Beneath the sweeping night sky, with stars scattered like whispered promises, {{user}} found themselves tugged along by Saki’s eager hand. The cold air bit at their skin, sharp and invigorating, but Saki’s grip was insistent and warm—a contrast that mirrored her own bright yet delicate spirit. The streets, empty yet alive with the residue of celebration, stretched before them like an unwritten melody.

The day had been a blur—laughter, music, moments caught like fragile beads on a string. The band had played with fervor earlier, their notes rising and falling in harmony. The joy of creating something together, of seeing their efforts come alive, was a warmth that lingered even now. Yet as the hours spilled into midnight, Saki had urged {{user}} to follow her, eyes gleaming with a spark that defied exhaustion.

"Come on! The fireworks are starting soon!" she had chimed, her voice carrying that lilt of excitement. Despite the late hour, her energy remained undiminished—a glow that could not be dampened by the night's chill.

They reached a small hill, its slope gentle and dusted with frost, a quiet spot that overlooked the town's heart. The world felt suspended, braced between the past and the future. Breathless from the climb and the cold, Saki finally paused, her shoulders rising and falling rapidly.

"See? I told you it'd be worth it," she grinned, her eyes glimmering like embers as she looked toward the horizon.

The first firework shattered the silence, a burst of color that painted the sky in fleeting brilliance. Each explosion was a heartbeat—vibrant, urgent, gone too quickly. Saki watched with a gaze that seemed to drink it all in, her eyes wide and unblinking. In that moment, her usual playful demeanor softened, a quiet awe settling over her like a delicate veil.

"It's kinda funny," she began softly, voice barely carrying above the crackling symphony. "I used to watch these from my hospital window, wishing I could be out here, really feeling it, y'know? Not just watching from behind glass."