Chapter Text
The reconciliation between Kikyo Academy and Chidori High had come and gone, leaving behind something neither school had expected.
Peace.
What had once started with misunderstandings and prejudice gradually turned into something far more genuine. Friendships that never should have existed were now part of their everyday lives, and meeting after school had become almost routine.
As October drew to a close, Tokyo slowly transformed for Halloween. Storefronts filled with carved pumpkins and orange lights, cafés decorated their windows with ghosts and bats, and the streets became livelier with each passing day.
It was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement.
Naturally, Madoka was the first to suggest celebrating Halloween together this year.
Nobody was particularly surprised by the suggestion.
If anything, everyone had expected it to come from her.
After a bit of discussion, they settled on spending the evening at Tokyo's biggest Halloween festival before exploring the city together like they always did.
There was only one condition.
Nobody was allowed to reveal their costume beforehand.
The surprise was part of the fun.
Halloween arrived sooner than anyone realized.
The station was already crowded with people dressed as witches, vampires, ghosts and every costume imaginable. Laughter echoed throughout the plaza while countless phones were already snapping pictures before the festival had even begun.
One by one, the group arrived at their meeting spot.
💛: Looks like everyone made it.
❤️: And nobody spoiled their costume!
🖤: That's honestly impressive.
💜: I was worried someone would accidentally mention it.
🩷: Or intentionally.
Madoka glanced toward Usami with a knowing smile.
❤️: Hey! Why are you looking at me?
Before anyone could answer, another pair approached from the opposite side.
Everyone turned almost instinctively.
Then... silence.
For a brief moment, nobody said a word.
Subaru had chosen a nun's costume, elegant and simple, while Saku was dressed as the Grim Reaper, the dark robes falling neatly over his shoulders.
Neither of them had planned it.
Yet somehow...
Their costumes looked as though they had been chosen together.
The contrast fit almost too perfectly.
The group exchanged subtle glances, each silently reaching the exact same conclusion.
Those two really managed to match... without even trying.
Fortunately, everyone had enough self-control to keep those thoughts to themselves.
Everyone...
Except one.
❤️: Hoshina-san! Natsusawa! Your costumes actually match!
Another silence settled over the group.
💛: ...
💜: ...
🖤: ...
🩷: ...
Usami blinked, looking around in confusion.
❤️: What? Did I say something weird?
Madoka immediately laughed, waving a hand.
🩷: Nothing! They just look really nice together.
💜: They do.
💛: It suits both of them.
Subaru offered a polite smile, though she couldn't hide the faint warmth rising to her cheeks.
💚: Thank you...
Saku glanced at his own costume before looking at hers.
💙: I guess they do.
He sounded genuinely surprised.
Which somehow made the situation even more awkward.
Thankfully, nobody decided to tease them any further.
Instead, the conversation naturally drifted to everyone else's costumes as they admired each other's creativity before making their way toward the festival.
The city only grew brighter the closer they got.
Orange lanterns hung above the streets, music echoed from every direction, and groups of children hurried past them carrying pumpkin-shaped candy buckets while performers entertained the growing crowd.
The long-awaited night had finally begun.
-------------------
The deeper they ventured into the heart of the city, the more alive the streets became.
Colorful lights stretched across the roads, illuminating every corner with shades of orange and purple. Music echoed from nearby stages while countless visitors wandered around in elaborate costumes, stopping to admire decorations or pose for pictures with friends.
For a moment, it almost felt like the entire city had dressed up for the occasion.
❤️: I've wanted to come here at least once! I still can't believe I'm finally here with all of you!
🩷: Right? I kept seeing people post about it online. Apparently this year's event is the biggest one they've ever hosted... and the winning team even gets prize money.
💚: Aren't you already wealthy enough? Why are you so interested in the prize?
🩷: It's not about the money.
Madoka smiled as she looked around at everyone walking beside her.
🩷: I just wanted another excuse for all of us to make new memories together.
Ayato gave a small nod.
🖤: That's actually surpris—
🩷: Besides... I spent all my savings on a game yesterday.
The group blinked.
🩷: ...Only to find out I bought the demo version.
Silence.
🩷: The full game comes out next week...
💛: I should've seen that coming.
💜: That's definitely something Madoka would do.
Laughter erupted between them as Madoka dramatically buried her face in her hands.
🩷: Don't laugh! I'm still grieving!
💙: Looks like they're about to start.
Everyone's attention shifted toward the brightly lit stage at the center of the plaza.
❤️: Saku-chan.
💙: Hm?
❤️: Be honest.
Usami grinned.
❤️: You're actually enjoying this, aren't you?
Saku glanced at him before letting out a quiet sigh.
💙: Keep talking and don't expect any help with the next exams.
❤️: ...
❤️: I take everything back.
As the lights dimmed, the music suddenly grew louder.
Spotlights swept across the stage before settling on the host, who stepped forward with a bright smile.
💬: Good evening, everyone!
Cheers immediately rose from every direction.
💬: Happy Halloween!
The applause only grew louder.
💬: It's amazing to see so many people joining us again this year. To make tonight even more exciting, we'll be hosting our annual Extreme Trick-or-Treat Competition!
The crowd erupted with excitement.
💚: Extreme Trick-or-Treat?
🖤: It's basically one giant candy hunt spread across the city.
💜: Every team has a limited amount of time to collect as much candy as possible.
💛: Once time's up, every bag gets weighed.
💜: The team with the most candy wins.
💛: The beginning is usually pretty calm...
Rintaro smiled to himself.
💛: It's the last twenty minutes that become absolute chaos.
💚: Sounds fun.
💬: Before we begin, please take a look beneath your seats.
A murmur spread through the audience.
💬: You'll each find a colored wrist strap. The color represents your team for tonight's competition.
Everyone bent down almost simultaneously.
Small colored straps were tucked neatly beneath each chair.
One after another, they pulled them free.
