Chapter 16: Large Flowers Bloom, But Feelings Don't Reach

And several days later──the day of the festival.

「Kasugai-kun, let's go to the festival.」

「I'm not going. I have no reason to go.」

「I don't really know why, but let's go.」

That proposal was made armed with the three characters of unreasonableness. I completely don't understand the meaning.

The sudden Orimoto disappearance incident.

If it were to solve that, I could understand, but just going to a festival isn't a reason for me to follow along.

「Festivals are just hot and stuffy.」

「Eh~, I definitely think it'll be fun! There seem to be food stalls selling yakitori and karaage too!」

「Expensive. ...Are you planning to mooch off me?」

「N-No way~. ...Ehe.」

Also, this girl comes to my house too often.

Setting aside that she was unexpectedly close by, the number of visits was still abnormal.

「──Em, you see.」

After several rounds of back-and-forth, Orimoto falteringly spun her words while pressing her index fingertips together.

「Actually, there's another reason I want Kasugai-kun to come with me...」

I raised an eyebrow.

Apparently her real purpose is something else.

「Do you remember this?」

「...Ahh, the present for Sera.」

「Yes. It's my handmade towel... but.」

「But?」

What she took out was the black towel. The towel she'd made by hand for Sera. It looks store-bought.

It's an item that shows her dexterity.

Orimoto says with a troubled expression.

「I want you to create a chance for me to give it to him. Today is his birthday.」

I see, so that's how it is.

Orimoto apparently searched for methods on her own but concluded it would be difficult to break through alone.

The arrow landed on me.

「Sera always has someone around him. ...Can't you just put it in his mailbox?」

「Even if he doesn't remember me.」

Orimoto stared straight at me.

「No matter what form it takes, I want to give it to him.」

Apparently today is Sera's birthday. For it to overlap with the summer festival day is like wish fulfillment or...

Well──anyway.

Today's mission.

Help Orimoto Suzuka give her birthday present by peeling away the people around Sera Keiichi.

(...No, I don't think I can do it...!)

It's not related to the disappearance incident.

But going off on a tangent seems too late now.

I resigned myself and started preparing to go out.

─────

As a result, I end up accompanying Orimoto's present delivery. In this heat, good job me.

She wouldn't have gone home otherwise.

The approach filled with crowds of people.

Food stalls lined up on both sides.

The faint smell of burnt soy sauce.

Children in yukata running around while festival music's flutes and drums shook the air.

「Hey hey, look Kasugai-kun! Goldfish scooping!」

Orimoto was looking around with darting eyes, reacting to each food stall.

「You haven't forgotten the objective, have you?」

「Of course! Keiichi and the others should be coming soon. When they do, Kasugai-kun, please.」

「...Well, I'll do what I can.」

Apparently Sera will appear while constructing his harem with Michikusa, Kanzashi-senpai and others. Already researched.

That's the observational skills of a childhood friend, even if she's fallen.

「──Cotton candy is so good...!」

「It's on your cheek. You look stupid.」

「Nuah! Embarrassing!」

Playing shooting games with cotton candy in hand.

「I'll take this yakisoba!」

「You... prepare yourself.」

Having my yakisoba stolen.

What is this annoying woman thinking?

She's a demon who steals everything from me.

While saying things like "I" or "me", slightly touching hands... those common rom-com developments naturally don't occur.

Orimoto and I are just──just what?

(Partners are troublesome, and I don't acknowledge being friends. Am I going along with her out of sympathy?)

──Still, time passed.

When the sun sets, the air becomes somewhat cooler.

A crowd forms on the stone steps deep in the shrine, waiting for fireworks. You can see everything from here.

「...There he is, Kasugai-kun.」

「I just have to call out to him, right?」

「Yeah. Then move to the grove on the side.」

Orimoto climbed up first and was sitting at the edge of the shrine grounds. But the next moment she changes her expression.

A determined gaze and way of speaking.

In her palm is the handmade towel.

It seems to be trembling, though that might be an illusion created by the dim environment. ...I'll do what I can.

This woman really is demanding.

「Yo, Sera.」

Rather than peeling away the people around him, the conclusion is that it would be easier to extract Sera himself.

Sera Keiichi was in yukata.

He's a protagonist who looks good in any outfit.

His refreshing features don't dim even now as evening falls. He's an annoyingly handsome guy.

「Kasugai-kun?」

Sera blinks and stops. Around him are Michikusa, Kanzashi-senpai and others. As expected.

Behind me, Orimoto was nodding vigorously.

Do well, that's what it means.

「Ah~, sorry for suddenly calling out.」

「No, that's fine. Kasugai-kun, you came to the festival too. Are you with someone?」

「Well, yeah. Is now good?」

I lower my voice and include "about Orimoto". ...Sera narrowed his eyes for a moment and nodded.

Then, Michikusa, who had been maintaining silence, quietly opened her mouth. Her innocent expression is at normal operation.

However, she also seems somewhat lonely.

「Kasugai, are you talking about something with Keiichi?」

「Yeah, Michikusa. I'm borrowing him for a bit.」

「...That's fine. Ah, come back before the fireworks, Keiichi. I want to watch them together.」

Sera and I step away from the group toward the nearby grove.

So far, things are going according to plan. Now then.

