[Around June.]
[Across Japan, hundreds of fireworks festivals are held...]
[To prevent fire accidents, most of them take place near rivers or by the sea.]
[You carefully researched the information, wanting to enjoy summer fireworks up close.]
[When she heard your wish, Kita became especially enthusiastic.]
[She planned the route in advance, chose a fireworks festival with fewer people, and picked a time slot that minimized the risk of accidents.]
[Your body is not strong enough to move through dense crowds.]
[On this weekend day.]
[You put on a kimono you had not worn for several years, and under your mother's slightly worried gaze, you left home and followed in Kita's footsteps.]
[In certain aspects, Kita is very attentive. She chose a train route with very few passengers, heading to a fireworks festival far away from Tokyo.]
[As the train car gently swayed, at this moment, you could clearly feel your heart beating. Everything in your vision seemed to brighten, colorful bubbles appeared in the air, and for the first time, your mood became so wonderful because of anticipation.]
[Half an hour later.]
[You left the station and, at the exit, spotted Toru waiting after changing into casual clothes.]
["Good evening."]
[After seeing you, Toru turned off his phone, looked you over, and said, "Tachibana-san, your kimono looks very nice today."]
["Eh, what about my outfit?" Kita hurriedly asked.]
[Toru smiled. "I praise you so often usually, can't I take a break today? Besides, no matter what Kita-san wears, I like it."]
["That answer sounds a bit halfhearted. My affection for you is going to drop."]
["Really?"]
["Mm... just kidding~"]
[After exchanging a few lines of dialogue that you had only ever seen in romance light novels before.]
[Kita brought you over to Toru's side.]
[Only then did you realize that they had prepared a wheelchair in advance.]
["You really don't have to do this..."]
[For safety, sitting in a wheelchair is of course the best option, but it is not very convenient. When encountering steps and the like, it takes effort to carry it.]
[You did not want to ruin this fireworks festival experience because of yourself.]
[Kita interrupted you and said seriously, "Safety first, happiness second."]
["Friendship first, competition second," Toru added.]
[The scene fell silent for a moment.]
["...What is that, that line is so cold."]
[Kita could not help but chuckle softly.]
[Driven by the atmosphere, you also revealed a faint smile.]
[At this moment, you were certain that the boy Kita liked must be Toru...]
[The two of them are a good match, a golden boy and a jade girl, talent and beauty... it is just a pity that you probably will not live to see them get married.]
I will see it.
I will help you witness it with your own eyes.
Tachibana Kanade said to herself.
[During the festival, Toru was responsible for pushing the wheelchair, while Kita explained things to you. Through her narration, you learned that this festival seemed to be held to worship a certain deity.]
[Looking at the endless stream of people, you spoke silently in your heart——]
[Dear god, if you truly exist, then please cure my heart disease.]
[You wandered around leisurely.]
[Shooting games, goldfish scooping, eating candied apples...]
[You swam in a sea of happiness, completely forgetting yourself for a while.]
[It was not until Toru reminded you that it was almost time for the fireworks that you barely came back to your senses.]
[To reach a suitable viewing spot, Toru suggested carrying you on his back. You felt a little shy. Having been sick for many years, you had very little contact with the opposite sex, and physical contact was even rarer.]
[You slowly leaned onto his solid back, placing all your weight on him.]
["Tachibana-san is even lighter than I imagined."]
[He wondered whether you were eating properly every day.]
[During school days, whenever Toru passed by the cafeteria and saw you eating mapo tofu, his heart would tighten.]
[That mapo tofu is known at school as a devil's dish.]
[Because the amount of chili in it is simply too much.]
[For someone with heart disease, eating this might not be very good for the heart... He tried several times to persuade you, but after discovering that you were completely fine after eating it, his concern turned into admiration.]
["Thank you."]
[After hearing your thanks.]
[Kita waved her hand casually and said with ease, "Kitahara-kun is very strong, no need to be polite."]
[If passersby heard this, those who did not know better would think she was the one carrying you.]
[Toru held your thighs, making you feel a bit ticklish. His ten fingers fit perfectly, the sensation extremely clear.]
["Even though Kita-san is telling the truth, please consider the feelings of the person involved, thank you."]
[Kita has a straightforward personality. Sometimes she cannot read the atmosphere and says strange things.]
[You had long experienced this yourself, but you did not expect Toru to be a victim as well.]
[With Toru's help, you arrived at a nearby observation deck. From here, you could overlook the distant city, with the fireworks launch site included in view. It was an excellent viewing spot.]
[A ribbon of bright light cut across the quiet, pitch-black night sky, then blossomed into radiant chrysanthemums. The fireworks illuminated your face. You took out your phone and captured this moment.]
[The scale of the fireworks gradually expanded, until the entire night sky was filled with chrysanthemums.]
[Your gaze was focused, wanting to permanently engrave this scene in your heart.]
[Toru and Kita looked at your face, flickering between light and shadow, and smiled at each other.]
[Both of them are people who gain happiness and a sense of accomplishment from helping others, what people commonly call good-hearted souls.]
[It is just that.]
[Your joy did not last very long.]
[After the fireworks dissipated and the excitement faded, what followed was an endless sense of emptiness.]
["In July, let's watch fireworks together again, Tachibana-san."]
[On the way back, Toru said.]
["Mm." You nodded lightly, and the emptiness in your heart eased a little.]
[Although you do not know what the future will be like, you are very happy right now...]
[Life itself has no inherent value. Its value lies in how it is used. Being able to spend the final station of your life together with friends does not seem so bad.]
[Next semester, there will be the cultural festival, the sports festival, and the school trip.]
[Christmas, New Year, winter camping...]
[In July, when Kessoku Band steps onto the stage of a music festival, you also want to go and see it.]
[Looking ahead.]
[Everything before you is what you have been longing for, things that once existed only in dreams.]
[That night.]
[You fell into a sweet dream.]