"Flashy? That's a first for me."
Takashi found Megumi's assessment oddly amusing.
"Yeah. You're too flashy, too rational, too heartless, too unpredictable. Too many girls like you. If I were to be with someone like you, you couldn't give me the sense of security I need."
To Megumi, a healthy relationship was built on equality—in wealth, status, and emotions.
Takashi was too popular. That meant he had too many options and too many ways out.
Faced with all those temptations, would he really stay devoted to an ordinary—not outstanding—girl like her?
Megumi didn't believe he would.
"Kitahara-kun, let me ask you—if you met a girl you really, really liked, but she came from a terrible background, would you marry her?"
Megumi tilted her head as her lead-gray hair fluttered in the breeze.
Takashi smiled. "No."
Love can't overcome everything.
Hospitals don't take love as payment. Kids don't live on love alone.
If one person's background is lacking, the other has to make up for it.
Takashi works hard to live a better life—not to play charity.
Don't even talk about love that can fill your belly.
Try drinking water and see how full you feel.
If he can't find someone with better conditions, he'll at least find someone on the same level.
That's just the kind of realist Kitahara Takashi is.
And what's wrong with being realistic?
At least he knows exactly what he wants.
"Exactly what I thought."
His answer didn't surprise Megumi at all.
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she smiled faintly. "Then I won't fall for you either."
Takashi was undeniably handsome, emotionally attentive, full of thoughtful surprises, and able to provide emotional support.
Dating him, if nothing else, would be a wonderful experience.
Even Utaha and Eriri—two top-tier girls—had validated that.
If he weren't exceptional, Takashi would've never risen from a stand-in to the main lead.
Could he make such outstanding girls unable to forget him just because he was "nice"?
That's part of it—but not all.
If being good enough to a woman were enough to make her unable to forget you, then every simp would get his wish.
In truth, every guy who's ever been a simp knows: your goddess won't fall for you just because you give enough.
What Utaha and Eriri can't let go of… is simply that they haven't found anyone better than Watanabe Takashi.
At least, not yet.
Takashi is excellent, no doubt. But he's too rational—he weighs pros and cons at every stage of a relationship, constantly calculating gains and losses.
Maybe one day, he'd suddenly bring up breaking up, and then turn and leave without hesitation.
Dating Takashi… Utaha and Eriri are proof of what that leads to.
And even Megumi doesn't know—if she starts dating Takashi, and he meets someone more outstanding, more beautiful, someone who can help him go further in life… would he abandon her?
That's why Megumi will never fall for Takashi.
"I get it now."
Takashi smiled and nodded.
"Looks like the rain's stopping."
The heavy rain came suddenly—and left just as fast.
At some point, the downpour had become a light drizzle.
If you didn't move the umbrella away, you wouldn't even notice.
Maybe in a few more minutes, it wouldn't be raining at all.
Megumi stretched her hand out from under the umbrella and sighed with a bit of regret. "Too bad the fireworks festival was canceled. If only the rain had stopped sooner."
Takashi felt the drizzle was too light to bother with the umbrella anymore, so he put it away. "Do you want to see fireworks?"
"…Yes."
Megumi gently nodded.
"Then let's go. We'll light some ourselves."
He believed in acting on impulse.
"Those who only think but never act are destined to achieve nothing."
—Those were the words his father once told him.
For many people, success is just one step away.
"Now? Fireworks?"
Even the always calm Megumi couldn't stay composed this time.
Takashi tilted his head slightly. "Yeah, what about it?"
"But setting off fireworks in the city without permission could get you arrested."
Megumi reminded him kindly.
Whether setting off fireworks is legal in Japan depends on the situation.
During designated events like fireworks festivals, it's allowed—but doing it in undesignated times or places is illegal.
"I'll handle that. I just want to know—do you want to see fireworks?"
Under the quiet glow of the streetlamps, the rain danced like silver insects in the misty air.
