It was August. After several delays due to potential rain, this year's fireworks festival was finally being held.
But when people think of a fireworks festival, the first things that come to mind aren't necessarily the fireworks themselves.
Takoyaki, fried noodles, oden, balloon-popping games, ring toss, goldfish scooping, cotton candy, and candied apples.
For children, these treats and games were far more eye-catching than the fireworks.
Fourteen-year-old Ryo swallowed loudly, staring at the aromatic steam rising from the street stalls. A moment later, his ears were assaulted by the shrieks of excited children.
While marveling at the boundless energy and piercing screams of these 5-to-8-year-olds rampaging through the crowd, the little girl holding his hand tugged at him.
"Onii-chan, I want to play that one!"
Ryo followed Hotaru's pointing finger. It was a ring toss booth, filled with sparkly plastic toys, plush animals, and glossy trinkets that looked especially dazzling under the lights—cheap stuff, but appealing to kids.
Unlike others dressed in yukata, the siblings wore matching white shirts and jeans—the only difference being size. On close inspection, one could see the faint traces of faded patterns.
"I want that bear."
At the center of the booth sat a huge teddy bear, completely outclassing the other prizes. Ryo couldn't help but suspect it was a secondhand item, but even if it was, its value clearly topped the list.
Many kids were trying their best to win it, even ones shorter than the bear itself. Ryo couldn't quite understand why they were so obsessed.
"Because walking around with such a big bear would make people envious!"
"Did you read my mind or something?"
Ryo smirked, glancing at Hotaru as she mimicked the size of the bear with her outstretched hand.
"It was written all over your face."
The girl looked around eleven or twelve, her cheeks a bit thin and pale. But her eyes were striking—not the mundane black of Ryo's, but a glowing firefly green that seemed to shine.
"Boss, how much for one ring?"
Though he grumbled about these booths scamming children, Ryo couldn't say no to his little sister—a classic case of being weak to her pleading eyes.
But the price the stall owner quoted made Ryo gasp.
He instinctively began converting the cost into meals or fractions of monthly rent. Struggling to keep a smile, he held up one finger.
"Ten rings?" the stall owner asked, arms stacked with hoops like a tire man.
"One," Ryo replied firmly.
"Minimum purchase is five."
The man scoffed and stopped moving.
Ryo returned to Hotaru and shrugged.
"This exceeds our budget, so I wisely ended the irrational spending."
"Or we can pretend I already have ten rings in my hand."
Plop.
"Missed."
Plop.
"Missed again."
Plop.
"All gone."
Before Ryo could comfort Hotaru, the little girl next to them burst into tears, pointing accusingly at Ryo.
"Stop talking! Every time you say something, I miss!"
"Sorry, sorry."
Ryo didn't argue with kids. After all, he was taking care of Hotaru alone.
"Want me to toss for you?"
"You just want to play."
Despite Ryo's harmless demeanor, the girl hugged her remaining rings protectively.
"My dad's right over there."
"My brother is really good at ring toss," Hotaru cut in, wagging her finger.
"If he misses your prize, then I... I..."
She blushed, unable to finish the sentence—they had nothing to offer in return.
"Then my brother will be your brother for a day!"
To prove the gravity of her offer, Hotaru reluctantly added:
"Daytime only."
The girl tilted her head.
"What do I want your brother for?"
"He can do all sorts of things!" Hotaru exclaimed, raising her hand proudly. "Laundry, cooking, storytelling... he's really good."
"Sounds boring," the girl muttered, flipping her ponytail.
"Ugh."
Hotaru looked devastated, lips trembling.
Maybe feeling guilty, the girl handed her one of her rings.
"Fine, you can try once."
"Thank you! Thank you for honoring the Kitagawa family—if..."
Hotaru quickly slapped her own mouth.
"Cough, sorry, old habit."
The other girl didn't mind. She skipped away to another booth.
"Onii-chan! Onii-chan!"
Excited, Hotaru ran back, holding the ring like a treasure.
Meanwhile, the stall owner and Ryo had somehow shifted into a philosophical debate about customer sovereignty, omnipotent deities, and unmovable rocks.
Realizing the argument might cost him another drink, Ryo shut up just in time for Hotaru to hand him the ring, eyes glowing.
"Someone gave me one!"
"Oh, nice."
Ryo took the ring, unaware that his one-day freedom as a brother had been exchanged for a single toss.
With a narrowed gaze, he aimed at the teddy bear.
The stall owner stood confidently. Hotaru held her breath.
Three seconds later—
Ryo's one day of freedom leveled up.
The ring landed perfectly. He won the bear.
Hotaru hugged it tightly, purring like a kitten.
Just as she predicted, carrying the massive teddy bear made them the center of attention. Kids stared in awe, and some parents even asked to buy it.
While Ryo worried about where to fit the bear in their cramped "home," Hotaru casually handed it to another kid.
