The group walked through the festival together, awkwardly at first, but soon enough, things began to loosen up. Hana took the lead, excitedly pulling Ryo toward a shooting game stall.
"Let's play!" she said, grabbing one of the toy rifles. "I'm really good at this. Watch!"
She took aim and fired, knocking down three targets with impressive precision. Hana beamed, her competitive spirit shining through.
"See? Not bad, right?"
Ryo couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "That was pretty impressive."
"Let me try," Saki said, stepping forward with a playful smirk. She grabbed the rifle and knocked down five targets in quick succession, barely aiming before she fired.
Hana pouted. "You just had to one-up me, didn't you?"
Saki winked. "Gotta keep things interesting."
Mei watched quietly from the side, her expression as calm as ever, but Ryo noticed the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips. She wasn't much for games, but even she seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere.
Yuto, meanwhile, was snacking on festival food, clearly entertained by the dynamic between the girls.
"Alright, Ryo," Hana said, handing him the rifle. "Your turn!"
Ryo hesitated, not exactly confident in his shooting skills, but with all three girls watching him expectantly, he couldn't exactly back out now. He took the rifle, aimed at the closest target, and fired.
The shot went wide, completely missing the target.
"Uh…" Ryo scratched his head awkwardly. "Guess I'm not cut out for this."
Saki laughed, patting him on the back. "Don't worry, not everyone can be a sharpshooter."
Hana giggled. "At least you tried."
Mei, who had been standing quietly beside them, finally spoke up. "You don't have to be good at everything, Ryo."
Her words, though simple, made Ryo feel a little better. He wasn't sure why, but something about the way Mei said things always put him at ease.