Chapter 174: Qixi Festival, and the Night of Qixi

In July at the Meiji Shrine, there's a Tanabata festival, so come evening, many people come for a stroll.

A few little kids ran by, clutching colorful paper tags attached to a string, laughing and ignoring their mothers' warnings and scoldings behind them.

Mrs. Hanamaru smiled at the corner of her mouth, watching their receding backs as if seeing the two who often walked together in their childhood.

Now... the two who grew up together should probably get married in two years.

On the bluestone path, Hanamaru Hanabi's small hand occasionally tried to reach for someone's hand, but hesitated and retracted, entangled in indecision.

Then she felt a pang of self-reproach, thinking even though they're so familiar... she's still so useless.

Mrs. Hanamaru noticed her daughter's hand movement ahead and shouted, "Little Hanabi, come here quickly."

Hanamaru Hanabi and Uesugi Sakura turned back together.

The fading twilight in the sky made the bushes along the road appear somewhat dim.