"What are you doing up there!?" Between all of them, it was Ryugi who was most shocked at this sight. "Were you spying on us?"
"No." That was Chinae's simple response as she jumped off from the tree branch, landing on her feet. While in the air, since she was wearing the school's uniform, her skirt flew up which lead to a clear view of what was under it. Though since she wore black tights under it, the girl wasn't concerned with Ishi being there to see it. "You're the ones who disturbed me."
After the dating game show ordeal, she was feeling pretty tired about things. Since the girl figured that she had satisfied the requirements at the school of participating in the culture festival, she decided that taking a nap hidden away in a tree was fine. "Guess I overslept a bit, it's already getting dark."
"Yeah, the bonfire's already started." He commented. "Doubt you care about that, so go ahead and go home already."
"You want to get rid of me? Even after saying you wanted to kiss me?" She had an arrogant grin that he wished to wipe off. "Or maybe being surrounding by four girls is getting you a little nervous."
"Heh, yeah keep it up." Ryugi cheered her on in this attempt at teasing. "I've known him for years, but he's never even blushed once." Perhaps that might make for a good goal to try before she graduated from high school.
"Really?" Somehow, that shouldn't come as a surprise to Rinse. Though, she thought that his hesitation earlier came close. "You've never been embarrassed before?"
"First off, I'm not concerned with all of you around me." He was annoyed that they'd assumed he would react like the other boys in his grade. Especially after all this time that they had known him. "And secondly, of course I feel embarrassed sometimes, I just don't show it." Usually it was feeling embarrassed from the people he associated with. As much as that would be blaming it on others, he did question why he let certain individuals near him.
"I've known you for a long time too." Youna spoke up, now feeling a lot more pressure now that there were three other girls with them. She had only been planning for him to be with her alone, so this was something she had yet to mentally prepare for. "And you've always been so steady."
"Ah well." Ryugi gave up, squatting down by the tree to relax and enjoy the view. "I'm sure that I'll get to see you blush before I die."
"I'm not trying to hide anything." He didn't get what was up with everyone paying so much attention on him. The boy sat back onto the tree besides her to rest up from an eventful day. "You guys act like I can't get surprised by things."
"You were definitely shocked to see me as the mystery girl." Chinae laughed, not that she wasn't even more caught off guard by things. What were the odds that she'd pick him out of a choice of three? Well, chance wasn't the reason he was selected, but it was too shameful for her to admit that she was genuinely interested in the mystery boy she was asking questions to. On the bright side, they didn't have to honor the date prize that was set up, even if it was disappointing to the other students that it was wasted on people not wanting to use it.
"I think I'd rather put that in the part of my memory where I don't remember it." Apparently that was a thing in his head given his inability to recall his time during the play. Odd, since he was able to recall his youth when he met Youna for the first time.
"You're certainly full of surprises." Said Ryugi. "That was cool what you did for your cousin."
"Right, getting them to switch the leading actors so they'd both be happier." Rinse took note of it when she was watching the play with Youna. She figured that he had something to do with that change up.
"Like I said, Koto's family." Ishi played it off as no big deal done by him. Surely plenty of others would do something similar. "It's his first high school festival, so it might as well go well for him."
"Too bad's it's our last one." Ryugi lamented on the sad facts. "In half a year, we'll all be going through the graduation ceremony and leaving for university."
"Yeah…" Youna replied, her eyes were tearing up in the bitter realization of what she was going to lose upon growing up into adulthood. "I'll really miss all of you."
"You barely know most of us here." Ishi tapped her on the top of her head with one finger. It was like a head pat, but a lot lighter compared to the real deal. It was more than enough to get her to feel at ease from him touching her in this manner. "Besides, at least this culture festival was pretty good."
"If Ishi's the one saying it, then it must've been amazing." Ryugi grinned.
"So Rinse." He changed the subject of the conversation off of him for once, as there was something that he figured out about the idol. "Did you enjoy it?" She didn't transfer to a normal high school for nothing. Especially not when there were towns with prestigious academies that her family could easily afford. They'd certainly fit her better, but that wasn't what the girl had been searching for.
