The Cloud Festival, the big day. Today also happens to be my seventeenth birthday.
The response from the person I have a crush on, whom I invited on a whim, was an unexpected “Sorry, I’ve got work.”
It felt like the kind of reply a boyfriend would give, prioritizing work over a date with his girlfriend, but we’re not actually dating. I do wish we could be, though.
I’d heard about it beforehand, so I kind of figured it’d be a long shot. Brushing it off quickly, I arranged to meet up with Kaori, Sakuna, and Sandra at the station in the late afternoon.
“…Maybe I’m a bit early?”
Sitting on a bench by the station, I let my thoughts wander for a moment.
I recalled a conversation I had with Kaori not too long ago.
To put it simply, she told me that when she went on a date with Himura-kun, they held hands, but nothing more happened.
Hearing that he doesn’t seem to have any romantic feelings for Kaori was a bit of a relief, but more importantly, it sounds like he’s lived a life distanced from anything sexual.
It goes without saying that I felt an unusually strong sense of kinship with him. Compared to other girls my age, I’m pretty clueless about that stuff too.
For me, it’s simply a lack of interest, but given my family background, I’ve had plenty of moments where older men—some I only know by face, others twice my age—have leered at me with crude gazes, so I can’t say I don’t feel some disgust toward it.
If it’s about someone I love, I’d probably be open to it, but hearing that it’s not necessary with him brings a small sense of relief too.
It’s a shame I can’t walk around the festival with Himura-kun, but I hope I might run into him somewhere, helping out with the festival.
“—Kaname.”
Suddenly, a voice called my name from behind the bench, accompanied by a hand resting on my shoulder.
I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Sakuna.
“You’re here a bit early, aren’t you?”
“Am I? I was just so excited, I couldn’t help it. Where’s Sandra?”
As I turned to look, I saw Sakuna dressed in a cute, floral-patterned yukata.
Isn’t she a bit too excited? I thought, but I’m also wearing a yukata, with my hair tied up in a bun for a change, so I can’t really talk.
“I don’t think she was on the same train. Wait, didn’t you come with Nanami-san?”
“Kaori and I came separately. Apparently, she’s wearing a yukata this time, which is rare.”
“Rare, huh?”
“Yeah, last year she showed up in a tracksuit.”
As I said that, I remembered last year and gave a small smile. I’m not one to judge, but Kaori was way too careless about fashion back then.
“We’ve still got some time before the meetup. Why don’t you sit, Sakuna?”
At my suggestion, Sakuna, despite her yukata, hopped over the bench with a light leap and sat down.
“Isn’t that a bit unladylike for that outfit?”
“It’s not like anyone’s watching.”
“—You’d be surprised how many people are.”
A familiar voice came from behind again, but it wasn’t one of the people we were waiting for.
“Oh, it’s this year’s Koshien star.”
“Haha… I’d rather you not call me that.”
Come to think of it, since Sakuna just got here, it’s not surprising he’d be nearby.
“Hey, Tomiya-kun. On a date with your girlfriend?”
“We can get out of your way if we’re intruding,” Sakuna chimed in.
“Nah, you’re not intruding or anything.”
I noticed a younger girl standing beside him, giving a polite bow.
Hachijou Yonagi-san, with her slightly bluish-black hair and a chest that rivals Sandra’s, inevitably drawing attention.
Her looks are on par with Kaori’s, no question.
Thanks to that, Sakuna, sitting next to me, was narrowing her eyes with a glare.
I can feel her jealousy radiating, but I wish she’d tone it down a bit.
“Waiting for Aoi, huh?”
“Himura-kun’s helping out with the festival. I’m waiting for Kaori and Sandra right now.”
“Huh… Oh, now that you mention it, I got turned down by Aoi last year too.”
I kind of figured, but it seems like he helps out at the festival every year.
It’s just a hunch, but I never pictured him as the type to actively get involved in crowded events like this, so his dedication is a bit surprising.
Seeing him focus so seriously on his studies from the side already feels nice, but I wonder how it’d feel to watch him working on something like this.
Guess I’ll be spending today with a slightly mischievous mindset.
“Hm? What’re you guys up to?”
Another familiar voice called out. It makes sense—this is a major local festival, so it’s no surprise people are gathering.
This time, it was Kurusaki-kun, who’s close with Sakuna and Tomiya-kun.
“Yo, Souma. You here alone? What about your childhood friend?”
“I’m not alone. I’m meeting up with some classmates. And Misora? No way, she’s out of the question.”
“Out of the question?”
When Sakuna pressed, Kurusaki-kun said something surprising.
“She’s one of the kagura dancers this year.”
“What, her!?”
Unable to hold back, Sakuna shot up from the bench.
“Her parents used to be performers, you know. This year, it’s a family thing, so I’ve gotta go watch.”
“Wow. Now that you mention it, Nagi’s dad…”
“Nagi…? Hmph.”
Whether it was the nickname or something else that bothered her, Sakuna looked ready to glare again, so I nudged her with my elbow.
“Yeah, my dad plays the koto in the performance.”
“There’s a surprising number of performers around us, huh?”
Maybe because each act has different instruments and performers, there are just more of them around than you’d expect.
Still… with such a lively group of friends here, it’s honestly rare for Himura-kun, who’s kind of the central figure, to be absent.
“—Oh? There’s a lot of people here.”
“Way more than planned…”
From the direction of the residential area, Kaori and Sandra approached, drawing an overwhelming amount of attention in their yukata.
“…They’re beautiful.”
The quiet murmur came from Hachijou-san, the only underclassman here. I’m not sure which of the two she was referring to, but Tomiya-kun seemed to find her reaction endearing, chuckling softly as his shoulders shook.
“Oh, my group’s here too. Guess we’ll meet up again at the kagura dance?”
“Yeah, probably. Alright, we’re heading off too.”
“Yes, senpai.”
Tomiya-kun and his girlfriend headed toward the stalls first, while Kurusaki-kun went to meet up with his classmates.
With Kaori and Sandra here, Sakuna and I stood up too.
“…By the way, I thought Sandra was coming from the station.”
“Oh, she came to my place this morning to borrow one of my mom’s yukata. Doesn’t it look amazing on her?”
That makes sense, though I wonder when they arranged that. Anyone who says she doesn’t look stunning in it probably has no sense of taste. Her chest looks like it’s being held back quite a bit, though.
Honestly, Sakuna’s eyes are glued to that part.
Maybe to match her blonde hair, she’s wearing a white and blue yukata that gives off a refreshing vibe.
“Alright, let’s get going.”
“Sure. Where to first?”
“Well, obviously…”
Kaori flashed a grin and said something surprisingly unexpected.
“—To the shrine for a prayer, right?”
