With a sharp pop, a cork bullet flew from the muzzle of the gun.
It traced a lazy arc through the air, ultimately failing to hit the intended prize. Instead, it grazed the corner of a snack box sitting next to the target and tumbled onto the back curtain.
"Aw, so close...!"
"Yeah, this is harder than it looks."
Haruka, who had been watching with bated breath, let out a disappointed sigh. I lowered the cork gun, tilting my head as I examined it.
Each attempt gave me five shots. The first had flown off toward nowhere, and the second was a near miss. With three shots left, I really wanted to win something for Haruka, especially since she was cheering me on so earnestly.
"Heh, you're hopeless, Yanagida. It’s painfully obvious you're an amateur."
Hashimoto, who had essentially dragged me into this shooting match with drinks on the line, stood beside me. He held his cork gun in one hand, looking far more confident than I felt.
...Amateur or not, it was my first time, so what did he expect? I hadn't even been to a festival in recent years, and my memories of visiting them with my mother when I was a kid were almost entirely gone.
"I told you I'd pass because I'd never done it, but you're the one who wouldn't listen."
"Did I? Well, in that case, allow a veteran to show you how it's done. Watch and learn, okay?"
Ignoring my dubious glare, Hashimoto casually pulled the trigger.
He didn't even look like he was aiming, yet the flying cork struck a box of snacks on the shelf dead center.
"Ooh!"
"Amazing!"
Hamasaki and Mukai, who were waiting in line behind us, cheered. The rest of our group, myself included, watched with genuine impressed interest.
Clearly enjoying the attention, Hashimoto loaded the next round with a fluid motion and fired immediately. He scored a direct hit on a small teddy bear, drawing applause even from the bystanders watching from the street.
I suppose he really was the ace of the soccer club; the way he waved a hand in response to the cheers was perfectly in character.
"That's two shots each. Your turn, Yanagida. ...Here, Shio, a present for you."
"I'll take it, but stop pushing your unwanted prizes on me every year."
"Come on, you like this cute stuff, don't you? Besides, you've got everything else I've ever given you displayed on your shelf anyway."
"Don't go snooping in my room!"
"I have permission to hang out there, so it's not snooping!"
Despite her prickly attitude, Shinohara Shiori's hands were very gentle as she tucked the teddy bear into her bag.
Setting that aside... honestly, Hashimoto’s "demonstration" hadn't been helpful at all. Our skill levels were just too far apart.
However, setting technique aside, I thought I’d found something worth emulating.
"Haruka. Is there a prize you want?"
"Eh? It's your money, Tatsumi-kun. You should pick something you want..."
"It's fine. I only went along with Hashimoto's idea anyway, and there's nothing I really want... well, actually, there is one thing."
I shook my head slightly and turned to face the bewildered Haruka.
"Seeing Hashimoto and Shio-chan together, I realized that if I focus on winning a gift for my girlfriend, it might give me the motivation I need. So, the thing I want... is Haruka’s smile."
...I was surprised at how naturally such cheesy lines were coming out of my mouth lately. I must have been more swept up in the festival atmosphere than I realized.
As I reflexively looked away, Haruka let out a little giggle.
"Pfft, ahaha! Oh, Tatsumi-kun, are you actually a bit excited for the festival? But I'm happy if my smile is enough to motivate you. Hmm, let's see, which one should I pick?"
Laughing happily, she scanned the prizes with a serious expression before finally pointing to a figurine of a dog... or perhaps it was a wolf? It had a remarkably dignified face.
I see, that one... It looked like a difficult target, but since its base was small, it should fall if I hit it squarely.
I took a breath and focused. Gripping the cork gun with both hands, I leveled it and took aim at the target.
I felt a little guilty about blasting that small body with a hard cork, but I hoped it would be well-loved once it was in Haruka's possession. ...Wait, was I actually feeling a twinge of jealousy toward an inanimate object? That was ridiculous. I was the one who suggested this.
I gave a wry internal smile at my stray thoughts, and I felt the unnecessary tension leave my shoulders.
I felt like I could hit it now. Trusting my intuition, I pulled the trigger almost by instinct.
"Ooh!"
"Nice shot!"
"—Yes."
Amidst the burst of cheers, I pumped my fist slightly.
I was just glad I hadn't missed. Failing after a setup like that would have been beyond embarrassing.
Basking in a pleasant sense of accomplishment, I took the prize from the stall owner, who gave me a boisterous, "Not bad, kid!"
As I looked at the trophy in my palm, its sharp eyes seemed to glare back at me. I apologized internally—sorry for the rough treatment; you can relax at Haruka's place from now on.
"Tatsumi-kun, that was amazing! You looked so cool!"
"Thanks. I owe it to you. Here."
