One afternoon, with less than a week left until the end of summer vacation, I was working on my summer homework when I glanced at my phone, which was ringing. The name of Daibutsu (Great Buddha) was displayed on the incoming call screen, so I stopped what I was doing and tapped the screen.
"Hello, what's up, Great Buddha?"
"No, I'm fine. Is there something you need?"
"Hey, there's a fireworks display today, right? ...Want to go together?"
"...Me and?"
"Oh, of course Miko will be coming too. Is that inconvenient?"
"No, it's fine. I haven't really done anything summery, so I'm actually grateful."
"Hehe, I see. Well then... let's meet at 7 o'clock, I'll tell Miko that too."
"Ah, I understand. In that case..."
After hanging up the phone, I stretched lightly.
"Hmm... Now, where's my jinbei?"
...…
I changed into my jinbei (traditional Japanese summer wear) and left the house in time for our meeting. When I arrived at the riverbank where the fireworks display was being held, the venue was filled with excitement. Seeing the stalls selling all sorts of things and the stream of people gathered around them, I felt an uncharacteristic surge of excitement.
"..."
(Now that I think about it...the last time I went to a summer festival was with the chairman and the others...I feel nostalgic.)
The image of fireworks I saw from a taxi with my old friends flashed through my mind.
"...Well, there's no point in just standing around like this. I need to find Iino and the Great Buddha..."
Ishigami started walking, pushing his way through the crowd.
...…
"Hey, why don't you come and look around with me?"
"Excuse me, but I'm meeting a friend..."
"That's right! People who engage in frivolous behavior like trying to pick up women are simply out of the question!"
"Come on, don't say that. It's only natural to try and pick up a cute girl if you see one!"
"C-Cute...?" *twitch*
"...Miko-chan?"
"So cute! Seriously cute! Just until my friend I'm meeting arrives, okay...?"
"W-well, if it's just that much..." *smack*
"Ouch!?"
"Oh, Ishigami."
"Excuse me, these two are with me, so please ask someone else."
"Tch, I guess I have no choice... Ah! Hey there, miss, are you alone right now?" *runs off*
"Oh dear, hey Iino..."
"Koba-chan, Ishigami hit you! He's a jerk!"
"They should just avoid doing things that would get them criticized..."
"Iino, don't go to places where you might get hit on by yourself. Also, be careful of weird scouts."
"That's okay. Whenever Miko goes to places like that, I'll be there for her."
"So, I can relax then..."
"Hey!? Why are you talking like I can't do it alone!?"
"You said five seconds after I said that guys who try to pick up girls are out of the question, what did you say?"
"Miko-chan, you forgive people so easily when you praise them..."
"...Well, we managed to meet up safely, so let's just look around for a bit."
"So, what do you want to do, Miko?"
"Hmm, first I want to eat takoyaki!"
One hour later...
"...That's amazing."
"Yeah, that's amazing. Miko-chan has been eating non-stop this whole time..."
"I'm starting to feel heartburn..."
"me too..."
"Huh? What happened to you two?"
"...It's nothing."
"Hmm... Oh! Candy apples! We have candy apples, Kobachan!"
"I-I'm fine... Miko-chan, you go ahead."
"It's delicious, though..."
Iino pouted and muttered, then hurried towards the stall selling candied apples.
"...By the way, Ishigami, was it really okay for you to come to the fireworks festival with us?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I saw him with a woman at a coffee shop a little while ago... Isn't she his girlfriend or something?"
"A coffee shop... Oh, that's not it, it's a gaming friend."
"Game friends? Hmm... I didn't know Ishigami had friends like that."
"Oh, we met the other day when I delivered the disciplinary committee paperwork to the high school... Surprising, huh?"
"It's kind of surprising, isn't it... Ishigami tends to keep his distance from people, right? In his second year, I never saw him with any particular person. But since his third year... he's been working hard at his studies and club activities, and even helping out the disciplinary committee... Did you know? Apparently, Ishigami's reputation has been rising lately."
"Oh, really..."
(Even if it was something I started out of calculation, just in case, it's still nice to be appreciated.)
"Both Miko and I... Ishigami helped us out, you know."
"You don't need to feel indebted to me; it was something I did of my own accord."
"Yeah, I knew Ishigami would say that."
I did take a good look at the Great Buddha.
(But that line was kinda unfair...)
"I know this is just a random question, but... Ishigami, do you have anyone you like?"
"..."
"...Ishigami?"
"...He's not here."
(There's no one I like anymore... My first love ended without ever being fulfilled on that graduation day.)
As I looked up at the sky, trying to remember that day...the same night sky was looking down on us.