A light breeze caressed us, its warmth and gentle touch reminiscent of snuggling under a cozy blanket with the perfect temperature. The wind carried an inviting sensation, as if inviting me to relax and embrace its soothing embrace.

Hana's voice quivered softly, each word weighed down by a heavy burden. Her expression made me question if I had done something wrong. Doubts clouded my mind, but my curiosity persisted, fueled by my belief in Tomi's words.

Hana turned to me, her face mirroring the same emotions as before. She glanced away, then back at me, perhaps seeking confirmation through my expression. "Why do you want to know?" she asked.

"Just a little curious" I initially replied.

"A little?" she questioned.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I lied. I'm really curious" I corrected myself.

"Hehe..." Hana chuckled.

"And also!" I exclaimed, clenching my hand tightly. Hana's shocked gaze shifted towards me. "You often appear gloomy. Even during your introduction, you seemed sad. Maybe people don't see you as someone they can be friends with. However, somehow, I sense a familiarity in your situation. And when Chika is with you... When I revealed that Chika is a bully, your face turned pale and filled with shock. Well, no one would expect a class president to have been a former bully. Lastly, this is just a guess from someone like me, who doesn't have many friends. Hana, did you feel lonely in your previous place?".

I realized my rambling had gone too far. But this was necessary to confirm the uneasy feelings I had about Hana. I felt selfish, forcing a girl to openly reveal her past stigma. What an asshole of a person I am.

Hana had listened to my lengthy chatter, her surprise evident in her widened eyes and heightened blue pupils. Oh no, did I say too much?

After a moment, Hana changed her expression and resumed her formal smile. Finally, she broke her silence. "Please stop, it's alright. Your concern makes me happy".

The fireworks in front of us began to fade. The sparks, which once reached great heights, gradually diminished. As I observed, the fireworks lost their flame. Hana's eyes, previously illuminated by the fireworks, also grew dim.

"Oh, they've gone out. I'll light another one" I said.

Hana didn't respond to my words and continued staring ahead. I picked up the second Fountain firework and brought it forward, replacing the extinguished spark. Igniting the fuse, I sit back down beside Hana, who remained silent and motionless, gazing at the cityscape with her open eyes. Soon, the second firework ignites.

Shortly after the fireworks lit up the night, Hana opened her mouth, seemingly waiting for the moment when the fireworks would emit light. "Are you sure? It's a boring story. A story from someone who doesn't really understand what friendship is".

"Yes" I replied succinctly.

Hana keep her gaze fixed on the stream of light emanating from the fireworks before taking a deep breath and exhaling. A tiny dew formed on her trembling, pink lips. Finally, she spoke. "Where should I start? Ah, I guess I'll start from that moment" she mused to herself.

Hana began her story. "Back when I was eight years old, in third grade, I struggled to socialize and make friends. However, the lack of friendship was not my biggest problem at that time. Though because of it, weird rumors circulated about me among many students in my class. It's quite embarrassing, but I was very attached to my mother. You might have heard about my mother. She was the ray of. She was the rainbow light in my life which wasn't too colorful at that time. Because I was too attached to her, many thought I was strange. Maybe yes, maybe not, I don't know. Is a 9-year-old child shouldn't be sticking with her mother anymore? Nearly all of my graders from the same school know about me so changing classes won't have any effect. The teachers didn't help at all and just said, 'Just forgive them, okay?'. I have often experienced insults to cruel behavior from my classmates. It all continued until I graduated from elementary school”.

Hana, who look almost out of breath, stopped for a moment and then look forward once again. It's this hard for her to remember her past, huh…

After a short break, she returned to the story. “I thought it would all end when I entered middle school, but too bad, a lot of elementary students end up in the same middle school as me. Therefore, all the things that happened in elementary school happened again in junior high school. There are even really severe moments. At that time I was in the second grade of junior high school, and my mother fell ill because of the symptoms of Leukemia that started to appear in her body. I had asked permission from the class president that I would stay at the hospital to accompany my mother and won't attend school, however, what she did instead said that I was skipping to our teacher. And I ended up in the introspection room. I told the truth and was very grateful for being trusted by the teacher. This is no longer a matter of rumors about me, this has entered the realm of bullying”.