🩷: Looks like they really did organize everyone by seating order.
❤️: Aw, man...
Usami looked down at his orange strap before turning toward Madoka.
❤️: I wanted to beat you, Yuzuhara-san.
🩷: Too bad.
She proudly held up the matching orange strap around her wrist.
🩷: Looks like we're teammates instead.
Ayato casually lifted his own wrist.
🖤: Guess that makes the three of us.
Meanwhile...
Kaoruko and Rintaro exchanged a smile after noticing they both wore white.
💜: Looks like we'll be together.
💛: Let's do our best.
A few steps away, Subaru absentmindedly stared at the black strap resting in her palm.
She frowned slightly.
For a second, she'd completely forgotten which color Saku had drawn.
Curious, she looked up.
Saku quietly fastened the exact same black strap around his wrist.
Her eyes widened.
She quickly looked back down at her own.
Then at his again.
The realization settled in almost instantly.
They were teammates.
A tiny smile almost escaped her before she quickly composed herself.
There was no reason to make a big deal out of it.
It was just a coincidence.
❤️: Hoshina-san!
Subaru looked over.
❤️: Would you mind switching teams with me—
🩷💜💛🖤: DON'T.
The four of them answered in perfect unison.
Even Usami froze.
🩷: I-I mean...
Madoka awkwardly laughed.
🩷: Team changes aren't allowed.
🖤: Yeah.
💜: They explained that at the beginning.
💛: You were too busy talking to Saku to hear the rules.
❤️: ...
❤️: Seriously?
💛: Seriously.
Usami let out an exaggerated sigh before dramatically pointing toward Madoka.
❤️: Fine!
❤️: But I'm still beating you tonight.
🩷: You're welcome to try.
The participants gradually gathered near the starting area as volunteers handed each team a large canvas bag for collecting candy.
The atmosphere had changed.
Excitement slowly gave way to anticipation.
From across the crowd, Usami caught Saku's attention.
Without saying a word, he pointed two fingers toward his own eyes before pointing at Saku.
A silent challenge.
Saku answered with the faintest smirk.
That alone was enough to make Usami click his tongue.
Nearby, Subaru laughed quietly at the exchange.
Everyone else waved to one another before separating into their respective teams.
💬: Before we begin, one final rule.
The crowd fell silent.
💬: Your team's colored strap must remain with you at all times.
The host raised one of the straps for everyone to see.
💬: If another participant steals it, you're immediately eliminated.
A wave of surprised murmurs spread across the plaza.
💬: Protect your teammates, protect your candy, and most importantly...
The host grinned.
💬: Have fun!
💚: Wait...
Subaru looked around in disbelief.
💚: So people can actually try to steal our straps?
💙: Looks like it.
💚: That's... surprisingly intense.
💙: Which means we'll have to stay alert.
He adjusted the strap around his wrist.
💙: Shohei's competitive enough already.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
💙: And with Yuzuhara-san and Yorita on the same team...
💙: They'll probably come after us sooner or later.
💚: Then I guess we'd better not lose.
She smiled back.
💚: Besides...
She lightly lifted the camera hanging around her neck.
💚: I still want lots of pictures before tonight ends.
Saku's expression softened.
💙: Then let's make sure we have time to take them.
Not far away, Kaoruko caught Subaru's eye.
Without saying anything, she formed a tiny heart with her fingers.
Subaru couldn't help smiling before making the same gesture back.
💛: Think they'll be alright?
💜: Of course.
Kaoruko looked toward the two of them.
💜: They're both dependable.
💛: Then let's make sure we don't lose either.
💜: Deal.
The host raised one arm into the air.
💬: Participants...
The plaza instantly fell silent.
💬: You have one hour and thirty minutes.
The countdown echoed through the speakers.
💬: Five...
Four...
Three...
Two...
One...
GO!
The peaceful atmosphere disappeared in an instant.
🩷: MOVE, USAMI-KUN!
❤️: HEY! YOU'RE THE ONE PUSHING!
🖤: Don't get separated!
💛: Kaoruko, this way!
💜: Coming!
Within seconds, hundreds of participants scattered throughout the city, disappearing into different streets in search of candy.
Subaru adjusted the strap around her wrist before turning toward Saku.
💚: So...
💚: Where are we heading first?
Saku glanced at the map displayed on his phone before pointing toward a quieter part of the city.
💙: I know a residential neighborhood nearby.
💙: It's peaceful, most of the houses participate every year, and there are plenty of families living there.
He looked back at her with a calm smile.
💙: We should be able to collect quite a lot before the crowds catch up.
Subaru nodded.
💚: Then what are we waiting for?
She smiled.
💚: Let's go.
Together, they disappeared into the sea of Halloween lights as the competition officially began.
Compared to the lively streets surrounding the festival, the neighborhood Saku had led them to was remarkably quiet.
Rows of neatly decorated houses lined both sides of the street, their front yards illuminated by carved pumpkins and warm lanterns. Spider webs stretched across hedges, glowing ghosts swayed gently from tree branches, and the occasional laughter of children echoed somewhere farther down the road as they hurried from house to house with overflowing candy buckets.
The peaceful atmosphere was almost enough to make them forget they were in the middle of a competition.
Saku knocked on another front door, patiently waiting beside Subaru.
A few moments later, an elderly woman welcomed them with a warm smile.
💙💚: Trick or Treat!
💬: Oh my...
Her eyes lit up the moment she saw them.
💬: You two have the loveliest costumes I've seen all evening.
She happily dropped handfuls of candy into both of their bags.
💚: Thank you very much.
💬: You're welcome, dear.
She looked between them once more before smiling even wider.
💬: You make such an adorable couple.
The words left her mouth so naturally that neither of them had time to react.
Subaru's candy bag slipped from her hands and landed on the ground with a dull thud.
💚: C-Couple...?
💙: We're just friends, ma'am.
💬: Oh goodness!
The woman covered her mouth in embarrassment.
