Riding the train with Kaori, the weekend before the summer festival just a few days away.
“Huh, you didn’t notice? The summer festival and Kana’s birthday are on the same day, you know?”
The summer festival’s almost here, and as I slumped my shoulders, I saw Kiritsuki’s birthday marked on my phone’s calendar.
Stunned by the realization, Kaori hit me with that comment from the side.
“Hey, Kaori.”
“Haha, got it. Wanna go shopping for a birthday present together while we’re at it?”
“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver for stuff like this.”
Kaori’s hair is tied low, secured with a barrette, looking neat and polished.
She’s wearing an off-shoulder top with white pants, the epitome of a summer outfit, and as expected, she’s drawing eyes even on the train.
Come to think of it, has it been like this ever since summer break started?
Walking beside her, I can’t help but feel she’s radiating this bright, almost dazzling aura.
Why does she attract so much attention?
At this point, it’s not even about her hair color or good looks—it’s like she’s got some kind of charisma.
When someone like her keeps sneaking glances up at my face while walking beside me, even I can’t help but notice…
“What’s up?”
“Huh? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking how cool you look when you dress up properly, Ao-kun… Even just styling your hair makes me wanna stare at you forever.”
If you actually did that, I’d feel pretty uncomfortable, you know.
“Anyway… they’re subtle, but you’re rocking some bold piercings, huh?”
“Hm? Oh, these aren’t real piercings. They’re cuffs and clips.”
I took off a couple of the ones I was wearing, wiped them lightly with a handkerchief, and put them on Kaori’s ear.
“How’s that?”
“It feels… kinda weird? Does it look strange on me?”
She asked while checking herself in a compact mirror.
“I think it looks good every now and then.”
“R-Really?”
“Look, we’re matching now.”
I pushed my hair up to show the ear I hadn’t taken anything off of.
Since I put one of my piercings on Kaori, we’re kinda matching in a way.
“Matching… ehehe.”
I don’t know if it’s because it’s me, but… well, you know.
Kaori feels like the type who’d get completely swept up in the person she loves and then get dumped.
It’s not like she lacks a backbone, but she gives off this vibe of prioritizing her partner above everything else.
Saying that out loud, though, I doubt anyone would get what I mean.
“…Still, it’s rare for you to have a specific place you want to go, Kaori.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah, I mean, you’re usually so headstrong, I thought you’d hit me with a way crazier request.”
I never would’ve guessed she’d just straight-up say, “I want a date like we’re lovers.”
At the same time, I kinda got the hint.
After all that talk, she’s still giving up, huh?
It’s her decision, and since my feelings aren’t going to change her mind, I won’t butt in if she’s okay with it.
This is probably gonna be our first and last date as “lovers,” I guess.
And yet, the first thing we’re doing is picking out a birthday present for a friend.
Why does this feel like déjà vu?
“Honestly, I kinda wanted to be the one to say, ‘Your birthday present is me ♡’ on your birthday, you know.”
“If you actually pulled that, I’d have to grill Satoru-san about what kind of upbringing he’s giving you.”
“My mom didn’t teach me anything about romance. From start to finish, my entire sense of love has been shaped by you.”
“Can you please stop phrasing things in ways that could cause major misunderstandings?”
“It’s not a misunderstanding, though.”
Let it be a misunderstanding. Please, for my sake, let it be.
“I mean, when the mysterious first love you had as a kid suddenly says, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m your childhood friend,’ it kinda messes with your emotions, you know? Especially when it’s straight from the source.”
“Okay, but… huh?”
Oh, yeah, I think I heard something like that before.
Hmm…?
Right, I think it was Kiritsuki who mentioned it.
When Kaori took me to my first summer festival, she talked about a dancer and called them her “first love” or something.
It was exactly as she said—back then, that dancer wasn’t “Himura Aoi” to Kaori; they were just some mysterious figure.
Because I was the one who told her who I really was.
“I don’t think it’s that big a deal…”
“Ugh, come on! Imagine being told your dependable but kinda plain childhood friend is actually this unattainable ‘flower on a high peak.’ Put yourself in my shoes!”
“Even if you tell me that…”
Wait, is this how Kaori felt? This itchy, awkward feeling of being treated like some unattainable ideal wherever you go?
…Hold on, so she fell for the dancer before she even knew it was me. That was her first love, huh?
And then she was disappointed when she found out that person was just her childhood friend, right?
What’s this feeling?
It’s me in both cases, but I’m kinda annoyed about it.
Even if she ended up liking me anyway, it doesn’t quite sit right. It’s like I’m not fully satisfied with it…
Between Toki-chan and Kiritsuki, it’s like the dancer was the spark that got them interested in me in the first place.
…Wait, no, Kiritsuki doesn’t know, does she?
“Oh, right…!”
“Huh? What?”
“Kiritsuki doesn’t know I’m the dancer, does she?”
“Yeah, most people wouldn’t, right?”
“No, I mean, if that’s the case, when am I supposed to give her the present?”
“…Oh.”
There’s no good moment to give it to her that day.
It’s her birthday on the same day as the summer festival, and we’ll definitely see each other, but not being able to give her a birthday present on the actual day feels kinda wrong.
Is this… one of those moments?
Should I give her the present the same way I revealed my identity to Kaori?
Honestly, I don’t mind telling Kiritsuki.
Or rather… I think I’ve been assuming she already knew without realizing it.
Saying I don’t mind telling her feels off. Deep down, I probably want Kiritsuki to know.
It’d make me feel more at ease, I guess.
…If that happens, there’s a lot I’ll need to say properly.
“Ao-kun?”
“Hm?”
“What’s wrong? You were staring at this hairpin… Do you like it?”
I was lost in thought, so it’s not like I was thinking about anything specific…
Kaori was holding a hairpin with delicate glasswork shaped like a snowflake.
I stared at it for a moment, my gaze shifting to Kaori’s hair.
There was a similar glasswork hairpin shaped like a flower in her bangs. Maybe it’s from the same brand or designer.
“…Yeah, let’s go with this one.”
“Yup, good choice. You’ve always had a knack for classy stuff, Ao-kun.”
“I wasn’t that deep in thought about it.”
Kaori and I shared a small laugh as I bought the hairpin and left the shop.
After that, I left it up to Kaori to decide where we’d go next.
I mean, it’s my first time in this town.
Where she’ll take me is anyone’s guess, but honestly, I’m about sixty percent nervous and forty percent excited.
