Chapter 408 - Fireworks
(1)
"Toya-san, what will you do today?"
"...I'll get up."
"Yes, I will prepare breakfast, okay?"
Airi says so and heads to the kitchen.
I also slowly raise my body and head to the dining room.
In the kitchen, Airi is making bacon and eggs while humming.
She seems to be in a good mood.
"Shall we go out somewhere to play today?"
"You cannot, okay? You have an exam coming up next week."
"I've been doing nothing but studying for the past month, right? I'm fine, but..."
Is Airi's stress okay?
"Didn't we go camping last week?"
Well, that is true, but.
After eating breakfast, I just watch Airi clean up.
Once that cleaning is finished, it is study time with Airi.
While Airi reads a novel, I solve a workbook.
And then...
"Yes, time is up. Thank you for your hard work."
When Airi says so, I place the mechanical pencil on the table.
Airi goes on to check the answers.
"Toya-san, you always make mistakes in the same places."
A pointer comes from Airi.
"You are within the passing range for now, but please be careful, okay?"
"Yeah, I'll be careful."
"Well then, I will prepare lunch, okay? Toya-san, please be reviewing."
"Understood."
While checking where I made mistakes while looking at the answer sheet, my smartphone rang.
It was my smartphone.
It was from Makoto.
"Hello?"
"Ah, Toya, it's me."
"What's up?"
"Today is the fireworks day, right? Want to go watch together? The Watanabe group says they're only going to watch the local ones."
"Isn't Kanna working today?"
"She says she'll easily make it even after work finishes. Meeting at the local station, the time is..."
"Wa—Wait a minute, Makoto."
I go to the kitchen and check with Airi.
"I do not mind, as long as it does not get too late."
"She says it's fine."
"Got it. Eita and the others are coming too."
"Is that all?"
"Yeah, the university student group will probably watch from Nishimatsu-kun's cruiser again, so once in a while is fine, right?"
"I suppose so."
"Well then, at the local station."
"Yeah, got it."
I hang up the phone.
"Lunch is ready~"
Called by Airi, I explain to Airi while eating lunch.
"If it is at that time, it seems we can do about one more subject."
Are you serious...
When I make such a face, Airi laughs.
"You cannot. With Toya-san's schedule, you will end up taking three subjects on the first day, after all."
"T-That's true..."
Once Airi's cleaning is finished, I solve past questions for just one more subject.
"...Toya-san, have you memorized the questions?"
"Eh?"
"The way you make mistakes is the same."
The question format is written. It is divided into theory and calculation.
She says that regarding theory as well, because I do not understand the tax laws, I easily fall for tricks right away.
Already, there are not many days left until the exam.
It is hopeless.
"It is okay, you will make it even starting now."
Airi says so and takes out multiple workbooks.
"I noticed while reading them, but the contents are identical every year. They just change the way they trick you a little."
She says that if I just grasp that part, I will understand it immediately.
"I looked it up on the internet. They say it usually takes ten years to pass all subjects. But even considering that Toya-san has been studying since university, you have reached the borderline in just over four years. If you just grasp the points from now on, you will pass."
You are good at that kind of thing, right? Airi says.
From then, Airi's lecture begins. It seems Airi had been putting it together in between housework even while I was working.
It seems she had understood it herself and prepared how to convey it to me.
She explained it in an extremely easy-to-understand way.
While doing so, it soon becomes time to go out.
"Airi, it's almost time."
"Indeed. Well then, I will get ready."
Saying so, Airi starts to change.
I also change.
Once Airi's preparations are finished, we head to the bus stop.
We boarded the bus and headed to the station.
(2)
"Sorry, waking you up on your hard-earned day off."
"It is what I proposed, so do not worry about it."
I drop Kanna off at the department store.
"Well then, when the time comes, I'll be waiting at the station."
"Got it. I'll finish as quickly as possible. I'll contact you when I'm done."
After dropping Kanna off, I return home.
"Now then, shall we do this?"
Saying so, I finish cleaning the room.
I also finish the laundry.
Once everything is mostly finished, I contact Toya.
I confirmed with Eita last night. It seems Ai-san is on day shift today.
After that, I participate in the afternoon practice.
Soccer practice is not held for that long.
It is about two hours; it seems top-tier teams finish in ninety minutes.
