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A few days after the BBQ.
I opened the back door of the store and walked down the employee corridor as usual. After quickly changing in the cramped locker, the first place I headed was the break room.
"Good morning."
"Oh, morning. You're early."
The manager, who I passed in the hallway, lightly raised a hand as soon as he saw me. I returned a quick bow.
As the manager said, I still had over thirty minutes until my shift. But of course, I didn't just come early for no reason.
"I haven't had lunch yet today."
"Ah. I put the discarded stuff in the fridge."
"Thank you. That helps a lot."
I bowed to the manager again, then entered the break room and opened the refrigerator.
I see, today's unsold items were a nori bento and an inari set. I chose the nori bento without hesitation and put it in the microwave to heat it up.
The privilege of a convenience store clerk. It was being able to save on food expenses with expired bentos. Plus, it reduced food waste, killing two birds with one stone. How sustainable am I...?
As I was eating my bento with such thoughts, the break room door suddenly opened.
"Ah..."
The person who showed her face was Amane Sakura. Our shifts hadn't matched up much, so it had been since the BBQ.
"Good morning. Um... I'm sorry about the other day."
And then she apologized out of the blue. For a moment I wondered what she was talking about, but then I remembered.
That day, a drunk Sakura had been relentlessly bothering me along with Isshiki. She was probably apologizing for that, but it was scary how I was gradually getting used to it because of Isshiki.
"No, don't worry about it. It was just a drinking party."
I said that, but Sakura's expression still didn't clear.
Was Sakura not the type of person to say, "Ahaha, so sorry!"
"Are you really not angry?"
Sakura sat down on the pipe chair next to me and tilted her head. Her eyes, looking up from below, were round and large, yet for some reason, they gave the impression of a small animal.
"Yeah, not at all..."
"In that case, I'm gladâŞ"
Sakura said that and then smiled brightly, as if changing masks. A voice sweeter than usual caressed my ear, and an involuntary shiver ran down my spine.
What is this girl...? She's really not this kind of character. This method is just likeâ
"Just kidding, I tried to imitate Iroha-chan, did it hit you right in the gut?"
"It didn't hit me at all."
I totally stumbled over my words.
Anyway, what's up with these two lately...? I can't even tell if they get along or not.
"Oh, this might be fun."
Seeing my reaction, Sakura stood up with an innocent smile. The moment she left the break room, she looked back.
"I look forward to working with you again today, Senpai!"
Saying that, Sakura disappeared down the hallway.
I was left dumbfounded.
"...Alright."
Words that had no recipient vanished into thin air.
Scratching my head roughly, I also stood up.
â-------
It was the moment I finished my part-time job and stepped out of the store.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and a light flashed through my jeans, signaling a notification.
"Please come here now."
When I opened the screen, the messaging app displayed that text and a map. The sender was, of course, Isshiki Iroha.
"I haven't eaten yet."
"I'll make you proper dinner, so hurry up."
As usual, she was quite pushy. However, the condition of eating Isshiki's homemade cooking on an empty stomach was undoubtedly appealing.
I opened the map app, and the designated location seemed to be a riverbed. It was a bit far, and it was already starting to get dark, so what was she doing? I felt a little uneasy.
"Got it."
After replying just that, I locked my phone and put it in my pocket.
"Senpai! Over here, over here!"
"Ah, Hachiman, you finally came~"
When I arrived at the designated spot, Isshiki and Nene-san noticed me and waved.
Looking next to them, Tetsuya-san was crouching, apparently lighting a candle. This meantâ
"Alright. Now that everyone's here, let's start the fireworks!"
That's how it was. Tetsuya-san's back, which seemed to have been forcibly brought along, looked forlorn.
"I thought you called me out suddenly... Couldn't you have told me a little earlier?"
"If I told you beforehand, you'd get annoyed, wouldn't you? Besides, considering your part-time job ending time, it seemed just right~"
Isshiki's prediction was correct.
But wait, did I even tell Isshiki about my part-time shift? Oh no, I just got a chill despite it being summer.
I looked at Tetsuya-san, hoping he'd say something, but as soon as our eyes met, he shook his head with an expression of resignation. He must be having a tough time too, probably...
"Alright, alright. Come on, let's start~!"
At Nene-san's signal, fireworks were held in each of our hands.
Isshiki lit hers first, and when the candle flame went out, she re-lit it with another firework, and then Nene-san lit her firework.
How long had it been since I'd done fireworks like this? As I watched the fireworks explode in my hand, my chest was suddenly filled with nostalgia.
"Senpai, Senpai."
I was called after I plunged the spent firework into the bucket. Isshiki, who had come closer, had an unlit firework in her hand.
"Could you take a picture for me? In slow-shutter mode."
"Slow-shutter? How do you do that?"
"I'll teach you, just lend me your phone."
Isshiki took my phone, launched the camera, quickly operated it, and then returned it to me.
"Here we go~"
Saying that, Isshiki lit the firework, then moved away from me and started swinging it around.
When I pressed the shutter button, a different sound came out than usual, and the trajectory of the firework was drawn on the screen.
