Cotton Candy
'I wish you would say my name like that everytime.'
'Come on, young man! Spare me already!' cried the balding man tending the shooting stall. He watched in horror as Bossun hit another prize, a huge teddy bear this time, off the now almost empty shelves.
'Alright, alright, I'm done,' Bossun said reassuringly, lowering the gun in his hand. And then he added with a smirk, 'After this one last shot!'
Swiftly, he took aim and shot at a huge, ugly wooden toad with its mouth opened in mid-croak.
'Ahhhhh!' the man cried, pulling what little hair left on his balding head in frustration.
Himeko burst out laughing as she slapped Bossun playfully on the back.
'Leave the poor man alone, Bossun,' she said in between laughter. 'I don't want that ugly toad, anyway.'
Bossun tossed the wooden toad to Himeko without warning but he avoided being yelled at by her when she managed to catch it without a problem. As expected of the former onihime.
'But I'm having fun! It's been years since I last came to a summer festival,' Bossun said sulkily like a five-year-old as he watched Himeko handed the wooden toad, the huge teddy bear along with the other prizes he had won back to the balding man.
Really, he was excited when Switch suggested that the three of them go to the summer festival tonight. He didn't realize how much he missed this sort of thing until he was here trying everything at every stall. Heck, he even wore a yukata, that was how excited he was. He had never wanted to wear a yukata to a festival before.
Bossun smiled to himself, quietly glancing at Himeko who was clearly enjoying herself. She looked beautiful tonight in that soft blue yukata she was wearing, the kanzashi she used to put up her hair in a bun tinkling as she tilted her head backwards, laughing at some joke the balding man was telling.
Looking at her like this, he was reminded of the last time they went to the summer festival together; when she broke one of her getas and he had simply fixed it with a coin.
That felt like ages ago.
'I didn't think you'd be back, boy. Thought you were gone for good. It's been six years since we were spared from the Storm of the Festivals,' the balding man's ruff voice snapped Bossun out of his train of thoughts.
'Aww, come on, man. Don't say it like I'm a terrible curse!' Bossun protested but he couldn't help grinning like a kid at the mention of his nickname. He had forgotten that the people at the festival stalls used to refer to him as that. Also, it sounded kind of cool, Storm of the Festivals.
'So you young ones are still together, I see?' the man asked as he replaced and rearranged the returned prizes on the shelves.
Himeko stopped eating the black bean paste imagawayaki Bossun had bought her earlier, turning to the man with a puzzled look on her face.
'Eh? What do you mean?'
'The Storm of the Festivals would always sweep through the stalls with the blonde oni by his side,' the man said, throwing a glance in Himeko's way, 'though it looks like the oni's hair has returned to black now.'
'Why am I an oni?!' Himeko cried in protest.
'Because you are one,' Bossun said without missing a beat.
The man spoke before Himeko could smack Bossun.
'There was also the other kid who talks with the machine thing. What happened to him? You kids ditched him?'
'Can't you think better of us?' Himeko huffed. 'There's no way we'd ditch Switch. We're still friends, you know,' she said, biting into her imagawayaki. 'He's here somewhere, I think. He was with us an hour ago and then he was gone. He's the one who ditched us.'
'Has good sense, that kid,' the balding man winked at Bossun. 'Knows when to leave you two lovebirds alone.'
Himeko started to turn red at the man's words.
'So when's the wedding?' he asked eagerly.
Bossun and Himeko both groaned at the same time.
.o.o.o.
'Why does everyone keep asking that?' Bossun cried in frustration as he and Himeko took a stroll along the river bank away from the festival and the stalls to find a quieter place where they could enjoy the fireworks later.
'Beats me. Do we look like we're getting married soon? I mean, we're still young. There's no need to rush, right?' Himeko said in agreement, stumbling every now and then as she continued to walk in her usual stride, forgetting that she was wearing a restricting yukata.
'Yeah,' Bossun said, nodding with his hands interlocked behind his head, his eyes taking in the night sky as he walked.
The stars were brilliant tonight. It reminded him of the sky the night he decided to come home four months ago. Boy, was he glad he made that decision. Things wouldn't have turned out the way it was right now if he hadn't wanted to come home that night.
'Ah!'
Bossun stopped in his tracks at Himeko's yelp, turning around immediately only to find her no longer walking alongside him. Not far behind, Himeko was bent over something on the pavement, holding her foot.
'Himeko, what's wrong?' he asked as he quickly went back to her in a couple of big strides.
'My geta broke!' she cried with a disappointed look on her face.