"Honestly, it didn't matter to me if it went great or poorly." She simply only wanted to experience the same things that everyone else experienced. The festival itself was a lot of fun, so she couldn't complain about that. Yet what stood out to her the most was the preparation, seeing everyone so excited for it and working hard towards their goals.
Being an idol, she knew what it was like to see everyone work so hard to make sure that things were a success. The way those employees went about their business, it wasn't different at all from how their classmates were acting. Not only did they share in the joys and laughter, but also the hardships and conflicts. Despite the context, the age difference, and the motivations, things were pretty much the same in her view.
"Maybe we're not all that different when we grow up." Said Chinae.
"Maybe." Ishi could tell that her statement was directed just for him. After all, he's the one that complains all the time about naive teens and wanting to become an adult. "I suppose that even I could be proven wrong, and for once, I'm glad about it." That was because despite how long this day had taken for him, as well as all the lead up to it. The boy could look back on this day with some positivity.
The sun was setting and with it, the air was beginning to cool around them. While it was still technically Summer, the Autumn would be approaching them sooner rather than later. The group would be leaving their tiny little corner of the world soon to return back to their homes.
The bonfire they were looking at was reduced in size. Soon, the only light illuminating the night would be that of streetlamps from the streets. Ishi stood up from his seat to stretch out his legs to make the trek back home. His cousin should've already left by now since this part of the day was more for third years anyway. "I'll be seeing most of you in class tomorrow." He was tired, but his day had still a little bit left before he could truly find some rest.
"Wait." Rinse stopped him, grabbing the boy his his sleeve. "I… Wanted to thank you."
"Me?" He was confused, what did he do that was so special.
"Because, you're the one who came up with talent show." It gave the idol something to do that wasn't just singing and dancing. Plus, she got to witness the talents of her fellow classmates and learned more about those she was attending school with.
"And you gave me company when all my friends were too busy to hang out." Said Ryugi. Even without her wanting to apologize, she would've been left alone for most of the day without him.
"And you made the game show somewhat interesting." Being forced to do that wasn't on her plans, but at least he kept it from being a bunch of boy being tools to her.
"A-and…" Youna also didn't want to be left out in this appreciation conversation. "Well, we didn't really hang out during the festival, but I'm glad you came and got me after the speech." If him and Rinse didn't come to her aid, then the girl most likely would've just hid in the locker for the entire day.
"You're right, I did do all those things." He responded. "Which is why I'm tired and would like to go home now." Ishi's first replied to their expressions of gratitude was rather harsh and disrespectful, but he would shortly pause after his words for something a bit better. "Still, I'm glad that I got to spend time with all of you. The culture festival would've been a drag without any of you."
Even if it would've been his own doing, perhaps it was for the best that he was forced to be with all of them. This event was a lot more fun than he was willing to admit out loud. "Now can I leave?"
"I do have to pay you back for this day." Rinse giggled. In the darkening night, she leaned into him and landed a kiss on his cheek. Her lips were soft as they touched his skin.
"Eh?" He was taken aback from her sudden move. "What was that for?" He wasn't the only one caught off guard judging from the looks from the other girls.
"Heh, thought you said that legend wasn't real." She laughed. Looking at his face, despite the darkness, she was able to discern the rosy blushes of embarrassment. That was what was able to get him to lose his composure for a bit. When Ryugi called the boy by his first name, that was when she realized what it was that got him. He wanted to be the one in control of the relationships he had, but if someone else was the one to make any declarations, especially in public. This is what would make him weak.
"What? Ishi got to kiss someone during the bonfire?" Ryugi was livid about what she was forced to witness. "No fair, I can't lose to a loser like him. Now come on and let me give a peck on your cheek too." She was forcing herself onto him, much to the boy's annoyance.
"Hey, I'm going to report you for harassment!" He complained to her, while also trying to push her off.
And thus comes the end of the school culture festival. Things truly were a success for everyone involved in its planning, execution, and enjoyment. It even was capped off for some with a kiss to seal some bits of romance as well…
By the way, Ishi was also kissed by the other three girls as well.