It was November 3, Bunka no Hi and also the long-awaited start of the Cultural Festival. Throughout the neighborhood a festive mood cherished around the school, embracing the minds of people passing by. All people who were in any way related to the people studying at this school were invited to the festival, and everyone who wanted to be a part of the festival walked around the neighborhood. Across the school gates there were stalls of food arranged decently, which were sold, raffled off, or given as gifts by schoolchildren in honor of such a colorful event. It was a schoolchildren's day, a day when fun and entertainment was possible for everyone present. Yumiko was especially happy that day. At times, there were situations where the gazes of various young men were only directed at her, looking at her lovely eyes and charmingly thin figure. Ryou, who walked with her, upon reflection, at times gave himself to the thought of being pleased with his attractive friend. However, there was no word from Glenn that day, but Yumiko should not despair – maybe they just could not be bothered to meet because of the onslaught in the festival. As they got closer to Ryou, Akiko mentioned a certain exquisite atmosphere around the school grounds and a bright bustle. Ryou agreed. The boys walked around the neighborhood and kept an eye on the area with the stalls and the oddball entertainment created by students of all grades. Fear rooms; all sorts of game contests and high school cafeterias – all the human labor was truly presented as written in the plan. Everything was perfect in the festival, and the students, along with their satisfied teachers, enjoyed a rare burst of holiday cheer. Some students kept saying there would be a big concert and talent shows the next day of the festival.
One memorable moment from the high school cafeteria amused the kids: Yamada, being a willy-nilly waiter, politely served the order to the startled students. Afterward, they enjoyed a game created by middle school students of shooting water pistols at robots with artificial intelligence moving around a small field. Yumiko was interested in following the creations of the members of the various circles, and as soon as she became aware of the greatness of Culture Day, she was immediately forced to take part in the entertainment by fellow festival organizers. She ended up getting a warm welcome at one of the high school cafes. Against the backdrop of a soccer field, the younger classes were childishly engaged in a game of tag. With a sigh of happiness, Yumiko was finally convinced of the success of the hard work she had done.
At one o'clock, Tomoyuki called her on the phone with an offer to go together to the evening parade, which would begin closer to dusk. Yumiko made no attempt to turn down such an enticing offer from her close friend, and asked him to invite the others as well.
The first day of the Cultural Festival was coming to a prolonged end, and people were about to leave when teachers came on the street stage to offer their thanks, and toward the end the president of the student council was given the floor, who eventually acknowledged the efforts of Yumiko Sato and the others who had participated.
Before she left, the brown-eyed girl noticed the students about to close for the day and the buzz of people talking everywhere. It was a scene Yumiko wanted to capture for the rest of her life.
Eventually, they reached the central park and joined the crowd of people gathered in a row near the open road for the start of the parade. At the fault of the density of the crowd, the four boys scattered, with no way to find each other. Meanwhile, the glow of the bitter sun had stopped glinting over the clouds altogether, and the sky turned to its evening stage as the light from the streetlights flickered across the city. Having never gone to such parades spontaneously before, Yumiko could barely locate Ryou under the cover of other people's faces, and the pair met in the front ranks. Asking each other at the same time, they said they had not seen Akiko or Tomoyuki. Glenn certainly hadn't appeared in their gaze that day. A high whistle blew, and the people around them steered clear of the wide road. A march of a long band of appropriately dressed men appeared from a corner to a melodious song, appropriate to the solemn nature of the festivities, and soon reigned in a gleaming and steady chorus. Following, a melody of violins played one part of the march. The march proceeded with the singing of various instruments, eventually triumphing into a harmonious song that lasted the entire parade. The musicians, on the other hand, who lavished the entire stage with excited chanting, were carried on red carriages.
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And now, the performance of lights began. The girl's eyes marveled at the actors, who nobly played with the red, frisky lights for the performance. They danced, inhaling and exhaling fire, thus shocking the audience. Next, people saw a certain part of the march move around behind them, surrounding a large iron instrument on wheels, created in modern fretwork.
As this part of the march approached the main crowd of people, the instrument launched, illuminated by bright led lights, and formed huge multicolored holograms of fish on their heads, as if floating through the air. These stunning holograms captivated the audience, floating confidently above their heads at a slow pace.
"Beautiful..." submitted Yumiko, staring tirelessly at the dolphins and seahorses that soon appeared. Ryou couldn't help but agree.
Unobtrusively, Akiko and Tomoyuki stood a few meters behind them on a ledge where they could see their shining faces through the crowd. Barely tearing her gaze away from the parade, Akiko noticed Tomoyuki standing beside them looking with puppyish delight at the pair of friends. She didn't know for sure why the guy was staring at them so deeply, never taking his gaze off.
"Here we go," Tomoyuki mouthed, making Akiko's shoulders flutter.
"What are you cheering about?"
"I am neither merry nor sad, but my joy is inherent only in what I have and will have."
Tomoyuki's spirit seized him. Sensing his trepidation, the girl's trembling eyes slowly responded to Yumiko and Ryou. All around, the raging commotion of the parade subsided as if nothing had happened.
Ryou elusively reached down with his palm, and touched his friend's hand, deciding to take hold of her tightly, with all passion. Yumiko, who sensed this, moved her hands away in confusion, as if she were commanded not by her broad mind at all, but by the girl's own convictions. Halfway through the realization of the matter, Yumiko begged the guy's forgiveness with a grim, downcast look. Akiko, whose breath caught at the sight of this scene, moved to rush toward them, but at the same instant the blue-eyed man abruptly blocked her path with his hand.
"Wh-what are you doing?" perplexed the maiden, but Tomoyuki dared not look back at her. His cold face unnecessarily alarmed Akiko even more, making her legs flinch. The young man only waited for the right moment.
"I can't," Yumiko said aloofly.
"Okay."
"Excuse me, Ryou-kun."
Seeing the slow movements of their lips in the lights appropriated by the holograms of sea creatures and the great whale that filled the whole sky above the heads of the audience, Tomoyuki made his way through the subdued crowd to the unhappy couple. Taking Ryou by his stiffened shoulder, he whispered sadly to him, "It's worth leaving." Ryou responded with a small nod, and unwilling to show any poor emotion or react in any way, walked away with his faithful friend away from the frozen Yumiko, whose eyes were hidden by the shadow of her darkish-brown hair. Unsure of what to do, the girl's mind was saturated with gloom and sadness, making her want to hide immediately.
Akiko could only sway in one place, looking with hesitation at the lonely maiden who had just been abandoned by the boys.