"Haa, it's a good thing you came with me today. Otherwise, I would've ended up chatting with him for ages again just now."
After leaving Kouichi's house, Yoimiya remembered something and scratched her head with an awkward smile.
"I could tell. You've already said quite a lot to me today. Practically everything that comes to mind."
The girl's mouth seemed almost like a machine gun, words rattling out one after another. It was the first time she had ever met someone who loved talking this much, endlessly chattering away with her.
"Uh... I've been rushing to finish fireworks these past few days, so I haven't had much time to chat with anyone. I was practically dying from holding it all in."
Yoimiya puffed out her cheeks slightly, though it was unclear who she was complaining about, and spoke as though sulking.
"Dad really likes listening to me, but his hearing isn't very good, so it's hard for him to give me any unexpectedly fun reactions."
The girl chatted as she walked beside her.
"What about today?"
She picked up the conversation.
"Today? Hehe, today, of course, it's because you came to see me. Now I can finally pour out everything I've been holding in these past few days all at once~! Besides, things like this are just like fireworks, fleeting in an instant. If you don't say them right away, they'll lose their meaning afterward."
Yoimiya lightly twirled a lock of hair around her fingertip, looking playfully mischievous.
So everything she said earlier was stuff she'd been holding in all this time? Then I suppose I'm her sounding board now... Thinking about it that way left her somewhat helpless.
Of course, being a sounding board was hardly the same as being a trash can. She actually quite enjoyed listening to many of the things Yoimiya had told her today. After all, being with her was never boring.
"Oh, right, Shogun-sama... Here, this is for you."
Yoimiya suddenly remembered something and handed her a slip of paper from her pocket.
"This is..."
She looked down and discovered that it was similar to the slips Yoimiya had given those three children earlier. It contained various professional terms she could not understand, while the handwritten word "Naganohara" appeared at the very top.
"Whenever a customer orders custom fireworks to commemorate something, our family gives them one of these slips. Only members of our family can understand what's written on them. It's the exact recipe used to make that particular firework."
Yoimiya pointed toward the unfamiliar terms written on the slip.
"..."
She silently looked at the paper in her hand while listening to Yoimiya's explanation.
"This one was made especially for you. I customized it myself, and it even has my handwriting on it. Look~"
Sure enough, the rounded handwriting spelling out "Yoimiya" appeared in one corner of the slip.
"For hundreds of years, you've always protected Inazuma, but surely there are things you want to commemorate too, right? That's why this slip is perfect for you. As long as you have it, whether ten years pass or a hundred, Naganohara can guarantee that we'll recreate exactly the same firework as we did back then. It's a memory steeped in the passage of time, something you can recover exactly as it was even centuries later. For someone like you, who has always pursued Eternity, nothing could be more suitable."
Yoimiya smiled at her.
"...Thank you for going to the trouble. I'll accept it."
She understood what the girl meant, and warmth filled her heart. Her beautiful lips curved into a smile as she thanked Yoimiya, then carefully placed the paper into the pocket of her kimono. When she returned, she intended to put this keepsake directly into a drawer and preserve it properly.
Even so, whenever she heard talk of centuries in the future, or anything involving lifespans, a faint sense of loss would instinctively rise within her. Perhaps she had simply become sensitive to such subjects lately. She knew she was not human and could continue living in this world, while the girl beside her was different. Keepsakes like this always stirred a trace of sadness in her heart.
Haa... Never mind. This isn't the time to think about that...
"Shogun-sama? What's wrong?"
Yoimiya seemed to notice that she had drifted into thought and leaned closer in confusion, adorably tilting her head. That lovely face suddenly appearing in her field of vision caught her off guard, making her instinctively retreat half a step and raise the furisode of her kimono to cover her mouth in an exceedingly feminine gesture of bashfulness.
"...///"
The instant Yoimiya saw that alluring gesture, she instinctively blushed as well. She then smiled awkwardly and coughed several times.
"Ahem~ S-Sorry. Did I scare you just now?"
The girl asked cautiously.
"It's nothing... Just a habit."
She knew her reaction had been a little strange, so she lowered her furisode and once again revealed her devastatingly beautiful face as she explained.
"Then... shall we keep going?"
Yoimiya changed the subject.
