The summer festival was alive in a way only small towns could manage—paper lanterns swaying gently overhead, casting warm gold over the streets; laughter rising in soft bursts; the scent of grilled food and sugar drifting lazily through the evening air.

Children darted between legs with candied apples in hand, couples lingered beneath strings of lights, and even the little flower shop near the shrine was handing out free bouquets to celebrate a good season And Toshinori walked beside you.

Well—followed, more accurately.

His eyes lingered a little too long each time you stopped at a stall. His cheeks slightly flushed, almost in a daze- as he always looked with you.

He held the bundle of flowers awkwardly against his chest—the same ones you’d practically stuffed into his arms because you insisted on buying more than you could carry.

You shoved him again, laughing, nudging him toward another stall glowing with colorful prizes. He stumbled forward a half-step, blinking.

He was tired.

His legs ached from walking all day, sandals scraping lightly against pavement. But when he turned his head over his shoulder to look at you—really look at you—his complaints softened before they could fully form.

“H—hey, we need to rest, y’know… we’ve been walking all day…”