The school festival had arrived, and the entire school was buzzing with excitement. Students ran around preparing booths, decorating classrooms, and setting up food stalls, the air thick with the sound of chatter and laughter. It was one of the most anticipated events of the year, and Kaito was determined to make it one for the books—especially since this was Hana's last school festival.
"Alright," Kaito said, adjusting the straps of his backpack and looking over at Hana, who stood beside him, looking slightly overwhelmed by the chaos around them. "This is it. We're going to make this the best day ever!"
Hana gave him a dubious look. "You say that every day, Kaito."
"Yeah, but this time, I'm serious." Kaito grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "We're going to check off the festival bucket list, and you're going to have fun. I'm even willing to make sure there's minimal chaos involved."
Hana raised an eyebrow. "Minimal chaos? That's your idea of serious?"
Kaito shrugged with a smirk. "Hey, I'm improving. Anyway, first stop—food stalls!"
The Stalls
The aroma of fried food, candy apples, and grilled meats wafted through the air as they wandered through the makeshift booths. Kaito, being Kaito, couldn't resist the lure of the food stalls. He immediately grabbed a takoyaki skewer, devouring it in a matter of seconds.
"Seriously?" Hana asked, watching him in mild disbelief. "You were just talking about minimal chaos, and now you're going to gorge yourself on food?"
"Hey, a guy's got to eat," Kaito said, licking his fingers with a grin. "You should try some! You won't regret it."
Hana hesitated, but with a glance at his hopeful face, she gave in. "Fine, I'll try it."
She took a small bite, and to her surprise, it was delicious. She almost smiled, but quickly stopped herself, trying not to get too comfortable with the idea of enjoying the festival. After all, it was one of the last things she'd experience before she left.
"This is actually good," Hana admitted, taking another bite.
Kaito's grin widened. "See? Told you! Now you're one of us."
As they moved on to the next stall, Hana couldn't help but notice how relaxed Kaito was today, how effortlessly he made everything fun. He was always like this—bouncing from one thing to another, dragging her along with him, making her laugh even when she didn't want to. She wondered for a moment if he realized how much she appreciated it.
"So," Kaito said as they made their way to the next stall, "I heard there's a haunted house. Are you brave enough to go in?"
Hana looked up at him, intrigued. "Haunted house?"
"Yeah," Kaito said with a wicked grin, "It's rumored to be full of creepy surprises."
Hana raised an eyebrow. "You're not trying to get me scared on purpose, are you?"
"Of course not," Kaito said, though his grin clearly said otherwise. "I just think it would be hilarious to see you scream."
"You're impossible," Hana muttered, rolling her eyes, but there was no denying the slight warmth in her chest. He made her feel like she was part of something bigger, something exciting.
The Haunted House
The haunted house was set up in one of the classrooms, its doors dark and foreboding. As they stepped inside, a chill swept over them, and the flickering lights gave the entire place a ghostly atmosphere.
Kaito, who was practically buzzing with excitement, nudged Hana forward. "Ladies first," he said, his voice mocking but with an edge of something else—something that made Hana's pulse quicken slightly.
Hana frowned at him. "You're not scared?"
"Scared?" Kaito laughed. "I'm the one who's going to make sure you get scared."
Hana looked at him for a long moment before taking a step forward. "Alright then, let's go."
As they walked deeper into the darkened room, eerie sounds echoed around them. The stench of fake fog filled the air, and at every corner, some mechanical creature seemed to jump out at them, causing Hana to flinch.
But it was Kaito's laughter that kept her grounded. It wasn't cruel; it was lighthearted, and despite the scares, Hana found herself smiling—laughing along with him.
"Not scared yet?" Kaito teased. "You're tough, Hana."
"I'm just trying not to trip over my own feet," she retorted, but she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips.
At one point, a figure in a white sheet jumped out, and Hana let out a squeak, stumbling backward. To her surprise, Kaito caught her instantly, pulling her into his chest with a laugh.
"See?" Kaito grinned down at her, his arms still around her. "You are scared."
Hana, slightly flustered, pushed herself out of his grip, though she couldn't suppress a shy smile. "I wasn't scared. I was just surprised."
"Sure," Kaito teased, but his voice softened. "You know, you're actually kind of cute when you're flustered."
Hana's breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, everything seemed to stop. Kaito was still grinning, but there was a certain look in his eyes—a hint of something more serious, more tender.
She looked away quickly, trying to ignore the warmth spreading across her face. "You're impossible," she muttered again, though her voice was quieter this time.
Kaito didn't push her, but his grin softened as he moved ahead. "We're almost through. Let's get out of here before I get scared by your punches."
The Ferris Wheel
Later that afternoon, after they had finally escaped the chaos of the haunted house and enjoyed the rest of the festival, Kaito pulled Hana toward the Ferris wheel. The colorful lights of the ride illuminated the evening sky as the crowd buzzed with excitement around them.
"I think we should end the day on a high note," Kaito said, his voice unusually soft. "Ferris wheel time."
Hana raised an eyebrow. "The Ferris wheel? Really?"
"Yeah, come on." Kaito gave her a playful nudge. "We can't leave the festival without a nice, slow ride. It's tradition."
Hana couldn't help but laugh. "If you say so."
They climbed into one of the Ferris wheel cars, and the ride slowly began to ascend. As they reached the top, Hana felt the wind gently brushing her face, the lights of the festival below them flickering like stars.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. The quiet was peaceful, but it was a peaceful that felt... strange. Hana could feel Kaito's presence beside her, close but not overwhelming. There was something unspoken in the air, a tension that neither of them seemed to want to address, but it was there.
As they reached the top of the ride, Kaito finally spoke. "You know, I'm glad you came with me today."
Hana turned to him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. "Why?"
"Because," Kaito said, his gaze focused on the view in front of them, "you've made these past days a lot more fun. I know I've been a pain, but... well, it's been worth it."
Hana didn't know how to respond, but the fluttering in her chest made her feel something she hadn't expected. She didn't want to admit it, not yet, but there was a part of her that was beginning to realize just how much Kaito had come to mean to her.
"I'm glad too," she said quietly, her voice soft.
Kaito smiled at her, a warmth in his eyes. "We've still got a few days left," he said with a wink. "Let's make them count."
And as the Ferris wheel slowly descended, Hana couldn't help but feel that, maybe—just maybe—Kaito was right.