Welcome back, everyone! I dedicate this chapter to everyone who posted theories about what was going to happen during the festival. And also everyone else. I love every single one of you that have stuck with me this far, and hopefully into the future if I can keep up the good work.
TWs: Saionji and her rhetoric, brief ear trauma (piercing removal)
Chapter Three, Part Four
Not long after Togami had heard their voices, Koizumi and Saionji entered the beach in silence. Saionji was in her usual kimono – Hinata supposed she'd had no need to change into another – but Koizumi wore a yukata roughly the same as Mioda's, though she still carried her camera across her shoulder.
They stopped several feet from Togami and Hinata, but they didn't move or turn in their direction. Hinata felt the best course of action was to make them think he thought they were lost. "Koizumi! Saionji!" He waved his hand above his head. "Over here!"
"Hinata..." Koizumi stopped, and then continued more slowly, closely followed by Saionji. Hinata couldn't tell whether he was seeing tension or simply curiosity in her expression.
She approached without giving Togami any notice. "I thought you'd be closer to the path, but this'll do, I guess," she said. "Are you almost do –"
"Well, hey, it's Mr. Porkfeet!" Hinata turned to find Saionji's full attention had been trained on Togami from the start. "Golly gee, I had absolutely no idea you'd ever come out of your pigpen! Big Sis Mioda totally didn't go on and on about it!"
"Saionji…" For a moment a sort of intense apprehension crossed Togami's face – but then he chuckled. "Mioda intended for all of us to attend. I don't see why you should expect otherwise."
"Oh, wow, you're right!" Saionji threw her hands in the air. "There's no reason I should be surprised to see you at all! Come on, name one, I bet you can't –"
"We should go sit down, Hiyoko-chan." Koizumi looked out at the firework stands. "Where did Ibuki-chan want us?"
"She didn't really say anything about that," Hinata said, clenching his teeth. "Anywhere, I guess."
"You might want to sit some distance away," Togami interrupted. "The fireworks would be going off right here."
"I knew that," Koizumi said without looking back.
"I'd imagine you did." Togami nodded. "Hello, Koizumi."
"Hello." Koizumi looked briefly at Togami, then took Saionji's hand and led her to a nearby palm tree, where they sat and turned their attention to each other. Out of the corner of his eye Hinata saw Togami take a deep breath. "We should finish this before too many others come," he said.
"Right." Hinata reached into the box and pulled out the next firework. He was a bit unnerved by the exchange – but, in the context of everything that had happened, it was at least conciliatory, if not entirely civil. It was proof, at least, that they were trying not to fight.
Tsumiki arrived several minutes later, with only a brief greeting and a gesture of excitement about the fireworks as her fanfare – an understandable move, as she'd already seen Togami that morning. She attempted to join Koizumi and Saionji, but after a rebuff she sat closer to Togami and Hinata, though she chose to stare and shiver rather than to dare initiate conversation.
There was silence for a time, only broken when Hinata half-overheard Koizumi and Saionji talking to each other, before they heard more voices from behind them. Hinata turned to see Nanami standing at the top of the path, apparently talking to a palm tree. He was thinking this was a bit too quirky, even for her, when Souda stepped out from behind the tree. Nanami spoke a little longer, then started down the path; Souda trailed behind her at first, then straightened his posture and pushed ahead.
"Hey, guys!" he said with a burst of energy. Tsumiki, Hinata, and Togami returned the greeting, but Saionji scowled and Koizumi turned her head away. Souda made a pained show of ignoring them and headed over to the fireworks; Nanami followed behind him more slowly.
"Well, look at that!" he said as he approached. "I didn't even know we had all this stuff!"
"Yeah, uh, me neither," Hinata said. "But I wouldn't really be surprised at anything the supermarket has at this point..."
"Right, right." Souda put his hands on his hips and bounced awkwardly on the balls of his feet. He gave Togami a glance, looked away, then looked back again. "Sooo, Togami! S'been a while!"
"It certainly has been." Togami chuckled again, but Hinata could tell he was still on his guard. "You're…looking well."
"Really? Huh, how about that." Souda looked distracted for a second, but regained himself quickly. "So, are you thinking of being the leader again at all? Cause there's something –"
"I'm not in a position to talk about that at the moment," Togami said. "This is neither the time nor the place."
"Oh, right. I get it, I get it." Souda shrugged. "Mioda said something about that, right? 'Bout this being a time to relax. That's probably not such a bad thing." His gaze trailed to the side. "Yeah… not such a bad thing…unless…no, no, it's not…"
"Souda?" Hinata said, but Souda didn't respond right away – he looked over at the beach, where the others sat, then back at Nanami, who had just approached. "I'll see you guys later," he mumbled, before going to join the rest.
"I'll join you in a minute, Souda-kun," Nanami said, though Souda didn't appear to hear her. She looked after him for a moment, then turned back to the others. "Good evening, Hinata-kun, Togami-kun."
"Evening," Hinata said quickly. He was hyper-aware now of every move either of the others made – Nanami was the picture of calm, but Togami's shoulders had tensed considerably, and for a moment he almost looked afraid.
