“The fireworks I’ve seen were mostly the kind that go off in sync with music, like a big show, but this kind is nice too. It’s called ‘Miyabi,’ right? The elegant kind.”
“Yeah, guess it’s that Japanese sense of refinement or whatever.”
The fireworks went on for about an hour, and as they ended, the clamor faded, leaving the hill where we stood cloaked in darkness once more.
We made our way down from the hill, back to the shrine.
“Alright, I’ve still got some stuff to take care of, so this is where I head off.”
“You really just came to watch the fireworks, huh…”
Kaori, who seemed to have already figured as much, gave a slight, nonchalant nod before heading down from the shrine with Sakuna and Sandra in tow.
I glanced at Himura-kun, and instead of leaving, he watched Kaori and the others go before turning his gaze back to me.
“Uh… wait, didn’t you say you had stuff to do?”
The area around the shrine had emptied out, leaving just me and Himura-kun standing there.
He glanced around, as if making sure of it, then took my hand.
“Come with me for a sec.”
Feeling a bit shy, I let him lead me under the eaves of the shrine.
Himura-kun pulled something out of a bag that was sitting there and came closer to me.
“I wanted to give you your birthday present before the day was over.”
“Oh, that’s what this is about?”
“Don’t just brush it off like that…”
With a wry smile, he reached out toward my bangs.
It was a hairpin, apparently, and he went out of his way to put it in my hair for me, even pulling out a mirror to show me.
“So, how’s it look?”
A glass accessory shaped like a snowflake—something about it felt familiar.
“…Himura-kun, you’re kinda suave, aren’t you?”
It was similar to the gift I’d given Kaori. He must’ve chosen it with that in mind.
I remembered Kaori was wearing hers today, too, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Hmm… it’s nice. Just like I imagined, though maybe it doesn’t quite go with a summer yukata?”
“I don’t know, I think it works. I like how cool and refreshing it looks.”
“Yeah? Then I’m glad.”
More than anything, I was happy that he picked it out thinking it would suit me.
A pale blue glass hairpin, intricately carved with a snowflake design.
Giving me snow for a summer birthday felt oddly perfect for me.
For some reason, he kept touching my hair even after that.
“…W-what’s up?”
“Nothing…”
Himura-kun stared at me, his eyes so beautiful they felt like they could pull me in.
I didn’t know what he was thinking.
But I’d seen that look in his eyes before—a look that stirred up uneasy feelings, one that made me feel like I had to stay by his side.
“…I don’t know what you’re trying to say, Himura-kun, but… you don’t have to be afraid. Whatever it is, I’ll listen, and I’ll accept it.”
He was trying to say something.
And he was scared to say it.
That’s when it hit me.
“Oh, hey, Himura-kun… is this about the Kagura dance?”
“…Huh?”
His eyes widened, and his brows furrowed in a complicated expression.
Come to think of it, whenever the Kagura dance came up, he’d always change the subject or avoid saying anything complimentary.
When you thought about it, it was obvious.
His struggles with Kaori and Hana had to be tied to the Kagura dance.
After all, they both knew about the Kagura dance he was keeping secret from everyone else.
It made sense that he’d hesitate to talk about it.
“It’s okay. I’ll accept you no matter what. Just tell me, like you did that time on the rooftop.”
At my words, Himura-kun swallowed hard.
His gaze wavered for a moment before he let out a small breath.
Then, he gave an awkward smile.
“…I’ve been thinking I needed to tell you for a while now.”
“Yeah.”
“Kiritsuki, I like you.”
“…Huh?”
Those words caught me completely off guard.
This time, he smiled brightly, like a clear sky.
“You always look at me so directly, so honestly. You show it not just with words but with everything you do… If you’re okay with it, I want to—”
“Himura-kun.”
I cut him off instinctively, reaching out and pressing my index finger to his faintly pink lips.
I knew what he was about to say.
His confused expression, muttering “Does this ever get interrupted?” under his breath, was kind of adorable.
“This is your fault. Getting swept up in the moment like that.”
“It’s not like I got swept up or anything…”
“That’s nice to hear, but not now.”
“Why…?”
“Because I liked you first. That has to come from me, or it’s no good.”
And I wouldn’t say it until Kaori moved away. That was the most I could do for my best friend, to respect her feelings.
Then, out of nowhere, he broke into a smile.
“What’s with that obsession?”
It wasn’t a small smile or a wry one.
It was a gentle, heartfelt smile, like it slipped out naturally.
“…Alright, then just listen to me for a bit.”
“Sure, as long as it’s not that.”
Himura-kun knelt on one knee under the eaves, looking up at the starry sky that had started to appear now that the festival lights had faded.
I sat close enough for our shoulders to touch, leaning a little of my weight against him.
“When I was in first grade… six years old, I inherited the Kagura dance. It was supposed to happen when I was fifteen, but my uncle, who was a dancer, passed away, so…”
“I… heard a bit about that. So that’s why.”
“Yeah. I’d been practicing since I was old enough to remember, but… it didn’t go well at first. The people just watching thought it was fine, but Kaori’s relatives, who were involved, were brutally critical.”
“…At six years old?”
“Age didn’t matter. Once I officially inherited it, I had to do it right. If I couldn’t, I had to keep at it until I could.”
Thinking that’s harsh might just be because I’m an outsider.
Himura-kun laughed it off like it was nothing and kept talking.
“Well, I ended up hating everyone involved, and I didn’t want to do it even a little.”
“That’s understandable.”
“But I had to. So, I talked to Kaori about it once. Told her I was doing it.”
“Yeah.”
“And Kaori said, ‘You don’t have to force yourself. If you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to.’”
“That’s so like Kaori. But…”
Knowing Himura-kun’s personality, that probably wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
“You wanted her to say something like, ‘Only you can do it,’ right?”
“…Yeah. I wanted her to affirm what I was doing. To make me feel like I had to do it. Honestly, I still feel that way. …Toki was the same. She said she liked me even if I didn’t do the Kagura dance.”
“That’s sweet, but that’s not what you needed, huh? You’re kind of a handful, Himura-kun.”
“I know. But you accepted both sides of me. Even without knowing I was a dancer, you affirmed all of me.”
That small thing seemed to resonate deeply with him.
“I thought you’d be disappointed if you found out I was a dancer, but you said you liked me even before you knew…”
Being told so clearly, “I fell for the same person twice,” is a little embarrassing, honestly.
“I was happy… no, that’s not quite right. It’s more like…”
Searching for words, he let out a soft “Uh, well…” before looking down at me.
“I want to be with you more… or rather, I want you by my side.”
“…Himura-kun, I told you, that has to come from me.”
“Seriously, what’s with that obsession?”
Ugh, Himura-kun really doesn’t get me at all.
Guess we’ll have to spend more time together before he really understands me.
