I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Although Tachibana Kanade probably won't say anything, and might even ask if they're having fun... but that's just how girls are, they're so sensitive that they're prone to overthinking.

Make a wish.

"Ah."

The two tossed in a five-yuan coin, symbolizing their union, clapped their hands, and bowed their heads in prayer.

Whether or not God exists, there are always some wishes that need to find a place to rest, so that the restless heart can find a sense of reality.

The night was deep, and the starlight was faint.

The flickering lights lengthened their shadows, and the firelight reflected off their masks. The Kamen Rider and Sailor Moon stared blankly at the sky diagonally in front of them.

There are less than twenty minutes left before the fireworks display officially begins.

Chapter Fifty-Four: A Single-Colored Feather

"Senior, what did you wish for?"

After leaving the worship hall, the two walked up the path behind the shrine toward the observation deck at the top of the mountain.

Even as night falls in May, the mountain breeze is still somewhat cool.

As she asked the question, Isshiki Hatake couldn't help but cross her arms and rub her fair skin outside the sleeves of her yukata, as if she was starting to feel cold.

Tenkuji Yu glanced at her, but instead of taking off his only short-sleeved shirt to give it to her, he silently reached out his hand, gesturing for her to hug his arm.

Although he doesn't have the special ability to transfer heat into other people's bodies, he can still manage to raise the surface temperature of his skin and act as a walking heater if he puts in the effort.

"Ah, thank you, senior... That's so heartwarming."

After a brief moment of surprise, Isshiki Hatake hugged his arm without hesitation, chuckling to herself as she did so, her face flushed slightly, like a child who had just eaten candy.

Then he quietly lowered his head, revealing a smug look of having succeeded.

"Oh dear, we've already succeeded! When I get serious, I can take down even a senior in a day. Ayaha-chan's complete victory!"

Knowing that Tenkuji Yu had exceptional hearing, she deliberately mumbled smugly in a muffled voice that he absolutely couldn't hear and that even she herself couldn't understand.

"What did you say?"

Then, when Tenkuji Yu asked her question, she raised her face again, blinked her pure and lovely big eyes, tucked a few strands of flaxen hair behind her moist lips, and said innocently yet with a touch of coquettishness, "It's nothing~ By the way, senpai, you haven't answered my previous question yet."

Tenkuji Yu saw through her little scheme, but was too lazy to expose it.

"It's not New Year's Day, so wishes aren't that important, right?"

He turned his gaze away from that lovely face and looked ahead.

They weren't the only couple acting so intimately on this path; many other couples were also climbing the steps. The dim yellow lights on both sides of the road created an ambiguous and romantic atmosphere, with pink bubbles appearing everywhere.

With his exceptional hearing, he could even hear the excited panting of a baseball player running the bases after hitting a home run echoing from the dark grove not far away.

...Well, given the considerable force of harmony, this awkward metaphor is the only option.

I believe everyone here has a wealth of knowledge and has read extensively. You've probably seen countless scenes of fireworks, groves, and yukatas appearing together, haven't you?

You know everything.

—As Mr. Lu said, men are the kind of creatures who, upon seeing short sleeves, will associate more things with white arms.

At this moment, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but think of a question that was hard to say directly, based on the "baseball player's panting".

That is……

Is there a 'bust restraint device' under the cute junior's yukata?

Generally speaking, there will definitely be such a thing. Reality is not as illogical as in anime and manga—unless it is deliberately tempting. Otherwise, the danger of going topless in a yukata, which is much thinner than a kimono, is self-evident, and it is easy to cause pain in the upper body.

Of course, Yuu Tenkuji understood this principle, but the touch on his arm was so warm and soft that it made him have all sorts of fantasies. So much so that even as he calmly walked on the stone path, his mind was filled with such lewd thoughts.

Only Iroha Isshiki's occasional sweet voice could pull him back from his chaotic thoughts, which could probably be censored.

"How could it not be important? Worshiping is like communicating with the gods. If you tell them your wishes, there's a possibility they'll be fulfilled! You have to have the same level of respect as when you worship during the New Year!"

Despite using a very serious tone of persuasion, judging from the interest in her eyes, she probably didn't even believe his words and just wanted to find out his wishes.

Remembering her earlier words, "I want to know everything about you, senior," Tenkuji Yu could only sigh helplessly and say truthfully, "It's nothing, I just hope everything goes smoothly in the future."

"Eh—such a vague wish?"

Her disappointed expression almost screamed "boring."

Tenkuji Yu flicked her forehead in annoyance: "Is it not okay to be so vague?"

"Waaah, it didn't say no..."

Ignoring her resentful and aggrieved gaze, Tenkuji Yu raised her eyes, her gaze passing through the dense foliage and looking at the fragmented, clear and bright night sky.

"Until you are completely helpless, you have to rely on your own abilities to get what you want, no matter what you have to pay... So praying to gods and Buddhas is just the last glimmer of hope in a desperate situation."

His eyes were as calm and deep as the sea, reflecting the night sky where gray stars twinkled.

A self-deprecating sigh slipped from his lips unintentionally, only to be gently blown away by the cold wind in the mountains.

"Perhaps I will only sincerely beg the gods to help me when I reach that point of despair... although I would never let that happen."

