephrased it, her eyes sparkling unusually bright. “I’m saying I want to eat the yakisoba that Takuto is holding.”
The amount of information didn't increase at all...
With a sigh, I bought the yakisoba entirely with my own money.
After that, I continued toward Ichika Middle School with Sako, browsing the stalls along the way.
“Hey, Takuto.”
“What is it?”
“Give me some yakisoba.”
“Here you go.”
When I tried to hand over the yakisoba and chopsticks—
“...What are you doing?”
Sako was waiting with her mouth open.
“Feed me.”
“Hah...?”
What is this? Is she reverting to childhood too much?
I-I-I mean, doing the ‘aaaahn’ thing or whatever... I don’t do that... Maybe there was a time I did it for my little sister when I was small, but...
“Takuto.”
“...No way!”
I handed the yakisoba and disposable chopsticks to the pleading Sako and marched forward.
In the first place, the fact that there’s only one pair of chopsticks is already making me incredibly embarrassed!
After a while, my T-shirt hem was pulled again.
“Takuto, look at that.”
Sako was pointing at a shooting gallery stall.
“What about it?”
“A long time ago, Takuto won a prize for me there.”
“Huh? Did that happen?”
I don’t remember that at all...
“Yes, you definitely won it for me. I still properly have the Pikachu soft vinyl figure.”
“Is that so...”
It’s hard to describe the feeling of having something you don’t remember giving being cherished so much. It makes me feel like a very cold person.
“Hey, win one for me again.”
She’s being quite persistent today.
The only time I ever did a shooting gallery was that one time when I wore a yukata and did it to comfort a lost child wearing a Pikachu mask...
...Wait.
I gently pulled a memory from the back of my brain.
That’s right.
I did, just once, win a Pikachu soft vinyl figure at this shooting gallery for a lost child wearing a Pikachu mask.
“Wait, could it be...”
Sako giggled with expectant eyes.
“Sako, were you that Pikachu back then...?”
“Stupid Takuto, you finally noticed?”