"Nanami," Togami said. "Good evening."
Nanami nodded and smiled at Togami, holding the look perhaps a second too long, then looked behind her, over at the others. Hinata found his eye drawn to the fan she was holding to her chest. "I wonder how many people are coming," she said. "I can't remember how long it's been since we've all been together."
"I…don't think we've all been together since the trial," Hinata realized as he spoke.
"On that note," Togami said, "why was Souda behind that tree? You were talking to him up there. He must have told you."
"I did, but he didn't," Nanami said, without turning back. "But if I were to guess…I'd say he might have been afraid to go alone."
Because of Tanaka? Hinata thought, but Nanami spoke before he could make a fool of himself. "But it'll be fine. I'm sure." She blinked, then pouted. "I'm giving up an entire evening of video games for this, so it better be."
Hinata started. "Er –"
"I was joking," Nanami said almost immediately. "You looked tense, so I was trying to make you laugh."
"Well, okay, but –" Hinata re-thought his reaction half-way through, and choked out a few laughs. Nanami chuckled; whether at him or her own joke, he did not know. "I'll see you when you're done," she said, smiling in Togami's direction, then turned again to join the rest.
There were only a few fireworks left to set up. As Hinata took the next, he happened to look back at the group. Koizumi and Saionji were still only talking to each other, but Souda was lecturing wildly at Tsumiki and Nanami, who were listening with what looked like rapt attention. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Togami looking in the same direction. He stood still for a moment, his face invisible to Hinata, but as he started to turn back to the fireworks Hinata knew he had to act fast.
"You can join them if you want," he said. "There's not that many left."
Togami stopped his stride halfway, his face silhouetted in the last of the setting sun. "Join them," he said. "Just to talk, then."
Hinata couldn't tell whether or not this was a question. "That's what they're doing," he said.
"You're sure," Togami said.
"I wouldn't say it if I wasn't," Hinata said.
Togami did not move for several seconds. Then his arms tensed, then relaxed, and he turned away from Hinata, looking towards the others. "I'll leave you to your work, then," he said, before he moved away across the beach.
Hinata couldn't go back to his work right away. He watched Togami approach the group and sit near its edge, relatively close to Nanami. He couldn't hear their conversations, but he saw Nanami and Souda greet him directly, while the others looked on - some, like Tsumiki, with only a glance, others, like Koizumi, for a long time, though they didn't quite approach the point of conversation. In any other situation there might have been shouting, there might have been demands and accusations, things might have picked up where yesterday had left off – but there was something different in the air tonight, something checking and tempering the others, if only for a moment. Hinata found himself wondering if Mioda had created this, or if they had, by accident, come up with it themselves.
Nidai and Owari arrived as Hinata was finishing up. They spent a moment standing some distance from the group, speaking to each other in low tones, before they made a more boisterous entrance and joined Nanami and Togami. Not counting Mioda, only Tanaka and Kuzuryuu were missing now. Hinata didn't know where they were, or if Mioda would let them go without a fight –
Hinata heard a rustling sound behind his ear, and turned to see one of the palm trees behind him shaking. It was the signal Mioda had set up for him – but he was surprised to see it when not everyone was there. Are they really not coming? Hinata thought, but he didn't have the opportunity to ask questions. He rushed to the back of the firework setup, supermarket lighter in hand –
But before he could get into position, an overpoweringly loud guitar chord shook the beach without warning. Mioda leapt out from behind the tree, ran across the beach, and skidded on one knee to the front of the group, sending sand flying all around her. She held an electric guitar high above her head, and had a mini-microphone clipped to the front of her yukata.
"Thanks for coming this evening!" Mioda's microphone squealed loudly, but she spoke right through the noise. "The name's Ibuki Mioda! One time when Ibuki was little she threw a firework into the neighbor's bush and no one ever knew it was her! But even now Ibuki can't walk past there for fear of curses!"
Everyone had put their hands up to their ears to cut the microphone squeal, but as it faded they lifted them off, cautiously. "Wait…what?" Souda said. "You're playing us a song? What does that story have to do with that?"
"There isn't usually this kind of music at a summer festival," Nidai said, stroking his chin as he brushed excess sand off the side of his yukata, "but the drive to create a fusion of tradition is truly admirable!"
"Exactly! Ibuki's been so desperate for a captive audience that her summer festival idea came with an ulterior motive!" Mioda positioned her fingers on the frets and placed her pick at the first note. "With choreography by my assistant Hajime-chan, Ibuki presents a special song to lift everyone's spirits! It's called, "Congratulations On That Baby, But Who The Hell's The Dad!""
"Wait, what?" Hinata said, but his was the only comment that could be heard before another guitar chord hit his eardrums, followed by a loud, unholy scream. He could hardly call what followed a song – and even if he could have distinguished the lyrics he wasn't sure he would've wanted to. Mioda had told him his cues earlier – set off the first firework in the middle of the first verse, then two at each chorus, and three at the end – but he could hardly distinguish what was what. So the first fireworks of the night were several beats off cue and largely unnoticed, as far as Hinata could tell from everyone's horrified expressions.