"Mm..."
She followed along.
Afterward, they arrived at a materials shop at the end of the street. The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache.
"Hey, Morihiko. How's business been lately?"
Yoimiya walked over and greeted him as naturally as ever.
"Haha~ Yoimiya, I knew it'd be you, girl. No need for the pleasantries. You're looking for firework materials, aren't you? I specially set aside a bag for you. There'll definitely be enough."
"Really?!"
Yoimiya's eyes lit up the moment she heard Morihiko's words.
"Of course. Every time the fireworks show gets close, you start running around asking everywhere if anyone has ore materials because you suddenly need them urgently~! I prepared them for you in advance. You always love doing things that weren't part of the plan."
Morihiko folded his arms with a smug expression.
"Mm, but I'm sorry... I trouble you every single time. Next time, I'll give you a discount~!"
Embarrassed by what he said, Yoimiya scratched her head.
"Listen to yourself. With the relationship we have, there's no need to be polite. Even if I didn't make any money from this, I'd still have to help you out. Uh... And this young lady is—"
Just like the man before him, Morihiko turned his gaze toward the Shogun.
"Her friend."
This time, the Shogun answered for Yoimiya.
"Oh... Haa, how come I've never seen you before?"
He asked in confusion.
"Not having seen me doesn't mean I don't exist, does it?"
The Shogun quietly asked in return.
"Uh... Y-Yeah, that's true... Hehe!"
Morihiko gave an awkward laugh at her response.
Still, she could tell that this girl was very popular throughout Hanamizaka. Almost everyone knew her, something apparent from the way these people spoke to her.
"Right, here's the Mora. I'll take the materials with me."
Yoimiya prepared to pay.
"Oh, no need, no need—! Just take all of it. These are my gift to you, so there's no need to pay."
Morihiko refused.
"How can I do that?"
Yoimiya objected.
"You helped me out with something huge before, and I still haven't repaid that favor. Don't worry about something this small, all right?"
Morihiko tried to push the payment back.
"A favor is a favor, and business is business. They're two separate things~!"
Yoimiya refused to accept that.
"What difference does it make? Just take it. Look, aren't you two in a hurry too? How much time are you going to waste standing here arguing with me?"
"Mm—then... let's leave it at that for now. I won't pay you the Mora, but I'll record it in the ledger. Next time you come to me for fireworks, I'll deduct this amount as a discount."
Yoimiya knew she really was pressed for time, so she came up with this solution.
"You really—"
"No more 'haggling'~!"
Yoimiya planted her hands on her hips and spoke in a slightly displeased tone.
"You girl... Haa—fine. That works too. Give my regards to your dad. I hope he stays healthy, that everything goes smoothly for him, and that he can keep smiling happily forever. And you, miss... this girl is very thoughtful and well-behaved. Take good care of her while you're together. Consider it a request from this uncle."
Morihiko looked toward the Shogun, who had been listening to their conversation from the side, and earnestly entrusted Yoimiya to her.
"Haa... Understood. Rest assured."
The Shogun snapped back to herself and nodded in acknowledgment.
"Oh, come on~ What could possibly happen to me?/// Don't say unnecessary things... You should take care of yourself too. Stop pushing yourself so hard, or that old problem of yours might flare up again."
Yoimiya's pretty face flushed at his words. She then puffed out her cheeks and called a reminder after Morihiko as he left... before helplessly shrugging her shoulders.
"You're quite popular."
After Morihiko left, the Shogun turned toward the girl beside her and teased her with a smile.
"Huh? Uh, hehe... Not really... It's just an occupational habit. When you sell fireworks, you have to be familiar with everyone, otherwise it can affect business too."
Yoimiya squirmed in embarrassment at her remark, though her face clearly showed the delight of having been praised.
In truth, she greatly admired people with this kind of practiced social skill. Yoimiya was one. Ayaka was another, and Kokomi counted as well... though she knew the other two had gained their so-called "social experience" because circumstances had forced it upon them, or because they simply had no choice but to learn.
She had always believed that people like this would eventually accomplish great things... At the very least, having enough connections was already something exceptionally valuable.
Of course, she herself was a different story... She had always felt that aside from Makoto, there were hardly any members of the Raiden family who were genuinely skilled at socializing.