"Did you get a good shot?"
"...Yeah, well."
On the LCD screen, the trajectory drawn by the handheld firework.
The red light formed a heart shape. Isshiki-san, you really are...
"You're loved."
Suddenly, I heard that voice nearby and almost jumped. Tetsuya-san had come to stand beside me at some point and muttered that.
"...I wonder."
As I uttered an oblivious reply, I looked at Isshiki, who had started giggling and frolicking with Nene-san. I couldn't help but let out a faint sigh at her attitude, as if she knew nothing of what she had just done to me.
"Hikigaya-kun, you know..."
After a long pause, Tetsuya-san said.
"Aren't you going to confess to Iroha-chan?"
That question was a complete surprise attack.
I had received a similar question recently, but its essence was completely different. And my answer, fundamentally, was the same.
"...No, I won't."
I muttered that in a voice that seemed about to be blown away by the wind on the riverbank. Tetsuya-san looked into my eyes and continued.
"Why is that?"
I almost flinched at the straightforward question. The words didn't come to me immediately.
Where should I even begin to explain? Even if I did explain, it might not be understood.
I probably think I'm the only one with a problem like this. A troublesome, stubborn problem that only I can deal with.
"Because I don't have the qualifications to do so."
A gust of wind blew through, extinguishing the candle flame.
The fireworks in Isshiki's and Nene-san's hands illuminated their smiles.
"It's a difficult thing, isn't it?"
Tetsuya-san said that, then crouched down again to light the candle.
I silently pondered the answer to the words that remained in my ear.
â----------
A small flower bloomed at the flimsy tip of the paper I held.
"After all, sparklers are the best for the finale, aren't they?"
"They are, aren't they?"
Nene-san and I murmured that, looking at the sparklers we had saved for last. We had invited Senpai and the others to join, but they said, "We're fine," and were now strolling along the riverbank with Tetsuya-san.
Even the boisterous time quieted down considerably when it was time for the sparklers. As I gazed down at the cute, crackling peonies, Nene-san said in a hushed voice.
"Iroha-chan, you know..."
At her gentle voice, I looked at Nene-san. The soft expression, just as her voice suggested, awaited me.
"Do you have anything left undone this summer?"
The sparkler sent pine needles scattering. I thought for a moment, saying, "Hmm."
If I were to say so, of course I do. I think I've closed the distance quite a bit, but I'm still not dating Senpai.
Still, we went to the beach, and we had a BBQ. We even had an overnight stay, and today's fireworks. Now that I think about it, we didn't go to any fireworks festivals or regular festivals, but that can wait until next year.
"If you say so, yes, but it's something I can't do anything about by myself."
"I see."
She didn't seem to intend to press further, and it ended with just that comforting acknowledgment.
Watching Nene-san like that, a sudden question arose in my mind. How did Nene-san and her boyfriend actually start dating?
"Can I ask something a little personal?"
"Hmm? Sure~"
I thought she was being lighthearted, but her words made me happy. I took a quick breath, held it for a moment, and then spoke.
"Nene-san, how did you two start dating?"
"Hehehe, I'm glad you asked! It's because Tetchi confessed to me!"
While she was proudly speaking, the sparkler's fire dropped. As if to compose herself, Nene-san lit a new sparkler.
Still, it was a bit surprising. Given Nene-san's personality, she seemed like she'd be the type to just confess with a "I like you, like you, let's date!" kind of intensity.
"I gave off a lot of 'I love you' aura. But he still didn't confess for a while, so when I tried to distance myself a bit, he confessed, and then we started dating."
I see, she was quite cunning despite appearances.
There's something to learn from her... I think, but distancing myself? I'm too used to our current distance, so I'd probably be hurt too. And if he didn't confess after all that, it would be too painful.
"But you know,"
As the newly lit sparkler began to crackle, Nene-san continued, watching it.
"I was a little scared, you know. Wondering what I'd do if this plan failed."
I was a little surprised by her words, which sounded as if she had peered into my heart.
I understood that feeling painfully well. The more serious you are, the more terrifying it becomes.
"So don't use my example as a reference; I think it's okay for you to confess too, Iroha-chan."
I couldn't immediately reply to Nene-san's suggestion.
If I could do that, it would have been the best.
"How irresponsible of me, huh? Sorry."
"No, not at all..."
As I shook my head, the sparkler, which had turned into a scattering chrysanthemum, dropped its fire. Slipping in between our conversation, I lit a new sparkler.
"But I did wonder a little. Why doesn't he confess?"
I thought that question was very natural. Indeed, from an outsider's perspective, they'd probably wonder why.
But I wouldn't confess.
If Senpai truly came to like me, he would definitely confess.
If Senpai's heart became full of no one but me, then surely.
"I also prefer to be confessed to."
This is probably my personal preference.
It's a greedy, selfish desire.
But even so, I can't give this up.
"Right~!"
A cheerful voice spoke, and my eyes were drawn to hers, meeting them almost involuntarily.
We both started laughing, and then another sparkler's fire fell.