According to my childhood friend, “Taking photos of fireworks is probably part of the fun memories too… when you line them up next to other photos you took and look at them you can remember how you felt back then and what you were thinking back then,” apparently.

…Or so she says.

When I asked my childhood friend as she aimed her camera at the sky,

“Why take pictures of fireworks in the sky? It can’t beat how good it is to see them live,” That was the answer she gave.

In other words, the reason she’s always taking photos in everyday life is probably so she can remember how happy she felt at the time.

As for me, when I picked up my elementary school graduation album on a whim not long ago, I feel like I understood that feeling just a little… I think.

So then, speaking of that childhood friend, Sakura Ayuri…

* * *

We went with the flow of people toward the open area of the park.

We’d already picked out a few candidate spots in the park during the planning stage for where you can watch the fireworks from and if we checked those we should be able to find the two of them.

One spot, then another, we confirmed Ayu and the others weren’t there and headed to the next location. While everyone happily gazed up at the sky, Sumire-san and I were staring at people’s faces instead of the sky and it felt kind of empty.

‘I want to find those two quickly and look up at the sky like everyone else’

Thinking that, I searched for Ayu and the others.

Maybe because I was searching while picturing Ayu’s face… it suddenly crossed my mind what kind of day today had turned into for Ayu.

I don’t know about Hina but I know Ayu’s secret so I figured it probably wouldn’t turn out the way Kengo wanted and even without knowing the secret, Hotaru-senpai flat-out said, “There’s no way it’ll work.”

But what if… what if Ayu once again had some reason and way of thinking we couldn’t imagine and unexpectedly, this incident made Ayu start being conscious of Kengo, what would happen then?

What if we can’t find them like this, what if his escorting hit (romantically) Ayu so perfectly it hit again and again and the two of them already slipped away somewhere, and because we couldn’t find them I started getting that awful feeling… wait, why did I think it was an awful feeling?

While mentally snapping at myself, I approached the next spot and that was when it happened.

“Sakura!!!”

“Ayu-chan!!!”

Along with the shouted voices of Hina and Kengo—today, the familiar small figure I’d only been watching from far away all day seemed to run off into the distance.

“Sorry, Sumire-san! I’m counting on you!”

“Huh… y-yeah!”

I don’t even know what I was asking her to do but the moment I saw that familiar figure my feet were already moving and a beat later I understood I’d started chasing her.

Before thinking about what happened, I need to hear it from her directly.

With that thought, I started running after the small figure.

* * *

“Hah… hah…”

I ran. It was fairly rural but because of the fireworks festival the streets at night were unusually crowded and I just kept running.

‘Damn it… where did she go…’

Even if I’m more athletic and have better stamina than Ayu, it’s not such an extreme gap. Once I lose sight of her like this I have no idea where she went.

“Ahh! Seriously!!”

Soaking in sweat, I ran again. If I stop, I’ll start thinking about nothing but unnecessary things.

Why did Ayu run off like she was escaping and why were not only Kengo but Hina shouting then.

Maybe Ayu got hurt by something those two couldn’t possibly know and if I’d been there I could’ve prevented it—because I start thinking things that arrogant.

But why is it that even while running, my thoughts won’t stop.

Where is Ayu now?

How is she feeling being alone?

What did she think after going around the stalls with Kengo?

Because of the situation, I can’t stop thinking about Ayu.

‘Why… why am I like this over her!’

I’m running blindly to stop thinking but all that happens is my stamina drops and my thoughts don’t.

Sweat pours like a waterfall and the more out of breath I get, the more that infuriating face of hers floats into my mind.

Maybe because I’d been thinking like that, in the middle of irritation that made me want to scream, something suddenly came back to me—come to think of it, there was a day like this before.

That day too, I tailed Ayu like today, lost her, ran like a madwoman like I’m doing now and as a result I happened to get help and was able to find Ayu.

And that day I swore that even while acting cheerful, I wanted to be there for that childhood friend whose loneliness she just couldn’t wipe away, even if only a little.

‘Yeah… calm down… this is the second time’

Back then it completely blindsided me but this time is different. Even without help, compared to then, I should know Ayu a little more now and be able to understand her a little more… so if I think calmly, I should be able to narrow down where she’d go.

“…In… haaah…”

I stopped, inhaled and got oxygen to my brain.

Ayu might be Ayu but she’s strangely calm in odd ways. Even if she ran off impulsively, she’ll probably calm down fairly quickly and think of a place to be alone.

If I think like that, it’s simple. She’ll think about everyone worrying and about not getting dragged into something weird, so she won’t go somewhere truly dangerous like a place with absolutely no people around.

“…Alright… one more push!”

A place with a decent amount of people where Ayu might go.

Once I narrow it down, all that’s left is to run steadily. At least it’s better than running around completely at random, thinking that, I restarted what I wanted to be the last dash of the day.

* * *

“Haa… haa… found… you!”

“Huh? Gin-chan!? What’s wrong, you’re drenched in sweat!”

A bookstore, a café and more—after checking places like that, on the fourth stop, I finally, finally found Ayu sitting alone in front of a supermarket.

“Whoa, you’re sweating like crazy… here, I’ve got a handkerchief I haven’t used yet, take this! I’ll go buy a drink!”

“Wheeze… hah… do it…”

I watched Ayu run into the store and with my strength and everything else spent, I sat down right there.

God, I hate this.

I’d been thinking that once I found her I’d definitely flick her on the head and what kind of insults I’d throw at her and after I narrowed down where to search, that’s what I kept thinking but the moment I actually found her, I felt relieved and couldn’t say anything and just let her go inside and I really hate myself for that.

