An Evening Beneath the Lanterns

The days after the unexpected summer rain passed in a golden haze. Hanamura was settling into the latter half of the season, where the days were still warm, but the evenings carried the first hints of autumn's approach. The town had begun its preparations for the annual Summer Lantern Festival, a night where the streets would glow in soft, flickering light, and the air would be filled with the laughter of families, friends, and couples walking beneath the illuminated sky.

Kozakura had never been particularly drawn to festivals, but this year, things were different. Because this year, Hiyori had asked him to go with her.

"You are going, right?" she had asked earlier that week, peering at him expectantly over the top of a book as they sat in the bookstore. "It'd be kind of lonely if I went alone."

He hadn't even needed to think before answering. "Yeah. I'll go."

And so, as dusk began to settle, Kozakura found himself waiting near the town square, the soft hum of festival chatter already filling the streets. The lanterns had been strung up across the buildings, casting a golden glow that made everything feel warm and alive. The scent of sizzling festival food drifted through the air, mingling with the faint perfume of summer flowers.

Then, he saw her.

Hiyori approached through the sea of festival-goers, dressed in a soft blue yukata adorned with delicate white floral patterns. Her hair, usually left to frame her face, was gently pinned back, allowing the lantern light to illuminate her features more clearly. She smiled when she spotted him, lifting a hand in a small wave.

"You actually showed up on time," she teased lightly when she reached him. "I half expected to find you buried in a book instead."

Kozakura rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small smirk playing at his lips. "I'd rather not hear that from someone who gets distracted by bookstores just as easily."

She laughed, the sound soft and melodic beneath the backdrop of festival music. "Fair point. Well, since we're both here, where should we start? Food first? Games? Or do you just want to wander?"

He glanced around, taking in the lively atmosphere. "Let's walk for a bit. Then food."

Hiyori nodded in agreement, and together they fell into an easy pace, weaving through the bustling streets. The warm glow of the lanterns bathed everything in an almost dreamlike light, and the world outside of Hanamura felt far away, as if nothing else existed beyond the festival's warmth.

At one of the game stalls, Hiyori excitedly pulled him toward a goldfish scooping station. "I used to be really good at this as a kid!" she boasted, rolling up her sleeves as she accepted the small paper scoop from the vendor.

Kozakura watched, amused, as she crouched beside the water, her expression completely serious as she eyed the swimming fish. "I'll believe it when I see it."

She huffed. "Just watch."

The moment her scoop touched the water, a fish darted away, tearing the fragile paper in an instant.

Kozakura let out a low chuckle. "A real pro, huh?"

Hiyori shot him a glare but couldn't hide the laughter bubbling up in her own voice. "It was a warm-up round! I'll get the next one!"

In the end, after three attempts and two completely ruined scoops, she managed to catch a single, tiny goldfish. The vendor placed it in a small plastic bag, and Hiyori held it up triumphantly. "See? Told you I could do it."

Kozakura shook his head with a grin. "I'm impressed. Truly."

They continued walking, stopping occasionally to sample various festival treats—sweet dango, crispy takoyaki, and chilled fruit skewers. As they walked, Hiyori occasionally reached out, tugging lightly on his sleeve to guide him toward a stall that caught her interest, and each time, Kozakura felt a strange warmth linger where her fingers brushed the fabric.

Eventually, they reached a quieter part of the festival, where the lanterns stretched along a small stone bridge overlooking the river. The festival sounds were softer here, distant but still present, and the only light came from the lanterns and the moon's gentle glow reflecting off the water.

Hiyori stepped up to the railing, gazing out at the flickering lights across the river's surface. "It's beautiful," she murmured.

Kozakura stood beside her, hands in his pockets. "Yeah."

She turned to him then, her expression thoughtful. "You know… I'm really glad we came here together."

Something about the way she said it made his chest tighten slightly. He exhaled, glancing away for a brief moment before meeting her gaze again. "Me too."

A comfortable silence settled between them, but it wasn't empty—it was filled with something unspoken, something delicate that neither of them seemed ready to acknowledge just yet. The sounds of the festival, the soft flickering of lanterns, the distant laughter—it all felt like part of something larger, something quiet but significant.

Hiyori suddenly reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small, folded paper. "I almost forgot! You're supposed to write a wish during the festival and hang it on the wish tree."

Kozakura raised an eyebrow. "And you just happened to have extra paper ready?"

She grinned. "Of course. Now write something."

He took the paper, hesitating for a moment before jotting something down. When he finished, Hiyori leaned in slightly, trying to peek at his writing.

"No cheating," he said, holding it away from her.

She pouted. "Fine, fine. I'll see it later when our wishes come true, right?"

He chuckled, tying his paper alongside hers onto the nearby tree. "Yeah."

As they stood there beneath the lantern-lit sky, the warmth between them unmistakable, Kozakura had a feeling that, wish or not, something was already beginning to change between them.

And for the first time in a long while, he didn't mind the idea of something new.