The moment was sealed in the camera, but the group's antics didn't stop there.
The Super Peace Busters wandered further up the hillside, weaving through paths bordered by endless patches of pink and purple.
Every few steps, one of them. would point out another striking view, and Haruya found himself snapping picture after picture. Sometimes of the scenery, but mostly of the smiles around him.
Poppo insisted on striking silly poses at every stop, much to everyone's amusement, while Tsuruko lingered behind to write down on another page of notes.
Being the group's observer, as usual.
Menma never left Haruya's side, tugging his sleeve whenever she spotted something she wanted to share, her boundless energy keeping the group lively.
Some time slipped by without any of them noticing. Their camera slowly filled with photos. Some posed, some blurry, many caught mid-laughter.
The sea of flowers had truly highlighted their youth, mixing with the noise of other festivalgoers spread across the slope.
Ring!
The sound of a ringtone cut through the joyful atmosphere. Haruya slipped his hand into his pocket and answered the call.
"Haruya, we're ready. I've sent you the location," Akari's voice came through the speaker.
"Got it, Mom," he replied, before hanging up and turning back to the others. "Mom says the picnic's ready. Let's go."
Menma and Poppo cheered at the same time.
Following the directions Akari sent, they eventually spotted Irene and Akari, beneath a shaded patch beneath a row of trees where a large picnic blanket had been neatly spread out.
Baskets were neatly arranged and opened to reveal an assortment of food.
Delicate pastries sat in covered trays, alongside rice balls, sandwiches, and colorful side dishes, each one carefully prepared.
"Whoa, it looks amazing!" Poppo was already halfway to sitting down before Anaru tugged him back with a scolding glare.
"Save some manners, will you?"
Menma's eyes sparkled as she crouched beside one of the trays, pointing at a set of golden pastries. "They look sooo fluffy! Can we eat now?"
Akari chuckled, motioning for them to settle in. "Yes, yes. Dig in before it gets cold."
The seven kids needed no further encouragement, quickly gathering around the blankets with eager smiles.
The excitement of the festival was now replaced with the simple joy of sharing food together.
As the food was passed around and plates began to fill, chatter rose almost instantly.
"This happened, and then—Poppo nearly tripped into the flowers!" Menma exclaimed through a mouthful of rice ball, laughing at the memory.
"Hey! That was totally on purpose," Poppo said, puffing out his chest before immediately reaching for another sandwich.
"And he made us take like ten pictures of him falling," Anaru added dryly, rolling her eyes.
Akari and Irene listened with amused smiles, letting the children tumble over each other's words.
"Ah, and Haruya and I kept taking pictures," Menma chimed in again, showing the camera to the two older women. "Look, look, we have so many already!"
"That way, we'll have a lot of photos to remember us by," Haruya interjected, with his mouth half-full of pastry.
Tsuruko adjusted her glasses, speaking up between bites of a cupcake. "Don't forget, Yukiatsu was the one who started arranging us like models."
"I was just trying to bring some order to the chaos," Yukiatsu groaned, though his ears betrayed him with a faint red color slowly rising.
The table burst into another round of laughter, their overlapping voices carrying warmly beneath the shade of the trees.
Haruya, already halfway full, set down his plate and stretched.
"I'm gonna step away for a bit," he said casually. "Need to find a toilet."
"Don't get lost!" Jinta called with his mouth still full.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Menma asked.
Haruya declined, telling her that it won't take too long.
He quietly snagged one of the smaller boxes from the side of the blanket.
Inside was a single cupcake with delicate frosting swirled neatly on top, too pretty not to bring along, and decided to snack on it along the way.
He held the small box with one hand and headed down a quieter path, letting the sounds of chatter fade behind him.
The air felt lighter away from the crowd, the slope lined with scattered blossoms still swaying gently in the breeze.
Haruya stared blankly sideways as he walked, admiring the beautiful scene.
Haruya's steps slowed as he got lost in his thoughts, wandering around for a while until suddenly—
Thump!
He collided with someone unexpectedly. Reflexively, he caught the girl before she could fall.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" he blurted, steadying her.
The girl's shoulders shook slightly, and he noticed glistening tears sliding down her cheeks. "I… I'm really sorry," he added, his voice panicking as he realized she was crying.
Her face came into clearer view. Short, light pink hair framed her small, delicate features, and her hazel eyes shimmered with unshed tears, making her cute face even more striking.
"It's not… your fault," she sniffled, with tears running down her face. She shook her head. "I... I got separated from my mom and dad… and I forgot my glasses, so I can't see anything."
"You forgot your glasses?" Haruya asked, eyes widening slightly. "Then... no wonder."
She nodded, squinting as she blinked rapidly, struggling to focus. "I… have terrible eyesight. I can barely see without them."
Haruya quickly offered his handkerchief. "Here, wipe your tears. I can help you look for them. What do they look like?"
The girl accepted the handkerchief hesitantly and wiped her cheeks. "My dad has black hair, he's pretty tall, and he wears black rectangular glasses. My mom... she has short brown hair, kind of easy to spot."
"I see," Haruya said, keeping his tone calm and encouraging. "I'll help you find them. I'm Haruya Sumeragi, by the way. Just call me Haruya."
The girl's lips curved faintly into a small smile through the remaining tears. "I'm Ai... Ai Mie."
"Nice to meet you, Ai-san." Haruya smiled brightly.
Compared to middle school students and high school students who are undergoing puberty, kids like them had no problem calling someone using their first names.
"Do you always… forget your glasses?" Haruya asked lightly, trying to ease the tension.
Ai held both of her hands together and looked away shyly. "Um... yeah... it happens often, especially when I'm going somewhere like school. I usually only notice right after arriving."
