After wandering around for about the same amount of time, I was certain.
Kagami was really enjoying the situation right now.
Not that I didn’t understand; I was having fun too.
Hanging out with friends is always a good time.
Leaving my worries behind and rambling about this and that while eating different things couldn’t possibly be less enjoyable. If it weren’t fun in the first place, there would be no reason to meet up with friends.
However, I felt that the case of “I’m having fun with my friend” was true for Koko and me, but not for Kagami.
It’s true that we know each other, but is she really someone I would consider a friend? The age difference between Kagami and me isn’t huge, especially when you compare it to that of a mother and daughter, but it’s still enough to be noticeable.
That’s not to say that age differences prevent closeness. I’ve gotten along well while working with people who are about ten years older.
But still, you know?
The existence of “your friend’s mom” is not as simple as one might think. If you’re close with a friend, then of course you have to be more cautious and respectful toward their parents.
Japan and East Asia share a culture of respecting elders, so Yuka, Mako, Harumi, and Yuuki all had subtly complicated expressions on their faces.
I looked back at Kagami.
She had the most genuinely joyful expression.
With a candy apple in one hand and a bag with a goldfish in the other, she had an aura reminiscent of a young woman out enjoying herself with her boyfriend.
Not that the people she came with were teenage daughters, though.
Now that I think about it, Kagami’s yukata had a much more elaborate pattern than the clothes she usually wears.
The yukata, with a sky blue base and petals embroidered on it, looked quite high-end.
Seeing that Koto Ne and I wore similar clothes and designs, it seemed like they were coordinated.
“…….”
While I quietly watched the unyielding smile on Kagami’s face, she suddenly looked back at me with wide eyes.
Even if her narrow, slightly sharp eyes grew larger, they didn’t appear that innocent. For someone seeing her for the first time, they might actually find it more comforting to see her smiling and giggling as usual.
Still, after knowing Kagami for quite a while, I had gotten used to her facial expressions.
This expression is the “Huh?” expression.
It was the same look she gave me when I did something ridiculous or foolish in front of her.
For example, when I’d say I was scared of ghosts for the first time.
I suppose the reason she was making this expression now was—
“Do you want to eat it?”
Kagami smiled and held out the candy apple to my face.
When I looked up at her with a puzzled expression, she quickly added, “Oh, was it this one instead?”
Saying that, she presented the goldfish in her left hand. The little bag containing it seemed a bit pitiful. Being someone from 19 years later, it somewhat felt like animal cruelty. They say goldfish need more substantial tanks than you’d think.
Of course, I had no intention of eating either the raw goldfish or the cooked one.
……No, I didn’t plan on eating the cooked goldfish either.
But seeing as she probably wouldn’t clear either of them away from in front of my face unless I ate one, I chose the candy apple.
As I chewed on the slightly hard candy apple, Kagami asked me with a nervous expression.
“Did I maybe follow you when I shouldn’t have?”
I stopped moving my mouth.
I looked up at Kagami.
The joyful atmosphere still lingered, and she showed no sign of regretting coming here, but she seemed to hesitate slightly while looking at me.
If I said yes here, Kagami would likely be hurt. She might even want to go home.
I didn’t want that.
Thinking this made me realize I was surprised.
That I was having such thoughts about Kagami?
And at the same time, I easily came to accept my feelings.
She was already someone I called “Mom.”
Besides, even though Kagami was still polite to me, I had always spoken to her casually, comfortably. Even when I acted a bit foolishly, Kagami readily accepted it.
So, it’s not too strange to feel guilty about treating someone like that.
“……No.”
I definitely hadn’t thought about her not following me, but that didn’t mean I disliked that she had followed.
I was just curious about her intentions.
Looking back, it seemed there was nothing sinister behind them.
I just wanted to enjoy the festival with someone— that was all.
Thinking that made my mood slightly strange.
Just as I was gradually changing in front of Kagami, she too was continuously changing in front of me.
I wondered if my friends and Koko thought they had changed as much as Kagami had.
