Chapter 221: Fireworks and Miko
Arriving at the place, Sakurai Saki parked the car.
Because the road was crowded and stuck in traffic, by the time they reached Maruyama Park near Higashiyama, the fireworks festival was about to begin.
The three of them had no choice but to find a spot in the park where there were a little fewer people.
The best spots had of course already been taken by the crowd.
[The fireworks festival is about to begin! The fireworks festival is about to begin!]
All around, quite a few local residents had come to watch the fireworks, spreading picnic blankets as if on an outing; under the cherry trees there were also many people. The cherry blossoms in Maruyama Park were famous, but of course in summer there were no flowers to be seen—they had already fallen in May.
"Too hot."
"Too many people."
"Why hasn't it started yet?"
Summer was somewhat stifling. Even though the night wind was rather cool, for it to pass through the thick walls of people and blow onto everyone's faces was not easy.
"Boom!"
The first cluster of fireworks bloomed in the sky, the brilliant red like a silver fire tree illuminating the entire Maruyama Park. The people who had come to watch the fireworks all simultaneously lifted their heads.
The noisy atmosphere just now suddenly became only the sound of fireworks exploding.
Hayasaka Ai and Sakurai Saki held hands, standing close together.
In front of them, Shinomiya Kaguya lifted her head, slightly dazed.
W(°〇°)W
So big.
Compared with fireworks seen through a window or earlier in the yard, this one was far larger—so fireworks could actually cover nearly half the sky.
Shinomiya Kaguya felt a bit moved.
Then she turned her head, intending to see if Sakurai Saki and Hayasaka Ai felt the same as she did.
A few seconds later—
(·•᷄ࡇ•᷅ )
"…Tch." Kaguya turned back to continue watching the fireworks.
To dare kiss here, Hayasaka really had no shame.
Where had the dignity and purity of a maiden gone?
With no other choice, she distanced herself from the two of them, stepping a few meters away.
Should I find a boyfriend too?
Hayasaka Ai kept flaunting her love in front of Shinomiya Kaguya, and the Ojou-sama of the Shinomiya household was nearly at her limit.
A few minutes later—
"Kaguya-san, there's still half an hour left." Sakurai Saki told her.
The fireworks festival here prepared enough fireworks to last half an hour.
"Why did you suddenly say that?" Kaguya asked.
"To remind you not to be too absorbed, I'm afraid you might get lost." Sakurai Saki recalled how last time at the shrine festival, the group of five Nakano sisters had been separated.
"Me, get lost? You underestimate this lady too much." At this moment Shinomiya Kaguya's appearance was no different from that losing dog Shijo Maki, truly showing they were aunt and niece.
Kaguya: <(￣^￣)> hmph!
"In short, don't stray from me." After saying that, Sakurai Saki noticed again that there were quite a few tourists moving about nearby.
Fireworks were the kind of thing that were beautiful when first seen, but after watching for a while became boring, making people want to wander around.
Those who stood still in one place were the minority, and an Ojou-sama like Shinomiya Kaguya, who hardly ever watched fireworks, was even more of a minority—just now she had only been engrossed in the fireworks, completely unaware that the surroundings were growing more and more crowded.
"…Don't say things that are so easily misunderstood." Just as Shinomiya Kaguya finished speaking, a few people hurried past beside her, nearly bumping into her.
Seeing this, Sakurai Saki stepped forward a few steps and pulled her by the hand.
His strength was not small; Kaguya was immediately pulled into his embrace.
By her ear rang the strong beating of his heart, along with a gentle voice:
"Why are you standing so far away from us?"
Kaguya hurriedly blushed and broke free from his arms, saying nothing, only a little flustered as she quickly stepped toward Hayasaka Ai.
A few seconds later, when Sakurai Saki had returned to Hayasaka Ai's side, Kaguya softly said: "Sorry."
Kaguya: (,,¬﹏¬,,)
Hayasaka Ai glanced down at the wooden clogs under Kaguya's feet; seeing that her mistress was not hurt, she finally felt relieved.
...
[Next, is the climax! It is also the final round of this year's fireworks festival!!]
