As we entered the park, the vibrant energy hit me like a wave.
Lights flickered in bursts of color, kids squealed in delight, and the smell of cotton candy and popcorn swirled in the cool evening air.
Despite myself, I felt lighter.
For once, I let my guard down.
I had to unchain my heart from Ema and live like a normal person for once.
We started with the roller coaster, as Kazuha insisted.
We went in line and then waited for our turn.
Benjiro kept acting like the alpha man of the situation, saying things like "Oh this is gonna be so easy." "This won't scare me at all."
But deep down, I perfectly knew that he was lying.
He kept looking around, and anytime someone screamed from the rollercoaster, his face always became pale white.
Well, he's always been scared of heights.
Kazuha and Suzuki, instead, were totally excited for the ride.
Evangeline seemed happy too, but she wasn't talking so much.
After 10 minutes, it finally was our turn.
Benjiro hesitated before sitting down.
The rollercoaster was build in multiple pieces, where 6 person fit on each one.
So, I was in the middle between Kazuha and Evangeline, while Benjiro was on the middle between Suzuki and a little girl.
When the ride started, Benjiro immediately started to scream, and everyone actually made fun of him, even Evangeline.
I laughed as Suzuki screamed louder than anyone else, her voice drowning out the clattering of the ride.
It was a really funny experience.
Even Benjiro looked like he'd seen a ghost when we got off.
I must admit that I've always been scared of these things , but hey, I might of not doing it one day, so who cares.
"That was… intense," he muttered, running a hand through his hair while his body was shaking from fear.
"Intense? You were holding on like your life depended on it," Suzuki teased, grinning.
"Yeah. You really looked like a damsel in distress. Hahaha" Kazuha laughed at him too.
Evangeline only let out a small chuckle , but it seemed like she totally enjoyed the ride.
The little girl next to him even said "Big bro! You're really funny!"
Everyone laughed at that.
Their banter was infectious, and I found myself genuinely smiling, even laughing.
Yet, as much as I tried to stay in the moment, my thoughts drifted back to her.
Ema.
If she were here, she'd probably have rolled her eyes at Suzuki's antics, but then burst into laughter at Benjiro's awkwardness.
She always had this way of blending in with everyone, making them feel at ease.
In another life, one where she hadn't shattered me, she might've been walking beside me right now, holding my hand.
I shook my head, forcing the thought away.
Evangeline's quiet presence pulled me back to reality.
She walked beside us, smiling faintly, but her eyes were distant, as if lost in another world.
I couldn't ignore it anymore.
"Come on," I said, reaching for her hand.
She blinked, startled. "W-What are you—?"
"You look like you need some fun," I said, pulling her gently toward one of the nearby rides.
It was a spinning teacup ride, simple but chaotic.
As we sat inside one of the oversized cups, I couldn't help but grin at the absurdity of it.
The operator gave us the go-ahead, and I spun the wheel in the center of our cup, making it whirl faster.
Evangeline let out a surprised laugh, holding onto the edge. "Fumihiro, stop! You're going to make me dizzy!"
"That's the point!" I said, laughing along with her.
In that moment, something shifted.
I wasn't the Fumihiro weighed down by memories or regrets.
I was just… alive.
We stumbled off the ride, both of us dizzy and laughing like kids.
Maybe I was just trying to help my self by helping Evangeline…
I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt like this.
We continued to hop from one ride to the next.
A few times, Kazuha and the others joined us, but I stuck close to Evangeline.
Seeing her smile, hearing her laugh… it became my focus.
For once, I wasn't thinking about Ema or the hole she'd left in my chest.
I was here, now, with someone who needed me.
As we stumbled off the spinning teacups, I caught a glimpse of Evangeline's face—her cheeks flushed, her eyes bright from laughing too hard.
For the first time tonight, she looked like she wasn't carrying the weight of the world.
"You okay there?" I teased, steadying her as she wobbled slightly.
"I… I think I need a moment," she said between giggles, pressing a hand to her forehead. "That was—wow—way more intense than I expected."
"Good! That means it's working," I said, with a warm smile. "But don't think you're off the hook yet. We're just getting started."
Her eyes widened in mock horror. "Oh no. What have I gotten myself into?"
I didn't give her a chance to back out.
Grabbing her hand again, I led her to a row of carnival games where Suzuki and Benjiro were already trying their luck.
"Fumihiro!" Suzuki called out, pointing toward a stall lined with oversized stuffed animals. "Think you can beat Benjiro at this one?"
The challenge was clear: a simple ring toss, but the prizes were enticing enough to make it feel like a high-stakes game.
"You're on," I said, stepping up to the counter".
Evangeline stood beside me, watching with a mix of curiosity and amusement as Benjiro and I squared off.
The first few tosses were rough—neither of us managed to get a single ring onto the bottles.
"Is this rigged?" Benjiro muttered, narrowing his eyes at the setup.