Wiping the sweat pouring like a waterfall with the handkerchief I borrowed, I waited for Ayu to come back.

* * *

“Here, Pocari (like Gatorade).”

“…Thanks”

If I sit and rest, my breathing settles somewhat. But after tailing in that stifling crowd without getting caught and then running all over town, the bottle I was given empties in an instant.

“Gulp… ngh… puaah~”

“Oh wow, you really can drink.”

“Phew… so, there’s something I want to ask”

“No, no, my question comes first.”

What is wrong with this girl, not caring about how I feel. Even if she doesn’t know what happened, can’t she try to comfort her childhood friend who’s practically dying for breath?

“So why are you here, drenched in sweat, Gin-chan? From here, you can barely see the fireworks.”

“…That’s my line. I thought we were meeting at that park a little away from the venue, you know the one.”

“That’s… well, a lot happened…”

“…Then a lot happened for me too.”

“…Let’s call it even then.”

Silence. I can hear fireworks going off in the distance but from here, the light is blocked by trees and buildings and you can barely see anything.

“…Alright… I’ll confess.”

“Yeah?”

If we both keep hiding what we’re thinking just because it’s ‘even,’ we’ll never be able to understand each other—and I’ll never be able to be there for Ayu’s loneliness.

Though, Ayu probably hides things because she doesn’t want anyone to be there for her.

“When I was looking for you guys in the park, I saw it. Ayu (you) running off somewhere and Kengo and Hina calling out to stop you. For Ayu to do that, it had to be serious and I thought maybe something happened related to your secret somewhere I wasn’t there.”

“…So you got worried and searched for me?”

“…Yeah, basically”

“Hehe, thanks, Gin-chan. Good girl, good girl~”

“Hey, don’t pet me…”

I mean, the sweat’s gone down and I wiped it, but I was drenched a moment ago so even though you never do this usually, don’t get all clingy on me.

“…I’ll just say it now, but everyone was conspiring to make you and Kengo alone this time, right, so I felt responsible, like…”

“Ah, so it really was like that.”

“…You noticed?”

“Of course I did~ It suddenly felt like more people were there and on the day it was so obvious we couldn’t meet up. At first I let it go as a small weird feeling but the clincher was Hina-chan and Gin-chan.”

“Huh, us?”

I mean, if it was just Hina, even with a mask on she was doing so many weird things that I’d accept she was found out.

“When I ran away, I felt like I heard Hina-chan’s voice… if she was nearby at that timing, then when I was alone thinking about it, it felt like today’s whole thing might’ve been set up.”

“…”

“And then when I’m alone, Gin-chan comes drenched in sweat looking like she’s about to cry, right? It’s too much to even pretend I didn’t notice.”

“Huh? Don’t say random stuff like I looked like I was about to cry.”

“Hehe, sorry, sorry.”

“Hey, stop petting me, will you?”

Seriously, acting like laughing and petting me will smooth it over.

Once my stamina came back, I thought I should’ve come after catching my breath more or sorting out the sweat first or at least not shown up looking this pathetic but when she pets me with such a happy face… I can’t say anything and I even start thinking it was fine like this.

…Wait?

“You just said you ran away? I thought it was possible you got mad at those two and left or something.”

“Ghk”

“Did you seriously say that out loud?”

“…Ohh, good girl, good girl~”

“I’m not letting you dodge that.”

Ayu awkwardly pulls her hand back… and no, I’m not disappointed or lingering on it… I’m not.

“I confessed though? If keeping it quiet is ‘even’ then if one side talks, the other side giving up is also ‘even,’ right?”

“What kind of logic is that? Does it actually hold up?”

“Whether it holds up doesn’t matter. I’m saying it’s not fair if only I talk.”

If someone does something for you and it makes you happy, you should give something back. That’s apparently Ayu’s creed, I heard about once.

So if I say it like this, she’ll probably talk.

I wasn’t trying to appeal to her emotions… but it worked perfectly. Letting out a sigh, Ayu reluctantly opened her mouth.

“…So, you know?”

“You know? is not an answer.”

Is she still trying to stall? My brow furrowed without me meaning to.

“…Fine! I’ll say it! So stop glaring!”

“Spit it out.”

“…I got confessed to…”

“Huh?”

“So, uh… he confessed! Kengo-kun did!”

“…Huh?”

“What, you didn’t hear me? Do I have to say it again?”

“No, I heard you but… that’s it?”

“Well, if I sum it up… that’s it.”

…Why? Did she used to be that kind of character with no immunity to guys? Even though she calls herself a reincarnator who used to be a guy? She used to play with boys all the time too.

“…”

“That face says you’re not satisfied, Gin-chan.”

“Explain in detail please, I am currently about to lose my composure.”

“Eep”

Because yeah, obviously. I searched my ass off and found her and asked why and she says ‘if I sum it up, that’s it.’ Depending on how this goes, I really will get mad.

“So… you won’t laugh?”

“I won’t.”

“You won’t get mad?”

“If you don’t answer seriously and in detail, I’ll get mad.”

“Ah, okay… then… I’ll explain in detail, but only to Gin-chan who knows my secret.”

For a moment, it felt like a cold wind ran along my spine.

That means… something she can’t tell Hina and the others, something that touches the deepest part of Ayu’s heart.

Without meaning to, I straightened my posture and braced myself. If I missed even a little, I’d regret it for sure. Seeing me like that, Ayu steeled herself and finally began to speak for real.