Oh, I see... That's why she turn a little pale when I revealed that Chika was a bully. But what kind of school memories is that? I've almost reached the limit of my patience. The blood in my body boiling really hot. Despite that, I have to keep listening. Even Hana herself looked calm… no, she is hiding her trembling slightly.

The cold wind blew relentlessly, slapping our faces with an icy force. As if out of nowhere, a sudden gust extinguished the candle flame, plunging us into darkness. The once vibrant fireworks lost their sparkle, casting an even colder and gloomier atmosphere. When I turned to Hana, her tear-streaked face caught me off guard. The tears overflowed, teetering on the edge of her trembling lips, almost cascading down to her trembling thighs.

"H-Hana, are you..." I began to ask.

"BUT THEY!" Hana's voice pierced through the air, high-pitched and filled with anguish. "They... dragged me into the girl's restroom and tormented me there. Every cruel word they uttered, it reached into the depths of my heart, even mentioning my late mother... 'Haha, your precious mother is no longer here,' 'Who will you embrace now?' 'Too bad, your mother is gone.' They directed all of these hurtful words at me... I couldn't bear it any longer, so I-I ran back home... My family isn't well-off. Without my mother's support, my father had to take on extra work and would return home late that day." Hana's voice trembled as tears streamed down her face. "I locked myself inside our house, curling up under the blanket, crying my heart out. I kept crying until my father arrived and comforted me. He advised me to change schools, to find a place where I wouldn't be recognized."

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Now, with my father always occupied with work, I'm all alone. Even though I have my uncle to look after me, I still live in solitude."

Gradually, her gaze turned towards me. Hana's face, despite the tears, possessed an ethereal beauty, an exquisite facade that concealed the multitude of burdens she carried. Her closed eyes, moist with tears, formed a fragile smile that sent shivers down my spine. My heart ached with a mix of sorrow and empathy. This was the weight she bore... What an extraordinary girl...

"But that's just a dreary tale from someone who has never truly experienced friendship. Isn't it dull?" Hana said, her smile intertwined with tears.

Overwhelmed, Hana burst into tears, the weight she carried proving too heavy. What kind of life had she endured? I grew weary of listening, frustration building as I clenched my fists with all my might. It wasn't anger towards the individuals in Hana's story; it was frustration at Hana herself, who continued to smile despite her tears. Hana's sobs infuriated me, but I restrained myself. There was only one thing I could do.

In the distance, a speck of light erupted from the ground, ascending skyward. How fitting, the fireworks festival had begun. From afar, the chemical explosions painted the night sky, launching colorful sparks into the air. It was the only solace I could offer Hana.

"Your story... it can't end here, can it?" I spoke up.

As she wiped away her tears, Hana looked at me, confusion etched on her face. "Eh...?"

"Your story hasn't reached its climax yet, has it? You haven't even introduced the characters" I vaguely explained.

"W-What do you mean?" Hana's voice quivered.

Taking hold of the unlit Roman Candle firework, I tightened my grip. Igniting the fuse, I aimed its tip towards the city, where the brilliance of the fireworks danced in the night. A few seconds later, the first burst shot into the sky, exploding with a brilliant display. Blue sparks scattered, reminiscent of Hana's irregular yet captivating presence.

"You! You came to this city, met me, and made friends with others, didn't you? This isn't the end of your story. It's just the beginning. I won't allow it to conclude like this. At least when you are not happy with the ending" I declared, my voice resolute yet gentle.

I noticed Hana's astonishment, but I believed it was for the best. Letting my instincts guide me, I continued, "You're an incredible person! You've shouldered the weight of your turbulent emotions all by yourself. But if you ask me, that's not the best approach. If I were in your shoes, I'd repay them a hundredfold! You'll make them regret it, won't you?" My voice rose with determination.

Hana, fixated on my words, wiped away the remnants of her tears. "... Yes!"

"Good! Then take the remaining fireworks. Let's light them together," I said.

“Eh?” Hana asked confused.

"Now!" I screamed.

“Y-Yeah, just a moment”.

