“...and then we do this bit here, and we’re done!” Masumi beamed at his mother as he pulled back and put his makeup tools with the rest of them.

“Let me see.” Fujiko said, as she pulled up the mirror to look at herself. She was clad in a pale blue yukata, with white petals patterned across the cotton, and she could see her face reflected. It was perfectly pale, and made her skin look as flawless as it ever had. Her dark eyes shone out, while her inky black hair was held up and in place with nary a strand to spare. “How did you get so good at this, Masumi?” She asked, then turned the mirror to include his face.

Masumi had done his hair earlier, and was clad in a white yukata covered in an ornate red pattern and cinched in at the waist with a similarly-vibrant obi. His fluffy hair was mostly pinned up behind his head, but his fluffy bangs floated free and framed his similarly-ornate makeup. There was just a splash of red under his eyes and on his lips, painting them so they stood out even more against his pale skin.

“I’ve been practicing a lot.” Masumi shrugged, as he scooped his makeup box up. “Every day, over and over, and then double that when Yui invited me to the festival.” He said, then shuffled to the side to pack the box away.

“You should consider becoming a cosmetician, between streams.” Fujiko said, as she stood up to admire herself in the full-length mirror across Masumi’s bedroom. She ran her hands down her yukata, then up to her face, and gave a brief nod to herself.

“Oh, um, I don’t know about that. I guess I’d like to, but I’m not that good yet.” Masumi leaned out and closed the door, robbing his mother of her mirror. “D’you really like it?”

“Of course I like it. I wouldn’t say so if I didn’t mean it.” Fujiko said. “I think I’ll go join your father now. Although, he might feel underdressed once he sees me.” She started to stride for the door and Masumi followed her, with one last look at his room to make sure that everything was in place.

“I did offer to do his styling, too.” Masumi pointed out as his mother headed for the stairs. “But, you know father...”

“I’m sure he’s going to surprise me.” Fujiko said, as they went down the stairs together, then turned to the living room where they saw Hideki. He was wearing his black and grey lined Yukata, with his freshly-polished glasses and neat her. “We’ll never be able to doubt your fondness for tradition, will, we Hideki?”

“No.” Hideki shook his head. “Can’t miss the tenth year.”

“I’m sure nobody would mind, but...” Fujiko shook her head at her husband. “How do I look?”

“Beautiful.” Hideki said, then his eyes flicked to Masumi. “You too.”

“Thanks!” Masumi’s cheeks were hurting with all the smiling he was doing, but he didn’t mind in the slightest. “D’you think it’ll be good enough for Yui? I mean, she said she’d have Akira do her makeup, and I think I’m actually more girly than her, but maybe that’s just being judgmental?”

“Remind me.” Hideki said.

“She’s the loud one who brought a baseball bat into the house.” Fujiko informed the man, as she sat down on the couch beside Hideki.

“Oh.”

“She’s not that bad, and she didn’t hit anything with it...” Masumi defended the girl, although he rather doubted Akira would have minded being called the loud one. He was distracted from his thoughts by a now-familiar rapping at the door. He squealed, cupped a hand over his mouth, then stared at Fujiko.

“Just go and answer it.” Fujiko said.

“Right!” Masumi nodded, then rushed over to the front door. His parents were out of sight, but he wouldn’t have paid attention to them once the door was opened regardless. Yui was standing before him, in a resplendent black yukata with a golden dragon rampaging across it. The golden obi was hung low at her hips, and her signature braid had been pulled up. “Y-Yui!” He breathed out, while his eyes roamed freely over her.

“Masumi.” Yui smiled at Masumi, and her eyes were eager to return the favor. “Somehow, you look even more beautiful than before. Come here.” She smiled at him and leaned down, while he went on his tiptoes. Her fingers brushed the bottom of his jaw, cradling it as their lips met for a chaste kiss. His blood was pumping fast enough to outrun a bullet train. The tall girl smacked her lips. “And you’re strawberry-flavor, too.”

Masumi giggled and blushed, though he didn’t hide it. “I didn’t think you were gonna kiss me right away...it was meant to be a surprise for later.”

“You can surprise me all over again later, then. I’m told that there’s a lot of kissing at the Summer festival and I wouldn’t want to ignore tradition.”

“Oh, no, definitely not! Not Shiro Yui.” Masumi snickered, as Yui stepped inside and he closed the door for her.

“You make it sound as though I’m some sort of scoundrel.” Yui said, her voice dry like sand.

“I mean, look at your best friends...”

“I’m looking at one right now, and he’s adorable.” Yui grinned at Masumi. “So thank you, although I was hoping for fearsome, all things considered.” She gestured at the dragon coiled around her body.

“You look great!” Masumi nodded vigorously. “I didn’t really expect a dragon, but it suits you.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“I agree. And thank you again for giving me the money.” Yui said. “Remember that you’ll have to let me buy whatever you want at the festival.”

“You don’t have to do that...” Masumi said, as he moved up to Yui’s side to lead her through to the living room.

“I’ll do it and hear no more of it.” Yui said, with feigned hardness “You’ll just have to think of another way to make it up to me.”

“We’ll have no more of that talk, thank you.” Fujiko said, with much more realistic hardness, as the pair entered the room.

“Mr and Mrs Sanada, a pleasure, as always.” Yui bowed to the pair. “I hadn’t expected you to still be here.”

