[After the rainy season.]
[The summer break of first year.]
[Toru heard there was going to be a fireworks festival nearby, and invited you to go with him.]
[And why would he do that? Of course, to make you blush and lose the "I love you" game first.]
Seriously, can this "I love you" game end sooner?
Hitori felt that if this kept dragging on, her stomach trouble would evolve from a temporary illness into a chronic one.
She didn't want to end up like Ryo-san, who carried stomach medicine everywhere she went.
[You didn't refuse. To make his heart race, for this fireworks festival, the tactic you've decided to use is: ]
[1. As fierce as fire, overwhelm him with relentless offense.]
[2. As swift as wind, strike unexpectedly at an unguarded moment.]
[3. As calm as forest, build up the right mood, then advance when the time is right.]
[4. As unmoving as mountain, wait for him to confess.]
[5. Simulate it yourself.]
Is this... The Art of War?
Hitori examined the first four options.
"As fierce as fire," that one had been used in earlier simulations. The results weren't exactly brilliant, more like total failure.
Toru wasn't one to fall for that.
"As swift as wind" probably wouldn't work either.
The third one seemed promising though, if the mood was right, it wasn't impossible to make Kitahara-kun's heart skip a beat.
The fourth was far too passive. If just waiting were enough to find a partner, then why would there be so many single people in the world?
So…
Hmm, option three it is.
[The night breeze is gentle. The lively fireworks festival unfolds beside the seaside.]
[For this date, you've put on a new yukata. Back in middle school, your casual clothes were chosen by your mother, but after entering high school and improving your sense of fashion, you started choosing them yourself.]
[Before leaving, you spent a long time getting ready. With a touch of makeup, you looked utterly adorable~]
[Your long pink hair was tied up neatly, and you wore a light blue yukata with a wave pattern. Wooden sandals, white tabi socks, and a small drawstring pouch in hand. All together, you embodied the essence of a summer festival. The makeup and dressing up took you a full two hours.]
It really does take a lot of time to become cute.
[You firmly believed your look tonight would make Toru's heart flutter.]
[When you arrived at the meeting spot, you noticed that Toru hadn't dressed up particularly, just casual clothes as usual.]
["You look really pretty, Hitori," Toru said with a smile.]
["You look cool too, Toru," you replied easily.]
[Hmph, a simple compliment won't shake me. Impossible!]
[You wanted to say that, but your racing heartbeat betrayed you.]
[After all, hadn't you gone through all this trouble just to hear that compliment from him?]
[A man dies for one who knows him, a woman dresses up for one who loves her. No matter how things end tonight, you've already won halfway. Now, you just need to make his heart race and get him to confess. Then, your plan will be complete.]
[There's still more than an hour before the fireworks officially start. You suggest wandering around the festival stalls first, hoping to make his heart flutter with a bit of clever charm: ]
[1. Buy a candy apple, take a bite, say you can't finish it, and hand it to him.]
[2. Go to the shooting booth, point to the biggest stuffed toy, and tell Kitahara you want it.]
[3. Give him a playful kick and act upset, making him guess what you're thinking.]
[4. Simulate it yourself.]
Which one to pick?
The third one felt like some kind of manipulation tactic.
Hitori had read online about people who gained control in relationships by demeaning their partner.
Vile and despicable.
The remaining two were ordinary choices.
So… option one.
[You bought a candy apple, took a small bite, then found an excuse, saying it was too sweet, and handed it to Kitahara.]
[How's that? An indirect kiss, right? Surely your heart's pounding now?]
[You watched Kitahara's face, but instead of the bashful expression you expected, he calmly ate the candy apple where you'd bitten it. That made you blush uncontrollably.]
[Why though? you wondered.]
[Wasn't this supposed to be embarrassing?]
[Anyway, your first move ended in failure.]
[Things weren't looking great, so you decided to: ]
[1. Go all in. If an indirect kiss doesn't work, then kiss him directly.]
[2. Hold his hand.]
[3. Touch his butt.]
[4. Simulate it yourself, and touch his abs.]
Eh? What's with those last two?
Hitori did want Kitahara-kun's body, but she wasn't some kind of pervert.
To keep her image decent in his eyes...
Option two.
[You noticed there were quite a few people around. Worried you might get separated in the crowd, you gently brushed your fingertips against his palm several times, testing his reaction.]
[Kitahara seemed to catch on, chuckled softly, and took your hand in his own.]
[Your fingers intertwined. You could almost hear each other's heartbeat.]
[As you walked, Toru's face quickly turned red to the tips of his ears, though he said nothing.]
[You looked down, blushing too, unable to speak, and simply followed his lead.]
So pure.
Hitori felt like she needed insulin, this scene was overloaded with sugar.
Wait a minute.
What am I doing?
Hitori blinked in confusion.
"O△0"
Shocked, am I shipping myself with Kitahara-kun?
[You two continued to wander, visiting the goldfish stand, the shooting booth, and after finishing the candy apple, you bought takoyaki.]
["Ah~" You picked up a piece with a toothpick and fed it to Toru, watching him chew. A warm happiness welled up inside you.]
[Soon, the fireworks were about to begin.]
[You and Toru found an open spot.]
[Brilliant bursts of color bloomed across the dark sky, their reflections shimmering in your eyes.]
[Overwhelmed by emotion, you tugged lightly on his sleeve and leaned close to his ear.]
["Kitahara Toru, I like you."]
[Kitahara seemed not to hear, so you repeated, "I like you."]
[The fireworks quickly drowned out your voice.]
[Anxious, you repeated yourself again.]
[Once.]
[Twice.]
[After an unknown while, the fireworks came to an end.]
[You stopped confessing.]
Failed?
[Just as disappointment began to creep in...]
["I heard it, you know. Your confession."]
[Toru spoke with a triumphant smile.]
[So that's what it was, he'd been pretending all along.]
[Though embarrassed, you still looked straight into his eyes and spoke again: ]
["I love you, Toru."]
[You said it with absolute sincerity.]
[You lost. In this game where the first to fall in love loses, you lost completely.]
[But it didn't matter anymore.]
[You rose slightly on your toes, tugged on his collar, and pressed your lips against his.]
[He was yours now.]
[No one could take him away.]
Victory!
Hooray!