Chapter 24

The group approached the staircase leading to the red torii gate, marking the shrine entrance.

I didn't think this through. Izumi swallowed hard, staring at all the stairs. My ankle is bad enough for this on its own; add in trying to take these steps in my yukata without messing it up...

Yanagi held his hand out to her. "Just in case."

"T-thank you." Izumi took his hand.

"Hard to beat him to the punch in the chivalrous department, isn't it?" Shiori whispered to Kuruma.

"Why would I try to?" he mumbled.

She gave him a blank expression. "You know exactly why. They're not a couple, and as far as I know, he hasn't said anything about wanting to ask her out, so I don't know why you're pushing your feelings back like you have been." Shiori sighed, shaking her head as she rushed to catch up.

"Wow!" Izumi's eyes widened. Food and game stalls lined the sides with paper lanterns lit above them. So beautiful. A mixture of families, couples, and friend groups wandered about, checking out the stalls. Busier than I expected. "Where do we start?"

"Wherever you want, but we usually just start with the food and game stalls and end with a quick visit to the shrine."

"Oh, takoyaki!"

"And I think we know what you want to start with." Yanagi chuckled and looked over at the crowded stall. "Why don't you let Kuruma show you how the shooting gallery game is done while I get us all a snack?"

The girls turned to Kuruma. "Uh, sure..." He shrugged and led them over to the stall. "Who wants to try?"

"I'll pass on this one." Shiori stepped back.

Kuruma paid for two players and held up the cork gun attached to the stall with a string, to Izumi.

Her hands dipped. It's heavier than I expected.

He hesitated for a moment before leaning in close to position her hands.

He's so close! She automatically leaned towards him, and he backed away, clearing his throat. Oh...

"Now aim slightly above the target, and try to hold steady." He picked up his own.

Treat it like a video game. She took a deep breath and aimed.

Pop! Kuruma missed his first shot and cursed under his breath.

Pop! Izumi hit the target in one shot, knocking over a purple bear. "I did it!" Izumi cheered.

"Here's your prize." The attendant handed her the bear.

"Thank you." Izumi took the small bear and turned to Shiori. "For you. He matches your yukata."

"For me?" Shiori's eyes widened briefly, and she cleared her throat. "Thanks."

Kuruma aimed again.

Pop! He hit his target this time: a wolf plush.

"Here you go." They handed the plush to Kuruma.

"Uh... here." Kuruma handed the plush to Izumi, remembering the wolf plush on her bed. "Unless you don't want it..."

Her eyes sparkled. "Thank you." Izumi hugged the plush, smiling. Mine can have a friend now.

"Seems I've missed all the fun." Yanagi came up with two containers of takoyaki.

"You can still try." Kuruma pointed at the stall behind him with his thumb. "I can hold the food."

"It's okay. We can move onto eating." He handed one set to Shiori to share with Izumi.

"Festival food is always so delicious. Savoury, slightly sweet with a light crisp outside. Ah, and hot!" Yanagi burned his tongue on the first bite. "Watch out... it's super fresh."

"You can never wait, can you?" Shiori grumbled. "One moment." She left Izumi holding the takoyaki.

Izumi blew on hers before taking a nibble. He's right about these. It's so good! Though I'm not sure it rivals Mom's food.

"Here." Shiori came back with a small carton of strawberry milk and shoved it into Yanagi's free hand.

"Oh!" His eyes widened slightly, and he smiled. "Thank you, Shi."

"Yeah, yeah. If only you could wait for once." She took the takoyaki back from Izumi and munched on a whole one.

"Need some?" Yanagi offered the milk after taking a sip.

"I'm fine, baby tongue."

"Hey! Anyone could've burned their mouth if they ate it right away like me." He pouted.

"If you keep yapping, you won't get anymore," Kuruma said, his mouth full.

"Don't finish it without me."

Izumi couldn't help but giggle as she watched them. They're so cute.

"Having fun?" Shiori asked, and Izumi nodded. "Good. What's next?"

After trying out a few game stalls and some more food, they headed toward the shrine.

Oh, are those candied apples? Izumi spotted a dessert stall and couldn't help but wander over. "Hey, guys, would you like..." She froze.

Where are they? She looked all around, but the crowd had gotten thicker, and she couldn't see over all the people.

No, no, no. She shuddered. I'm lost. I should meet them at the shrine. She looked both ways.

Which way is the shrine? Geez, this is what I get for getting distracted. Izumi huffed, turning as she tried to keep calm.

Snap.

The strap on her geta broke.

"Ugh. This can't be happening," she grumbled as she bent down, tears forming in her eyes. Mom won't be happy. How did I break it in one night? Knew I should've gone in sneakers. Would've been better for my aching ankle, too.

Splat.

"Ah!" the little girl who stumbled into her with her ice cream cried.

Izumi's eyes shook as she stared at the chocolate smear on her. Had to get worse. She sniffled and wiped her tears. "A-are you okay, little girl?"

"My ice cream!" Tears poured down her cheeks.

"I'll get you a new one."

"Really?" She stopped crying in an instant.

"Yes." Izumi swallowed hard and stood. "Oh!" she gasped as her hands were grabbed from the sides, one after another.