“Oh, they always go to the festival a little late.” Masumi explained, as Yui sat down on the chair, and he took his place on her lap. “It gives the, uh, young people time to wear themselves out, mother says.”

“The plan loses its luster when they cluster under our roof.” Fujiko pointed out. “But that’s the idea, yes. Nice yukata, Yui.” She said, as she shifted in her seat in a way that clearly demonstrated her own to the girl.

“And so is yours.” Yui nodded, as Masumi leaned back against her and she wrapped her arms around his slender torso. “And if I know Masumi how I think I do, that’s his hand on your face, isn’t it?”

“My...oh, yes.” Fujiko nodded. “I decided to let him, eventually. Give the boy some practice.”

“She had me do it after she saw mine.” Masumi said aloud, to the mild amusement of his father. “Something about not being outdone by her son, right, mother?”

“Children and their fantasies.” Fujiko clucked her tongue.

“When do you think we should leave, Masumi?” Yui asked.

“I don’t know.” Masumi said. “I ordered a bike to ride while wearing kimonos and stuff, but it didn’t arrive in time and we’ll have to walk there...”

“We’ll have to leave soon, then.” Yui said. “Are you going to wear your geta?”

“Not if we have to walk there.” Masumi shook his head. “I can balance for a while, but if I have to rest so often we’ll be late for sure. I’ve got some zori that should match...”

“If you want to wear geta, you should be able to wear geta. I could carry you there.”

Masumi giggled and shook his head. “You can’t carry me there in sandals!”

“I’m going to wear jikatabi. They’re in my bag in the hall.” Yui nodded in its direction. “And you’ll look so cute, being carried there in my arms.”

“That would be nice...” Masumi bit his lip as he pictured the image of being carried to the festival by his gallant Yui.

“Or, since carrying shoes is an option anyone can use, you could carry your geta in your bag and walk there in regular shoes.” Fujiko pointed out to the pair, which reminded them that other people were present.

“Oh, um, yeah, I think I’ll do that.” Masumi said, as he reluctantly slipped out of Yui’s lap and was halfway up the stairs before he ran back down. “I’ll be right back!” He told Yui, who nodded and waved to him as he hurled himself back to his room. He soon emerged with the bag he’d been planning to take with him, with his wooden sandals inside. He found Yui standing in the doorway to the living room, awaiting his return. “Oh, we’re going now, right.” He nodded.

“That’s the plan.” Yui nodded, as she joined him by the shoe rack and swapped the ones there with her jikatabi, which she put on while Masumi found a pair of simple white shoes that wouldn’t clash too much with his yukata.

“Do you have everything?” Fujiko called out, and Masumi nodded, before remembering that there was a wall between them.

“I’ve got everything!” He yelled back.

“Phone, keys, wallet?”

“Yep, yep, and yep!” Masumi checked through his bag and peered up at Yui.

“We agreed that I’d pay for everything.” Yui gently remined him.

“But, um, emergencies and stuff. And if Akira shows up you know she’ll want to borrow money off of me for something or other...”

“True.” Yui smirked as she nodded. “I can easily tell her to stop, if you want me to.”

“No, um, it’s nice to have her have a reason to be nice to me.” Masumi said. “I think if she didn’t, she’d talk like she does to you, and that’s...not even Low-Life can compete with that.”

“Ah, so you’re complying with a protection racket.” Yui laughed.

“No! Yes. But, um, she’s funny, so it’s nice to have her around even so.” He checked he had everything with him once more, then poke his head into the other room. “Goodbye mother, father.”

“Goodbye Masumi, and you, Yui!” Fujiko said.

“Bye.” Hideki added.

“Goodbye Mr and Mrs Sanada!” Yui waved a hand into the room, then followed Masumi out into the street. The sun was already setting and night would soon claim them. She sighed pleasantly as they started to walk down the street, and reached down to hold Masumi’s hand. He twined his fingers with her as they walked. “It looks like tonight is going to be a good one.”

“It’s, um, the first festival I’ve ever been to with someone.” Masumi admitted.

“I thought so.” Yui said. “And it’s the same for me. So we’ll be new together.” She squeezed his hand warmly.

“What do you want to do first?”

“I don’t know.” Yui said. “Perhaps buying some kakigori to watch the fireworks with. Truth be told, I used to think they were wasteful. And I suppose I still do, considering the expense and the effort. But it will be nice to watch them with you.”

“I guess that’s why they’re there.” Masumi said. “It’s just fireworks, and just some pretty lights isn’t really worth that much, but the experience you get with people...I think that’s what makes it worth it, ‘cause there are people who see them for the first time, or the first time with people they love, or just seeing them again. It’s kinda amazing when you think of it like that.”

Yui nodded appreciatively. “That’s a good way to look at it, Masumi. Now, promise me you won’t embarrass me on the dance floor.”

“Hmm,” Masumi put a finger to his lips. “Nope! It’s payback time.”

Yui gasped. “What have I ever done to you?”

“You talked about making out in front of my parents!”

“That...is true.” Yui said. “Very well. I’ll accept some mild embarrassment, but any more than that and I’ll flash everyone your panties.”

“Y-You villain!” Masumi poked an accusatory finger at her arm, then laughed with her as they approached the colorful banners of the Summer Festival.