Chapter Seven: The Summer Festival Invitation and the Glimpse Underneath the Yukata

Since that day I went to the studio, my life has been infused with a brand new, bright color.

I no longer lock myself in my home, nor do I harbor a morbid fear of the internet and crowds. That "dark history" in the shopping mall, though still an indelible scar deep within my heart, seems to have stopped bleeding and festering; it has simply become a slightly bitter mark that I can face with equanimity.

My contact with Xiaoya also became more frequent.

Our conversations, which initially revolved around Kigurumi and the studio, gradually expanded to all aspects of life. I would share some obscure indie music with her, and she would complain about those inhumane model-making assignments in architecture school. She would send me photos of her latest painted works, and I would take pictures of interesting cloud shapes outside my window.

I discovered that, stripped of the "apprentice of a Kig legend" aura, Xiaoya is actually just a very ordinary and adorable girl. She's sunny, kind, and occasionally a bit absent-minded. Chatting with her has become a habit, something to look forward to. My happiest moment each day is seeing the chibi version of Mai-senpai's avatar light up with a little red dot on my phone screen.

I carefully hung the phone charm she gave me on my keychain. Every time I open the door to come home and see that little bunny girl, I can't help but smile.

Time slipped away quietly into the height of summer in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

One evening, I was lying in bed chatting with Xiaoya when she suddenly sent me a message.

Ya: "Zhe, are you free next weekend?"

My heart skipped a beat, and I immediately replied, "I'm free, what's up?"

After a few seconds, she sent me a brightly colored poster image – “Summer Fireworks Festival”.

Ya: "It's a joint event organized by our school and several nearby communities, in the park next to the school. There will be lots of food stalls... and a fireworks display at 8 pm. Master and the others will be there too, it's a group activity for the studio. You... want to come along?"

My heart started pounding uncontrollably.

Is this... a date invitation?

I stared at the line of text on the screen, feeling my cheeks burning. Almost without hesitation, I wanted to type "OK". But as my fingertips hovered over the keyboard, I hesitated.

What identity should I adopt? As "A Zhe"? An ordinary, even somewhat introverted and boring office worker?

Will she be disappointed? After all, the me she knows is the "Dream Fulfiller" who dares to dress up as "Sakurajima Mai" and has another identity. But in reality, I'm just an ordinary Zhe.

My inferiority complex, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, quietly peeked out.

Seemingly noticing my silence, Xiaoya sent another message.

Ya: "By the way, Master and the others will be there too. Almost everyone from the studio will be there. It'll be a group activity for everyone."

Upon seeing this message, my unrealistic fantasies shattered instantly. It turned out... it was a group activity.

Even though she specifically mentioned it was a "group activity," my heart, which I couldn't control, still started pounding wildly.

Me: "Sure, of course I'll go."

Ya: "Great! It's a deal then! See you at the park entrance at 6 PM on Saturday!"

I put down my phone, jumped out of bed, and rushed to the closet. Opening the door, I saw nothing but black, white, and gray, uninspired work clothes. For the first time, I hated the monotony of my closet. Ultimately, I decided to make some slightly special preparations for this "group activity."

Summer festival... Everyone wears yukata, right? Should I wear one too...?

Once the thought popped into my head, I couldn't suppress it anymore.

The next day, I took half a day off for the first time ever and went to the mall. In a kimono specialty store, under the strange looks of the shop assistant, I bought a dark blue men's yukata with subtle patterns and a pair of wooden clogs.

***

Saturday evening was exceptionally sunny.

I arrived at the park entrance half an hour early. Instead of wearing a traditional yukata, I wore a modified jinbei—a dark blue cotton-linen garment that looked more neat and tidy than a traditional yukata and was also more convenient for movement. On my feet were a pair of comfortable wooden clogs.

When I appeared at the subway station wearing that brand-new yukata and my wooden clogs making a "clattering" sound, I still attracted quite a few sidelong glances from passersby. But compared to my previous experience, it was nothing. My heart was surprisingly calm.

A large crowd had already gathered at the park entrance, with young men and women dressed in various yukatas everywhere. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of takoyaki and candied apples, creating a festive atmosphere.

I spotted Xiaoya in the crowd immediately.

She wore an elegant yukata with a light purple base and white morning glory patterns. Her short hair was carefully styled, and a small silver flower hairpin was tucked behind her ear. The afterglow of the setting sun bathed her in its light, giving her an indescribable, gentle, and charming aura.

In that instant, my heart raced uncontrollably for her once again.

When she saw me, her eyes lit up, and she waved at me with a smile: "Ah Zhe! Over here!"

I took a deep breath and walked towards her.

"You...you look beautiful today." I walked up to her, so nervous that I didn't know where to put my hands. After a long pause, I finally managed to utter this sincere compliment.

“You too,” Xiaoya said sincerely as she looked me up and down, her cheeks slightly flushed. “Jinpei suits you very well; he looks very refreshing.”

Lin Ya and the others from the studio arrived one after another. Lin Ya wasn't wearing a bathrobe, but rather a smart black pantsuit. However, she was holding a round fan painted with ink paintings, which added a touch of classical charm to her.

