Chapter 13 – End of the Festival
[Miya-]
The vibrant energy of the festival was beginning to settle as the night grew deeper. The lanterns still flickered above us, casting a warm glow over the streets, but the lively chatter and laughter had started to thin as people made their way home.
I glanced at Miku, who was clutching her stomach with a slightly pale expression. "Miku-chan, are you okay?"
She forced a weak smile. "I think… I ate too much festival food."
Hayato sighed, ruffling her hair. "Didn't I warn you not to eat so many sweets? You had way too much cotton candy, dango, and that extra serving of takoyaki."
Miku pouted. "But everything looked so good…"
I smiled gently. "Do you want to sit down for a while?"
She shook her head quickly. "No, no! I think it's best if Hayato-nii takes me home."
Hayato gave me a knowing look before sighing. "Guess that means we're heading out early. Miya, you'll be okay from here?"
I nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about me."
Miku suddenly brightened a little, despite her discomfort. "Suzuka-Oneesan, let's go to another festival together next time! I promise I won't eat too much!"
I chuckled. "I'd like that."
Kei remained quiet beside me, his hands casually shoved into his pockets. He exchanged a brief glance with Hayato, something unreadable passing between them. Hayato hesitated for a second, then exhaled. "Well, enjoy the rest of the festival, you two."
With that, he placed a hand on Miku's back, guiding her through the thinning crowd.
I watched them go, a strange mix of emotions stirring inside me. The night had been lively, full of nostalgic moments and quiet tensions I couldn't fully understand yet.
Now, it was just Kei and me.
---
We walked in silence for a while, the distant crackle of fireworks preparations filling the air.
Then, Kei spoke. "I need to pick up something for Hajun."
I blinked up at him. "A souvenir?"
He nodded. "He asked for something from the festival. Said it'd be a waste if I came back empty-handed."
I smiled softly. "That sounds like Hajun."
We strolled through the remaining stalls, the scent of grilled food and sweet treats lingering in the air. Kei stopped at a small souvenir stand, his gaze scanning the items.
After a moment, he picked up a simple but well-crafted keychain with a miniature festival lantern design.
"This should be fine," he muttered, paying the vendor without hesitation.
I tilted my head. "You sure he'll like it?"
Kei scoffed. "He'll complain no matter what I bring back, so it doesn't matter."
I giggled at that, imagining Hajun dramatically criticizing the keychain before secretly attaching it to his bag.
With the souvenir taken care of, we resumed walking. The sky had darkened further, and I realized people were starting to gather near the riverbank for the fireworks display.
Kei glanced at me. "Want to watch?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
We made our way toward a quieter area near the water, where the glow of the lanterns reflected softly against the surface.
Then, without thinking, I reached for his hand.
And to my surprise—
He didn't pull away.
His fingers curled around mine, warm and steady.
We didn't speak.
Didn't need to.
The first firework shot into the sky, exploding in a cascade of shimmering gold. I felt its distant rumble in my chest, the light dancing in Kei's eyes as he silently watched.
For a moment, I wanted to ask him—
*What are we?*
But instead, I tightened my grip around his hand, letting the warmth between us speak louder than words.
Even if I didn't have the answer yet—
Right now, this was enough.
[-Kei-]
The fireworks crackled overhead, illuminating the night sky in bursts of gold and crimson. The reflections shimmered on the river's surface, rippling slightly with the evening breeze.
But I wasn't looking at the fireworks.
My gaze rested on Miya.
Her eyes flickered with quiet wonder as she watched the display, her lips parted slightly, caught somewhere between a soft smile and distant thought.
Her hand was still in mine.
I could feel the delicate press of her fingers against my palm, hesitant but not pulling away.
The moment stretched, quiet yet heavy.
I should let go.
I knew that.
But I didn't.
Because for once—just for tonight—I wanted to hold on a little longer.
Miya turned her head slightly, catching me staring.
"…What?"
I looked away, pretending to be uninterested. "Nothing."
She raised an eyebrow, but didn't press further. Instead, she squeezed my hand lightly. A silent reassurance.
The distant echo of another firework filled the space between us.
After a while, Miya exhaled, her breath misting faintly in the cool night air. "Tonight was fun."
I hummed in response.
She glanced down at our hands. "I didn't think you were the type to enjoy festivals."
"I'm not," I admitted. "Too loud. Too crowded."
Miya smiled, tilting her head. "And yet, you came."
"…You forced me?." I said Jokingly
She laughed softly, but her expression soon turned thoughtful. "Still… I'm glad you did."
The words were simple, but something about them made my chest tighten.
I didn't reply.
Instead, I looked back up at the sky, watching as another firework bloomed into a quiet storm of blue and silver.
The night was ending.
I'm conflicted if I should let go of her hands but,
I tightened my grip her hand are warm and comfortable
And Miya—
She just let me (savor this warm in my hand/heart)
The festival lights dimmed behind us as we made our way to the bus stop. The streets were quieter now, the lingering traces of the night's energy slowly fading into the calm hum of the city.
Yet, in the midst of all that stillness—
Miya's hand was still in mine.
Neither of us spoke about it.
Neither of us let go.
The warmth of her palm felt strangely natural, as if it had always belonged there. I could feel the light pressure of her fingers, the way they curled just enough to hold on, but not enough to demand anything.
It was… comfortable.
As we stepped onto the bus, I let her board first. The interior was mostly empty, save for a few scattered passengers. The faint hum of the engine filled the silence as we found our seats toward the back.
