The school festival exploded with life. Stalls lined the courtyard, string lights draped from windows, and the smell of grilled yakitori and sweet taiyaki filled the air. Students ran in colorful costumes, laughter echoing against the school walls.
"Festival day!" Suki cheered, spinning dramatically with his hands in the air. "Best day of the year!"
Ryuzí walked beside him, hands stuffed in his pockets. "You're too loud."
"Admit it," Suki teased, bumping his shoulder. "You're enjoying this."
"...It's tolerable."
Suki grinned. But when their eyes met, his face heated instantly, the memory of their accidental kiss flashing back like lightning.
Ryuzí's ears turned red almost at the same moment. Both of them quickly looked away, coughing awkwardly.
Kenji, trailing behind with Aoi, smirked. "Ohhh? What was that? You two acting weird?"
"No!" Suki yelped a little too fast.
"Definitely no," Ryuzí muttered, though his voice was tighter than usual.
Aoi raised a brow. "Suspicious."
"Shut it," Ryuzí snapped, glaring, and the conversation mercifully shifted when Suki dragged him toward the game stalls.
They stopped at a goldfish scooping stand, the water glittering under the lights.
"I'm gonna win one!" Suki declared, grabbing a paper scoop. "Watch and learn, Ryuzí."
Seconds later, the paper tore, the fish darted away, and Suki pouted. "...Okay, maybe don't watch."
Ryuzí shook his head, stepping forward. He held the scoop with steady hands, patient. When the fish slowed, he moved—quick, precise—and caught one cleanly.
The stall owner grinned, bagging the fish. "Well done! For your girlfr—"
"Not girlfriend," Ryuzí cut in coldly, taking the bag. "He's my... partner."
Suki's face went bright red, but his heart thumped at the word.
Kenji whistled. "Partner, huh?"
"Shut up," Ryuzí muttered, handing the bag to Suki without looking at him. "Take it."
Suki blinked down at the tiny fish swimming in the bag, then up at Ryuzí. "...You won this for me?"
Ryuzí's ears turned pink. "It would've died if you tried again."
Suki smiled, soft and wide, clutching the bag to his chest. "...Thanks."
Next was the shooting stall.
"I'll win you a prize," Suki declared, puffing his chest.
Ryuzí raised a brow. "You'll miss every shot."
"Have some faith!"
Two minutes later, the cork bullets clattered uselessly to the ground, and the giant plush prize remained untouched.
Suki groaned. "Okay, maybe I need some help."
Ryuzí sighed, taking the rifle. With calm precision, he aimed once, fired, and the plush tumbled down.
He handed it to Suki without a word.
Suki's eyes widened. "Wait—you—this is for me?!"
Ryuzí looked away. "...It's too big to carry home myself."
Suki hugged the plush tightly, grinning so wide his cheeks hurt. "I love it."
Ryuzí's chest warmed despite himself.
They wandered the stalls together, sharing food—takoyaki, candied apples, taiyaki. At one point, Suki held out a skewer. "Here, try this!"
Ryuzí leaned forward just as Suki moved the skewer, and their noses brushed. Both froze, cheeks flaming.
"...You're too close," Ryuzí muttered, pulling back abruptly.
Suki laughed nervously, his own heart racing. "Maybe you leaned in too much!"
They both avoided eye contact for the next few minutes, each secretly replaying the memory of their lips brushing days ago.
As night fell, the fireworks began. Students gathered in the courtyard, the sky painted in bursts of red, gold, and blue.
Suki tilted his head back, eyes sparkling. "Wow... it's beautiful."
Ryuzí watched the fireworks for a moment—then glanced at Suki. The glow of the explosions reflected in his eyes, his smile brighter than anything in the sky.
Ryuzí's chest tightened painfully. He tore his gaze away, but the warmth lingered.
Suki turned suddenly, catching him staring. Both froze.
The air between them felt charged, heavier than the fireworks above.
"...Ryuzí," Suki whispered.
"...What," Ryuzí muttered, voice hoarse.
Suki's lips curved into the faintest smile, his cheeks pink. "...Nothing." He looked back at the sky, clutching the plush tighter.
Ryuzí exhaled slowly, forcing himself to look away. But his pulse refused to calm.
Back at the Aoyama house, the sisters pounced the moment they saw Suki hugging the giant plush.
"You won that?!" Rika gasped.
"More like Ryuzí won it for him," Emi smirked.
Hana folded her arms, eyes sharp. "So. Festival date, huh?"
Suki sputtered, red to the tips of his ears. "I-it wasn't a date!"
But his sisters only laughed, their teasing filling the house.
Meanwhile, in his room, Ryuzí sat on his bed, pressing his fingers to his lips again. The accidental kiss replayed in his mind, mixed with the brush of noses at the food stall, the look in Suki's eyes under the fireworks.
His heart pounded, unfamiliar and relentless.
"...Idiot," he whispered to the dark. But this time, there was no anger in the word at all.