AfterLife Love

The Festival

Previously...

 "All in a days work! I'll be awaiting my payment in the mail."

Resuming...

Shuichi's POV ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several months passed. Kae and I continued planning the event and gaining materials, all leading up to today. But still in daily life, nothing drastically changed. Ouma still bugged everyone, and especially me constantly. I'd also stargaze and chat with Momota and Harukawa. Getting dragged once to three times a week for training. Harukawa and I had done it while living as a tribute to Momota. So he didn't see a need to do it every day. Rather just sometimes. Ah! Last thing, I was traumatized yet again. Kae started choking one day and said she felt like she had an asthma attack, and her neck hurt for a while. PTSD really shone through with that one. Anyways, enough recollection, I have to meet Kae at the place today.

"Hey Shumai!"

"Oh, Hey Ouma-kun." Immediately as I opened the door, Ouma was already standing there in my face.

"So where are you going? Gonna blow the lobby of a hotel up?"

"Wha- No. I'm going to help Kae-san set up."

"Ooo! I forgot that was today.....Can I come? I'll help too!"
"You, sure about that?"

"Yeah! Absolutely!" I could clearly tell he was crossing his fingers behind his back.

"*Sigh Okay then, you can join in. Let's go." I couldn't bother pointing it out. I know the drill.

"For real? Yay!"

We walked to the park and stared at a huge clean green patch of grass. It looked almost made just for this specific occasion. Kae and I had already left the supplies in boxes yesterday so that we could just assemble them today.

"Seems, no one's here yet. Isn't at least one other person supposed to show up?"

"....Uh yeah, but they probably got caught up in something or are on their way."

"Ever heard of that one kid in group assignment?"

"*sigh yeah. But It's Kae-san, she wouldn't do that."

"Sureeee. " I really hope that isn't the case. If it is, I'm sure it was for a good reason.

"So, what is there gonna be?" Ouma asked with wide eyes. I smiled and answered.

"You'll see."

"....How boring, I'm gonna go open all the boxes." His face went neutral and he walked away. I also went to open boxes. I had brought a pocket knife so opening them was easy. But after opening the first box I turned to look at how Ouma was doing. He was forcefully trying to rip the tape off. Cursing the hell out of it for being too hard to break and rip off.

"Pff, hehahah."

"Eh, what are you laughing about!? I wanna see you tear this off."

"I'm sorry, you just look, so mad. At a box even. Here, we can open them together." I was still smiling from all that giggling and handed the pocket knife to him.

"......Idiot. How is that supposed to work?"

"We take turns cutting tape and taking the stuff out."

"I see. Well, that's a lot of trust you're putting in me. What if I stab you, or myself? What if I steal the knife?"

"I know you won't" he started opening the box.