"senior……"

Staring blankly at him, his profile, somber and calm as if weighed down by something heavy, was deeply imprinted in Iroha's eyes.

She unconsciously pursed her lips, no longer having any room for jokes. She wanted to comfort him as much as possible and make him laugh again, but for a moment she didn't know what to say.

She simply hugged his arm even tighter, as if trying to convey her feelings through this gesture.

"...If you don't mind, senior, I'll stay by your side."

After a long while, his courage finally turned into words.

Her footsteps continued, the forest path quiet and cool. Her voice was even softer than the rustling of the leaves, yet it reached Tenkuji Yu's ears clearly.

"Since things have come to this point, if you dare to abandon me, you'll be the biggest scumbag of the century!"

As if to prove something, Iroha Isshiki's gaze was incredibly serious, her soft cherry-colored lips pressed into a thin line: "This is the first time I've ever hugged the arm of a man who isn't a family member! Senpai, you have to take responsibility!"

“Take responsibility…” He chuckled, reached out and stroked her little head, teasingly saying, “I didn’t expect Xiao Caiyu to be so innocent, wanting someone to take full responsibility just because she’s embracing someone’s arm.”

"What? Is it not allowed?"

Like a kitten whose tail has been stepped on, Isshiki Woo wrinkled her nose menacingly and opened her mouth to bite his finger.

Tenkuji easily dodged aside, casually pinching her cheek: "No, that won't do. Let's get back to your wish. What did you wish for?"

Unable to sway him from changing the subject, she puffed out her cheeks and grumbled unhappily, "I just want the people I love and the people who love me to be happy..."

Instead of mocking her for having such a simple wish, Yuu Tenkuji laughed heartily twice.

"That's great! I wish I had made that promise too!"

Iroha Isshiki coldly retorted, "Senior, please be a little abnormal. The image of a sunny, warm-hearted man doesn't suit you."

"Hahaha, what nonsense are you talking about, Ayaha? I've always been normal, okay? Believe me or not, I'll just carry you up the mountain."

"Wow... This is truly the first time I've ever heard such a refreshingly unique threat..."

As we chatted and laughed, a fairly spacious square appeared at the end of the road, which was also the viewing platform for this mountain.

As 8 o'clock drew closer, many tourists had already secured their spots, ready to enjoy snacks bought at the foot of the mountain while watching the fireworks with their companions from the best vantage point.

They were still too late.

Looking around, the few benches were already full, and many people were sitting on the ground with cushions spread out on their hands. There was no space left for two people at the railing at the front.

Although it wasn't exactly packed to the brim, it seemed that the only way to enjoy the fireworks here was to find an empty spot and stand there like an idiot.

"Senior, what should we do?"

Issei Iroha frowned slightly, her toes curling up uncomfortably, and she really wanted to bend down and rub her calves.

Although the mountain path wasn't steep, several hours had passed and she had walked several kilometers since she put on her wooden clogs. Once the excitement of the date wore off, the fatigue that had accumulated in her feet and the pain from the worn-out clog straps surged up like a tide, but she endured it without telling her senior.

When it's time to be affectionate, she won't hold back. However, at times like these, Isshiki Hatake doesn't want to be a capricious princess and cause too much trouble for the person she likes.

Is this one of her little insistences? Just like actively expressing her feelings.

If it weren't for her senior inviting her out on a date and giving her hope to move forward, perhaps even after graduation, she would still be hesitant to hold his hand because of her best friend's presence...

Ultimately, Isshiki Iroha is still a high school sophomore who has never been in a relationship; she's not quite there yet, and just hopes that the person she likes will like her back.

"If you get tired, rest on my back."

Tenkuji Yu released her hand, glancing at the red marks between her toes from the clog straps: "This place is full, let's find somewhere else."

"Other places? Are you familiar with this area, senior?"

Isshiki Iroha was somewhat surprised; she had never heard of a second viewing platform on this mountain.

“Not really familiar with it, I just scouted the place once before coming.” Tenkuji Yu shrugged, then bent down with his back to her. “I’m very careful. Unless I’m going to Hokkaido or some distant place abroad, I would never invite someone to go somewhere I’ve never been before… Well, let’s get on each other’s backs first.”

"Ah, this is..."

Somewhat flustered and at a loss, Isshiki Yu's face turned red as she looked left and right, seemingly concerned about the gazes of others.

Holding hands is fine, there are plenty of couples holding hands everywhere you look, and there are plenty of people kissing openly... but I just don't see any couples where the guy is carrying the girl on his back!

And ultimately, she never let any man other than her father carry her back.

The thought of losing her virginity in such a desolate place, possibly surrounded by a crowd, made her blush with shame...

You need to be mentally prepared!

"Fine, don't take it. Anyway, it's your feet that are sore, not mine."

However, before she could mentally prepare herself, Yuu Tenkuji saw that she hesitated for a long time before she decisively stood up and walked towards the grove.

"Come with me. Not many people know this road, so it will be a bit difficult to walk. Be careful not to fall."

"Well……"

Isshiki Hachiman quickly frowned, glaring at his back with a snarl.

—What? That's so heartless!

Girls can be shy too. Do you think everyone is as thick-skinned and doesn't care as much as you?

No wonder someone like that senior can't get a girlfriend.