Extra chapter for reaching 100 Power Stones.
...
The sun had just dipped below the horizon, but the day's heat hadn't left yet.
The air was thick and heavy, but as Haruya and Nagisa made their way toward the Chiyoda Shopping District, a different kind of energy began to fill the air.
It was a buzzing, vibrant sound, a mix of music from distant speakers, the chatter of crowds, and the sizzle of food from street stalls.
They walked side-by-side, their earlier playful banter settling into a more calmer atmosphere. The district came into view, a stretch of narrow streets that seemed to glow in the twilight.
The shops were a riot of colors, their neon signs and decorative banners a stark contrast to the quiet residential streets they had just left. The streets were packed with people, all enjoying the warm summer evening.
There were families with small children, groups of friends laughing, and couples walking hand in hand.
"Wow," Nagisa said, her eyes wide as she took in the scene. "It's even more crowded than I thought."
"It's a festival kind of crowd," Haruya replied, a small smile on his face. "It's always like this during the summer. I guess everyone wants to get out of the house."
They fell into the flow of the crowd, just moving with the stream of people. Haruya felt a sense of calm even in the middle of all the noise.
With Nagisa beside him, the bustling street didn't feel overwhelming at all. In fact, it felt a bit like an adventure.
They passed a takoyaki stall, the smell of savory fried octopus and sweet sauce drifting toward them.
Nagisa's stomach suddenly gave a quiet rumble.
Hearing this, Nagisa held her stomach and bowed her head in embarrassment. "T-that was..."
The girl looked up at Haruya, a shy look on her face. "The takoyaki smelled really good," she said.
Haruya just laughed. "I guess so. Do you want to try some?"
"Do I!" Nagisa's eyes lit up.
They got in line, and the smell of the food was a comforting, familiar scent.
When it was their turn, Nagisa ordered a small plate of takoyaki with a generous drizzle of sauce and mayonnaise.
They found a small bench on the side of the street and sat down, carefully sharing the hot, delicious balls. The conversation was easy and light, and they talked about what they had been doing over the summer.
"I've just been hanging out with my family," Nagisa said, a warm look on her face. "We went to the beach a couple of days ago. It was fun."
"That sounds nice," Haruya said. "I've been busy, but I've also been doing some piano."
Nagisa looked at him, her interest piqued. "Piano? That's cool. I didn't know you played. How did you get into that?"
"My cousin Tsumugi is a piano prodigy," Haruya explained, taking another piece of takoyaki. "She's been teaching me some things. She has a big competition coming up, so she's been practicing a lot, and I just kind of join in."
"A piano prodigy?" Nagisa's eyes widened. "That's amazing. I can't play anything at all, really. I just have two left hands when it comes to music."
Haruya just shrugged. "You're great at other things, though. And you don't have two left hands."
Nagisa looked at him, her cheeks turning a faint pink. "You're too kind, Haruya."
After they finished their snack, they continued their walk, just wandering and taking in all the different sights.
They passed a small game stall where a man was trying to win a prize by throwing rings onto a bottle.
A small crowd had gathered, cheering him on.
He just missed, and the crowd let out a collective groan.
Nagisa's attention was immediately drawn to a small stuffed cat with a long, striped tail hanging from a hook.
Her eyes followed it, a soft look on her face.
Haruya noticed her looking at the prize.
"Do you want to try?" he asked, gesturing to the game stall.
Nagisa shook her head. "Oh, no, I'm not good at aiming at all. I'd probably just end up throwing the rings at the stall owner." She laughed softly.
Haruya just smiled. "Well, what if I won it for you?" he offered.
Nagisa's eyes lit up, and she looked at him, a mixture of surprise and excitement on her face. "Really? You'd do that?"
"Yeah, why not?" Haruya said with a grin.
He walked up to the stall and paid for three rings. He took the first ring, a simple metal ring that felt light in his hand. He took a moment to aim, his eyes focusing on the small bottles lined up on the table.
