Yukina was scolding Kaito because he was wandering here and there. Kaito felt that the class getting more and more bigger. He was actually enjoying it.

  He then said, “Yes, yes. It’s my fault. I begging your pardon. But I want to ask you a favour, Sensei.”

  She stopped and cool down. Then said, “What is it?”

  “I want to go to the festival today. So please give me the permission,” he requested.

  “No, no, I won’t. Just go and have rest,” she replied.

  “Sensei, please,” he stared at hen.

  “Don’t stare at me like that. Okay, Okay. You can go but you have to come before the festival finish,” she gave him the permission with condition.

  After all he was a child to hen. No matter what she says to him. She can’t stop him. She knew that he never ask any favour without any reason.

  She asked him, “Kaito, you have made a quite change in your appearance. Have a noticed?”

  He asked, “Like?”

  “Like, um-um.... You have recently cheerful, less cold-hearted, more emotional and also looked like you are always thinking about some one. Did something happened?” she asked

  “You think so? I see, you also said too. Though I am not sure, something might happened. Since that day every one telling the same thing to me,” he said.

  “Which day?” she asked.

  “Nothing. Nothing at all. Please forget it,” he replied.

  “Okay. But it is good that you are getting back your cheerful personality and emotional action. Sometimes it is good for you, too,” she said.

  Then they said few words to each other for goodbye. It was almost time for getting ready as he promised to take Aoi in that festival.

  He got ready. Then he went to the festival.

  Today no one would go to the festival because other students would go tomorrow's ending festival day.

  The warm glow of lanterns filled the air with a magical ambiance as the Spring’s End Festival came alive with colours, laughter, and the scent of grilled delicacies.

  Kaito and Aoi stood at the entrance of the festival, both dressed for the occasion.

  Kaito wore a fundoshi, a traditional yet daring attire, which accentuated his athletic physique. His toned arms and confident posture made him look bold, almost heroic, as he adjusted the sash around his waist.

  His short black hair was neatly styled, and his usual casual demeanor carried a spark of excitement.

  Aoi, on the other hand, looked ethereal in her vibrant pink kimono adorned with delicate cherry blossom patterns.

  The soft fabric flowed gracefully as she walked, her waist cinched with an elegantly tied obi.

  Her long hair was swept up into a bun, held in place with floral hairpins, and loose strands framed her delicate face.

  Her light green eyes sparkled in the lantern’s glow, and a shy smile graced her lips.

  “You look stunning,” Kaito said with a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his neck.

  “You’re not looking too bad yourself,” Aoi teased, though her flushed cheeks betrayed her embarrassment.

  They strolled through the bustling festival, stopping at various stalls.

  Kaito tried his hand at a ring toss game, managing to win a small stuffed rabbit for Aoi.

  She held it close to her chest, her smile brighter than the lanterns above. At another stall, they shared a stick of yakitori, laughing as Kaito accidentally got sauce on his cheek.

  Aoi insisted on visiting a fortune-telling stall, where an elderly woman gave them an ambiguous prediction about “crossed paths and blooming bonds.”

  They walked away, pondering the meaning with light-hearted banter.

  As they moved through the festival, they stumbled upon a traditional dance circle.

  Aoi pulled Kaito into the crowd, where they clumsily joined the rhythmic movements.

  Kaito’s awkward attempts to follow the steps made Aoi laugh uncontrollably, and soon they were both lost in the joy of the moment.

  Their evening ended at a quiet hill overlooking the festival, where they sat side by side, watching fireworks light up the night sky.

  The vibrant colours reflected in Aoi’s eyes as she leaned slightly against Kaito.

  “This has been the perfect evening,” she murmured softly.

  Kaito glanced at her, his heart unexpectedly skipping a beat. “Yeah, it really has,” he replied, his voice almost a whisper.

  As the final firework burst into a cascade of shimmering gold, they both silently wished for more nights like this—nights where time seemed to pause, and all that mattered was the person by their side.

  The festival continued to buzz with life as Kaito and Aoi made their way back toward the main grounds. The air was filled with the hum of conversations, the melody of traditional flutes, and the rhythmic beating of drums. Yet, despite the crowd, it felt as if they were in their own little world.

  “Let’s try one more thing before we leave,” Aoi suggested, her eyes twinkling with excitement as she pointed to a small boat ride along a lantern-lit stream.

  The boats were simple yet charming, with soft cushions and a single oar for the operator. Kaito hesitated at first but relented when he saw Aoi’s eager expression.

  They boarded the boat, which rocked gently as it pushed off from the dock.

