They went outside.
Outside, the sky was already dark. But along the village road, paper lanterns were being lit—warm yellow light illuminating the path. The sound of people grew louder from the direction of the festival.
From a distance, two figures walked closer.
A young woman—maybe early thirties—in a simple kimono with a floral pattern. Her hair was neatly tied. A gentle face with eyes the same as Sae's—green, bright.
Beside her, Sae.
Sae wore a pink yukata with small cherry blossom patterns. Her brown hair was adorned with a white ribbon. She looked different—usually careless in t-shirts and shorts, now like a little princess.
But upon seeing Tobio, Sae immediately ran.
"Tobio! Tobio! Look!" She spun in place, making her yukata flare out. "Pretty, right?"
Tobio smiled. "Pretty."
Sae blushed—slightly—then grabbed Tobio's arm. "Come on! The festival is about to start!"
Ageha greeted the young woman. "Hello Yuna, long time no see."
Yuna—Sae's mother—smiled warmly. She was maybe 32 or 33. Her face looked tired—probably working all day at the post office—but her eyes were friendly. "Hello Ageha. I'm fine. How is Tobio-chan? I heard he was injured yesterday."
"He's recovered," Ageha answered. "He can do normal activities now."
They both walked behind, following the two children who had already run ahead.
Yuna laughed softly. "They get along so well, don't they?"
Ageha smiled. "Yes. Since they were little."
---
The main village road was completely transformed.
The stalls that were still frames this morning now stood complete with lights and decorations. The aroma of food filled the air—sizzling yakisoba, warm takoyaki, sweet grilled corn. The shouts of vendors echoed back and forth. Children ran around with cotton candy in their hands. Young couples walked hand in hand.
Sae pulled Tobio's arm through the crowd. "Quick, quick! We have to try everything!"
Tobio let himself be pulled.
His eyes observed the surroundings.
This was a festival.
Not an event. Not a ceremony. Not for image-building.
Just people having fun.
A boy his age laughed after successfully winning a doll at the ball toss game. An old man sat on a bench near the sake stall, smiling as he watched his grandchildren play. A pair of teenagers whispered under a lantern, their faces bright red.
Tobio felt something in his chest.
Warm.
Maybe this was what they called happiness.
Or at least—peace.
Sae stopped in front of a stall.
A long table with several shallow plastic pools filled with water. Dozens of small goldfish swam inside—red, white, orange, black. Beside the pools, a stack of paper scoops in a circle shape—the tool for catching fish.
"This!" Sae pointed enthusiastically. "This time I'm really going to catch a fish!"
The stall keeper—an old man with a thick mustache, smiled seeing them. "Wow, Sae-chan and Tobio-chan! Haven't seen you play in a while."
Tobio remembered him—Watanabe-san, the neighbor at the end of the village.
Ageha and Yuna arrived behind them.
Ageha smiled. "Two portions, please."
Watanabe nodded. "Of course, of course." He took two paper scoops and gave them to Tobio and Sae. "Here, be careful, okay. The paper is thin."
Sae received her scoop with burning determination. "Watch, Tobio! I'll catch one first."
Tobio smiled faintly. "We'll see."
Sae crouched in front of the pool. The paper scoop in her right hand. Her eyes focused on a red goldfish swimming slowly near the surface.
"You..." she whispered. "You're going to be mine."
Her left hand entered the water slowly—you couldn't go too fast, it would scare the fish away. The scoop was aimed slowly behind the fish.
Then—a quick movement.
The scoop swept from below, lifting the fish to the surface—
But the fish moved. Jumped slightly. The wet paper scoop couldn't hold it—it tore.
The fish returned to the water with a small splash.
"Ah!" Sae pouted. "Failed!"
Watanabe laughed. "Patience, Sae-chan. Those fish are experts at dodging."
Now it was Tobio's turn.
He crouched. Scoop in hand.
In his head, analysis ran.
Goldfish. Average speed 0.3 meters per second in still water. Paper scoop—durability about 5 seconds after getting wet. Movement must be fast and precise.
He chose a target—a small orange fish, slower than the others.
Scoop entered the water. Slowly. Approached from below. The fish was unsuspecting.
Then— A quick movement.
The fish was lifted.
But the paper scoop—after a few seconds wet—started to weaken. The fish struggled. The scoop tore.
Failed.
Tobio sighed.
No luck here. Pure skill.
Or... was what he saw yesterday just a hallucination?
Sae tried again. More concentrated. Her eyes narrowed, her tongue slightly sticking out—a cute habit when serious.
Scoop in. Slowly. The fish—the same as before—swam leisurely. The scoop behind it.
Quick movement.
