At 4:30 PM, the stone steps of the shrine were scorching white. An old woman in a yukata introduced her goods to Takagi and Nishikata in front of the wind chime stall, the creaking of hemp ropes rubbing against wooden frames mixing with the chirps of cicadas.
The fish cake shop in the shopping street pulled open its curtain to let out heat, and steam billowed onto Yaeko's suit trousers as she walked by, leaving dark sweat stains at the crease.
At exactly 6:00 PM, the convenience store had the strongest air conditioning. Ajitani, finished with her club activities, was browsing comics at the magazine rack, while the rice ball packaging in the freezer gradually became covered in condensation.
Four or five scales floated in the plastic basin used for scooping goldfish by the riverbank. Yuzuru, holding Hachiko, excitedly ran home.
After 7:00 PM, the shopping street was packed with people looking for dinner. The takoyaki stall's griddle sizzled, and grilled dango skewers piled up into a small mountain in the trash can.
"Tsuna, someone just messaged me privately, asking if I take commissions for two-dimensional character action illustrations."
Looking at the Futaba Commercial Street, which had become lively due to the fireworks festival, Shouko leaned close to Tsuna's ear and deliberately spoke loudly.
"It's up to you." Tsuna withdrew his gaze from Yuzuru, who had blended into the crowd. "Didn't you just finish my commission half a month ago? Don't you want to rest a bit more?"
"You yourself said that was half a month ago…"
"Two-dimensional anime character action design? Which anime character?" Tsuna, dressed in a grey yukata, changed the subject.
Shouko led him to the takoyaki stall to queue. "Action Kamen…"
"Hmm… let me guess." Tsuna stroked his chin, feigning thoughtfulness. "Is the commissioner's name Nohara Shinnosuke?"
"…" Shouko nudged him in the ribs with her elbow, wanting him to be serious.
"How many portions, two?"
"One…" Tsuna changed his mind mid-sentence. "Boss, two portions."
"Shall we talk about this topic when we get back? Let's enjoy the lively fireworks festival first?" Tsuna turned to look at the girl in the white and orange yukata beside him.
"Mhm!" Shouko nodded, took the two portions of takoyaki the boss handed her, and left the queue ahead of him.
Then, the two began to wander aimlessly, going wherever it was lively, until they reached a goldfish scooping stall.
"Two, why don't you go check out another goldfish scooping stall?" At the goldfish stall, the uncle boss, wearing a black headband, looked at them and forced a strained smile.
"Uncle, don't be nervous. We're just here to take a look." Tsuna looked at his expression, which was uglier than crying, and suddenly felt a little guilty.
The three met at the goldfish scooping stall when they were in sixth grade. Almost every year at the festival, Tsuna and Shouko would visit his stall.
For the first two years, every time he scooped a goldfish, he would put it back, and Uncle Botan would return the money.
In the following years, Uncle Botan didn't even collect the money anymore; he just gave Tsuna and Shouko a net and let them scoop.
He couldn't say anything either…
"Uncle Botan, we even brought you something delicious." Shouko handed him the fried pastry that they had bought but hadn't touched yet.
Shouko cherished this relationship quite a bit. What's more, his daughter and Yuzuru were classmates in middle school and good friends.
She just didn't know if he knew.
Then, Tsuna and Shouko watched the customers scooping goldfish for a bit, said goodbye to him, and continued to wander.
Around 9:30 PM, the two witnessed this year's fireworks blooming at the shrine halfway up the mountain, while a light bulb not far away also watched them.
---
"Tsuna, what do you think? Should I take this commission or not?" Shouko, who had changed back into her casual clothes, leaned close to Tsuna.
Tsuna didn't answer immediately, instead asking, "Does the other party want to chat with you online or offline?"
"He said both online and offline are fine, but offline is preferred so we can discuss in detail," Shouko displayed the chat content on her phone to him.
He scrolled through the chat history, finding nothing unusual, but still suggested, "Then set a time and place with the other party. I'll go with you then."
"Mhm." Shouko nodded, took back her phone, and sent a message to the other party according to Tsuna's suggestion.
Soon, both sides set a time and place.
"Tsuna, the first afternoon of summer vacation, at a cat-ear maid café in Akihabara."
"…"
"He sure knows how to pick a time…" Tsuna muttered softly.
"Is there a problem?" Shouko asked, puzzled.
"No, that time is fine. Just remember to remind me then."
"Mhm!"
Everything was settled. Shouko said "good night" to him and left his room. Three or four minutes later, his phone received Shouko's report that she had arrived home safely.
At 11:00 PM, two of the shrine lanterns were dim. Nishikata's flashlight swept across the empty fortune-telling stand on his way home, illuminating a taiyaki wrapper that had been flattened during the day.
At 4:07 AM, Yuzuru mumbled in her sleep, and Hachiko, unable to bear it, chose to leave her bedroom.
At 6:15 AM, a newspaper delivery motorcycle ran over an undried puddle, and the sound of the shrine's morning sweep broom startled the crows.
Tsuna, on his morning run, greeted Miu, whom he encountered, and continued running. The drumbeat leaking from his sports headphones mixed with the first sound of a bat hitting a ball from a nearby middle school baseball club's morning practice.
At 7:40 AM, bicycle brakes began to squeak at the school gate. Ajitani stacked another pile of club flyers that had been dampened by the morning dew.
"Morning, Ajitani-chan."
"Good morning."
"Ohayo, both of you."
Ajitani greeted the two and then showed them a few Shinkansen tickets on her phone:
"I've already secured your tickets. They're for 10:30 AM. We'll discuss the details together when Takagi-chan arrives."
"How much? I'll transfer it to you."
Ajitani waved her hand, refusing Tsuna's attempt to pay, and even said that instead of paying her, he should buy more delicious food for Shouko …
"…"
Soon after, Takagi and Nishikata also arrived in the classroom, and Ajitani discussed the arrangements with the four of them.
Meeting point, meeting time, train tickets, and other issues.
The certain person who originally wanted to sleep couldn't bring himself to say he wanted to sleep under her excited enthusiasm…
"Oh, by the way, speaking of going to the beach, should we buy swimsuits?" Shouko suddenly raised her hand to ask.
At the mention of this, Nishikata, who had been listless, instantly perked up.
"No need. It's not too late to buy them when we get there. My grandpa's place might even be cheaper," Ajitani waved her hand.
"Alright." Shouko and Takagi nodded.
The swimsuit shopping part was what several of them looked forward to the most, all wanting to make 'a certain person's' eyes light up, and Tsuna and Nishikata had the same thought.
Ajitani's eager anticipation couldn't be quelled even as school dismissal approached.
The next few days were the same.