After an age the song ended, and Mioda took a bow, brilliantly backlit by the fireworks above. Saionji clapped and cheered, and Koizumi faked a grin, but most everyone else looked like they'd had a heart attack. Even through the ringing in his ears Hinata could still hear Souda begging her to make it stop, though he was hardly heard over Mioda's magnified cheers.
He shook his head to clear it, and wandered closer to the rest of the group. Nanami and Tsumiki were talking in an undertone to each other – Hinata caught something about "creative differences" as he approached them. As they greeted him Hinata happened to see Togami out of the corner of his eye; with a double-take he saw that he was staring at Mioda, slack-jawed. "Togami?" he said, but Togami did not appear to hear him.
"Alright, it's time for the next song!" Mioda yelled into her microphone. "It's called, "You Are Cute And I Am Angry!" Ibuki wrote it because cute people are the bane of her existence, and –"
"NOOOO!" Souda shouted. "NO - MORE - SONGS!"
"It…might be better if we did things more like a traditional summer festival from here, Ibuki-chan," Koizumi said. "I think our ears need a little time to recover…"
"Hm…a compelling argument! If Ibuki's friends have sensitive ears there's only so much of Ibuki's music they can hear!" Mioda removed her microphone, pulled her guitar off her shoulders, and set them both in the boxes the fireworks had come in. "Instead they'll only hear the boom-boom-boom of the fireworks and their own beating hearts! Case in point…"
Mioda set her eye immediately on Togami, and in a flash she seated herself next to him, so close their thighs were practically touching. "Byakuya-chaan!" she singsonged. "Did you like Ibuki's song? Hmmm?"
Togami had clamped his jaw shut, but as far as Hinata could tell he still looked mortified. "So that's punk rock, then," he said.
"In the flesh!" Mioda rocked back and forth where she sat. "C'mon, answer Ibuki's question!"
"Well…your performance was very passionate," Togami said, in a halting, subdued tone. "And energetic, that's another word for it."
"Energetic is everything Ibuki strives to be!" Mioda gleefully folded her arms. "And the passion she'll put into her next song is guaranteed to –"
"Hey, Big Bro Hinata!" Saionji shouted. "I thought we were here to see fireworks!"
Mioda hadn't stopped speaking over the interruption, but Hinata got the point well enough. "Alright, alright, just a minute," he said, then excused himself from Tsumiki and Nanami and headed back to the firework setup. He had about enough to last him half an hour; he lit three with the lighter, then stood back, waited a moment, and went to light some more.
Even though they weren't the first fireworks of the night, the charges still went up with a collective "Ooooooh!", and exploded to laughter and cheers. "TAMAYAAAAA!" Nidai roared over everyone else, and after another burst he yelled it again. Saionji, Mioda, and Owari followed his lead, and Koizumi and Nanami stood from their seats to get a better look.
From what Hinata could see as he went about his work, they were, if not always transfixed, at least enjoying themselves, and he was able to catch smiles on everyone's faces at least once. Tsumiki was consistently in awe, and Owari's shouting kept perfect pace with Nidai's. Togami never moved from his seat, and while Hinata couldn't tell his expression, he hadn't once taken his eyes off the sky. Mioda was just as still, though her gaze was moving all over. She was speaking in a steady stream, to which Togami occasionally nodded in response.
About five minutes into the performance, Hinata happened to see a dark shape at the top of the path; the next time he looked back Tanaka was on the beach, seated some distance from the group. He was in his usual day clothing, rather than a yukata, and sat with his legs and arms crossed, the Four Dark Gods of Destruction peering skyward from his shoulders. Hinata could swear Owari had called out to him, but he did not respond to her, or to anyone, if anyone else had tried to interact with him.
Some minutes later Nidai tapped Hinata on the shoulder and offered to take over for him, so that he could enjoy the fireworks himself. Hinata graciously accepted the offer, and headed to join the rest of the group. Owari, on seeing him, waved and patted the space next to her, which wasn't far from Mioda and Togami. "Hey, there he is!" she yelled. "Hinata! Over here!"
Feeling his spirits lift somewhat higher than before, he ran over to his seat, holding the sides of his yukata as he went. Mioda waved and yelled enthusiastically at him as he sat down, while Togami took his eyes off the sky to give him a nod. "Hinata," he said.
"Togami, hey." Hinata took his seat next to Owari, pulling his knees up to his chest. The sky was empty for the moment, as Nidai was only just lighting the next rockets. "I haven't had the chance to look yet. How's it been?"
"Hajime-chan's skill at setting things on fire surpasses even Ibuki's," Mioda said. "In fact, you're way overqualified. You're fired."
"Setting things on fire is hardly a skill, Mioda. But I understand your point." Togami folded his arms, but smirked. "You've performed acceptably, Hinata."
"Acceptably, huh…?" Hinata smiled to himself. In truth, he hadn't had any notion that he had any skill to be noticed. "That's good, then. That's good."