Hana took the last Roman Candle type of firework, then hold it while standing beside me. We both stare off at the city view full of twinkling lights of fireworks. With Hana's left hand and my right hand holding the fireworks at the same time, together.

I give the matches I use to light the candles and other fireworks to Hana. "Lit it on fire" I said simply.

“Eh? I can not".

"Don't worry, I'm beside you" I said calmly.

After hearing the comforting words coming from me, Hana set off the fuse of the firework. We both face the city so we too could join in with the festival that is going on in the city.

The first firework shot into the sky, drawing my gaze to Hana's enraptured expression as she followed the trajectory of the colorful balls soaring and exploding above us. Even though it was a simple firework, her wonderment is palpable. The second, third, and fourth fireworks burst into the night, filling the air with splendor. Then, a fifth firework also launched, but to our surprise, it failed to detonate.

"Huh? It didn't explode?" Hana's voice was tinged with confusion.

Was it a dud? Or perhaps delayed? However, the firework continued to radiate light and flames, descending towards the ground under the pull of gravity until it stood right in front of us, and...

*BOOOMMMM*

The sudden explosion engulfed our surroundings. Our vision blurred, and my ears rang with disarray. But amidst the chaos, my concern is solely for Hana.

"Han?! Hana! Are you okay?!" I shouted desperately.

"Y-yeah" Hana weakly replied, her voice barely reaching my ears.

Thankfully, Hana is unharmed. I breathed a sigh of relief, not knowing what I would have done if she had been hurt. But what had just happened? Why did the firework explode right in front of us? What on earth...?

Silence settled in the aftermath of the explosion, the ringing in my ears overpowering any other sounds. Slowly, my eyes adjusted, and I found myself staring in shock. Was this some sort of hallucination caused by witnessing the fireworks detonate before our eyes?

"W-what the he-" I began, but Hana's abrupt shout cut me off.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Hana's exclamation mirrored my own astonishment.

Well, it wasn't entirely surprising for her to react this way. Wait, if Hana sees what I also see, then this couldn't be a hallucination, could it? I struggled to find words in the face of this inexplicable phenomenon.

Our feet stands in an unfamiliar place, a vast meadow stretching as far as the eye could see. A solitary tree crowned a nearby hill, and a gentle breeze caressed us once more. The air held a pleasant neutrality, neither cold nor warm. It felt like stepping into a dreamland. And when I looked up at the sky, a sight of pure beauty greeted my eyes. The dark night is adorned with countless stars, filling the expanse until no gap remained visible.

I, rendered speechless and breathless, managed to utter, "Woah..."

"Oh, wait, Arkan! The fireworks!" Suddenly, Hana's voice snapped me out of my reverie.

Fireworks? Whoa! The fuse is lit, but how? What had been launched earlier instead of the final shot? Reacting swiftly, I pointed it skyward, ensuring we wouldn't be caught in the blast, once again. After a brief pause, the sound of the firework being shot reverberated through the air. It soared above us before... exploding. The detonation unleashed a resounding boom and a shower of sparks. Yet, something peculiar occurred. The remnants of the explosion, the sparks, and the radiant glow refuse to dissipate. Time seemed suspended, but the luminous particles continued their descent, reminiscent of autumn leaves gently falling from their branches. Eventually, the particles settled before us, emanating a comforting warmth.

Unconsciously, my hands move of their own accord, forming a pose as if to catch the particles. With closed eyes, I feel the gentle touch against my palm.

As I opened my eyes, I found myself back in our original location, standing alongside Hana, both of us holding the firework wand, gazing out over the city's sea of lights.

What have just happened? How can we traveled there and returned here? Could it have been a hallucination? No, Hana experienced it too, and the sensation of being there feels undeniably real. What have caused this inexplicable event? It's far too dangerous to attempt a repetition.

Agh, my mind is full of questions it's annoying. I have to confirm it with Hana first.

I turn my head back to Hana. “Han-“.

I was once again stunned. Why? Why is Hana shedding tears? Is it leftover from before? No, a new tear popped out of her right eye then slowly reaching her cheeks.

"Hana, you are... crying...".

"Eh...?".