'What?'
This feels like a dejavu.
'Aren't those new?' Bossun asked. He squinted at the getas. Didn't look like it.
'No. I bought these three or four years ago,' Himeko said with a sigh. 'Man this sucks! I should have bought a pair of new getas. These poor oldies couldn't be bothered to grace my pretty feet tonight.'
'They would've been just fine if your feet weren't so big.'
'What did you just say?' Himeko said menacingly.
But Bossun only extended his hand to her and she gave him the broken geta. She watched him examined it for a while before he handed it back to her with an apologetic look on his face.
'Sorry, Himeko. Looks like I can't fix that for you this time.'
'Seriously? Aw, man…' she sighed. 'I guess there's nothing I can do, then. Oh well. I can just walk barefoot.'
Himeko sighed again, taking off her other geta and started to walk barefoot along the pavement, ignoring the strange look people around were giving her.
'Himeko,' Bossun called out to her tersely as he stood there watching her taking small steps away from him.
'What is it?' she asked without stopping or turning around to look at him.
'Himeko. Stop.'
She finally stopped walking and looked at Bossun straight in the face when she heard the serious note in his voice.
'Huh?'
'People are throwing me disgusted looks now. You're making me look bad!' Bossun said, frantically looking around as if afraid people were going to start accusing him of girlfriend abuse.
'What? Who the hell cares?! I'm the one who has to walk barefoot!'
When he saw Himeko starting to walk away again Bossun quickly closed the gap between them and after almost stumbling face first onto the pavement, he crouched in front of her.
'Come on, get on my back. I'll give you a piggy ride,' he said over his shoulder to the astounded Himeko, eagerly gesturing with his hands for her to get onto his back.
'What? No! I'm wearing a damn yukata, Bossun! How do you expect me to cling like a monkey on your back with this on? I can barely walk in this!'
'Man you're so damn noisy,' Bossun muttered. As he stood up, he swiftly slipped his arms behind Himeko's knees and back. She let out a surprised yelp as he lifted her off the ground and carried her in his arms without much trouble.
'Bossun! What the hell are you doing?!' she cried shrilly in utter surprise, her face rapidly reddening. 'Put me down, dammit!' she punctuated every word with a punch to Bossun's chest.
'No. I won't let you walk barefoot. I've got a reputation to keep.'
'What reputation?' Himeko hissed as she continued to struggle in Bossun's strong arms. He barely budged although she was violently struggling against him.
'Will you stop that? People are gonna think I'm kidnapping you or something!' Bossun complained. He let out an 'ooff' when Himeko hit him again near the base of his throat.
'Come on, Bossun. Put me down.'
'Not gonna happen.'
'Fine. Let me wear your sandals, then. You can walk barefoot.'
'My sandals are too big for you. Besides, it's better this way.'
Himeko stopped struggling when he said that. She finally let out a sigh and went limp.
'I'm heavy,' she said quietly like a very young girl, but she had already hooked an arm securely around Bossun's neck.
Bossun didn't say anything, keeping quiet as he steadily walked along the pavement. He ignored the people giggling at them as he continued to carry Himeko in his arms.
'You're not heavy at all, Himeko. This is nothing. I've carried a lot of heavier women before,' he said after a while.
Himeko stared at Bossun in disbelief, a look of surprise plastered on her face. She couldn't believe what she had just heard coming out of Bossun's mouth.
'Wha…? You've... carried women before?' she asked, incredulous.
Bossun simply nodded as he shifted her in his arms to get a better, stronger hold of her.
'You mean when you were overseas? I… didn't think you were that type of guy,' Himeko said with a forced, awkward laugh, her hold around Bossun's neck tightening.
'That type of guy? What do you mean?'
'I mean, you must've been acting so cool to get all the girls let themselves be carried in your arms. I mean… you? Huh…' she trailed in disbelief before adding, 'They must've been hot foreign girls!'
Himeko fell silent when she caught Bossun looking at her with an expression she wasn't very familiar with; a look that she probably had seen only a few times when they were still in high school. It was the expression Bossun would have on his face whenever he spoke about his late parents who died before he was even a day old.
Bossun let out a sigh when he finally understood what Himeko was implying, but he smiled a small smile anyway. He realized that she was actually jealous, or at the very least, concerned about what he was doing carrying women in his arms while he was travelling the world. It really made him want to laugh out loud.
'Why are you smiling, Bossun?' Himeko asked, irritated, when she saw that he was about to burst out laughing.