He looked out across the semicircle, which had gotten somewhat tighter since the last time he'd looked. Saionji, evidently bored with the lull in the fireworks, had broken off from Koizumi and was now pulling at Tsumiki's hair, laughing as she cried. Nanami was comforting Tsumiki as Koizumi attempted to pull Saionji away, but she couldn't break Saionji's grip, which was only making things worse for Tsumiki. Souda perked up briefly to notice and greet Hinata, then withdrew again still and silent. Even from a distance he could see him look back and forth at Tanaka, who still hadn't moved an inch, as though he couldn't decide which way he actually wanted to look.
"You look pretty worn out," Owari said from beside him. "If you need to, you could use my boobs as a pillow!"
Hinata froze. "I-I-I'll pass. I'm fine."
"You sure?" Owari folded her arms under her chest. "They're right here if you change your mind!"
"Really, I'll pass," Hinata said as quickly as he could.
"Tsk, tsk, Hajime-chan's way too innocent, isn't he? He hardly knows the comforts he's giving up!" Mioda took a brief look at Togami, and a mischievous smile spread across her face. "Hmmm, but maybe he can follow Ibuki's example…"
Mioda pulled herself closer to Togami, and Hinata noticed that, while she'd been speaking, she'd put her arm as far around Togami's waist as it could reach. She playfully tapped his stomach, alerting him to her presence – and the look of surprise that crossed Togami's face was beyond anything Hinata had ever caught him capable of. "Wh –" he tried to say, but he was stuck for a moment, frozen under Mioda's grin, before he could finish, his voice unnaturally calm. "What are you doing?"
"Nooothiiing," Mioda said, but she was clearly doing something – she inclined her body towards Togami's, moving onto her side, and slid her left arm around the front of his body, hugging his middle. Then, her position secured, she moved her head forward, aiming to rest it just below his collarbone –
But Togami moved quickly, catching her shoulder before she could go any further. Mioda's eyes went wide, and immediately she tried to pull back, but Togami's hold prevented her from going far. For a moment he looked agitated – but then he relaxed, and removed his hand. "Mioda," he said, "how sharp are those spikes?"
"Huh…?" Mioda tapped one of the spikes. "Sharp enough to stick through Ibuki's whole ear! Why?"
"If you must do what it is you're doing," Togami said, speaking through gritted teeth, "then I'd prefer you removed them."
"Oh – right, right!" Mioda moved back and pushed the spike out with her finger. "Removing, Ibuki's removing…"
"I see. Thank you." Togami faced forward again. "I know it's not what you intended. But I'm sure you understand."
"Ibuki knows, Ibuki understands!" Mioda moved swiftly up her ear, leaving oddly macabre little holes behind. "Stabbing Byakuya-chan is the last thing Ibuki wants to do –"
"I prefer if it weren't the case," Togami interrupted. "Those spikes…I've never seen anything like them on anyone else. They must be very important to you."
"Important…?" Mioda cupped the spikes in her left hand, then picked one up with her right, studying it as though she were seeing it for the first time. "They're…cool, and all," she said, "but they're only a tiny part of what makes a full and vital Ibuki –"
"That's true. But everything that you consider important to your understanding of yourself…each part of that works as hard as every other." A sudden softness had entered Togami's voice, and he looked rather distracted, focusing neither on Mioda nor on the fireworks. "You have a unique and valuable identity, Mioda. I would advise you never to let go of it."
Hinata was surprised enough to hear Togami say this himself. But Mioda, for the first time in Hinata's memory, was struck speechless – not as a put-on, like earlier in the supermarket, but sincerely wide-eyed and awestruck. It was a moment before she could move again – she moved her arm quickly up to her forehead, saluting him. "Ibuki promises!" she shouted.
"Heh...very well." Togami straightened again, folding his arms across his chest. He gave Mioda a nod, which she returned, and soon enough she was back in the position she'd taken before, though this time she rested her head in its intended spot. A soft smile spread across her face, and he met it with another look of curiosity, though he otherwise remained still.
"Well, well, look at that." Hinata tensed at the sound of Owari's voice – he'd almost forgotten that she was watching, too. "I didn't think she'd get that far that fast, did you?"
Hinata looked over at Togami, sure he'd heard, but he didn't appear to be paying anyone else any attention, so he turned back. "I…wasn't thinking anything like that at all," he said as low as he could. "That's Togami's business, not mine."
"Really? But I thought you guys were like this." Owari twisted her pointer and middle fingers together. "Don't friends always get in each other's business?"
"Well…sometimes, not always," Hinata said. "And even if I did, I don't know if I'd just be talking about it."
"Fine, fine." Owari stretched her arms behind her head, grunting as she went. "It's just kind of…cute for old man Togami, don't you think? All that touchy-feely stuff…and he's been like that all night, too. He hasn't really been himself since the second trial –"
Hinata saw a swift movement in his peripheral vision – Togami was looking straight at them, his eyes wide. It took all of Hinata's willpower not to look. "But maybe that's just me," Owari went on. "Maybe he's been like this the whole time."
My guess is as good as yours, Hinata thought, but he only shrugged in response. Togami stared for another second, then faced away, exhaling deeply.
"Yeah, maybe." Owari looked back up at the fireworks, then down and around the beach. Hinata was just about to turn away when she beckoned him closer with her hand. "Hey," she whispered, "do you think if I waited until his back was turned, I could get out of here before old man Nidai sees me?"
This was the last thing Hinata had expected her to say. "Uh, why?"
"No reason, just asking." Owari looked back at the path and tapping her fingers against her arms. "Yes or no, come on."
"Well, I don't know," Hinata said. "What are you even thinking of doing -"
"The old man's been riding my ass for days," Owari interrupted. "And all because he thinks he knows better than I do about everything...that just means he thinks I can't win, doesn't it? And why should he think that? When have I ever lost a fight?"
"I- I don't know what you're talking about at all," Hinata said. "What do you mean, "lost a fight"? Who are you fighting?"
"That's…" Owari scowled for a second, then suddenly swapped it for a grin. "No one! Never mind."
"Wait, what?" Hinata gave her an incredulous look. "You can't just bring that up and then-"
"Never mind," Owari said, standing and arching her back. "I'm gonna go stretch my legs. I'll be back in like a second. Probably. No, definitely."
You'd better be sure about that, Hinata thought, but only nodded up at her as she left – she did stay close, but he could see Nidai keeping a close watch on her, despite his own duties. He couldn't think of a reason for it – something personal between them, likely as not. If Owari wasn't going to give him the details, then there wasn't any reason he should dwell on it.
Saionji had given up on Tsumiki in the meantime. She'd moved on to Souda, and was kicking sand into his lap. Koizumi wasn't trying to stop her at all – she was standing alone at the edge of the semicircle, looking from one group to the other. Tsumiki and Nanami had finally approached Tanaka, and were seated on either side of him – and given the choice between Tanaka, Souda, and Togami, she opted for Hinata.
She sat in Owari's place, folding her knees up to her chest. "Hinata," she said.
"Uh, Koizumi," Hinata said. "Hey. How's…the fireworks?"
"Good. They're good." Koizumi furrowed her brow at Hinata, then looked up at a particularly large burst. "No, no…that's not doing it justice. Ibuki-chan put this all together so we'd enjoy it. We should be making that effort, for her sake."
Hinata could easily have mentioned that he was the one that did most of the setup, but it wasn't an argument that needed to be had, especially not now. Despite her weak smile Koizumi looked distressed, and it was that distress that made him even more aware of his position as a last resort. "I mean, you don't have to," he said. "She's not really forcing you."
Koizumi did not directly reply. Instead she looked past him, out into the ocean. "Sonia-chan would have loved this," she said. "She would have been so excited about the yukata, and the fireworks. And Peko-chan, she would've looked so lovely…" She sighed. "No. Forget I said anything."
"Koizumi…" Hinata's tongue and brain felt like lead. "Yeah. That's true."
"I thought I told you to forget it. Just because I said something doesn't mean I wanted a response." Koizumi's face was hard and solemn.
"Alright," Hinata said, but they weren't silent for long.
"It wouldn't just be them," Koizumi said. "Everyone…we'd all be enjoying the fireworks together."
Hinata looked around at everyone again. One way or another, despite the separation, they all seemed to be having some kind of fun. "I thought we were," he said.
"It's not going to solve anything," Koizumi said. "It's not going to make us a team."
"Well, I know it's not perfect, but…"
"Never mind. Just forget everything I said." Koizumi stood again, adjusting the strap on her camera. "Have fun over here –"
"Wait, hold on!" Hinata stood up after her, stumbling slightly in the sand – the sight of her camera had given him an idea. "I just noticed – you haven't taken any pictures yet."
Koizumi looked down at her camera, surprised. "No, I haven't. Why?"
"Well, it is kind of a special event," Hinata said. "Some pictures of everyone together would be nice - especially from a Super High School Level Photographer. Right?"
"Well…" Koizumi hesitated in answering, but she still picked up her camera and held it carefully in both hands. "That is what I brought it for, but…yeah. Now might be a good time to start."
"See?" Hinata said. "I'm sure everyone'll appreciate it-"
"Just sit down and act natural if you can," Koizumi interrupted – but she didn't sound quite as stern as Hinata was sure she had wanted to. He sat down, leaning back against the sand, and looked up at a particularly large firework burst. He heard a snap as Koizumi took a picture, but before he could ask to see it she was off, headed for the others.
Hinata had half a mind to follow her, just to see what they were all up to, but before he could he spotted something – someone – at the top of the path. It was, beyond all reason, Kuzuryuu, standing right where Souda had been before, half-hidden behind the palm tree. He was dressed in a yukata, though how he had put it on was a mystery, as his bandages were still wrapped around his one visible hand. He was watching the scene intently, looking from the fireworks to Koizumi taking pictures of smiling groups of two and three – Nanami and Saionji, Tsumiki and Gundam, Nidai, Owari, and Souda – but not once did he make a move to join them.
No one else noticed him, apart from Koizumi, who happened to catch him as she was returning from the firework pit. She stopped short, staring in his direction. Hinata couldn't see either of their expressions, but after a brief, still moment, he saw her lift her camera to her face and snap his picture.
