𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒍𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 | 𝑫𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒖𝒌𝒆 𝒙 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ New Years Eve

Days passed after the Pony Express event for the 10th anniversary.
The event had come together surprisingly well, despite the chaos, and Curly's relentless need to micromanage every little detail.

But that was behind you now.

Today was different.
Today was the day—the long-awaited festival.

The night before had been a blur of excitement and anticipation.
You and Daisuke could hardly contain yourselves as you talked endlessly about all the things you planned to do at the festival.

The food booths, the games,
the music, the lights— and more.
What started as a quick call to confirm plans spiraled into one of those long conversations that stretched on for hours without either of you realizing it.

Neither of you had any intention of hanging up. It had become something of a routine between the two of you lately—these late-night calls that started as casual chats and turned into deep conversations, playful banter,
and laughter that carried on until the early hours of the morning.

"Do you think they'll have that fried dough...stuff?"
Daisuke asked, his voice muffled as he stifled a yawn but still filled with excitement.

"They'd better,"
you replied, smiling even though he couldn't see you.
"I've been dreaming about those powdered sugar bombs."

"And the ring toss,"
he added.
"This year, I'm winning you one of those giant stuffed animals.
No distractions."

You laughed, the sound light and genuine.

"You say that now, but there's a matter of time before you lose and claim the game's rigged."

"Because it is rigged... sometimes,"
he shot back, feigning indignation.
"Which is why I trained."

That sent you into a fit of laughter, the kind that made your stomach ache and your eyes water.

"What, do you need a tutorial? You're seriously training for a festival game? Daisuke, you're ridiculous."

"You'll thank me later,"
he countered with a smug tone, clearly pleased with himself.

You started the call around 10 p.m.
By the time it ended, it was well past 4 a.m., but neither of you cared.

The festival didn't start until 9 p.m.
and would run until 12:30 a.m.,
so there was plenty of time to catch up on sleep—or so you told yourselves.

You couldn't help but feel a warmth in your chest.
The festival wasn't just about the food, games, and music anymore.

It was about moments like this—moments that made everything else seem brighter, lighter, and more meaningful.
The hours until the event seemed to stretch endlessly, but the anticipation only made it sweeter.

Afternoon—

After waking up at 3 p.m.—
much later than you'd planned,
you knew it was time to kick things
into gear.
The festival was only hours away, and there was no room for procrastination.

First, a quick shower to refresh yourself, the cool water washing away any lingering drowsiness.
There was no time to waste.
Once you were out, you stood in front of your wardrobe, pulling out your outfit.