The Stars Align

Two weeks had come and gone in an agonizingly short flash. Days at the shop, cute mini dates, the occasional community event, and countless other activities and preparations had eaten away at the hours.

And now? The stargazing festival had finally arrived.

Nitsuki and Tachibana were standing by the parking lot, surveying the crowd of tourists and locals that were starting to gather in front of the Hoshimura Observatory. The weather was clear, the evening was brisk, and the new moon was barely visible in the early August sky.

It was a perfect night for stargazing.

Nitsuki had to admit that the sight in front of her was a tad bit overwhelming, especially with the draft she was feeling. There were so many people, all of them chatting and laughing with each other amongst the stalls. It'd been so long since she'd just been a normal participant in this festival that it'd nearly slipped her mind how crowded it could get.

The last time it'd been like that, Maya had been with her—holding onto her older sister's hand.

The phantom touch was quickly filled with warmth as Tachibana grasped her.

"You okay, Nia?" His voice low enough to be heard only by her.

"Honestly…? I'm nervous. There's a lot more people than I remember."

Tachibana nodded, giving her a comforting smile. "Yeah, it's a bit much, huh?"

"Understatement of the year." She shook her head and pulled her long coat closer to herself. "Can't believe Inoue's going to try pulling something in this crowd."

"Yeah, me neither." He scanned the ocean of people in front of them. "I'm still not sure how she'll do it, but we'll just have to stay alert. We've all made preparations, and I've got your back. We'll handle whatever she throws at us."

Nitsuki gave him the most confident smile she could muster in return. Preparations. Right.

While she hadn't been using it nearly as recklessly nor futilely as she had before Daimon's intervention, she'd used it several more times in the days leading up to this moment.

They were as ready as they ever could be—literally.

She'd seen the future and knew what was going to happen. Knew the several ways Inoue could pull off her plans. The only thing that was left was to wait for everything to play out and spring the trap.

And that wait was horrifyingly nerve-wracking.

The crowd of people continued to grow. Nitsuki could see the familiar faces of the townspeople mixed in with the tourists. She recognized a lot of them: the new guy that she'd met at the konbini a while back, Miss Hasegawa from the secondhand store, tons of the shop's regular customers, and countless other locals she'd only ever briefly spoken to in passing.

All of them were here to celebrate. All of them were here to have fun.

Most of them were unaware of the trouble brewing in the background.

Nitsuki's grip tightened on Tachibana's hand, her knuckles white as her fingers dug into his palm. She could feel his pulse quicken in response, his heartbeat echoing her own.

"Want a shaved ice to help pass the time? There's a bit before the festival officially starts." Tachibana asked as a way to keep her mind occupied. "You can get whatever flavor you want. Strawberry's pretty good."

She gave a small laugh at the offer, doing her best to relax and just enjoy the time they had. "Sure, let's do that. But I'm getting melon this time."

***

It was truly dark now. The stars twinkled overhead, casting a pale light on the world below. Some people were laughing, joking, eating and drinking now. The smell of food and smoke wafted in the air, and the atmosphere by the stalls was alive with excitement.

The field down the hill was also sparsely occupied, it being one of the few places to get away from the minimal light pollution. Only the occasional red light of a cigarette or an experienced stargazer's flashlight could be seen there.

Nitsuki was sitting next to Tachibana, staring up at the night sky in a place that overlooked all of it. She'd already seen a couple of shooting stars while waiting. The view was spectacular, and she couldn't help but want to spend more time with him under this blanket of light.

But alas, they weren't here to have fun—at least not yet. So instead, her eyes glanced back to the stage that'd been erected for the local government and guest speakers to use.

The opening events had already begun, and they were getting down to the meat of it all. Most of the crowd was focused there.

The rarely seen president of the Hoshimura Community Association had already given his welcome speech, and a few people had said words to the audience about the importance of the night and the observatory.

Nitsuki's eyes narrowed as she watched Inoue take the stage, a microphone in her hand and a bright, fake politeness on her face.

It was starting. She took in the woman's appearance as best she could from this distance.

"Welcome, everyone, to this year's Star Festival! On behalf of the Hoshimura Community Association and the Hoshimura Tourism Committee, we are so glad that you could join us for this wonderful event."

The sound of her voice was a sharp contrast to the soft murmuring of the crowd. It was loud, clear and confident. As if she owned the entire world.

