Even after taking photos with Alice, we continued to enjoy the festival, but after a certain point, she started acting incredibly restless.
It was difficult to put into words, but it felt like she was waiting for a specific moment to pull something. I couldn't even begin to guess what it might be.
"Hey, Alice... why are you so twitchy?"
"Wha—!? A-Ah, no... it’s nothing! Honestly, it’s really nothing at all!!"
"...The way you’re saying that makes it sound like it’s definitely something."
She was flustered to a comical degree, her face flushed bright red. I could tell she was dying of embarrassment, but I hadn't a clue what the cause was.
We hadn't passed any strange stalls lately, and enough time had passed since we were at the photo booth that I didn't think she was still dwelling on that.
"A-Ah! Kaito-san! Look over there! There’s an interesting-looking stall!"
"Hmm? Over there? ...Isn't that a bit far off the main path?"
"That’s exactly where you find the hidden gems! Come on, let’s go, let’s go!"
"This is getting suspicious... but alright."
She was being blatantly obvious, but she likely knew I’d figure that out. If that was the case, had she rigged something at a stall while knowing I’d see right through it?
With that thought in mind, I let Alice lead me by the hand to a lonely little lottery stall tucked away from the main thoroughfare.
Suspicious... It was practically radiating suspicion. She had definitely set something up.
"...Alice. What are you actually trying to do here?"
"I haven't the slightest idea what you mean! Oh, look, a lottery. Since we’re already here, why don’t you give the wheel a spin?"
"Man... I really don't know about this..."
I sighed and turned the handle of the lottery drum. A gold sphere tumbled out almost immediately.
"Congratulations! You’ve won the Grand Prize!"
"...Th-Thanks," I muttered.
What was I even supposed to feel right now? I mean, this was totally rigged. The machine was clearly designed to spit that gold ball out the second I touched it. I didn't even know how to react to the owner's enthusiastic congratulations.
In any case, what exactly was the Grand Prize? I was sure it had to do with whatever Alice was planning.
"The Grand Prize is a pair accommodation ticket for a luxury cottage with a private beach!"
"Wait, what? A... cottage stay?"
"Correct! Please keep in mind, however, that the voucher is only valid for tonight."
"Tonight!?"
Speechless, I peered into the envelope the owner handed me. It contained a map and the voucher. Who gives out a lottery prize that expires the same day? Well, considering the whole thing was just a performance to get this into my hands, this was essentially a direct gift from Alice.
"Wait. If we used this, we wouldn't be going home tonight. We'd be staying together at a cottage... A luxury cottage with a private beach... Oh."
The memory of a previous conversation flashed through my mind. A seaside cottage, the moonlight reflecting off the waves...
The second it clicked, I felt my own face turn scorching hot. Suddenly, Alice’s bizarre behavior made perfect sense.
Basically... she’d reached a decision. She’d steeled her resolve. And the reason she’d gone through the trouble of this fake lottery was a signal. She’d told me before to "please take her there," so this was her way of asking me to be the one to extend the final invitation.
"Uh... Alice?"
"H-H-Hyah!?"
"...Since I 'won' the prize and all, do you want to stay there together tonight?"
"Y-Y-Yeah. Good idea. Let’s... let’s do that..."
She nodded, her face so red it looked ready to burst. Then, without a word, she produced a shovel.
"...Wait, Alice? What are you doing?"
"Oh, nothing... My embarrassment has exceeded the safety threshold, so I’m going to go live underground for a while."
"I have so many questions, but for starters, calm down! And don't you dare start digging a hole in the middle of the street!"
Man... Is this really going to be okay?
Serious-senpai: "...It's over."