As Ryuji and Lucy walk down the path of stalls, admiring the sights, Ryuji looks at Lucy. He watches her a bit as she smiles and admires the lights and sights. He smiles softly before tapping on her shoulder a bit. Lucy turns and looks at him with a surprised look as Ryuji leans in close. She turns her head so he can whisper in her ear.
Ryuji "You look gorgeous tonight, love.."
He whispers. Lucy giggles and blushes as she playfully punches him in the arm with an embarrassed look. Shiori and Hikigaya sit next to each other with Alice and Suiyoubi on Shiori's side and Chizuru and Touma on Hikigaya's side. Chizuru munches down on her snacks as Hikigyaya sighs and leans on his hand on his knee. Shiori opens one eye and looks at him.
Shiori "You bored?"
She asks with a slight tone of looking down on him.
Hikigaya "Yeah I guess. Nothing's really caught my attention here. Maybe I'm just being picky."
He replies, ignoring her tone.
Chizuru "Maybe you just need to look harder."
She says with a mouthful of roasted squid.
Hikigaya "Maybe. I haven't seen it all yet I guess."
He says leaning back on his hands.
Suiyoubi "Perhaps you should take Shiori to see the rest of the festival?"
She offers as Shiori looks surprised.
Shiori "What??"
Hikigaya looks with an intrigued look before sighing and standing up.
Hikigaya "I guess that wouldn't be so bad."
He turns to the now blushing, embarrassed and nervous Shiori. He offers his hand for her to take.
Hikigaya "As long as she doesn't hit me."
He says with a smile. She lowers her head with an awkward smile until her bangs cover her eyes. She then suddenly jumps up to her feet with a blushing but angry look.
Shiori "You say that like I'm always beating you up!"
Hikigaya sweats a bit before taking his offered hand and using it to scratch the back of his head while looking away.
Hikigaya "Well you do tend to hit me pretty often.."
Shiori "Oh yeah?! How about this then!"
She shouts before jumping up, preparing to drop kick him. Hikigaya yells before a loud thud is heard from her kicking him. Suiyoubi sweats as Alice stands up.
Alice "I think I better join them to make sure this stays nice and romantic."
Mormo suddenly pops out of Suiyoubi's cleavage of her yukata.
Mormo "Stop right there sista."
Touma and Chizuru's eyes grow wide from seeing this.
Chizuru "What were you doing in there?.."
Alice "Hey, mind your own business old man!"
Mormo "Come 'ere!"
He shouts as he jumps on Alice, thrashing on her face. She yells and struggles to get him off as Shiori looks away from Hikigaya on the ground with a puffy cheeked annoyed look.
Shiori "Come on, the fireworks are gonna start soon."
She says before walking off with Hikigaya following her in a daze. They walk a bit as Hikigaya's eyes swirl around and around.
Shiori "Hey Hikigaya."
She calls out. He turns a bit before being hit in the face with a water balloon. It instantly snaps him out of his daze as he looks at Shiori with a surprised look. She giggles as she holds another balloon in her hand before turning to the game booth and throwing the balloon at the target. Hikigaya smirks a little before shaking off the water and approaching her. They walk together through the festival playing a game every now and then or adoring the sights. As they look around, Hikigaya turns and notices Shiori. He stares at her for a moment as a blush spreads across his cheeks.
Hikigaya 'She's so pretty tonight…'
He thinks to himself as he adores her. He watches her closely, taking in the sight of her before coming to the back of her neck, exposed by her hair being put up. His eyes grow wide as he gets a flustered look. Shiori turns and looks at him with a confused look.
Shiori "You okay Hikigaya?"
She asks him as he snaps his head to look straight forward.
Hikigaya "Yep! Never better!"
He answers nervously. Shiori stares at him for a moment before looking ahead as well.
Shiori "What do you think the others are doing right now?"
Hikigaya calms down a bit before thinking about the question.
Hikigaya "Well if I had to guess, I'd say Haru is probably doing something dumb right now, causing Sugawara to have to clean up the mess."
Shows a sight of Haru on the ground in the mess of a table and snacks as his eyes swirl. Sugawara sweats and apologizes to the angry stall keeper.
Hikigaya "As for Lucy and Ryuji, they're probably off doing something inappropriate."
Shows Ryuji standing over Lucy against a wall of a small building on the side of the main festival area. They kiss passionately in the darkness of night.
Shiori "Ew, don't put that image in my head.."
She says while drooping a bit with a frustrated look. Hikigaya laughs a bit as Shiori looks at him. This time she admires him laughing. She blushes before looking away with an embarrassed look.
Shiori 'Hikigaya…'
She thinks with a smile on her face.