  The stream was narrow and lined with cherry blossom trees whose petals floated down like delicate snowflakes.

  Lanterns bobbed on the water’s surface, casting a soft, golden light that reflected on Aoi’s face.

  Kaito couldn’t help but steal glances at her, her serene expression making his heart stir in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

  “This is beautiful,” Aoi said softly, her voice barely audible over the gentle splashes of the oar in the water.

  “Yeah,” Kaito agreed, though his gaze lingered on her instead of the scenery.

  The boat reached a quiet stretch of the stream, where the operator stopped rowing to let them take in the view.

  It was here that Aoi broke the silence.

  “Kaito,” she began, her voice tinged with an unusual seriousness. “Thank you for today. It’s been... a while since I’ve felt this happy.”

  Kaito tilted his head, surprised by the sudden shift in her tone. “What do you mean?”

  Aoi looked down, her hands fiddling with the stuffed rabbit he’d won for her. “I guess I’ve just been so focused on everything else—school, responsibilities—that I forgot how to just enjoy the moment. You reminded me of that.”

  Kaito scratched the back of his neck, feeling both awkward and flattered. “Well, I didn’t do much. You’re the one who pulled me out to dance, remember?”

  Aoi chuckled softly, her cheeks tinged pink. “Still, it meant a lot.”

  For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence filled only by the gentle rustling of the water and the distant sounds of the festival.

  Then, as if compelled by some invisible force, Kaito reached out and placed his hand over hers.

  “Aoi,” he said, his voice unusually steady, “if there’s ever a moment you forget how to enjoy life, I’ll remind you again.”

  Aoi’s eyes widened in surprise, and for a second, Kaito thought he’d overstepped. But then she smiled—a soft, genuine smile that made his heart race.

  “I’ll hold you to that,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

  The boat began to move again, signalling the end of their serene moment. They returned to the dock, where the bustling festival greeted them once more. Yet, as they stepped back onto solid ground, something had changed—an unspoken understanding that neither of them could quite put into words.

  As they walked back through the festival, the fireworks started again, casting bursts of colour across the sky.

  Aoi leaned closer to Kaito, her shoulder brushing against his arm. Neither of them said anything, but their silence spoke volumes.

  When they finally parted ways at the festival’s end, both carried with them a warmth that lingered long after the lanterns had dimmed and the crowds had dispersed.

  It was a night neither would forget—a night of whispers beneath the lanterns that marked the beginning of something new.

  The next morning, Kaito had breakfast. They were all gossiping expect Kaito. He was thinking about the yesterday’s festival, date with Aoi.

  He dive into the world of thinking. He was barely eating his breakfast. He was thinking about how they enjoyed the night, how he mistook in his steps, Aoi’s smiling face. Kaguya, Haruto and Akari noticed him.

  Haruto asked.” Hey, Kaito. Are you day-dreaming about something?”

  Kaito replied “No, I’m not.”

  Kaguya asked, “Then why are you looking so thoughtful?”

  Akari also agreed with her. At first, Kaito tried to avoid their question. But then he replied, “Just thinking. Nothing else.”

  “What are you thinking?” Haruto asked.

  “You don’t have to know that. Besides it’s not that important. It’s just a useless thought,” Kaito replied.

  They didn’t fight back. But also didn’t force him. He was in the world of thought. He became quiet. The other’s finished breakfast expect Kaito.

  He finished his breakfast finally. Some teachers came and they declared that the students are free to enjoy the day.

  They would not need permission to go outside. But with one condition that they could not leave the festival area or dorm nor going deeper into the mountain.

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  They could enjoy that day, final day of festival night. That day was the final day of this festival of End Spring Fireworks festival days. In Spring, the spring fireworks was that town’s specialty.

  Everyone went out side except Kaito. He went to his room and leaned oven the window. From there he could saw the town road where the students were walking here and there. He thought, “Tomorrow? I have to left this town tomorrow.”

  He was thinking about Aoi. He found his heart was beating too much faster than usual.

  He felt as though his heart didn’t want to her left behind. He had something to tell her like he had not yet told someone he was searching.

  He felt like he had found someone for whom he had Long waited. He was thinking just about hen.

  Meanwhile, Aoi was also thinking about him. She felt as though she had also found someone She had long forgotten.

  The lost heart had somehow returned to her. The presence of Kaito was so gentle that she got her happiness back. She didn’t yet understand what feelings she had for him. She wanted to know who is he was to her.

  And Kaito wanted to know who she was to him. The dream he had, it was the place where the mountain was.

