Chapter 64: Beautiful Girl Goes to the Summer Festival (Part 2)

"Hey, what's wrong?"

I ask Ryoji. He’s been oddly quiet for a while now, only giving vague reactions like “Ahh…” whenever I try talking to him. When I ask if he’s feeling sick, he insists that’s not it.

"Come on! What’s going on with you?"

I don’t remember doing anything, but maybe I upset him without realizing it. I try to recall if something happened, but nothing comes to mind. The fact that I have no clue just makes me even more nervous. Maybe that shows on my face, because Ryoji suddenly gives his cheek a light slap with the hand that isn’t holding mine.

"What’s wrong?"

"Sorry. I was just… thinking about a lot of stuff."

Ryoji, thinking deeply? The thought itself is rude, but it pops into my head anyway. At the same time, I understand how he feels. Watching a friend silently struggle is… unsettling. Maybe when I was having a hard time before, he felt the same frustration I’m feeling now.

"So, first things first—want yakisoba? Or maybe that water candy I couldn’t treat you to during the fireworks festival?"

"You remembered the water candy?"

"Of course. Food-related grudges are terrifying."

He grins playfully. I’m not that greedy… probably. But I’ll take the water candy. If he’s offering, I’m not turning it down.

Surprisingly, water candy stalls are rare, and we can’t find one right away. I’m not even that fixated on it, especially since we already had shaved ice earlier. But the harder it is to find, the more I want it. We wander slowly around the shrine grounds.

"Want to try balloon fishing?"

"Ehh… I don’t think I can get even one…"

It’s a hundred yen per try, so I hand the clerk a coin. First attempt.

"Here goes!"

Result: no good. Even though the ring caught the balloon, the paper string holding the hook was worn out and snapped the instant I lifted it. But… I think I found a trick! Take two.

No good.

Why!? I was sure I had it that time.

"Don’t aim for the ones sinking in the water. Go for the ones floating."

Ryoji, already fishing next to me, offers advice. He’s gotten two. And on his first try. Grrr. Okay, take three. I look for a floating balloon… spotted one! Alright, carefully now—

Snap.

"Aah!"

Why does this keep happening!? Third time’s supposed to be the charm. Balloon or not, this is frustrating enough to make me tear up. Whatever! I didn’t want one of these dumb balloons anyway!

"Little lady, want me to give you one?"

"N-no thanks! Um, Ryoji… h-he got extra, so…!"

The shopkeeper tries to hand me one out of pity, but I panic and refuse. I’d been sulking inside my head, so the sudden kindness caught me off guard. Besides, that kind of gesture is for little kids who couldn’t get any. I’m a high schooler! And Ryoji got two—more than enough.

"Ohh, so the young man’s your boyfriend? Lucky guy, huh."

"B-boyfriend!?"

His misunderstanding makes me flail harder.

"Here, take the balloon. Let’s go."

Completely unfazed, Ryoji hands me one. I take it before I can stop myself. How is he this calm!?

No—whatever. Breathe. We’ll never see this man again, so there’s no point correcting him. That must be why Ryoji doesn’t care. Okay. Reset. I smile and thank the shopkeeper, who seems a little surprised, and then Ryoji and I leave the stall.

A few minutes later, as we resume wandering around the grounds, I’m licking water candy stuck on a wooden stick. I chose melon flavor, but it barely tastes like melon—just straight sugar. Sweet and tasty, but the neon color and overpowering sweetness make me wonder if it’s even remotely healthy.

Ryoji didn’t buy one for himself and keeps glancing at mine. If he wants one, he should just get one.

"Hey, Ayumi."

"What? I’m not giving you any."

I hide my water candy behind me in one swift motion.

"No, that’s not it. Though if you gave me some of what you’ve already licked, I’d accept it."

"Absolutely not! …So? What is it?"

Ryoji falls silent again. Festival drums beat in the distance, stall vendors shout, and kids run around laughing.

"I was just thinking… it’s been a while. Since we hung out, just the two of us."

"Ahh, yeah. Ever since we started high school, we’re usually with the cooking club."

"Yeah. I mean, that’s fun too."

Since entering high school, I’ve done so many things I never did in middle school. Friends really are wonderful—I’ve realized that now. Even if things were rough at first, and even if people get a little too excited sometimes, it’s still fun. But hanging out with Ryoji back in middle school was fun too.

Ah. Maybe that’s why he invited me today. I sort of understand that sudden urge to revisit something nostalgic.

My thoughts drift with the scent of sauce wafting by. Instantly, my mind shifts to yakisoba. Looking around, I spot a yakisoba stall. The line isn’t too long, and the price is reasonable.

"Ryoji. I want yakisoba."

I point at the stall.

"Eh? You want me to treat you for that too!?"

He makes a mildly annoyed face. Hey! Don’t make it sound like I’m mooching off you! I laugh exaggeratedly and wave it off.

"Ahaha! No way. Let’s just line up and buy it together."

We buy yakisoba and look for somewhere to sit, since eating while standing seems tricky. During festivals, people sit anywhere—the base of the torii gate, big stones scattered around the grounds.

Following their example, we find a good-sized stone and sit.

The smell of sauce teases my empty stomach. There aren’t many ingredients, but it still looks good. I split the chopsticks and slurp a bit of the noodles. The sauce is a little thin, but since I’m hungry, it tastes great.

"Hey, want to go to the arcade again sometime? We haven’t gone together since spring break, right?"

Ryoji asks after swallowing his first bite.

Now that he mentions it… yeah, it’s been a while. Maybe there’ll be cuter plushies than the weird ones he usually wins. And I kind of want to try the racing games again.

"Sure, sounds good. When should we go? I’ve been working a lot lately, so I hope our schedules match."

