At 4:30 PM, the stone steps of the shrine shimmered under the scorching sun. An old woman in a yukata cheerfully promoted her goods to Takagi and Nishikata in front of the wind chime stall, the creaking of hemp ropes brushing against wooden frames blending with the ceaseless chirping of cicadas.
The fish cake shop along the shopping street pulled back its curtain, releasing waves of hot air. Steam brushed against Nishimiya Yaeko's suit trousers as she passed by, leaving faint sweat stains at the crease.
By exactly 6:00 PM, the convenience store had become a refuge of cool air. Ayumi, having just finished club activities, stood by the magazine rack flipping through comics, while the rice ball packaging inside the freezer gradually fogged over with condensation.
At the goldfish scooping stall by the riverbank, four or five scales floated gently in a plastic basin. Yuzuru, holding Hachiko in her arms, ran home with excitement sparkling in her eyes.
After 7:00 PM, the shopping street bustled with people hunting for dinner. The takoyaki griddle hissed and sizzled, while discarded dango skewers piled into small mountains inside trash bins.
"Akira, someone just messaged me privately," Shouko said, leaning close so her voice could be heard over the fireworks and chatter. "They're asking if I take commissions for two-dimensional character action illustrations."
Looking out over Futaba Commercial Street, now alive with festival lights, Akira turned to her. "It's up to you," he said. "Didn't you just finish my commission half a month ago? Don't you want a break?"
"You're the one who said that was half a month ago…"
"Two-dimensional character action design, huh? Which anime character?" Akira asked, his tone teasing.
Shouko led him toward a takoyaki stall and queued up. "Action Kamen…"
"Hmm, let me guess." Akira tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Was the commissioner's name... Nohara Shinnosuke?"
"…" Shouko nudged him in the ribs, pouting. "Be serious."
"How many portions? Two?"
"One…" Akira paused mid-sentence, then corrected himself. "Make that two portions, please, boss."
"Why don't we talk about it later? Let's just enjoy the fireworks for now." Akira turned to look at the girl beside him in a white-and-orange yukata, her hair shimmering under the paper lanterns.
"Mhm!" Shouko nodded cheerfully, taking the two boxes of takoyaki from the stall owner and walking ahead.
The two wandered aimlessly through the festival, following wherever the liveliness led, until they stopped at a goldfish scooping stall.
"Uh, you two again…" said the stall owner, Uncle, wearing a black headband. He smiled awkwardly, as if holding back tears. "Maybe you should try another stall this year?"
"Don't worry, Uncle, we're just looking around," Akira said with a laugh. Seeing the man's nervous expression, he suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
The three of them had first met at this very stall when they were in sixth grade. Every year since then, Akira and Shouko made sure to visit him during the festival.
For the first two years, Akira would always scoop a goldfish, then return it, and Uncle would always give back the money. Eventually, the old man stopped charging them entirely—handing them nets for free, shaking his head fondly.
"Uncle, we even brought you something delicious," Shouko said, offering a still-warm fried pastry they hadn't eaten yet.
She truly cherished this bond. Besides, Uncle daughter and Yuzuru were classmates and close friends in middle school—though Shouko wasn't sure if he knew that.
After watching a few customers try their luck at scooping goldfish, Akira and Shouko waved goodbye and continued strolling through the lantern-lit streets.
By 9:30 PM, they were halfway up the mountain shrine, watching this year's fireworks bloom across the sky. A single lightbulb from a nearby stall flickered faintly, as if watching them in return.
Later that night, after changing back into her casual clothes, Shouko sat beside Akira.
"Akira, what do you think? Should I take the commission or not?" she asked softly.
He didn't answer right away. "Did the person say whether they want to talk online or in person?"
"They said either's fine, but they prefer in person so we can discuss details," Shouko said, showing him her chat screen.
Akira scrolled through the messages. Nothing seemed off, but still, he advised, "Alright. Then set a time and place with them—but I'll go with you."
"Mhm." Shouko nodded and quickly typed out her reply.
Moments later, the other party confirmed the meeting.
"Akira, they said the first afternoon of summer vacation. At a cat-ear maid café in Akihabara."
"…" Akira muttered, "He sure knows how to pick a time."
"Is there a problem?" Shouko asked innocently.
"No, that's fine. Just remind me when the day comes."
"Okay!"
After saying "good night," Shouko left for home. A few minutes later, Akira's phone buzzed—her message confirming she'd gotten home safely.
At 11:00 PM, the last two lanterns at the shrine flickered weakly. On his way home, Nishikata swept his flashlight across the empty fortune-telling stand, illuminating a crumpled taiyaki wrapper flattened underfoot.
By 4:07 AM, Yuzuru mumbled in her sleep. Hachiko, unable to bear the noise, hopped off her bed and left the room.
At 6:15 AM, a paperboy's motorcycle splashed through a puddle, while the rhythmic swish of a broom echoed through the morning shrine, startling a few crows into flight.
Out jogging, Akira greeted Matsuoka Miu, who was sweeping her porch, before continuing his run. The beat from his headphones mixed with the crack of a bat from the nearby middle school baseball club.
At 7:40 AM, squeaking bicycle brakes filled the air by the school gate. Ayumi stacked a fresh pile of club flyers, still damp from morning dew.
"Morning, Ayumi-chan."
"Good morning."
"Ohayo, both of you."
Ayumi greeted Akira and Shouko with a bright smile, then showed them the train tickets on her phone.
"I got the tickets! The train leaves at 10:30 AM. We'll go over the details when Takagi-chan gets here."
"How much do I owe you?" Akira asked, taking out his phone.
Ayumi waved her hand dismissively. "Forget it. Just buy more snacks for Shouko instead."
"…"
Soon, Takagi and Nishikata arrived, and the four gathered to finalize their plans—meeting points, times, tickets, and other details.
Akira, who had wanted to sleep in, couldn't bring himself to complain under Ayumi's bright enthusiasm.
"Oh, by the way," Shouko suddenly said, raising her hand, "since we're going to the beach, should we buy swimsuits?"
At the word "swimsuit," Nishikata instantly perked up.
"No rush," Ayumi replied with a grin. "We can buy them there. My grandpa's shop might even give us a discount!"
"Alright!" Shouko and Takagi nodded together.
Of course, the swimsuit shopping was what they all secretly looked forward to the most—everyone wanting to see a certain someone's reaction.
And if they were being honest… both Akira and Nishikata had the same thought.
Ayumi's excitement only grew stronger as the day of departure drew closer.
The next few days passed in a blur of anticipation.
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