Shiori 'We've known each other for almost three years now… No, it's been longer than that. Back when we met for the first time as Fullsky and Watchdog… since that day you've done so much for me… You were my first real friend. Even that boy from my childhood didn't help me as much as you have..'
She looks up just a bit and at Hikigaya.
Shiori 'But even that… it almost feels like…'
Her thoughts stop when they both realize they've come to the end of the festival grounds. No more stalls are set up as only people walking in or kids playing on the grassy fields are seen. Mostly groups gathering and preparing for the fireworks show.
Hikigaya "Well I guess that's it. I suppose we did waste a little bit of time. We should probably go find the others, the fireworks are gonna start soon anyway."
He says with his hands on his hips before turning around to walk away. Before he can take a full step though, he feels a gentle tug on his sleeve. He turns with a confused look to see Shiori holding onto it timidly. She looks at him with a determined but embarrassed look.
Shiori "Hikigaya… We really need to have a talk."
She says softly. Hikigaya sweats a bit with a worried smile on his face.
Hikigaya "O-Okay?.."
Her grip tightens on his sleeve a bit as she looks down.
Shiori "I can't… I can't do it anymore…"
She says under her breath. Hikigaya's worry increasing.
Hikigaya "Do what?.."
Shiori "It's been a long time now… I can't stop having these thoughts and feelings…"
She says before looking up at him with an angry look.
Shiori "When I look at you I get so angry and annoyed! You piss me off to no end because you're dumb and get on my nerves all the time! It's almost like you know every single way to upset me! So much so, it's to the point where even looking at your face makes me so frustrated. You make me so mad but your face is so.. Cute and you sound so pleasant. You always know how to help me out even when you don't have to."
Tears start to form in her eyes as Hikigaya watches her with a surprised but understanding look.
Shiori "You never needed to be my friend but… you did anyway… You allowed me to meet such nice people and have done so much for me, with me… I just can't help it… I can't help but to…"
She takes a breath for a moment before smiling softly at him.
Shiori "Love you, Hikigaya."
She says as a firework shoots up behind her, bursting in the air. Blasting a bright, colorful light across the sky.
Shiori "I love you, Hikigaya Oshiro. You piss me off to no end and make me mad in a way no one else can. But despite all that, you make my life so much better. I just can't keep hiding it anymore."
Another firework explodes as she lowers her head a bit, still with a soft smile on her face.
Shiori "It's okay if you don't like me back. I could've just gotten the wrong idea but I really needed to-"
Before she can finish, Hikigaya grabs her wrist and pulls it to the side with one hand before grabbing the back of her head with his other. He closes the small gap between them and presses his lips against hers in a love filled kiss. Fireworks explode behind them, lighting up the sky in an array of colors and lights. Shiori's eyes were wide for a moment before slowly closing as she wraps her arms around his neck. They kiss for a moment more before pulling away but keeping their hands together and bodies close. They gently put their foreheads together as they both smile awkwardly.
Hikigaya "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear that.."
He whispers as Shiori giggles shyly.
Hikigaya "Shiori, will you… be my girlfriend?.."
He asks timidly. Shiori closes her eyes before bonking her head against his, causing him to hurt a bit.
Shiori "What do you think, dummy?"
She says with their heads still together.
Hikigaya "Right.. I just wanted to ask properly.."
He says with a pained smile as they hold each other under the bright glow of the fireworks. Lucy and Ryuji watch from a little ways away in the festival grounds before turning to each other and doing a high five. Back on the bench where the others were, Chizuru sits with a satisfied look having finished her snacks. Touma sits beside her now joined with Haru and Sugawara next to him although Alice and Suiyoubi are gone. Haru has an icepack on his head from the fall earlier as he looks to be worn out. Lucy and Ryuji approach the group on the bench before Lucy crosses her arms and looks at Chizuru with an informed look.
Lucy "You'll never guess who I saw kissing under the fireworks."
Touma/Sugawara "Shiori and Hikigaya."
They say softly in unison.
Chizuru/Haru "Shiori and Hikigaya?!"
They shout, shooting up from their relaxed positions to an upright sitting position with excited looks on their faces. Lucy nods with a smile as Chizuru and Haru jump up with joy.
Chizuru/Haru "Yay! They finally did it!"
They cheer as they dance together in celebration.
Ryuji "That they did."
In the festival, Shiori and Hikigaya walk back together while holding hands and looking away from each other with embarrassed looks. Behind them, Alice walks before noticing them holding hands. She quickly turns with a shocked look.
Alice "Hey hey hey!"
She shouts as she charges at them when suddenly, Mormo attacks her face once again.
Mormo "Stop right there!"
He shouts as he latches onto her face. Shiori and Hikigaya look back at the commotion as Alice struggles to try and pry him off, before turning back and smiling at each other leaving Alice yelling behind them at Mormo.