Kuzuryuu bristled, then took off for the main road. Koizumi looked after him for a moment, then turned and walked back to Hinata, looking for all the world as though nothing had happened. "I think I've got almost everyone, then," she said. "Except for…"
She looked over at Togami and Mioda. Neither of them had moved much – Mioda was still resting on Togami's chest, though she had slid off somewhat, and Togami was holding her steady with his arm, still transfixed by the sky. "Except for them?" Hinata said.
"Except for them." Koizumi took a short breath, eyeing Togami with what looked like trepidation, before approaching them. Hinata followed not far behind. "Ibuki-chan, Togami," Koizumi said, "do you want me to take your picture?"
"Our picture?" Togami looked up at Koizumi – while seated, he was about a head shorter than her. "Why?"
"I've taken everyone else's. If you wanted one, I have the camera right here." Koizumi looked down at Mioda. "Wait, is Ibuki-chan okay?"
"I think she's asleep," Togami said. Hinata looked over – and sure enough Mioda was asleep, and drooling all over Togami's yukata.
"Wow." Koizumi smiled, but only a little, and it faded fast. "Well…I know she'd probably want the picture. But it's up to you. I guess."
"If you're willing to take it," Togami said.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Never mind." Togami nodded, then turned to look at Hinata. "Were you looking to be in the picture?"
"Oh – sure, okay." Hinata walked over and sat down near Togami. He unsure of what either of them expected him to do – throw up a peace sign, maybe? – but as Togami did nothing, neither did he.
Koizumi held her camera up, then moved some feet away and crouched to their level. "Alright…that's, that's good," she said. "I've got all three of you…alright, we're going in three, two…one…"
Before Koizumi could hit the button, there was a loud BANG – Nidai had just set off the finale, and explosion after explosion filled the sky. Hinata and Togami both recoiled, and Koizumi scowled at the camera display. "Hold on, I'll get it again!" she yelled over the noise – but then Mioda jerked her head up and clunked Togami in the jaw, sending them both flying backward.
All around them their classmates clapped and cheered, some at the fireworks and some at their fall. Hinata joined them, whooping loudly. Mioda answered his whoop through her laughter – but then he realized when she sat up that she hadn't been laughing, and neither had Koizumi. Togami held his hand over his mouth as he stood, so Hinata could not tell what he was doing, but when he moved it away, at around the time the fireworks faded, his expression was just as calm as ever.
It was about eight-thirty when the last firework went off, and the first thought on most of their minds was dinner. Some, particularly Togami, wondered aloud why no food had been provided at the festival itself, but while Hinata would have liked that, he shuddered at the logistical nightmare of trying to set up a fryer or barbecue outside.
They were all fairly happy with the idea of going to the restaurant as usual – at least until Mioda suggested the diner instead, which most everyone agreed would be more of a treat. They attempted to leave right then and there, but Monomi appeared just in time to remind them not to forget their litter, as well as bemoan that she had not been invited. So they cleaned it all up, groaning and grumbling, and took the debris back to the supermarket before setting off for the second island.
The walk was quiet, but hardly solemn. There was some conversation here and there, and Mioda was keeping up her usual patter, but there was little to argue, and nothing to shout. Hinata found himself with Nanami and Souda on either side; they talked mostly about the fireworks, though Souda attempted a few questions about Mioda and Togami ("I guess she's what they call a gold digger, huh?"). But things were very different in the diner – it was so small, and so crowded with the twelve of them (minus Kuzuryuu, plus Monomi) that the noise and chatter seemed even greater than it actually was.
But it was a noisy occasion already. Everyone had their own story to tell about the night, their own way of dominating the noise, and every story led into another – to memories of other times on the island, or memories from home, of school and friends and long, boring days, long ago and far away. Even Tanaka spoke up once or twice, if only to hint of daring forays into the underworld that he never fully explained. And Togami – he'd spent every mealtime that Hinata could ever remember eating rather than talking, but he'd somehow found a way to both contribute as much as anyone else and eat almost as much as he usually did. If there was any sorrow in their memories, any reminder of their situation or what they had lost, it never came to the surface, not with food and company and a comfortable atmosphere all around.
Though he'd tried to lose his thoughts in the chatter, Hinata couldn't help but wonder what kind of fun the others – the dead ones – would have had. Sonia would've loved the experience of a Japanese summer festival, as Koizumi had said; he could clearly imagine the delight in her eyes. Pekoyama would've enjoyed herself too, in her own strong, silent way, and between complaining about the food and ogling the yukatas Hanamura really would have had his hands full. And Komaeda…
What would Komaeda be doing? Could Hinata even know? He hadn't thought about Komaeda in a long time. He'd even forgotten most of the details Hanamura had given them about what he was. What came to mind now was a corpse bleeding under a table, connected only with snatches of conversation and vague sense of nostalgia. He couldn't make any more of it than he ever had before, and so he let the memories fade. A moment later, he didn't miss them.