This time, the fish didn't have time to react. The scoop lifted it, and with a quick and smooth motion, Sae flipped the scoop into a small plastic container beside the pool.
The fish fell into the container.
"SUCCESS!" Sae jumped. "Look! Look! I did it!"
Watanabe clapped. "Wow, Sae-chan is great!"
Sae turned to Tobio, full of victory. "This time I'll beat you at all the games!"
Tobio smiled. But inside, something moved.
A desire.
He wanted to catch this fish.
Not to beat Sae. But to... prove something.
He took a new scoop.
Crouched.
Stared at the fish—the same red fish he failed to catch the first time.
'I want to catch this fish.'
Not a chant. Not a prayer. Just a statement in his heart.
His hand moved.
Scoop entered the water. Fast. Precise. The fish was lifted.
The paper scoop—which should have torn after a few seconds wet—remained intact.
The fish fell into the container.
Tobio stared at his hand.
Not torn.
Even though the chance of tearing was 95%.
But it didn't tear.
His head suddenly felt dizzy. Like something was pulled from within. Light, but real.
Watanabe exclaimed. "Wow, Tobio-chan! So lucky! The scoop was strong, huh?" He laughed. He tied a plastic bag with water and put the fish inside. "Congratulations!"
Sae clapped. "Yay! Tobio succeeded too!" Then she leaned in. "But maybe it was just luck."
Tobio didn't answer.
He received the plastic bag with the fish. Watched it swim inside.
The dizziness in his head was still there.
Something was strange.
Yuna laughed watching them. "Those kids are so enthusiastic."
But Ageha didn't laugh.
She was watching Tobio.
The way Tobio stood after catching the fish. Slightly unsteady. Slightly pale.
And his eyes—there was pain being held back.
Ageha approached.
"Tobio, are you okay?"
Tobio turned. Smiled—but Ageha knew that smile. A forced smile. A smile that covered something.
"I'm fine. Just a little dizzy—maybe too excited."
Dizzy?
After catching a fish?
Ageha knew her grandchild. Tobio wasn't a weak child. He could run all day without complaint.
There was something.
But she couldn't ask now. Not in front of Sae and Yuna.
"Then rest for a while," she said gently. "Don't push yourself."
Tobio nodded.
Sae saw a roulette stall ahead. A spinning wheel with various prizes—small dolls, keychains, candy, food vouchers, and the grand prize: a cute character sticker.
"There!" Sae pulled Tobio's arm. "Play roulette! Come on!"
Yuna took out her wallet. "Two people, sir."
The stall keeper—a young man with a cowboy hat—smiled. "Please, please. If you're lucky, you can get a big prize. But remember—luck isn't on everyone's side."
Sae spun the roulette.
The needle spun fast, slowed down, stopped at...
A summer festival charm—a small lantern-shaped keychain.
"Congratulations!" The keeper handed over the prize. Sae received it with a wide smile. "Got a keychain!"
Now it was Tobio's turn.
He stood in front of the roulette.
In his head, he remembered the dizziness after catching the fish.
The scoop didn't tear. Luck? Or... something else?
At that time, he had a desire. I want to catch the fish.
And it happened.
But after that, dizziness.
As if there was a price to pay.
Tobio stared at the roulette.
Now, he had another desire.
'I want the Okonomiyaki food voucher.'
Not a big prize. Not an expensive doll. Just a voucher for a favorite food—he thought maybe Sae liked Okonomiyaki. And they could share.
But he also knew: if his guess was correct, if this desire was granted, there would be consequences.
How big the desire, how big the payment.
Okonomiyaki voucher—not too big. Maybe just mild dizziness.
He took a breath.
Spun the roulette.
The needle spun. Fast. Slowed down. Almost stopped at the character sticker. One more centimeter—
Stopped.
At the Okonomiyaki food voucher.
The stall keeper smiled wide. "Wow, congratulations! Okonomiyaki voucher! Can be redeemed directly at Watanabe-san's stall."
Sae jumped. "Huh?! Okonomiyaki voucher?! So lucky!"
Yuna was also surprised. "Wow, Tobio-chan is really lucky tonight."
But Tobio didn't hear them.
His head throbbed.
Pain.
Not ordinary pain—but like something was being pulled from within. Stronger than before. His vision blurred.
He held himself back from falling.
His guess was right.
The desire was granted. But there was a price.
And the bigger the desire... the bigger the pain.
Ageha saw everything.
Tobio spinning the roulette. Tobio winning. Tobio suddenly turning pale.
And his breathing.
Heavy breathing. Like he'd just run a long distance. When he'd only been standing.
This wasn't a coincidence.
This wasn't an effect of illness.
There was something.
Ageha approached. Crouched in front of Tobio. Her voice was soft—but her eyes were serious.