'Nothing,' he said although he was already laughing too much, annoying Himeko even more. His eyes lit up when he saw a cotton candy stall not far from where they were.
'Hey, there's a stall selling cotton candy over there. Wanna have some?'
He was already running towards it before Himeko could answer, chuckling all the way when he heard Himeko let out another shrill cry as her body bounced against his chest.
'What the hell are you doing running with me in your arms!' she yelled when he had parked himself in front of the stall, barely out of breath. He ignored her and grinned at the old man tending the stall.
'One cotton candy, please,' Bossun said cheerfully.
'Only one? For your girl? How about you, young man?'
'I'll share with her.'
'Ah, yes of course. More romantic that way,' the old man said with a hearty, toothless laugh. He swiftly spun the pink cotton candy mix in the machine before merrily handing it to Himeko.
'Here you go, young lady. Please enjoy it with your good man here.'
'T-thanks,' she said sheepishly as she awkwardly reached for her purse tucked in her obi and paid for the cotton candy.
'Sorry you had to pay for it. My hands are kinda full right now, see,' Bossun laughed, making a show of shifting Himeko in his arms. 'I'll pay you back.'
'Yeah, you better pay me back tenfold!' she glared at him. 'And I'm not sharing it with you.'
A smile appeared on her lips as she set her eyes on the cotton candy. 'I'll take a bite, then.'
Absentmindedly, Bossun stopped walking and stared at Himeko taking a huge bite off the pink, fluffy cotton candy. She had a mouthful, and before she could get all of them into her mouth, and before Bossun even realized what he was doing, he had brought her close to him and closed his mouth over Himeko's, tasting the sweet, soft cotton candy, before continuing to kiss her until the candy dissolved in their mouths.
Bossun's eyes fluttered open when he felt Himeko pulling away from him.
'Ah… I think we should find some place where we could sit or something…' she whispered, her face as red as a tomato, her eyes fixed on a spot on his chest.
Bossun looked around and saw a group of kids in yukatas gawking at them, the honeyed apples forgotten in their hands.
'He's eating her!' one of them shouted before running away gleefully, laughing.
Bossun could only stare after the kids, feeling his face turning scarlet.
Ah, dammit, I did it again.
'Uh… sorry. I didn't mean to…' he said, shifting Himeko in his arms again.
Lately, he had been kissing Himeko in public more and more. Not that he wanted to make a show out of it, it was just that he happened to want to kiss her while they were in public. He couldn't control himself. His body moved before he even knew it.
He used to be so conscious about showing affection towards Himeko in public, but now it was like he didn't mind it anymore. He couldn't really explain it, even to himself. He suspected that it was all Himeko's fault that he was unable to control himself any longer (obviously), in fact, she drove him crazy most of the time.
'There's a bench over there…' Himeko said quietly, pointing at one of the wooden benches lining the river bank. 'I think that's a good spot to watch the fireworks later.'
Bossun just nodded silently. He stole a glance at the girl in his arms and he could see how hard she was blushing although she was trying to bury her face in his chest. It was making his heart beat even harder.
Dammit she could probably hear my heart racing.
He carefully let Himeko down onto the bench when he got there and silently sat next to her.
How many times have they kissed now? Bossun couldn't really tell. It was more than he could care to count, that was for sure. It had been four months since they got together, since that night he confessed to her at the elephant park, and even though they had been dating for that long, they still felt embarrassed after a passionate kiss like the one they just had.
They suddenly looked at each other, taking in each other's blushing face before bursting into laughter.
'Oh my god, your face is so red, Bossun!' Himeko cried, laughing hysterically.
'Shut up, Himeko! Yours is the same!' Bossun replied in between laughter.
'I heard your heartbeat, you know. Sounded like it's going to explode or something!' Himeko said when she had taken a deep breath and her laughter had died down. 'I didn't know I can make your heart race like that,' she gave Bossun a triumphant look, wriggling an arched brow.
'It was because of the running, not you,' Bossun bluffed, not really wanting to admit that she made his heart beat wildly, although she probably already knew that.
'Yeah, right.'
Without warning, Bossun leaned in close towards Himeko and took a bite off the cotton candy she was still holding close to her chest.
'Bet that made your heart beat like crazy,' Bossun said, grinning with his mouth full of pink cotton candy.
'Only in your dreams,' Himeko replied nonchalantly but he could see that her face had become a shade redder.
Bossun leaned back against the back rest as he stared at the stars scattered across the sky.
'I hope we can see the fireworks clearly from here,' he said.