When I held out the figurine, Haruka accepted it as if it were precious treasure, her face lighting up with a brilliant smile.
That, truly, was the best reward I could ask for.
"Thank you so much, Tatsumi-kun! I'll take great care of it!"
"Please do. Even if he does have a bit of a cheeky, arrogant face."
"What? I think that's the cute part. Doesn't he look a little bit like you, Tatsumi-kun? See, those sharp, strong-willed eyes?"
"Really...? Well, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters."
"Hey, you two. Hate to break up the lovey-dovey moment, but you've still got two shots left."
Hashimoto's exasperated voice cut through our conversation as we stood there smiling at each other.
Right, I wasn't finished yet. Honestly, I was already satisfied just getting Haruka her gift... but there was no rule saying I couldn't give her two.
With Haruka's cheers at my back, I began reloading the cork gun.
The festival grounds were even more crowded than we had anticipated.
Stalls lined both sides of the wide road, and massive crowds swarmed beneath their glowing signs. It was the very definition of a "packed house."
The lingering heat of the day mixed with the sheer energy of the crowd, making me break into a sweat just by walking. The girls, however, seemed well-prepared, each holding a handheld fan.
After finishing our shooting match, we made our way through the throng with our various prizes.
"Where to next?"
"Since we're at a summer festival, shaved ice is a must! And cotton candy, candy apples, chocolate bananas, and takoyaki too!"
"You're only thinking about food, Miki. I'm not helping you if you can't finish it all," Takamiya Karin warned.
"I—I like festival food too, ssu! Even if half the flavor is just the atmosphere, ssu," Hamasaki added.
"Heh... does that mean Hamasaki-kun is volunteering to finish whatever Miki leaves behind?" Takamiya teased.
"Aeh?! N-No, I didn't mean—!"
"I can finish it all myself! I'm a big eater, and I skipped lunch just for this! I've been starving for ages...!" Mukai said, her eyes practically sparkling as she scanned the nearby stalls.
Hamasaki stood behind her, his expression a complicated mix of relief and missed opportunity. I could tell he wanted to help, but Takamiya’s assist might have been a little too aggressive. Takamiya seemed to realize this as well, looking a bit sheepish.
Currently, we were walking in a formation of two columns and four rows. Hashimoto and Shio-chan were in the lead, as they knew the layout of this festival best. Haruka and I followed them, with Takamiya and Mukai behind us. Hamasaki and Moriyama brought up the rear.
We were a large group to begin with, and the girls—Haruka especially—stood out. To prevent any trouble from drunk or rowdy festival-goers, we had the two couples and the two athletes forming a protective shell around the unattached girls.
Protecting my girlfriend was my job, after all. I kept a firm grip on Haruka's hand while keeping a casual eye on our surroundings. I was a little worried about my hands getting sweaty, but Haruka looked like she was having the time of her life, so I figured it was fine.
Hashimoto glanced back at us with an exasperated look. "I don't know how you guys can be so clingy in this heat."
You're one to talk, I thought. You're her boyfriend too.
"I tell you every time, don't lump us in with you 'idiot couples.' We have a relationship based on moderation."
"You say that as if we have no moderation at all."
"Oh? Try and argue otherwise."
...I decided to let it slide for now.
As I glared at the smug Hashimoto, Haruka leaned over with a mischievous smile and spoke to Shinohara.
"Your boyfriend says that... but what about you, Shio-chan? Don't you want to hold hands?"
"M-Me? I mean, it's not like... that..."
Shinohara’s cheeks flushed red at Haruka's question. Her eyes darted between Hashimoto's face and his hand before she finally gave a tiny, shy nod.
"I-It is a special occasion... and Hiro worked hard at his tournament, so I guess this is like a reward...? I-If Hiro doesn't mind, anyway."
"Why would I mind? ...Here."
"T-Thank you."
"Yeah. ...Hey, Yanagida, what's with that look on your face?!"
"It's the same look you give me whenever you're teasing me."
"Guh!"
That shut him up. I hoped he’d learn his lesson, but knowing him, he’d be back at it in five minutes.
I let out a small sigh and wiped my brow with a handkerchief. I really should have brought a fan... Just as I was regretting my lack of foresight, a cool breeze hit my face.
"How's that, Tatsumi-kun? Feel better?"
"Ah, that's amazing... thanks. But won't you get hot if you're using it on me, Haruka?"
"It's okay. See? If we do this, we both stay cool."
Haruka clung to my arm, closing the distance between us to zero so the handheld fan could cover both of us.
In all honesty, the added body heat from her pressing against me probably canceled out the fan’s cooling effect, but she looked so happy that I wasn't about to complain.
"Just watching you two makes me feel like my brain is boiling," Moriyama remarked dryly.