"Tobio."
Tobio looked at her.
"I don't know what you're doing." Ageha's voice was almost a whisper, just for the two of them. "But stop it."
Sae and Yuna turned, slightly surprised. They weren't used to seeing Ageha speak so seriously like that.
Tobio was silent. His grandmother knew.
She sensed something.
But he couldn't confess. Not now. Not here.
"I'm fine." His voice was forced to be calm. "Just a little dizzy. Besides, I'm hungry—I happened to get a food voucher."
He gripped the voucher tightly.
Goodbye, proof.
'Now, I have to endure.'
Tobio redeemed his voucher.
A plate of warm Okonomiyaki—with brown sauce, mayonnaise, and katsuobushi still moving from the heat. The aroma was tempting.
But he had no appetite.
His head still throbbed.
Ageha stood beside him. Silent. But her gaze kept watching.
Tobio cut a small piece of Okonomiyaki. Put it in his mouth.
The taste—good. But he couldn't enjoy it.
His grandmother knew. Or at least, she suspected.
And she was worried.
Suddenly, Ageha said softly—almost a whisper:
"I'd rather you lost and were okay."
Tobio stopped chewing.
He looked at his grandmother.
In those wrinkled eyes, there was no accusation. No anger. Only worry. Only love.
Something he had never seen in his father's eyes.
"Sorry," Tobio said quietly. "I pushed myself too hard."
Ageha stroked his head. That wrinkled hand was warm.
"I just want you to be healthy."
Tobio looked down.
Grandma.
'She doesn't know who I really am. But she cares.'
'For Tobio.'
'For the child I'm inhabiting.'
'And maybe... for the remnants of Haruto inside me.'
Tobio cut another piece of Okonomiyaki. Then walked over to Sae, who was busy looking at the candy stall.
"Sae."
Sae turned. "Hm?"
Tobio offered the plate. "I only ate a little. Do you want some?"
Sae blinked. "Eh? But this is your prize..."
"We both caught fish. We both played roulette." Tobio smiled. "We should both eat."
Sae smiled widely. "Thanks!"
She took chopsticks, ate a piece of Okonomiyaki. Her eyes sparkled.
"Delicious!"
Tobio smiled.
This was better. Sharing.
Than pushing himself.
BOOM.
The sky suddenly lit up.
Everyone looked up.
Above Hanyu village, fireworks bloomed one by one—red, blue, green, gold. Soft explosions followed by sparks of light falling slowly. Children shouted with joy. Young couples held hands. Grandparents smiled, remembering their youth.
Sae grabbed Tobio's arm. "Look! Look at that one! Purple!"
Tobio looked up.
Fireworks.
In the old world, he always saw them from a distance—from the balcony of a tall building, beside his father, with guards behind. There was always a distance. Between him and the fireworks. Between him and the people.
But here— He stood on the ground. Among the villagers. With Sae beside him. With Grandma behind him.
With a new body. With a new life.
BOOM.
Golden fireworks bloomed in the sky. Their light reflected in Sae's sparkling eyes.
Tobio took a breath.
'I hope...'
'I hope the world I inhabit is a normal world.'
'I hope there's no politics. No systems. No sacrifice.'
'I hope I can live.'
'As Tobio.'
'A village child.'
'Ageha's grandson.'
'Sae's friend.'
BOOM.
The last firework—large, red, filling half the sky.
Tobio smiled.
Sae clapped.
Ageha, behind them, touched her chest. 'Tobio... I don't know what happened to you.'
'But whatever it is... You're still my grandchild.'
'And I will protect you.'
---
The festival began to slow down. Villagers started going home one by one. Vendors began packing up their stalls.
Sae yawned—small, cute. Her eyes were already drowsy.
Yuna laughed. "Getting sleepy, dear?"
Sae shook her head—but her yawn betrayed her.
Tobio smiled. "See you again, Sae."
Sae waved. "See you! Let's play again tomorrow, okay!"
Tobio nodded.
Yuna and Sae walked home towards the shrine.
Tobio and Ageha walked home to the house.
The path under lanterns that were beginning to dim. The sound of crickets replaced the fireworks explosions.
They walked in silence.
But between them, something had changed.
Tobio knew: his grandmother was suspicious.
Ageha knew: Tobio was hiding something.
But tonight—after the fireworks, after the togetherness—they chose silence.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow there might be questions.
But tonight, let it be a beautiful memory.
Tobio's first festival in the new world.
Haruto's last festival in the old world.
Tobio looked up at the sky.
Stars began to appear after the fireworks faded.
'Goodbye, Haruto.'
'Welcome, Tobio.'
'I hope I deserve to live in this world.'