💬: I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have assumed.
She quickly picked up Subaru's bag before handing it back.
💬: Please forgive me.
💚: N-No... it's alright.
💙: Thank you for the candy.
💬: Stay safe out there, both of you.
The two bowed politely before continuing down the street.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence that followed felt strangely different from before.
Subaru walked a step behind Saku, her fingers tightening slightly around the strap of her candy bag.
She couldn't explain why such a simple misunderstanding had unsettled her so much.
It had only been a stranger making an innocent mistake.
Nothing more.
Then why...
Why was her heart refusing to settle down?
She stole a glance at Saku walking beside her.
He looked exactly the same as always.
Calm.
Composed.
Completely unaffected.
The realization made her lower her gaze.
💙: Hoshina-san?
She blinked.
💙: Is everything alright?
💚: Hm?
She looked back up.
💚: Ah... yes.
A small smile found its way onto her face.
💚: I was just thinking.
Saku studied her for a brief moment before reaching toward the candy bag in her hand.
💙: Here.
Before she could react, he had already taken it from her.
💚: Natsusawa-kun—
💙: It's getting heavy.
He lifted both bags with little effort.
💙: I'll carry yours for a while.
Subaru hesitated for a second before smiling softly.
💚: ...
💚: Thank you.
💙: You're welcome.
The quiet returned.
This time...
It felt oddly comfortable.
The silence was eventually broken by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching them.
A young photographer slowed to a stop, a camera hanging around his neck.
💬: Excuse me!
The two turned toward him.
💬: Happy Halloween! I'm taking pictures of people's costumes for a local photo collection.
He smiled brightly.
💬: Would you two mind if I took a picture? It's completely free.
💚: Oh...
Subaru instinctively glanced toward Saku before answering.
💚: We're actually in the middle of—
💙: I don't mind.
She looked at him in surprise.
💚: Really?
Saku nodded.
💙: We still have plenty of time.
He looked at her.
💙: Besides...
A faint smile crossed his face.
💙: You wanted to take lots of pictures today, didn't you?
For a moment...
Subaru simply stared at him.
He remembered.
Even something as small as that.
Her shoulders relaxed almost immediately.
💚: ...
She smiled.
💚: Then let's do it.
💬: Great!
The photographer pointed toward a nearby street decorated with glowing pumpkins and strings of orange lights.
💬: Go stand over there.
💬: I'll adjust my camera first.
As the photographer walked a short distance away, Subaru found herself looking at Saku again.
💚: I didn't expect you to agree.
💙: Neither did I.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
💙: I'm not really fond of taking pictures.
💚: That's what I thought.
💙: But...
His gaze drifted toward the lively streets surrounding them.
💙: It felt like you weren't enjoying the competition as much as everyone else.
💙: I figured taking a short break might make tonight more enjoyable for you.
For a heartbeat...
Subaru simply looked at him.
He had noticed.
Again.
He always noticed.
Without realizing it, the words slipped from her lips.
💚: I'm always having fun when I'm with you, so—
She stopped.
The sentence lingered between them.
The sounds of the festival suddenly seemed impossibly distant.
Even the music faded into the background.
Saku's eyes widened ever so slightly.
Subaru's own eyes mirrored the same surprise.
Neither of them spoke.
Neither of them moved.
They simply stood there beneath the warm glow of the Halloween lights, unable to look away.
💬: Perfect!
The photographer returned, unknowingly shattering the silence.
💬: Are you two ready?
Saku was the first to recover.
💙: Yes.
He quietly stepped into position.
Subaru followed a second later, though the warmth lingering on her cheeks refused to disappear.
💬: Great!
The photographer raised the camera.
💬: Three...
Two...
One...
Click.
The shutter echoed softly.
💬: That came out wonderfully.
He lowered the camera with a satisfied smile.
💬: I'll send it to you later.
He handed Saku a small business card with his contact information.
💙: Thank you.
💬: Happy Halloween!
As the photographer disappeared into the crowd, another silence settled over them.
Saku cleared his throat.
💙: ...
💙: We should keep going.
💚: ...
💚: Right.
They resumed walking side by side.
Neither of them mentioned what had happened moments earlier.
Neither of them needed to.
Somehow...
The memory stayed with them anyway.
By the time they reached the neighborhood park, the streets had become noticeably quieter.
Most participants had already moved deeper into the residential area, leaving only the distant laughter of children and the occasional sound of Halloween music drifting through the crisp autumn air.
The park itself was decorated just as warmly as the rest of the neighborhood. Small lanterns lined the walking paths, while strings of orange lights wrapped around the trees, casting a gentle glow over the empty benches.
Saku glanced toward a small shop just across the street.
💙: Why don't you rest for a bit?
He nodded toward one of the benches beneath a maple tree.
💙: I don't think anyone will come looking here anytime soon.
Subaru looked around before agreeing with a small nod.
💚: Alright.
💙: I'll be right back.
Before she could ask where he was going, Saku had already crossed the street.
Subaru watched him disappear inside the small shop before letting out a long breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
She leaned back against the bench, covering her face with both hands.
💚: ...
A quiet groan escaped her lips.
💚: What was I even saying...
The memory replayed itself against her will.
"I'm always having fun when I'm with you..."
She slowly lowered her hands, staring blankly at the path in front of her.
Ever since they'd left the photographer behind, she couldn't stop thinking about it.
The words had slipped out so naturally...
Almost as though she'd meant every single one.
Her cheeks warmed all over again.
She sighed.
💚: I really need to stop embarrassing myself around him...
After a moment, her attention wandered across the street.
Through the shop's glass window, she caught sight of Saku waiting at the counter.
Even from a distance, she recognized the calm way he stood, patiently waiting his turn while occasionally glancing toward the park.
A small smile found its way onto her face.
Somehow...
He always seemed to notice the smallest things.
Whether she was tired...
Quiet...
Or simply not enjoying herself as much as everyone else.