The hoarse voice of the announcer rang out.
A great burst of fireworks soared into the sky, then exploded into brilliant clusters of light like a waterfall. When one round had not yet faded, another followed, leaving the viewers dazzled.
The night wind was filled with the smell of gunpowder smoke.
The three of them stood by the roadside, quietly watching this scene. Two fair, delicate faces were clearly illuminated by the fireworks' light.
"Beautiful!" Kaguya whispered.
Kaguya: ~(⸝⸝⸝°〇°⸝⸝⸝)~
She had never seen such a magnificent fireworks display. Even the entire half hour just now could not compare with this breathtaking moment.
The fireworks ended.
The surroundings were still silent, the quiet lingering for a long time.
After a while, people finally began talking, and the sound of footsteps gradually arose.
It was no longer early.
Tomorrow, life had to go on.
"Let's go home." Sakurai Saki said.
"Mm." For some reason, Kaguya felt a little disappointed.
Fireworks were beautiful, but they only existed for a moment. Even though they lasted half an hour, they were still like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
"I… didn't record it just now." Kaguya sighed.
"I did." Sakurai Saki raised his phone.
He then opened her Line account and sent the video over.
"Switching to a smartphone really is nice, isn't it, Kaguya-san." Sakurai Saki said with a smile.
If it were still a flip phone, she wouldn't even be able to receive the video.
"Umu, thank you." Kaguya softly replied.
At this time, Hayasaka Ai interjected: "If Kaguya-sama haven't seen enough, next time you and everyone in the student council can go together to watch."
"As expected, Hayasaka, you feel I was disturbing your date with Sakurai-san." Kaguya teased: "Clearly, when you invited me just now, you were so generous."
So in the end, she was jealous?
How cute~.
...
On the way back, the three of them passed by Yasaka Shrine near Maruyama Park.
Shinomiya Kaguya spotted a roadside shop.
"Can I go buy something?"
Sakurai Saki: "Alright, there's still time."
...
When Kaguya returned from the roadside shop, Sakurai Saki noticed she was holding a bag in her hand.
He didn't pay much attention.
"For you, I bought mineral water from the vending machine next to it."
"Thank you." Kaguya accepted it, opened it, and drank a sip.
Hayasaka Ai looked at the bag in her hand, feeling a little suspicious.
Hayasaka: (≖_≖ )
Kaguya-sama never did anything unnecessary.
...
Driving back to the main Shinomiya mansion, the three of them quietly slipped into the courtyard; along the way, the sleepy security staff were still sound asleep.
"Alright, I'm about to leave."
"Sakurai-san, won't you have a cup of tea before you go?" Kaguya asked.
"I just drank water…"
"Won't you have a cup of tea before you go?" Kaguya revealed a gentle expression.
Sakurai Saki nodded.
Ai-chan observed the situation outside the door. The three of them had been gone for nearly two hours, so she wasn't at ease, though in truth it wasn't really necessary.
Following Kaguya, he stepped into the Japanese-style room.
Sakurai Saki sat by the tea table, while Kaguya went to make tea.
A moment later——
"Tap~"
By his ear came the sound of footsteps landing on the tatami.
Sakurai Saki looked up, and at the same moment, the lights in the room were turned off by Kaguya, leaving only a faint light.
The side door was opened, and upon seeing Kaguya's attire—
Sakurai asked: "Why is it a Miko outfit?"
Moonlight from the courtyard shone upon her figure.
The pure red and white Miko outfit, paired with her long jet-black waterfall-like hair, her slightly stiff posture and face full of shyness, made one unable to help but look a few more times.
So beautiful, like Kaguya-hime descending from the moon.
"The match last time, that bet… I still haven't carried it out, have I?" Shinomiya Kaguya's voice carried a trace of embarrassment.
She found an excuse: "Think of it as a thank-you gift for taking me to see the fireworks today."
"…Don't misunderstand."
...
Outside the door, listening to the faint singing voice drifting out from the room, Hayasaka Ai lifted her head to look at the moon.
'Let me lend her a few minutes then.'