She took the cash from the parents and waved triumphantly at Ryo.
"Sold it."
She stuffed the money into his pocket. The bear had been with her for barely twenty minutes.
"No room at home anyway," she shrugged, though Ryo could tell she liked it.
"Or," she said, pulling the bills from his pocket again, "we could pretend we never saw that booth."
Plop.
"Found some money."
Plop.
"Found more."
Plop.
"Wow, so much money."
Hotaru mimicked Ryo's earlier attitude.
"I'll use this found money to buy ramen!"
"Or maybe the ramen shop's closed tonight?"
Ryo crushed her fantasy mercilessly.
He checked the amount.
"Only enough for fifty rings. Try winning the grand prize with that."
"Fine, I'll use it to buy you clothes."
She returned the bills to his pocket.
"Let's go home. Just smelling everything made me hungry."
"Okay, let's go home."
Neither sibling cared about the fireworks, and their plain clothes stood out in the festive crowd, so they quietly left.
"I'm home."
Under the dim streetlights, they returned to their basement home. Facing the small, dark living room, Ryo gently turned the key.
"Welcome home."
"Wait... Hotaru, didn't you just get home too?"
"But if I don't say 'welcome home,' then your 'I'm home' sounds lonely."
"Then we could both say 'I'm home' together."
"That won't do," Hotaru replied seriously. "If no one replies, there's no point. It sounds so empty."
She took off her shoes and found the light switch in the dark.
The warm glow filled the room—the only room, with a bed, a tiny kitchen, and a combined bath/toilet space.
"Hurry up and shower. Turn off the lights after."
Ryo reminded her. Their electricity bill had already exceeded expectations. Until he found stable work, every bit counted.
They washed quickly, and by 8:30 p.m., both lay in bed, lights off.
The basement had no windows. Once the light was out, darkness engulfed them.
"Tell me a story!"
Hotaru tugged his arm. Though she was young and sleepy, post-bath restlessness kept her awake.
"Alright."
Ryo sat up and grabbed a fan with a men's health clinic ad on it—a handout from last month.
"Where were we yesterday?"
"I forgot."
"You sound way too proud about that."
"Weren't you the one who forgot first?"
"Fine, let's start over."
He fanned her gently.
"Let's use the life simulator again. First, name your character."
"Hotaru! Hotaru is Hotaru!"
She raised her hand like she was answering in class.
"Okay. Now, draw your traits."
"One, Healthy Body! Hotaru will always be healthy and never get sick."
"Yay! I always get that one!"
"Two, Loving Family. Hotaru has a kind father and mother, and they all live happily."
"Add something."
"A brother."
"Fine. Hotaru has a loving father, mother, and brother."
"The brother is Ryo!"
She cuddled closer to feel the fan breeze too.
"Three, Beloved by All. Hotaru will grow up into a beautiful girl."
"Four—"
"That's enough. Don't be greedy. The first three are enough."
She laughed with her eyes closed, fully content.
"Alright, the game begins."
"Year 1: Hotaru is born, the second child of the family. Her parents are thrilled, believing she's a gift from heaven."
"What about my brother?"
"He's two years older. What do you expect from a two-year-old?"
"It's a story. He can clap."
"Fine. Two-year-old Ryo claps happily."
Hotaru laughed again, her silver bell giggle ringing in the darkness.
"Year 2: Hotaru grows up healthy. Doctors say she's the healthiest child they've ever seen."
"Year 3: Still healthy. She gets building blocks and puzzles."
"Year 4: Still healthy. She's getting ready for kindergarten."
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Children's sleepiness always comes so suddenly. Just moments ago, Hotaru had been full of energy, but now she had already dozed off beside Ryo, her breathing soft and even.
Given her physical condition, just being able to attend the fireworks festival for a while was already quite an accomplishment. It was only natural she would be exhausted afterward.
Ryo softened his tone: "Year Fourteen: Hotaru grew up healthy and strong, becoming more and more beautiful and adorable."
He gently patted his sister's back and hummed a lullaby.
In the distance, faint sounds of fireworks echoed through the air, but not a single burst of colorful light could be seen.
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Online cemeteries had emerged in recent years as a growing industry due to the skyrocketing cost of land. For many families, they were a choice made out of necessity.
Ryo had finished his work for the day. He shook out his tired wrists, stood up to stretch his stiff body, and reached for his phone, waking the screen from its slumber.
He had left an auto-clicker app running for nearly three hours. After watching over 300 ads, Ryo could now afford to buy out the entire virtual shop.
[You have selected a stuffed bear.]
[You have selected a blueberry pie.]
...
[Your balance is insufficient. Unable to select item.]
[May the living be well, and the dead rest in peace.]
Get up. Shower. Turn off the lights. Sleep.
Damn it. Can't sleep.
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