"Maybe you're just bad at it," I said, smirking.
"Talk after you win something," he shot back.
On my next toss, I managed to land a ring perfectly on one of the bottles.
The small crowd around us cheered, and Evangeline clapped her hands, laughing.
"You're actually good at this!" she said, her eyes sparkling.
I shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises."
The attendant handed me a small stuffed bunny as a prize.
Without a second thought, I turned to Evangeline and handed it to her.
"For you," I said casually.
Her expression softened, and for a moment, she looked genuinely touched.
"Thank you, Fumihiro. It's adorable." She said.
I saw Suzuki and Kazuha glaring at me.
I felt a big pression on my shoulders, that's why I won prizes for everyone.
I have two plushies to Kazuha and Suzuki, and a small bracelet to Benjiro.
Then, we all moved on to the next attraction, this time a massive Ferris wheel.
Kazuha and Suzuki eagerly paired up, while Benjiro decided to ride solo, leaving Evangeline and me to share a carriage.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but it looked like they were trying to give me some time with Evangeline.
They had probably noticed her discomfort.
But at the last moment Kazuha and Suzuki invited Benjiro.
He hesitated before accepting the offer , but I saw Kazuha whispering something to his ears.
Without any other question, the ride started.
As the Ferris wheel ascended, the view of the park sprawled out below us, a sea of colorful lights and bustling energy.
Evangeline leaned forward slightly, her face illuminated by the glow.
"It's beautiful," she murmured, her voice soft.
"It is," I agreed, though I found myself looking at her more than the view.
The ride slowed at the top, giving us a moment of stillness.
I glanced at her, noticing how relaxed she seemed now compared to earlier.
"You seem happier," I said quietly.
She turned to me, her smile faint but genuine. "I guess I am. Thanks to you."
Her words struck something deep inside me. I wasn't used to being the reason someone smiled—not lately, anyway.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn't haunted by thoughts of Ema.
In this moment, with Evangeline by my side, everything else faded away.
But i was probably being an egoist .
I was probably trying to help myself..
I didn't want anyone else beside me being sad.
When the Ferris wheel descended, Kazuha suggested we try the bumper cars next.
"Prepare to lose!" Suzuki declared as we climbed into separate cars.
"Bring it on," I shot back, the competitive streak in me flaring up.
The ride was chaos in the best way.
Kazuha kept shrieking as Benjiro relentlessly targeted her car, while Suzuki and I ended up in an all-out war, slamming into each other at every opportunity.
Evangeline, surprisingly, proved to be a silent assassin.
She managed to bump into me at the last second, just as the ride ended, earning herself a triumphant laugh.
"You've been holding back," I said, laughing as we stepped off the ride.
"Maybe I just wanted to surprise you," she replied, her voice teasing.
As the night wore on, we tried just about every ride we could fit in.
From the dizzying heights of the drop tower to the wild twists of the spinning swings, we didn't stop moving.
Evangeline stayed close by my side, her mood lifting with every laugh and smile.
At one point, we stopped to grab snacks—corn dogs, cotton candy, and sodas—and found a quiet corner to sit and catch our breath.
"I can't believe you made me go on that last one," Evangeline said, still catching her breath. "I thought I was going to pass out."
"You survived, didn't you?" I said, grinning. "Plus, you had fun. Admit it."
She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Maybe a little."
I leaned back, taking in the scene around us. Kazuha and Suzuki were huddled over a shared plate of nachos, laughing about something I couldn't hear.
Benjiro was off to the side, attempting to finish a ridiculously large pretzel.
Finally , I felt… content.
No weight, no pain—just the warmth of being surrounded by people who mattered.
As the night wore on, the group decided to wrap things up with dinner. Kazuha suggested an Italian restaurant nearby, and no one argued.
The place was cozy, with dim lighting and the smell of fresh-baked bread filling the air.
We found a table near the window, and everyone started poring over the menu, debating what to order.
But right when we were about to decide what to eat…
I saw something unimaginable.
I saw her.
My heart stopped.
Ema.
She was walking down the street outside, her steps slow, her gaze unfocused.
A man I didn't recognize walked beside her, his hand lightly resting on her arm.
But it wasn't the man that caught my attention.
It was her.
She looked… vacant.
Her eyes, once so bright and full of life, were dull, almost hollow.
More over… she was smiling.
She was smiling.
The sight of her sent a cold rush through me. All the joy I'd felt moments ago vanished, replaced by a sharp, suffocating ache.
What was she doing here?
And who was that guy?
I barely noticed Kazuha asking if I was okay.
The world around me blurred as I stared out the window, unable to look away from Ema.
She was right there, close enough to touch.
But the woman I saw wasn't the one I remembered.
And yet, my chest tightened, that familiar pain gripping me once more.
"Ema…" I whispered under my breath, too quiet for anyone to hear.
And just like that, the night that had been so perfect unraveled.
Even the others noticed her presence and…