Chapter 49: Gift
"Bocchi-chan, I actually wrote a song for us and for you too."
During lunchtime, Ren revealed the evening's arrangements to Hitori.
"A song?"
Hitori, who hadn't expected such an event, looked surprised before confirming with Ren in disbelief.
"Yes, I think you'll like it."
Ren kept it mysterious—it was the final gift, the grand finale to their date, and the prelude to intimate moments.
"I'm really looking forward to it!"
Once Hitori realized it was true, she felt even more excited and happy. She had lost count of how many things Ren had done for her, and now she had ways to respond in kind.
Before evening arrived, she prepared herself in advance. While taking a walk by the riverside after lunch, Hitori mustered the courage to stand on her tiptoes, using her sun hat to block others' view, and kissed Ren on the cheek.
Then, shyly hiding half her face with the sun hat, she peeked at Ren with moist, bashful eyes.
"~"
Ren smiled, reached out to stroke Hitori's beautiful hair, then bent down to kiss her cheek in return before embracing her. They watched as boats on the river appeared and disappeared from their view one after another.
When the temperature began to rise, they headed to RiNG, where Umiri and the others were resting.
Ren didn't disturb them, simply nodding in greeting before taking Hitori to watch the afternoon band performances.
Seeing Hitori, even Umiri was struck by her charm—with such a great figure and adorable appearance, no wonder Ren was fond of her.
Entering the performance hall and soaking in the band atmosphere, Hitori became more natural and relaxed. The dazzling girl band members sweating on stage were her ultimate dream, and now she was getting closer to achieving it—plus she had a boyfriend.
Hitori watched the stage performance with surging emotions, her eyes filled with admiration and longing.
"If we get the chance someday, let's perform on stage together too."
Ren held her by the waist, leaning close to whisper in her ear.
"Yes."
Hitori nodded excitedly. Playing a song together with a partner who could handle instruments was incomparable happiness for her, and so they made this promise.
Later, as evening approached, Ren took Hitori away from RiNG to the riverside event—a small festival-like gathering where some people even wore yukata to enhance the atmosphere.
Along the way, Ren bought a candied apple. Tart and sweet, they took turns taking bites from the single treat, yet felt completely satisfied.
Even at night, Hitori still wore her sun hat. They strolled hand-in-hand through the festival grounds, watching organized performances, buying street-vendor takoyaki, and even scooping some goldfish which they gave to children who hadn't managed to catch any.
Ren gave Hitori the full festival experience, trying all the classic games like goldfish scooping, ring toss, and balloon popping.
For Hitori Gotou, this was an incredibly rare experience. Though it seemed childish, she thoroughly enjoyed herself, unconsciously breaking into a natural, joyful smile—only to blush with shyness upon realizing it.
"Th-this is so embarrassing, isn't it?"
After indulging in the fun, Hitori mumbled self-consciously, feeling that her delight in these simple games might be embarrassing Ren.
"Not at all. Bocchi-chan was shining just now—so beautiful. It made me happy too."
Ren reassured her gently. Whether it was childish or not didn't matter; what mattered was their shared joy. Some adults would love to be this carefree but never get the chance.
"Hehe~"
Seeing no trace of judgment on Ren's face, Hitori resumed her blissful giggling. She was genuinely happy today, and since it was already evening, her mother had even told her she couldn't return home tonight.
"There'll be a fireworks show later, but we won't be able to watch it together in person this time. Let's head back—I have a gift for you."
Ren felt deeply content watching Hitori's happy, silly grin. Checking the time, he realized it was almost 9:30 PM—the start of the fireworks display. He wanted to seize the perfect moment to perform "Fireworks" for Hitori as his ultimate gift, synchronized with the fireworks.
"I'll follow your lead, Ren."
Hitori had no objections. Her trust and affection for Ren had peaked at that moment.
As they headed to the mall, Ren messaged Umiri and the others.
Today wasn't just about the riverside events—the mall was bustling with major promotions and small activities, drawing even larger crowds than the waterfront.
The mall manager had heavily promoted Ren's performance, so a sizable audience had already gathered before the show began. By the time Ren and Hitori arrived, Umiri and the band were on stage adjusting equipment.
Ren's generous payment had secured top-tier gear and a professional stage setup, positioned at the heart of Ikebukuro's commercial district.
"Bocchi-chan, make sure to record the performance properly once it starts."
Before going on stage, Ren handed his phone to Hitori, wanting her to personally capture his gift to her.
"Mm!"
This time, Hitori felt no fear as Ren walked away. Today, her heart swelled with courage.
Ren then took the stage. Both Umiri and Kousei had already attracted attention with their striking looks during soundcheck, but when Ren appeared, the audience erupted in gasps.
Some unfamiliar with the entertainment scene mistook him for a celebrity hired by the mall—Ren's visuals alone outshone everyone present.
"Huh? Isn't that Ren? Is he debuting a new song? And if he's here, Bocchi-chan must be around too, right? Let's go check it out, Ijichi."
Nearby, Nijika—who had just finished shopping for discounted items and was looking for a place to rest—noticed the commotion and spotted Ren on stage, realizing he was about to perform something new.
Moreover, Ren's presence here meant Hitori was definitely around too, so Anon eagerly squeezed through the crowd with her bag in hand, searching for Hitori.
Ryo, who had sampled so much food today that she was practically burping, followed along.
"Anon, isn't that your childhood friend? Is he about to perform with his band?"
Meanwhile, Anon and her colleagues, who were having a team-building outing during the May Day holiday, had enjoyed their shopping spree and were preparing to leave the mall to watch the fireworks. However, the more observant Nagasaki Soyo spotted Ren on stage and pointed it out to Anon.
"Oh, it really is him! Is he going to sing a new song? Come on, we can't miss this! Ren sings beautifully!"
Anon was pleasantly surprised when she looked toward the stage and confirmed it was indeed Ren. She only knew he had been busy working on a new song these past few days, but she hadn't expected him to finish it so quickly—what incredible speed!
On stage, after everyone nodded to signal they were ready, Ren tapped the microphone. A sharp, piercing sound echoed through the mall, silencing every conversation.
Incredibly, the vast, bustling mall fell into complete silence. Just then, the sound of fireworks soaring into the sky and exploding reached everyone's ears.
"Fireworks, for all of you."
As the fireworks signaled the start, Ren briefly announced the song title. Without any further cue, Kousei began the prelude with the light, melodious tones of the piano. The delicate notes and richly layered music stunned everyone, igniting the evening's atmosphere as Ren used his voice to convey his love for Hitori to all.