  He didn’t want to leave her and the village. He had just wanted to tell hen something. But he didn’t know what he was wanted to tell.

  Aoi, too. She also wanted to say something. But she didn’t know those hidden words that just telling her to tell him. They are both at a loss. “What should I do?” was their thought.

  Kaito took a paperback to distracted from this thought. But the thought didn’t let him concentrate into the Book. That thought made him blushed for a second. Then he took a deep breathe and tried to concentrate.

  Meanwhile,, Aoi had also started to dance. She tried to distract her mind into her steps. But even steps were begun to wrong.

  She tried to make her steps right. But every time she mistook. Then she softly slapped hen cheeks and said to herself, “Don’t be distracted.”

  In the evening, every one went to the festival. But, Kaito didn’t go with them. Earlier this trio asked him to join them. But he didn’t reply. Their Conversation was like that:

  Kaguya asked “Hey, Kaito. Have not you gotten ready yet? We are about to leave.”

  Kaito replied, “I don't want to go. You guys go there.”

  Haruto said, “Hey, don't joke around. Come with us. You will feel better. Don't keep yourself into this book. Just enjoy sometimes!”

  Kaito said, “Just you go, guys and enjoy. I am going to sleep.”

  So, like this those two couldn’t force him. He went to sleep. They went to the festival. He felt bad for turning them down. But he somehow didn’t felt good. He didn’t want to join the festival.

  He fell sleep for some time. Then he woke up from skep. Then without thinking he left the dorm and went to the Cave.

  He entered the cave and looked down. But he didn’t find Aoi. She was not there. Then he looked around the Cave’s inside. When he searching, he thought she had moved into another timeline illusion. When he was looking around, he found some thing odd about the door. The door Aoi couldn’t have entered.

  There was two hand-shaped sign was there. He touched the sign’s but didn’t happen anything. He had put his two hands into that two sign’s. But didn’t happened any thing. Then he thought, “May be this hand wouldn’t work. It maybe some one else’s, hands sign. What is that?”

  He noticed something that his Left hand was not fit in the sign. After a little while, his foot hit a rock and he fell back. He got little hurt in his back. Then he took the rock and saw that it had broken after taking it into hand.

  A key came out of the stone when it was broken. It was look like a key of some kind of door, an ancient key. He put the key into his pocket.

  Then he heard to children was talking to each other behind him. There was a girl and a boy. They were playing and talking to each other. When Kaito had gone near of them, those to children's started running. They were going straight towards the keep outside. He also ran after them.

  After going outside the cave, The children went to the bushes and disappeared from there. Kaito didn’t find them there anymore. Instant He bumped into Aoi while walking without looking back. And she fall at him. Defensively, he touched her chest and press it. Not one, two but three times.

  She got excited and from her throat some erotic sound came. He thought what was that soft thing he was pressing. Then he understood what it was. He got embarrassed. He pushed her away and she hid her chest with her hands.

  He was apologizing to her continuously. And she said, “Pervert!”

  He said, “I’m not a pervert! It was just accident!”

  She said, “Yeah, I know, it was a accident. But even then....”

  “Okay, okay, I’m sorry, sorry. Please forgive me.,” he apologized.

  “Okay,” she replied though she was blushing

  “Hey why don’t we seat over there?” he said.

  They sat at a place from where they could see the whole town. They sat next to each other. They were watching the town.

  Kaito broke the silence and said, “You know, we are going back to our home, tomorrow.”

  “So, you’re going back tomorrow?” She murmured. “You have just come here to tell me that?”

  “Yeah, you can say that. Besides, I am feeling little lonely too,” he replied.

  “You’re feeling lonely, too?” she teased.

  “Yes, today somehow I can’t even found happiness in reading my novel. I don’t know why but my heart was telling me to came here. Like I have found something here. So do I,” he said.

  “Oh, oh, have you started taking interest in me?” she again teased.

  “Will you stop your teasing game? I’m not interested in you!” he snapped.

  “Oh, yeah?” she continued her teasing.

  “Yes, I feel sometime that you are familiar to me,” he said. And he was thinking something.

  She suddenly became sad. He also noticed that. But he couldn’t say anything to hen.

  She said. “I’ll feel lonely too”

  “Me, too,” he replied. A sudden thought came to his mind. He said, “Why don’t you come with us?”

  “No, I don’t feel like leaving the place.”

  He didn’t fight back. He just said, “Okay. If it is your wish, I will not force you.”

  Then the fireworks burst in the sky. They were watching the sky-full of fireworks. There was a cold silence between them. A silence that led a loneliness of two people.

  Kaito broke through the silence. He said to her, “Then I should return to the dorm. Take care, ‘Angel’. I hope we can meet again each other. So, see you soon.”

  They said some words to express goodbye. Then Kaito let the place. Aoi also went to the cave. Even when he was returning to the term he was thinking about her. Looking at sky, these two whispering to themselves, “Why have you come to remove my loneliness?”

  The next day, they all left the place. Kaito sat at last seat of the bus. He was looking little sad. Also he didn’t talk with others the previous night. Even he hadn’t eaten anything.

  Kaguya thought, “What happened with you, Kaito?” The other two, Haruto and Akari were also a bit worried about him. Though they didn’t ask him anything they didn’t tried even.

  They all went to each other’s house. When Kaito reached to his home, there was an uproar. Kaito’s mother and Kaori started questioning about what happened to him, why didn’t he said anything to them and many other questions.

  They were questioning until he said anything. He answered them one by one question. Then he went to the bathroom to take bath. Under the shower, he was thinking. Though he was there, he didn’t think anything else about except Aoi.

  After some days summer had started. He would join in the second year. After some days the class started. And after summer school days has ended and summer time holiday had started.

  He was always then thinking about something. His mother also noticed that. But she couldn’t ask anything. On the first day of summer holiday, he was writing his novel’s story. But his mind could not get any good plot for the story. He spent the day like that.

  When he finished his dinner, he silently went to his bed. Then he fall into sleep. But after passing few hours, his sleep had broken. He went to the balcony of his room. The gentle air was blowing.

  He could felt refreshed in summer’s heat. The air felt little cold though it was summer. A whispered voice came to his mind, “Where are you? Why did you left me?”

  His head started hurting. He murmured, “Don’t disturb me. Just leave me alone.” He went to the bed and fall there unconscious.

  He was watching a dream. In the dream, there was just mist. Nothing else. He tried to look here and there but found no one.

  He walked here and there. He also tried to search by his hands. Then the mist suddenly started disappearing. He looked the environment of that place.

  It was the mountain. He looked around though he couldn’t believe that that was the mountain. He was sure by then. Then he heard some sound. He looked his behind, He saw that two boy and girl again. They were playing his behind .

  They started running though that time he didn’t do anything. He tried to call them. He felt like that they wanted to show him something. So he did not ask again.

  Instead he started going after them. Then he saw that they were going to the cave. He also followed them.

  They all entered the cave. But those two children got disappeared again. He could not find those two children anymore who were in front of him.

  For finding them, he went towards the ground floor of the cave. Suddenly he was feeling too hot. But he could not understand anything then.

  When he reach at the bottom, his eyes remained open. He could not believe his eyes because what he saw there. He saw that everywhere fire had been spreading. He saw that Aoi was fall unconscious lying their in a rock.

  He was shouting her name to call her. But he could not say anything. Because sound was not coming out of throat. He tried to shout though he was helpless. Then he noticed that Aoi was muttering his name.

  He finally shouted and his dreams broke. He looked that his mother was holding his hand and calling him. Tears were coming out of his eyes.

  His mother asked, “What happed, my lovely boy?”

  He wiped the tears from his eyes. He replied, “Nothing. I have to go somewhere.

  “But where?” She asked.

  He replied, “I tell you later.”

  He got changed his dress. And went to the downstairs. He took the key of the car. His mother was saying, “Hey, Kaito, take your breakfast. Don’t leave before that!”

  Kaori came downstairs, too. She wished good morning.

  She asked, “Big bro, Where are you going?”

  Kaito replied, “Good morning. I’m going to your requested place. I have something to do. And Hey Mom, I will not take breakfast.”

  “I’m going off.” He left the house. He went to the car and started his journey towards the cave. He went with the full speed.

  Then Kaguya and Haruto also went to his house. They went for Kaito. But they didn’t find him.

  He was going with maximum speed. He was just thinking about her. And he reached there without any problem. He parked the car into the hospital’s parking lot. He was going straight towards the Cave.

  He was running to cover the time. But on the way, he stopped. He couldn’t move. He felt himself heavy like the gravity was attracting him.

  He looked around himself. It was strange . Nothing was doing it’s works which it was supposed to do. Not only the world stopped but also even things got freeze. The time had frozen.

  He noticed that the mist appeared again. And from there someone was coming. It was the masked man he had met that day.

  That masked man said, ‘Yo! Mr. Cold-hearted or I should say, Mr. Mystery Solver or supposed to be something else?”