He never made a fuss about it.
He simply did something to make her smile.
Her phone suddenly vibrated in her hands.
The group chat.
Curious, she opened it.
🩷: SOMEBODY HELP!!
🩷: THIS HAS TURNED INTO COMPLETE CHAOS!!
❤️: YORITA'S BEEN STEALING STRAPS LEFT AND RIGHT!
🖤: Only because everyone keeps dropping their guard.
💜: That's not something to be proud of...
💛: Wait...
💛: Ayato, didn't you just pass by the blue house on Maple Street?
🖤: Interesting.
🖤: So that really was you.
💛: ...
💛: Wait.
💛: I wasn't supposed to answer that.
💜: Rintaro-kun...
❤️:FOUND THEM!!
💛: I'M LEAVING.
🩷: GOOD LUCK!!
💚: You guys are unbelievable.
🩷: Subaru!!
🩷: WHERE ARE YOU TWO??
❤️: We've been looking everywhere!
🩷: Usami-kun refuses to give up.
Subaru couldn't help laughing to herself.
💚: Sorry.
💚: That's staying a secret until the game ends.
🩷: BOOOO.
🩷: Fine.
🩷: Have fun!!
💚: We will.
She slipped her phone back into her pocket, still smiling.
A few moments later, Saku stepped out of the shop carrying a small paper bag.
From where he stood, he noticed Subaru quietly smiling to herself as she looked down at her phone.
He stopped walking for just a second.
The warm glow of the lanterns reflected softly against her face as strands of hair swayed gently in the evening breeze.
She looked... happy.
Without realizing it, a small smile appeared on his own face.
There was something strangely comforting about seeing her like that.
Simple moments like these always seemed to stay with him longer than they should.
Perhaps that was why his feelings had become so difficult to ignore.
He knew nothing would ever come of them.
Subaru had always treated him with kindness.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
And that was enough.
If remaining by her side meant quietly carrying those feelings alone...
Then he'd gladly do so.
He took one last breath before walking over to the bench.
💙: I brought something.
Subaru looked up.
💚: Donuts?
Saku sat beside her, placing the paper bag between them.
💙: I wasn't sure which flavor you'd like.
💙: So I bought a few different ones.
He handed one to her.
💙: This one's coffee.
Subaru accepted it with both hands.
💚: Coffee?
She blinked in surprise before taking a careful bite.
A second later, her eyes lit up.
💚: This is so good.
💚: I never thought coffee and donuts would go so well together.
Saku chuckled quietly.
💙: I figured you'd like it.
💚: You remembered I like coffee?
💙: Of course.
He answered so naturally that it almost caught her off guard.
💙: You mention it every time we pass a café.
Subaru stared at him for a brief moment before laughing softly.
💚: Do I really?
💙: You do.
For some reason...
That simple conversation felt warmer than the coffee-flavored donut in her hands.
Just then, both of their phones buzzed simultaneously.
Saku glanced at the new message before letting out a quiet laugh.
💙: Looks like Rintaro barely escaped.
He turned his screen toward her.
A picture showed Rintaro sprinting down the street while Ayato and Usami chased after him with determined expressions.
Subaru couldn't hold back her laughter.
💚: They actually caught up to him.
💙: Apparently not for long.
💚: I guess choosing this neighborhood was the right decision after all.
Saku nodded.
💙: For now.
His gaze briefly swept across the nearby streets.
💙: We shouldn't let our guard down just yet.
Subaru followed his gaze before nodding in agreement.
💚: Then let's enjoy the peace while it lasts.
Saku smiled.
💙: Sounds like a plan.
For a little while longer...
The competition could wait.
Their short break came to an end far sooner than either of them had expected.
As they stood from the bench and gathered their things, Subaru happened to glance toward the entrance of the park.
Five men had just stepped inside.
Unlike the cheerful participants they'd seen all evening, these men carried themselves differently.
Their candy bags were already overflowing, several colored straps hung from their wrists, and their loud laughter echoed across the otherwise quiet park.
Subaru's smile slowly faded.
Something about them felt...
Wrong.
Almost instinctively, she found herself taking a small step closer to Saku.
💚: Natsusawa-kun...
He turned toward her.
💙: Hm?
Without saying a word, Subaru subtly nodded toward the group.
Saku followed her gaze.
The moment he recognized them, the warmth in his expression disappeared.
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
💙: ...
Subaru immediately noticed the change.
💚: Do you know them?
He kept watching the group for another second before answering quietly.
💙: I've seen them since the competition started.
His voice remained calm, though noticeably more serious than before.
💙: They've been targeting smaller teams.
💙: They don't waste time collecting candy.
💙: They steal straps instead.
Subaru looked back toward the men.
Now that she paid closer attention...
She realized several of the straps hanging from their wrists were different colors.
Far too many for a single team.
A knot formed in her stomach.
💚: Then...
Should we just give them ours?
She looked back at him.
💚: If it means avoiding trouble—
Saku shook his head.
💙: It won't end there.
His gaze never left the group.
💙: They've been intimidating people all night.
💙: Giving them what they want won't guarantee they'll leave us alone.
Subaru instinctively tightened her grip around her candy bag.
The men had already noticed them.
One of them pointed in their direction before saying something to the others.
They all laughed.
Slowly...
They began walking over.
Without thinking, Subaru reached for Saku's sleeve.
Her fingers barely curled around the fabric, yet the small gesture was enough for him to understand.
He looked down for the briefest moment before gently speaking.
💙: Hoshina-san.
She looked up.
💙: Whatever happens...
💙: Stay close to me.
Subaru gave a quiet nod.
💚: ...Okay.
By now, the five men had stopped only a few steps away.
One of them smiled.
It wasn't a friendly smile.
💬: Evening, kids.
Another looked down at the candy bags they were carrying.
💬: Looks like you've had a pretty successful night.
Saku stepped half a pace forward, placing himself slightly in front of Subaru.
