Having finally recovered from the shock of the Flick (Strong), I made my way back to the festival grounds with Isis-san.
"With all that hectic back-and-forth, I’ve worked up quite a thirst. Would you like something to drink?"
"……Yes…… over there…… a stall……"
"Oh, I see it. I’ll go grab us something. Isis-san, what would you like?"
I looked where she was pointing and saw a stall selling what appeared to be fruit juices. Even from a distance, I could make out the menu board listing the different varieties, and the various cup sizes were lined up on the counter for easy reference.
When I asked for her preference, intending to buy two separate drinks, Isis-san took a moment to think before speaking.
"……Kaito…… what are you…… having?"
"Me? Let's see…… I think I’ll go with the Riple Juice."
"……Then…… I want…… that one…… for us."
"Eh? Wait, by 'that one', do you mean…… the one on the far right? The 'Large Cup with Two Straws'?"
"……Yes…… I want to drink it…… together with Kaito."
What Isis-san was asking for was, by all accounts, a container designed specifically for couples. I mean, yes, we were definitely a couple, so there was technically nothing wrong with choosing it.
However, we were in the middle of a massive festival, and the crowds were everywhere. It felt a bit embarrassing, like we were being one of those shamelessly lovey-dovey couples.
"……Does Kaito…… not want to…… share with me?"
"I don't mind at all! I’ll go buy it right now!"
"……Ah…… okay!"
Ultimately, my sense of shame was utterly powerless against Isis-san’s smile. My own embarrassment was a small price to pay if it made her happy; it wasn't even worth weighing on a scale.
I immediately agreed and bought the Riple Juice from the stall, making sure to get the couple-sized cup she had requested.
"Here we go, I’m back."
"……Thank you…… I’m so happy."
"E-Er, well then, shall we have some?"
"……Yes!"
Watching Isis-san look so genuinely delighted made me feel a bit bashful, but I leaned in toward one of the straws regardless. As I did, Isis-san moved in kind, and our faces drew closer together.
How should I put it? Even though we had already shared kisses before, an overtly romantic "couple's activity" like this carried a different sort of embarrassment.
Because we weren't closing our eyes like we would for a kiss, I could see her face with startling clarity as we leaned in. Her soft, glossy lips puckered around the straw, and her ruby-like eyes gazed directly into mine.
As we began to sip the juice together, Isis-san looked truly blissful. Her cheeks were faintly flushed, and a gentle smile played across her lips. Seeing her face from such a short distance made my heart hammer against my ribs again.
After a while, we finished the juice, yet neither of us pulled away from our respective straws. I was waiting for her to move first so I could follow suit, but it seemed she was thinking the exact same thing.
We both missed the timing to pull back. We simply remained there, staring into each other's eyes in silence.
Being this close allowed it to sink in all over again: Isis-san was a beauty beyond compare. Her skin was as white as freshly fallen snow, and she possessed a fragile, ephemeral air that seemed to highlight her very existence.
I felt the heat behind our gaze intensify. I could see the sheer, overflowing depth of her affection for me in her eyes, and my own love for her surged in response.
I don’t know which of us started it. Naturally, our lips left the straws as the gap between us vanished.
Her slender hands reached out to rest against my back, and I responded by wrapping my arms around her small frame. Slowly, but with absolute certainty, our faces drew closer until the distance between us became zero.
In that moment, it felt as though the rest of the world had ceased to exist, leaving only the two of us. I felt the warmth of her body through my arms and was about to pull her into an even tighter embrace when the sound of the empty cup hitting the cobblestones snapped me back to reality.
"……"
Our lips parted. As I felt the blood drain from my face, I looked around with the stiff, mechanical movements of a rusted doll.
As far as the eye could see, there were people. A massive crowd had gathered, forming a wide circle around us, and everyone was staring intently at us.
Let me just confirm the situation: this was the venue for the Six Kings Festival, and the foot traffic was immense.
So, what did that mean? It meant that Isis-san and I had just shared a deep, passionate embrace and kiss in front of a massive public audience.
"A-Aaaah…… I-Isis-san!?"
"Eh? Oh…… K-Kaito?"
The blood that had just drained from my face suddenly came rushing back, bringing with it an explosive heat and a sense of shame that felt like it might actually kill me.
From that point on, I moved with lightning speed. In one fluid motion, I swept Isis-san up into a princess carry and sprinted away from the scene at a velocity I had never achieved before in my entire life.
Dear Father, Mother——Aaaaaah! I’ve done it now! I just got so caught up in how much I love her, and the atmosphere was so perfect, and…… Uwaaaaah! This is bad, I’m so incredibly embarrassed! I mean, seriously—at this point, I can’t even show my face in public anymore!
Serious-senpai: "Ahaha, ahahaha…… That's right. I am Seriousness, and Seriousness is me…… It’s fine…… I’m not afraid of anything anymore."
Phantom ???: "……"
Serious-senpai: "Ah, there you are, Phantom ???…… But for the current me, who has become Seriousness itself, someone like you is—gh-urgh!?"
Phantom ???: "Ah, hello? I'd like to request an ambulance. Yes, there's a person here who has clearly lost their mind…… No, I'm perfectly safe. They've finally fallen asleep after shouting a bunch of nonsense. Yes, please just toss them into an Isolation Ward."