  Kaito said, “What do you want?”

  “I don’t need any thing. I have just come home to give you something as a gift,” that masked mam replied.

  “I don’t need anything from you. Just stepped away from my path. I don’t have time to play with you.” Kaito snapped.

  “Put your hand into your jean’s pocket. Don’t argue with me and do as I told you!” The masked man ordered. He was saying that easily and smiling though it contained some mystery.

  Kaito didn’t fight back. He saw that he could his arm freely. He put his hand into his jeans and took out a card. There was nothing written.

  “What is this? Is it a joke. Where did it come from?”, Kaito snapped.

  “It will come handy when you will go to the hospital. When we will meet again I will give you another gift. Not happiness though... For now goodbye.” The masked man finished his sentence and then he got disappeared in the mist.

  Kaito was shouting, “Hey, what do you mean? Who you are?”

  But Kaito didn’t get any answer. He was fully disappeared and Kaito had also got free from his magic.

  He even then didn’t understand what happened. He fall into the ground like the chain had been broken. He could himself felt free. Though he understand what had happened with him, he did not think further. He thought, “That’s not the matter. All that matter is now Aoi.”

  He went towards the cave. He got down quickly by the stairs. He found Aoi lying unconscious. He got near to her. He was calling her by her name.

  But she didn’t replied. She was just lying there unconscious. He felt her temperature was high when he touched her hand.

  He placed his palm on her forehead. Also he placed his other hand’s palm on his forehead. He could felt that her body’s temperature was high. That means she had a fever.

  Then he again started calling again by her name. He put one arm behind her back and the other under her legs. Then he lifted hen. He took her and climbed the stairs.

  He took her to the hospital. He took her to the emergency ward. One of the doctor of the emergency ward had examined her.

  Then the doctor said, “Don't worry. She has just normal fever. I will tell the nurse to give her the necessary injection. Later I will prescribe the medicine that you should give her.”

  “Okay, Sensei. Thanks for your help.” Kaito said.

  Then the nurse asked him, “Do you have any insurance card?”

  Then he muttered “Insurance Card?” and thinking.

  He put his hand on his pocket and took out the insurance card. Then he saw that the card was the insurance card of Aoi. It was quite a surprised for him.

  He then gave the card. The nurse gave her the injection. And then said, “Take her the to home and gave the medicine.”

  He took the medicine and again lift her like the before. But that time, he first covered her with a sheet so she wouldn't get cold. Then he again put one arm behind her back and the other hand under her legs and lifted her.

  Then he went to the parking lot. He put her into the front seat and He also set at the driver’s seat. Then he started driving.

  On the way, there was no traffic fortunately. But it was already evening. He holding her hand. He could felt that the her body’s temperature were slowly going to down. On the way he took some ice pack for her.

  Within half an hour, they had reached at Kaito’s home. He parked the car. And then he came out of the car. Then he went to take Aoi. But that moment a thought hit his head.

  He thought, “Is it good to take her to the house without her permission?” Then he just kept thinking for some second.

  He couldn’t decide what he should do. He made his final decision. He lifted hen from the seat. And with carrying her, he went in front of the house’s door. He was about to call Kaori to open the door.

  That moment, Kaguya opened the door. Their eyes met each other’s eye. Haruto was standing behind Kaguya. Kaguya murmured, “Who’s that person, Kaito?”

  Kaito didn’t fully answered. He just said, “I’ll tell you later.” He took Aoi at the guest room, They all followed him. His mother, his sister, Kaguya and Haruto. He put Aoi in the bed. Then he covered her with a blanket.

  He then said to Kaori, “Please bring the icepack from my bag that I had put in the car.” Kaori went to take the ice pack.

  Kaguya asked, “Who’s that person, Kaito?”

  Kaito said, “Think her as one of my friend for now. I tell you in details later.”

  Haruto said, “Did you ever meet her before?”

  Kaito said, “No, none of you has seen her. Because she hadn’t been seen by anyone except me.”

  “What do you mean?” Haruto again asked.

  This time Kaito didn’t reply. Kaori entered the room with the icepack. He took the ice pack from her. He put the icepack into Aoi’s forehead.

  He then said to his mother, “Mom, take care of her, please.”

  He then went to the rooftop. It was already night. Kaguya and Haruto had taken their leave. Kaori and hen mother was sitting near her and they were measuring her body’s temperature.

  He watched the sky. It was full of stars though every one’s shining were fading. He whispered, “Who was that man?”