💙: If you have something to say...
💙: Say it.
The tallest man chuckled.
💬: Straight to the point.
💬: I like that.
Another lazily pointed toward the black straps around Saku and Subaru's wrists.
💬: Hand those over.
💬: We'll pretend we never saw you.
Silence.
Subaru could feel her heartbeat growing louder with every passing second.
Saku, on the other hand...
Didn't move.
Didn't answer.
He simply stared back at them.
One of the men laughed.
💬: Don't tell me you're actually thinking about fighting five of us.
Another leaned slightly to the side, trying to look past Saku.
His eyes landed on Subaru.
💬: Or maybe...
He smirked.
💬: You're just trying to impress your girlfriend.
Subaru froze.
Before she could even process the comment—
💙: Not happening.
His voice cut through the air.
Cold.
Sharp.
The smile disappeared from the man's face.
💬: What?
Saku took one slow step forward.
💙: I said...
💙: Not happening.
A brief silence settled between them.
Then Saku sighed.
💙: If you're done embarrassing yourselves...
💙: Move.
One of the men laughed in disbelief.
💬: You've got quite the mouth for a high school kid.
Saku looked at him with complete indifference.
💙: Better than acting like grown adults who need to bully teenagers just to win a Halloween game.
The park fell silent.
Subaru stared at him, completely caught off guard.
The men exchanged looks.
One of them clenched his fist.
💬: ...
💬: What did you just say?
Saku met his glare without the slightest hint of hesitation.
💙: You heard me.
He tilted his head slightly.
💙: Or should I repeat it slower?
For a split second...
Nobody moved.
Then, almost imperceptibly, Subaru noticed Saku's hand lowering toward the gravel path beneath his feet.
Her eyes widened ever so slightly.
A plan.
He already had one.
For a moment, nobody moved.
The five men stood before them, their attention fixed entirely on Saku. The amusement had completely disappeared from their faces, replaced by irritation at his refusal to cooperate. Subaru could feel the tension building beside her, every second making her more certain that this situation was about to get much worse.
Saku remained still.
His expression was unreadable as his eyes briefly scanned the area around them. The path beneath their feet was covered with loose sand and small stones from the park. His gaze lingered there for only a second before returning to the men.
Then he quietly spoke.
💙: Hoshina-san.
Subaru looked at him.
💚: Yes?
💙: Close your eyes.
She barely had time to process what he meant.
Saku suddenly crouched down, grabbed a handful of loose sand and gravel from the ground, and threw it directly toward the men.
💬: MY EYES!
💬: WHAT THE HELL?!
💬: I CAN'T SEE!
The men stumbled backward, desperately rubbing their eyes as they shouted over one another.
Subaru stared at Saku in complete disbelief.
💚: Natsusawa-kun?!
💙: Let's go.
Before she could ask anything else, Saku snatched up both of their candy bags and immediately reached for her hand.
His fingers wrapped around hers.
💙: Run!
Subaru's eyes widened.
💚: W-Wait!
There was no time to hesitate.
She tightened her grip around his hand and ran.
They rushed out of the park and onto the crowded streets, their footsteps blending into the endless noise of the Halloween festivities. The city was still overflowing with people in costumes, glowing decorations, music, and laughter, making it difficult to tell where one street ended and another began.
Saku moved quickly, pulling Subaru along as he searched for every possible opening through the crowd.
Behind them, the shouting returned.
💬: THERE THEY ARE!
💬: DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!
💬: THEY WENT THIS WAY!
Subaru glanced over her shoulder.
The men had recovered and were already chasing after them.
💚: They're still following us?!
💙: Apparently.
💚: YOU SAY THAT WAY TOO CALMLY!
Saku almost smiled.
💙: Panicking won't make us run any faster.
💚: Easy for you to say!
They turned sharply at the next intersection.
Saku led her through a narrow street filled with people dressed in all kinds of costumes. A group of children ran past them, followed by a family carrying several bags of candy. They slipped between the crowd before crossing the street and disappearing down another road.
For a few seconds, the men vanished from sight.
Subaru breathed a sigh of relief.
💚: I think we lost them—
A loud voice echoed from behind them.
💬: THEY'RE OVER THERE!
Subaru's expression dropped.
💚: NEVER MIND!
Saku immediately changed direction again.
They crossed another street, passed a brightly decorated convenience store, and cut through a smaller alleyway that eventually opened into another crowded avenue.
Every turn felt like a gamble.
Every second they spent running gave them another chance to disappear.
But the chase refused to end.
Subaru's breathing gradually became heavier. Her legs were beginning to ache, and the boots she'd chosen for her costume were becoming increasingly difficult to run in.
She tried to ignore it.
She had to keep going.
Saku was still holding her hand.
His grip remained steady, guiding her through every turn while he constantly looked ahead for another route.
The Halloween lights reflected against the pavement as they raced through the city, surrounded by people who had no idea that two teenagers were currently being chased through the streets in the middle of a festival.
Subaru's breathing grew heavier.
Her steps became less steady.
She could feel herself falling behind.
Still, she pushed herself forward.
One more street.
Just one more.
But as they turned another corner, her boot landed awkwardly against a small rock lying in the middle of the pavement.
Her ankle suddenly rolled beneath her.
💚: Ah—!
Her balance disappeared.
And before she could catch herself, her body lurched sideways.
Subaru's foot landed awkwardly against the small rock, and the next thing she knew, her ankle twisted beneath her...
She stumbled forward and fell to the ground, instinctively catching herself with her hands.
Saku immediately stopped.
💙: Hoshina-san!
He turned around and rushed back to her, dropping down beside her without hesitation.
💙: Are you okay?
💚: I-I think so...
She tried to catch her breath before looking down at her ankle.
💚: It's just... I think I twisted it.
Saku's expression tightened.
💙: Can you move it?
Subaru carefully tried shifting her foot.