She sat by the window. I sat beside her.
Still holding her hand.
Miya didn't say anything about it. She simply leaned her head against the cool glass, watching the city lights blur past. The gentle motion of the bus and the distant echoes of the festival made the moment feel dreamlike, suspended in time.
At some point, she let out a quiet sigh, shifting slightly in her seat. "Ke- hm Kizaki-kun."
"…What?"
She turned her head slightly, her gaze soft but unreadable. "Nothing. Just making sure you're still here."
I scoffed lightly. "Where else would I be?"
She hummed in response, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
A comfortable silence settled between us again.
I watched as Miya's eyelids grew heavier, her body gradually relaxing. The exhaustion from the long night was catching up to her. Eventually, her head tilted slightly, resting against my shoulder.
I didn't move.
Instead, I let my gaze drop to our intertwined hands, my thumb absentmindedly brushing against the side of hers.
The warmth lingered.
Unspoken. Unquestioned.
By the time the bus arrived at our stop, Miya stirred beside me, lifting her head with a small yawn. I waited for her to move, to pull her hand away now that we were back to reality.
But she didn't.
Even as we stepped off the bus.
Even as we walked through the quiet streets leading back to our apartment complex.
Even as we reached the entrance, the familiar glow of the lobby lights casting a warm hue over us.
Her fingers remained laced with mine.
It wasn't until we reached our doors—our respective apartments side by side—that she finally spoke.
"KKei-kun."
I turned to her, our hands still connected between us.
"*What she called my nickname? should I also start calling Her Miya?*"
"YYes Miya?" I stuttered
She hesitated for a moment, then glanced toward her door. "Do you… want to come in?"
I raised an eyebrow.
Miya cleared her throat, shifting slightly. "I mean, just for a bit. To cool down. I have some cold drinks."
I studied her for a moment. She wasn't looking directly at me, but the soft pink dusting her cheeks was noticeable even under the dim hallway lights.
I should say no.
I should let go of her hand now, say goodnight, and step into my own apartment.
But instead—
I exhaled. "Fine."
Miya blinked, as if she hadn't expected me to agree so easily. Then, with a small nod, she unlocked her door, pulling me inside.
[-Miya-]
The fireworks bloomed in the night sky, their colors reflecting in Kei's eyes—deep, intense, unreadable. I should have been looking up, watching the golden streaks fade into the darkness, but instead, I found myself watching him.
It was strange.
The way my heart raced. The way my fingers curled slightly tighter around his.
I don't know when we started holding hands.
I don't know why neither of us let go.
I could feel the warmth of his palm against mine, the quiet strength in his grip. It wasn't possessive. It wasn't forced. It was simply there. Steady. Unwavering.
The fireworks continued to burst overhead, filling the silence between us with color and light. But the only thing I could focus on was the way my heart refused to settle.
I wanted to ask.
I wanted to turn to him, to meet his gaze fully and ask the question that had been lingering in my mind all night.
**What are we now?**
The thought alone sent a wave of nervousness through me. My grip on his hand twitched slightly, but Kei didn't react.
Were we still just friends?
Or had we already crossed a line neither of us wanted to acknowledge?
The night stretched on, but the feeling in my chest remained.
Even as the fireworks faded, even as the festival came to an end, even as we slowly made our way to the bus stop—**we still hadn't let go.**
The city lights blurred past us as we sat side by side on the bus, our hands still connected. The warmth of his palm grounded me, but at the same time, it left me unsettled.
Because I wanted more.
I wanted to ask him if he felt the same suffocating uncertainty I did.
I wanted to know if his heart raced just as fast as mine.
I wanted to hear him say something—**anything**—that could give me an answer.
But I couldn't.
I couldn't bring myself to ask.
Instead, I rested my head against the window, pretending to be lost in the city lights, when in reality, the only thing I was lost in was Kei.
I could feel his presence beside me, solid and real. I could still feel his warmth. The rhythmic motion of the bus made the silence between us more pronounced, filled only by the occasional hum of the engine and the distant echoes of festival laughter outside.
Would things change once we got home?
Would we finally let go?
I didn't know.
And a part of me was afraid to find out.
When the bus finally arrived at our stop, Kei gave my hand a small squeeze—so subtle I almost thought I imagined it.
But I didn't.
Even as we walked the familiar path back to our apartment complex, neither of us mentioned it.
Neither of us let go.
The hallway was dimly lit when we arrived at our doors. I stopped in front of mine, my fingers tightening slightly around his before I forced myself to let go.
I should say goodnight.
I should step inside, close the door, and pretend I didn't feel any of this.
But instead—
"KKei-kun."
He turned to me, his expression calm as always, but there was something else in his eyes—something I couldn't read.
"YYes Miya?" He stuttered
I hesitated.
I wanted to ask.
I wanted to say, *What are we?*
But instead, I swallowed my hesitation and forced a small smile.
"…Do you want to come in?"
His brows raised slightly.
I cleared my throat, feeling my face heat up. "I mean—just for a bit. To cool down. I have cold drinks."
Silence.
A part of me expected him to refuse. To step back, nod, and say, *Goodnight, Miya.*
But instead—
"…Fine."
My breath caught slightly.
He agreed.
I didn't know what that meant.
But as I unlocked the door, letting him step inside, one thing became clear—
**I still didn't have an answer.**
And I was too afraid to ask.