"Yeah, I know. I’m usually at your place anyway."

He really does come by a lot. According to Yazaki-san, it’s because both his parents work and he doesn’t have lunch at home during summer break. When she said that, I couldn’t exactly tell him to stop coming, so he kept showing up. I’m used to it now, so it doesn’t bother me. And he never interrupts me while I’m working. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but ever since I got the job, it feels like we’ve had more customers. Because of that, even when he shows up late, there are usually people around and we barely talk until my shift ends.

"How about next Wednesday? You’re not working that day, right?"

"You remember that?"

Ryoji says it like it’s obvious.

But I actually had plans that day.

"Sorry, I have something going on."

"Huh? Really? That’s rare."

Rude! Sure, if I’m not working and if Sakurako and the others don’t invite me anywhere, I usually end up lazing around at home… but still!

"I'm going to an all-you-can-eat dessert place with Aoi-kun."

I blurt it out defensively.
And the second the words leave my mouth, I regret it.

Whenever I mention Aoi-kun, both Ryoji and Togo react way too strongly.
Naturally, this time is no exception.

"For real!? Wait, what? You didn’t tell me that!"

"I don’t have to tell you…"

"I mean… yeah, technically, but…"

He mutters, but he’s clearly bothered.

"But you're not going just the two of you, right?"

Yeah… about that. We actually are going just the two of us.
And honestly, I didn’t expect it to end up that way either.

When I don’t answer, Ryoji’s face tenses up. He doesn’t have to look that shocked. I mean, I was surprised too, but still.

"Ayumi, are you… are you gonna start dating that Aoi guy?"

"Come on. How should I know? Not right now, but nobody knows what’ll happen in the future."

He’s not a bad person, and if we keep hanging out as friends, something could happen someday.
It’s just that I currently have zero desire to get into a boyfriend–girlfriend thing. That’s why I wanted to avoid being alone with him in the first place.

"Th-that’s… wow. But isn’t that basically a date? Are you okay with that?"

"Ugh… yeah, it kinda sounds like that… but it’s not like that for me."

I roll the chopsticks between my fingers.

Yeah… if a boy and girl are alone together, people will definitely assume things.
Sigh. I really hope Aoi-kun doesn’t get the wrong idea.

"T-then just cancel!"

"Haha, that’d be kinda rude…"

I sort of invited him in a roundabout way, so canceling now would feel weird.

Also… the desserts looked really good on the restaurant website.
I mean… since I’m going anyway…

"But what if he tries something? You’re gonna be alone with him!"

"He’s not you, Ryoji. He’s not gonna do anything weird."

We haven’t known each other long, but I’m confident Aoi-kun isn’t that type. That part doesn’t worry me at all.

"Ugh—! The way you talk about this gentleman…"

If anyone deserves an apology, it’s actual gentlemen.
Yeah, he’s been nicer lately and stopped touching me without permission, but that’s just going from negative back to zero. Zero isn’t “gentleman”—you need something positive for that.

Maybe he noticed my cold stare, because Ryoji slumps in defeat.

"And anyway, even if it’s just the two of us… you and I are alone right now, right? But this isn’t a date."

"Huh? O-oh… right."

"So it’s the same thing."

"Y… yeah…"

He looks like he still wants to argue, but thankfully drops it.

"Alright, we’re done eating. Let’s find a trash bin."

"Y-yeah."

I get up from the stone. Ryoji picks up the chopsticks he dropped and slowly stands.

Honestly, I appreciate that he worries about me, but he’s too protective.
I’m literally just going out to eat dessert. Then coming home. That’s it.

I start walking ahead, leaving him behind—
…or that was the plan.

Right as I step forward, the thong of my sandal snaps with a sharp pop, and I stumble awkwardly.

"Whoa, hey—are you okay?"

I wobble, and Ryoji catches me from behind.

"Th-thanks."

Ughhh, he totally saw me mess up. My luck is the worst.

"Man… This is exactly why I worry about you. You’ve got this perfect mix of bad luck and clumsiness."

"You don’t have to say it like that…"

"Well, can’t be helped. With your sandal like this, you can’t walk properly. Let’s head home."

I nod quietly.
Sigh… I haven’t even seen all the stalls yet. Seriously, my luck is awful.

As I try to stand, Ryoji crouches in front of me, turning his back toward me.

"What are you doing?"

"Figured you might need a piggyback."

"Uh, I-I don’t know about that…"

Getting carried on someone’s back here, in front of all these people, is way too embarrassing.
But I can’t hop all the way home on one foot either. Ughhh, what do I do? Should I call Yō and have him bring shoes from home…? But that’s far, and even if he’s my little brother, sending him out like that feels wrong.

After agonizing over it, what I end up doing is…

"Excuse me…"

…getting on his back after all.

Too embarrassed to let anyone see my face, I press my forehead against Ryoji’s back.

"H-hey, hey… If you cling to me that much…"

"S-sorry. Let’s just go."

Ughhh, this is so embarrassing. People are totally staring.
I mean, getting a piggyback ride when we’re already in high school… come on…

Ryoji walks slowly, carefully avoiding people as he carries me out of the shrine grounds and through the torii gate. Eventually, the crowd thins out.

"Phew. Hardly anyone around now. You’re fine."

"Yeah."

"Sucks that we can’t hit the arcade next week, but let’s go another time."

"Yeah."

"I guess I’ve gotta step it up too…"

"Huh? Step up what?"

"N-no, it’s nothing."

Weird, I grumble internally.

For all his complaining, Ryoji really does take care of me.
I feel bad for relying on him so much…

Looking up at the sky from his back, I see a clear night with not a single cloud. The city lights wash out most of the stars, but the moon shines beautifully.