The Festival Finale

The festival's energy only grew as the day went on. Booths lined the courtyard, students in colorful costumes ran around promoting their events, and the smell of grilled food filled the air. It felt like the entire school had transformed into a different world.

"Isagi! Come on!" May's voice pulled me from my thoughts as she grabbed my hand, leading me toward a shooting game booth. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Think you can beat me?" I teased, taking the toy rifle.

"We'll see," she challenged, her eyes sparkling.

We both took our shots, laughing as we missed and cheered when we hit the targets. By the end of the round, I managed to win by one point.

"Looks like you owe me a prize," I said, grinning.

May pouted playfully. "Fine, fine. What do you want?"

Before I could answer, a familiar voice interrupted.

"May-chan!" Rin appeared, his ever-perfect presence filling the space. "The student council needs you for the closing ceremony preparations."

"Oh… right," she said, her smile dimming just a little. "I'll catch up with you later, Isagi!"

As she hurried off, Rin turned to me. "Enjoy the festival while you can."

I didn't bother answering. I had my own plans.

As evening fell, the festival reached its climax. Lights twinkled above the courtyard, and the main stage lit up with the final acts. The dance performance we'd worked so hard on had been a huge success, but there was one more thing I wanted to do.

"Hey, Isagi!" Kaito ran up, his face flushed from excitement. "They're setting up the fireworks! We should get good seats."

"Go ahead," I said, scanning the crowd. "I need to find someone first."

It didn't take long. May stood near the stage, her eyes fixed on the night sky. I walked up quietly, standing beside her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I said.

She turned, surprised, but then smiled. "Yeah. It's been an amazing day."

"I'm glad I got to spend so much of it with you," I said, my heart pounding.

Before she could respond, the first firework exploded above us, painting the sky in brilliant colors. We stood there, watching in silence, the world around us falling away.

When the last spark faded, she turned to me, her eyes soft. "Thank you, Isagi. For today… and for everything."

I wanted to say so much more — but for now, her words were enough.

And as the festival lights dimmed, I knew this was only the beginning of something special.