My Childhood Friend, a Cool, Beautiful Girl With a Pure Face, Is a Monopolising Yandere
It is the day of the fireworks display.
Even though it is still early in the evening, the town is already filled with the excitement of the festival.
I came here yesterday as a preliminary inspection, but the atmosphere was different from that time.
The crowd is slowly swelling, and the shopping district is lined with women in yukata (summer kimono) and families shopping for goods at the stalls.
I stopped at a corner of the small plaza where we were meeting and checked the time on my phone.
“Interesting…….”
Ran is the type of person who often arrives earlier than me and is rarely late, but today she was unusually late by five minutes.
But she will probably show up soon.
I looked around the street and fanned myself with a fan to cool off a little.
“Yuto, did you wait for me?”
I turned around at the sound of a voice I suddenly heard, and there stood Ran, clad in a pale indigo yukata.
“I couldn’t speak.”….Ah”
I couldn’t find my voice.
Yesterday’s plainclothes outfit was fresh, but today was even more so.
The yukata, with its light indigo background and small flowers scattered throughout, accentuates Ran’s black hair and white skin.
The line from her neck to her collarbone was clearly visible, and a fluffy obi was wrapped around her waist.
Her hair was more carefully pulled back than usual, adding an elegant sheen to her normally cool atmosphere.
“Why aren’t you talking?”
“No, no,……, it looks great on you.”
Ran blushed slightly at the words she finally managed to squeeze out, and answered shortly, “Yes.” Her eyes have a slightly gentler glow than usual.
I feel embarrassed that I’m wearing casual clothes (casual clothes that I put a little effort into to make them look clean).
But Ran doesn’t seem to mind.
“Let’s go.”
“Y-yeah.”
Even though it was late in the evening, the crowd was already quite large. The main fireworks show will be later in the evening, but everyone is gathering early to get a good spot.
The festival is in full swing with the aroma of sweet honey wafting from the food stalls, the smell of yakisoba and takoyaki sauce, and the laughter of children.
“There are a lot of people here.”
“As expected. If you take the side streets, you should be able to get to the main spot smoothly. Let’s go.”
Ran weaved her way through the crowds with an air of familiarity. As we had learned from yesterday’s inspection, we avoided the middle of the street and went through a small alleyway, which led us to an open space.
“I-it’s really easy to walk through!”
“Of course it is. I won’t let my plan go to waste.”
Ran proudly boasts.
The atmosphere is different just by being told in yukata, as usual.
Walking next to a dressed up Ran, I felt like I was on a date,…….
A date?
No, no, what am I saying?
I’m appalled at myself. Ran is not interested in romance to begin with, and it’s a mismatch for a beautiful woman like Ran to date me.
It’s too much of a fantasy.
But …….
I look at Ran.
We’ve known each other since childhood.
We are such good friends that we even took baths together.
We were a bit distant in middle school, but since we entered high school, we’ve been spending more time together again.
Ran.
Hasegawa Ran.
The most beautiful girl in our class.
She is more talented than anyone else, smarter than anyone else, and more beautiful than anyone else.
When I thought that Ran had come to this fireworks display wearing a yukata just to meet me, I was …….
I was so happy that I couldn’t help it.
On the way, I found a shaved ice stand.
I suggested, “Can I stop by for a while?” Ran thought about it for a moment, and then affirmed it.
“The shaved ice is just sweet and inefficient,……, but it’s acceptable if it’s also a way to stay hydrated.”
Although I doubted that shaved ice would really rehydrate, I bought the strawberry flavor and recommended it to Ran.
“Unnecessary sugar.”
“Well, don’t say that. Here, take a bite.”
I held out the spoon.
Ran silently opened her mouth.
She rolls her eyes at the coolness of the ice melting on her tongue.
“What do you think?”
“Well,…… it tastes like a summer festival.”
It is just like Ran not to say “it tastes good” honestly.
But her expression was somewhat happy.
With a spoon, I eat all the remaining ice cubes.
……Hey?
If you think about it, is this an indirect kiss?
I used the same spoon as a matter of course, but I must have done a terrible thing ……!
While I was upset, I heard a familiar voice nearby. When I turned around, I saw several of my classmates looking at me.
“Hey, Yuto! Hey, is Hasegawa with you?
Are you two on a date?”
“It’s to make the festival more efficient, you know.”
Ran says in a calm voice. But the other party is grinning.
“Yes, yes. I’m glad you’re having fun.”
“You’ve got the hots for it, don’t you? Are you newlyweds?”
I was so embarrassed that my cheeks burned with embarrassment.
My cheeks were burning with embarrassment.
The characterization of the two of us in class has become fixed like this. ……
Ran doesn’t seem to mind, but I’m embarrassed!
I quickly leave the place.
The crowd is a little bit disorganized, and I am almost swept away by a sudden impetus.
At that moment, Ran quickly grabs my arm. Through the sleeves of my yukata, I feel her hand, which is neither cold nor hot, but just soft and warm.
“If we get separated, it would be a total disaster, wouldn’t it?”
Her words seem to be using her usual rationality as a shield, but in fact they sound very gentle. I smile to hide my nervousness.
“…..Yes, thank you.”
After walking for a while, the sky gradually begins to darken. All around me, people are gathering, and the buzz is growing.
“Here we are.”
Ran stopped at a space on the side of a narrow alley that is slightly elevated. This must be the secret position we had found during yesterday’s preliminary inspection.
“It should start soon.”
As soon as she said that, a low boom sounded in the distance, and a single firework shot up.
A burst of light in the night sky.
Gold, red, and green sparks rained down, and their afterimages burned into my vision. I was speechless, just looking up.
The crowd is crowded behind me, but from this spot, I can catch a clear view of the fireworks that fill the sky above me. Thanks to the planned move, I have an almost unobstructed view.
“It’s amazing. ……”
When I expressed my admiration, Ran nodded her head and said, “Just as planned,” to show off her accomplishment.
But there was none of the usual hardness in her voice. It has an honest ring to it, like a child bragging about a small success.
Boom, boom. ……
Fireworks shot off one after the other, carving color and sound into the night sky. Each time they do this, Ran’s yukata is stained with a soft light and her profile gently emerges.
“beautiful. ……”
Ran murmurs in a whisper.
Her voice is surprisingly honest, and her true feelings can be seen through without any logic or calculations.
I can’t do anything other than answer “Yeah.” A feeling of sympathy flowed through me that didn’t require any explanation, and for a moment, I felt Ran’s breathing louder than the sound of the fireworks.
Soon, as if to signal the finale, a series of gigantic fireworks lights up the night sky. A rain of flashes falls and cheers erupt from the crowd.
Ran and I are so close that our shoulders are touching, and the warmth is comforting.
Even after the last light fades and darkness returns, the warmth that was etched in that moment remains.
It should have been a calculated action, but now there is no need for any logic.
The only thing that makes this moment shine is the fact that the two of us, together, watched the best fireworks ever.
“…..It’s a nice night, isn’t it?”
I said quietly, and Ran smiled and replied, “Yes, it was.”
In the lingering darkness of the night, we silently chewed on the moment we had shared.
Nice job