The heat of summer was in full swing, and the days stretched long with the promise of freedom. School was out, and both Kazuki and Shizuka were reveling in the chance to relax, even if Kazuki hadn't quite figured out how to spend his time without feeling restless. After all, having a summer break meant there was plenty of time for activities—activities with Shizuka, of course.
Kazuki had invited her over to his place, where they were planning to spend the afternoon together. It was a rare day when Aoi wasn't around, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to hang out without any interruptions. Kazuki, in his usual way, had planned to do absolutely nothing and let things unfold as they would. But of course, Shizuka had other ideas.
It wasn't long after she arrived that she took charge, as usual.
"Alright, Kazuki," Shizuka said, walking into his living room, "I've decided we're going to do something fun today."
Kazuki blinked at her, clearly surprised. "What? Like... what do you mean by 'fun'? I thought we were just going to chill."
Shizuka gave him a pointed look. "Chilling is fine, but it's summer. We're going to the amusement park!"
Kazuki raised an eyebrow, his mind quickly running through the consequences. He liked the idea of spending time with Shizuka, but amusement parks? He wasn't exactly a fan of long lines or screaming roller coasters. But her enthusiasm was infectious, and before he could protest, she grabbed his hand and started pulling him toward the door.
"Come on! The tickets are already bought. We're going whether you like it or not."
---
An hour later, they found themselves standing at the gates of the park, with the sun beating down relentlessly. Kazuki glanced at the towering roller coasters, the flashing lights of carnival games, and the sea of people milling about. He swallowed nervously, adjusting the collar of his shirt.
"I didn't think you were this into theme parks," Kazuki admitted, glancing sideways at Shizuka, who was practically bouncing with excitement.
"I'm not, usually," she confessed, "but I figured you needed a little fun today. Plus, I wanted to see you scream on a roller coaster. I think it'd be adorable."
Kazuki's face flushed slightly. "I'm not screaming," he muttered under his breath. "That's not gonna happen."
Shizuka grinned. "We'll see about that."
They spent the next few hours weaving through the park, trying their hands at games, eating ice cream, and riding the most ridiculous attractions. Kazuki had to admit, despite his initial reluctance, he was having a great time. Shizuka's laughter was contagious, and her wide grin as she dragged him through the park made it impossible for him to stay in a bad mood.
"Alright, Kazuki, this is it," Shizuka declared dramatically as they stood before the largest roller coaster. It was a towering, looping monstrosity, with people screaming from the cars as they rocketed through the air. "This is the ride that will make your summer complete. You can't back out now!"
Kazuki took one look at the roller coaster and immediately regretted not making a stronger case for staying home. "I really don't think I'm cut out for this," he said, his voice shaking just a little. "What if I... I don't know... scream like a little kid?"
Shizuka's grin widened even more. "Exactly. That's the fun part!"
Before he could protest, Shizuka had already dragged him into the line. Kazuki was stuck now. There was no backing out. He tried to calm his nerves, but it wasn't working.
They finally climbed into the ride, and Kazuki felt his stomach flip as the roller coaster clicked up to the highest point. His palms were sweaty, and his breath was shallow. He stole a glance at Shizuka, who was practically glowing with excitement, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
"Ready?" she asked with a mischievous smile.
Kazuki swallowed hard, trying not to show his fear. "Yeah... sure."
The moment the roller coaster dropped, all Kazuki could do was hold onto the seat and scream. The wind whipped past his face, and his heart felt like it was trying to escape his chest. He didn't care that Shizuka was laughing at him from beside him—he was too busy holding on for dear life.
When the ride finally came to a stop, Kazuki's face was pale, his hair windswept. He stumbled out of the seat, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
"Okay, that was… definitely not what I expected," he muttered, trying to collect himself. He glanced at Shizuka, who was laughing so hard she could barely stand.
"See? That wasn't so bad," Shizuka teased, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "You screamed like a total chicken, though. It was adorable."
Kazuki shot her a mock glare, though he couldn't help but smile. "I'll get you back for that," he said, his voice playful.
---
They spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through the park, with Kazuki trying his best to redeem his pride after the roller coaster incident. They tried more games, rode more ridiculous attractions, and ended up with matching stuffed animals—a bunny and a bear—that they'd won from the claw machines.
By the time the sun began to set, they were both tired, laughing, and covered in various souvenirs from the day. Kazuki looked over at Shizuka, her face flushed from the heat and fun of the day. She was smiling contentedly, her hand brushing against his as they walked.
"Thanks for today, Kazuki," she said softly. "I had a lot of fun."
Kazuki glanced down at their hands, his heart warming at the sight of her genuine smile. "Yeah, me too. I guess… I guess I needed a little bit of chaos to break up the summer."
Shizuka looked up at him, her eyes softening. "Well, I'm always happy to bring a little chaos into your life," she said with a wink.
Kazuki chuckled, feeling an odd warmth in his chest. "Yeah, well, it's chaos with you, so I don't mind it."
As they made their way toward the park's exit, Kazuki couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected moments of joy that came with spending time with Shizuka. Whether it was a crazy roller coaster ride or just walking hand-in-hand, the summer felt perfect—chaos and all.