"Tonight, we will celebrate the stars, the heavens, and all the wonders that have inspired us since ancient times…"

Inoue continued on for a while, congratulating herself and other volunteers, adding fluff about the importance of this festival for culture and whatever other showmanship she could fit in.

Nitsuki's hand gripped Tachibana's tightly as minute after minute passed.

Right until the dreaded moment finally arrived.

"…I'm sure many locals are aware of the decline in the community's involvement. And while I bear no satisfaction in saying it, there's an individual who has chosen to ignore their responsibilities to the town—to the point where they have become like a parasite to this community."

Nitsuki gulped. This was it.

Inoue paused, scanning the crowd. They were starting to look uncomfortable now, some shifting on their feet and others whispering among themselves. The mood was shifting, and it was clear that Inoue had everyone's attention.

"I have with me the voices of our association, who will now share some concerns."

Nothing but the crickets could be heard as several of Inoue's cronies stepped on the stage. Some of her friends, some of her family, all of them dressed like they were on some sort of religious pilgrimage in their neatly traditional formalwear.

Inoue stepped back and handed the mic over to the old codger that'd gotten himself banned from Mrs. Aiko's cafe.

"I would like to thank Mrs. Inoue for bringing this issue to our attention. It is with a heavy heart that I can confirm her concerns. A mental sickness of inept entitlement and weakness has infested our town."

Inoue nodded solemnly at his words and stepped aside, letting the man continue his tirade.

"Do not be fooled, they are a wolf in the skin of a sheep. I was harassed by this leech myself, simply trying to enjoy a cup of coffee! I won't name them here, but such an act of rudeness should not be tolerated in our community—especially from the so-called leader of a 'support group'!"

There were more murmurs from the crowd, some sounding outraged, others confused.

Nitsuki felt her blood boil. She knew that this was coming, but still, to see the blatant lies and slander being spread so openly… it made her angry.

Tachibana had the same frustration reflected in his eyes as he reassuredly squeezed her hand.

"Thank you, Kazuhito, my friend." Inoue said, stepping back into the limelight. "I understand your pain; parasites have no place in Hoshimura. People like Amano—Oh, pardon the slip of my tongue. People like these only serve to weaken the community, not strengthen it."

She turned to address the crowd once again, her voice growing louder and clearer.

"Our only wish is that they finally take accountability for their actions and quit being a burden on our community. This is not a community of weakness. They must finally learn what it means to contribute and conform. Just like everyone else—"

Suddenly, the projector that'd been displaying the names of the festival's volunteers against the back of the stage switched to something new. Inoue stopped mid-sentence and stared at it, confused. It was a video showing Koji in the side room of the cafe. He was seated, his hands folded in front of him and clearly upset.

Nitsuki's breath escaped her. Finally.

Road safety violations hadn't been the only thing Nakagawa was capable of.

"I'm not usually one for public confrontations, but this has gone too far," Koji started, looking directly at the camera. "Inoue and her allies have been terrorizing Amano for years. Enough is enough."

"K-Koji?! What is the meaning of this?!" Inoue yelled, her face flushed, the facade slipping.

Koji continued, unfazed by the interruption—of course he did, it was a freaking recording after all.

"It's in this humble old man's opinion that Mrs. Inoue has long since stopped caring about the community, only focusing on her own personal agenda. She has bullied Miss Amano, my grandson, and others, she has lied and manipulated, and she has shown a complete disregard for the well-being of those she is meant to be representing."

"Kazuhito! T-turn that thing off!" Inoue was livid, her face twisted in rage. The crowd was now murmuring again, some of them laughing, others looking uncomfortable.

"You all have seen it, haven't you? I bet she 'accidentally' slipped up in her planned speech to shame Amano. It's an old trick that she does, trying to act like she's a saint, all while poisoning the very foundation of the town and singling out the people who actually try to make a difference."

Several of her cronies ran off the stage to fiddle with a laptop, desperately trying to turn it off.

Nitsuki allowed herself a chuckle on seeing the act—it wasn't even the right one.

The video continued playing. "The support group that Inoue's insistent on dragging through the mud with Amano? They're some of the most outstanding individuals that I've ever met! And the fact that she would have the nerve to call them parasites—to call Amano a parasite?! It's laughable, really. She might not have been involved much with this year's festival, but every single one for the past several years was only possible because of her."

"The projector! Just unplug the damn projector!"

