Chapter 430: You're Parents Too...
Before long, with the Kawasaki siblings in tow, the group of girls bought some more snacks they found interesting along the way and returned to the observation deck they had reserved earlier.
Upon their return, they noticed that the adjacent area already had quite a few people.
Checking the time, it was already past 8 o'clock, and the fireworks display was about to begin.
This area could be considered the best spot, with an unobstructed view of the clear and spacious night sky. They believed that when the fireworks were set off later, the scene would be quite spectacular.
The girls sat in pairs on the benches of the observation deck, resting. After all, most of them were still wearing geta sandals, and they were quite tired after walking around.
At the moment, little Keika was sitting next to Hachiman, swinging her legs happily back and forth while nibbling on the candy apple Hachiman had just bought for her.
Although Hachiman's group occupied a large area, they certainly weren't the only ones there. Other affluent individuals had also pre-booked their spots to enjoy the grand fireworks display.
Among them were people of all ages and genders.
However, the most eye-catching group was undoubtedly Hachiman's. After all, the number of girls was simply too large, and they were all beautiful. Most importantly, among this group, there was only Hachiman, an ordinary-looking boy, and Taishi Kawasaki, who was somewhat inconspicuous.
This made many young men itch with curiosity. However, upon seeing Erina's face, they immediately dismissed any thoughts of approaching her.
Although not everyone was a culinary expert, Erina's reputation as the "God Tongue" was simply too resounding. Her figure appeared in gourmet magazines every week.
Moreover, as the eldest daughter of the Nakiri family, she often represented the family at various public events.
While these young men appeared to be affluent, they were still far inferior compared to the Totsuki Group, a true top-tier conglomerate.
If they were to approach her recklessly, they might incur Erina's displeasure.
However, this also piqued their curiosity about Hachiman, the only male present. They also noticed that this large group of girls seemed to revolve around Hachiman, even Erina, the eldest daughter of the Nakiri family, was no exception.
This only heightened their curiosity. They had no clue about Hachiman's background, yet his influence over Erina intrigued them. But they hesitated to approach, fearing Hachiman's potential disapproval.
Erina's mere presence deterred these lesser families. And with Hachiman's looming aura...
Oh, the dread, the dread indeed!
...
"Whoosh!"
A sharp whistling sound pierced the air as a meteor streaked across the sky from across the river, exploding with a resounding bang.
"Boom!"
The explosion birthed a brilliant fireworks display, showering the sky in a riot of colors.
The summer festival's main event, the fireworks display, had officially commenced.
The fireworks seemed to signal the beginning.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
"Boom, boom, boom!"
As the whistling and explosions persisted, fireworks soared into the sky, painting it with colorful displays of breathtaking beauty.
The girls on the benches all looked up, mesmerized by the magnificent fireworks.
"Is this the fireworks display? It's so beautiful..." Vignette whispered to herself.
Beside her sat Gabriel, Raphiel, and a few others.
At that moment, all four gazed skyward, captivated by the fireworks blooming and fading in the night sky.
In their celestial and demonic realms, fireworks were unheard of, let alone such a grand display.
Even Gabriel, usually engrossed in games, made no mention of going home to play. Her blue eyes shimmered in the moonlight, reflecting the intermittent fireworks.
Not only the laid-back Gabriel, but even the foolish Satania remained silent, quietly watching.
Though a single firework lasted only moments in the sky, the simultaneous burst of dozens created a spectacle akin to grand flowers blooming, adorning the otherwise empty night sky.
Such beauty and allure—no wonder it was the grandest highlight of the summer festival celebration.
At that moment, Hachiman stood at the center, taking in the scene around him. The captivating faces of the girls, illuminated by the vibrant fireworks, were captured in his gaze.
Beneath the dazzling display, their expressions took on a dreamlike quality, and smiles of joy unconsciously adorned their faces.
To Hachiman, these genuine smiles were more precious than the transient beauty of the fireworks. He felt that these smiles were what truly needed to be cherished and remembered because they were the things he had resolved to protect.
...
The fireworks display was expected to continue for some time, and naturally, the girls wouldn't spend the entire duration gazing at the sky.
After the initial excitement, they lowered their heads and began chatting among themselves.
At that moment, Keika, seated beside Hachiman, shifted slightly in her seat.
