The streets of Hanabi Island felt even livelier than they had the day before. With the final evening of the Golden Festival drawing closer, nearly every storefront had placed colorful displays outside their entrances, hoping to catch the attention of tourists making their last purchases before the festivities began. The roads were packed beyond belief.
Odd Jobs was shopping for yukatas. The moment they reached the shopping district, everyone scattered into different stores, only to wander back outside every few minutes to show off what they had found before disappearing again.
Chifuyu: "No, this one."
Chifuyu's mother held up another navy-blue yukata in front of him: "It brings out your eyes."
Chifuyu looked down at it. Then at the one already draped over his arm. Then back at her: "Mom… they're both blue."
Chifuyu's mom: "They're completely different shades."
Chifuyu: "They look the same to me."
Chifuyu's mom: "They're not."
Chifuyu: "Hm. Maybe I should get a white one."
His father, who had been quietly waiting glanced between the two garments: "I think they both look nice."
His wife immediately turned toward him: "Which one?"
Chifuyu's dad: "The one that lets us leave first."
Chifuyu: "You know what, I totally agree."
His mother sighed dramatically: "You two have no appreciation for fashion."
Across the street, another shop had become occupied by an entirely different group.
Erika's mother stood beside Iris and Ariel, comparing different patterns with enthusiasm: "This one would suit you."
She gently held a pale lavender yukata against Ariel.
Ariel: "It's pretty. It fits Erika."
Iris: "Y-Yeah."
Erika smiled: "My mom's scary good at this."
Ariel: "Yeah, she even picked out Iris's."
After trying several different combinations, Ariel settled with a red one.
Erika's mother smiled proudly: "You 3 look perfect."
Iris looked down at herself: "…Thank you."
Erika's mom: "It was my pleasure."
Further inside the store, Esmarie was stuck between choosing about 10: "What about this one?" She spun around. Then another. "or this?" Another spin. "Ooh!"
Her parents watched with matching smiles that somehow suggested this happened every time they went shopping.
Esmarie's father folded his arms: "Don't take too long to choose. We are on a once in a lifetime vacation."
Esmarie: "Which is why I have to pick the best one!"
Sylvie: "Hehe. You'd look good in any of them, Esmarie."
Esmarie: "Aw… You're making me blush."
Marlon: "You gotta go with the one that has the sickest design."
Esmarie: "Yours is a little bit over the top."
Sylvie: "Just a little? Hehe."
Jeremiah's wife knelt beside their daughter, carefully adjusting a floral sash: "There. You look beautiful."
The young girl smiled brightly before twirling once.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah's son had a far simpler concern. He stretched his arms. Ran a few steps. Jumped. Then nodded: "This one lets me spread my legs like crazy."
Jeremiah chuckled: "I suppose that's the important part."
His sister looked over: "Boys are so simple."
Nobody knew exactly when it happened. Or how. But at some point… Every shopping bag ended up in Boten's hands. He looked down. Then looked around at everyone happily continuing their shopping.
Boten: "…How?"
He sighed. Adjusted the mountain of bags resting on both arms. And quietly accepted his fate. Elsewhere in the shopping district, Nicholas strolled alongside Jenna and Aoi. Unlike the larger group, they weren't in any hurry. The slower pace suited them. Jenna found herself smiling more than she realized. Not because anything particularly exciting was happening. Just because she was here. Walking beside Nicholas instead of stealing glances across a café counter.
Jenna: "I'm really glad I managed to get this weekend off."
Aoi nodded immediately: "Me too. I honestly thought they were gonna say no."
Nicholas smiled: "I'm glad you both made it."
Aoi: "You should tell him how much convincing it took."
Jenna rubbed the back of her neck: "I had to beg like crazy, let's just leave it at that."
As time passed, Ariel and Miku had unknowingly wandered several streets away from the others. Every souvenir stand seemed to catch Miku's attention. She happily stopped every few minutes to point something out.
Miku: "Ooh!"
Ariel picked up a small handcrafted charm: "Look at this."
Miku: "…It's cute."
Ariel then smirked with a confident snicker: "I have enough money to buy a thousand of these. Shall I get you one?"
Miku: "Yes please!"
Ariel: "Haha! Very well."
Not everyone had wandered into a crowd.
Shinatsu noticed Yuji standing near the edge of the shopping district, watching people pass by while everyone else disappeared into stores. She walked over.
Shinatsu stopped beside him: "Why so far from everyone?"
Yuji took a second before answering: "I just like my space."
Shinatsu laughed with a muffle: "Hmph. I definitely liked my personal space a lot too."
A brief silence settled between them.
Neither found it uncomfortable.
Yuji looked toward the bustling street: "You don't like having your personal space anymore?"
Shinatsu smiled faintly: "It's not that. It's just... these guys forced their way into my bubble. It went and popped."
Yuji: "But you're the one that came to them, aren't you?"
Shinatsu: "It wasn't by choice. When I first joined Odd Jobs, it was actually because my aunt wanted me to expose Chifuyu and Ariel. I never had any intention of doing it, but I still joined."
Yuji didn't respond.
Shinatsu continued: "After being with them for not that long, the idea of personal space no longer existed. But I didn't mind."
Yuji: "I see."
Shinatsu looked toward the crowd where Diego and Jeremiah's son were comparing festival masks.
Shinatsu: "They'll get you eventually."
Yuji let out a quiet breath that sounded suspiciously close to a laugh: "Doesn't sound like I've got a chance."
Shinatsu nodded once: "Nope."
***
If there was one thing everyone unanimously agreed on, it was that not trying every food stall on the final day of the Golden Festival would have been a terrible decision. Every street seemed to have its own specialty, and every vendor insisted theirs was the best on the island. The smells alone were enough to make people change direction mid-conversation.
Thus began what Diego proudly dubbed: "The Great Food Crawl."
Nobody objected.
Mostly because everyone was already eating.
The first stop was grilled squid.
Diego bought one the size of his forearm and held it up triumphantly like a hunter returning with his prey: "Behold."
Chifuyu: "If your portions are that big for each stall, you're gonna throw up before we're even halfway done."
Diego: "Your little stomach just isn't built like mine."
Kagura: "Ooh, is there a food eating contest somewhere?!"
Shinatsu had flashbacks to the hot dog eating contest with Iris and nearly hurled just from remembering.
Iris: "Uh.. Kagura. That might be a touchy subject for Shinatsu."
Chifuyu: "Hahaha! I totally forgot you hurled at that hot dog eating contest."
Esmarie: "Pfff. No way."
Sylvie put a hand over her mouth: "Oh my."
Shoyo broke out with laughter: "Bwahahahaha! Chifuyu, why didn't you send me pics?!"
Chifuyu: "Darn, I should've."
Shinatsu: "One more word, and I'll be stuffing hot dogs down your throat until you vomit on yourself."
Chifuyu and Shoyo immediately wiped the smiles off their faces.
Nicholas: "Haha. Chifuyu also teases Shinatsu knowing he's in for it each time."
Marlon: "Takes a brave man."
Somewhere along the way after that…
Chifuyu unknowingly became everyone's pack mule.
It started innocently enough.
Shinatsu: "Hold this for a second."
Then—
Esmarie: "Can you hold mine too?"
Followed by—
Erika: "I'll be right back."
Now he somehow found himself carrying five different trays while attempting to eat his own food between balancing acts.
Chifuyu: "Shinatsu must've set them up to this."
Nicholas: "Haha. Need help?"
Chifuyu: "I'm just gonna throw them away if they don't come back in 30 seconds."
Diego: "Can you hold this?"
Chifuyu stared at him.
Diego shrugged: "Worth a shot."