Summer festival
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
The hands of the clock sound as they slowly move, before they point out 3 P.M. and the bell rings, signaling the end of classes.
A chuckle breaks the tense silence reigning over the classroom, before a large book is closed with a loud thud.
- Alright class, that's all for today. Please, remember to do the homework I just left and don't leave it until the last day. Now, go and have fun enjoying your summer vacation, we'll see each other again when returning.
Their math teacher says kindly as he gathers his belongings and gets out of the classroom, quickly followed by his students filling the hallways eager to leave and finally start their summer vacations.
A raven haired girl finishes putting the last one of her belongings in her school bag, to then stand up and approach another two girls, stopping in between their desks as she stretches.
- Argh, finally, some well deserved free days.
Nozomi exhales playfully, winking at the blue haired girl in front of her who can only giggle at her playfulness while the blonde next to her only rolls her eyes, smiling amused.
Soon, an auburn haired girl joins the group with a grin on her face.
- Ready to go home?
She asks, drumming Yuuko's desk to stress her words and rile her up while she's at it, which only causes Yuuko to snort, before she ends up shoving her pencil case into her school bag, closing it to then grab Mizore by the arm and interweave it with hers to leave together.
- Hah? Not with you.
Yuuko retorts smugly as she begins to drag the poor Mizore with her outside the classroom. Mizore can only look back at Nozomi helplessly while she follows their blonde friend, while Nozomi for her part, can't help but click her tongue, bumping her shoulder against Natsuki's.
- You're bad – she comments playfully as she and Natsuki start to follow the other two.
- Why? I was just being nice.
Natsuki answers while grinning as they look at the pair of girls walking ahead of them, seeing Yuuko turning slightly around to stick out her tongue at Natsuki.
Natsuki quickly copies her, while Mizore and Nozomi can't help but look at one another sharing a giggle upon their best friends' antics, keeping walking all together towards the lockers to exchange their school shoes for their casual ones and get out of school.
The quartet is walking together towards their respective homes, when they hear rushed steps behind them. Soon enough, somebody launches themselves onto Nozomi and Natsuki, surrounding their shoulders to pull them close to them.
- Just the girls I was searching for!
A cheerful girl with brown hair tied into two tiny ponytails by yellow heart-shaped hairpins and red eyes exclaims as she smiles at the quartet, infecting them with her smile.
- Tomoe!
Nozomi exclaims as she laughs and before Tomoe finally lets them go.
- Why were you searching for us? – Mizore asks softly, almost confused, making Tomoe grin.
- I wanted to know if you girls had plans for tomorrow night. Everybody's going to the festival so I've thought maybe you would also want to go.
- Is Kaori-senpai also going? – Yuuko quickly asks, almost before Tomoe even finishes talking, making her chuckle upon her enthusiasm asking about their senior.
- Of course! We are all going!
- Then I'm also going! I can't wait to see Kaori-senpai wearing a yukata – Yuuko fangirls excited upon thinking about her adored Kaori-senpai, before Natsuki brings her back to reality.
- Then I'm also going.
Natsuki says bursting Yuuko's happy bubble.
- Hah? Why do you also have to come? – Yuuko asks Natsuki with a scowl taking over her features seeing the auburn haired girl grinning widely.
- Because you're also going, and of course someone has to bother you – Natsuki retorts, winking at Yuuko to rile her up even more.
- Hah!?
Yuuko exclaims, and soon, she and Natsuki begin bickering while Tomoe tries in vain to stop them.
- Girls, please, stop bickering – she begs them, a bead of sweat already falling down her temple upon the mess she got herself in.
Nozomi and Mizore can only giggle at the scene, before they look at one another.
- Do you want to go with me? – Nozomi asks Mizore softly, seeing her smiling timidly at her.
- Of course.