The moment she put pressure on it, pain shot through her ankle and she immediately pulled it back.
💚: Ow!
💙: Don't force it.
Saku glanced behind them.
The distant shouting was getting louder.
💬: THERE THEY ARE!
💬: THEY'RE OVER HERE!
Subaru's eyes widened.
💚: They're coming again?!
💙: Yeah.
Saku stood and offered his hand to her.
💙: Come on.
Subaru took it and tried to stand.
For a second, she managed to straighten herself.
Then she placed her injured foot down.
💚: Ah!
Her leg immediately gave way.
Saku caught her before she could fall again.
💙: That's enough.
💚: But we have to keep running.
💙: You're not going to be able to.
💚: I can try!
💙: Hoshina-san.
His voice was firm enough to stop her.
Saku looked toward the approaching voices before turning back to her.
💙: Get on my back.
Subaru froze.
💚: ...What?
💙: I'll carry you.
Subaru opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Saku turned around and crouched in front of her.
💙: Come on.
💚: Natsusawa-kun, I can't just—
💬: THEY'RE RIGHT THERE!
The voices were much closer now.
Saku glanced over his shoulder.
💙: Hoshina-san.
His expression softened slightly.
💙: Please.
Subaru hesitated for another second.
Then she quickly picked up their candy bags and held them tightly against herself before carefully climbing onto his back.
Her arms wrapped around his shoulders.
💚: Are you sure you can do this?
💙: Yes.
💚: But you've already been running this entire time.
💙: I'll manage.
Saku adjusted his grip beneath her legs, making sure she was secure before standing.
Subaru's face immediately became warm.
She had never imagined she'd end up in a situation like this.
Being carried through the middle of Tokyo by Saku was embarrassing enough.
Being carried while they were being chased by five lunatics during a Halloween event was somehow even worse.
💚: Natsusawa-kun...
💙: What?
💚: If you drop me, I'm blaming you forever.
Saku let out a quiet breath that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.
💙: I won't drop you.
Then he started running again.
His footsteps immediately picked up speed as he carried her through the streets.
Subaru tightened her arms around his shoulders, careful not to squeeze too hard. She could feel his breathing against her arms, still slightly uneven from the long chase, while his steps remained remarkably steady.
The city continued moving around them.
Bright signs illuminated the streets in every direction. Halloween decorations hung from shop entrances, music played somewhere in the distance, and crowds of people wandered through the night wearing costumes of every kind.
Yet Subaru barely noticed any of it anymore.
Her attention was focused entirely on the person carrying her.
The warmth beneath her hands.
The steady rhythm of his footsteps.
The way he kept looking ahead, refusing to slow down despite how exhausted he must have been.
She lowered her gaze slightly.
💚: You're really stubborn, you know that?
💙: I've heard that before.
💚: From me?
💙: Among others.
Subaru smiled despite herself.
💚: I really am sorry.
💙: For what?
💚: Making you carry me.
💙: You didn't make me do anything.
💚: Still...
Saku glanced briefly over his shoulder.
💙: Don't worry about it.
💙: Just hold on.
Subaru nodded.
💚: Okay.
She rested her cheek lightly against her arm, still holding onto him as they continued through the glowing streets.
Behind them, the distant voices gradually became quieter.
Saku kept running.
One street.
Then another.
Then another.
His breathing grew heavier, but he refused to stop.
Subaru could feel his heartbeat beneath her arms.
And, despite everything...
She realized hers was racing just as quickly.
After several more turns, Saku finally spotted the familiar streets ahead.
The area where the competition had originally started wasn't far anymore.
He slowed slightly, finally allowing himself to breathe.
Subaru lifted her head.
💚: Did we lose them?
Saku looked back.
Nothing.
No shouting.
No footsteps.
Just the endless sounds of the Halloween crowd.
💙: Looks like it.
Subaru let out a huge sigh of relief.
💚: Thank goodness...
Saku continued walking, carrying her through the brightly lit streets.
For the first time since the chase began, neither of them said anything.
There was only the sound of their breathing and the distant music surrounding them.
Then Saku looked ahead at the familiar streets waiting beyond the next corner.
💙: We're almost there.
Saku continued running until the familiar streets of the main event finally came into view.
The bright lights and decorations of the Halloween festival were still glowing in the distance, and the noise of the crowd had become much louder again. For the first time in what felt like forever, Subaru could finally recognize where they were.
She lifted her head from Saku's shoulder.
💚: Wait... I recognize this place.
💙: We're back near the main streets.
Saku slowed down, but he didn't put her down yet.
Then—
💬: THERE THEY ARE!
Both of them froze.
Subaru turned her head.
The five men had somehow managed to catch up again.
💚: You've got to be kidding me!
Saku immediately looked around.
Then he spotted a police car parked along the side of the street.
Two officers were standing nearby, speaking with each other while watching the crowds.
Saku quickly headed toward them.
💙: Hold on.
💚: Huh?
He carried her straight toward the officers before carefully stopping beside them.
The men chasing them came rushing around the corner moments later.
💬: YOU'RE SO DEAD—
One of them suddenly stopped.
💬: Wait.
💬: What?
The man pointed ahead.
💬: They're standing right next to the police.
The entire group froze.
One of the officers immediately noticed them.
💬: Hey!
The officers approached, their attention quickly shifting toward the men.
💬: What are you doing chasing these kids through the streets?
The men immediately started stumbling over their words.
💬: It's part of the game!
💬: Yeah! It's just the costumes!
One officer looked at the suspicious collection of straps hanging from their wrists.
💬: And those?
Nobody answered.
The officer's expression hardened.
💬: Stay right there.
The five men exchanged glances.
Then one of them quietly muttered—
💬: Run.
The entire group immediately turned around and disappeared into the crowd.
💬: Hey! Get back here!
The officers quickly followed after them.
Saku finally let out the breath he'd been holding.
He carefully lowered Subaru onto a nearby bench.