'This is actually one of the best spots to watch the fireworks. I've been here a couple of times over the years,' Himeko said. 'But sometimes I hate it.'
'The fireworks?'
'No, the spot.'
'You hate this spot? Why?' Bossun asked, a little puzzled by what Himeko was saying. 'I thought you said you can see the fireworks from here.'
'Yeah, that's what I said. It's just… I don't know why, but everytime I was here at this spot to watch the fireworks, it was always full of couples who were kissing each other when the fireworks go off,' Himeko pointed out. 'Why do people kiss when the fireworks go off? I mean, it's such a waste, don't you think? You're busy closing your eyes and kissing, you can't possibly see and appreciate the fireworks blasting in the background. And it's so noisy too like there's a war going on around you. I mean, is that really romantic?'
Bossun sat thinking quietly as he looked around. Indeed, the place was slowly getting packed with young couples, probably high school kids. He glanced at his watch. The fireworks were going to start in less than an hour.
'I don't know. I have never actually done that,' Bossun said, scratching his temple. 'Is that what people actually do? I've never seen people kissing underneath the fireworks at festivals before, not that I've been to many.'
'They do, apparently. People in mangas do, too,' Himeko concluded with a shrug.
'Well, that's according to your shoujo mangas. Which are full of crap, obviously.'
'Hey! Don't diss my shoujo mangas. What do you know, anyway. You've never read a shoujo manga before,' Himeko retorted, taking a huge bite off her cotton candy.
'I have, okay? Remember when me and Switch came over to your house to study? The whole time I was there I was busy reading your shoujo mangas. Until your mother came barging in, that is. We were forced to actually study,' Bossun pointed out with a shudder. The memory of Himeko's mother still scared him. And to imagine her as his mother-in-law! 'But yeah, I noticed that every one of your shoujo manga has some kind of a romantic fireworks scene.'
'It's only romantic in mangas, I tell you,' Himeko said, clearly irked.
'Hmm, you're probably right,' Bossun agreed. He really didn't know what to think about all this romantic fireworks thing.
They fell silent for a while, just enjoying the festive atmosphere, nibbling on the cotton candy and watching people walking along the river.
'So, what's that about? You carrying women in your arms?' Himeko blurted out suddenly.
From the curt sound of her voice, Bossun could tell that she had been wanting to ask him that question for a while now.
'It's true. I've carried a lot of women before. But it's not what you think, Himeko. I've carried kids and men, too.'
Himeko slowly turned to face him, a suspicious look was apparent on her face.
'What do you mean? Are you saying you're not only a womanizer but you're a pedophile and a gay guy too?'
'Ha-ha. Not funny, Himeko,' Bossun said pointedly although he still let out a chuckle. 'Over the years during my travels, there were times I was helping out people at very remote areas who were so poor they could hardly afford anything. The people I carried were mostly malnourished kids, sickly women and old men and ladies who were too weak to walk themselves to the nearest clinic, which more often than not was hours away from their community.'
'Oh. So that's what you mean…'
'Yeah. I carry them because I had to. I'm not the superhot, chick magnet heartthrob you thought I was. Nor am I a pedophile or a gay guy,' Bossun laughed. 'You know, once I carried a pregnant woman who was about to give birth. Her name was Suria,' he continued to say with a faraway look in his eyes. 'Thank goodness at that time the village I was visiting was not so far away from a clinic.'
'Did she deliver the baby safely?' Himeko asked curiously.
'Yeah. She had a baby boy. And guess what? She named him Yuusuke! After me!' Bossun said excitedly with a proud look on his face.
'What? No way!'
'Yeah, I was surprised too! I mean, I was in Borneo in Malaysia at that time. And I said to the mother she probably should give him a local name when she asked me what should she call her son after she had safely delivered the baby. And suddenly she asked me, "What is your given name?"
I told her, "My name's Yuusuke."
She asked, "What does it mean?"
and I said, "Assistance."
And she was like, "Okay then, let's call my baby 'Yuusuke'."
I was speechless! I mean, do you know how happy that made me, Himeko?' Bossun recounted his story excitedly, his eyes glinting with the happy memory. 'I asked her if it's okay to name him 'Yuusuke' since it's a Japanese name and she's a Malaysian with no Japanese blood whatsoever. And you know what she said?'
'What?'
'She said it didn't matter. She said, "I want my son, Yuusuke, to grow up to be a great helpful person just like you." I cried right there and then, Himeko!' Bossun said with a hearty laugh. 'I was so touched!'
