A week had passed since the start of summer vacation. Today was the day of our scheduled excursion to a summer festival. We were currently gathered at my family home, the Kariya residence, but the scene was... unfamiliar, to say the least. Everyone except me had already changed into their yukatas.
The group consisted of five people: the "men’s team"—myself, Shiki, and Kaiser—plus Tsubaki and Laura. Ayane was supposed to join us, but she sent word that she’d be late due to some business involving a Dungeon Streaming project.
"All right, let’s make the most of today."
Shiki, dressed in an indigo yukata, kicked things off by pulling out a guide map of the festival grounds.
He was an efficiency nut when it came to festivals. Apparently, he had spent yesterday scouting out the best food stalls and compiling a list. The plan for the day was to hit every single one of them.
"By the way, my friend, are you not going to wear a yukata?" Kaiser asked.
"Ah, I’ll have one on by the time we leave. It seems Arachne is sewing one for me at breakneck speed right now."
"Is that so! I look forward to seeing it."
"I have plenty at my house I could have lent you, de-gozaru... but it is truly impressive to have someone who can simply make one from scratch, de-gozaru," Tsubaki added.
When I had grumbled a bit earlier about not owning a yukata, Arachne had jumped on the idea with terrifying enthusiasm, shouting, "I'll make you one!" I knew how to put one on, but I had no idea if it would actually look good on me. Still, since everyone else was dressing up, I wanted to match the vibe. I was genuinely grateful.
"So, what do you think, Reima? Does it suit me?" Laura asked.
"There’s no way it wouldn't."
Laura was wearing a rare white yukata, while Tsubaki wore a cherry-blossom-colored one with intricate embroidery. Both looked remarkably good. Perhaps it was because of the "training" I’d received during that recent girls' association meeting, but I managed to offer a few compliments while giving my honest impressions.
"Wait... my best friend is actually giving feedback?" Shiki muttered.
"Stop looking at me like I just caused a cataclysm, Shiki."
"I mean, come on. You were always so hopeless with this stuff."
I have an idea of what he’s getting at, but I decided to ignore him for now. I’d probably just share the details with Ayane later. Regardless, the plan to head to the festival was set. With the route mapped out, we’d likely just hit up whatever game stalls caught our interest along the way.
"Now everyone will be in a yukata, de-gozaru! How exciting, de-gozaru!"
"Is Ayane wearing one too?" I asked.
"She is, de-gozaru! I chose a magnificent one for her!"
"...Huh. I’m looking forward to that. Ayane looks good in anything, but since it’s a special occasion, I definitely want to see it."
"Hey, Shiki. Is this idiot always like this?" Laura whispered.
"Pretty much. At least when it comes to Ayane."
I tilted my head while sipping some cold barley tea. Always like what? I was just acting like my usual self. I didn't see what the big deal was.
"Hey, Shiki, this list is huge. Are we really hitting this many stalls?"
"Well, Tsubaki is with us, after all."
I had been worried that a yukata’s obi might be too tight for the girls to eat much, but considering the group was mostly made up of gluttons, I realized my concern was misplaced.
"Hehe, it is a festival, so I have a separate stomach for everything, de-gozaru! I shall eat my fill, de-gozaru!"
With that settled, we boarded a train toward Kanagawa, heading for Enoshima—the site of the summer festival and fireworks display.
The train ride was a relaxed affair. I killed time by messaging Ayane, who was apparently heading to the venue on her own.
『Wait, Reima, you’re actually wearing a yukata?』
『Yeah. Why?』
『I just can’t picture it.』
『My bad. It’s not like I wear them often.』
『That’s not what I meant... well, I guess I’ll look forward to it.』
『I don't know if it’ll meet your high standards, though...』
The train pulled into Enoshima just as I sent the last message, and we headed through the ticket gates. While the others were already dressed, I was still in my street clothes. I’d received word the moment we stepped off the train that the sewing was finished, so I ducked into a rental changing room to swap outfits.
Man, I hope this doesn't look ridiculous.
I took a look at the finished garment: a black, masculine yukata. It was plain, without any patterns, and it was quite large. It was the kind of thing that only looked right if you had the height to pull it off. I wasn't exactly brimming with confidence regarding my looks—I figured I was average at best—so I was legitimately worried about looking out of place. I'd felt fine about it earlier, but now that I was actually putting it on, the anxiety started to kick in.
Fidgeting with the fabric and hoping I’d tied everything correctly, I finally made my way to the festival grounds. I wanted to believe I at least looked the part, or at least didn't look like a mess... but I couldn't be sure.