「So, about Orimoto-san?」

「──Ah, sorry. Phone call. I'll hang up quickly.」

「A-Ahh. ...Come back, okay?」

「I know. Sorry.」

I made a poor acting performance of putting my smartphone to my ear, pretending to take a call that isn't there.

「Kasugai-kun, I'll try my best.」

「I don't know. My job ends here.」

The one passing by is Orimoto Suzuka.

Her chestnut-colored hair sways softly.

「Ahh, ahh, Keiichi...can you hear me? You probably can't hear me. I'm here though.」

Orimoto asks in a testing tone.

「First, Keiichi, happy birthday.」

There's no sign of him reacting to that voice. Sera is just casually playing with his smartphone.

But Orimoto doesn't give up and continues.

「I know you can't see me. You probably can't see this towel either. I know that.」

Glancing over. I see a small back.

Orimoto gently holds out the black towel she'd been gripping carefully──trembling inside.

Sera, who had the towel held out to him, is indifferent.

「I like you. Even after being rejected, I still like you. After all, it's not that easy to just move on, right~」

A laugh mixed with sighs echoed, mixing with the crowd's clamor yet definitely resonating. It definitely resonated.

「After being rejected, I became invisible to everyone, you know? And I'm always in uniform too. ...Really.」

Should I have listened?

Shouldn't I have listened?

I'm aware that I'm unfriendly.

But I'm not rotten enough to laugh at someone being pathetic. I can't do anything to help, but I won't disparage either.

「If I did something wrong, I apologize, sorry.」

Starting with an apology in a gentle tone.

「I don't understand why this happened either.」

A bitter smile.

「I don't understand the solution either.」

A sigh.

「...I don't know what will happen from now on either. ...I'm scared, like I might disappear.」

Orimoto just desperately asks.

She stares intently at Sera and asks.

If there were some kind of miracle, that would be fine.

「...?」

Sera suddenly looked up.

He looked around as if searching for something. Our eyes met once, but he casually looked away.

(...O-Oi oi? Really?)

Is wish fulfillment allowed?

If that's possible, I couldn't ask for more.

I'd be relieved of duty, and Orimoto would be saved.

「Keiichi, I'm here! I am!」

The festival music explodes. A tremendous sound.

Sera puts away his smartphone and──smiles.

He smiles toward behind Orimoto.

「Keiichi, you were here.」

「Sorry sorry, I was called by a classmate for a bit. Kasugai-kun, how long are you going to be on the phone?」

「The fireworks are about to start.」

Sera lightly pressed his palms together toward me.

Like a gesture indicating the time limit.

Checking the time on my smartphone, in just a few minutes fireworks will bloom large in the night sky.

──Orimoto, cut off mid-sentence by reality.

──Sera, who doesn't notice Orimoto and goes to watch fireworks.

──Me, who observed it all.

Orimoto with unsteady, uncertain steps.

She mutters weakly toward me.

「Kasugai-kun.」

Her face crumples.

That distortion represents her emotions, and I still can't find the right words.

「Kasugai-kun.」

Orimoto repeats shallow breaths.

As if enduring. As if struggling.

「It didn't work.」

「...Ahh, it seems that way.」

「I couldn't give him his birthday present. For a moment, I thought he might have noticed me.」

「...I can't say anything.」

At my blunt words, Orimoto says "Fufu" while running her fingers through her hair and smiling.

「I'm not expecting anything, so it's okay.」

Roughly, Orimoto kicks at the ground.

A beautiful girl in school uniform at a festival venue.

It was somehow surreal.

「Hey, Kasugai-kun. Can I cry?」

Orimoto spreads both arms.

I pretended not to notice the tears that had faintly welled up. Pointing it out would be too cruel.

「Did I do something bad?」

Orimoto speaks.

「I've lived seriously, you know?」

Orimoto speaks.

「I'm alive, you know? Right here!」

Orimoto speaks.

Orimoto speaks.

She speaks. She speaks.

It's similar to when she wrote her feelings on the blackboard that day. Is there anything I can do?

I'm listening. I'm lending an ear.

「Kasugai-kun, I... it's still hard.」

「We're working to solve it.」

「...When will it be solved?」

It's impossible to answer that pure question.

Because false hope would hurt her more.

「──」

Orimoto gasps.

Such a strong wind.

What flies away, mixing with the night darkness, is the towel Orimoto made for Sera.

「──Wait there!」

「Kasugai-kun?!」

Ignoring Orimoto's surprise.

「T-That way is dangerous?!」

Orimoto's worry falls behind me.

I chase after the towel blown away by the wind. Fortunately, the wind direction is toward the back of the shrine grounds.

There are only bushes and a cliff there.

But I don't want it to get dirty.

Maybe I should have comforted Orimoto instead. But that's also an important item.

It's something she spent time creating.

I'll just get it and come right back.

If it gets covered in dirt and weeds, it won't come clean even if washed. ...Who am I making excuses to?

(What am I doing?)

An impulse.

I wasn't supposed to do things like this.

It doesn't suit me, it's uncool, it's gross. I feel like I'm not myself.

In the first place──is this that kind of scenario?

What scenario? ──I, wait, there's no time to think about that! What's done is done!

I tell myself as I move my feet.

「Reach, damn it.」

The wind stops, and I reach out to the falling towel.

My fingertips touch the fabric, and I pull it toward me.

I do have relatively large hands.

「Ah───crap.」

The sound of fireworks.