Beneath the hazy yellow light, standing in the rainy night, the boy's gaze burned—like two sparks leaping to life.
Megumi pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, then finally followed her heart and nodded faintly. "…Yes."
"Then let's go."
Without giving her a chance to regret it, Takashi grabbed her hand and ran toward Makuhari Seaside Park.
Megumi was pulled along, forced to run with him.
Her long, slender legs extended from under the yukata, pale and dazzling.
Each step in her wooden sandals splashed murky water droplets that danced up onto her calves.
Bathed in light rain, with beads of water rising and falling around them, the boy and girl ran hand in hand—like they were escaping the world in a grand romantic getaway.
The sight of the two of them running along the street looked like the final scene of a movie.
Passersby stopped and stared.
…
During evening rush hour, traffic was packed bumper to bumper.
With traffic control already in place, driving was incredibly difficult—walking would've been faster.
"You think you can squeeze in? Really?"
Mr. Spencer rolled down the window and shouted at a car trying to cut into the lane.
Sawamura Sayuri gently scolded, "Come on, dear, safety first. Don't start trouble with others."
She had moved from the front passenger seat to the back.
She cradled Eriri in her arms, gently patting her on the shoulder.
Under her mother's comfort, Eriri's emotions gradually calmed.
But her eyes had lost their light—like a doll broken beyond repair.
When Mr. Spencer saw his daughter like that through the rearview mirror, his heart ached.
If he could, he'd drag that punk Takashi over for a proper samurai duel.
"Come on, Eriri, don't be so upset. It's just a guy. With our family's background, what kind of man can't you have?"
Eriri's father tried to comfort her.
But Eriri replied with a hoarse voice, "I only want Watanabe Takashi. I don't want anyone else."
She had cried so long her throat had gone raw.
Her voice was now jagged and harsh, like a saw.
"You like guys like Watanabe Takashi, huh? Fine. I'll find someone like that for you."
"I don't want someone like Watanabe Takashi. I want him!"
Eriri lifted her head. Her eyes were bloodshot.
Fresh tears began rolling down her cheeks, falling with soft plinks to the car floor.
But she still spoke clearly: "Takashi is one of a kind."
In Eriri's heart, no one could compare to Watanabe Takashi.
Because it was when she loved him the most that Takashi chose to leave.
In her eyes, he was perfect. No one else could replace him—not even Tomoya.
The height of romanticism is this: if love must fade or dull, then let it die at its peak.
"What's so great about him—" "Shut up."
Eriri's father was cut off mid-sentence by Sayuri's sharp rebuke.
He didn't understand why his wife suddenly snapped at him—until he turned his head and saw Eriri staring straight at him.
Then he understood everything.
Takashi had played his role too well—even in Eriri's heart, her father didn't rank above him.
If he kept talking, Eriri might blow up at him.
That's why Sayuri stopped him.
Damn that slick little Kitahara punk… If he shows up in front of us again, I swear…
Mr. Spencer turned away in frustration—only to see, through the car window, a boy and girl running hand-in-hand.
"Sh*t."
He slammed his fist on the steering wheel in fury.
HOOOONK—!
The car let out a sharp blare.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Sayuri glared at her husband, angry. Didn't he see she was trying to calm their daughter down?
"Look!"
Mr. Spencer growled, pointing.
Sayuri followed his gaze.
When she saw what he was pointing at, her expression went ice-cold.
My daughter's still in tears, and you've already turned around and grabbed another girl's hand.
You sure moved on fast.
"…Nice," Eriri whispered, turning her head to look too.
She recognized Megumi, but not Takashi.
She just watched the two of them running hand in hand, and in her lifeless blue eyes… a trace of envy appeared.
If she and Watanabe Takashi hadn't broken up today, maybe… they could've been like that too.
"Fireworks now? Are you kidding me?"
When the organizer of the Makuhari Seaside Park fireworks festival heard Takashi's request, he didn't hesitate to shake his head.