💙: We're safe now.
He dropped down onto the pavement a few feet away, completely exhausted.
Subaru immediately looked at him.
💚: Are you okay?
💙: Give me a second.
He leaned forward, catching his breath.
Subaru reached into one of the bags and pulled out her water bottle.
💚: Here.
Saku looked up.
💙: Thanks.
He took it and drank several long sips before resting the bottle beside him.
For a few moments, neither of them said anything.
The sounds of the Halloween event continued around them, almost as if nothing had happened.
Eventually, Saku stood.
💙: I'll be back.
Subaru looked up at him.
💚: Where are you going?
💙: There's a pharmacy nearby.
He glanced toward her ankle.
💙: I want to get something for that before it gets worse.
Subaru fell silent.
Saku gave her a small reassuring smile.
💙: Stay here. I'll be back soon.
💚: Okay.
He disappeared into the crowd.
Subaru watched him leave.
Only after he was gone did she finally allow herself to relax against the bench.
She looked down at her ankle.
Then at the direction Saku had gone.
The entire night had become completely different from what she'd imagined.
The Halloween event was supposed to be simple.
Dress up.
Take pictures.
Collect candy.
Spend time with everyone.
Instead, she'd been chased through the city, injured her ankle, been carried through the streets by Saku, and somehow ended up sitting alone while waiting for him to return.
She couldn't help but laugh quietly to herself.
💚: What a ridiculous night...
A few minutes later, Saku returned carrying a small pharmacy bag.
💙: Sorry for taking so long.
💚: It's fine.
He sat beside her and opened the bag.
💙: I bought some ointment and bandages.
He looked at her ankle again.
💙: It'd be better to treat it now.
Subaru hesitated.
💚: You mean... right now?
💙: Unless you'd rather walk around with a swollen ankle.
💚: No, no. Of course not.
She carefully removed one of her boots and moved her leg slightly toward him.
Saku opened the ointment.
💙: Tell me if it hurts.
💚: Don't worry.
She smiled.
💚: Piece of cake.
Saku gave her a doubtful look.
💙: You said that last time.
💚: And I was right.
💙: You literally screamed.
💚: That was because I was surprised!
A tiny smile appeared on his face.
💙: Sure.
He gently applied the ointment around the injured area.
Subaru instinctively flinched.
💚: Tsk—
Saku immediately stopped.
💙: Does it hurt?
💚: A little.
💙: I told you.
💚: Don't sound so pleased about being right.
💙: I'm not.
He continued carefully, making sure not to press too hard.
The playful atmosphere slowly faded.
Subaru looked down at him.
Saku was completely focused on what he was doing. His movements were careful and patient, as though this was the most important thing in the world at that moment.
She had seen him care about people before.
She knew he was considerate.
But something about having that same care directed toward her felt different.
Much quieter.
Much closer.
Subaru stared at him.
Then she smiled.
💚: Thank you.
Saku nodded.
💙: You're welcome.
She carefully placed her foot down.
💚: Let me try walking.
Saku stood immediately.
💙: Slowly.
Subaru stood and took a few careful steps.
There was still some discomfort, but the pain was much more manageable.
She looked at him with a surprised smile.
💚: It's much better.
💙: Good.
💚: See? Piece of cake.
💙: Don't push your luck.
She laughed.
For a moment, they simply stood there.
Then Saku glanced at the time.
His eyes widened.
💙: Wait.
💚: What?
💙: We have ten minutes left.
Subaru's eyes widened too.
💚: Ten?! We need to get back.
💙: After everything that happened, we're still going to finish the competition?
💚: Of course. We didn't come all this way just to give up.
Saku smiled.
💙: Fair enough.
She put her boot back on carefully.
Then she paused.
💚: Natsusawa-kun...
💙: Hm?
She looked toward the street they'd escaped from.
💚: About what happened earlier...
Saku's expression became serious.
💚: The chase. The men. Everything.
She hesitated.
💚: Can we keep it between us?
Saku looked at her quietly.
💚: I don't want everyone worrying about us. And knowing them, they'll probably turn this into a huge thing instead of enjoying the rest of the night.
Saku thought about it for a moment.
Then nodded.
💙: Sure. If that's what you want.
Subaru smiled with relief.
💚: Thank you.
Saku picked up the candy bags.
💙: Then it's our secret.
Subaru blinked.
The words sounded strangely intimate.
She quickly looked away.
💚: Y-Yeah.
💙: We should probably get back before they start wondering where we disappeared to.
💚: Right.
They began walking toward the main event together.
Neither of them mentioned how close they'd become during the chase.
Neither mentioned the way their hands had fit together while running.
Neither mentioned the way Subaru had held onto him while he carried her.
And neither mentioned the quiet feeling that had remained long after the danger was gone.
For now...
It would stay between them.
-------------------
By the time Subaru and Saku returned to the main arena, the countdown had already reached its final minutes. The two of them slipped back into the crowd just before the event officially ended, blending in with the other participants as though they had spent the entire evening doing nothing more than collecting candy.
Neither of them mentioned the chase.
Neither mentioned the pharmacy.
And neither gave the others any reason to suspect that anything unusual had happened.
Soon, all the participants gathered around the large weighing station, each team placing their overflowing candy bags onto the scale one after another. The atmosphere immediately became lively again as everyone waited to see which team had managed to collect the most.
The results were announced shortly afterward. The purple team took first place, followed by Saku and Subaru's black team in second. The orange team came in third, while the white team finished fourth.
The disappointment of losing quickly turned into laughter and playful arguments between the friends. Shohei immediately accused Saku of somehow cheating simply because nobody had managed to find them for most of the competition, while Ayato calmly defended Saku's strategy, pointing out that avoiding unnecessary fights had simply been the smarter approach. Rintaro wisely decided to stay out of the argument altogether, watching the two bicker with an amused expression.
Even Subaru couldn't help laughing.
For a few minutes, the entire chase felt like something that had happened in another world.