Mizore answers, causing Nozomi to grin widely before she takes her by the hand to intertwine it with hers and leave a kiss on it, while Natsuki and Yuuko still bicker in the background, ending up with Yuuko puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms across her chest, while Tomoe laughs nervously.
- Great, now that it's all settled, I'll wait for you all at the entrance of the festival tomorrow's night.
Tomoe tells them, before she leaves in a hurry. As much as she loves her friends, she isn't sure she can take more of the NakaYoshi bickering for the day.
- Idiot, you better don't ruin it for me.
Yuuko mumbles as she glares at Natsuki and begins to go back to her home alone, leaving the girls behind.
- Seriously, when will you two get along? – Nozomi exhales playfully as Natsuki clicks her tongue and shrugs.
- Who knows – the auburn haired girl answers, making the girls laugh as they continue walking.
- I know it might not look like that, but Yuuko really cherishes you Natsuki. I could venture to say that even more than Kaori-senpai – Mizore comments softly, leaving Natsuki flabbergasted at the same time she blushes, earning herself a nudge from Nozomi.
- Oh shut up you – she grumbles at Nozomi's possible teasing – I'll see you tomorrow, so be careful lovebirds.
Natsuki then waves them goodbye to walk to her own home alone, leaving Nozomi and Mizore behind.
- Well, I'll see you tomorrow night. Be careful, okay? – Nozomi says, kissing Mizore shortly yet sweetly.
- You too, Nozomi.
Mizore says back, leaving a kiss on her cheek, before they part ways.
The quartet meet up the following day at night, at the entrance of where the festival takes place just like they agreed with Tomoe the previous day.
As soon as Nozomi sees Mizore, she can't help but smile widely, causing the other girl to smile coyly at her.
- What, no yukata?
Natsuki greets Yuuko for her part, arching an eyebrow at her casual clothes.
- Well, it feels a bit uncomfortable to wear it… Wait, why am I even explaining myself? Why do you even care!? – Yuuko exclaims already bothered by the auburn haired girl, causing Natsuki to chuckle at how easy is to rile her up.
- Oh I don't, but Kaori-senpai might have wanted to see you wearing it.
She teases her, earning herself a shove from a blushing Yuuko.
- S-shut up, idiot.
Yuuko murmurs completely embarrassed, while Nozomi looks at Mizore completely captivated by her beauty.
- You look beautiful even in casual clothes – Nozomi compliments Mizore for her part.
- You too.
Mizore whispers softly as she tiptoes to peck the raven haired girl's lips, making her eyes sparkle happily at it.
- Urg, I swear you two are sweeter than cotton candy.
Tomoe comments as she approaches the group.
- Where's Kaori-senpai? – Yuuko quickly asks her as a way of greeting, making the other girl chuckle while she's busy trying to look around for her beloved senpai.
- I haven't seen her around, maybe she's already inside with Asuka-senpai and Haruka-senpai – Tomoe says, seeing Yuuko pouting slightly – So why don't we go in and search for them?
She ends up saying, seeing Yuuko cheering up, before she shoves Natsuki forwards.
- Come on, help me to find her.
- Hah? Why do I have to do it?
- Because you're always bothering me, so you need to do something to make it up to me.
Yuuko explains as she begins to go into the festival, hearing Natsuki sighing heavily yet follow her reluctantly.
The trio left behind can only chuckle at this, observing them bickering before they look at each other.
- Should we follow them? – Nozomi chuckles.
- We better do it if we don't want them to kill each other – Tomoe answers, laughing the three of them at it.
- They wouldn't do that though. They actually love one another too much to do it even if they don't want to admit it.
Mizore adds with a fond smile playing on her face, feeling Nozomi pulling her closer to leave a kiss on her temple.
- You're right.
She giggles agreeing with her, before the three of them begin to follow their couple of bickering friends.
On their way to look for Kaori-senpai, they stop at some of the food booths to eat some takoyaki and yakisoba, almost burning out their tongues at how hot they are, before they keep advancing though the different booths.