It wasn't that they couldn't set them off. The rain had stopped—it was possible.
But there were hardly any spectators left. Who would even watch them?
"Kitahara-kun, maybe just forget it,"
Megumi tugged at Takashi's sleeve and whispered.
She hadn't expected much to begin with.
But Takashi ignored her and pressed on. "Mister, what company are you with?"
Whoever could land the rights to host the fireworks show definitely had some powerful backing.
Takashi wanted to see if it was someone he knew—or someone his connections knew.
He wasn't bragging, but he knew a lot of people. His network was broad.
"Kashiwagi family. You know them?"
Omio Sho lit a cigarette and looked at Takashi with an amused expression.
"The shipbuilding Kashiwagi family?"
How convenient.
"What else?"
Sho countered.
"Wait here a moment."
Takashi stepped away and made a phone call—to Kashiwagi Nagisa.
Who knows what he said, but a moment later, He received a call from his boss, ordering him to launch the fireworks.
Sho didn't know what Takashi had said, but his gaze had clearly changed—now tinged with respect.
Soon, the announcer's passionate voice echoed through the loudspeakers:
"Thank you all for your patience! Up next, the final passion of summer—eighty rapid-fire size-5 fireworks, launching now!"
Suddenly, rockets burst into the sky, erupting into a massive cascade of fireworks against the curtain of night.
The crowd that had been heading home disappointed stopped in their tracks, stunned by the explosion of color overhead.
"Wasn't it said that the event was canceled due to the rain?"
"Why has it started again?"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!!!
One firework after another lit up the sky, quickly turning the night into a dreamy spectacle, like flowing paintings unfurling above.
People set aside their doubts for the moment and looked up, gazing at the colorful night sky.
Fireworks are the most dazzling poetry in summer's night sky.
They are the infinite yearning people have for beautiful times.
At the observation deck, Takashi stood shoulder to shoulder with Megumi, watching the endless stream of fireworks.
The observation deck was the VIP area, originally reserved for some big shots.
Now that they had all left early, only Takashi and Megumi remained—almost like they had the whole place to themselves.
"Kitahara-kun, why did you go so far to help me?"
Megumi tilted her head and looked at Takashi.
"Then why didn't you expose my identity in front of Utaha?"
Takashi countered.
"I just felt it had nothing to do with me," Megumi answered honestly.
She didn't expose Takashi simply because she didn't want to meddle.
She was in the same club as Utaha and Eriri, but that didn't mean they were particularly close.
"I see. Still, thank you."
The reason was simple, but Takashi sincerely thanked Megumi.
Had she exposed him back then, the consequences would've been unimaginable.
In a way, Megumi had helped him.
"Take this firework show as my thanks to you."
"This thank-you is too much. Kitahara-kun, you must've done something to make this firework show continue, right?"
Takashi thought of the promise he just made to Nagisa, and immediately felt annoyed.
"It's not worth it... for someone ordinary like me."
Megumi spoke in a self-deprecating tone, but just as the words left her mouth, she felt her cheeks being tugged on both sides.
Megumi: "?"
"Who said you're not worth it?"
Takashi tugged at her cheeks with a roguish smile. "Let me tell you a secret—I like you more than Utaha or Eriri."
There was a faint gleam of amusement in the boy's eyes as he raised his brow.
Fireworks boomed continuously in the background. Under the glow of the fireworks, as she looked at his face, Megumi felt her heart skip a beat.
She suddenly remembered a lyric from a song:
"When I look up, you're already watching me. Reflected in your eyes are the dazzling summer night fireworks."
Megumi calmly looked away and gazed up at the fireworks.
She still didn't like Takashi.
He wasn't her type—too flashy, too radiant, too uncontrollable. He made people want to give him their hearts.
That was just the kind of charm he had.
'I absolutely cannot fall for him.'
Megumi repeatedly reminded herself in her heart.
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Megumi… Don't set up a flag lmao
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