Observing this, Hachiman felt puzzled. "Keika, what's wrong?"
Embarrassed, Keika spoke up, "I... I need to use the restroom."
"Keika, do you need to go? I'll go with you," Saki offered from the side.
"Yeah."
Seeing her sister's eagerness, Keika nodded in agreement.
However, after a moment of thought, Hachiman also spoke up, "I'll accompany you both."
With the festival now even more crowded due to the fireworks display, and with additional attractions like the parade and evening performances, there was a risk of Saki, being a girl, and Keika, just a child, getting separated in the crowd.
"Is that too much trouble for you?" Saki hesitated.
Hachiman shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, it's nothing. Besides, I don't have anything else to do right now."
"Alright, thank you," Saki nodded. She was also concerned about getting separated in the crowd, but with Hachiman accompanying them, she felt reassured.
And so, Hachiman informed the girls around him and then escorted the sisters out of the observatory.
As the older sister, Saki Kawasaki held Keika's left hand, while Hachiman held her right hand. At first glance, the three of them looked like a family of three.
They arrived at the nearest restroom, where Saki accompanied Keika inside while Hachiman waited outside for them.
After a short while, the two sisters emerged from the restroom.
Approaching Hachiman, Saki nodded. "Alright, let's head back. Thank you for accompanying us on the trip."
"No problem, let's go."
Hachiman casually nodded, then once again held Keika's right hand, while Saki also took her left hand.
As the three of them walked back towards the observatory, a faint cry caught Hachiman's ears. Despite the noise of the fireworks around them, he could still clearly hear the sound of a young girl crying.
Turning towards the sound, Hachiman saw a girl, about the same age as Keika, wearing a white dress with brown shoulder-length hair, looking adorable despite her tear-stained face. She stood alone, sobbing uncontrollably, with no adults in sight.
"Has she been separated from her parents in the crowd?" Saki also noticed the crying girl.
"Seems like it. Let's go check on her," Hachiman nodded, and the three of them approached the crying girl.
Upon reaching the girl, Saki squatted down and gently asked, "Little girl, did you get separated from your mom and dad?"
Wiping her tears, the girl shook her head timidly. "Mommy said not to talk to strangers..."
Hearing this, Hachiman smirked slightly, but Keika stepped forward and comforted the girl.
Seeing another child her age seemed to calm the little girl down, and she stopped crying.
Upon witnessing this, Hachiman quickly spoke up.
"Little sister, do you remember your mom and dad's phone number? Big brother will call them to come pick you up."
The little girl hesitated for a moment but eventually recited a string of numbers.
Taking out his phone, Hachiman dialed the number in front of the little girl and then put it on speaker.
Soon, the call was answered, and an anxious male voice came through the phone.
"Have you seen my daughter?! She's wearing a white dress, about six years old."
Upon hearing this voice, the previously tearful little girl exclaimed in delight.
"Daddy!"
"Ushio, is that you?" The voice on the phone sounded excited.
"Daddy, where did you and mommy go? Don't leave me all alone," the girl called Ushio wiped her tears again.
"Ushio, it's not that daddy and mommy are bad. Stay where you are and don't move. Daddy and mommy are coming to get you." The voice on the phone instructed, then turned to Hachiman anxiously and asked, "Sir, where are you right now?"
"We're at XXX," Hachiman reported an address.
Soon, a man and a woman, both looking worried, hurried over. The man was tall with short blue-gray hair, and the woman had the same brown hair as the little girl, but with two long antennae-like strands sticking up from her head.
These two must be the little girl's parents.
Relieved to see their daughter unharmed, they finally breathed a sigh of relief and bowed to Hachiman and the others in gratitude. "Thank you! Thank you so much, otherwise who knows what might have happened..."
The woman's eyes welled up with tears, clearly recalling something frightening.
The man bowed deeply to Hachiman and the others once again, expressing his gratitude.
"We're really grateful to you. I'm Tomoya Okazaki, and this is my wife, Nagisa Okazaki."
The woman wiped her tears and also thanked them again, holding the little girl.
"Yeah, we're really thankful to you this time. If you hadn't found Ushio, we really wouldn't know what to do."
"You're also parents, so you should understand how it feels when a child goes missing."
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