'Bossun, you crybaby!' Himeko couldn't help laughing along with him. 'But seriously, that was a great story, Bossun. I'm glad you get to help a lot of people around the world like that.' She glanced at him with a smile. 'You're incredible, you know.'
'You think?' Bossun said with a sheepish smile.
Hearing Himeko tell him he was incredible, or great or a hero or whatever for helping people around the world always made him feel unbelievably happy. He hoped he could show her the world someday and let her experience and see all the wonderful things he had felt and seen throughout his journey. That thought alone never failed to carve a silly smile on his face.
But that smile slowly disappeared when another thought came to him, a thought that had been occupying his mind for a while now, and most of the time, it took him a lot to suppress and push it to the very back of his mind.
'Himeko… there's something I've always wanted to ask you,' Bossun started slowly.
'Yeah? What is it?'
'That night at the elephant park, when we… you know…' he said hesitantly. 'You said you dated a teacher before. That teacher guy… do I know him?'
Himeko gave Bossun a look he couldn't really comprehend.
'Hmm… I don't think so. He was from Osaka and I met him while we were in uni together.'
'He went to the same university as you?'
'Yeah. He got a job as a teacher not far from Kaimei after we graduated. That's when we started dating. Well, I wouldn't say we were dating, though. We just went out for drinks and movies a few times and that's it. He's back in Osaka now, though. He got a teaching offer there.'
'Really?' Bossun asked.
'Yeah. Why? You don't believe me?' Himeko asked with a challenging note in her voice.
'You liked him?'
'Well, I liked him. But just like like. Not like like,' Himeko said with a roll of her eyes.
'What do you mean?' Bossun insisted, sounding a little more fidgety every second. This unknown man in Himeko's life was making him anxious.
He heard her let out a tired sigh.
'What I mean is, Bossun, I didn't like him the way I like you. That's why I'm here with you now and not with him.'
'Oh.'
That managed to satisfy Bossun for now. He couldn't really say anything to that. Himeko dated that guy while he was away, and when he was still not aware of his feelings for her. He had no right to ask Himeko what she was doing with that guy but he couldn't help feeling curious. He wanted to know.
'Hey that's Rumi and Aoi!' Himeko suddenly quipped.
Bossun squinted through the semi darkness at where Himeko was pointing and saw his newly wed sister, Rumi, walking hand-in-hand with her husband, Tezuka Aoi, along the river bank not far from where they were sitting. They looked perfect in their yukatas, taking a blissful stroll along the river in their own sweet time. Bossun still couldn't get used to the idea that his little sister was already married and that Tezuka Aoi was his brother-in-law. To think that a few months ago he thought Himeko was going to marry Tezuka. Ridiculous!
He suddenly realized something.
'Are you guys close?' he asked Himeko who was watching the newlyweds with a smile on her face.
'What? Me and Rumi?' she asked. 'Of course, we–'
'No. You and Tezuka.'
Himeko stared at Bossun with a puzzled look on her face.
'Me and Aoi? Hmm… not really, I guess,' she said, tapping her forefinger on her chin. 'Why?'
'Well, you call him by his given name,' Bossun pointed out, a frown was visible in the space between his eyebrows. 'How come you call him "Aoi"?'
'Well…' Himeko started, trying to recall the first time she met her handsome colleague. 'When Aoi first introduced himself at the teachers' room he just said, "Nice to meet you. I'm Aoi." We all just assumed Aoi was his family name. Only weeks later that I realized his actual name was Tezuka Aoi. That "Aoi" was actually his given name, not his family name. By then it was too weird to suddenly call him Tezuka. Even the students call him Mr Aoi,' Himeko explained with a shrug. 'I've asked Rumi about this. She said Aoi just really likes his name. He's been making everyone call him by his given name ever since he was in school.'
Bossun let out a chuckle that sounded like a sigh of relief.
'What a weird guy,' he commented.
'Yeah. His brother-in-law is weird too,' Himeko said with a laugh as she playfully punched Bossun on the shoulder. 'Were you jealous about me calling him Aoi?'
'Are you kidding? Of course I'm not!' Bossun refuted, but then he added, 'Actually, yeah. Kinda. I mean, you don't call me by my given name.'
'That's because you're Bossun!'
'What's that even supposed to mean?' Bossun exclaimed. He looked at Himeko then, a hopeful look in his eyes. 'Hey, would you say it? My name?'
'Fujisaki,' Himeko spouted without missing a beat.
'My given name, Himeko,' he stressed, rolling his eyes.