Returning from practice, I take a shower and prepare to go out. Once preparations are done, I call Eita.
"How is it over there? Can you head out soon?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Then, let's meet up on the train at this time."
"Got it."
Since they are in the neighborhood, I also called out to the Hiyama couple, but it seems they are going to watch it separately.
Time to head out.
When I changed, Eita was waiting.
"Yo."
"Hey."
We greet each other.
"Eita... how have things been since then?"
"Thanks to you, I'm getting by without any trouble."
"That's good."
When the train arrives, we board it and go to the local station.
And then, getting off, we wait for Kanna and the others at the ticket gate.
The ones who arrived first were Toya and his group.
"Where are Kanna and the others?"
"Not yet, her work probably isn't wrapped up."
After that, the four of us talked, killing time.
(3)
"Urabe-san."
"Yes?"
I was called by Suzuki-san during the shift handover.
"You took consecutive holidays the other day, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"I wonder if you could work hard today to make up for that?"
Eh?
"There is no one to do the late-night shift. Could you come in?"
"...Yes."
I was planning to watch the fireworks with Kanda-sensei today, but it cannot be helped.
I will cancel the fireworks plans.
It was just when I thought that.
"Ah, I am free tonight, so I will do it."
The one who said so was Nakajima-san.
"Is that okay? You are on the semi-night shift, aren't you?"
Saotome-san said.
"I have tomorrow off, so it is fine."
"I see, well then. I will leave it to you."
Once the handover is finished, I thank Nakajima-san.
"It is fine, Manami. You are going to watch the fireworks with Kanda-sensei today, right?"
"That is true, but..."
"I do not have any particular plans, so do not worry about it."
"Thank you."
Saying so, I change and return home.
There is no time to rest.
I must finish preparing before Haruma-san arrives.
While I am preparing, the doorbell rings.
Haruma-san has arrived.
We head to Beppu in Haruma-san's car.
It was crowded.
However, we made it in time for the fireworks.
We check into a hotel near the fireworks venue.
"Oh? If I recall, Kanda-sensei?"
The one who asked that was Hiyama-san.
It seems the Hiyama couple also intended to watch the fireworks from the hotel.
Was everyone thinking the same thing?
"Oh? Are you both after the fireworks?"
The one who said so was, if I recall, Kusunoki-kun?
"Haruna got a room for us."
After talking a little in the lobby, we went to our room.
Going to the room, the venue can be seen in its entirety from the window.
Since there was no time to eat a meal, we eat what we bought at the convenience store.
And then, we waited for the fireworks time.
(4)
"Is everyone here?"
When Saki-san says so, everyone signals.
Those who came were the Takemoto couple, the Shiina couple, the Tange couple, the Manabe couple, Sakuragi-san, Umemoto-kun, Takanashi-san, and Tsukimisato-kun.
Once everyone is on board, we set sail.
When we arrived at Beppu Bay, it was just a little longer until the fireworks time.
Before long, the fireworks begin to go up.
We were watching the fireworks that flashed and bloomed.
I wonder how many more times I can watch the same fireworks with everyone, what can I do for those smiling faces?
Hurting, rejoicing, the repeating waves and emotions.
The warm future that I could touch if I reached out my hand was secretly watching us.
We were watching the fireworks that flashed and bloomed.
I wanted this night to continue.
When the fireworks end, we return the boat to Sakanoshi.
And once the boat is moored, everyone gets off.
"Shall we have dinner at a nearby family restaurant after this?"
Saki-san says.
It seems everyone was hungry.
Moving to the family restaurant, we take orders.
And then, we get lively even with trivial talk.
Once we finish eating, we disband.
Blooming in a flash like fireworks, and quietly disappearing.
Summer has only just begun.
But how many more times can we spend the same summer?
Perhaps the time left for us is not that much.
Just a little more, just a little more, like this.
A light that seems like it would disappear if I gasped in surprise still lives in my chest.
The warm future that I could touch if I reached out my hand is secretly watching the two of us.
"It has become quite lonely, hasn't it?"
Miyuki says.
"It cannot be helped, everyone will gather for next month's fireworks, right?"
I hope so.
The time to watch the fireworks together with everyone.
I felt as if that would never come again.
The time I thought was infinite was finite.
Each walks a different path.
