It was the Ichika Town Fireworks Festival from over ten years ago.
That was what made me love fireworks, and it was the beginning of this "habit" that has continued to this day.
I had come to the summer festival with my father, and he bought me my favorite Pikachu mask. Without even wearing it, I held it by the string and let it swing back and forth—because if I wore it, I wouldn't be able to see Pikachu anymore—as I ran around in high spirits.
Eventually, I got so excited that I felt an itch to run, so I let go of my father's hand and dashed off.
"Ah, Sako!"
I probably ran thinking my father would chase after me immediately (well, that logic is a bit mysterious even to me), but as a small child, I was needlessly skilled at slipping through crowds. My music-geek father, who had no athletic nerves, apparently couldn't keep up with me.
The result.
One minute later, I was all alone.
The moment I realized I was alone, I felt helpless and felt like I was about to cry.
"Sako is such a crybaby."
The words my father usually said to me crossed my mind.
My father probably said it in a teasing way, but to me back then, crying felt like something very embarrassing.
Then, I remembered the mask I was holding in my hand.
If I put this on, it will hide my face. From the outside, it will only look like Pikachu is smiling.
I put on the Pikachu mask and cried softly, making sure not to make a sound.
Thinking about it now, that was probably why it became so hard for my father to find me. Whether I raised my voice or didn't wear the mask, there were plenty of things I could have done, but I kept choosing ways that made it harder to be found.
"Look, Pikachu is wearing a yukata, how cute~" "Did she come alone?" "No, her parents must be nearby."
People passed by, smiling as they looked at me.
I was embarrassed to be seen, so I walked to the nearest dark spot, in the shadow of a yakisoba stall, and crouched down.
Being small to begin with, crouching down in an inconspicuous place made it even harder for anyone to find me.
But.
He was the only one who found me.
"Eh, are you crying?"
Suddenly, a voice called out from above me. When I looked up, there stood a boy about my age wearing a yukata. He was holding yakisoba in his right hand and holding hands with a girl who looked like his younger sister with his left.
"I-I'm not crying."
Even though I was wearing a mask, how did he know I was crying?
"No, you're definitely crying. Are you about the same age as Yuzu? Yuzu, do you know her?"
The girl called Yuzu shook her head.
"I see... are you lost?"
"I'm not lost."
"Then what is it..."
He let out an exasperated sigh.
That somehow made me feel scared, frustrated, and sad, and the tears came out again.
"Aaaaah..."
The boy in front of me started to panic. It seemed he could tell I was crying even through the mask.
He looked around as if searching for something and raised his voice.
"Ah!"
He seemed to have found something.
"What?"
"You like Pikachu, don't you?"
"Yeah..."
I wondered how he knew. I thought this person could figure out anything. (Well, obviously it was because I was wearing a Pikachu mask, I know that now. I'm just talking about what I thought back then.)
"Then, I'll get that Pikachu doll for you over there, so cheer up."
Saying that, he pointed to a shooting gallery.
"Can you get it...?"
"Yeah, well, probably... if I try my best..."
His sudden lack of confidence was somehow funny, and I let out a little giggle.
"Oh, did you laugh?"
"I didn't laugh."
Under the mask, I quickly made a serious face.
"Is that so..."
Because if I laughed, he surely wouldn't get the Pikachu for me.
Because if I laughed, he would surely feel relieved and leave me to go somewhere else.
"Well, I'll give it a try..."
Saying that, he pulled his sister's hand and walked toward the shop. Not wanting to be left behind, I followed him at a jog.
"Do you have money?"
When I asked that,
"My mom gave me 1,000 yen to buy yakisoba with Yuzu. I already bought the yakisoba. The line was super long."
"I see..."
Even though we were about the same age, he was able to go shopping while taking care of his sister.
I thought he was really cool.
As he tried to take money out of his pocket, he looked at his hands. Both were full.
"Um, look after the yakisoba and Yuzu for me."
Saying that, he handed the yakisoba to me and made me hold hands with his sister. With that, both of my hands were full.
He stepped up onto a stool for children and aimed the gun.
He had five shots.
However, it seemed it wasn't something a small child could handle so easily (and thinking about it now, 'he' is uncoordinated), so his first four shots were complete misses.
"Hmm, it's not going well..."
Then, before his fifth shot, a middle schooler wearing a school uniform who seemed to be enjoying the shooting gallery next to him called out.
"Do you want that Pikachu?"
His voice was low for his age, perhaps because it had just started to change.
"It's not for me, this girl wants it."
"Hmm, I see. Ah, so you like Pikachu."
The middle schooler gave a broad grin and said,
"Then, shoot at the same time as me."
"Huh?"
He tilted his head.
"Well, just do it, just do it."
Saying that, the middle schooler aimed his gun.
Seeing that, he also aimed his gun while still looking confused.
"Here we go, 3, 2, 1... fire!"
The two guns made a clicking sound at the same time.
At that moment.
"We did it!!"
The Pikachu soft vinyl figure fell.
"Oh, amazing, young man! That's the doll you hit!"
The middle schooler was clapping.
The shooting gallery owner picked up the doll and spoke to the middle schooler with a kind face.
"Takanori-kun, is it okay? Using your allowance..."
"It's fine, it's fine."
"That's stylish of you. I'll go buy plenty of beer from the Aga Liquor Store stall later."
"Thanks!"
After the shop owner and the middle schooler had that conversation,
"Here, it's the doll you won."
"I'm glad for you."
"Thank you!"
He received the soft vinyl figure from the shop owner.
"Here."
This time, he offered the figure he received to me.
When I hesitated, he took the yakisoba from my right hand and pressed the figure into my palm.
"Th-thank you..."
While I was staring blankly at the Pikachu soft vinyl figure,
"Are you feeling better now?" he asked.
I was about to say, 'Yes, thank you,' but I closed my mouth.
Because if I felt better, he would surely go away.
"Um, um, well..."
"Hmm?"
What should I say?
What can I say to make him stay with me longer?
As I was thinking, my stomach let out a loud rumble.
"...Are you hungry?"
"...Yeah."
...I wasn't lying.
Then he thought for a bit and said,
"Well, I guess it's fine if I eat less..."
He held out the yakisoba toward me.
"I'll give you just one bite."
"Th-thank you..."
But despite saying that.
In my right hand, I was clutching the figure (I think it had already become a treasure at that moment), and with my left hand, I was holding hands with his sister, so both my hands were full.
"What should I do..."
When I looked at him, he picked up some yakisoba with the chopsticks and said,
"Here."
He held it out to me.
"Wait, you can't eat with the mask on, can you?"
When he said that, I shifted the mask with the hand holding the figure.
"You could just take it all the way off..."
While saying that, he brought the yakisoba to my mouth.
I think it probably wasn't even that delicious, but I thought it tasted more like summer than anything I had ever eaten before.
Then,
'The first part is about to begin! 10, 9, 8,...'
An announcement echoed from somewhere.
"Oh, fireworks."
He looked up at the sky.
'3, 2, 1...'
With a loud boom, a large firework exploded in the sky.
"Wow..."
"Incredible..."
He said that and turned back to me.
"You've cheered up now, right?" he laughed.
As I reflexively tried to shake my head,
"The fireworks are pretty, and I'll stay by your side until they're over or we find your family," he added.
"...Yes!!"
I replied with a full-faced smile.
I love fireworks.
Because whether I'm crying or laughing.
He stayed properly by my side.
When the fireworks were finishing,
"Sako!"
My father, who had finally found me, hugged me, and after I was scolded for a while.
When I turned around to say thank you to him, their backs were already some distance away.
"Wait..."
I hadn't even asked for his name.
My father held me tight as I tried to chase after him. (I guess it would be a disaster if the same thing happened twice in one day.)
I watched that back until it disappeared, until it became truly tiny.
Looking at my face without the mask, my father said in confusion,
"Sako is a crybaby... wait, you're not crying? Aren't you going to laugh or cry because you met Papa...?"
I gave a small nod.
"Because if I stay like this, he'll probably find me."
Now it's just completely a habit, but since that day, I have always worn the mask called being 'expressionless'.
So that I can be found again, and so that we can meet again.
And so that when we meet next time, we won't part again, and he will stay by my side forever.