After reaching the grassy hill Shiro-san had mentioned, I laid out the ground cloth I’d tucked into my Magic Box just in case. I let Shiro-san sit first before taking a spot beside her... but our proximity was far more intimate than I'd anticipated.
The reality of the situation sent a jolt of nerves through me. Glancing sideways, I caught a glimpse of Shiro-san's nape—a rare sight usually hidden, but revealed now by her ponytail.
Between her porcelain skin and the vulnerable curve of her neck, she seemed strikingly alluring—though perhaps I was just overly conscious of my resolution to put my arm around her.
With heat rushing to my cheeks, I reached out and touched her shoulder. My heart hammered as her warmth radiated through the fabric of her yukata, and I gently drew her closer.
Shiro-san knew it was coming—if anything, she’d practically demanded it—so she offered no resistance as her body molded against mine.
The contact was more intense than I’d expected. She leaned her weight into me, her face so close to my neck that her soft breaths tickled my skin. She smelled divine, and her hair was like silk between my fingers. Truly, everything about her was simply on another level.
As those thoughts drifted through my mind, I looked down to find her gazing up at me, my own reflection mirrored in her brilliant, jewel-like golden eyes.
"Kaito-san."
"Yes?"
"The atmosphere is quite lovely, don't you think?"
"It... it certainly is—!?"
Her voice was a soft murmur as she suddenly closed the distance. I froze as she stopped a mere centimeter from my face—so close that the slightest movement would bridge the gap—and spoke in a tone so serene it was almost hypnotic.
"We still have a little time before the fireworks begin."
When had she learned such seductive techniques? Her evolution was genuinely frightening.
Swallowing a sense of playful defeat, I leaned in and closed that final centimeter, pressing my lips to hers.
In the same heartbeat, we wrapped our arms around each other, pulling our bodies together as if trying to eliminate every last sliver of space between us. I had no room for other thoughts; I closed my eyes and let my heart fill with nothing but pure affection for her as the kiss continued.
A second passed, then ten... or perhaps much longer. Only the thunderous bloom of a firework in the night sky prompted me to open my eyes and gently pull back.
Bathed in the flickering light of the display, Shiro-san watched me with a tender smile.
"I think I finally understand it now. This feeling called 'happiness'."
"Yes, you're right. I feel the same way."
We smiled at each other and shared one more light, fleeting kiss before turning our gaze back to the sky. I held her a little tighter, savoring the warmth in my chest.
"They're beautiful. Where are they launching them from?"
"The perimeters of the Lower, Middle, and Upper Levels. They are rising to surround the entire world in a circle."
"I see. A 360-degree view of fireworks... that's incredibly extravagant. Given our position, are the ones we're seeing now from the Upper Level? Wait... can you even see the Upper Level's fireworks from the Middle Level?"
The display filling my vision was a masterpiece, but Shiro-san’s explanation left me curious. If the festival was being held in the Middle and Lower Levels, would fireworks launched from the much higher Upper Level even be visible? It seemed like they would be blocked by the landmass above us.
"Normally, they are almost invisible."
"Then there’s not much point to them, is there?"
"No, there is a point. Because the Upper Level fireworks you see right now... those were prepared specifically for you, Kaito-san."
"Wait, really?"
"Yes. I’ve also made it so the displays from the Middle and Lower Levels are invisible from this Sanctuary. It would have looked far too cluttered otherwise."
"I... I see..."
She had prepared this display just for me. Shiro-san had been studying the festivals of my world, and she must have put a great deal of research into this firework show to match my expectations.
Honestly, I was moved. The fireworks were stunning, but knowing how much thought and effort she had put into this for my sake was what truly made me happy.
"They really are magnificent. Thank you, Shiro-san."
"If it makes you happy, Kaito-san, then that is what matters most."
The vibrant flowers blooming across the sky were magnificent, a carefully calculated work of art. But if there was one flaw—just a tiny one—it was that the person beside me was so much more breathtaking and precious. My gaze kept drifting away from the sky, captivated by her radiant profile in the light of the fires.
Serious-senpai (5 Episodes Until Complete Recovery): "Ah, this is bad. See? It's definitely getting worse. It's hopeless... I need to go back to my hospital room."
???: "Wait, the status label looks different than last time. You wrote that yourself, didn't you?"
Serious-senpai (5 Episodes Until Complete Recovery): "Gasp! N-No, that’s not true! I might look fine on the outside, but I've taken massive mental damage!!"
???: "Hmm... I see, I see... Then I guess it can't be helped."
Serious-senpai (5 Episodes Until Complete Recovery): "Right, exactly. It can’t be—"
???: "I'll call a doctor to help you recover quickly."
Serious-senpai (5 Episodes Until Complete Recovery): "Wait, what? A doctor? What do you mean?"
???: "Doctor, if you please."
Doctor M: "Leave it to me!"
Serious-senpai (5 Episodes Until Complete Recovery): "Hold on, that's just Machina..."
Doctor M: "Nope, I’m Doctor M!"
Serious-senpai (5 Episodes Until Complete Recovery): "If you're going to commit to the bit, at least put in some effort! You just threw on a stethoscope and you aren't even wearing a white coat! You're ninety-nine percent Machina!!"
Doctor M: "I'm one percent doctor, so it's not a problem. Now, let's start the treatment right away."
Serious-senpai (5 Episodes Until Complete Recovery): "Are you kidding me? She admitted how sloppy it is and just forced her way through anyway... Is she invincible in an argument?"