“You’re definitely our daughter. So kind.”
Kagami said this and hugged me tightly.
It was hot, and even though it was nighttime, it was humid.
But strangely, I didn’t dislike that sensation.
This must be one of the significant changes I experienced this year.
“Wow!”
Koko also dashed toward Kagami. Kagami smiled as she embraced Koko too.
After a bit of time that was enough to get slightly sweaty where our arms touched, Kagami stepped back.
Turning back toward my friends—
She gasped in surprise at the sight of Mako, who was sniffling.
It wasn’t just Mako. Harumi wore a somewhat teary expression.
Yuka and Yuuki had expressions that were hard to read. If I had to explain, their faces showed they weren’t quite sure about what feelings they should be having right now.
But it didn’t seem like they weren’t touched.
“……Let’s go.”
Feeling embarrassed just looking at their faces, I turned to Kagami and said.
“Yes, let’s go.”
Kagami replied with a bright smile.
*
After seeing Kagami and me hugging Koko, the children’s attitudes toward Kagami had become much softer.
They never were that fierce, but there had been a wall of “friend’s parents.”
“Let’s go eat yakisoba!”
“Wow!”
“Sure!”
When Harumi shouted, Kagami happily followed her lead.
“Let’s each have some cotton candy too!”
“Wow!”
“Exactly!”
At Mako’s words, Kagami once again replied with a laugh.
“…….”
As I stared at Kagami’s back for a while, Yuka looked my way.
“That person seems to have changed a bit. In a good way.”
“We all changed. If we’re being honest.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right.”
Yuka and I exchanged glances at Yuuki.
“……Why are you looking at me like that?”
Yuuki asked, seemingly puzzled.
“No, it’s just that I think you’ve changed a lot compared to at first.”
“……More than you?”
At my words, Yuuki turned his head sharply and hurried to catch up with the kids in front.
Is he embarrassed?
He didn’t turn red but… well, it doesn’t really matter. I know he’s enjoying himself to some extent.
“Koto Ne.”
While I was about to follow behind, Yuka called out to me.
“Yeah?”
I turned around and was momentarily at a loss for words.
Right, Yuka was the heroine of my light novel.
She had this perfect beauty mixed with an air of fleetingness that permeated her. It was a vibe I hadn’t felt from the current Yuka in a while.
Surrounded by people chatting and laughing, and even though it was midnight with the surroundings so bright, I felt strangely like Yuka was standing all alone.
The sight of her in a plain yukata with her hands in her pockets looked beautiful.
“Have I changed a lot too?”
I briefly pondered how to respond to that question.
“You have.”
And that’s how I answered.
It would be a lie to say she hadn’t changed at all.
The sharp aura she once had had faded considerably. Now she casually talks to strangers without acting all busy like she’s running from something.
It felt like she had snipped the rope that had tightly restricted her—no, more like it felt like she had pretty much severed the cords that had been tightly wrapped around her wrist.
“But I don’t think that change is a bad thing.”
We won’t just stay here.
As time passes and our surroundings change, we’ll slowly continue to change.
I’ll make more acquaintances, and I’ll gain more people whom I can call friends.
There will be wounds to face, and there will be healing for those wounds. Perhaps there will be scars that remind me of them left behind.
But isn’t that all part of life?
It’s precisely because we went through all those experiences that we are who we are.
“I see.”
Yuka said that.
Her expression seemed joyful.
“You too.”
“I’m glad.”
We walked while smiling.
The sounds of laughter from the kids ahead—one of whom is technically an adult—rang cheerfully.
It seemed no one around here suspected Kagami was my mom.
That’s also a relief.
I’m glad Kagami came along today.
Later, Koko and I could go alone, too. We might even go to another festival years later.
But time that has passed doesn’t come back.
What we experienced today was something we could only experience today—
So, I was glad.
Everything, really, was a blessing.
I looked up at the sky.
Stars twinkled and shone brightly. A clear sky was perfect for watching fireworks.
I couldn’t wait for the fireworks that would soon be embroidered up there.
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