Chapter Text
🎆 The final fireworks exploded in the sky. The crowd had started to disperse slowly, and the atmosphere grew quieter.
Sakura and Kotoha now sat together on a wooden bench in the park, slightly away from the main festival area. Paper lanterns still flickered softly, and the sound of crickets filled the night.
Sakura looked down, fidgeting with both hands.
“…Thanks. For… coming today.”
Kotoha looked over. “Didn’t I say? If you ask, I’ll come.”
A tiny smile slipped onto Sakura’s face, but the head turned away quickly knowing one more second of eye contact with Kotoha would cause a full meltdown.
Kotoha leaned back a little, tilting her head.
“If I ask you next time… just the two of us, not for a festival… would you be okay with that?”
“….”
A small nod from Sakura. “I’d be okay.”
Kotoha smiled — the softest one of the night.
“So sweet, Sakura.”
“SHUT UPPP—!”
⸻
ONE MINUTE LATER…
Sakura had just started to relax…
BUT.
From the bushes near the park bench—
“PSSST! Did you see how Kotoha looked at Sakura just now??”
“SAKURA WAS BLUSHING MAX LEVEL.”
“That’s tsundere tier 999.”
CRACK!!
A twig snapped.
Sakura and Kotoha both turned toward the bushes.
Visible… FEET.
And a giant food bag hanging from a tree branch.
“Tsugeura-san!! Why did you hang the food bag up there?!” whispered Nirei in panic.
“HOW WOULD I KNOW THEY’D SEE IT!!” Tsugeura hissed back — way too loudly.
“…”
Sakura stood up. Slowly.
Eyes narrowed. Face burning red. Lips twitching.
“ARE YOU GUYS… HIDING THERE???”
The stalker squad froze.
Nirei: “Abort mission. ABORT.”
Kiryu: “WE’VE BEEN COMPROMISED.”
Sugishita (still sitting, totally unbothered): “Told ya this would happen.”
Then—
Everyone RAN.
Anzai, Yuri, Tsugeura, Kurita — scrambling out of the bushes, laughing and screaming.
Sakura?
CHASED THEM.
Full-on track team energy.
“ARE YOU TRYING TO DIE??!!”
“DON’T YOU HAVE A LIFE??!”
“Yuri!! Delete the video—!!”
“Too late. It’s already on the Drive!!”
———
Kotoha, still seated on the bench, simply shook her head.
A slow shake, followed by a soft smile as Sakura chased the group of now-official third wheels.
“This one’s… way too cute.”
Kotoha looked up at the sky — fireworks now just a trail of fading smoke.
“Best first date ever…”
⸻
THE END. 🎇