After leaving the Grand Narukami Shrine, Akio headed straight for Byakko Plain.
The sky was gradually darkening, and with few lights on Byakko Plain, the area felt dim and shadowy.
Arriving at the destination Kamisato Ayaka had given him, Akio slowly descended from the sky. He glanced around, noting that the place looked no different from before. Without changing his expression, he found a large rock and sat down.
Akio didn't bother sensing the space around him. Tonight was meant to be romantic and full of surprises. If he knew everything in advance, it would ruin the fun.
Not far away, Kamisato Ayaka tugged at Yoimiya's sleeve and said, "Yoimiya! Akio's here! Hurry up!"
"I… I'm a little scared," Yoimiya said with a pitiful expression. Why had her courage vanished at the last moment?
"Oh, come on! What's there to be afraid of? We've already rehearsed this!" Kamisato Ayaka said, exasperated. "If you keep being this timid, I won't let you confess to Akio!"
"No, no, I'll go!" Hearing Kamisato Ayaka's words, Yoimiya quickly waved her hands in refusal.
"Go, go!" Kamisato Ayaka nodded, urging her on.
"Alright, I'm going." Yoimiya stood up, a bow appearing in her hand. As she channeled the power of her Vision, Pyro energy slowly gathered, forming a flaming arrow.
Aiming at the spot where the fireworks had been prearranged, she let the arrow fly.
Not even the slightest movement could escape Akio's notice.
He naturally saw the flaming arrow and caught sight of Yoimiya's figure.
The Pyro arrow disappeared into a patch of grass, and after a few seconds of the fuse burning, countless fireworks burst forth, shooting into the sky.
The once dim plain was instantly transformed into a dazzling spectacle.
Akio looked up at the brilliant fireworks blooming in the sky. To his surprise, the fireworks took the shape of his own likeness.
The fireworks depicted him in various emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. Perhaps this was how Yoimiya saw him in her heart.
"The glow of the fireworks reflects my wishes, and my wishes ascend into the night sky, where they shine brightly."
As Akio quietly watched the fireworks, a soft chant reached his ears. He turned to look.
Yoimiya was walking toward him, holding two beautiful handheld fireworks.
"Yoimiya," Akio said with a gentle smile.
"Akio~" Yoimiya looked at him and handed him one of the fireworks.
Under the night sky's canvas, the dazzling fireworks, warm starlight, and passionate lights all swirled in Yoimiya's hands, reflecting her bright and tender smile.
The two of them looked at each other and gently pressed their fireworks together. In the next moment, the handheld fireworks formed a fiery red heart.
"Akio, there are many times when I don't care about what I'm doing, but I always care about the person I'm doing it with," Yoimiya said, looking up at him. "Being with you, even if it's just chatting, kicking cans, or watching the scenery, makes me feel happy and at ease. I think I must have fallen for you."
Yoimiya's amber eyes seemed to hold a beautiful firework, gentle and moving.
"Our story began with fireworks and has been perfected through them," Yoimiya said, extending her hand. "Akio, though fireworks are fleeting, I want to walk hand in hand with you toward eternity under their glow. Can we?"
"Yoimiya…" Akio pulled her into his arms, looking into her expectant, radiant eyes. He gently leaned down and kissed her rosy lips.
The girl closed her eyes in contentment, savoring this dreamlike moment.
The fireworks continued to bloom, exploding and fading in the sky. Under the dazzling light, Akio and Yoimiya's embrace was illuminated, a testament to their eternal promise.
After a long while, the fireworks finally burned out, and the two gently separated. Yoimiya's eyes were as soft as water, and she tightly held Akio's hand, unwilling to let go.
Holding Yoimiya's hand, Akio glanced at the nearby grass and teased, "Little girl hiding in the grass, aren't you coming out? Or are you planning to feed the mosquitoes?"
"Hmph, you caught me," Kamisato Ayaka emerged from the grass. The usually poised young lady now had slightly disheveled hair, with a stray blade of grass stuck in her snow-white locks.
"Akio~" Kamisato Ayaka ran over, looking at the two of them with a pleased expression. "You're finally together!"
"Look at you," Akio said, reaching out to pluck the grass from Kamisato Ayaka's hair. "Why are you so happy today?"
"Of course I am," Kamisato Ayaka nodded. Today, she didn't have to maintain the dignified air of the Shirasagi Himegimi. Everyone thought the young lady of the Kamisato Clan was elegant and noble, but she was also just a girl, yearning for her own romantic dreams and love.
"Yoimiya! How was it? Didn't I come up with a great idea?" Kamisato Ayaka looked at Yoimiya with a smile.
"Thank you, Ayaka," Yoimiya nodded. Who would have thought that the refined young lady could come up with such a romantic idea?
Yoimiya and Kamisato Ayaka each took one of Akio's arms and sat down on a nearby rock. The night on Byakko Plain was quiet, and after the fireworks faded, it felt a bit lonely.
Not far from the three of them, three figures were lurking in the shadows.
"Oh my~ Yoimiya actually pulled off such a romantic confession?" Yae Miko said with a pout. "Even I'm a little jealous."
"Oh, come on, you're jealous of a young girl?" Kitsune Saiguu shot Yae Miko a disdainful look. "Should we arrange one for you too?"
"No, thanks. I'm just an old fox. I can't pull off something like that," Yae Miko said with a mocking glance at Kitsune Saiguu.
"You…" Kitsune Saiguu was speechless.
Raiden Ei watched the scene intently, puzzled. "Isn't a confession just about expressing your feelings? Why go through all this trouble?"
"What do you know? You're just a blockhead," Yae Miko snorted. "Let's go, let's go! It's embarrassing to spy on someone's confession."
Hearing this, Raiden Ei and Kitsune Saiguu both rolled their eyes at Yae Miko. Weren't you the one watching most intently? If it weren't for them holding you back, you'd probably have rushed in to join the fun.
But the three of them didn't linger. They quickly disappeared, returning to the Grand Narukami Shrine.
"Yoimiya, here, I have a gift for you," Akio took out a necklace with a Blazing Stone.
"Wow! What a beautiful necklace. I've seen Ayaka and the Guuji wearing something similar," Yoimiya said in delight.
"This isn't just any necklace," Akio said softly as he placed it around Yoimiya's neck.
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