𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞 | 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐮 𝐆𝐨𝐣𝐨

16 | Tides of Forever

────୨ৎ──── Y/N's POV

It was finally summer break. Even though we were no longer students, we still anticipated summer just like we did back then. But it was mostly because as teachers, we also get to have the time off.

Summer felt different, but not because it was changing. Moreover, we were the ones that were changing, summer was still the same.

Satoru and I decided to go back to the Kyoto summer house, in which we hadn't visited in years. The summer festival was taking place again, like it does every year. So just like old times, we both got dressed up in yukatas.

"It's almost the same as the one I wore that summer..." I ran my hands along the seams of my yukata, looking at my reflection in the mirror.

"And you still look as beautiful as ever" Satoru smiled, playing with a strand of my hair.

"We should go, the sun is starting to set" I said.

We both walked to the festival, hand in hand, while my sandals click clacked on the concrete pavements. Once we arrived, a familiar stand immediately caught my eye.

"Toru, look! It's that goldfish scooping stand!" I pointed out, getting excited. "Wanna see who can catch a fish first? I'll bet you a hundred bucks~" I smirked, mischievously.

Satoru laughed in my face. "You couldn't catch one in the last 50 tries, what makes you think you can catch one now?" he teased.

"I'm different now, I've trained for this very moment..." I rubbed my hands together as if I was plotting a malicious scheme.

"Sure Y/N" he sarcastically agreed as I dragged him over to the stand. I was confident I could catch one this time, my precision was much more refined now than it was before.

"3.. 2.. 1.. go!" I counted down, the both of us trying to catch a fish. "I got one! Ha!" I turned to laugh in Satoru's face.

"Wow.. You finally caught one" Satoru's face was shocked.

I proudly grinned. "Hey.. this fish kinda looks like you" I closely examined the all white goldfish.

After our little trip down memory lane, we went to the food section. Satoru had already acquired a bag full of festival snacks, despite dissing almost every food stall in the area. He claimed that none of the food here compared to his cooking skills... he wishes that were true.

Walking around in these wooden sandals was not for the weak. My feet ached only after an hour of being here.

"Ugh I'm taking these off.." I groaned, quickly removing the sandals from my feet.

"I'll take those" Satoru said as he grabbed the sandals out of my hands.

"Wow, such a gentleman" I cheesed, linking my arm around his.

"Only for you of course" he winked, adjusting his shades. "Let's go to the beach, the fireworks are going to start soon."

Taking a short walk to beach, we treaded on the soft sand as fond memories of our summer trips here flooded my mind. It's been years since we visited this spot, but it still feels the same—the gentle lapping of waves, the salty breeze, the distant glow of lanterns.