[420] Being Together Openly
Chapter 420: Being Together Openly
Time passed quietly, and before we knew it, summer vacation was drawing to a close.
While we were busy enjoying ourselves every day, we didn't realize that vacation was slipping away, day by day.
When we finally came to our senses, we found that there was only one day left of summer vacation, and we still had a mountain of homework to do.
As the saying goes, with a pen, a lamp, one night, a miracle...
Frantically catching up on homework on the day before school starts is the correct way for a student to end their summer vacation.
Hachiman definitely wouldn't find himself in such a situation. For him now, summer homework and the like could be easily handled with a little bit of time.
But today was not just the last day of summer vacation; it was also a special day, the Summer Festival.
The Summer Festival is a traditional festival in Japan, typically held from mid-July to late August each year. The timing of the Summer Festival varies in different regions, with some lasting for several days and others being shorter.
This year, the Summer Festival in Chiba was scheduled for the last day of August, which was today.
During the Summer Festival, people dress in yukata or kimono and participate in the festive celebrations.
The local government also organizes a temple fair during this festival, with a variety of activities and shops.
For example, there are food stalls selling fried noodles, takoyaki, taiyaki, cotton candy, candy apples, and other snacks.
Moreover, there are many game booths, such as goldfish scooping, ring tossing, shooting galleries, and lottery draws, commonly seen in anime.
Of course, there are also various specialty goods for sale, such as wind chimes, folding fans, masks, and various amulets from shrines.
But the most important part of this temple fair is undoubtedly the fireworks display in the evening.
...
A few days ago, the girls had discussed going to the Summer Festival together, and of course, they wouldn't forget to invite Hachiman.
As time passed, it was already afternoon.
As the sun gradually set, the streets began to come alive.
Hachiman and Komachi had also changed into their yukata and were ready to go out to meet the girls.
Just as the siblings stepped out of their house, they saw Gabriel and others coming out of the opposite apartment building.
Because they were going to the Summer Festival, the four of them were also wearing yukata.
Seeing them, Komachi waved happily.
"Good evening, Gab-nee, Vigne-nee, Raphiel-nee, and Satania-nee!"
Seeing Hachiman and his sister, the four also greeted them.
"Umm."
"Good evening, Hachiman, Komachi."
"Good evening, Hachiman-kun, Komachi-chan."
"Haha, good evening to both of you."
...
Upon hearing the various greetings, Komachi smiled.
"Sisters, let's go to the festival together."
"Sure."
Gabriel and the others nodded without hesitation. Originally, they had planned to meet at the festival, so since they met now, they might as well go together.
The group grew in size even before they left. Hachiman and the others headed to the agreed-upon meeting point, the station.
Arriving at the station, they found that most of the girls were already there.
Yukino, Yui, Yumiko, Ebina, Saeko, Utaha, Shizuka, Kotonoha, and Kotonoha's little sister were all present.
A group of girls stood together, forming a picturesque scene with their vibrant yukatas.
Spotting Hachiman's arrival, Yui couldn't resist running over to him, softly complaining, "Hikki, you're so slow."
Beside her, Yumiko nodded in agreement, saying, "Yeah, we waited for you for so long."
"Sorry, sorry, changing clothes took a bit of time," Hachiman apologized with a smile, glancing at the gathered girls before suggesting, "Since everyone's here, let's go."
"Oh!!!"
Excited by Hachiman's suggestion, the girls cheered together and boarded the tram to the festival venue.
Due to the Summer Festival, the tram was crowded with people wearing yukatas, including couples and families with children.
Before long, the tram arrived at its destination, and everyone disembarked.
As night fell, the streets teemed with young women in yukatas, chatting and laughing.
However, what truly drew attention was Hachiman and the group of unique girls surrounding him, making it impossible for him to blend in.
Observing the girls flocking around Hachiman, many single men who came alone couldn't help but feel jealous.
"Darn it, is this what being popular looks like? I couldn't even find a date today, and he's here with so many girls by himself."
"Yeah, it's unfair. How can there be such a big gap between people?"
"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm holding a torch and gasoline?"
"Jealousy makes me want to split atoms."
...
Ignoring the resentment from the surrounding men, Hachiman pretended not to notice anything. After all, being popular meant having to deal with others' envy.
Disregarding the onlookers' thoughts, Hachiman smiled at the girls and suggested, "Alright, let's go and meet up with Erina and the others."
"Yeah," the girls agreed with nods.
And so, the group embarked once more, their spirits high.
When it came to the Summer Festival, the main attraction was undoubtedly the grand finale fireworks display, where thousands of fireworks illuminated the sky simultaneously, creating a breathtaking and magnificent scene.
However, due to the festival's popularity, it was often challenging to secure a good viewing spot.
But that was only a concern for ordinary attendees. Wealthier individuals would often pre-book premium viewing areas for a better vantage point.
Erina was no exception; she and Alice had already reserved a spot in the exclusive paid viewing area.
Led by Hachiman, the group arrived at the most exclusive viewing area, where Erina and Alice had been waiting for some time.
Upon seeing Hachiman approaching, Erina's face initially lit up with joy, but soon turned to reproach.
"Jeez, you're so slow, aren't you?"
Erina was also clad in a yukata for the occasion. Her golden yukata, adorned with purple flower petals, exuded an air of aristocratic elegance that even the oversized garment couldn't conceal her delicate figure.
Smiling at the yukata-clad girl, Hachiman chuckled, "Haha, sorry about that. We have quite a large group, so we're a bit slower."
"Hmph, alright, I'll let it slide this time," Erina huffed, then acknowledged the others beside Hachiman.
"Saeko-nee, you're here."
Saeko and the others also greeted the girls.
In contrast to Erina's reproach, Alice was more forthright. Spotting Hachiman, she rushed over with a smile.
"Good evening, Hachiman-kun! How does my yukata look? It's my first time wearing one."
As if to showcase it, she twirled around in front of Hachiman.
Having previously lived in Northern Europe, it was indeed Alice's inaugural experience at the Summer Festival, making wearing a yukata a completely novel experience for her.
The white yukata complemented Alice's snow-white skin, giving her a dazzling appearance.
"It suits you well, Alice," Hachiman praised.
Hearing Hachiman's compliment, Alice giggled foolishly.
In her heart, his praise made all the effort she had put into wearing the yukata seem insignificant.
Another thing that made Alice happy was when her aunt, Mana Nakiri, whom Hachiman helped, and then her grandfather called her to his office and asked her to interact more with Hachiman in the future.
This news thrilled her beyond measure. With her grandfather's words, it meant that she would have the opportunity to openly be with Hachiman in the future, without the need for secrecy.
How could Alice not be happy about that?
...
Typically, the fireworks display would start around nine o'clock in the evening.
Before that, it was the much-awaited "eat, drink, and play" segment.
There were all sorts of food stalls, toy shops, and game booths to choose from.
Looking at the large group of girls around him, Hachiman smiled, "Since there's still some time before the fireworks display, let's not just wait around here. Let's go explore."
"Today, whatever you girls want to buy or eat, I'll cover it all."