Perhaps that time has come.
There are those who are already walking separate paths.
Perhaps the magic of the Watanabe group, which I thought would continue forever, is also facing its end like fireworks.
How many more times can we repeat the same summer?
The warm future that I could touch if I reached out my hand was secretly watching us.
(5)
When work finishes, I head to the station.
At the station, the rest of everyone was gathered.
When Makoto sees me, he looks at his watch.
"Shall we go soon?"
And we board the train and go to Beppu Station.
We walk from there.
Airi dragging Toya, who is lured by the stalls along the way.
And we arrive at the fireworks venue.
Airi and the others head to the night stalls.
"Sorry to keep you waiting~, I bought some for Kanna and the others too."
"Thank you."
And then, while watching the Bon dance, we wait for the time when the fireworks go up.
Eita is yawning.
And then, the fireworks go up.
In a flash, the fireworks bloomed in the night.
Blooming in the night, they quietly disappeared.
If only this night would continue forever.
However, there is no such word as eternity in this world.
A destiny to disappear someday.
I wonder how many more times I can watch the same fireworks? What can I do for those smiling faces?
Hurting, rejoicing, the repeating waves and emotions.
When the fireworks end, we eat dinner.
We eat yakiniku as Toya requested.
Airi grills the meat and puts it onto Toya's plate.
Toya just eats single-mindedly.
Makoto and Eita are drinking alcohol and getting lively.
"Hey, what are you doing, Kanna? For next week's fireworks."
Ai asked.
"I'm going to watch them. It's close to my workplace, and Makoto says we should go watch them."
"I see, I can't make it due to my shift."
That cannot be helped.
"I probably cannot either? Because they said everyone from Toya-san's company is going to watch them."
Airi says.
"We have also ended up with our own respective lives, haven't we?"
Ai says.
"Yeah."
I answered so.
It is something that cannot be helped. Because that is what it means to become an adult.
Youth that will end someday.
I wonder what kind of youth we have spent.
What kind of youth could we have spent?
A sad youth wandering while losing its signposts.
Just wanting kindness, please understand.
In a sky full of mistakes, a dying youth flies away.
Still standing at the crossroads, finding the signpost to survive, the complaints of the losers are a single withered leaf.
Let us believe in the eternal future and tomorrow.
When the meal ends, we head to the station.
Just the six of us head to the station.
And we ride the train and return.
Arriving at the station, we part ways with Ai and the others and return home.
The two of us return home.
The ones left are just the two of us.
Returning home, we each take a bath.
And then, there is only sleeping left.
"Hey?"
"What is it?"
"In the end, the ones who arrive will probably be just the two of us."
"...Yeah."
How many meetings and partings will we repeat from now on?
There are as many partings as there are meetings.
Even so, my chest trembles with hope.
Every time we encounter a crossroads, we will probably hesitate too, but.
Naturally, I was holding Makoto's hand.
Makoto squeezed my hand back.
"Kanna, indeed it is just the two of us. But that will never change. We will walk forward in tandem forever."
Makoto says.
"That is wrong."
"Eh?"
"With how you are now, even I would want to expect things, you know."
Have you forgotten our children who will be born someday?
There is as much hope as there is disappointment.
"I wonder what kind of things will happen?"
Let us try to imagine.
(6)
"Phew~"
Returning home, I take a bath and study during the time until Airi comes out.
When Airi returns from the bath, Airi takes the reference book away from me.
"Toya-san is tired, so no more today."
"I get it."
"Well then, let us sleep already today. You have work starting tomorrow."
"Yeah, that's true."
I turn off the lights and get into bed.
Airi seemed to be truly tired.
She falls asleep immediately.
Looking at Airi, I think.
I am glad I met Airi. Now, I close my eyes.
If I turn the pages of my heart's album, oh, the sparkling memories.
The continuing time never stops, and both the town and people change.
I will never forget, even if we are apart, I will not lose heart.
You gave me the kindness and courage to live today.
Looking back, when times were tough, you were always by my side, encouraging me.
Airi understood the feelings that cannot be put into words, and the tears too.
People will depart someday; goodbye to my young self of yesterday.
I will never forget, I will pray forever.
The youth I spent with Airi.
The brilliance will probably never fade.
The warm future that I could touch if I reached out my hand is secretly watching over us.