The Night Time announcement came and went largely unnoticed. It was only when Nanami and Mioda fell asleep right on top of each other that it was generally agreed to be time for bed. Owari led the parade back, supporting the sleepers on either shoulder, while the rest of them tagged behind at varying speeds. Hinata was in the back, behind Tanaka – who, while silent now, had something more of a swagger in his step than before.
He didn't quite keep track of the shifting dynamics of the group, but by the time they reached the central island Tanaka had moved somewhere further forward, and Togami had taken his place. As they passed through Jabberwock Park, Hinata found himself looking back at the pedestal and remembering the days he'd spent there, guarding Twilight Syndrome with Pekoyama and Owari and Togami. It had hardly been a week since then, but it felt like a lifetime ago, before –
"Hinata."
A firm hand wrenched him forward, and he found himself facing Togami. "You weren't watching where you were going," he said. "You could've run into something."
"Well, uh, thanks." Hinata looked back at the pedestal for a moment, then over to the wide, obstacle-free path. "But there isn't really anything in front of us to run into."
"That would be because we're also falling behind," Togami said. "Come on, let's keep going."
He let go of Hinata's shoulder and walked ahead of him, going briskly but not too fast for Hinata to keep up. "It's…been an interesting evening," Togami said when he did.
"I'll say," Hinata said. He'd been expecting more silence, and this saved him the trouble of having to break it. "But you seemed to be having a pretty good time."
"I suppose I was."
"I wouldn't say 'suppose'," Hinata said with a grin. "You and Mioda were –"
"The only time we will ever be discussing Mioda's actions is if I bring them up first." Until that moment Hinata hadn't thought that Togami was capable of blushing at all – but to his credit, it didn't last very long. "Back to the point," he said. "They didn't act the way I thought they would."
Hinata didn't have to ask who he was talking about. "What did you think they were going to do?"
"Well…I'd think you know the answer to that question," Togami said. "I understand you couldn't choose a new leader this morning."
"Yeah. Because everyone was fighting." The first bridge had come and gone; they were passing the farm, the market, and the airport. "But nothing happened tonight," Hinata realized as he spoke. "Sure, not everyone was talking to each other, but…we came together as a group. I was thinking about that before, too. I can't remember a time we've done that since the trial."
"Mioda was right, then. Her and…" Togami trailed off, then began again without finishing his thought. "It was something I wouldn't have done, or even thought of."
"Really?" Hinata said. "But the party –"
"Was only to gather everyone in one place." Togami furrowed his brow, but when he spoke again his voice was low and soft. "But despite it all, you were right. No matter what…I'm one of you."
"Togami…"
"Even without a position as leader, I haven't been contributing my share to the rest of the group," Togami said. "Tomorrow morning I mean to formally apologize for my behavior. As important as tonight was, discussion and progress will have to be made." He turned to face him. "I hope I can count on your support, Hinata."
Hinata had never seen such an earnest look on Togami's face before. "Well…there's no reason you shouldn't," he said.
They reached the cottages and said their goodbyes to those who were left. Soon they were alone in the middle of the path, standing between their respective cottages. "Then I will," Togami said, looking toward his own. "And I'll see you for that in the morning."
"Alright. See you then." The assurance was more than Hinata could have hoped for. "Goodnight-"
"Hinata, one minute. There's something that's been weighing on my mind." Togami looked up at the sky. "It's about Nanami."
"Huh? Nanami?" Hinata stopped short. "What about her?"
"Has she…" Togami paused, and shook his head. "Never mind. It's not important."
"It sounded pretty important to me," Hianta said.
"It's not," Togami said quickly. "No…that's not something I can be sure about right now. I'll need more time before I can say anything."
"I don't really get what you're trying to say." Hinata felt an odd twist in his stomach. "What's going on with Nanami?"
"Hopefully, not anything," Togami said. "But as I said, I can't be sure. But if there's anything you've noticed about her, any details that don't seem to add up –"
"Byakuya-chan!"
Togami and Hinata did a double-take at the central path. Mioda was standing just in front of Hinata's cottage, swaying slightly from one foot to another.
"Mioda," Togami said. "Shouldn't you be in your cottage? You've been falling asleep all evening."
"Details, details!" Mioda stumbled slightly, but found her way over to them with little other trouble. "Hmm, what are the chances of this? Ibuki was just coming to find Byakuya-chan, and pin pon pon! Here he is!"
"Yes, I am," Togami said, looking quickly at Hinata before speaking again. "But if you can make your business quick, I was just about to go to bed –"
"Bed? But but but, the night is still young!" Mioda leaned towards Togami, and with alarming speed for her half-asleep state she wound her arm around his. "So Ibuki's going on a midnight walk, and she really doesn't want to go alone…"
"A midnight walk…?" Togami looked quickly back and forth between Mioda and Hinata, his eyes frozen wide. "Well, that's…"
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Mioda said. "But Ibuki reaaallllyyy wants to…"
Togami made no move to answer, but Hinata knew that if he was going to refuse, he would have done it already – and he was feeling more and more like a third wheel every second. "Just to be sure," he said, "I'm not invited on this, am I?"
"Nope!" Mioda said. "Not at all!"
