Upcoming Event pt 2

The autumn sun cast a soft, golden hue over the school grounds as Hachimura and I walked side by side, the gentle breeze ruffling the leaves and sending them dancing through the air. Despite the calm surroundings, the silence between us felt charged. I could sense Hachimura was still energized by the idea of the festival and trying to figure out how to get me more involved.

We passed the main gate, the road stretching out toward home, when Hachimura finally broke the silence. “So, what do you think about the festival? Be honest.” His voice had that half-amused, half-serious tone, but I could tell he was genuinely curious.

I shrugged, keeping my gaze ahead. “I don’t know. Like I said, it’s just the same thing every year. Everyone gets hyped for a few days, and then it’s back to normal. Nothing really changes.”

Hachimura nudged me with his elbow, trying to lighten the mood. “You’re such a buzzkill, Takumi. I swear, you need to get out of your own head sometimes. It’s not about changing the world; it’s about having fun.”

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. “Fun, huh? I guess it’s different for you. You seem to get excited about this stuff easily.”

He chuckled, but there was a flicker of something deeper in his expression. “Well, yeah, but maybe it’s because I don’t take it for granted. You’ve been here your whole life, right? Same school, same routine. But for me, stuff like this is still kind of new.” He paused, his usual playful tone softening. “It’s not about the festival itself, Takumi. It’s the memories you make, you know?”

I stopped walking, caught off guard by the sincerity in his words. Hachimura rarely let down his carefree mask, so seeing this side of him made me pause.

“Memories, huh?” I repeated, more to myself than to him. I hadn’t thought about it that way. For me, the festival was just another event, something to get through. But Hachimura’s perspective made me wonder if I’d been missing something all along.

We continued walking, the tension from earlier fading as the conversation shifted to lighter topics. As we neared the intersection where our paths usually diverged, Hachimura spoke up again.

“Hey, Takumi, about the festival…”

I gave him a sideways glance. “What about it?”

“Well, I’ve been thinking…” He hesitated, his usual confidence faltering for a moment. “Since you’re not into the whole festival thing, why don’t we come up with something a little different? Something you might actually enjoy.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

Hachimura shrugged, though there was a seriousness in his eyes that wasn’t there before. “I don’t know yet. But if you’ve got two months of hearing everyone talk about it, you might as well have a say in how it turns out, right?”

I raised an eyebrow. “You really think I’d have that much influence?”

He grinned, mischievous again. “I mean, if you were up for it. Besides, I wouldn’t mind seeing you do something out of the ordinary for once. Shake things up a bit.”

I scoffed, though I couldn’t help but smirk. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe. But think about it. Could be fun.” With that, he waved goodbye and crossed the street, disappearing into the flow of students heading home.

I watched him go, his words lingering in the air. It wasn’t like I had never participated in the school festivals before. I’d helped with the usual setups, gone along with the class themes, but I’d never really cared much about what happened. I never felt like it mattered. But now, the idea of doing something different, of having a say in how things turned out, had a strange appeal.

By the time I got home, my thoughts were still circling around the conversation. My mom greeted me with her usual warmth, her cheerful “Welcome back!” echoing from the kitchen. I muttered a quick greeting and made my way to my room, setting my bag down by the desk.

As I sat down, my gaze fell on my calligraphy tools, neatly arranged as always. The brush felt cool in my hand as I picked it up, and I started to let the familiar motions of practicing strokes calm my mind.

But Hachimura’s words stuck with me. What would happen if I actually tried to be a part of the school festival this year? Not just another bystander, but someone who cared about what was happening? Could I really enjoy something like that?

My brush hesitated on the page, leaving a stray mark on the paper. I stared at it for a moment, then shook my head, annoyed at myself for getting distracted.

“Not going to happen,” I muttered to myself, returning my focus to the strokes. But deep down, the idea had already taken root. Whether I liked it or not, this school festival might end up being different after all.

The next day, Hiroshi was waiting for me at our usual spot near the school entrance. His wide grin told me that he was up to something. “Hey, Takumi! You hear the news? They’re narrowing down the festival themes today. Maid cafe’s still in the running!”

I rolled my eyes. “Great. Just what we need.”

He laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulder as we walked inside. “Come on, lighten up! I bet you could pull off a maid outfit like no one else!”

I shot him a glare, but he just laughed harder. “In your dreams.”

But as we walked toward class, I couldn’t help but glance around at the groups of students already buzzing with excitement. Maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to enjoy this festival after all.