Saturday arrived like it had been waiting in the wind for months.
The air smelled of grilled squid, sweet potato, and burning sugar from the candied apple stalls. Lanterns swayed in strings above the shrine grounds, red and gold paper glowing against the deepening dusk. Music from the taiko stage rolled over the crowd in slow, heavy beats. Children ran between legs clutching sparklers, couples drifted hand in hand, groups of friends shouted over each other trying to decide between takoyaki and yakisoba.
Kenji arrived alone.
He'd told the group he'd meet them at the main torii gate at seven. He showed up at six forty five instead, hands in the pockets of his dark jeans, wearing the plain black happi coat he'd borrowed from his dad because a yukata felt like too much effort. He stood off to the side, back against a stone lantern, watching people stream in.
His phone buzzed.
Group chat.
Mio: We're here!! By the goldfish scooping game. Where r u??
Haruto: Bring cash. Mio's already lost 800 yen trying to catch one.
Daichi: She's blaming the scooper. Physics says she's wrong.
Aiko: I'm running a little late. Rei's picking me up from the station. See you soon ♡
Kenji stared at the heart emoji until it blurred.
He typed: On my way. Save me some goldfish.
Sent.
Then he didn't move.
Instead he walked the opposite direction, deeper into the festival grounds, letting the crowd carry him past food stalls and ring toss games. He bought a stick of candied strawberries because it was something to hold. The sugar cracked between his teeth, too sweet, sticking to the roof of his mouth.
He found a quieter spot near the edge of the shrine stone steps leading up to a smaller hall, half hidden by maple trees just starting to turn red. He sat on the third step, elbows on knees, strawberries forgotten beside him.
From here he could see the main path without being seen.
And there they were.
Aiko and Rei appeared maybe ten minutes later.
She wore a navy yukata with delicate white camellias scattered across the fabric, hair pinned up with a simple silver comb. Rei was in charcoal gray, understated but sharp, sleeves tied back neatly. They walked close together, not touching yet, but close enough that their steps matched without effort. Aiko laughed at something he said, Rei smiled down at her, the soft one that made people feel seen.
Kenji watched.
He told himself it was fine. He'd prepared for this. He'd talked to Rei. He'd said the words out loud. It should have helped.
It didn't.
The ache in his chest wasn't sharp anymore. It was wide and slow, like a bruise spreading under the skin. Every time Aiko tilted her head toward Rei, every time their shoulders brushed as they navigated the crowd, something inside him folded smaller.
He stayed there until the sky turned fully dark and the first fireworks test popped in the distance like small bursts of gold and green.
His phone buzzed again.
Mio: Dude where are you?? We're at the bonfire now!!
He didn't answer.
He stood up slowly, legs stiff from sitting too long. Dropped the half eaten strawberries into a trash bin. And walked.
He didn't head toward the bonfire.
He headed toward the back exit of the grounds, past the quieter stalls selling handmade charms and incense. The crowd thinned. The music faded to a background hum.
And then he saw her.
Rika leaned against a low stone wall near the exit gate, arms crossed, staring at the sky like it owed her money. She wasn't in a yukata. Just a black hoodie, ripped jeans, the same scuffed sneakers she wore to school. A single red lantern glowed above her, painting half her face in warm light, the other half in shadow.
She noticed him before he could turn around.
"Smiley," she said flatly. "You look like shit."
Kenji stopped. Managed a weak half grin. "Thanks. You too."
She pushed off the wall. Walked closer. Stopped a meter away.
"You ditch your friends?"
"Something like that."
Rika tilted her head, studying him. "Saw your little group earlier. She's with the prince. You're out here alone. Classic."
Kenji's throat tightened. "You stalking me now?"
"Nah. Just needed air. Too many people smiling too hard." She jerked her chin toward the path behind him. "You running away?"
He didn't answer right away.
Then, quietly: "Maybe."
Rika huffed. Not quite a laugh. "Coward's move."
He looked at her, really looked. The way her eyes caught the lantern light, sharp and unflinching. The way she didn't soften the words, didn't try to make him feel better.
For some reason that made the knot in his chest loosen,just by a fraction.
"I talked to him," Kenji said. "Rei. Face to face. Told him if he hurts her I'll make his life hell."
Rika raised an eyebrow. "Romantic."
"Yeah. Real knight in shining armor stuff."
She stepped closer. Close enough he could smell the faint cigarette smoke clinging to her hoodie; she didn't smoke at school, but tonight she clearly had.
"You gonna stand here feeling sorry for yourself all night?" she asked.
Kenji exhaled. "I don't know what else to do."
Rika looked past him toward the fireworks starting in earnest now. Cascades of red, blue, white blooming and fading against the black sky.
"Come on," she said.
"What?"
She turned toward the exit gate. "I'm not watching this crap alone. And you're not going back to mope with your friends. So move."
Kenji stared at her back.
She didn't wait. Just started walking.
After three steps he followed.
They slipped out the side gate, away from the crowds, onto a narrow residential street lined with old houses and paper lanterns hung from porches. Fireworks still boomed overhead, muffled now, colors flashing across rooftops.
They didn't speak for a long time.
Just walked.
Side by side.
Not touching.
Not needing to.
When they reached a small park, it was filled with empty swings and a single bench under a streetlamp. Rika stopped.
Sat on the bench.
Kenji sat beside her. Not too close.
Above them, the final burst lit the sky in silver and gold, then faded to smoke.
Rika spoke first.
"You're not gonna break tonight," she said. Quietly. Matter of fact. "Not here. Not in front of me."
Kenji swallowed. "How do you know?"
"Because I've seen people break. You're not there yet." She glanced at him sideways. "But you're close. And when it happens, it won't be pretty. So don't do it half-assed in public."
He let out a shaky breath that might've been a laugh. "Thanks for the pep talk."
"Anytime."
They sat in silence as the last echoes of fireworks died.
Then Rika stood.
"Come on. There's a twenty-four-hour ramen place two blocks over. My treat. You look like you haven't eaten since breakfast."
Kenji looked up at her.
She didn't smile. Just waited.
He stood.
"Yeah," he said. "Okay."
They walked again.
This time a little closer.
Not because anything had changed.
But because, for the first time in weeks, the night didn't feel quite so heavy.