A Silent Voice: My First Kiss Was with Nishimiya Shouko

Chapter 293 293: A Test of Courage?

"Won't there be any danger?"

Ayumi bit off the tip of her popsicle with a crisp crunch, shook her head, and mumbled indistinctly,

"Nope. There'll be signposts all along the way, and the organizers always check the route before it starts."

"But this two-person group thing…" Nishikata's gaze wandered toward the kids playing in the distance. He looked unsure how to continue.

"You guys should just join. I'll skip this year," Ayumi said, waving dismissively. "I've already joined seven or eight times. It's always the same route—no staff hiding around in ghost costumes or anything. Honestly, I'm sick of it."

"But—"

"Alright, it's decided!" Ayumi snapped her fingers confidently.

Standing up, she aimed her popsicle stick at a nearby trash can, made a clean shot, and turned back with a satisfied grin.

"Let's go pick up some pretty seashells before heading home!"

"Mhm."

After two days filled with grilled squid by the fishing port, watching fishing boats leave early and return late, and seeing the convenience store restock orange soda twice, summer vacation seemed to drift by amid the endless sound of cicadas.

At the yukata rental shop, rows of patterned yukatas were stacked neatly on wooden shelves. Shouko and the girls browsed slowly, choosing designs while a staff member knelt to organize colorful sashes. The fitting room curtain swayed gently with each breeze.

Ayumi leaned against the wall, watching Akira being pushed into the changing room by Shouko. With a sly glance at Takagi, she raised an eyebrow. Takagi caught on immediately—she grabbed Shouko to distract her while Ayumi moved closer to Nishikata.

"Nishikata," Ayumi whispered, "how did that thing I asked you to do the other day go? Did you manage to get anything out of him?"

"…"

The old ceiling fan squeaked rhythmically, and the sound of cicadas outside buzzed like static. Nishikata hesitated, looking embarrassed.

Every time he tried to ask Akira over the past two days, the boy had effortlessly changed the topic. He'd failed completely.

"So it didn't work?" Ayumi read his silence and sighed.

"Mhm…" Nishikata admitted awkwardly.

"Forget it," she said, waving a hand. "I didn't expect much anyway. Getting info out of Miyamura isn't exactly easy."

"Don't worry, though—I'll still give you the reward I promised."

"No, no need—" Nishikata started to refuse, but froze when he heard what the "reward" actually was.

"For tonight's test of courage, I'll make sure you're paired with Takagi," Ayumi said confidently, patting her chest.

"Is that really okay…?"

"What's not okay about it? It's just a boy-girl pairing. Or would you rather go with Shouko-chan instead!?"

"No, no, no! I didn't say that!"

Panicking, Nishikata quickly shut his mouth. When Akira stepped out of the changing room, he immediately put some distance between himself and Ayumi—partly in fear that she'd change her mind, and partly terrified Akira might've overheard their scheming.

"So, how is it?" Akira asked, walking up to Shouko and the others. The fabric of the linen yukata itched a bit against his skin, and it still carried a faint smell of starch.

He planned to buy it outright. Rented yukatas felt strange—he didn't know how many people had worn them before, and even freshly cleaned, they didn't sit quite right with him.

"Very handsome, young man!" Before Shouko could say anything, the shop's elderly staff member walked over with an approving look.

"The subtle bamboo pattern aligns perfectly with your shoulders—makes you look tall and refined! Tighten that sash just a bit, and your frame really stands out. Reminds me of myself in my younger days!"

"…" Everyone in the shop froze, glancing between the old man and Akira, at a loss for words.

"…" Akira could only endure the man's endless compliments with a polite smile.

The moment Shouko softly said, "It looks really good," he immediately decided to buy it.

When they left the shop, Shouko wore a pure white yukata adorned with pale blue cherry blossoms, while Takagi chose an orange and white design. Under some gentle persuasion from the staff, Nishikata ended up renting a black one.

Ayumi left empty-handed—she lived nearby and still had her own yukata from two summers ago.

The fireworks festival stalls had just turned on their colorful lights. The sea had already swallowed half of the setting sun.

Streetlights along the breakwater flickered on one by one, their glow scattering over the waves like molten gold.

Ayumi's clogs clicked rhythmically against the wooden floor as she called out impatiently, "Hurry up! It's time to go!"

"Be careful out there," Ayumi's grandmother called from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. "Don't stay out too late."

"Grandma, you're really not coming with us?" Ayumi turned back, pouting. "I heard this year's festival is supposed to be really lively!"

Her grandmother chuckled softly. "You say that every year. Go on ahead—I'll be asleep soon."

"Alright, alright," Ayumi sighed, giving up on persuading her.

She joined Akira and Nishikata, who were chatting idly in the living room, waiting for Shouko and the others to finish getting ready.

"Class Monitor," Akira asked, "are we going straight to the test of courage later, or checking out the stalls first?"

"Let's look around the stalls first," Ayumi said. "They're different every year, and some are surprisingly fun."

As she spoke, she started sharing stories about the stalls from past festivals, and the two boys listened quietly, nodding along.

Her grandmother sat with them for a bit before excusing herself to the bathroom.

"Is Shouko not ready yet?" Ayumi asked, turning to Takagi, who had just come downstairs in her yukata.

"Just a few more minutes," Takagi said, then smiled mischievously and asked,

"Miyamura, is it true that the second volume of Anohana is coming out soon?"

Akira blinked. "Shouko told you?"

He hadn't told anyone the exact release date, only that it would be sometime during summer vacation.

"Nope," Takagi said, pulling her phone from the small kinchaku bag at her waist. She turned the screen toward him.

"Futaba Publishing just posted the first preview on their site. It says the second volume of Anohana will be released in August, so I guessed it's within the next few days."

"Really!?" Ayumi leaned over to look. "Let me see!"

"If it's coming out soon, do you think we can buy it at a bookstore here?" Nishikata asked, worried they might miss it.

"I'm not sure about that," Akira chuckled. "But don't worry—it won't release before we're back in Tokyo."

He shrugged and added with a small grin, "It's actually coming out next Thursday. If nothing changes, we'll already be home by then."

"Thursday!? Are you sure?" Ayumi's eyes lit up with excitement.

Akira sighed lightly, smiling in defeat.

"Class Monitor, I'm the author."