"I think you're being too kind... Honestly, someone should think about us, the ones forced to watch two 'idiot couples' flitting about," Takamiya added.
"You're both being really harsh, ssu..." Hamasaki said with a wry smile. Those two really were on the same wavelength.
Ignoring the commentary, Mukai, who was already munching on some shaved ice, spoke with a hint of envy.
"But Haruka and Shio-chan look so happy. Seeing them makes me want a boyfriend too... Wait, did I say that already?"
"Ueh...?!"
At that bombshell statement, a strange sound escaped Hamasaki's throat, and I could have sworn Takamiya’s glasses glinted sharply.
"I believe you mentioned it before. So, how is it, Miki? Anyone catch your eye?" Takamiya asked.
"I'm interested in the idea, but for now, it's basketball all the way! No one special yet! ...Oh, candy apples!"
"My, my."
"That's too bad. Or is it better for him because she's confirmed single?" Moriyama mused.
"N-No comment, ssu!"
Hamasaki watched with a mix of hope and despair as Mukai dashed toward a nearby stall.
The battle is just beginning, Hamasaki. Good luck.
I was about to offer some encouragement when a loud announcement blared from a speaker on a nearby pole.
"The live performance is about to begin! Please make your way to the central park stage!!"
The name of the singer was one even I recognized. I was impressed they managed to get someone that famous for a local festival.
The announcement caused a sudden shift in the crowd, with a massive wave of people starting to move in the opposite direction of where we were headed.
"Oh, right, my old man said they had a big guest... Crap, let's pull over to the side for a second."
"Wait, Miki went to buy a candy apple...!"
At Haruka’s panicked cry, I immediately scanned the area. This was the one time my height was a genuine advantage.
I looked over the heads of the crowd, searching for her. Finding someone as petite as her in this sea of people would normally be—no, there she was.
About ten meters away, right in the thick of the crowd, I saw a girl jumping up and down with one hand raised. She was surprisingly easy to spot from a higher vantage point.
"I see her! But if we don't get her soon, she's going to get swept away!"
"That girl, honestly...! But diving into that crowd is..."
"—I'll go, ssu!"
Before any of us could hesitate further, a large shadow lunged forward.
It was Hamasaki, his face set in a mask of grim determination. Using his large frame to slip through gaps in the crowd, he pushed forward, ignoring the wall of people as he marched toward Mukai.
When he finally reached her, he firmly grabbed her hand as she reached out for help.
"Hamasaki-kun?!"
"Sorry! I'll apologize later! For now, I'm getting you back to the others, so just follow me, ssu!"
"U-Um, okay! Thank you!"
Overwhelmed by his intensity, Mukai nodded and followed.
"Whoa..."
"Hamasaki actually stepped up."
"He really can show some initiative when it counts."
"If only he could do that more often."
"Hey, you guys? You should be praising him!"
"I'm just glad Miki is safe."
"You boys could learn a thing or two from him."
The two of them eventually made it back to us, looking utterly exhausted. After thanking Hamasaki, we decided to move to a nearby bench so they could catch their breath.
Hamasaki was still holding Mukai’s hand, and none of us said a word until... ah, he noticed.
"Whoa—S-S-S-Sorry!! That was incredibly rude of me...!!"
"Huh? Rude? I think it's ruder that you'd think that! Thank you for saving me, Hamasaki-kun! You were so powerful and cool!"
"C-Coo... T-T-Thank you!! The honor is mine, ssu!!"
"Wait, am I the one who was saved here?!"
I couldn't help but chuckle at Hamasaki’s pathetic panic. The bravado he’d shown in the crowd had vanished instantly, but Mukai seemed to be enjoying herself, so I suppose it worked out.
Once Hamasaki had calmed down, Hashimoto spoke up cheerfully.
"That was a close one, but now that the crowd has cleared out a bit, we can actually enjoy the festival!"
"True. Let's find some real food like yakisoba or okonomiyaki while we have the chance," Shinohara suggested.
It was sound advice from the pair who knew the area best.
With our plan set, we walked down the road, which was now much less congested.
There was one other change—the formation of the back rows had shifted to mixed pairs. It probably didn't need to be said who was walking next to whom.
"We'll get some food, play around as much as we can, and then move to watch the fireworks about ten minutes before they start."
"You said you’d show us a secret spot, but..."
"Is ten minutes really enough? Moving through this crowd is going to be a nightmare," Moriyama noted skeptically.
Hashimoto simply wagged a finger.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... don't worry, amateurs. I'll lead the way. We're going to the best location in the city—a place only those of us who truly know this festival can find. A perfect spot where we can have the fireworks all to ourselves...!"
Hashimoto gave a wicked grin, while Shinohara, standing beside him, let out an exasperated sigh.