The world was wrapped in the kind of cool autumn mist that made you pull your jacket tighter and breathe out little clouds of white. The sound of rolling suitcases echoed across the platform, mixing with laughter and yawns that hadn't woken up yet.
"Hayashiii! Here! Over here!"
That unmistakable voice.
Of course it was her.
I turned to see Inohana, waving her hand like she was trying to flag down a helicopter. Her luggage was twice her size, and yet she stood there, grinning like a kid ready for adventure.
"You seriously brought that much?" I sighed.
"Obviously. A girl has to be prepared for anything, you know."
"Anything? We're going to the mountains, not a fashion show."
"Who says you can't look cute while freezing to death?" she said, puffing her cheeks.
Before I could reply, Mika came running up, dragging a small suitcase in one hand and holding an energy drink in the other.
"Yo! Everyone here yet?!" she yelled, nearly bumping into a passing stranger.
Rei followed shortly after, hands in her pockets, her usual calm demeanor completely opposite of the chaos around her.
"You're all too loud this early," she muttered.
"Good morning to you too, sunshine," Mika teased.
Then came Hana, wearing a light beige scarf and holding a thermos. Her breath made little puffs in the air as she smiled softly.
"Sorry, I'm late. Naoko overslept again."
"...Ughh, five more minutes," a sleepy voice mumbled behind her.
Naoko was half-asleep, clutching a violin case like a pillow, hair messy as always. Her eyelids drooped while she walked, as if her body hadn't realized she was awake.
"Don't tell me she's sleepwalking again," Rei said dryly.
"I'm... not... sleepwalking…" Naoko muttered before almost tripping over her own feet.
I caught her shoulder just in time. "Careful."
She blinked up at me, eyes hazy with drowsiness. "Oh. Morning… Hayashi-kun…"
Her voice was barely a whisper — calm, soft, the kind that made you forget the noise around you.
We all gathered near the benches by the platform. The train to the countryside would leave in ten minutes.
Inohana clapped her hands, trying to rally everyone like some kind of team leader.
"Alright! This is it! The Sakura Noise Autumn Expedition!"
"...Did you just name the trip after the band?" I asked.
"Of course! Branding is important!"
Mika laughed. "You sound like an influencer now."
Rei just sighed. "If this ends up being another one of your 'brilliant ideas,' I'm out."
Hana giggled, shaking her head. "Come on, Rei-chan. Let's at least try to enjoy it."
Naoko yawned, leaning slightly against the bench. "Enjoying sounds… tiring…"
I rubbed my temple. "We haven't even left and I'm already exhausted."
When the train arrived, a gust of wind swept past, carrying the scent of rusted metal and distant trees.
We found our seats — two rows facing each other.
I sat by the window; Naoko took the seat beside me, curling up and promptly falling asleep. Across from me, Inohana and Hana shared snacks while Mika tried to convince Rei to play cards.
The rhythm of the train filled the silence — clack-clack, clack-clack — steady, soothing.
Outside, the city slowly faded into rolling hills, forests brushed with orange and gold. Autumn leaves fluttered past the window like fleeting sparks.
For once, I didn't mind the quiet.
Naoko shifted beside me, her head slowly leaning closer until it rested on my shoulder.
"...Warm…" she mumbled, barely audible.
I froze.
She looked peaceful — her messy hair brushing against my jacket, her breathing steady.
Across from us, Inohana was glaring daggers.
"Oh wow," she whispered sarcastically. "Lucky guy gets a shoulder pillow."
I hissed quietly, "She's sleeping, don't make it weird."
"I'm not making it weird, you're making it weird!"
Hana giggled softly. "You two sound like siblings."
"Please don't say that," I muttered.
Rei looked up from her book. "Can we not start fighting before we even arrive?"
The train ride lasted nearly two hours. Between the jokes, the snacks, and Mika's terrible singing impression of a "festival announcer," time passed faster than I thought.
When we finally transferred to a small mountain bus, the scenery changed completely.
The air was sharper, clearer — the kind of cold that bit your fingers but made your lungs feel alive. Tall cedar trees lined the road, and the sound of rushing rivers echoed from below.
Inohana pressed her face against the window.
"Waaah, look! Look at that waterfall!"
"Yeah, yeah, it's water falling. Very exciting," Rei deadpanned.
"You're no fun!"
"I just don't see why gravity is that entertaining."
Hana giggled again. "I think it's beautiful. It feels... peaceful."
Her voice carried a warmth that somehow cut through the cold air.