"There you are," Yanagi huffed.

"Found you." Kuruma let out a deep breath.

"Guys?"

Their eyes trailed down her, from her moist eyes to the ice cream stain, and to her broken strap.

"I want my ice cream!" the girl cried out.

Kuruma let go of her hand and knelt down in front of the kid. "I'll get you ice cream, okay?"

Izumi stared at Kuruma, then at her hand. He let go...

"Okay, mister." The little girl held her hand out to him.

"I've got her." Yanagi picked Izumi up, cradling her in his arms before Kuruma could tell him to take her.

"Oh!" Izumi gasped.

"Right. Let's meet Shiori at the shrine in a few minutes."

Yanagi nodded.

"Y-you don't have to carry me." Not again! People are staring...

"Between your ankle, your geta, and you getting lost, I think it's necessary at the moment." His grip on her tightened. "I'm not even sure how we lost you. We were all headed to the shrine one moment, and the next, you were gone."

"S-sorry." She swallowed hard. I didn't think he'd freak out that much.

"I'm not scolding you, but we'd appreciate if you didn't vanish like that. I know we're not little kids, but it can be hard to find people in crowds... and you're still injured."

"I got distracted..."

"Oh? By what? Please don't say a handsome man when you already have two of them around you."

Her cheeks burned. "N-no, by candied apples..."

"Seriously?" Yanagi stopped, raising an eyebrow as he stared at her.

"Yes." She looked away. "I always like those ones with chocolate and caramel. By the time I turned back, you guys were gone." And I got turned around...

"Well, I wish you would've at least pulled on one of our sleeves first, so we'd stop. Sorry, we didn't notice you were gone right away."

"It's okay..." I wonder if Kuruma's doing alright with the kid.

"It's a shame about your yukata, but at least you're not hurt."

They approached Shiori, sitting on a bench near the lineup for the shrine.

"Izumi!" Shiori shot to her feet. "Are you okay? What happened?" She stared at Izumi's feet. "I'll be right back."

"And she's gone." Yanagi sighed and set Izumi down on the bench.

"I hope I wasn't too heavy." She flinched as he tapped her nose.

"No, you're not, and stop insinuating you are." He sat down beside her. "I know you've had a few mishaps, but I hope you had fun."

Izumi nodded. "My mom's not going to be happy about the stain." After trying so hard to keep it clean earlier. "Or the strap, but I had fun."

"Good. Hopefully, a lot more fun to come in the year. You know, I wish you two could come to our games without worrying about a bully trying to pick on you." He sighed, scratching the back of his head. "But I understand if you never come to another one."

"Didn't Kuruma say you two wouldn't end up playing most of the time?"

"Well..." He scratched his cheek. "That may not be true. They're not happy with us having our other club, but they want us to play in some of the games against other schools, which is a huge deal for first-years. Usually, we'd only get practice ones."

"Just proves how amazing you two are."

Shiori came rushing back with a pair of sneakers, and Kuruma close behind. "Here, you can use these." She knelt down in front of Izumi.

"I can do..." Izumi trailed off when she glared at her.

"Where'd you even get those?" Yanagi chuckled, smiling as he watched her. "You didn't mug anyone, did you?"

"Of course not." Shiori rolled her eyes. "How about we do our visit and get out of here? I think the festival has worn me out." She stood and looked at the dwindling line. "Perfect timing."

Kuruma picked up her geta. "I'll carry these for you."

"Thank you." Izumi stood. These shoes are comfy. And she still didn't tell us where she got them... Better off not asking.

The line went quickly, and they each put a coin in the box, rang the bell, bowed twice, clapped twice, made a wish, and bowed again.

Please let the rest of this school year go smoothly. And please give me more time with Kuruma.

She finished and noticed Kuruma glance at her.

What was that about?

They stepped away from the shrine, ready to go home. "What'd you guys wish for?" Yanagi asked.

"You're not supposed to ask." Shiori rolled her eyes.

"Oh, so you did ask for something?"

"I just wished to finish the game on time," Kuruma said. "Takumi was hoping we'd have a demo earlier in the year, but we still have time for that."

"If you're so insistent on asking others, what'd you wish for?" Shiori asked Yanagi.

Yanagi leaned in close to her and held his finger to his lips. "It's a secret." He winked at her and trotted off to a nearby stall.

"Tch." Shiori huffed, crossing her arms. "What the hell was that?" she muttered under her breath.

"One for each of us." Yanagi came back with four talisman bag clips. "For good luck."

"Thank you." Izumi hooked it onto her new plush wolf's tag so she wouldn't lose it. I should put it on my backpack later.

Kuruma held up the talisman in wonder and watched Izumi. With a sigh, he shoved it into his pocket and shook his head. "Let's get you home."

After walking home and getting changed, Izumi collapsed on her bed, hugging her new wolf.

"Don't worry, Izumi, I'll get the stain out," her mom assured her.

"Thanks, Mom," she mumbled.

"You must be so exhausted. I expect you to tell me about your evening tomorrow..." Her mom kissed her forehead and slowly closed the door as she left.

Izumi peeked at her grey wolf plush. "Kuruma got you a friend." She pulled in her wolf to join them and fell asleep, smiling.