Fireworks Showtime

"We're just chatting."

After a moment of hesitation, Chika responded.

Besides, it wasn't essential to chat here, and it wasn't a big deal to let her know.

"What are you talking about? Can I join?"

Hayasaka worked hard to maintain her school image as an energetic, sexy girl.

As Ren was about to answer, Chika responded in front of him, blocking his words.

Actually, we didn't talk much. We were just discussing what we would do next weekend.

She didn't mention that she was asking about Ren's weekend date experiences but chose a very vague topic to avoid catching Hayasaka's attention.

Finally finding a potential ally willing to entrust her with romantic affairs, she didn't want to be snatched away by Hayasaka.

"Oh? Did you do anything interesting this weekend?" Hayasaka pretended to be very interested and continued asking.

"No, it was just a regular weekend."

Chika didn't do anything special over the weekend. She had studied hard to earn some pocket money... oh, no, she was studying for the final exams.

"So that's it."

Regardless of what she said, Hayasaka doubted Chika.

If Ren or someone else answered like this, she would think there was nothing wrong with it, and it made perfect sense.

However, from Chika's past responses, she answered her questions honestly, without overthinking, and she hadn't even answered the most fundamental question yet.

How could she avoid suspicion?

And Hayasaka also paid attention to the details Chika mentioned before Ren answered what he was talking about.

Clearly, Chika was hiding something.

However, it wasn't easy to understand what they were talking about.

After all, Chika was wary of her.

"By the way, have you ever heard of a fireworks show?"

After thinking about it, Hayasaka took the initiative to change the topic.

"What's up?" Ren asked quickly.

Realizing that he seemed very interested in the fireworks show, Hayasaka didn't rush to answer but instead pressed the button on the matcha soda Ren was holding.

She hadn't tried the drink she was having, and now was the perfect time to do so.

"Are we having a fireworks show here?" Chika was slightly surprised.

This was the first time she had heard about a fireworks show.

"Do you know, Fujiwara-san? Besides the final exams, the only topic in our school right now is the fireworks show and summer vacation." Hayasaka said.

Shuchi'in Academy was a prestigious school with a deviation value of 71. Students paid great attention to their grades. Now was the critical time for final exams, and most students were in a hurry to review, having less time for chatting.

In this tense atmosphere, the conversation topics naturally became very rare.

This also made her job of gathering intelligence much more challenging.

"No one told me..."

Chika tried hard to recall her recent school life, but indeed, no one had ever informed her about the fireworks show.

Ren looked at Chika, feeling a bit sympathetic.

He had been invited to the fireworks show a long time ago, and he was really different from her.

In other words, he was the same as most of his classmates.

"Wait a minute, you're not allowed to look at me like that."

Sensing her "offended" appearance, Chika said somewhat displeased.

She felt like he was making fun of her.

Wasn't it just that no one had ever talked to her about the fireworks show?

What's the big deal? She didn't care at all!

"Not at all!"

Ren averted his gaze and continued to focus on Hayasaka.

What she had just said about the fireworks show hadn't been revealed yet.

"What's happening with the fireworks show? Is it canceled?"

Chika made a wicked guess due to her own dissatisfaction.

"No, we're just adjusting the timing." Hayasaka revealed the news she had just learned. "The fireworks show has been promoted for a long time; how can it be canceled just like that?"

"When?"

Ren cared a lot about this.

This was crucial for whether Gabriel could go to the fireworks party with him.

"On August 25th, the fireworks will be lit at exactly 8:30."

Hayasaka remembered that the other party was very concerned about the fireworks show.

Ren fell silent, and this time it wasn't so good.

Gabriel wouldn't be back until the 31st.

"I'll still be abroad at that time, so I can't make it! Can't this fireworks show be postponed for a few days?"

After learning the specific time, Chika's dissatisfaction increased.

"Fujiwara-san, please stop joking. The fireworks show can't be postponed just like that. The publicity cost is very high." Hayasaka said hurriedly. "Everyone knows it will be held on the 25th, and it would be very troublesome to change it in such a short time."

"I don't have that weird idea."

Chika felt she couldn't do something like that.

"..."

After hearing this, Ren had no choice but to abandon the idea of using superpowers to forcibly postpone the fireworks show.

For him, postponing the fireworks show was an easy thing.

Excluding methods that violated privacy by directly changing others' common sense, the only method left was to change the weather and bring rain from the 25th to the 30th.

As a result, the originally scheduled fireworks show on the 25th couldn't take place and could only be postponed until the 31st.

Therefore, he only needed to pay the price of not being able to go out and wander for five days, which could be considered almost nothing.

But he didn't know the impact on others.

This might cause a lot of problems.

Moreover, the timing on the 31st was too deliberate. Gabriel happened to return at that time, and it was easy to think about it based on weather and timing.

Especially yesterday, he had just changed the weather in front of Gabriel.

He didn't want to reveal that he was an Esper.

That was the key.

"I'll be going."

After drinking the matcha soda in his hand, Ren said goodbye.

He wanted to inform Gabriel about the fireworks show timing and ask for his opinion.

"Goodbye."

Hayasaka opened the newly bought matcha soda and sipped it.

"A strange smell."

Seeing the matcha soda in her hand, she felt like she had been fooled.