As Sajuna walked, the two moved further and further away from the crowd.
"Sajuna, where are we going?"
Akira followed Sajuna's steps, looking around the environment, but found no place that might interest Sajuna.
"I want to watch fireworks with Aki-Kun…"
Sajuna's voice came from ahead, slightly out of breath, clearly indicating that walking in clogs had exhausted her.
She only felt a surge of energy in her heart slowly disappearing, and the straps on her clogs constantly rubbed Sajuna's toes, causing her a burning pain.
Sure enough, she still couldn't persevere; relying solely on her initial burst of courage wouldn't be enough.
Sajuna thought dejectedly, her attention distracted by the thoughts in her mind, not noticing the condition of the road.
"Oh!"
"Sajuna!"
Akira and Sajuna's voices sounded almost simultaneously, and Akira quickly stood beside Sajuna, crouching down to check on her.
"Did you sprain your ankle?"
Akira gently held Sajuna's ankle, waiting for her answer before deciding whether to move her ankle.
"No, I just stepped on a stone."
Sajuna said slowly.
Akira then looked down at the foot that had just been hurt; the girl's fair foot was in a pair of women's clogs, with a slightly red thong strap folder between her small big toe and second toe, but the surrounding skin was now a little red from the friction of the strap, a stark contrast to the surrounding skin.
"Does it hurt?"
Akira asked, looking up.
"No, it doesn't."
Sajuna shook her head, then Akira put his arm around her shoulder, picked up her legs, and held her against his chest.
"Aki-Kun."
The sudden princess carry made Sajuna's heart involuntarily start to pound, and a blush slowly appeared on her cheeks; the dejection that had surfaced due to her courage fading away was also slowly melting.
"Now you can tell me where Sajuna is going, right?"
"Mm."
Sajuna leaned against Akira's chest and nodded, then clearly stated her destination.
"Mom booked us a room at the hotel over there."
"So that's it."
Akira smiled, not asking any unnecessary questions, as Sajuna's courageous appearance from before still lingered in his mind.
After Sajuna finished speaking, Akira spotted a hotel at the top of the mountain and then asked Sajuna in his arms,
"Is it the one on the mountaintop?"
"Mm."
"Sajuna, can you put your arms around my neck? I'm about to speed up."
"Okay…"
Sajuna obediently did as told.
Akira exhaled; his physique, honed through long-term training, finally came in handy. He began to run towards the mountaintop.
The steady breathing and reassuring heartbeat emanating from his strong body made Sajuna open her eyes more than once to look at the boy holding her; his presence was so captivating that she felt as if her whole being was merging with him into the noisy night wind.
Everything conveyed the sense of security Akira brought to Sajuna, and she suddenly felt that her earlier dejection was unnecessary.
What couldn't be accomplished in one go? Such things should clearly be completed by two people together!
Sajuna, who wanted to take on everything, was a fool, and Aki-Kun, who was solely focused on taking care of her, was also a fool.
It was precisely because they were two fools that things had turned out this way.
Sajuna looked at Akira running, and she felt her eyes redden.
"Aki-Kun."
"What's wrong?"
"I like you so much."
"I like Sajuna very much too."
Akira replied, his running steps slowing down; they had reached their destination.
Helping Sajuna stand by the front desk, Akira asked the staff for the room key.
The two walked into the room together and then saw the scene inside.
The room was not the romantic, themed style Sajuna had imagined, but a normal one. The room was not particularly high-end, but it had enough spaciousness.
Akira and Sajuna walked to the window and immediately saw the complete fireworks display outside.
"There are so many people outside."
Sajuna couldn't help but exclaim. She hadn't felt it when she was inside, but looking from here now, it felt densely packed, like sardines squeezed together.
"Indeed, I didn't expect it to be so exaggerated."
Akira echoed.
Then the two held hands and sat by the bed, only to see a brilliantly colored line streak across the sky, then instantly explode, the dazzling firelight illuminating their faces, and the huge explosion seemed to drown out the distant clamor.
"It's starting."
Sajuna sat on the bed, drawing her legs in, leaning her entire body against Akira, and looking up at the fireworks outside.
One after another, fireworks gradually rose into the sky, blooming in brilliant colors and illuminating the entire world.
Akira looked at the dazzling fireworks outside, and suddenly felt that they were not as moving as he had hoped. Instead, it was the smile on the girl's face beside him that he felt was the culprit making the fireworks so heartwarming.
Akira opened his arms, embraced Sajuna who was curled up, gently inhaled the fragrance from Sajuna's hair, then looked down at Sajuna's happy face, feeling as if the whole world had been repainted with vibrant colors.
A giant firework was lit at this moment, and beautiful fire trees and silver flowers instantly adorned the entire night sky, making the night momentarily as bright as day, illuminating the two faces in the room.
Under the glow of such fireworks, Sajuna could no longer force herself not to look at the handsome young man beside her. With her heart pounding, she felt she could no longer appreciate the beauty of the fireworks.
The reassuring heartbeat and masculine scent instantly overwhelmed Sajuna's strained rationality. With a hazy gaze, she parted her lips.
"Aki-Kun."
Although it was just her usual address, Akira felt a kitten scratching at his chest. So, he grabbed Sajuna's wrist, as if fearing her resistance, and kissed her blushing face.
Amidst the intertwining of lips, time began to stretch, and the girl's body slowly softened, the sweet and ambiguous atmosphere in the room growing thicker.
Akira couldn't help but turn Sajuna's body, feeling the warmth and touch of her skin.
Sajuna, as if out of breath, pulled her face back, letting out a short, cute gasp, her expression hazy.
Akira couldn't resist burying his head and gently biting Sajuna's ear, then rubbing his nose against her neck. Amidst her short gasps, Sajuna's body temperature unknowingly rose…
In the night sky, incredibly brilliant fireworks continued to bloom, but at this moment, the two only had eyes for each other. After a passionate deep kiss, their figures slowly intertwined, slowly sinking into the boundless night.