Chapter 36
Moonlit Night and the Summer Festival (Part 1)
We arrived at the nature park, and Seiya and I got out of the car.
Come to think of it, just last Saturday, I walked here with Tsukiyo.
…Honestly, I’m way too excited to see her in a yukata tonight.
She called me a pervert last time, but still—if she lets me, I’ll take a few pictures again.
I’m not scared of anything anymore.
The meeting spot is right in front of the area lined with food stalls—a pretty open space and a well-known place for gatherings.
“Crowded as always. I’ve never cared for festivals.”
“Yeah, but you do care about girls.”
Bullseye. Seiya shut his mouth right away.
Last year, this group of ours didn’t even exist yet, so Seiya stayed home, I wandered with some random guy friends, and Tsukiyo went around with her three childhood friends.
Now, just like that, we’re a group of ten.
Seiya’s Harem—terrifying.
Still… they’re late.
Fireworks start in about an hour, and waiting here is starting to get annoying.
For one reason.
“Um… are you here alone?”
“Huh?”
“No, he’s not. This guy’s surrounded by like six girls, so maybe leave him be.”
So many forward girls hitting on Seiya. And, of course, I’m invisible to them.
“Could you not say it like that? You make me sound like some player.”
“I know you’re not, but I can’t help saying it.”
“Completely unreasonable…”
To be fair, “Seiya’s Harem” doesn’t mean he’s stringing multiple girls along.
Well, I don’t know about Mizusato-san, but the other five have actually confessed to him before.
Naturally, he turned them down—politely, even. But they still can’t give up, and keep trying.
From Seiya’s perspective, he’s done his part. So being called a “harem lead” probably feels unfair.
But from the point of view of a guy who isn’t popular… yeah, I can’t resist saying it.
It’s half teasing anyway.
Then—
“Whoa!”
I hear cheers rising from the park entrance.
What’s going on?
“What’s that?”
“Holy crap, it’s a group of gorgeous girls.”
“Isn’t that Hii-chan from Ice?”
“That chestnut-haired girl’s insane…”
“Never seen that kind of hazy gray hair color before.”
Just from that, I know who’s arrived.
People around us start showering them with compliments as they approach.
“They all stopped in front of that one guy.”
“He’s really good-looking.”
“Lucky… I wish I could talk to someone like that.”
“He’s gonna handle all of them at once?”
And, naturally, my presence becomes invisible again.
Not being told to leave is already a win, I guess.
Whistle.
Nice. Really nice.
Yukata beauties. Just being able to see them is enough for me.
Mizusato-san, Hōjō-san, Yumizaki-san, Urihara-san, Kudo-san, Sera-san, and Amano—Hii-chan.
Each has her own unique charm, and every one of them looks amazing in a yukata.
I know none of them have any interest in me, but I can’t help blushing a little.
As for Seiya, who’s the actual recipient of all their affection… he must be dying of embarrassment.
And at the very back—
there’s Tsukiyo.
Her yukata is a soft, bright yellow, patterned with flowers that give her a gentle, pure impression.
Her hair’s tied up, exposing her ears and the nape of her neck—something I don’t usually get to see.
She looks incredibly cute.
It’s a different kind of charm from our date last Saturday.
Tsukiyo is chatting with some other first-years, smiling as the girls call her cute again and again.
The guys who walk by, mesmerized, can’t help praising her too.
If she keeps getting called cute like this, she’s gonna get tired of hearing it.
I might’ve missed my chance.
“Taiyo-kun, aren’t you gonna talk to Tsukiyo-chan?”
That’s Mizusato-san. Her blue-patterned yukata suits her flaxen hair perfectly.
If she didn’t talk, she’d be flawless.
“Uh… maybe later.”
“There is no later.”
Before I can resist, Mizusato-san grabs my arm and drags me straight toward Tsukiyo.
She’s still talking with others—it’s embarrassing!
“Excuse me, coming through~”
Now she’s gone and pulled Tsukiyo over by the arm too.
We stop right by the food stalls, and finally, it feels like I’m face-to-face with her.
“Tsukiyo-chan, you’re sooo cute, right~? Right!?”
Mizusato-san shouts teasingly, just like earlier with Seiya and Kudo-san.
When it comes to herself, she can’t handle compliments—but when it’s others, she loves stirring things up.
Tsukiyo adjusts her hair slightly. Her usual air feels completely different tonight.
Our eyes meet.
She’s so cute.
I want to scream it out loud.
Her gaze flickers nervously around, unable to settle.
No harm in saying it.
She’s already heard “cute” a thousand times today.
If I say it, it’ll just be the 1001st.
I take a breath.
“Taiyo-san… h-how do I look?”
“Ah, um, Tsukiyo…”
My mouth isn’t working right.
But I have to say it.
I gather every bit of courage I have.
“Ah, y-your yukata really… suits you.”
“Thank you…”
“You look… really cute.”
“―――――!!”
Tsukiyo’s face turns bright red.
She claps both hands to her cheeks and bows her head, hiding her face completely.
“See? A thousand random ‘you’re cute’s can’t beat one that really matters.”
Mizusato-san says something, but the crowd’s too loud—I can’t make it out.
