Our festival date was a long, delightful affair as we spent plenty of time hopping from one stall to another in a blissful atmosphere.
Fortunately, time moved differently in this pocket dimension. Returning to the original world would place me only a minute after I had left, which meant I could relax and enjoy every second without a care for the clock.
Alice remained as bashful as ever, but her constant smile—even through the frequent blushing—was proof enough that she was having the time of her life.
After we had our fill of the attractions, we returned to the shrine grounds to chat. A touch of melancholy settled over me, likely born from the realization that our wonderful time together was coming to an end.
I recalled feeling this same way as a child, watching the sun dip below the horizon at an amusement park with my mother and father.
It was a testament to just how much fun I’d had wandering the fairgrounds with her.
"...Man, we really made the rounds, didn't we?"
"We did. It was wonderful. I feel like I finally got a chance to truly spread my wings."
"And we got to do plenty of romantic things, just like you wanted, Alice."
"Auuh... I feel like my face is going to catch fire just thinking about it. But... you're right. I was happy. Truly."
Alice murmured the words with a trace of loneliness in her expression. I got the sense that she was harboring an emotion slightly different from the lingering attachment I was feeling.
However, I also sensed she didn't want me to pry. Rather than asking, I simply reached out and pulled her closer by her shoulder.
She gave a small, wry smile before leaning into me with a look of pure joy. She clung to me for a moment in a spoiled manner before whispering.
"...Haaah. I’m going to have to work hard from now on so I can be as honest as I was today."
"Hmm?"
"No, it's just... today, well, I was 'cheating' a bit, so I feel a little guilty about it."
"I see."
"...Aren't you going to ask why?"
"No need. I can more or less guess. Besides, what matters is that you were happy and that you enjoyed yourself, Alice. On top of that, I feel the exact same way. I have nothing to say other than that I'm in a state of great satisfaction."
"Jeez, you say those cool guy remarks so casually sometimes... it makes me blush like crazy."
It was just a hunch, but I suspected I wouldn't remember what happened in this dimension once I went back home.
Much like my memories of Machina-san, I figured these moments would vanish the moment I crossed over, only to return if I visited this place again.
That was precisely why a shy person like Alice had been able to take much bolder actions than usual.
As I was lost in thought, she suddenly wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly.
"Kaito-san."
"Yeah?"
"Next time... I'll work up the courage to ask you myself. Let's go to the beach. Not like before with the whole group... just the two of us."
"Yeah, I'd love that."
"I'd like to go somewhere with a cottage. For an overnight trip..."
"Alice."
I was still reeling from the weight of her words—words that held a special significance for her—when, for the first time that day, Alice took the initiative and kissed me.
Our lips remained pressed together for about ten seconds. When she slowly pulled away, she gave me a radiant smile.
"Kaito-san, I love you."
Her expression was so beautiful and precious that the thought of forgetting it felt like a tragedy.
I set off to meet Alice's Best Friend and returned exactly one minute later. I found myself back in Alice's General Store.
I had spent hours at the festival, so the sudden transition from a night fair back to broad daylight was jarring.
In contrast to my confusion, Alice was her usual self as she prepared some black tea. I accepted the cup.
Wait... something was wrong. I felt a strange sense of dissonance. I couldn't immediately put my finger on the cause, but something felt off.
As I sat there trying to figure it out, Alice tilted her head curiously.
"Kaito-san? What's the matter?"
"I don't know... something feels weird. It's not what I expected."
"Hmm? I don't follow. Would you like some tea sweets for now?"
"No, it's not that I'm full, but I just stuffed myself at the festival stalls a moment ago, so I'm not really in the mood to—wait."
"!? Wh-wha-wha..."
The realization of what I had just said hit me at the exact moment a shocked Alice dropped the cup she was holding.
Ignoring the shattered porcelain on the floor, Alice pointed a trembling finger at me, her expression one of pure disbelief.
"...K-Kai... Kaito-san... You... You remember?"
"Eh? Ah, yeah. I remember."
Finally, I understood the source of the dissonance. I clearly remembered going to the fair with Alice. I had been certain those memories would vanish the moment I returned.
"Wh-why? How?! Kaito-san! What was the name of my other best friend?!"
"Eh? ...Huh? I can't. I can't remember. It's like everything related to your friend has been neatly carved out of my head."
"But... our date...?"
"I remember it perfectly."
"~~~!?!?"
Her face turned beet-red with enough force to suggest an audible pop. Alice stood there, trembling like a leaf, until her sharp mind evidently connected the dots. In an instant, her shame vanished, replaced by incandescent rage.
"—————!!!!"
Alice screamed a name at the top of her lungs—one I couldn't quite make out—with such force that the entire General Store seemed to rattle.
[A massive pillar of sugar stands in the Land of Sugar.]
[The pillar is inscribed like a gravestone.]
["Here Lies the Great Incarnation of Seriousness"]
[She'll probably be back by the next chapter if left alone.]