Haruya smiled with amusement. "I see… You must have pretty bad eyesight if you can't even see without them."
Ai nodded faintly, a little embarrassed. "Yeah… I can barely see things far away. I have to squint or get really close to see."
Noticing she still looked a bit down, Haruya opened the cupcake box and offered one. "Here… you can have one of these. Maybe it'll make you feel better."
"What is it?" Ai squinted and looked closer at his raised hand, trying to figure out what it was.
'I forgot her eyesight isn't that good.' Haruya slapped his forehead.
"It's a cupcake. Don't worry, it tastes really good. I helped my mom make it."
He reached out and placed the cupcake gently on her hands.
Ai took a closer look with squinted eyes. After a while, her hazel eyes widened, surprising the boy in front. "Really? You made these?"
'Wow... her eyes are so pretty.' He stared a little more before answering.
"Yeah… helped make them this morning. My mom's pastries are amazing, but I helped a little too," he added.
Ai thanked him, biting into it. Her eyes lit up instantly. "Mmm... wow! This is so good!"
"I'm glad you like it," Haruya said. "Not bad, right?"
She laughed softly, the tension easing from her shoulders. "Yeah... thank you, Haruya-kun. I feel a lot better."
They continued walking slowly. Haruya scanned every person around while continuing his chat with Ai.
"So... are you from Chichibu?" Haruya asked.
"Well... not really. My parents and I are here just for the festival. I just got separated when I wanted to look at the flowers," she explained.
Haruya nodded. "I get it... these hills are huge, easy to get lost."
Ai giggled softly, brushing her short hair behind her ears. "Yeah... and without my glasses, everything's a blur. I didn't notice when I wandered off."
Haruya smiled. "Well, don't worry. We'll find them soon."
They chatted lightly as they walked, her mood slowly improving. Haruya noticed her gaze wandering around, squinting occasionally but managing to stay close to him.
Suddenly, a woman's voice rang out. "Ai? Ai, where are you?!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Ai's eyes widened, and she waved frantically and called out. "Mom, over here!"
The woman noticed this and came running toward them, enveloping her in a tight hug. "Ai! Thank goodness!"
Haruya's gaze shifted, and a man soon appeared behind her mother, tall with black hair and rectangular glasses, scanning frantically before his eyes landed on Ai. Relief washed over his features.
Ai shook her head gently. "It's okay… my friend helped me."
"I'm so grateful," her mother said warmly, her eyes switching over to Haruya. "Thank you for staying with her."
"Yes, thank you very much," her father added, his voice filled with relief. "We were worried sick."
Haruya shook his head, smiling. "No problem at all. I'm glad she's safe."
Mie beamed up at her parents. "This is Haruya... my new friend!"
Her parents, now relieved at finding their daughter, nodded warmly. "Is that so? Nice to meet you, Haruya. Are you from around here?"
Haruya shook his head. "No, I'm from Tokyo. I'm only in Chichibu for summer break. I came to the festival with some friends and my mom… and another parent of our friend, too."
Ai's mother's eyes widened slightly. "Oh? Tokyo as well? What a coincidence!"
Ai's father turned to his wife. "Small world, huh?"
"And you're here with your friends?" her father added, smiling. "Sounds like quite a fun day."
Haruya nodded. "Yeah, it's been really nice so far."
Ai's squinted eyes sparkled a little. "You're from Tokyo, too? We're from Tokyo as well!"
They exchanged a few light words about the city, the festival, and how much they enjoyed Chichibu during the summer. Laughter and smiles made the moment feel warm and easy.
Then, her parents glanced around, realizing that Haruya's companions were probably wondering where he had gone. "We should get going before your friends start worrying," her mother said, gently guiding Ai toward them.
Ai pouted slightly, but nodded reluctantly.
She suddenly took a small step closer to Haruya, and before he could react, she leaned in. Their faces were almost touching. She squinted at him.
Haruya's heart skipped a beat, and his face flushed. "Uh... Ai?" he stammered, completely flustered and unsure what was happening.
Her parents watched the scene quietly, amused smiles appearing at their lips.
"I'm looking closely so I don't forget what you look like," Ai murmured softly, her hazel eyes earnest. "I hope… we can meet again someday."
Haruya blinked, stunned, his mind racing, but he could only manage a small nod. Her parents exchanged glances, a quiet smile passing between them.
Finally, they said their goodbyes, the words gentle but warm. "Haruya, don't forget me either!" Ai waved her hands before walking back to her parents.
Haruya watched them walk away, his face still red. He pressed a hand to his face, muttering under his breath, "How could I ever forget something like that?"
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he turned and began the walk back to the picnic spot.
The chatter of the festival and the laughter of his friends grew louder with every step.
When he arrived, the Super Peace Busters were gathered around the blanket again, happily finishing their food.
"Hey, you took a while," Jinta said casually.
"Yeah… did you get lost?" Poppo added, tilting his head.
Haruya cleared his throat and smiled faintly. "I… ran into a lost girl and helped her find her parents."
The kids all nodded and continued munching, not prying further, but Menma's eyes flicked at him, noticing the faint red hue creeping over his ears.
She pouted slightly but said nothing.
Akari, observing from the side with a small, knowing smile, tilted her head. Her expression conveyed a silent, teasing understanding.
Haruya caught her gaze, realized what she meant, and quickly looked away, the warmth in his cheeks spreading even further.
'My son has really grown in the blink of an eye.' Akari's gaze softened as she observed the embarrassed Haruya.
A/N: If you're liking the story so far, please leave a review and help us get into the power stone ranking. Thank you.