"Hey, the young couple looks quite well-matched," Ah Wei, wearing black-rimmed glasses, teased with a mischievous grin.

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Xiaoya immediately blushed and punched him lightly, but the **** was so light it was like a tickle.

My face flushed instantly, and I quickly changed the subject: "Let's...let's go in."

The nights of summer festivals are filled with noise and joy.

Our group merged into the crowded streets, walking along the paths adorned with lanterns. The lanterns cast a warm yellow light, illuminating everyone's faces with a hazy, gentle filter.

Xiaoya seemed exceptionally excited, flitting between the various stalls like a happy butterfly. She dragged me to play the goldfish scooping game, and then enthusiastically wanted to try the shooting game, saying she wanted to win the biggest plush toy.

The owner of the shooting stall was a shrewd middle-aged man. His stall was filled with dolls of all sizes, and the air gun had obviously been tampered with, as the sights were ridiculously off.

Xiaoya tried several times with great enthusiasm, but she couldn't even touch the edge of the balloon, which made her puff out her cheeks in frustration.

"Boss! Is your gun broken?"

"Oh, young lady, it's because your technique isn't good enough." The boss chuckled and handed over a new bullet.

Seeing her adorable, defiant look, I smiled and said, "I'll give it a try."

"Are you sure you can do it?" Xiaoya looked at me with some doubt.

I didn't say anything, but simply took the air rifle from her. I rested the butt on my shoulder, leaned forward slightly, closed my left eye, and looked through the sights with my right eye at the swaying balloons in the distance. In that instant, my entire demeanor seemed to change. My usual gentleness and introversion vanished, replaced by an **** focus and calmness.

This is one of my few hobbies that I'm proud of. In college, I was the ace of the shooting club.

I didn't rush to fire, but quietly felt the weight of the gun and the **** of the trigger. I recalled what the instructor had said, and calculated the wind speed and the visible deviation of the sights.

The surrounding noise seemed to fade away. In my world, only breathing, aiming, and the target remained.

I held my breath and steadily pulled the trigger.

"Bang!"

A soft sound.

The red balloon in the farthest distance burst open.

"Wow!" Xiaoya exclaimed in surprise. The stall owner's smile froze on his face.

I ignored their reactions, calmly pulled back the bolt, cocked the gun, and aimed.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"

Each subsequent shot hit a balloon precisely. Red, yellow, blue… they were like fleeting flowers blooming beneath my gun. I didn't hesitate or pause for a moment; my movements were as fluid as flowing water.

When I fired my last bullet, I had cleared out the smallest row of balls on the stall.

The entire booth was completely silent. Everyone stared at me in disbelief, including Sister Lin Ya and the others from the studio.

Xiaoya was the first to react. She jumped up excitedly, grabbed my arm, and shook it vigorously: "Zhe! You're amazing! How did you do that?!"

Her eyes sparkled with adoration, like stars in the night sky.

I felt a little embarrassed by her shaking me, so I snapped back to my usual self and scratched my head: "I practiced a bit in college..."

The stall owner's face had turned ashen, but he still accepted his loss and took down the huge Shiba Inu pillow, which was almost half a person's height, from the highest point and handed it to me.

I took the huge, fluffy pillow and, without hesitation, stuffed it into Xiaoya's arms.

"Here, this is for you."

"For...for me?" Xiaoya was stunned, holding the pillow that was bigger than her upper body. Her cheeks turned red at a visible speed.

"Hmm." I looked at her and said seriously, "Didn't we say we'd win the biggest plush toy?"

Around us, Awei and the others started cheering and whistling. Xiaoya's face turned even redder. She buried her face in the soft cushion, only her bright eyes peeking out as she secretly looked at me, her gaze filled with shyness and joy.

At that moment, I felt that the distance between us had been instantly shortened.

The fireworks display started promptly at 8 p.m.

We found a relatively quiet grassy spot by the river and sat down. Xiaoya hugged the huge Shiba Inu plush toy and leaned against it, like a little animal that had found a comfortable nest.

"Whoosh—Bang!"

The first firework, trailing a long tail, shrieked as it rose into the night sky, then exploded with a bang, transforming into a dazzling shower of golden light.

The entire night sky was illuminated.

Everyone looked up and cheered in amazement.

Fireworks burst forth one after another, blooming briefly yet exquisitely beautiful against the deep blue velvet backdrop. Red, purple, green... they soared into the night sky with unwavering resolve, burning themselves for that single moment of brilliance.

The light and shadow flickered on Xiaoya's profile, illuminating her long, delicate eyelashes clearly. She gazed at them, mesmerized, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

My gaze, however, was fixed on her face.

The surrounding noise and deafening roar seemed to fade away at that moment. In my world, only the girl beside me remained, and her gentle and beautiful profile illuminated by the fireworks.

She seemed to sense my gaze and slowly turned her head. Our eyes met unexpectedly amidst the dazzling fireworks.

Her eyes reflected the fireworks in the sky, and also my small, somewhat bewildered figure.

Neither of us spoke.

But something in the air is quietly changing.

A giant heart-shaped firework burst open in the night sky, turning the whole world into a romantic pink.

Amidst the shower of pink light, I saw Xiaoya's lips curve into an arc more radiant than fireworks.