Chapter 18: — “The Festival Begins”

The evening air was warm but not heavy, with a soft breeze rustling the trees as the sun dipped lower into the horizon. The faint sounds of drums and cheerful chatter floated in the distance. Mika walked beside Riku, their shoulders nearly brushing as they followed the glowing trail of lanterns that lined the path to the Tanabata Festival.

Mika’s yukata fluttered gently with her steps, a soft pastel pink with delicate floral patterns. Her hair was tied in a loose, simple bun, with one strand stubbornly refusing to stay in place. She had spent nearly half an hour getting ready, redoing her makeup three times, and fussing over the bow at her back more times than she could count.

Riku, on the other hand, looked effortlessly calm in a navy-blue yukata with a subtle geometric pattern. His hair was neatly combed, his glasses giving him a slightly more mature air tonight. Mika couldn’t help but glance at him now and then, her heart quietly thudding with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

Ahead of them, the crowd thickened as they reached the entrance of the festival grounds. Strings of golden lanterns hung overhead, each one glowing softly like a star floating in the night sky. Booths lined both sides of the street, colorful and buzzing with life, children shouting, vendors calling out deals, the scent of grilled food and sugar thick in the air.

“So…” Riku began, his voice pulling Mika from her trance, “where do you want to start?”

Mika’s eyes sparkled, her lips already curving into a smile. “Food. No doubt.”

Riku raised an eyebrow. “I should’ve guessed. You’ve got one goal in life.”

“To eat good food and die happy,” she said proudly, making him laugh.

He shook his head, amused. “Alright. Let’s go feed the monster.”

“Hey!” she said, laughing as she playfully nudged him with her shoulder. “You’re so mean.”

“Not mean. Just honest.”

The food stalls were glowing with bright signs and sizzling grills. The smell of yakisoba, grilled corn, and sweet crepes surrounded them in waves. Mika eagerly ran up to the yakisoba stand, her eyes practically shining.

“One for me and one for her,” Riku told the vendor, already pulling out his wallet.

“You didn’t even ask,” Mika said with mock offense.

“Didn’t have to,” he replied, handing her a steaming tray.

She dug in immediately, mouth full before she could respond. “Thith ish sho goood.”

Riku watched her in amusement, carefully blowing on his noodles. “At least try to chew.”

She swallowed quickly and gave him a sheepish look. “Sorry. It’s just too good to be polite.”

As they walked from stall to stall, they shared bites of everything, crispy takoyaki, freshly grilled mochi, and sweet chocolate bananas on sticks. Mika would point excitedly at every booth, and Riku quietly followed, carrying their trash and occasionally wiping sauce off her cheek with a napkin.

They eventually stopped at the shaved ice stall. Mika chose strawberry, Riku chose melon. They sat on a low bench nearby, watching children chase each other with sparklers.

Mika took a spoonful and hummed in content. “This is what summer should always be like.”

Riku leaned back, his eyes on the flickering lanterns. “Yeah… peaceful.”

She turned to glance at him, catching the way the lanternlight played on his face. He looked thoughtful, his gaze soft and distant, and for a second, Mika forgot how to breathe.

Further down the path, the street opened up to a section filled with games. People gathered around booths with colorful prizes dangling from strings, plushies, trinkets, plastic swords. Children were trying to ring bottles or shoot cork guns, their parents cheering them on.

“Ooooh!” Mika gasped, grabbing Riku’s sleeve. “Goldfish scooping! Let’s do that one!”

“You sure?” Riku teased. “You know you’re going to lose.”

“I’m going to win this time,” she said determinedly. “Prepare to be amazed.”

They crouched down beside the small tank, each handed a paper scooper. Mika leaned in close to the surface, her brow furrowed in focus as she chased a particularly wiggly goldfish.

“Here, fishy fishy—”

Rip.

“…Dang it!”

Riku chuckled quietly, already lowering his scoop. With one calm motion, he caught a goldfish and lifted it into the bowl beside him.

Mika stared in disbelief. “What?! No way!”

He held the bowl out to her. “You can keep it. Victory gift.”

Mika reached for it slowly, a small pout forming. “That’s not fair… you’ve done this before.”

“Maybe,” he said with a sly grin.

She cradled the bowl, smiling down at the tiny fish. “Thanks…”

For a second, their fingers brushed again, just like earlier, and Mika looked up, her heart skipping. She quickly looked away, feeling warmth creep into her cheeks.

Near the center of the festival grounds stood a tall bamboo tree adorned with countless paper strips fluttering in the breeze. Tanzaku of every color, red, blue, pink, green, were tied to its branches, each one carrying someone’s wish to the stars.

Riku and Mika approached slowly. A gentle wind stirred the tree, making the wishes rustle softly, like they were whispering secrets.

“Want to write one?” Riku asked.

Mika nodded, her heart thumping for some reason. They each took a paper slip and stepped apart for privacy.

Mika stared at the blank pink paper in her hand, her mind a whirl of feelings she didn’t quite know how to name. There was so much she wanted, but tonight… she realized there was only one thing that felt honest.

After a moment of hesitation, she wrote:

“I want to stay with him forever.”

She folded it and tied it to a low branch, watching it sway gently.

When she turned, Riku was already back, his green strip tied just above hers.

“Did you wish for a gaming console?” she asked with a grin.

He smirked. “Something like that.”

They stood there in the soft breeze, shoulder to shoulder, watching the tree glitter under the lanternlight. No more words were needed, not yet.