Soon, he tossed it, and it landed perfectly on the neck of a bottle.
A collective gasp came from the crowd. He took the second one, and it landed just as perfectly as the first.
The crowd started to cheer.
He took the third one, and it landed perfectly on the neck of another bottle.
And the crowd goes wild!!!
The stall owner, a grizzled old man with a kind smile, just shook his head in amusement. "You're a natural, kid. You've got a good eye. Pick your prize."
Haruya looked at the prizes, a collection of stuffed animals and small toys.
He pointed to the cute little cat with the striped tail, and the old man took it off the hook. "This one?" the man asked, and Haruya nodded.
The man handed the stuffed cat to them, and Nagisa took it. "Here you go," Haruya said to Nagisa.
Nagisa took it, her face a bright, warm pink. She clutched it to her chest, a small, grateful smile on her face. "Thank you, Haruya. I'll take good care of it."
The rest of the night was filled with more wandering and more small moments of fun.
They stopped by a small cafe and got some milk tea, which they drank as they continued their walk.
The conversation was easy and light, but as the night went on and the crowds began to thin out, it became a bit more personal.
Haruya decided to walk Nagisa home.
"So, what are you going to do when summer is over?" Nagisa asked, her voice soft. "Are you going to keep playing the piano? And what about your cooking training?"
"I don't know," Haruya said with a shrug. "It's a nice hobby. Tsumugi's competition is coming up, though. We'll see how it goes from there."
Nagisa just smiled. "I'm sure you'll be great at it. You're great at everything."
"Maybe," Haruya said. "I just... I'm just me. I don't really think about it too much."
Nagisa looked at him, her expression a mix of awe and a quiet sense of understanding. "That's what makes you so great, Haruya. You don't even realize how talented you are."
Haruya didn't know what to say to that.
He just smiled serenely.
As they walked back to Nagisa's house, the streets became quieter and quieter.
The city was still and peaceful, a quiet contrast to the lively atmosphere of the shopping district. They walked in a comfortable silence, their footsteps a soft, rhythmic sound on the pavement.
When they arrived at Nagisa's house, the front door was already open. Her older sister, Akina, was standing in the doorway with a teasing grin on her face.
"Haruya-kun, it's so good to see you again," Akina said, her voice dripping with playful mischief. "Thank you for walking Nagisa home."
"It's no problem at all, Akina-san," Haruya said with a smile.
"So, this is the reason that keeps you out so late, huh, Nagisa?" Akina said. "You've been holding out on us."
Nagisa's cheeks immediately turned a faint shade of pink. "Akina-nee! We weren't out that late! And Haruya-kun is just a friend!"
"Oh, really?" Akina's grin widened. She looked at the stuffed cat in Nagisa's hands. "And I suppose that's just a friendship gift?"
Haruya, used to Akina's teasing, just chuckled. "She's not wrong about the cat," he said.
Nagisa shot him a betrayed look, which only made her sister Akina laugh harder.
"It was a prize from a game stall," Haruya explained, shrugging. "Nagisa wanted it."
Akina raised an eyebrow, a knowing look in her eyes. "Well, I'll let you two get away with it for tonight. But next time, I expect to hear all the details."
"Akina-nee!" Nagisa groaned, her face now a fiery red.
Haruya just smiled. "We had a lot of fun," he said. "We should do this again sometime."
"Definitely," Nagisa replied gleefully as she glanced at Haruya. "I'll see you next time."
Haruya nodded, and with a final wave to everyone, he turned and started walking home. He felt a sense of calm wash over him, a feeling that had been missing for a while.
He had been through a lot over the past few weeks, but he was surrounded by people who cared about him, and that was all that mattered.
...
POWER STONE GOAL - 1 EXTRA CHAPTER WHEN REACHED:
100 POWER STONES (✔)
200 POWER STONES (X)
300 POWER STONES (X)
400 POWER STONES (X)
500 POWER STONES (X)
600 POWER STONES (X)