"I can't believe I'm actually doing this." Ishi commented to himself as he put on his yukata. Today marked the day of the town's big festival and he was going to be going there.
Normally when this event rolled around, he would stay home while his family enjoyed the festivities. Yet here he was now, getting himself ready and proper for the moment.
"I'm so glad that you're coming this year." Koto was excitedly getting himself dressed into his own yukata as well. Somehow the outfit only served to bring out more of his feminine appearance than usual. "When you go off to college, I'll really miss you. So I'm glad we get to do this one last time."
"Uh, you know I'm applying for the local one in town, right?"
"You are!?" That was wonderful news for the younger boy to hear. Not that it meant Ishi would be hanging around him forever.
"You really need to find more friends." Ishi quipped and pushed him off as a knock on the door entered their ears. It was Seyuki who arrived as the first and only guest of theirs.
"Heya!" She greeted Ishi as he was the one to answer the door. The girl dressed for the occasion and it was clear to him that she was more than just getting prepared to go out in public. Being a tomboy, her outfit still didn't help him view her with as much femininity as his cousin, but her makeup and scent of perfume wasn't lost on him.
Still she looked cute in her yukata, something that was a rarity coming from a girl who cared less for wearing dresses or skirts. "Obviously Koto's here, so call him down here."
"Actually…" Ishi looked up the stairs to make sure his cousin wasn't watching from a distance. "I wanted to talk privately with you about something."
"Sure." She accepted as he took a step outside onto their front porch. "What's up?"
"You like Koto, right?"
"L-like?" She got shy at hearing him say that word. "Well, of course I like Koto." Seyuki answered without maintaining eye contact. "We're friends, and friends like each other."
"True." It had been plain as day to him for a long time now that this girl had a crush on his cousin. "But, I mean, you really like him. Maybe to the point that you see him as more than just one."
"Well… Maybe I do." She quietly admitted to him. To her, it was embarrassing to talk about these topics with people, regardless of how close she was to them. "But, you can't tell him that."
"Wasn't planning on it." He never viewed it as his duty to go out and do things like that for people. Those matters were a bit too personal for him, but that didn't keep him from making this suggestion. "Just was wondering if you planned on confessing to him anytime soon."
"S-soon?" Somehow the concept was near foreign to her as she rejected the idea. "I can't do it now…"
"I guess the two of us aren't blind that he's got his own feelings." Ishi knew that his cousin would most likely reject this girl and say something dumb about how his heart was reserved for Rinse. "I'm not going to tell you how to work out that business, but I'd say it's better if you let him know sooner rather than later."
"Ishi?" A voice called out to him from inside. "Ishi, where are you?" It was Koto, who was wondering what had been taking him so long to answer the door.
"I'm outside with Seyuki." He called to come out.
"Hey Seyuki." Koto greeted his friend as everyone got a good look of what they'd be wearing for the festival. "Wow, you look really cute."
"Ah… Ah, thanks." That was more than enough to quiet down the usually loud girl. "I'm glad you like it." Ishi pondered the moment a little more. Perhaps his cousin might actually hold some feelings for this girl after all.
"I bet that's why Ishi didn't tell me you came here at first." The young boy laughed. "He probably wanted to flirt with you." The older boy sighed in disappointment. Only his cousin would mess up a moment like this. Why exactly was this girl in love with him?
"Anyway, since you're here now, we should get going." Said Ishi.
"What about Hattori?" Seyuki asked. "And your parents?"
"Well, our parents already left." Since this was the first time Ishi was going to something like this because of friends, his family was overjoyed. So they went ahead knowing that he would be doing the same. "There's supposed to be some kind of concert with idols at the festival. And Rinse is going to be taking part in it."
So therefore, considering the route to the festival, he was going to be heading there to meet everyone there. After all, they did agree upon meeting together at least once. Though he had his doubts on whether that was going to happen.
Off they went to the festival. Seyuki was doing what she normally did with Koto, which was be very overbearing to the point where Ishi had no clue how his cousin had yet to pick up the clear signs. It's one thing to be dense, but this was practically being blind to reality.
Once they arrived, things had already gone off in full swing for the public. There were many families enjoying themselves with their young children. Meanwhile, groups of teens walked about in excitement for the food, games, and even some hope of romance to those that one might have feelings towards.
"Are you nervous?" Koto asked, knowing that this would be his first festival in years.
"Not really." Ishi responded. "It's not like I'm a shy person." Though he was scanning the grounds for someone that he knew. This was a new experience for him, to actually want to find someone just to have social interaction. "I should let the two of you spend more time with people your age."
"Thanks." Seyuki was glad that he wanted them to be alone.
"And maybe you should…" He leaned into the girl's ear to whisper some advice. "Trying to show your feelings off. You never know how he feels until you test it a little." Her face turned a little red from his suggestion as he backed away. "Now go off and leave me alone."
"Heh, now that sounds more like the Ishi I know." Koto chuckled as Seyuki pulled him along in the fashion they had been used to these days.
"All right then." Ishi spoke once he knew he was alone once more. "You can stop hiding now." Out came Otoya, who had been staying in the shadows waiting for him to rid himself of the first years.
"So, how's my best bud doing?" He gave off a glowing smile in excitement for an event he hadn't seen in ages. "Since you're here all alone, what's the plan?"
"I was hoping to see Youna or anyone else here by now." He replied with a subtle roast.
"Youna eh?" Otoya had a devious smile on his face now. One that was a lot less welcoming in Ishi's minds. "How come you want to see the class rep? Maybe you actually have a crush on her?"
"Because something tells me that she's probably trying to find one of us." Ishi answered, ignoring the insulation. "You know how she is, the girl will probably want to leave if she's left alone for too long."
He believed that she never went to these things since Youna didn't have any friends. The boy would be half right in that belief, since she actually did attend at the encouragement of her parents. However, she normally stuck around with them and chatted up with most of her classmate's parents instead of hanging out with said classmates.
This time around was likely to be different considering that he was here along with other people that she could call friends. So Ishi decided that she needed it more than anyone else in the moment.
"Really? You don't want to see Rinse first, even though she's your neighbor?"
"Just because I didn't get to walk with her here doesn't really mean anything." He replied.
"Too bad." Otoya had a tone to his voice of playing around as if he had a position of power over him. "Guess that means you're not interested in these backstage passes she gave us." He produced them out and waved the set in front of his face.
"Not really interested in using my relationships to get a leg up over everyone else." Ishi didn't bite the bait once more. "Don't think I'm going to beg for it. I can just go off on my own." He did know that there was a reason these were being sent to him. So there was no reason to ask since Otoya only had one option.
"You got me." He handed the boy one of the passes. "She probably wanted to see you, since things are going to be busy with the whole concert deal." Of course, Otoya had his own motives with agreeing to give this to Ishi. "So, how about we both head over there right now?"
"Even after I told you about Youna?"
"Who knows, maybe the class rep's already by the concert grounds." After all, she was friends with Rinse. That combined with him being close with the idol meant that she might go there first to try and find him.
"Fine." Ishi sighed and relented to his friend. "Let's go."