That evening, while the sun was just starting to set, the four donned their coats and headed to the winter festival.

"This week went by so fast." Said Ayano. "I wish we had more time."

"Well unfortunately we have to leave tomorrow." Said Shintaro. "Then we spend the rest of our winter break doing whatever we want."

"You mean staying in your room browsing the internet like always?" Asked Takane.

Shintaro glared at her.

"We both know you're just going to play games all break." Said Shintaro.

"Hey break it up guys." Said Haruka. "Lets not worry about that and focus on the festival instead."

"Come on I think we're almost there!" Said Ayano.

The four friends continued on their journey to the festival.

When they arrived at the festival, they were taken back by the sight of the various stalls, vendors, and games set up, all of them bustling with people.

"Looks like fun." Said Haruka.

"What should we do first?" Asked Ayano.

Haruka opened his mouth to speak.

"Haruka If you say food I swear to god I will eat all your snacks when we get back." Said Shintaro.

Haruka closed his mouth.

"Never mind..."

Takane put her hands in her pockets.

"I'm going to find the shooting gallery." Said Takane.

Takane vanished into the crowd of festival guests and vendors.

"Wait up!" Shouted Haruka, who followed after her.

"Well... Guess that just leaves us." Said Ayano. "Where do you want to go?"

"Doesn't matter." Replied Shintaro.

Ayano happily grabbed Shintaro's arm and led him towards the crowd of before them.

Takane looked around for the shooting gallery.

"Lets see..."

As she looked around Haruka caught up with her.

"There you are-"

"Aha!"

Takane approached the shooting gallery, Haruka following close behind. Takane looked at her prize options.

"Lets see... Plush bear... Robot figure-"

"Takane look!" Said Haruka, pointing to a prize.

The prize Haruka was pointing at was a figure of a cowboy riding on the back of a triceritops while holding two corn dogs.

"The hell is that?" Asked Takane.

"It looks so cool!" Said Haruka. "Can you-"

"Way ahead of you." Said Takane.

Takane set some money on the counter.

"One round!"

The clerk took the money and handed Takane a cork gun with five corks.

"You got five shots." Said the clerk. "Good luck."

"I don't need luck." Said Takane, loading the cork gun. "I have skill."

Takane took aim and fired her first shot. It missed the figure completely.

"... What?"

"Try it again." Said Haruka.

Takane fired three more shots, all missing.

"How the hell am I missing?!" Shouted Takane.

Takane angrily aimed her last shot.

"YOUR DEAD YOU STUPID TRICERATOPS!"

Takane fired the gun, the projectile missed again and knocked another figure off the shelf.

"Eh?!"

"Congrats." Said the clerk.

The clerk picked the figure off the ground and handed it to Takane. It was a figure of a muscular male in a speedo, only it had bat wings and the head of a shark.

"Enjoy your prize."

Takane and Haruka took five seconds to stare awkwardly at their prize.

"You can keep that one..." Said Haruka.

Shintaro leaned against one of the stalls as Ayano purchased two cups of hot choolate. She hurried over to Shintaro and handed him a cup.

"Thanks."

Shintaro took a sip of the hot beverage.

"So what plans do you have for the rest of break?" Asked Ayano.

"Nothing much." Said Shintaro. "Stay inside, surf the web..."

"Hey you two!"

The shooting gallery booth clerk nearby was calling them over.

"Wanna give it a try?"

Shintaro took another sip and handed his cup to Ayano.

"I'll give it a shot."

Shintaro approached the booth and set some yen on the counter. The clerk handed Shintaro the cork gun and five corks.

"Good-"

Shintaro fired off his first shot with one hand, knocking the triceritops figure off its spot.

"...luck." Muttered the Clerk.

Shintaro set the gun down. The clerk picked the figure up and have it to Shintaro.

"Thanks."

Shintaro walked over to Ayano and took his cup back.

"That was amazing!" Said Ayano.

"It was nothing." Replied Shintaro.

Ayano finished her hot chocolate.

"I'm feeling kind of hungry." Said Ayano.

"Yeah, lets find some food."

Shintaro finished his hot chocolate before disposing of the cup and searching for a food vendor with Ayano.

Takane and Haruka sat by the shrine, eatting. They decided on yakotori because it was inexpensive and Haruka begged for it.

"The yakotori here is great!" Said Haruka happily.

"Everything tastes great to you." Said Takane.

Haruka happily swallowed a bite of Yakotori.