'No! Why should I?' Himeko sputtered, suddenly sounding bashful and looking embarrassed. 'It's weird calling you anything else other than Bossun.'
'Come on, Himeko. Just this once. You've never called me Yuusuke before. I just want to know what it sounds like coming from you.'
'It sounds exactly the same like when anyone else says your name!'
'Aww, come on, Himeko. Hardly anyone calls me by my given name except for my mom and Sasuke,' Bossun insisted.
'Okay, okay, fine! I'll do what you want and say your freakin' name. Jeez,' Himeko finally gave in irritably.
Bossun turned around eagerly so that he was properly facing her. Himeko's face had somehow become scarlet again.
'Yu-Yuusuke…' she said a little breathlessly in a soft whisper.
Bossun didn't anticipate this.
He didn't think that hearing Himeko say his name would make him feel things. The sound of her breathy voice, the way she said his name, the bashful look on her face, her shy eyes. His heart had started racing again and he felt so damn happy.
'I wish you would say my name like that everytime,' he said in a low whisper.
Himeko looked at him a little coyly.
'I can if you want to.'
Bossun stared at her for a while, considering, before shaking his head with a laugh.
'Nah, it would be too awkward,' he said, although he thought it would be nice too, to be called like that.
'Damn right!' Himeko agreed, a look of relief on her face.
She blinked at him. This time, it was her turn to look at him with hopeful eyes.
'Hey, say my name too.'
'What? But I always call you Himeko.'
She made an exasperated face. 'Well, my given name is not Himeko. Duh.'
'Fine. I'll say it,' Bossun took in a deep breath and exhaled. 'Hime…'
The moment her name left his mouth, he felt a warm, similar feeling to when Himeko said his name just now. He could feel himself blushing.
'Hmm, that's weird. I don't really feel anything,' Himeko exclaimed.
'What? Seriously?' Bossun said in disbelief. 'No way!' Did he say it in a wrong way? He wanted to make her feel things like she did to him! 'Maybe I should say it more sexily?' he concluded uncertainly.
He set to make a face he thought was sexy and said her name. 'Hime.'
But all he heard was Himeko's hysterical laughter.
'Oh my god! Bossun! Your face, your face! It's so funny! What is that face?!'
With his blushing funny-looking face, Bossun stared at Himeko who still couldn't stop laughing. When she had quieted down a little, he leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear in a voice so low and sultry that it surprised even himself.
'Hime, I love you.'
Before she could react, Bossun slipped his hands on either side of Himeko's face and kissed her to his heart's content, savouring the sounds he was making her let out, forgetting he was in a very public space with dozens of people around. He only stopped when his brain was screaming at him telling him that he needed air to breathe. He pulled away from her, just a little.
Himeko was staring at him with round, surprised eyes; breathless, speechless. Of course she'd be more than surprised, that was probably the first time he had kissed her that hard.
'You taste like cotton candy, Hime,' Bossun said softly against her swollen lips.
'Don't say my name like that… I don't think I can handle it,' Himeko whispered back, playfully nibbling at Bossun's lip, teasing him.
'Your wish is my command, princess,' he replied with a smirk before catching Himeko's lips again with his, just in time as the fireworks went off.
People around them were cheering at the fireworks, the booming sounds echoing throughout the night, the fireworks showering them with flashes of colourful light. But to Bossun and Himeko, all those things were so far away, and all that mattered to them at that moment was each other.
'Hey… we kissed under the fireworks,' Bossun pointed out when they finally pulled apart and realized what was going on around them.
'It's like we're in a scene from a shoujo manga,' Himeko said.
They both looked at each other and started laughing hysterically again.
'Aw man, we've become one of them. We've become shoujo manga people!' Himeko cried, still with laughter.
'Yeah, too bad I'm not as good looking as those hot shoujo guys,' Bossun said.
'Nah, you're fine as you are, Bossun,' Himeko reassured.
'Thanks,' he said with a laugh. 'So, in your shoujo mangas, what usually happens after the girl and the guy kissed under the fireworks?' he asked, watching a tadpole of a firework rocketed into the sky before bursting into a huge sparkly purple fire flower.
'They start dating.'
'But we're already dating,' Bossun pointed out.
'Do you have anything in mind?'
Bossun looked at Himeko, a gentle smile spreading on his face. He held out his hand and Himeko softly placed hers in his, interlacing her fingers with Bossun's calloused ones.
'Let's just enjoy this night together,' Bossun said softly.
He smiled as Himeko laid her head on his shoulder, and they watched the fireworks lit up the night.
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***End***