Chapter 17: — “The Invitation” — (Season 1 Episode 7)

Mika sat slouched on the living room couch, the TV screen glowing in front of her. Some variety show was playing, all laughter and chaos, but none of it registered. Her eyes were on the screen, but her thoughts were miles away, looping, spinning, crashing into each other like waves in a storm.

Her failed confession still echoed in her ears, over and over.

Stupid. Why did I say it like that? Did I make things weird?

Riku had smiled… said “thank you” like it was a compliment. That’s it.

She sank deeper into the couch cushions, pulling a pillow onto her lap and hugging it tight. “Idiot…” she muttered into the fabric.

Just then, the hallway door creaked open. Footsteps padded into the room.

“Mika,” came Riku’s voice, gentle and warm.

She quickly sat up straight, heart jumping in surprise. “Huh? Yeah?”

“I was gonna go check out the summer festival tonight. You know, food stalls, lanterns, fireworks…” He rubbed the back of his neck, casually. “Wanna come with?”

For a second, she froze.

Then her brain exploded.

He invited me?!

To a festival?!

With fireworks??!

She blinked once. Twice. “I… uh, yeah! Sure! I’d love to!” she said quickly, trying way too hard to sound normal.

“Cool,” Riku said, already heading to his room. “I’ll change first, then we can leave in like twenty minutes?”

“Y-Yeah, okay!”

The door closed behind him.

Mika sat frozen in place. Then slowly…

“KYAAAAHHHHHHHH!!”

She slapped both hands over her mouth, letting out a muffled squeal. Her legs kicked under the table like she was riding a roller coaster.

“He invited me. To a festival. Fireworks. Together.” Her voice trembled with disbelief.

She tried calming herself down. “It’s not a date. It’s just… just a normal summer thing. Friends go to festivals all the time, right?”

Her heart thumped in her chest.

“But still… he invited me. ME.”

She leapt off the couch and darted toward her room.

“If I’m going, I need to look perfect.”

Mika walked off toward her bedroom, closed the door and leaned against it. Her heart hammered like a taiko drum.

“Okay. Breathe. Just breathe,” she whispered to herself. “It’s not a date… but still, I need to look good. No… better than good.”

She darted to her wardrobe and threw it open. Fingers ran across hangers, brushing past school uniforms, oversized hoodies, and casual tees, until her eyes landed on a soft pastel-colored summer dress, simple but elegant, with a faint floral pattern. It fit her just right.

She held it up to herself in the mirror.

“This… this is the one.”

Mika stepped into the bathroom, clutching the summer dress tightly in her arms.

Her reflection stared back at her, nervous, flustered, excited. Her fingers twitched at her sides.

It had been a while since she tried looking her best. The last time she did, she remembered sitting quietly while her friends fixed her up, doing her hair, helping with her makeup, telling her how cute she looked. And in the end… he hadn’t even noticed.

But tonight felt different.

This time, she wanted to do it on her own. Not for Riku. Not to impress anyone. Just… to feel good. To feel proud.

She laid the dress carefully over the counter and got to work.

First: hair. She took a deep breath and began twisting, pinning, fluffing, trying to recall every detail her friends had once shown her. A lock slipped out of place. She fixed it. Her fingers stumbled. She fixed it again.

Next: makeup. Soft blush. A touch of eyeliner. Gloss, just enough. She moved slowly, checking the mirror after every step.

It wasn’t perfect. But it was her.

She slipped into the dress. The fabric hugged her frame in just the right places… not too tight, not too loose. For a second, she just stood there, hands by her sides, staring at the girl in the mirror.

Warmth spread in her chest.

“I… I look cute,” she whispered.

And just as the words left her mouth—

“Mika?”

Riku’s voice called from the hallway. “You ready?”

Her breath caught.

She blinked at her reflection one last time, cheeks flushed again, this time from nerves.

“C-Coming!” she called out.

Mika took a deep breath before opening the bathroom door. The soft click echoed lightly in the hallway as she stepped out, her hands slightly trembling from nerves. She hadn’t dressed like this in a while, not since the last time she tried to catch Riku’s attention.

Riku stood in the living room, adjusting the sleeve of his light summer yukata. He looked up casually, then froze.

Mika blinked when their eyes met. Riku’s hand stopped mid-adjustment, his jaw dropping slightly.

“You… You look good,” Riku said, blinking once more as if trying to ground himself.

A light blush spread across his face, but he quickly looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn’t say anything else, but his thoughts were louder than his words.

She looks… different. Not in a bad way. Just… she really put effort into this. She really looks… good. Calm down, Riku. It’s just a festival.

Mika, on the other hand, had no control over her thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat the moment she saw him. His yukata fit him perfectly, his hair was neatly styled, and the glasses perched on his nose added an unfamiliar charm she wasn’t ready for.

Wow. He looks so beautiful… she screamed internally. That hair. Those glasses… oh god… he’s handsome… he’s… hot…

Her cheeks lit up like fireworks. She quickly glanced away, trying to cool her face with the back of her hand.

Riku, still not fully recovered, glanced her way again. “We should probably get going before the fireworks start.”

“Y-Yeah,” Mika nodded quickly, heart still pounding.

They both headed for the door, neither saying much, but both feeling the weight of the moment between them.