"...Reima?"
As I walked toward the entrance, a voice called out to me. It was a familiar voice, but it carried a hint of hesitation.
I felt a slight tug on my sleeve, as if someone was asking me to look at them. There was no mistaking who it was. I turned around, and sure enough—it was Ayane.
"...You look cute."
"Do you actually mean that?"
My response had been so instantaneous that she probably doubted my sincerity. But I couldn't help it. Every single compliment I had prepared in my head had spontaneously evaporated.
Tsubaki was the one who had picked out the outfit, and I had to hand it to her—her taste was impeccable. I stared at Ayane, mesmerized. By some stroke of coincidence, she was also wearing a black yukata. Her pattern featured white lilies and two beautiful butterflies with purple-patterned wings. It was perfect for the season and incredibly beautiful. It brought out her natural charm in a way that made me think... yeah, she's definitely cute. Her obi was a pale, simple light blue, devoid of any unnecessary flair.
"Sorry, Ayane. 'Cute' doesn't cover it. You're actually stunning. The hairstyle suits you, too."
She usually left her long hair down, but today she had it in a half-up style to match the yukata. I thought she’d look even better with a decorative hairpin. Maybe I'll get her one next year, I thought.
"...It suits you too, Reima."
"You think so? I was worried, but if you're the one saying it, I guess I'm okay."
So it does suit me. Knowing that, I felt like I could walk around without feeling self-conscious. If Ayane gave me her seal of approval, I had nothing to worry about.
"My best friend is being even more of a 'best friend' than usual," a voice teased.
"It is very like Reima-dono, de-gozaru."
"What’s with you guys all of a sudden?"
The rest of the group had caught up with us while I was talking to Ayane.
"Honestly, you're such an idiot, Reima," Ayane sighed.
"What do you mean, 'idiot'? My grades are fine."
"No, you're definitely an idiot, Reima," Laura chimed in.
I was genuinely baffled. I didn't think I was a genius, but I handled my basic studies well enough. I was even the top student in the Support Department. Calling me an "idiot" made no sense. Confused, I turned to Kaiser for a second opinion.
"I’m smart, right, Kaiser?"
"Indeed. My friend is very intelligent."
"See? Thanks, Kaiser."
Exactly. I had no reason to doubt Kaiser's word. Having settled the fact that I wasn't an idiot, we proceeded to charge into the festival grounds.
"It’s crowded, so try not to get separated."
"...I’ll do my best."
"That wasn't a setup for a joke, best friend."
We chatted as we pushed through the throng of people. The initial area was mostly adult-oriented stalls selling things like beer, but we eventually reached the section with food for everyone.
"All right, everyone! Time to eat, de-gozaru!"
Tsubaki’s eyes sparkled as she locked onto her targets.
"I’ve mapped out the route," Shiki announced. "To ensure maximum consumption, we start with the light snacks."
"Ehh? But I want a candy apple, de-gozaru."
"...Those take forever to eat, Tsubaki."
"It’s fine, Shiki," Ayane interjected. "It’s a bit late for this, but having a rigid route for a festival is just tacky."
"...My three days of route construction... well, fine. Whatever."
I felt a little bad for Shiki since he’d clearly put work into researching the best spots, but I agreed with Ayane. I didn't want to overthink things at a festival. It was better to just eat whatever looked good.
"It's been a while since you've been to a festival, right, Reima? Anything you want to eat?"
"If you're talking about a human festival, sure. But we did have that Dungeon Festival recently."
"Oh, right."
"So, maybe something rare that I didn't get to try back then."
With that decided, we began wandering from stall to stall, our hands gradually filling up with food. This was the highlight of any festival—eating while walking and hanging out with friends. By the time we reached the middle of the venue, I noticed something.
"Wait... where did Tsubaki and Laura go?"
"Tsubaki ran off toward something that caught her eye," Ayane explained. "Laura chased after her so she wouldn't get lost."
"Seriously? And Shiki and Kaiser?"
"They said they smelled high-quality yakitori and dragged Goro off with them."
"…………Typical."
Shiki, my best friend from my old life. Laura, my comrade from another world. Kaiser and Tsubaki, the friends I’d made here. I smiled, reflecting on how much their behavior suited them. It was a strange, pleasant feeling.
...But wait. If those four were gone... that meant there were only two of us left.
In other words, we were alone. I was walking through the festival with just Ayane.
"………………Eh?"