Under the bright Halloween lights, surrounded by their friends and their ridiculous amount of candy, everything felt normal again.
And perhaps that was exactly what she needed.
After the event finally came to an end, the group began making their way toward the train station together, each of them carrying their own bags of candy and talking excitedly about everything that had happened throughout the night.
The streets were still crowded with people returning home from the Halloween festivities. Costumes filled the sidewalks, decorations illuminated the buildings, and the sounds of laughter followed them all the way to the station.
Everyone had a different favorite moment to remember.
Some talked about the competition itself, others about the ridiculous costumes they had seen throughout the evening, and others about how chaotic the entire event had become.
Subaru listened quietly, occasionally joining in with a laugh whenever someone brought up another ridiculous moment.
She glanced toward Saku once or twice along the way.
He looked completely normal.
Calm.
As if nothing unusual had happened.
Yet every time she remembered the chase, the feeling of his hand around hers, or the moment he'd carried her through the streets, her heart gave a strange little flutter.
Eventually, they reached the station.
Their paths began separating one by one as each person headed toward a different train line. Their goodbyes were accompanied by promises to share pictures later and to meet again soon.
Subaru watched everyone disappear into the station until only a few familiar figures remained.
Soon enough, she and Saku were heading in different directions as well.
The night that had begun with excitement and anticipation was finally coming to an end.
Subaru eventually arrived home, still carrying her remaining candy from the event.
After taking a shower and changing into something comfortable, she settled into bed with her phone beside her.
For the first time all night, the apartment was completely quiet.
The group chat was already overflowing with messages.
Pictures from the event appeared one after another, each one more ridiculous than the last. There were blurry photographs taken in the middle of the crowds, pictures of everyone's costumes, pictures of candy bags, and several completely unserious photos of the group making exaggerated faces at the camera.
Subaru scrolled through them with a smile.
Everyone seemed to have taken dozens of pictures.
Everyone except her.
She suddenly realized that she had barely taken any photos throughout the entire night.
She had originally been excited about taking pictures with everyone, but the competition had quickly consumed most of their time. And somehow, between running around the city and everything that followed, she had completely forgotten about it.
She continued scrolling through the chat, watching everyone share their favorite moments.
Then she remembered.
The photograph.
The one taken by the street photographer earlier that evening.
The picture she had taken with Saku.
Subaru paused.
She checked the group chat again.
Nothing.
Saku hadn't sent it.
For some reason, that small realization made her hesitate.
She wondered if he'd forgotten about it.
Maybe he hadn't received the picture yet.
Or perhaps he simply hadn't thought about sending it.
Subaru placed her phone beside her for a moment, preparing to finally go to sleep.
But she couldn't help glancing at it again.
The photograph kept coming back to her mind.
The two of them standing together beneath the Halloween lights.
Their matching costumes.
Their awkward smiles.
And the strange feeling that the picture somehow meant more to her than it should have.
Subaru had barely placed her phone down when the screen lit up again.
A notification appeared at the top of the screen.
It was from Natsusawa.
She picked up her phone immediately and opened the conversation.
There it was.
The photograph.
For a moment, Subaru simply stared at it.
The picture showed the two of them standing beneath the glowing Halloween decorations, each holding their candy bag while awkwardly throwing up a peace sign toward the camera. Their costumes looked almost comically fitting together, and despite how simple the picture was, there was something strangely warm about it.
She found herself smiling before she even realized it.
💙: The picture the photographer took of us this evening.
Subaru looked at the photograph again before typing her reply.
💚: Thanks.
A few seconds passed.
💙: Of course. No problem.
She was about to put her phone away when another message appeared.
💚: Also, thank you for today. And for keeping what happened between us a secret.
💙: Don't worry about it. It was nothing.
💚: I had so much fun today.
The typing indicator appeared.
Then disappeared.
Appeared again.
Subaru waited.
She wasn't sure why she was waiting so eagerly for whatever he was about to say, but she couldn't bring herself to close the conversation.
Finally, another message arrived.
💙: I had so much fun too.
Subaru stared at the screen.
Something about those words made her smile wider than she expected.
💚: Awww...
She turned onto her side, pulling the blanket slightly closer as she reread his message.
It was such a simple sentence.
Nothing extraordinary.
Nothing that should have made her feel this warm.
And yet, after everything that had happened that night, hearing that he had enjoyed himself too somehow made the entire evening feel even more special.
For a moment, she wondered if she should say something else.
Instead, she looked at the time.
It was getting late.
She hesitated before finally typing.
💚: Good night.
A small pause followed.
Then his reply appeared.
💙: Good night.
Subaru smiled at the screen for another few seconds before finally turning her phone off.
The room fell silent.
Subaru placed her phone beside her pillow and turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling.
She had spent the entire evening surrounded by people, yet somehow, now that she was finally alone, her mind felt louder than ever.
The Halloween event.
The costumes.
The competition.
The photograph.
The chase through the streets.
His hand pulling her along.
His voice telling her not to worry.
The way he had carried her when she could no longer walk.
And the quiet conversation they had shared afterward.
One memory after another returned to her, refusing to let her settle down.
She covered her face with one hand.
Tonight had been far too eventful.
And far too memorable.
Meanwhile, across the city, Saku was having just as much trouble falling asleep.
He lay quietly in his own room, staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.
He had tried to convince himself that the night was over.
That everything that happened could simply be remembered as another fun day with his friends.
But every time he closed his eyes, another moment came back to him.
The sound of Subaru laughing.
The feeling of her hand in his.
Carrying her through the streets.
The photograph.
And the message he had just sent her.
Neither of them knew exactly why the night felt different.
Neither of them had the words for the strange warmth that lingered long after they had said good night.
For now, all they could do was lie awake in the darkness, wondering why a simple Halloween night had suddenly become something they knew they would remember for a long time.
💚💙: I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight...
End of chapter 1: