The annual VF festival was magnificent, as always. Demos took place during the day; the most brilliant shows take place at night.
This year was not an exception. It was only the semi-finals, but the entire population of the still tender community came to watch.
Amidst the cheering and clapping of the finale, a young pilot managed to slip away. It's almost sundown. His father would not come to get him until much later anyways. He ran as far as he dared, and climbed up a grassy hill. From above, he watched the festive lights glimmer like fireflies, as if in a world far, far away.
The light wind tossed his blue hair as he sat down on the grass and gazed into the unending crimson sky, hoping to forget the ominous stress of the festival.
Tomorrow.
He will pilot that plane.
Against his best friend.
In the grand finale.
"Senpai?" a voice asked from behind, jerking him out of his thoughts. He spun his head around and found a girl. Who was she? A girl from his school, no doubt.
"Hi." He greeted her.
"I never thought I'd find you here." She timidly sat beside him, eager to be able to talk to him at last.
"I come here sometimes to think."
"Me too!" she replied, more exited than she intended. She hid her emotions with a question, "Was the airshow stressing you out?"
He nodded, thinking about Angelloni.
"I think senpai will do a great job!" she chirped. "I've always admired your piloting."
He couldn't help but to grin, "Do you really?"
"Yes, I heard senpai was accepted into competition at a very young age! You are only 15!"
He blushed. That was nothing really. He loved VFs. And his father always said he had a close affinity to the sky.
She smiled at him, and began humming.
Oboete imasu ka me to me ga atta toki wo
He sat up suddenly, looking at her intently. "You know that song?"
She stopped, "Yes, my mother sings it to me when I was young…. I never knew someone else would have heard of it."
"I have. My own mother hums it sometimes too."
She smiled, the setting sun playing yellow light on her green hair….or was that her natural color? He liked the color.
They sat together, in comfortable silence.
She looked at her watch, "Senpai, I have to go now, my parents would be looking for me."
He stopped her.
"Can you do me a favour?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Can you sing me that song as I fly tomorrow night?"
"Mmmhmm" She nodded again, eyes sparkling, as she turned to leave.
"Hey!" he called out again, with a hint of shyness this time.
"Yes?"
"What is your name?"
She smiled, bowing her head, heart beating faster, "Ranshe. What's yours?" even though she already knew.
"It's a pretty name….I'm….eh… Michel…yeah…"
"I…I'll see you in school then!" the green-haired girl darted away...in happiness?? Even she could not understand her own feelings.
She continued to hum.
Oboete imasu ka te to te ga fureatta toki
Sore wa hajimete no ai no tabidachi deshita
The image of his azure, long hair burned into her mind; the setting sun playing interesting colors of yellow and pink…..or was that his natural color all along?
It doesn't matter…its nice.
Tomorrow, she will sing.
I love you so.