Chapter 17: Fireworks and Forgiveness

I pulled Hana through the crowd, along the paved road, past the bus stop, up a turn and then the steps to another shrine.

As we went, the small hand in mine grew more confident, its grip tightening.

I looked back every now and then to check she was alright and I wasn’t walking too fast.

Each time, she was smiling at me.

Good. She’s fine.

I glanced at my watch. Cutting it close. I helped her up the final slope to the shrine. It was quiet here. Not many people.

We reached the lookout. The entire bay spread out before us.

Shimizu-san definitely knows his shrine spots.

Boom.

The first firework split the sky, washing everything in red.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Sighs and gasps from the handful of people around us.

"We made it, Hana-chan!" I turned to her, slightly out of breath.

Her cheeks were flushed from the climb, and she was catching her breath too. But her attention was entirely on the sky. Eyes wide, one hand raised to cover her mouth as a larger burst bloomed overhead. Pure, unguarded joy.

Boom.

Her face lit up in shifting shades of red, blue, pink and orange. Her hand squeezed tightly whenever a particularly large one went off. Then she glanced at me with a puzzled look.

"Ryo-kun. You’re not watching?"

I looked back at the sky promptly. “I am! I just… the dango and takoyaki are probably getting cold.”

Yeah. Sachi wouldn’t buy that either.

"We’ll eat them after." Hana’s eyes didn’t leave the sky.

It lasted no more than ten minutes. Modest, compared to Sendai’s. But somehow the most memorable fireworks I had ever watched.

* * *

I found a bench and started unpacking the food. The bonito flakes had gone limp on the takoyaki, but neither of us cared.

We ate in silence for a while.

"Ryo-kun. Did you enjoy the fireworks?"

"I did. It wasn’t big or spectacular, but… I was happy tonight. I almost forgot what that felt like." I laughed awkwardly.

Then I realised I was still holding her hand.

Oh no. Why am I still holding her hand?!

My grip loosened instinctively. Hana’s held firm. I looked at her.

"The dango… is good. Try it." She held a skewer up toward my mouth. Three on the skewer. The top one was gone — she’d eaten it already — and she offered me the middle one. Her face was red, even in the dim light. She looked intently at the bay.

My other hand was occupied with a takoyaki.

W-wait. Is she expecting me to eat it off the skewer while she’s holding it? Is this okay?

Sensing my paralysis, Hana peeked at me. I was definitely also combusting. But her hand was steady, the dango positioned patiently in front of my mouth.

Do I put down the takoyaki first?

Her hand tightened in my grip. Something clicked. My mouth opened in slow motion. Hana guided the dango forward with the steady composure of a wildlife handler feeding a very confused animal.

I bit down.

Dango had never tasted so sweet.

* * *

It was nearly nine. We made our way back to the festival grounds slowly, hands still held.

I didn’t know what to make of it. Hana was quiet too.

Sachi and Kenji were already at the gathering point, backs turned toward us.

Yuki and Daiki appeared through the thinning crowd. They were holding hands too.

I watched. Daiki held Yuki’s gaze with an expression that had nothing in it but care. He carried her things without being asked, and reached over to fix a strand of her hair with quiet attention. Yuki smiled back at him.

It still hurt. But it was a different kind of hurt now. Duller. Something I could see past.

Yuki’s eyes moved across the crowd and found us. Her expression stilled when she saw Hana and me. I let go of Hana’s hand. Suddenly I was very aware of it.

I took a step toward them. Then another. My feet found their footing, and I stopped in front of Daiki and Yuki. Sachi and Kenji watched from a few steps back.

"Matsuda-san." My voice came out rougher than I intended. "I’m sorry about lunch. The other day."

"Don’t worry about it, Hayashi-san. Honestly."

I stood there for a moment. Nobody spoke.

I cleared my throat. “Thank you. For taking care of Yuki-chan.”

My vision blurred. I bowed my head and held out my hand.

"Please accept my forgiveness."

Daiki went still. Yuki’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes bright.

Kenji moved to my side and gripped my shoulder.

My outstretched hand had begun to shake. The week of it — all of it — was finally finding a way out. Then a firm grip closed around it. I looked up. Daiki shook my hand with both of his and bowed deeply.

"I promise I will take care of her. You can leave her to me, Hayashi-san." His voice was steady and sincere.

Sachi appeared at my other side, a hand on my back. Hana stepped in beside her. On the other side, Yuki. A quiet ring of people.

The tears wouldn’t stop. I pressed the back of my hand against my eyes. It didn’t help.

Then something soft touched my face. A handkerchief, held by Yuki. Her eyes were wet too, makeup slightly smudged. The look on her face — hurt, and relief, and something that might have been an apology — broke whatever was left of my composure.

I sank to my knees on the pavement and cried properly.