- Oh, oh, can we please play this game!? – Tomoe exclaims excitedly as she points at one of the games booths.
The quartet simply smiles and grants her wish, trying to catch some of the goldfishes swimming in the water, but sadly, they don't have such luck. Or at least that's until Mizore miraculously manages to scoop a couple of them.
- Thank you! – Tomoe exclaims happily as Mizore hands her the bag with the goldfishes in it so she can have them.
- You're welcome.
Mizore smiles at her kindly, before they keep going through the festival and its booths, pausing for a moment to sit and rest on a nearby bench.
- Here.
Yuuko murmurs embarrassedly as she hands Natsuki a lemon kakigori, and Natsuki can only grin as she takes it, while Tomoe hands both Nozomi and Mizore their respective kakigoris.
- Thanks – Natsuki answers to Yuuko, winking at her to rile her up and make her look away.
- Idiot – Yuuko mumbles again, before she takes a spoon of her strawberry kakigori, shivering at its coldness.
They all laugh, eating their respective kakigoris while enjoying the jovial atmosphere reigning over the festival.
- We haven't found Kaori-senpai – Yuuko mopes, hearing Natsuki sighing beside her.
- We still have some way to go, maybe we end up finding her soon – the auburn haired girl says encouragingly, bumping their shoulders lightly to then see Yuuko smiling softly, before they finish their kakigoris and go back to the festival, searching for Kaori-senpai while they play at some of the games booths.
On their way, Mizore stop and tugs at Nozomi's sleeve to stop her.
- What is it, Mizore? – Nozomi asks worriedly, causing the rest of the group to stop and look at their quiet friend.
- I want that.
Mizore says timidly, a light blush tinting her cheeks as she points out at a blue stuffed bird.
- Really!? Then wait and see how I get it for you! – Nozomi exclaims happily as she winks at Mizore and goes to the game booth – Sir, one try, please.
- And another one for me, please.
Nozomi, then Natsuki ask the owner of the game booth, seeing him nodding before he gives the both of them a couple of toy riffles.
Nozomi takes one of them and leans over the wood surface of the booth, closing one of her eyes to look at the target through the sight, before she sticks out her tongue and shoots. Just a mere shot, and the bullet hits the blue stuffed bird enough to make it fall.
- Yosh, I've got it!
- You have to be kidding me – Natsuki mumbles under her breath stunned at the accuracy of her best friend.
- You're amazing!
Tomoe however congratulates Nozomi as the raven haired girl smirks smugly and takes the stuffed bird in her hands to give it to her girlfriend.
- Here you go.
She says softly as she hands it to Mizore who quickly takes it and hugs it, a wide smile taking over her features, before she kisses Nozomi briefly on the lips.
- Thank you.
She thanks her sincerely, seeing Nozomi grinning wider and kissing her sweetly back, before she turns around to look at her best friend.
- Think you can match me, Nat? – she challengers her friendly, seeing a smirk appearing on her best friend's face.
- Of course.
Natsuki says, accepting the challenge confidently, before she takes the toy riffle in her hands and leans over the wood surface to look at her target through the sight. She then pulls the trigger and… fails miserably, causing both Yuuko and Nozomi to laugh at her.
- Oh shut up you two, I was merely warming up – Natsuki defends herself as she leans over again to shoot at her target and fail once again, earning herself more laughs – Stop it! It's just this... thingy!
She exclaims outraged as Yuuko laughs more.
- Sure, sure.
Yuuko mockers at her, pestering her while Natsuki squints at her.
- You'll see – she mutters under her breath as she shoots again to almost hit the game booth's owner in the head with the bullet – Sorry!
She quickly apologizes, hearing the girls, even Mizore, laugh wholeheartedly at her.
- Can I please try one more time? – she asks the owner dejected, who can only sigh resigned, before he gives her another chance taking her money in exchange.