"Of course, you don't have to just believe this old man's words. You should hear it from the souls she and my grandson have personally helped. They're the true community here. Not some entitled, power-abusive hag—"

The screen suddenly went black—the image cutting out. There was an awkward pause, then a smattering of applause and laughter from the crowd that likely thought this entire thing was a skit.

Inoue stood on the stage, her face red with embarrassment and breathing heavy. "A-alright! Enough! That's the end of that! Now, let's all get back to—"

"Miss Amano is the strongest, most wonderful person that I know!"

Inoue's froze as Yamaguchi's shaky but loud voice interrupted her, standing up from the crowd. "S-she saved my life. She showed me that I'm not alone and helped me find a place where I could belong. I admire her with all of my heart!"

The young woman's dress swirled around her legs in the breeze. She took a deep breath and continued, "S-so please… Stop this slander!"

Kazuhito fumblingly knocked the projector to the ground as he shouted back on behalf of Inoue. "Don't listen to this deluded young boy! He's just another one of Amano's poor victims—!"

"I am NOT!" Yamaguchi's voice rang out clear and strong, her eyes filled with a confidence and anger that Nitsuki had never seen from the teen before.

"A-and I'm not a boy either. I'm a girl!"

The old man coughed. "Tsk, d-do you see what I mean?! These people are a disease upon this town!"

Murmurs from the crowd drowned him out though, and a few people in the front row began to shout at the stage.

"…what is that codger talking about…?"

"…looks female enough to me…"

"…that girl looks like she could be my kid…"

"…why are those geezers ruining the festival?!…"

Nitsuki's heart thundered as she saw support group members, other locals, and even several tourists start to step up to Yamaguchi's side.

Inoue was desperately trying to salvage the situation as things began to turn. "P-please, everyone, calm down! This is still the stargazing festival. Let's refocus and get back to enjoying the—"

"O-oh, so now you're remembering this is a stargazing festival? What happened to the talk of parasites?" Mr. Miyamoto spoke up, his hands trembling with resolve and nervousness.

"I-I've been active in the community association for over twenty years, and I don't remember it ever being this hostile. The support group that Amano runs has helped me and many others immensely even in the short amount of time they've been around. You have no right to speak as if she's a leech."

Inoue looked completely blindsided. "Mr. Miyamoto?! W-when did you join their group—Ack! Never mind! Everyone, stop speaking! This is ridiculous!"

"We are not ridiculous! We are people! We have feelings! And we will not be silenced!" Sakurai shouted, standing proud before Nakagawa grabbed her arm and yanked her back into the crowd.

Even more stepped forth in the wake of the outspoken support. The crowd had begun to realize it wasn't just some entertainment now. People were talking loudly, arguing, and pointing fingers. Inoue was desperately trying and failing to regain control in the uproar.

Things were getting heated—perhaps not at intense as the protests Nitsuki had occasionally seen in broadcasts, but still intense.

It was time for her to step in.

She took a deep breath and stood. Tachibana rose with her, his eyes wide and full of emotion. They gave each other a nod as they began walking into the din.

They made their way down to the stage, weaving through the crowd, dodging elbows, and pushing past people.

Adrenaline rushed. Blood pumped. The air tasted like static.

They were almost there.

The stage was close. The lights were blinding. The sound was deafening.

Nitsuki could see Inoue's eyes widen as she locked onto their approach, and her face contorted into a snarl of rage.

"Y-YOU!!"

Nitsuki could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Anger, frustration, fear—it was all welling up inside her. This woman had caused her so much pain and suffering. So many sleepless nights of tears and anxiety.

So many years of hiding.

She wanted to scream, to lash out, to make the old hag pay. But she knew she had to stay calm.

Not to prove she was a better person—hell, it'd be difficult to find someone who wasn't.

But because Inoue had already dug her grave.

Nitsuki stood tall, her gaze locked onto the hateful woman that had terrorized her for far too long. She slowly shed her coat, handing it to Tachibana that towered beside her.

Inoue's eyes widened at the sight.

"YOU BITCH! YOU PLANNED ALL OF THIS!"

Nitsuki could feel the crowd's attention on her and hear the gasps and murmurs from those that could see her. She looked down, taking in one of the dresses that'd been in her 'Hell Yes' pile.

Her brown hair fluttered in the breeze as she took a breath, her skin tingling in the cold.

"Thank you for finally getting my gender right, Mrs. Inoue."