Mika leaned forward, resting her arms on the back of my seat. "So, Hayashi-kun~ What's your favorite kind of trip?"
"...One where no one yells my name every five seconds."
She smirked. "So basically impossible."
Naoko, now fully awake, peeked out the window with a small smile. "It's… really pretty," she said softly.
"Yeah," I replied. "Kinda feels like another world."
By the time we reached the village, the sun was already beginning to dip behind the mountains.
It was… breathtaking.
Wooden houses with tiled roofs dotted the hillsides, surrounded by terraced fields and the soft rustle of golden leaves. A narrow river wound through the town, its surface glittering like glass.
And from somewhere deeper in the village, faint music played — a flute, maybe, or a string instrument carried by the wind.
"This place…" Hana whispered, eyes wide. "It's beautiful."
Even Rei smiled faintly. "Guess I made a decent choice."
"Rei's hometown instincts, huh?" Mika teased.
"Don't make me regret bringing you," Rei shot back.
The inn we stayed at was a traditional one — tatami floors, sliding doors, the faint scent of cedar everywhere.
We changed into light yukata provided by the owner and gathered in the common room for tea.
Inohana stretched, sighing happily. "Aaaah, this is heaven!"
"You just got here," Rei said, sipping calmly.
"Yeah, and I already love it!"
I sat beside Naoko, who was quietly stirring her tea with a lazy hand.
Her eyes, half-closed as usual, followed the drifting steam. "It's… peaceful here," she murmured.
"Yeah. Guess we needed a break like this."
She smiled faintly. "You think too much sometimes, Hayashi-kun."
"Eh?"
"Your eyes always look like they're remembering something," she said softly. "It's nice when they just... watch the sky instead."
Her words lingered, quiet and warm. I didn't reply — partly because I didn't know how, partly because the truth scared me more than I'd like to admit.
After tea, we all decided to take a walk through the village before dinner.
The streets were lit by soft paper lanterns swaying gently in the wind. Children ran past carrying wooden masks, laughter echoing through the dusk. The smell of roasted chestnuts filled the air.
"Look, look! Yukata contest!" Mika shouted, pointing to a banner.
"You're not dragging me into another contest," Rei warned.
"Aww, come on! It'll be fun~"
"That's what you said before you spilled hot chocolate on my skirt."
Inohana, meanwhile, tugged on my sleeve. "Hey, let's go check out that candy stall!"
"I'm not your babysitter."
"Come onnn~ I'll treat you!"
"You said that last time and made me pay."
"I'll totally pay this time!"
(Reader note: She didn't.)
Hana smiled as she watched us bicker, her hair glowing in the lantern light. "You all really get along," she said softly.
Rei raised an eyebrow. "That's one way to describe it."
We reached the riverside bridge just as the first festival lights began to sparkle across the water.
A gentle breeze blew through, carrying laughter, music, and the faint sound of bells. The reflection of lanterns danced on the rippling surface.
"Hey, Hayashi," Mika said suddenly. "Take a picture of us!"
"Eh? Why me?"
"Because you're the only one who doesn't make weird faces!"
"That's not— wait, are you calling me boring?"
"Yes," Inohana and Mika said in perfect sync.
I sighed but still took out my phone.
They all posed by the railing — Inohana flashing a peace sign, Mika throwing her arms around Rei (who looked one sneeze away from pushing her into the river), Hana holding a gentle smile, and Naoko tilting her head sleepily.
Click.
For a second, I just stared at the photo.
The lights, the laughter, the warmth — it all looked so alive.
When I looked up again, Hana was standing beside me.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"For what?"
"For smiling."
I blinked. "Did I?"
She nodded, her expression soft. "You did."
Later that night, we sat by the inn's open-air bath, watching the stars peek through the clouds.
Steam rose into the cold mountain air, glowing faintly under the lanterns.
Everyone was tired, but the kind of tired that felt right — the kind that came with laughter and good memories.
Naoko sat a bit apart, fiddling with her phone, probably checking her stream chat.
Mika and Inohana were arguing about who would win if they had a "snack-eating contest," while Rei just watched them with a resigned sigh.
I leaned back against the wooden railing, exhaling.
For the first time in a while, my chest felt… light.
This trip wasn't perfect — it was loud, chaotic, and occasionally stressful — but it was real.
It reminded me what it felt like to just exist, surrounded by people who somehow made the noise worth it.
As the wind rustled the trees, I glanced toward the stars again.
Tomorrow would be the start of the Autumn Festival — the reason Rei had invited us here in the first place.
I didn't know what would happen, or how long moments like this would last.
But right now…
It was enough.