"We should have got some meat buns too." Said Haruka.

"Have you ever been full in your life?" Asked Takane.

Haruka stopped and rubbed his chin.

"No... I honestly don't think I have..."

Haruka finished his Yakotori before reaching into a paper bag, pulling out another one.

"How many of those did you buy?" Asked Takane.

"What was the limit?"

"Hey guys!"

They noticed Ayano and Shintaro aproaching. Ayano had two styrofoam to go boxes while Shintaro carried the figure.

"Got you something Haruka." Said Shintaro.

Shintaro handed Haruka the figure.

"W-Wow you actually won it!" Said Haruka. "Takane tried and couldn't."

Shintaro snickered at Takane.

"I thought you were supposed to be a good shot." Said Shintaro.

"Well screw you Kisaragi!" Said Takane.

Shintaro and Ayano both sat down next to their friends, Ayano handed one of the takeout boxes to Shintaro.

"What did you guys get?" Asked Haruka.

"Yakisoba." Replied Ayano.

She opened her take out box, took out a pair of chopsticks and started eating.

"Could I have some?" Asked Haruka.

"You have a bag of Yakotori!" Said Takane. "Let them have their food!"

After eating, the four decided to stay together, playing some of the stall games or just stopping to chat. Before they knew it, it was getting to be late.

"Its getting late." Said Ayano.

"Yeah, we should think about getting back to the inn soon." Said Haruka.

"I think we should head back now." Said Shintaro.

"You sure?" Asked Ayano. "I think we could find a few more things to-"

Ayano noticed that Takane had passed out next to her.

"Narcolepsy kicked in again." Said Shintaro. "We cant do much with an unconscious tsundare."

"Shintaro does have a point there." Said Haruka.

"Alright." Said Ayano. "Heck, maybe we can hit the baths one more time."

Haruka handed a plastic bag to Shintaro which contained his and Takane's figures along with some snacks Haruka had purchased.

"Hold this."

Haruka picked Takane up, piggy backing the unconscious girl.

"Lets go." Said Haruka.

They left the Festival together.

They were well on their way back to the inn when Takane began to wake up.

"Uh... Huh?"

She quickly realized that Haruka was piggy backing her and started struggling to get free.

"L-Let go!"

Haruka set Takane down.

"You were out cold and we decided to head back." Said Haruka.

"W-Whatever!" Said Takane.

Shintaro sighed.

"Those two..."

"Guys look!" Said Ayano, pointing to the sky.

In the distance, they could see fireworks going off.

"Fireworks?" Asked Takane. "I thought those were a summer thing."

"Apparently not." Replied Shintaro.

They decided to stay put and watch the fireworks together.

"So pretty." Said Ayano.

"Well thats one way to end a vacation." Said Shintaro.

"Oh! That was a big one!" Said Haruka, pointing at a large one that just went off.

Takane smiled.

"Ooh! The grand finale!" Said Ayano.

They all looked in awe as countless fireworks went off in the sky. Even Shintaro gave a smll smile.

"Maybe this wasn't so bad after all..." Thought Shintaro.

The group had decided once they got back to take one dip in the hot springs. By some sort of miracle there was nobody else an either of the springs, so the four were able to chat through the wall that divided the male and female springs.

"Now this is nice." Said Ayano.

"Nobody else is here." Said Haruka. "Isn't that great Shintaro?"

Haruka raised his hand for a hi five.

"Remember what I said about looking at me in the spring." Said Shintaro.

Haruka frowned and lowered his hand.

"We should do stuff like this more often." Suggested Ayano. "Like every year we take a trip."

"Sounds a bit pricy." Said Takane.

"We can think about all that later." Said Shintaro.

"Lets enjoy our last night." Said Haruka.

"Yeah." Said Takane. "We have a whole hot spring to ourselves, so why not savor it."

"Your right." Said Ayano.

Ayano opened her arms to give Takane a hug.

"Ayano we're naked Don't hug me." Said Takane.

Afterwards, the boys decided to walk Takane and Ayano back to their room.

"So we have some time before the train leaves tomorrow." Said Haruka. "Any ideas on what we can do?"

"We can think of that tomorrow." Said Takane. "Right now I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own futon."

As she reached out to open the door, The four heard a familiar noise.

"Oh no they're at it again." Said Ayano.

Takane turned to look at the boys.

"We're gunna need to stay with you again." Said Takane.

Almost over. 1-2 more chapters.