Natsuki then positions herself better, focusing on her target ready to shoot, when somebody bumps into her, and her shot ends up bouncing against the booth.
- Ribbons! – she exclaims outraged, while Yuuko laughs behind her hand pretending to look all innocent.
- Oops.
It's all she can say as Natsuki pokes her cheek with the toy riffle, hearing a throat being cleared.
- Kids.
The owner warns them, making them feel ashamed of their behavior.
- Sorry – the both of them apologize in unison, before Natsuki tries again.
- Come on, you can do it – she encourages herself.
- You can do it, Natsuki!
- Go, Nat!
- Come on, idiot!
Her friends cheer on her, making her click her tongue at their different encouragements, before she shoots and hits her target making it fall.
- Finally... Here you go, now leave, you're making my business look bad.
The owner sighs exhausted as he hands Natsuki her prize and shoos them away. Natsuki then hands Yuuko the stuffed bunny she just won.
- Here, for you – she mumbles, scratching the back of her head embarrassedly as she pushes the stuffed bunny into Yuuko's chest who can only take it and blush speechless.
- For me? But why? – she asks bewildered.
- Well, it has a yellow ribbon like you, so I've thought it'd be cool for you to have it.
Natsuki mumbles embarrassed, making Yuuko blush harder.
- T-thanks.
She thanks her self-consciously, before Natsuki begins to stroll down the festival.
- Come on, we still have yet to find Kaori-senpai.
The auburn haired girl says as she walks away, and Yuuko little cares about finding her beloved senpai anymore, hugging the stuffed bunny tightly against her chest as they follow their friend without uttering another word.
Soon, they hear the first fireworks being launched, and pause to take a seat on the nearby grass and gaze up to observe the pyrotechnic performance.
Yuuko can't help but hug the stuffed bunny tighter as she smiles, gazing at the lovely performance.
- Thank you – she thanks Natsuki softly, leaning into her shoulder to rest her head on it while she hears her humming in return and feels her resting her head on hers.
She then closes her eyes for a moment to accidentally end up falling asleep, before the fireworks' performance ends and the girls stand up to leave.
- Let's go back... home… – Natsuki trails off as she takes a look at Yuuko, noticing her hugging the stuffed bunny while she sleeps leaning into her side.
- She fell asleep – Mizore whispers with a fond smile on her face while Natsuki just chuckles.
- It looks like that.
She whispers back as she carefully takes the stuffed toy in her hands to give it momentarily to Mizore, moving carefully Yuuko to begin carrying the blonde onto her back, taking the bunny back.
- Do you need any help? – Nozomi offers her best friend, seeing her shaking her head.
- Nope, I'm good, but thanks though.
She answers as they begin to head back home in silence to not wake the sleeping blonde on Natsuki's back.
Soon, they part ways, leaving Natsuki to take Yuuko to her own home by herself. As they arrive to the front door, Natsuki fishes for her keys in her pocket and opens and closes the front door, to then take her shoes off with difficulty and head to her own bedroom to lay Yuuko carefully on the bed.
She then takes the blonde's shoes off, watching her sleeping peacefully, before she leans to leave a kiss on her forehead.
- Sweet dreams, Yuuko – she whispers tenderly as she begins to leave, when Yuuko grumbles and tugs at her by the shirt, stopping her dead on her tracks.
- Stay.
She whispers and Natsuki can only sigh, carefully laying on her bed behind her. She places her hand on the blonde's waist respectfully, before Yuuko takes it and intertwines it with hers, bringing it to her chest, close to the stuffed bunny Natsuki got her and that she's hugging.
- Thank you – she whispers softly, causing Natsuki to smile and snuggle up closer, spooning her to then leave another kiss on her hair.
- You're welcome, Yuuko. Sweet dreams – Natsuki whispers, seeing Yuuko smiling even wider.
- Sweet dreams, Nat – Yuuko whispers back, before they fall asleep with a soft smile playing on both of their faces.