"I thought so. Well, have fun, guys. With whatever it is you end up doing." Hinata waved and turned away from them, trying, for their sakes, not to think of anything but sleep as he entered his cottage.
komaeda theater
"We would have worked well together, Hinata-kun.
"Don't get me wrong, of course. You know I'm talking about our potential for the good of the world, don't you? No…your potential, that's what I meant. I could never be anything more than a spectator. No, not even that…how could a mere mortal look into the face of the sun for more than a moment? What I mean is, I would've been open to whatever use you had for me. With your tremendous amount of talent, there's no way any of my shortcomings could hold you back!
"But don't get me wrong. That hope can't be the only thing I appreciate about you. On a surface level, I did always think we shared a lot more than we were really aware of. Like love. A great love for those around us. And ambition, and a need to act and interact. And maybe there was even more we had in common I could have seen in the days to come, had I lived.
"But perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe dying was the use you had for me. And I already know there's nothing that I regret about that. After all, even when we're divided, with the bonds we have we're really not so far apart after all. I can remember you so clearly, the curves of your face, the angles of your body...everything I've ever noticed about you, really. And those memories are worth a lot to me…but I don't know how much weight you could put on what a worthless person like me finds worthy. That's okay, though. I think I can hazard a guess.
"But don't get me wrong. It's not like I'm in love with you or anything like that.
"Tonight's lucky numbers are 131, 134, 143, 265, 266, 363, 533, 551, 552, 554, 951, 1073, 1141, 1145, 1623, 1631, 1733, and 1743."
For a moment the only thing Hinata could think about was how alone he felt. It wasn't a conscious or fully developed line of reason, but it was there in the aches and pains of his back, the cavern in his chest and the pounding in his head, the tingling in his fingers as they grasped the sheets – but then the feeling was gone, just like the others, and only the vague impression of it remained. Hinata couldn't even remember why he'd had it at all, and now that he was awake there was no going back to where he'd been.
It was unusually bright for the early morning, and quiet – he hadn't heard the Monobear announcement go off. Had he really woken up that early after everything that had gone on last night? Or had he just slept through it? He'd find out one way or another soon enough. He'd get up, get dressed, and head to the restaurant, and then Togami would show up and –
A loud knock interrupted his thoughts, closely followed by Togami's voice. "Hinata!" he yelled through the wall. "Hinata, open the door!"
"Huh?" Hinata sat stunned for a second. Why was Togami yelling at him? Was he really that late? Was Togami really that desperate for him to be there to hear him apologize? It wouldn't do him any good just to wonder. He ambled out of bed, and at another imperative – "Come on, Hinata!" – he pulled his clothes on as fast as he could.
He opened the door to find Togami standing directly in front of it, looking nothing short of livid. "Morning, Togami," he said, his mind still unfocused. "I'm sorry, what time is it –"
"It's almost 7:30," Togami said. "Why aren't you at the restaurant? Where have you been?"
"Uh…here?" Hinata looked back into his room. "I overslept, that's all –"
"Overslept?" Togami said. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Hinata said, more confused every second. "You were out even later than I was, unless you didn't –"
"One second." Togami stepped closer to Hinata, then reached over, placed his hand on his forehead, and kept it there for several seconds. Hinata was just about to protest when he took it away again, placing it on his chin.
"Normal. Good, that's one less thing to worry about." Togami grabbed Hinata by the arm. "We're the only ones left at the hotel, so the others must be at the restaurant. We have to get there as soon as we can –"
"If we must, as you say, get there as soon as we can, then I will recommend hurrying ahead, sir!"
Hinata was confused by the voice at first – it sounded vaguely familiar, but off somehow. Then he happened to look behind Togami, and saw Mioda standing stock-still at the end of the path, her arm pressed against her forehead in a salute. "Mioda?" he said. "What are you doing?"
"Indeed I am Ibuki Mioda! My purpose is waiting for instructions!" Mioda wavered slightly, but did not move from her position. "Query as to whether this man is to be included in the "we" you mentioned, sir! If we must go together then I will stand still until we all leave, sir!"
Togami sighed through his teeth. "Yes, we're going. Go ahead, Mioda."
"Yes, sir! I will charge ahead until I reach my destination!" Mioda's words faded into the distance as she marched down the cottage path, turning at a sharp wide angle onto the main road. Togami ran after her, pulling Hinata behind him. They were going so fast Hinata was practically flying.
"Was that –" Hinata could hardly wrap his head around what he'd just seen, especially not when he was concentrating on not falling over. "What was that? What's wrong with Mioda?"
"She came to my cottage like that this morning," Togami said, breathing heavily as he ran. "Burning fever, erratic behavior – and if it's truly what Monobear told me it was, then this may just be the beginning."
"Monobear?" Hinata's eyes went wide. "Wait, then that's –"
"Our next motive," Togami said. They were almost to the door of the Hotel Mirai lobby – Hinata could see Mioda charging past the game consoles and up the stairs. "And he made a point of assuring me it's not so easily contained as the last."
Thank you for reading Ibuki's Greatest Ambition, Part 2! Next time, the moment you've all been waiting for!
- Carth
